Frequently Asked Questions

Authority to view and assess property.

Any officer authorized by law to assess property for taxation may, when necessary to the proper performance of their duties, enter any dwelling, house, building, or structure and view the same and the property therein. ( M.S. 273.20) Any officer authorized by law to assess property for ad valorem tax purposes shall have reasonable access to land and structures as necessary for the proper performance of their duties.

A property owner may refuse to allow an assessor to inspect their property.

A property owner may refuse to allow an assessor to inspect their property. This refusal by the property owner must be either verbal or expressly stated in a letter to the county assessor. If the assessor is denied access to view a property, the assessor is authorized to estimate the property's estimated market value by making assumptions believed appropriate concerning the property's finish and condition. (M.S. 273.20)

274.01 BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION.
 (b) The board may not make an individual market value adjustment or classification change that would benefit the property if the owner or other person having control over the property has refused the assessor access to inspect the property and the interior of any buildings or structures as provided in section 273.20

Assessors are professional County, Township or City employees licensed by the State of Minnesota to review all real property within a jurisdiction. All assessors are required to be certified by the State Board of Assessors. This certification requires work experience and ongoing educational requirements. Continuing education is provided by the University of Minnesota, assessing organizations such as the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), the Minnesota Association of Assessing Officers (MAAO) and other appraisal organizations. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Minnesota Statute 273.08 requires that all appraisers physically review each property at least every five years. The appraisal interval may be shorter due to review appraisals requested by the owner, ongoing new construction or if the appraiser feels there may be an error in the property information for a particular property. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Each property has unique characteristics that affect it's market value. Appraisers need to gather as much information as possible in order to arrive at a fair and equitable value. Typically, the older a structure the more variations in characteristics exist for that property. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

The appraiser will then be forced to make an arbitrary appraisal of the property. This will include assuming that the interior is as appealing as possible or is typical for that type of property, (i.e. recently remodeled, finished basement, added bath, etc.). Appraisers want to view as many properties as possible in order to have the best possible information on all property since the quality of the assessment is a measure of the quality of their work. Not allowing an interior inspection will result in the loss of the right to appeal your market value at the Board of Review. Minnesota Statute 273.20 and 274.01. sub 1. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Appraisers working in Benton County will be carrying a photo identification, Assessor's license and / or business card. Information can be verified by calling the County Assessor's Office at 320-968-5019.

In almost all cases, if no previous request for an appointment has been arranged for an interior inspection of the property, the appraiser will stop at the property when he / she is in the area. If no one is home when the appraiser arrives, he / she may leave a door tag asking that you call for an appointment for the interior inspection. If there is still no response, an arbitrary appraisal will be made, in effect an educated guess at the interior features and condition of the home. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

The appraisal normally takes 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the number of buildings and complexity of the property. Appointments are scheduled far enough apart to allow time for property owners to ask any questions that they may have. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

You will receive a valuation notice sometime in March / April informing you of your value and classification for that assessment year, taxes payable the following year. Even though an appraiser may have visited your property the previous summer, valuations require accumulation of sales data through the end of the year, then time during the winter to view new construction, to analyze the market and to perform model calculations. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

If there is a question in the property owners mind as to the accurateness of the value the owner should first make an attempt to find out what the property is worth. This can be done by checking sales of property in the area, checking values of similar properties and talking to Realtors and Real Estate Appraisers. Sales information is available during working hours in the Assessor's Office for public viewing. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

The assessor has not created the value. People make value by their transactions in the market place. Property values are based on market values which fluctuate with general economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation rates, supply and demand and changes in tax laws. By Minnesota state law, as properties values change in the market place, those changes must be reflected in the assessor's estimated market value. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

If all property sees a similar increase in value, your property class hasn't changed, the local government agencies don't have to increase their budgets and there is no change in classification rates by the state legislature there will be no increase in your tax bill. Taxing authorities actually determine how much money the property tax has to raise to provide services to the taxpayer. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

A mass appraisal process is used for estimating market values. Information from all sales that occur within the county is collected and closely analyzed by the Assessor's Office. The Assessor's Office then adjusts market values by comparing properties that sold within a given area with properties that have not sold within that same area. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

No, it does not. There are differences between individual properties and between cities or townships. In one area the sales may indicate a large increase in value and in another area there may be very little or no change in value. Also, different types of property within the same area may show different value changes. There are numerous factors to be considered in each property which will cause value changes to differ. Some of the factors that can affect value are location, condition, size, quality, basement finish, garages and many other factors. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Yes. The assessor keeps records on the physical characteristics of each property in the county. Even though the assessor may have been unable to go through your property, the estimated market value will be reviewed based on existing records and sales of similar property. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Generally speaking, improvements that increase the market value of a property will increase the assessor's market value. The following are typical improvements that will increase the market value of your property:

• Added rooms or garages
• Substantial updating of kitchen or bath
• Basement or lower level finishing
• Replacing old siding or windows
• Extensive remodeling

For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Good maintenance will help retain the market value of your property. Generally, your market value will not be increased for individual minor repairs such as those that follow. However, a combination of several of these items could result in an increase in your value.

