The ribbon was gold-colored Tuesday morning, when the Mower County Board of Commissioners dedicated the new county highway department storage facility.

Wednesday, December 01, 1999

The ribbon was gold-colored Tuesday morning, when the Mower County Board of Commissioners dedicated the new county highway department storage facility.

Gold, as in golden opportunity. That’s what Michael Hanson and others in the county highway department believe awaits.

"There will be increased efficiencies, because of the temperature control of the facility," said Hanson, Mower County engineer.

Hanson’s prediction will be tested soon, when winter weather encapsulates Mower County in snow and ice with below-freezing temperatures and wind.

Snow plows, motor graders and other vehicles needed to clear the county’s roads of snow and ice in the winter will be kept inside the new heated storage facility.

Just like cars, vans and pickups run better after spending the winter nights protected by a garage, so do government vehicles.

The new $1.25 million facility behind the Mower County Recycling Center off 8th Ave. NE near the 11th St. intersection was formally dedicated Tuesday morning.

Austin and Adams townships’ officials were among the out-county officials on hand to inspect the new building with the county commmissioners.

Chairman of the board Richard P. Cummings, 1st district, did the ribbon-cutting, while the other board members, Ray Tucker, 2nd district, David Hillier, 3rd district, Len Miller, 4th district, and Gary Nemitz, 5th district, observed.

The 19,500 square feet replace an out-dated and smaller facility on the same site. The Joseph Company was the general contractor for the project.

The county also has shop buildings at Adams, LeRoy and Dexter, where it shares a facility with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and it also rents a building in Grand Meadow for the highway department’s use.

The new building also has fuel-out facilities for all county vehicles.

Dick Miller, the county highway department’s maintenance superintendent, said there is room for five snow plows, two loaders, two other vehicles and other equipment.

It will also house a laboratory to test construction materials when needed, according to Miller.

The old building was so cramped for storage of vehicles that not all of the vehicles could be parked inside.

Meanwhile, the vehicle maintenance building adjoining the highway department offices remains in use along 8th Ave. NE.

So proud of the old building’s long-time service to the county highway department were employees that they used brick from the old building to create a decorative sign with landscaping along 8th Ave. NE.

Richard Guckeen, a sign-technician in the highway department and the department’s safety coordinator, will retire in January 2000 after a 32-year career with the county.

Is Guckeen excited about the new highway department facility? "Absolutely," Guckeen said, "With a heated facility like this for all the vehicles to use it will make them safer to operate."