Freeborn County commissioners on Tuesday ordered a full appraisal be conducted on the land the county hopes to acquire from Union Pacific Railroad.

The appraisal is required under a federal recreational trail grant the county received for $150,000.

The grant would go toward acquiring 12.6 miles of railroad property from Union Pacific to turn into a multi-use trail that would go from Hartland to Albert Lea.

The county has been negotiating with railroad officials about acquiring the land for several months.

Freeborn County Administrator John Kluever said four companies offered bids on the appraisal. The low bid, and the one ultimately approved, came from Johnson Appraisal Co. for $7,000.

The work should be completed within 45 days.

In the meantime, the county is also waiting to hear back from a state recreational trail grant to see if it will be awarded any additional funds for the project.

Union Pacific workers have been removing tracks this summer and autumn from the route. Up and down much of the corridor, the tracks are sitting to the side, and railroad ties have nothing to hold up.

In other action, the commissioners:

• Approved a resolution supporting the city of Albert Lea’s application for federal funding for the Broadway Avenue streetscape project.

The city is applying for $3.7 million through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery discretionary grant program, known as TIGER.

The program is under the U.S. Department of Transportation.

• Approved a request for a conditional use permit by Michael O’Connor for a home occupation in excess of 2,000 square feet in Newry Township.

Freeborn County Administrator John Kluever said the project would include a warehouse and office that is about 480 square feet over what is allowed without board action.

The business would include seed and corn sales, along with crop insurance.

• Authorized the final payment of about $24,500 for the 2011 bituminous seal coat project, which included Freeborn County roads 14, 19, 28 and 31. Pearson Brothers Inc. of Hanover completed the project for a total cost of about $489,000.

• Authorized the final payment of about $23,000 for the construction and approach grading of a bridge over Deer Creek. The project was on Freeborn County Road 104 just east of County 30 in Moscow Township.

Minnowa Construction Inc. of Harmony completed the project for a total cost of about $460,000.

• Approved a resolution authorizing Freeborn County to enter into a grant contract with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

The grant will reportedly be used for operational improvements within the Freeborn County Veterans Services Office.

• Authorized repairs for County Ditch No. 15, which will be completed yet this fall.

• Removed a series of delinquent mobile home taxes from the tax records.