Goodhue County Sheriff SWAT Vehicle Turned Down by Commissioners

There were some fireworks Thursday at the Goodhue County Commissioners meeting on the grounds of the fair in Zumbrota.

The County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 against accepting a federal grant for a new BearCat vehicle for the Emergency Response Team (SWAT).

Goodhue County Sheriff Scott McNurlin informed the board his department received word they had been chosen for the grant, which required $75,000 from the county. That prompted District 1 Commissioner Ron Allen of Red Wing to ask the sheriff if the current vehicle could do the job.

McNurlin replied it could, but said it was a antiquated armored vehicle. The Goodhue County sheriff reminded the board they approved applying for the grant last year and his department had recently been notified they were going to be a recipient of the money requested.

Allen said it was simply a numbers game and the county was in the red as it is. District 3 Commissioner Dan Rechtzigel of Kenyon appeared stunned some of his colleagues would vote against moving forward when the grant had been approved.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Ted Seifert of Red Wing made it very clear they could bring the matter back later. He wanted to see if they could secure any money from other law enforcement agencies in the area.

Commissioners Seifert, Allen and Jason Majerus of Goodhue voted against accepting the grant for the Emergency Response Team vehicle.

The meeting was conducted under the big entertainment tent on the fairgrounds.