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The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to change the parking ordinance on Sibley Street near B&B Cafe to allow on-street parking for the business. 

The cafe recently lost access to the parking lot across the street after the land was purchased by Scooter’s Coffee with plans by the company to build a coffee shop there. 

B&B had used the lot for many years, and to alleviate parking concerns its owners had requested the county consider opening up Sibley Street, which is under county jurisdiction and is actually part of County Road 22, for on-street parking. The cafe owners have also worked with neighboring businesses, including the Salvation Army, Eaton Sport & Spine, and Cafourek Insurance Agency to see if they might allow customers access to their lots for additional parking. 

Freeborn County Highway Engineer Phil Wacholz said though Sibley Street is not a road he would generally add parking to, it did still meet minimum safety standards to do so. He agreed to allow five parking spaces on the west side of the street, between Marshall Street and East Main Street, where there is also a paved boulevard.

Wacholz said the B&B owners have agreed to remove the snow from the paved boulevard to allow pedestrians a safer walkway on the west side of the street. 

He said the city is responsible for plowing the street and was expected to come out and tidy up the street curb to curb before the no-parking signs are pulled and the parking goes into effect. 

Wacholz said if there becomes an issue with vehicles parking in the spaces overnight, he might come back to the board and request no parking from 2 to 6 a.m. 

Freeborn County Commissioner Ted Herman said the cost of the parking changes are only $200 for the county for the signage, and he said he thinks Wacholz looked at all possible solutions for the parking issue. 

He said of all the options they looked at, this is probably the best scenario that the county can do and really the only option to alleviate the parking concerns. 

“Ultimately it’s up to everyone’s decision to be safe when you’re out walking in the street,” Herman said. 

First District Commissioner Brad Edwin said B&B is an icon of the community and has been around as long as he can remember. 

“Anything we can do to support our local businesses is a great thing,” Edwin said. 

Holly Miller, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Clint, said after the meeting she was grateful for the county board and felt hopeful for their business. 

“We love being part of this community and feel humbled that our concerns were heard,” Miller said.

If B&B changes locations or closes, the issue will come back before the board to revert back to no parking.

In other action, the board: 

• Accepted the resignation of Freeborn County Recorder Kelly Callahan, who will retire April 30. Callahan has served as county recorder since 2000. 

The county recorder position is an appointed seat, and Administrator Tom Jensen said the board will discuss steps for finding a replacement in an upcoming workshop. 

• Approved applying for a grant for almost $27,000 from the 2022 Help America Vote Act through the Minnesota Secretary of State. 

The funds will go toward areas of election accessibility and security. 

Auditor-Treasurer Pat Martinson said the funds will go toward a new drop box for absentee ballots and for storage for footage from the camera that is focused on the ballot box for a more extended period of time. 

• Approved loaning $46,000 to the health insurance account from the general fund. 

Martinson said Blue Cross Blue Shield pulls funds at the beginning of the month for health insurance payments and the county collects from employees through payrolls after payments are made. Because of this timing, the county runs into a deficit balance in the bank account the payments are pulled from. 

By loaning from the general fund and placing the funds in the bank account, it will offset the timing problem and prevent the account from going into a deficit balance.

• Authorized a loan from the general fund to County Ditch J22 for a shortage in 2021. 
• Accepted the resignations of Rodney Norris, detention deputy. The board voted to refill the position. 
• Placed Evie Cunningham, a social worker and case manager on regular full-time status. 
• Voted to fill a vacant support enforcement aide position. 
• Approved a tentative agreement with the Freeborn County and Law Enforcement Labor Services union representing sergeants for the calendar years 2022-24. Jensen said the agreement is in line with other union contracts already approved by the county. 
• Reappointed Julie Bernau and Robin Schmidt to the two open positions of the Freeborn County Extension Committee for three-year terms. 
• Approved a resolution allowing Waylon Welvaert to attend the National Government Finance Officers Conference in Austin, Texas, June 5-8. 
• Accepted $120 in donations to the Sheriff’s Office that will go toward equipment.