RECENT ACTIONS

CHASKA

March 6: The Jonathan Association board of directors, which ousted six board members last month, has filled four of the six vacant seats. The new board members are Jim Battenberg, Nate Bostrom, Walt Ripplinger and Mary Sears. Battenberg was appointed for a two-year term and the others for one-year terms. They were selected from among eight people who applied.

Three more seats will be filled during the group's annual election, which is being conducted by mail-in ballot. Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

HENNEPIN COUNTY

March 11: The Hennepin County Board appointed David Hough as deputy county administrator, effective April 7. As special counsel to the county board for the past 11 years, Hough has represented the county in both criminal and civil matters. He is a resident of Edina.

Also, the board approved $5.2 million in funding agreements to reduce exposure to lead. Those agreements include $2.5 million to the Sustainable Resources Center for at least 265 housing units in Hennepin County and $1 million to Minneapolis for at least 100 housing units in the Central and Phillips neighborhoods; the money will be spent on education as well as inspection and assessment, relocation assistance and lead reduction -- for example, through paint stabilization or window replacement. Another $125,000 will go to the Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support for education and outreach.

Acting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, the board also approved a transportation study for the Bottineau Corridor, which runs north through Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, Crystal, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove and Osseo. The analysis, to be conducted by SRF Consulting Group Inc., will compare costs and benefits of multiple transit modes and alignments for the corridor.

NEW HOPE

March 10: City Council member Steve Sommer announced his resignation from the council effective April 15 because of a job promotion that requires him to move out of state. His term runs through 2010.

The council will appoint someone to serve through 2008. But the position will be up for election this fall to fill the remaining two years.

HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA, JENNA ROSS, MARY JANE SMETANKA