ELKTON – The Mower County Townships Association held its semi-annual meeting Thursday.

Monday, September 20, 1999

ELKTON – The Mower County Townships Association held its semi-annual meeting Thursday.

Representatives listened and learned about a new electrical plant that may be located in Mower County and the new mapping/addressing program which is under way.

The association’s members heard a delegation from Great River Energy discuss the proposed new plant in Pleasant Valley Township.

Rick Lancaster, vice president for public affairs, described the 445-megawatt natural gas-fired generation facility near Sargeant.

In order to build and operate the $160-million peak shaving plant, GRE needs an exemption from the Minnesota Legislature on the equipment inside the facility.

The personal property tax exemption would not affect the real estate taxes it would pay, estimated at over $600,000 annually.

Receiving the exemption would save some $7-million in personal property taxes the utility said it would have to pay the state of Minnesota.

"We hope to earn your support for this project," Lancaster said. "This area needs some additional generating capacity. We would be near a natural gas pipe line and high voltage transmission line. It’s an ideal location."

"There aren’t too many sites in the state where you have a natural gas pipeline and high voltage transmission line in the same spot as Pleasant Valley Township does," Lancaster said.

Also last Thursday, the townships’ representatives heard Mower County Sheriff Barry J. Simonson explain the new mapping-and-addressing program underway in the county.

"The Mower County Sheriff’s Department, local fire departments, emergency services agencies and businesses and individuals will see benefits from these improvements," Simonson said.

The new addresses for all rural residences are expected to be listed in the 2001 plat book, according to Simonson, who said all east and west roads will be designated "streets" and all north and south roads will be designated avenues.

The street numbers will run from 100 to 340, while the avenues will run from 500 to 800.

All municipalities will not be affected by the change-over and the city of Austin will have a "buffer zone," because of some township roads already designated as streets.

"It will make our emergency 911 system work better," said Simonson, who expects the new street and avenue signs, plus home and business signs to be in place by March 2000.

The township’s role is limited. They will not have to maintain or replace the signs, according to Simonson.

The representatives listened without comment except for Dave Gilderhuis, clerk of Clayton Township, who observed with tongue in cheek, "The only disadvantage I can see is that it will make me easier to find for salesmen."

Dan Wilson, Austin’s fire chief, had an offer no township board member could resist.

Wilson wanted to give away free smoke detectors and batteries.

Wilson told the association members he is assisting the Mower County chapter of the American Red Cross in its Smoke Buster program.

"By the year 2000, we want every home in Mower County to have a working smoke detector," Wilson said. "Your chances for surviving a home fire emergency double if you have a working smoke detector."

Through a variety of efforts, Red Cross and other volunteers have attempted to distribute detectors and batteries to all households in the county. The communities of LeRoy, Taopi, Johnsburg, Lyle, Elkton, Rose Creek, Mapleview, Waltham, Sargeant and Austin have been canvassed.

Now, as the year nears its end, Wilson and other Red Cross volunteers want to make the detectors available to rural residents at township halls.

A major blitz is expected during October Fire Prevention Week activities (Oct. 3-9) to publicize the need for working detectors and escape plans for families.

Wilson also complimented the participating fire departments in the Mower County Mutual Aid Association. "Every fire department and that’s nine of them and 448 firefighters is a part of this agreement to help each other," he said.

In other business, the Mower County Townships Association members:

– Heard Don Peterson, district director from Westfield Township, Dodge County, report on the award won by Tom Mullenbach of Adams Township. Peterson also urged the townships’ representatives to actively pursue more funding for roads and bridges from the Minnesota Legislature in the 2000 session.

– Re-elected Richard Epley, president, and Bryant Hokeness, treasurer, by unanimous ballots.