• Replacing water heater
• Repairing or replacing roof
• Repairing porches, steps or sidewalks
• Repairing original siding
• Painting / decorating
• Replacing plumbing or electrical fixtures

For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Even though social security numbers are private information, under Minnesota Statute 273.123 Subdivision 13, they must be provided before a homestead can be granted. Social Security numbers will be used with the help of the Department of Revenue to determine if owners or relatives of owners have applied for more than one homestead. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

Once the property is granted the homestead classification, it will not be necessary for you or your qualifying relative to reapply for the classification. However, at any time, the County Assessor may require you to provide an additional application or such proof as they deem necessary to verify that you continue to meet the requirements of the homestead classification. Relatives who are not owners must re-apply yearly. For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

A property owner who obtains or attempts to obtain homestead classification for a property other than his or her primary place of residence or the primary place of residence of his or her qualifying relative is under state law subject to a fine of up to $3,000 and / or up to one year of imprisonment (Minnesota Statute 609.41). In addition the property owner will be required to pay all tax which is due on the property based on the correct property class plus a penalty equal to the same amount (Minnesota Statute 273.124, Subdivision 13). For more information, contact the Assessor at 320-968-5019.

No. The County Attorney’s job is set by Minnesota law. They can only prosecute criminal cases and represent the County in civil lawsuits. They are not allowed to represent private people or give legal advice. For more help, call the County Attorney at 320-968-5175.

There is no difference. Different states use different names for their prosecutors. In Minnesota, they are called County Attorneys. In other states, they might be called District Attorneys, State’s Attorneys, or State Prosecutors. For more help, call the County Attorney at 320-968-5175.

Minnesota law decides which actions are crimes and how serious they are. Here are the levels of crimes, from least to most serious:

• Petty Misdemeanor – A minor offense, like most traffic tickets. Fine up to $300. No jail time. Not considered a crime.
• Misdemeanor – Fine up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail.
• Gross Misdemeanor – Fine up to $3,000 and up to 364 days in jail.
• Felony – The most serious crimes. These can lead to more than one year in prison.

For more help, call the County Attorney at 320-968-5175.

Prisons are maintained by the State and are used for the incarceration of Felony Level Offenders only. Jails are administered by counties (or in some cases, cities) and are used to house misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor level offenders, as well as those felony level offenders that are being held prior to trial or are serving probationary jail sentences. For more information, contact the County Attorney at 320-968-5175.

Amy Fussy, Victim Services Coordinator
Benton County Attorney's Office
Courts Facility
P.O. Box 189
Foley, MN 56329
Phone: 320-968-5182

Their phone number is 320-252-1670, you may also visit the St. Cloud VA Medical Center website.

Every veteran is unique. Call 320-968-5044 for an appointment and bring along your DD-214 (discharge papers) to go over possible benefits.

Contact our office; we will check with the County, State, or the archives in St. Louis.

If you are having GI Bill problems: 

• The VA Education Center recommends using their website
• The toll free number is 888-442-4551
• The number for the MN DVA Education Representative for Central Minnesota is 320-308-2185
• Or contact the Veterans Services Office to make an appointment to come in to see us

You need to be enrolled as a patient and have a VAMC Physician write the prescription. Call the Veterans Services Office at 320-968-5044 for an appointment to see if you are eligible for enrollment.

Your lender is able to get the Certificate of Eligibility online or we can fill out the application and mail it in for you.

Email a question or comment to Benton County Veterans Services.

The septic systems is determined by the amount of separation from the highest point that groundwater reaches (seasonal saturation) and the point where sewage treatment begins (bottom of pipe) which must be three feet. Since most of Benton County has a high water table mounds will be the most common septic system put in. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

Benton County has a point of sale ordinance which requires a compliance inspection when property transfers unless the seller has an updated certificate of compliance that is less than five years or three years depending on who inspected it. There are a few exemptions, if the property has a community of central sewer system, building with no plumbing fixtures or are not suitable for human habitation. Also if the certificate of real estate value is less than $1,000 or a completion of a contract for deed or purchase agreement extended into before June 18, 2002. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

The major cause of freezing is settling of the two inch pipe that pumps to the drain fields which causes back flow to settle in the pipe instead of going back into the pump station. Most contractors install a 10 foot 4 inch sleeve and use a more rigid pipe to prevent this. Other causes are too little water use since sewage heats the drain field. High water tables which slow down percolation into the ground. Also running sump pump water, humidifier water or dripping faucets. The best way to prevent freezing is to put straw over the drain field and the pump station pipe. 

