The rumor mill is swirling about a county building project as Austin Public Schools discusses a new school for fifth- and sixth-graders.

The county board put the rumors to rest at its meeting Tuesday after a person asked if any building projects were on the way.

“All these coffee shop rumors, they’re nothing,” Board Chairman Tim Gabrielson said.

While it’s true the county board has discussed building on the Robbins block to house Health and Human Services, the board has also discussed leaving the offices at Oak Park Mall or moving them to the vacant space in the Mower County Government Center.

The board has taken no action, and a potential move hasn’t been discussed since commissioners Jerry Reinartz and Tony Bennett took office at the start of the year.

The board is leaning toward moving into the vacant space in the government center.

“We would like nothing better than to get them back in this building,” Reinartz said.

However, Reinartz said it would cost $4 to $6 million to move the offices to the government center.

“It’s the cost thing that’s the holdup,” he said.

Board Chairman Tim Gabrielson said the county has to at least look at building a new facility to compare costs.

“It wouldn’t be right to at least study the issue,” he said.

Another holdup, according to Gabrielson, is the ‘rollercoaster’ of the state’s redesign efforts. The county is waiting to see what comes of a 12-county redesign effort it is part of.

“We don’t want to spend any money or really make any improvements until we have a feeling what’s going to happen,” Gabrielson said.

Financial assistant position filled

The county board decided Tuesday to fill a financial assistant specialist position in Human Services even after discussions of saving costs through attrition.

Director Julie Stevermer said her office has some of the highest caseloads in the state, and leaving the position empty could cost the office more in other ways, like increasing the likelihood of errors and falling behind.

“My concern is the loss of revenue,” Stevermer said.

The position wasn’t recommended to be left vacant, but the board looked at filling the position internally and leaving another position empty.

Campers allowed to have alcoholic beverages

Campers will have soon be able to buy on and off sale liquor at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park east of Austin.

The board approved a liquor license for the campgrounds to sell 3-2 beer at the resort that can also be brought back to camp sites.

The move is pending review by the Mower County Sheriff’s Office.

Company allowed to break load limits on county road

The board will allow Prairie Star Wind Farm to break load limits on County Road 8.

Crews will use more than eight semis to move a crane for the assembly of wind towers about two miles south of Grand Meadow.

The company is responsible for damages to the county road.

Lansing Corners owner denied request

For the second week in a row, Tom Miller didn’t get the news he was looking for at county board.

The board wasn’t able to abate the roughly $3,900 in penalties or $5,000 in interest owed on his property, Lansing Corners. According to County Attorney Kristen Nelsen, the board doesn’t even look at such requests until a property’s taxes are caught up.

Last week Miller was denied a request to abate some of the $36,837 in unpaid taxes owed on the property dating back to 2007.

Since Ron and Karen Valentine closed the restaurant in 2008, the building’s assessed value has decreased by about $140,000 from $340,800 in 2009 to $200,600. Miller said the property has been for sale for around $160,000, but he hasn’t sold it.