Bonnie Rietz, mayor of Austin, attended last Thursday's Mower County Board meeting.

Rietz presented the traveling trophy for the joint city-county food drive to the county commissioners.

This year, the county bested the city in the food drive. County workers donated 2,168 pounds of food or 12.03 pounds per employee, while city workers donated 1,154 pounds or 7.86 pounds per employee.

This year's combined city-county total of 3,947 pounds more than doubled the 2001 total of 1,904 pounds.

Nancy Clingman, recycling center office specialist and county webmaster, coordinated the competition once again.

Rietz congratulated the county on behalf of the city of Austin and the commissioners expressed their appreciation.

The plaque will be displayed on a wall near the west main entrance to the government center until next November's competition.

Also last Thursday, Ruth Larson, an Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center communications center clerk/dispatcher, was named Mower County Employee of the Month for December.

Marlys Sorlie communications dispatch center supervisor nominated Larson.

Mower County Sheriff Barry J. Simonson endorsed the selection.

Larson has been employed by the county since 1976.

In other action last Thursday, the county commissioners:

n Approved the first payment to Wagner Construction Company, Inc., in the amount of $92,000 for the county fairgrounds building project. Already, three antiquated livestock buildings surrounding Crane Pavilion have been demolished and the concrete footings poured for the new agricultural display building near the Mower County Historical Center. In all, the Wagner firm was awarded a $1.7 million contract for its low bid to construct four new fairgrounds buildings.

n Approved recommendations of the Mower County Planning Commission to grant a new conditional use permit and to renew a CUP for petitioner Osmundson Bros., Inc. of Adams.

n Approved an agreement with city of Austin for office support of emergency management and auxiliary police offices.

n Approved a proposal to turn one full-time social worker's position in the Mower County Department of Human Services into two part-time positions.

n Heard update from Nancy Donahue on Mower County Chore Program.

n Approved creating a new finance director's position for the county. Job description will be promulgated immediately and applications taken.

n Formally accepted retirement notice from Barry J. Simonson, Mower County Sheriff, for PERA purposes. Simonson will have served two four-year terms at the end of December. Terese Amazi, current chief deputy sheriff, was elected in November to succeed Simonson.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com