Director of Mower County nursing servicesMargene Gunderson received the Mower County Board of Commissioners' endorsement for a tobacco education effort directed at the local Latino population.

The county commissioners agreed to send a letter of support to the Minnesota Tobacco Prevention Initiative at Tuesday's regular meeting.

Gunderson told the county commissioners, the money will be used to pay for bilingual information on posters, movie theater advertisements and other places where people of color congregate.

Gunderson did not know how much money Mower County could obtain for the purpose.

David Hillier, 3rd District, made the motion to send a letter of support and Garry Ellingson, 5th District, seconded it. the measure was unanimously approved.

Also Tuesday, the Mower County Engineer received the board's permission to make four major equipment purchases

The Mower County Highway Department will acquire a motor grader for $163,000 without a trade-in a tractor mower for $37,842 and a trade-in; a broom sweeper for

$29,850 and no trade-in; and a 4X4 pickup truck for $19,067 and trade-in.

The old broom sweeper will be kept and housed in an eastern Mower County location for use in that area. The old pickup truck being replaced will go to the Mower County fairgrounds grounds keeping crew.

Also Hanson will notify each of the 20 townships about the availability of a used motor grader.

The purchases all are state bids, according to Hanson.

Ray Tucker, 2nd District county commissioner, confirmed Tuesday, he and Hanson are continuing to examine a new county highway department building at Adams.

The city of Adams, working in conjunction with Adams Township, plans to build a new multi-purpose building to house the city's fire and ambulance vehicles and serve as an Adams Township Hall.

In other action, the county commissioners:

-- Acknowledged a letter of appreciation from Scott Anderson, project coordinator for the Paramount Theater. The county board contributed $50,000 to the restoration of the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

-- Approved the purchase of a new forklift for the Mower County recycling center at a cost of $23,000. The money will come from the county's solid waste fund.

-- Heard Garry Ellingson, 5th District county commissioner, report on interviews with four consulting firms Monday. The firms have expertise in recommending and designing criminal justice faculties, including jails. Mower County's jail was built in 1967 and county commissioners are exploring either expanding the current jail, building a new one or housing prisoners elsewhere.

-- Approved the purchase of

three replacement radios for the Mower County Sheriff's Department at a cost of $6,600.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.