County commissioners are contemplating an agreement for new interstate access north of Albert Lea.

Wednesday, September 22, 1999

County commissioners are contemplating an agreement for new interstate access north of Albert Lea.

The first written proposal for cooperation between Albert Lea and Freeborn County on a possible Bath Road-Interstate 90 interchange is under review.

Commissioners were asked Tuesday to review a draft partnership agreement sent to them late last week.

&uot;It’s the partnership that would be developed between the county and city and eventually MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation),&uot; County Engineer Sue Miller told commissioners, asking them to share any concerns or proposed changes to the agreement with her so she could prepare a response to the city.

While the city originally asked for response after Tuesday’s county board meeting, Miller said county staff requested time to work on a possible compromise.

She said the final agreement will illustrate what each government body agrees to do in the proposed interchange project.

County Administrator Gene Smith said it will be important for county staff to meet with commissioners to prepare a response to the city.

&uot;We’d like to meet with each of you to make sure issues of concern are covered,&uot; he said.

Miller and Smith said the goal is to develop an final agreement that can receive both city and county approval for the project.

Miller has noted that cooperation is needed for the project to continue with MnDOT support.

&uot;They don’t want to invest staff time and resources into a project like this until they know the government bodies are all on the same page,&uot; she said.

In other county business Tuesday morning, the board:

* Approved a request to allow Bresnan Communications to place a fiber optic cable along county roads 91, 38 and 46.

* Decided not to sell to older county vehicles that weren’t purchased in recent offerings. The vehicles will be returned to the county’s fleet.

* Set an Oct. 5 workshop to discuss issues connected to the county’s license center.

* Received an update from County Ditch Inspector Phil Tennis on the construction of the Alliance natural gas pipeline through Freeborn County.