For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

The purpose of pumping your septic tank is to prevent solids from getting into the drain field. Over time solids accumulate in the septic and will eventually plug up your drain field. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

It depends, any building permit in the shore land, a variance or conditional use permit would trigger a compliance inspection. Otherwise no compliance inspection would be required. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

You can hire any state-licensed inspector to certify your septic system.  Septic professionals that have requested to be on our Licensed Professional List (PDF). Inclusion on the website list does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by Benton County. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

A wetland bank is a private enterprise with state oversight, there is no guarantee of return on investment. In general creation of a wetland bank involves a landowner creating new wetland on their property and depositing the “wetland credits” in to the state wetland bank. The credits are then purchased and utilized by individuals to mitigate for approved wetland impacts.

The process to establish a wetland banks starts with contacting the Benton County Department of Development offices for a discussion of the possibilities of the site. Establishment of a wetland bank requires a large amount of technical information prior to the state recognition of the wetland and the potential selling of the credits. This technical information would include but not limited to: wetland delineation, property boundary and elevation survey, legal description, etc. which is all subject to local and state review. A landowner proposing to undertake the establishment of a wetland bank should be prepared to expend capital prior to any potential return on investment. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

Yes, If you are requesting to know if your planned activity is in compliance with regulation then submit a application. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

Wetlands are identified and defined by the convergence of three parameters: hydric soils, a predominance of hydrophytic vegetation and the presence of hydrology. The process to define the boundary of the wetland is called delineation. During delineation a site is investigated for the periodic presence of the three criteria. As the common image of a wetland is “ducks and cattails,” individuals are often surprised that other areas also meet the criteria. These areas are often capable of being walked through and remain dry during a portion of the growing season. 

If you are interested to know if wetlands exist on property then delineation is required and the results submitted and reviewed by Benton County. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

Applications submitted to Benton County Department of Development by law are required to be “processed” within 60 days unless extended, for legitimate reasons an additional 60 day period. The Department of Development typically processes a wetland replacement plan application within 45 days and a wetland exemption application within 30 days of submittal. The review time on an application depends on its’ complexity and current volume of applications going through the county offices. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

Benton County is mandated to administer the MN Wetland Conservation Act. This state law is in addition to other federal, state and local “wetland” regulation that may exist. Approval for another agency does not mean automatic approval under the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act. A common analogy for multiple jurisdictions is income tax requirements at the federal, state and sometimes local level. For more information, contact us at 320-968-5065.

The fee for recording for most documents is $46 with an additional $50 if accompanied by a well certificate. Some documents have different fees, such as a plat which is $56. Torrens documents may have additional fees. 

The fees for recording are payable to the Benton County Recorder and must be in a separate check from the state deed tax or mortgage tax.

Please call office at 320-968-5037 if in doubt.

Please note: Benton County does not accept credit cards for payment.

As long as you are getting married in Minnesota, you can apply for your license anywhere in the state. 

In Benton County, we require that both applicants come in to apply.  As it may take some time to complete the application, we ask that you come in no later than 4 p.m. 

 If you have taken a 12-hour marriage course, you may qualify for the reduced rate if you present the proper form. 

The fee for a regular license is $125, reduced rate is $50.  Payment is accepted in either cash or check.   

Certified copies of your marriage certificate are only available in the county where you purchased your marriage license.

If you were born in Minnesota, you may go to any courthouse in the state and, upon completion of the application, you may get your birth certificate. You must have tangible interest and show a picture ID. The fee is $26.

Yes, if you live in Benton County, you must come to office to register your signature. You must bring the Notary Commission Card from the Secretary of State. The fee is $20. You must present a picture ID.

Complete the Entrance Permit (PDF) and submit it to the County Engineer.

Complete the Utility Permit (PDF) and submit it to the County Engineer.

View the construction status map.

Call our office at 320-968-5051 with the exact location of the item.

Call our office at 320-968-5051 with the specific location.

Adult Foster Care is defined as a home setting in the community for adults who are unable to live independently due to physical, emotional, developmental or mental health impairments. The home can provide up to 24 hour supervision for 1 to 4 residents. (5 if caring for elderly residents). Residents receive meals, support, supervision and some assistance with personal care and living skills as needed. Adult Foster Care homes are licensed by the State of Minnesota under Rule 203 and Rule 245A.

