McLeod County commissioners approved a batch of contracts, estimates and conditional‑use permits covering parks, fairgrounds, roads, mining and legal research during their regular meeting.

Key contract approvals included a county attorney contract renewal for access to Thomson Reuters Westlaw, park and campground work paid with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, landscaping and fairgrounds paving awards, and several conditional use permits (CUPs) for gravel mining and a barn conversion to a wedding venue. The board acted on these items largely by consent or individual motion and approved each by voice vote unless otherwise noted.

Contracts and procurement highlights: the board approved a multi‑year renewal for the county attorney’s Westlaw access from Thomson Reuters (staff said the first year carries a 4% increase over the existing agreement); awarded lawn care for 2025–2026 to New Barth Landscaping (estimated $8,755, funded from courthouse/government center/environmental services budgets); accepted multiple ARPA‑funded park improvement estimates (electrical work, concrete pads, well infrastructure, RV site pads and park house foundation demolition) with individual contract amounts ranging from about $3,890 to $13,500; awarded fairgrounds paving (project FG11702056) to R & K Industries d/b/a Diversified Paving for $80,364.17; and awarded the Lake Marion Park road improvement project (PK520525‑007) to William Mueller & Sons for $111,329.45 using ARPA funds. The board also approved the purchase of a John Deere mower for $13,000 from Midwest Machinery with funds from the parks general fund.

Environmental services and land‑use approvals: the board approved a conditional use permit (25‑04) to convert a barn into Green Haven Wedding Venue at 7132 200 And Seventh Street (capacity up to 178 patrons) with conditions on hours, parking (75 spaces on‑site), restroom facilities, signage, food/liquor licensing, and rural garbage collection. The board also approved several gravel‑pit CUPs: an added item (25‑06) for Brent Reiner / R & R Excavating on property owned by Nicholas Schutte (9.32‑acre excavation area of a 15‑acre parcel; bond of $10,000 required, hours restricted, no concrete recycling in pit); CUPs for R & R Excavating on the Luthins property (15.68 acres; bond $16,000) and for BNH Agriate (Joe White) for Highway 212 work (bond/letter of credit $29,000; specified haul route to state highway) were also approved with typical conditions on hours, dust control and restoration. Spruce Ridge Landfill was approved to increase the vertical height of the municipal solid‑waste pile on the south side of County Road 137 consistent with state approvals; staff estimated this expansion would extend the landfill’s south‑side life roughly six to seven years under current volumes.

Votes at a glance (selected items approved):
- Thomson Reuters (Westlaw) renewal for county attorney — approved (motion by Commissioner Nagel; second by Commissioner Wright).
- MEI Total Elevator Solutions — separate elevator article covers that approval (not listed here).
- New Barth Landscaping lawn care (2025–26) — estimated $8,755 (approved by motion).
- Major Electric LLC — Lake Marion Park and Pittenberg/Piedenberg Park electrical work (approved; ARPA funds; Lake Marion estimate $12,397; Piedenberg $7,750).
- Shower & Sons Construction — concrete pads at Lake Marion and Pittenberg Park ($3,890 each; ARPA funds) — approved.
- LTP Enterprises / Schaeffer Well Company estimates — well infrastructure at county parks ($4,397.19 approved at Lake Merriam; $4,397.19 at Pittenberg) — approved.
- R & K Industries (Diversified Paving) — Fairgrounds Petunas Overlay Project — $80,364.17 — approved.
- William Mueller & Sons — Lake Marion Park Road improvement — $111,329.45 (ARPA funds) — approved.
- Various park site pads, demolitions and mower purchase — approved (see clarifying details for itemized costs).
- Multiple conditional use permits for mining and venue (25‑04, 25‑05, 25‑06, 25‑07, etc.) — approved; bond/letter of credit amounts required per ordinance (examples: $1,000 per acre minimum; $10,000 for one site; $16,000 and $29,000 for other sites as noted).

Board members and staff noted that many of the park projects were discussed in prior workshops and that ARPA funds must be expended by the end of 2026. Several procurements received multiple bids; the board consistently cited competitive bidding and local contractor participation.

Ending: The meeting combined routine procurement approvals and the approval of multiple land‑use permits; staff will coordinate funding allocations with the budget committee and follow standard inspection and restoration processes for mining permits. Several items will require continued staff oversight during implementation.