by Brooke M. Walsh
Thisweek Newspapers

Transportation issues were at the forefront of Scott County activities in 2007.

BlueXpress bus

Scott County took a major step toward reducing gridlock for residents commuting into the Cities when it opened its connection to the metrowide BlueXpress bus line this year.

The county also added a new park-and-ride in Shakopee – Southbridge Crossing. The station contains a 500-stall park-and-ride, a bus shelter, bike and pedestrian paths and a bike locker. It is the only bus service available on the Highway 169 corridor.

An additional pick-up point for the bus line is at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church on McKenna Road just off County Road 42 in Prior Lake.

Each round trip costs $5.50.

Weelage tax

In a move to increase transportation funding, county commissioners for the first time approved a wheelage tax in Scott County this year.

The tax went into effect Jan. 1, 2008.

The $5 tax will now be paid by residents of Scott County when they register a vehicle for the first time or renew their registration, amounting to approximately $470,000 in increased funding for transportation. Motorcycles, most trailers and semitrucks are exempt from the tax.

Rapid growth in the county is sited as the reason the tax became necessary.
A safer county

Due to a decrease in alcohol-related deaths, Scott County came off Minnesota's list of the 15 deadliest counties in 2007.

The following counties are still on the list: Dakota, Anoka, Blue Earth, Crow Wing, Hennepin, Ramsey, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright.

Beltrami, Cass, Olmsted and Rice counties were recently added to the list.
Tribal land trust

After years of fighting with Prior Lake, Shakopee and Scott County, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community took one step closer to placing 752 acres of land in a trust in 2007.

Once land is in trust, it is no longer taxable by either Scott County or individual cities. Because of this, the county and cities have an opportunity to file an appeal with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, asking that the land not be placed in trust.

In 2005, Prior Lake decided not to appeal with the BIA. This year Scott County decided not to appeal. Shakopee continues to appeal the decision.

The land the tribe seeks to place in trust consists of 646 acres in Shakopee and 106 acres in Prior Lake.
800 MHz project

The county began making its 800-megahertz project a reality in 2007.

On. Sept. 25, the Scott County Board of Commissioners awarded Motorola a $4,760,908.40 contract for equipment, installation, programing and optimization of the project. Work has since begun laying down cable.

Though Scott County's 9-1-1 center has been connected to the 800MHz system since February 2006, the county has since made a commitment to connect all of its public-safety communications to the system.

The project will allow Scott County public-safety services to stay better connected with services in the rest of the metropolitan area, including Hennepin, Ramsey, Carver and Anoka counties, which are already on the system.

Brooke M. Walsh can be contacted at brooke.walsh@ecm-inc.com.