Traditional

• The foster care provider lives in the residence and is the primary caregiver to clients in the home.

Corporate

• The foster care home is operated by an individual or corporation, usually with shift staff delivering services to the residents. With corporate care, the license holder does not live at the adult foster care residence.
  
  
  

The applicant must meet the minimum licensing standards that include:

• All household members 13 years old and over must pass a criminal and social service background check
• Complete a home study with the licensor
• Have bedroom space for each resident
• The home must be in Benton County and meet the fire safety code
• Meet annual training requirements
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Provide 3 positive references from non-relatives

If you have decided to provide traditional Adult Foster Care:

• 1 to 2 home visits to complete the licensing process
• Applicant completes the initial licensing packet
• Contact the AFC Licensing Worker at 320-968-5111
• DHS makes the final licensing decision
• Fire inspection
• Licensing Orientation with you in your home
• Recommendation to Department of Human Services (DHS) for licensing

If you are interested in Corporate Foster Care, you may contact the AFC Licensing worker at 320-968-5111.

The application process generally takes 3 to 4 months.

Traditional

Traditional providers receive a monthly minimum room and board payment set by the State. A Difficulty of Care (DOC) rating may be set based on the required level of care. The payment is usually a combination of the client's: 

• Group Residential Housing (GRH) funds
• Pension
• Social Security Disability
• Social Security income

Residents who have the financial resources to pay can negotiate a fee with the provider.

Corporate

Corporate Providers may receive funding from a variety of sources. Services may be funded through Group Residential Housing (GRH) funding for basic room, board, and supervision with Difficulty of Care (DOC). In addition to GRH and Based on the individuals served and their needs, the county may wish to enter into a contract for additional support services for special populations. For Waivered Services Contracts having a corporate license does not guarantee that a provider will be contracted with by the County.

The licensing unit cannot guarantee that you will get clients or how many you will get. You must market your home and be flexible in the type of clients you are willing to service. You decide what type of clients you take. Clients requiring these services may have mental health, physical, developmental issues or be elderly.

The licensor ensures that all aspects of state and county licensing mandates and policies are followed: 

• Encourages attendance at training, and supports the provider's role of providing a safe and supportive environment
• Provides information and education concerning the provider's site
• That the home is physically and emotionally safe for the clients
• That providers are kept apprised of changes in licensing mandates and policies

• Annual appreciation picnic
• Each home is assigned a licensing worker
• Frequent notification of other trainings via email
• Many residents have a case manager who assists with the implementation of a specific care plan
• Monthly training brochures are sent to all family providers
• Providers are eligible for free Foster Care Liability Insurance offered by the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Joint Underwriters Association

• Annual Vulnerable Adult law training
• Each Adult Foster Care provider is expected to attend 12 hours of training per year during the first 5 years of operation. Training's are offered throughout the year on various topics.
• Foster Care provider's licensed over 5 years are required to attend at least 6 hours of training a year.

No, the foster care rate covers room and board, three nutritious meals and snacks daily and supervision. Medical and dental costs are covered through medical assistance or other insurance of the resident.

4-H is a fun, hands-on learning experience in an informal educational program. 4-H is for all kids, kindergarten through one year past high school, whether they live in the cities, towns, or in the country, 4-H welcomes boys, girls, adults from all backgrounds. Learn more on our 4H Information page.

It’s a simplified answer to say Income Minus Expense = Net return. Making this work on an operating farm is not simple. Learn more on our Improve Farm Net Returns page.

Symptoms associated with oak wilt usually begin as yellowing branches in the upper canopy of the tree. The oak wilt symptoms move from the upper branches downward. The leaves wilt from the outer margin inward so the base of the leaf will remain green while the outer portion of the leaves turn tan or brown. For more information, visit our Oak Wilt page.

There may be different recommendations for different vegetables. Call the University of Minnesota "Answer Line" at 800-854-1678. Household experts answer questions about safely cooking, canning and freezing foods and other household topics like cleaning stains from clothes and homes. They are available from 9-Midnight and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also try using the search box at the U of MN Extension website for articles.

If you are not finding useful information, you're welcome to call the Benton County Extension Office to see if we can be of assistance to you in making a useful connection.

