Longtime Meeker County Commissioner Ron Kutzke will have a challenger for his County Board seat and Dr. Dave Detert will again challenge Rep. Dean Urdahl for the House District 18B seat in the November election.

In many cases, the filing period for public office creates a stir.

Not so in Meeker County this year.

Just one spot on the Meeker County Board of Commissioners is up for election this fall — that of Fifth District commissioner. And as of Monday morning, only incumbent Ron Kutzke had filed for the seat.

Filing for federal, state and county offices began July 1 and closes at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

In the wake of a fatal shooting June 24 at a county board meeting in Morrison County, Minn., Meeker County commissioners talked Tuesday about whether security at the Meeker County Courthouse was effective enough to prevent a similar incident.

Noting that law enforcement offices and county attorney offices seem to have adequate security, commissioners expressed concern about how to make the commissioners’ meeting room and the large open area on that same level more safe.

While the controversial gas tax increase will give Meeker County more funding for highway improvements, it likely won’t be enough to cover the costs of maintenance and repairs.

“We expect to be about $1 million short next year,” Highway Engineer Ron Mortensen told the board Tuesday as he assessed future road costs.

At their May 5 meeting, county commissioners talked about the possible need to turn to bonding — or borrowing money — for road improvements. On Tuesday, commissioners took an initial step toward issuing bonds.

With the retirement in mid-April of Meeker County Court Administrator Linda Jagush and Swift County Court Administrator Carol Jenson, a single court administrator is now serving the three counties of Meeker, Swift and Kandiyohi.

In a letter addressed to the Meeker County Board, presented at last week's board meeting, Tim Ostby, judicial district administrator, said Theresa Fredrickson, the Kandiyohi County court administrator, will serve the three counties from her office in Willmar.

Meeker County Board opened six bids Tuesday for the Dassel bike trail project, which is scheduled to be completed this summer.

The trail will connect the city of Dassel with Spring Lake County Park, running a distance of about one-half mile.

Low bid submitted was from Mid-Minnesota Hot Mix of Annandale at a figure of $107,016. Second lowest bid was from Landwehr Construction of St. Cloud at $115,268.

Plans are moving ahead for publication of a new county map and plat book as the result of County Board approval last week.

Commissioners tentatively agreed to have Cloud Graphics, the firm that did previous maps and plat books for the county, do the job. The company would produce 10,000 maps and 900 plat books. Maps would be distributed free while plat books would sell at $20 each, County Administrator Paul Virnig said.

The rising cost of fuel and its effect on road maintenance costs came into sharp focus Tuesday as the Meeker County Board approved summer fuel contracts.

Jack’s Oil Distributing in Eden Valley won the contract for supplying fuel for eight county highway sheds at the low bid of $144,807.

Six years ago, according to figures compiled by county Highway Engineer Ron Mortensen, the same contract was awarded for $34,517. Three years later, in 2005, the total more than doubled to $74,118.

Meeker County is one of a number of counties in Minnesota facing a lawsuit as a result of strip searching inmates as they arrive at jail.

The Minneapolis legal firm of Kaplan, Robbins and Ciresi has been representing plaintiffs in a number of legal actions against counties across the state.

At least one county, Mille Lacs, has reached a settlement involving a cash payment.

A wing of the South Elementary School building in Cosmos, which has been unoccupied since last year, may soon again serve a useful purpose.

Pat Thomas, supervisor in the Meeker County Social Services Department, outlined to the County Board Tuesday a tentative plan under which a day treatment program under the auspices of the area special education co-op would use five classrooms in the school building.