A piece of land the Watershed District had its eye on for years is now approved for purchase.

The 19.69 acres north of Albert Lea and west of Minnesota Highway 13 will play into the fourth phase of the Wedge Creek restoration project, said Shell Rock River Watershed District Resource Technician Courtney Phillips.

The restoration is intended to reconnect a wetland cut off from Wedge Creek by railroad tracks, said Watershed District Administrator Andy Henschel. That reconnection means the wetland will add some flood storage, and as water goes down, water can recede back out.

Phillips said the Watershed District will retain property ownership for the course of the restoration, approximately two years, and for an estimated one to two years following to monitor it, and will then transfer the land to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Board member Alan Bakken expressed concern for taxpayers regarding the purchase, as land bought by the district receives a reduced tax rate.

“When we’re doing this, I want to make sure we need it and that it’s a good project,” he said.

According to Phillips, purchasing this property has been in the district’s goals for years — close to 15, as Henschel estimated.

“It is a key project, a key piece of property, so we feel that it is a success to put this project in this area,” Henschel said.

Additionally, the Watershed District makes payment in lieu of taxes on all its properties, Phillips said.

“There is some payment going toward the property instead of none at all, so it does lessen the burden,” she said.

This land acquisition for the Wedge Creek restoration project will cost $79,000, Phillips said. Grant funding has been obtained.

Following the meeting, Bakken said he was satisfied with the district’s response on the importance of the project.

For future meetings, Watershed District board meetings under Vice Chairman Mick Delger will more closely follow Robert’s Rules of Order, a guide for conducting meetings largely adopted by governing boards. Delger said he has been reading more about the process at Henschel’s suggestion. The main area Delger said he sees the need for increased attention is for a roll call vote to open the meeting, which would then clue the public in to which board members were present at the meetings in official public documents.

In other action, the Shell Rock River Watershed District board of managers approved continued services with Judy Erickson of Conservation Strategies Inc., who serves as a legislative liaison for the district and keeps track of and lobbies for projects in the interest of the district.

“She has helped us bring millions of dollars to the district,” Henschel said. “Easily, millions of dollars.”

The 2019 contract was for $39,000. Henschel said this is the same amount approved for last year’s contract.

“Money well spent,” board s ecretary Dan DeBoer said.

The Shell Rock River Watershed District will hold its February meeting at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 12 in the City Council Chambers. The 2018 annual meeting will be 6:30 p.m. March 19 in the Freeborn County Boardroom, following the 6 p.m. monthly meeting.