The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved contracts for the county’s road projects slated to take place this summer.

The first contract, for $9.03 million, was awarded to Ulland Bros. Inc. of Albert Lea for work done on the following roads:

• County State-Aid Highway 13, between U.S. Highway 69 and U.S. Highway 65

• CSAH 13, 1.8 miles west of Glenville

• CSAH 25, between CSAH 8 and Minnesota Highway 13

• CSAH 36, between Minnesota Highway 251 and the north county line

• CSAH 46, between Interstate 90 at Petran and Mower County

A second contract with Ulland Bros. for about $866,000 was approved for the mill and bituminous overlay of designated roads in several small cities, including CSAH 12 and 43 in Conger, CSAH 14 and Freeborn County Road 76 in Emmons, CSAH 16 and 39 in Twin Lakes and CSAH 41 and Freeborn County Road 102 in Hayward.

The board also approved a bid from Ulland Bros Inc. for washed sand that will be used for ice control this year. The bid was for $9.70 a ton for 2,500 tons from two pits.

The county’s annual striping contract was awarded to Traffic Marking Service for about $150,000.

The board also approved price lists for various seasonal bid items, such as sand, gravel and equipment rental. The lists included plant mixed bituminous materials from Ulland Bros.; equipment rental from Freeborn Construction, Bishop Excavating Inc. and Brunz Construction; corrugated metal pipe culvert from TrueNorthSteel; and gravel and crushed quarry rock from Ulland Bros. Inc., Freeborn Construction, Falkstone LLC, JJD Companies LLC and Bishop Excavating Inc.

In other action, the board:

• Officially declared a state of emergency in Freeborn County after the severe weather of April 10. The action allows the county to seek reimbursement of costs and infrastructure damage associated with the storm. 

The vote came two weeks after the county declared another state of emergency tied to flooding in March.

The commissioners briefly discussed how the area has been seeing more large weather events.

Later in the meeting, Commissioner Dan Belshan asked that work continue to move forward about getting funding to build a tornado shelter.

• Approved the county’s trail master plan, which will be used as the county applies for different grants.

• Approved a series of repairs to the county drainage system.

• Approved a 3.2 beer and wine sale license for Freeborn Lake Golf Course.

• Approved a 2 a.m. closing license for Harmony Park.

• Approved rezoning land owned by Andrew and Amy Belshan from R-1 Rural Residence District to R-H Country Homes District to allow for a larger shed.

• Approved a resolution to expand a propane and ammonia distribution facility operated by Krown Inc. of Hartland. The company is looking to add a 30,000 gallon anhydrous tank.

• Approved placing Molly Burkholder, a Public Health Department registered nurse, on regular full-time status.

• Approved placing Laura Peterson, a Public Health Department registered nurse, on regular part-time status.

• Approved the resignation of Mike Tabor, a detention deputy, effective April 23. The commissioners voted to fill the vacancy.

• Set a workshop for 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 23 to update the commissioners about the Freeborn County Sheriff Kurt Freitag’s salary dispute and to complete a road tour of areas in Freeborn County. The first portion of the workshop is closed per attorney client privilege.

• Voted to move the May 7 meeting to April 30 because of litigation taking place May 7 in the case of Freitag’s salary.