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The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to appoint Heather Bagley as the county’s new recorder.

Erin Hornberger, Human Resources director for the county, said the personnel committee met April 23 and recommended Bagley to the board. Bagley has been employed since 2017 in the Freeborn County Recorder’s Office and prior to that worked in the Auditor-Treasurer’s Office and the License Center.

“We think Heather would be well suited for the position,” Hornberger said.

Freeborn County Commissioners John Forman, who served on the personnel committee, said Bagley did a good job of presentation during the interviews and was clearly the best candidate. Commissioner Brad Edwin, who is also on the committee, concurred and said he thought she was an excellent choice.

The recorder position was open with the appointment of Kelly Hendrickson as auditor-treasurer.

In other action, the board:

• Approved an amendment to the county’s abatement policy to meet requirements by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Some of the changes included adding adopted and revised dates, adding that the board will give notice within 20 days if there’s an abatement over $10,000, removing a section on deadlines, expanding the section on hardships and adding that the county will following local option disaster abatement policy outlined in state statute.

• Awarded the contract to construct a bridge on County Road 60, three miles west of Emmons, to ICON Constructors LLC. for $1.034 million. There were three bids for the project, and the engineer’s estimate was $1.073 million. The board also voted to approve a grant agreement with the state of Minnesota for a Local Bridge Replacement Program grant for about $817,000, which will cover about 79% of the total cost for the bridge.

• Approved a resolution authorizing cost participation with the city of Albert Lea for the reconstruction of Sibley and Marshall Street, which includes a portion of County State Aid Highway 22.

The city will be the lead agency for the project and has received bids for the project.

The total construction contract amount will be about $1.088 million with BCM Construction Inc. of Faribault, and the county’s portion for roadway items is about $395,000.

The county will make partial payments to the city as work progresses and a final payment once the project is complete.

• Approved replacing a specialized sign maintenance truck for the Highway Department.

Replacement will be a 2025 Freightliner M2 with a custom body built especially for sign work and has been designed with input of several staff, County Engineer Phil Wacholz said.

The price of the truck and body are about $340,000. The new truck is expected to last 15 years, and the old unit will be sold on auction.

• Approved filling a vacant office support specialist senior position in the Sheriff’s Office that was opened after the former person in the position accepted a new position as the Detention Center program coordinator.

• Approved filling an office support specialist for mental health position after the former person in the position accepted a position within the Department of Human Services as a child support enforcement aid.

• Approved the resignation of Angie Balsley as benefits specialist for the administration office. She has worked in the position for 2024 and is retiring.