Matthew Verdick, Rice County Parks and Facilities Department Director told the County Board of Commissioners during a work session today planning for the new LEC/Jail is moving along.

Verdick told Commissioners they should receive a recommendation at their next meeting for a construction management firm to oversee the project.

He said, "Besides that we're working through the plans with architects.  Getting them ready and looking forward to having  a construction manager on board to help with some cost analysis to make sure that we're staying within our budget as well and going in the right direction."

Closing is December 3, 2021 on property purchased for the new facility.  The former outdoor movie theater site off Highway 3 on the north end of Faribault is owned by Faribault Foods.

The 109.25 acres was purchased for $1.65 million dollars.

Verdick also reported his department is closing the requests for proposal this week concerning the north side of the 100 block east of the Courthouse containing the former Woolen Mill headquarters.

"We completed our TIF (Tax Increment Financing) inspection of the block last week which is just another tool in the toolbox that we can utilize as we go through our different options of development of that block.  Nothing has been decided as far as recommendations yet.  We're still in the stage where we are evaluating what the different options for the block are, which includes anything from leaving it and repairing things or moving forward with other options as well as far as developing it in a different direction."

The County Board also reviewed the preliminary tax levy information.

At this point the County and HRA (Housing Rehabilitation Authority) levies would amount to a 4.46% increase for 2022.  The preliminary numbers call for a 5.2 percent increase in the General Fund.

A public hearing for the proposed 2022 Rice County Budget is scheduled for Thursday, December 6, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the Commissioners Room at the County Government Services Building in Faribault.

The County Board is scheduled to set the levy during their Tuesday, December 14, 2021 board meeting which starts at 8:30 a.m.

Are there any surprises for you here?

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Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

This is some interesting reading.

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