1. Your Age - Starting at birth, the amount of calories you need continually increases. However, during our thirties and forties our bodies start to change and the amount of calories we once needed can start to decrease.
2. Your Activity Level - Being active plays a major role in how many calories you should be consuming and it's pretty simple. The more active you are the more calories you can consume.
   • Sedentary = less than 30 minutes a day of physical activity in addition to daily activities
   • Moderately Active = at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity in addition to daily activities
   • Active = 60 or more minutes a day of physical activity in addition to daily activities
3. Your Gender - Gender also helps determine how many calories you should be eating everyday. It's also pretty simple. If you're of the male gender you will probably need more calories than a person of the female gender would at the same age and activity level.
   • Check out this website to see how many calories YOU need based on your age, gender, and activity level.
4. Ok, so now you know how many calories you should be eating, but how does that translate into how much of each food group you should be getting?
   • Check this website out to see how much of each food group YOU should be eating
   • So know you know how many calories you need and how much of each food group you need but what do the serving sizes really mean and is there anything important you need to know about each food group?

YES! Every group is a little different and there are important foods from each that you should be including in your diet.

Minnesota has a central system for reporting suspected maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults called the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC). It is a state-wide common entry point available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

To report suspected maltreatment of a vulnerable adult, call 844-880-1574. This is a toll free number available for the public.

A vulnerable adult is a person 18 years of age or older who:

• Has an impairment or disability that impairs the individual from meeting their basic needs and protecting themselves from harm 
• Is receiving services from an agency licensed by Department of Human Services (DHS) or the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) 
• Is a resident or inpatient of a facility 

Types of Maltreatment:

• Abuse: emotional, physical or sexual
• Financial exploitation: misuse of a vulnerable adult's funds, property or assets
• Neglect: failure to provide for a vulnerable adult's basic needs. The absence of care or services to maintain a person's health and safety.

For additional information, please review the following brochure: Adult Protection Brochure (PDF)

Call 844-880-1574: 

The Minnesota Vulnerable Adult Reporting Center. The MAARC Center has been developed to make reporting easier and to assure the highest quality of communication between state and county protective services. 

If you are concerned about the immediate health and safety of an individual, please dial 911.

Adult Protection reports are made through the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC).  MAARC is the centralized intake/common entry point for all adult protection reports. MAARC determines the Lead Investigative Agency (LIA) and sends the reports accordingly.  Adult Protective Services (APS) are provided by the county social service agency in which the Vulnerable Adult resides at the time of the incident. The primary goal of Adult Protection is to assess the concerns of the report and offer supportive services to mitigate the concerns. The County is also responsible for Emergency Protective Services (EPS), where they are responsible to ensure immediate protection of the vulnerable adult living in their community.  Benton County has an on-call system for afterhours, weekends, and holidays where the Benton County after-hours on-call team receives, reviews, and responds to EPS reports falling outside of the established work week.  When an Adult Protection report is received, human service staff must verify that Benton County is the Lead Investigative Agency (LIA) and if we have a role in addressing immediate safety concerns.  Staff then need to assess if the alleged victim is a vulnerable adult based on statutory definition in MN Statute 626.5572 Subd. 21 (Attachment A), and does the allegation fit the abuse criteria as outlined in MN Statute 626.5572, Subd. 2 (Attachment B).  Benton County Adult Protection staff will use the Structured Decision Making (SDM) tool to aide in the screening of the report received. 

Benton County Prioritization Reasons

• Self-neglect can be resolved and the adult’s health and safety addressed through case management.
• Abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation has stopped; risk of maltreatment reoccurrence is reduced and the adult’s needs, including health and safety, are met through services or supports.
• Adult is deceased at the time of the report.
• Adult is no longer in Minnesota.
• Adult is incarcerated; APS is unable to engage in assessment or service intervention at the time of report.
• Alleged maltreatment will not be addressed by APS based on informed choice.
• Adult Protection lacks the resources for assessment.

Should multiple reports be received at the same time, EPS reports/ reports alleging abuse or neglect will take priority over financial exploitation reports due to the nature of the report involving health and safety. 

Existing agency prioritization guideline that does not match above rationale. 

•  Financial Exploitation – loss to the individual through financial exploitation where there is no visible impact on the care and well-being of the individual.
•  Reports alleging financial exploitation has occurred more than 5 years prior may not be investigated by APS and may be deferred to law enforcement to make an independent decision on whether to pursue a criminal investigation. 

For more information, see the following: Benton County Prioritization Guidelines for Adult Protection Maltreatment Reports (PDF)

updated 6/1/24

View details and a map of our County Parks to see where they are located in the county.

