The Freeborn County Township Officers Association was approved as a voting member of the Shell Rock River Watershed Advisory Board Tuesday, but commissioners said they think it is time to close the advisory board’s roster and get to work.

Wednesday, February 07, 2001

The Freeborn County Township Officers Association was approved as a voting member of the Shell Rock River Watershed Advisory Board Tuesday, but commissioners said they think it is time to close the advisory board’s roster and get to work.

Commissioners agreed the township officers would be an asset to the watershed advisory board.

&uot;I don’t have a problem having representation from our townships, and I’m glad the watershed committee feels the same way,&uot; Commissioner Dan Belshan said.

Chairman Dave Mullenbach and others agreed that the township officers should be represented, but wondered about the board’s timing in asking to be included.

&uot;I guess I have concerns about where were they when this was established,&uot; he said. &uot;They had plenty of time to get this in.&uot;

The township officers have not designated an alternate, and voting committee member Jim Bennish wasn’t at the last watershed committee meeting, he said.

&uot;Keep in mind, they have time commitments to get this done,&uot; Mullenbach said. &uot;Are they going to have to get back to him and bring him up to speed during the meeting?&uot;

The advisory committee had already voted to close membership before recommending the township officers, refusing voting memberships to several other groups, Mullenbach said.

&uot;I have a problem with some of that kind of stuff,&uot; he said.

The townships were invited to join when the county was forming the group, Environmental Services Director Randy Tuchtenhagen said. No township asked to be included at that point.

&uot;We’re in the seventh inning here,&uot; Commissioner Mark Behrends said. &uot;They should definitely be on here I think, but they should have been at the table at the beginning.&uot;

Behrends suggested that the advisory board close off membership at this point, but indicated he would go with their recommendations.

&uot;That’s besides the fact, here’s where we are at today, and we need to get moving,&uot; he said.

Commissioner Dan Springborg also expressed concern with size of the 19 member board, and adding members at this point in the process.

The group was appointed by the county last summer and charged with developing a watershed improvement plan within a year. The group has been meeting monthly since.