Commissioners approve $629,250 utility agreement and advance joint-powers deal for Kildeer shooting range

Dunn County commissioners approved a utility agreement with MacKenzie Electric that allocates $629,250 in county funds to relocate power lines necessary for a road project, and they moved forward on a joint-powers agreement with the City of Kildeer for a shooting and trap range, striking road access and improvement costs from the joint scope.

Terry, who presented the utility agreement to the board, said the county’s share to move utility lines for the Tenth Street/Hundred and Thirteenth/Seventh Street project is $629,250. Commissioner Heizer moved to approve the utility agreement; Commissioner Pelton seconded and the motion passed on a roll call vote.

County staff also discussed a joint-powers agreement (JPA) with the City of Kildeer for a planned shooting and trap range complex. Brady of Bros Engineering is preparing the JPA; the board approved moving forward with the agreement after striking road-access and improvement costs from the JPA so that those costs would be handled separately. Commissioner Olson moved to approve the JPA with the city with the access/road costs removed; Commissioner Heizer seconded and the motion carried.

In the same portion of the meeting, the board approved multiple utility crossing permits (underground water, electrical and gas/oil/production water crossings) for private parties and drilling operations, as recommended by staff, and authorized the road department and auditor to proceed with standard permitting steps.

Board members asked operations questions about the length and scope of the road project tied to the utility agreement and confirmed the utility payments are a county share distinct from contractor bid prices.