Wabasha County Board
Highland Township mining permit approved
Sep 16, 2026
Wabasha County Commissioners on Sept. 1 approved a Non-Metallic Mining Conditional Use Permit (CUP) request for Milestone Materials, a Rochester-based regional supplier of construction and landscaping aggregates.
Milestone Materials submitted and was granted a non-metallic mining reclamation...
Wabasha County Board approves detour agreement for Highway 63/247 roundabout
Aug 19, 2026
Wabasha County Commissioners on Aug. 4 approved a detour agreement with the Minnesota Department of Transportation in regard to the planned construction of a single-lane roundabout on Highway 63 at the intersection of Minnesota Highway 247 and Olmsted County Road 12 in 2027.
The agreement provides...
County Board approves purchase of internal ballot collection box
Aug 12, 2026
Wabasha County’s Board of Commissioners on July 21 approved the purchase of a secure internal ballot collection box, to be used for the collection and secure storage of voted absentee and mail ballots returned by mail or in person during the absentee voting period.
The estimated purchase cost of $...
Commissioners approve public hearing for dwelling density amendments
Jun 3, 2026
Wabasha County Supervisors on May 19 approved a motion to order a public hearing for June 22 in regard to the adoption of Dwelling Density amendments.
Earlier this year, County Planning and Zoning staff studied the feasibility of changing the dwelling density requirements of the county’s...
County declares emergency following tornados
Apr 29, 2026
Wabasha County Commissioners on April 21 declared a state of emergency in response to damage caused by multiple tornadoes on April 17.
The declaration unlocks critical, fast-tracked resources by activating local and state emergency plans, allowing access to the Minnesota Department of Public...
Sheriff gets a raise, but only if he isn’t re-elected
Apr 1, 2026
Wabasha County Commissioners on March 17 approved the settlement of County Sheriff Rodney Bartsh’s salary appeal.
The County Board set Bartsh’s 2026 salary at $140,900 on Dec. 2, 2025. Bartsh appealed his salary determination to the Wabasha County District Court. Settlement conversations were held...
Commissioners set minimum salaries for county attorney, sheriff
Jan 14, 2026
Wabasha County Commissioners on Jan. 6 set County Attorney Matthew Stinson’s minimum salary for the next four years at $120,000, and set Sheriff Rodney Bartsh’s minimum salary at $132,000.
Stinson’s salary was set at $135,300 and Bartsh’s salary was set at $140,900 on Dec. 2, 2025.
The county...
County commissioners need the power to hold elected officials accountable
Jan 14, 2026
As a resident of Wabasha County, I am writing to express concerns about the lack of accountability of certain elected county officials to the county commissioners, even though county tax revenue is the source of their salaries and fringe benefits.
A prime example is County Attorney Matthew Stinson...
Wabasha County to replace real estate tax and value systems
Dec 31, 2025
Wabasha County Commissioners on Dec. 22 approved a contract with Counties Providing Technology (CPT), of Morris, for a Property Tax System and direction on implementation and funding options.
The Auditor-Treasurer’s Office obtained and executed a formal quote from CPT for conversion, installation...
Board gives county attorney a pay raise and a lot of criticism
Dec 17, 2025
Wabasha County Commissioners on Dec. 2 set County Attorney Matthew Stinson’s 2026 salary at $135,300, an increase of about 3.36 percent from his 2025 salary.
The Commissioners reviewed and considered the duties and responsibilities of the position, and Stinson’s experience, qualifications, and...
Pages
The Lake City Graphic
graphic@lakecitygraphic.com
Ph: 651-345-3316 (M-F 8am-4pm)
Fax: 651-345-4200
P.O. Box 469
111 South 8th Street
Lake City, MN 55041
ISSN 2994-1059 (print) ISSN 2994-1067 (online)