• Bend in the River Regional Park is located 1.4 miles south of Rice on County Road 55 consists of 289 acres of land with over 3,300 feet of undeveloped Mississippi River frontage. The park consists of over 2.5 miles of aggregate trials and 0.75 miles of natural trails and 110 acres of native prairie.
• Benton Beach is located on County Road 2, approximately 2.5 miles east of the city of Rice. The park is situated on the north end of Little Rock Lake. Features include a disc golf course, boat launch area, campground with showers, picnic shelters, playgrounds, volleyball, horseshoes, and a conference center available for rent.
• St. Regis Park is located on West Lake Road, a few miles south of County Road 2, on the southwesterly side of Little Rock Lake. Features include picnic tables, grills and winter access onto the lake.
• Rose Anna Beach is located on West Lake Road on the southerly side of Little Rock Lake, near U.S. Highway 10. It has a picnic table, a grill, and also provides winter access onto the lake.
• Mayhew Lake Park is located on Benton County 43, on the southern side of Mayhew Lake. Features include a boat launch area, picnic tables, grills and a fishing dock.
• St. George Township Park and Wapicada Village - Mayhew Park are undeveloped at this time. St George is located north of Highway 95 and east of Primrose Road. The park is restricted to nature study. Mayhew Park is located north of Highway 23 and south of County Road 8.

Benton Beach has two picnic shelters and Bend in the River park has one shelter that are available for rental on a daily basis. Click here to go to the Online reservation page.

The Lakeview Center is available for rent. Click here to go to the Online reservation page.

There are designated alcohol free zones in Benton Beach near the playground and beach. Alcohol is permitted elsewhere in the parks, but Benton County reserves the right to ask visitors to leave if their actions and behavior are disruptive to other guests. Alcohol is permitted to be served in the Lake View Center but can only be sold by a licensed vendor. For more information, contact us at 320-968-8105 or visit our Park Rules page.

The Parks Commission is a citizen advisory committee established by County Ordinance Number 355. Their purpose is to act in an advisory capacity to the Benton County Board of Commissioners, providing recommendations to the board regarding the planning, development, funding and evaluation of park and recreation facilities and programs. The Parks Commission is comprised of two Benton County Commissioners and seven members appointed by the Commissioners.

If you went to Juvenile Court, or if you are an adult who was found guilty of a Misdemeanor or Gross Misdemeanor in Benton County, please visit our office at the Benton County Court Facility Building or call us at 320-818-6020.

If you are an adult and were found guilty of a Felony, please contact the Minnesota Department of Corrections Office at St Cloud MN at 320-223-7948.

Contact Benton County Court Administration at 320-968-5205 to find out your balance.

Benton County Probation Office

Benton County Court's Facility Building
615 Highway 23 E
Foley, MN 56329

Adult Felony Office

Department of Corrections
300 E Saint Germain Street
St. Cloud, MN 56304

Court dates are handled by Benton County Court Administration. Please contact them at 320-968-5205.

In Benton County, the Court may let people do community service instead of paying part of their fine. To set this up, you can visit Benton County Corrections at the Court Facility Building or call us at 320-818-6020. We’ll help you fill out the needed paperwork and find a place to complete your community service hours.

It is always best to call ahead and make an appointment with an eligibility specialist. This will avoid having to wait to be seen and it will also give the worker a chance to tell you what verification you will need to bring with you.

The only way to know for sure is to talk to an eligibility specialist. There are many rules for each program, and the worker will explain the asset and income limits.

The state allows 30 days to process a food support and/or cash application and 45 days for a health care application. If you have all your verification's with you at the time of your interview, the process will be much quicker.

Yes, you can have other insurance and still be eligible for Health Care through the county. The Health Care Program will pay what your insurance does not. If your health insurance is considered cost effective by the State of Minnesota, Medical Assistance can reimburse you for the cost of your insurance premiums.

Emergency Assistance can pay for evictions and utility shutoff if eligible

• View the County's Burial Policy (PDF)
• View the County's Indigent Burial Application (PDF)

Medical Assistance is health coverage offered through the county. MinnesotaCare is health coverage offered through the state. Applications for both programs are available at the human services office. An application can either be picked up at human services or mailed to you. Applications are also available online at the Minnesota Department of Health website. 

Human services can be reached by 320-968-5087.

WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC is a nutrition education program. WIC provides supplemental foods which promote good health for pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5. Contact human services at 968-5087 and ask for a WIC application to be mailed to you. Learn more about the WIC program.

Energy assistance is available through Tri-Cap. They can be reached at 320-251-1612 or 888-765-5597.

Information about low income housing can be gathered through HRA. They can be reached at 320-252-0880.

Contact human services at 320-968-5087 or click Family & Child Services | Benton County, MN for more information and a link to an online report form

Contact human services at 320-968-5087 or click Adult Protection for more information 

Benton County uses an internet based online job application process for all positions except Human Services positions. On your first visit to the website, you will need to establish an account and create a user identification and password. You will create a "master" application that you can review and edit each time you apply for a job. For more information contact Human Resources at 320-968-5004.

Any computer with internet access should be able to connect to our website. Computers are available for public use at any public library and there is also a computer workstation available in the Benton County Administrator's Office for the use of job applicants.

