The Carver County recount is over. In all, it took the Carver County workers about 15 hours on Wednesday and Thursday to complete the task.

“I think everyone kept their sense of humor quite well through the process,” said Recount Deputy Laurie Engelen.

By Mark Olson

Most of Minnesota’s attention is now focused on several hundred votes separating the two U.S. senatorial candidates in what’s sure to be a heck of a recount.

However, there’s going to be another recount, right under our nose.

Greg Osterdyk requested a recount in the Carver City Council race, where he lost to Carrie Newhouse by 12 votes – 626 to 614.

“It’s a little fish in a big pond for recounts – that’s for sure,” Osterdyk said.

According to unofficial Carver County election results, John McCain was winning Carver County. McCain tallied 28,158 votes to 20,653 for Barack Obama.

In other races (Carver County results):

Chanhassen City Council 

Bethany Tjornhom - 7,303

Jerry McDonald - 5,451

Gary Foster - 3,522

Richard Gavert - 1,466

 U.S. Senate

Norm Coleman (Republican) - 26,969

Al Franken (Democrat) - 14,102

By Richard Crawford

With a backdrop of falling home prices and a wobbly economy, Carver County commissioners are putting the squeeze on the 2009 budget.

On Tuesday, commissioners directed county staff to trim the 2009 budget further to have a net zero impact on the owner of an average-valued home.

By Richard Crawford

Plans for building a new fiber-optic ring in Carver County moved forward this week when county commissioners agreed to enter into final negotiations with a private company.

Carver County Administrator David Hemze has recommended a preliminary tax levy increase of 9.9 percent for 2009. 

The preliminary property tax levy for 2009 needs to be set by the County Board Sept. 15.

If adopted, the levy increase is estimated to increase the county portion of taxes by $68 per year for the average-valued home in the county.  

On Sept. 2 or Sept. 9, commissioners will set the preliminary property tax levy.

GoCarverGo website goes live Aug. 1 

With the death and the retirement of judges in the First Judicial District, people in four counties will see new faces on the bench.

This is because two present judges have requested transfers to Carver and Dakota counties, which means the two new judges, who are to be appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, will be placed in Le Sueur and Scott Counties instead.

While not immune to the foreclosure problems that have been reported nationally, Carver County hasn’t seen a drastic jump in foreclosure sales in the first six months of the year.

According to national reports last week, the number of U.S. households facing the foreclosure process more than doubled in the second quarter compared to a year ago, according to RealtyTrac Inc.

Carver County Commissioner Tom Workman, who represents Chanhassen, will run uncontested for re-election this fall.

The filing period for county and state offices closed Tuesday.