You can log into your application account at any time to check on your application status using your user identification and password. Click on "application status" to view the status of any submitted applications. For more information contact Human Resources at 320-968-5004.

You may complete a "job interest card" for notification of specific jobs or job categories by going to our job opportunities page or job interest cards page.

County residence is not required to apply or be hired unless stated in the job posting. Some jobs may have a response time requirement. For more information contact Human Resources at 320-968-5004.

Testing and assessment varies for each position. Testing is usually scheduled during normal business hours and may consist of any of the following: written exams, oral interview, physical fitness testing, psychological exam, drug testing, and other job-related testing procedures. Some tests (such as the drug test) are conducted only after a conditional offer of employment is made. Background and reference checks will be conducted on all finalists. For more information contact Human Resources at 320-968-5004.

Should you have a qualified disability that would prevent you from testing for a position under standard conditions, please contact the Human Resources Director at 320-968-5004 or email us as soon as you are notified of the test so that every reasonable accommodation can be made. You must contact us for accommodation in advance of the test date as it is difficult or impossible to make accommodations without prior arrangement.

• A County Ditch is a drainage system managed by County Drainage Authority (Benton County Board of Commissioners. The county does not own the ditch. The landowners who benefit from the ditch own the drainage system. A public ditch can be an open ditch system, an underground tile system or a combination of open ditch and underground tile.
• Road ditches are not public ditches. Road ditches are the responsibility of the road authority.

• The first step to solve the problem is to fill out the Benton County Maintenance Request. After the County Ditch Inspector has reviewed the problem, his/her findings will be provided to the County Engineer for project consideration and response. Please contact Adam Ritsche, County Ditch Inspector by calling 320-968-5061 or email Adam Ritsche to report a problem with a county ditch.

• Property owners who are benefited by the ditch are the ones who pay for ditch maintenance and repairs. For county ditches, the county pays the contractor and assesses all costs back to the benefited property owners through an assessment. Benefiting property owners are not simply those who own property adjacent to the public ditch. In many cases the benefiting property owners include numerous landowners within the watershed area of the entire ditch.

• Under the new state buffer law (effective November 1, 2017) all public ditches are required to have a "one rod" / 16.5' buffer from the top of the bank.  
• State Buffer Law Webpage

• Repairs are not intended to significantly increase hydraulic efficiency or capacity of the ditch. The term "repair" means to restore all or a part of a drainage system as nearly as practicable to the same condition as originally constructed and subsequently improved.
• Repairs may also involve more extensive cleaning of the ditch bottom of silt deposits to bring the grade line and bottom width to originally constructed or subsequently improved conditions.

• Ditch maintenance is not a full-blown repair and does not require a repair petition to be completed. 
• Maintenance includes smaller activities such as 
  • Removal of beaver dams
  • Inspections
  • Mowing of buffer strips
  • Tree removal
  • Other smaller items

• To get permission to work within a county ditch, you must first fill out an application to work within a county ditch (PDF).
• Once filled out, you can send it to the county ditch inspector by 
  • Mail to Adam Ritsche P.O. Box 247, Foley, MN 56329.
  • Email to aritsche@co.benton.mn.us
  • In person at 7752 Hwy 25 NE, Foley, MN 56329
• The county ditch inspector will work with the county engineer to review the application to ensure all proper policies and the state's drainage laws are followed.
• *Work cannot be started until the county engineer approves the application*

• To get permission to put in a ditch crossing you must first fill out an application to work within a county ditch (PDF).
• Once filled out, you can send it to the county ditch inspector by 
  • Mail to Adam Ritsche P.O. Box 247, Foley, MN 56329.
  • Email to aritsche@co.benton.mn.us
  • In person at 7752 Hwy 25 NE, Foley, MN 56329
• The county ditch inspector will work with the county engineer to review the application to ensure all proper policies and the state's drainage laws are followed.
• *The field crossing cannot be constructed until the county engineer approves the application*

• In drainage law, viewers are a team of three disinterested people appointed by a public drainage authority to determine and report the specific monetary benefits and damages that a proposed or existing drainage system generates for all affected properties.
• The viewers, with or without the engineer, shall determine the benefits and damages to all property affected by the proposed drainage project and make a viewers' report.
• Please view Minnesota State Statute 103E.305 for more information.

• Viewers verify and identify land parcels, roads, and other infrastructure served by a public drainage system.
• Viewers then use mass appraisal methods to determine benefits of the drainage system.  A number of variables; including land use, productivity, value, drainage outlet potential, and drainage system requirements or impacts are used by the Viewers to determine system benefits and damages.
• The redetermined benefits replace those used by the county to allocate drainage system repair or maintenance assessments found on yearly tax statements.

• Redetermination of Benefits & Damages is a process used when the drainage authority determines that the original benefits or damages determined do not reflect reasonable present-day land values or that the benefited or damaged area have changed. The amount of assessment that landowners pay is based up on benefits.
• Redetermination of Benefits Process FAQ (PDF)

• System benefits are determined at one point in time, with no provision for inflation over time. The cost of a repair cannot exceed the total value of benefits to the drainage system on record.
• The drainage system repair fund limit is 20% of the total assessed benefits of the system, or $100,000 whichever is greater.
• There are lands draining into systems which are benefited by the system but are not being assessed for benefits.
• A petition for repair or improvement will trigger a redetermination to insure construction and maintenance costs are distributed fairly among all acres within the drainage system.
• As new private drainage outlets are added into public drainage systems, the total benefits of the system and the relative benefits to land parcels and other infrastructure changes. 
• All benefiting lands will carry their fair share of the burden they place upon the drainage system.
• After redetermination, all future expenditures are allocated to the properties using the drainage system in a fair and equitable manner, by assessment on the property tax statement.
• Benefits reflect current land values.

• Minnesota Statute 103E.101 Subd. 4a defines the re-establishing of records of a drainage system as, “If, after thorough investigation of drainage system records, a drainage authority finds that records establishing the alignment, cross-section, profile, or right-of-way of a drainage systems that it administers are lost, destroyed, or otherwise incomplete, it may, by order, re-establish records defining the alignment, cross-section, profile, hydraulic structure locations, material, dimensions, an elevations or right-of-way of the drainage system as originally constructed or subsequently improved in accordance with this chapter.” 

• In short, because drainage systems are so old and record keeping may not have needed information for modern times, re-establishment is a method to fill out the drainage record for needed information in order to administer the ditch.

• Minnesota Statute 103E.715 Sub. 2, a repair report is described as containing the following elements:  If the drainage authority determines that the drainage system needs repair, the drainage authority shall appoint an engineer to examine the drainage system and make a repair report. The report must show the necessary repairs, the estimated cost of the repairs, and all details, plans, and specifications necessary to prepare and award a contract for the repairs. The drainage authority may give notice and order a hearing on the petition before appointing the engineer. Additionally, the Engineer evaluates the environmental impacts and permitting requirements associated with the recommended repairs (Acquiring permits is part of completing the actual repair).

• Minnesota Statute 103E.805 is the statute that details how a property owner can petition the drainage authority to remove property from the drainage system.  The process involves a petition stating the request is sent to the County Ditch Inspector and then a hearing before the Drainage Authority, which is made up of the five elected County Commissioners, is set. Once a hearing date and time are established, you will bring your information to present to the Drainage Authority. 
• State statute defines that the following criteria be met to order the petition to be granted. The burden is on the petitioning landowner to establish three things:  
  • That the waters from petitioners’ property have been diverted from the drainage system or that the property cannot significantly or regularly use the drainage system;
  • That the property is not benefited from the drainage system; and
  • That removing the property from the drainage system will not prejudice the property owners and property remaining in the system.
• The cost of the public hearing, mailing notices, inspections, staff time, attorney fees, and any other costs related to the petition will be the petitioners' burden.
• Petition for Removal of Property from a Drainage System (.docx)

• Minnesota Statute 103E.811 details how abandonment of a drainage system is handled. A drainage system can be abandoned through a petition process that involves either 51% of the number of property owners or signatures representing 51% of the acreage within a drainage system. A valid petition will result in an abandonment hearing. If there are objections at the hearing, the drainage authority SHALL appoint three disinterested ditch viewers to review the property.  
• Petition for Abandonment (.docx)

• No, a public ditch is an easement for drainage only. The land remains private property. Like all private property, you need to get the landowner’s permission before entering the property.

• Maintenance assessments are annual taxes paid by benefitted landowners on a given county ditch system. These assessments are set annually by the drainage authority and are discussed at the annual ditch assessment meeting prior to being approved. The annual ditch assessment meeting is usually in the fall prior to the year being assessed. A postcard will be sent to all benefitted landowners prior to the meeting.
• Maintenance assessments go into the specific ditch fund that the benefitting landowner lives in and nowhere else.  I.e., all maintenance assessment money that is collected for a specific county ditch fund will be used solely for the maintenance of that specific ditch.
• Maintenance assessments fund maintenance activities, inspections, staff time, and any other work done on county ditches. 
• Minnesota Statute 103E.735 goes into to detail regarding funds maintained for each county ditch system.
• Please view the approved 2026 Maintenance Assessment Resolution (PDF).