BLUE EARTH - Beginning Monday, the Faribault County bus system - Prairie Express - will venture outside county borders to pick up and drop off riders.

Central Services coordinator Brenda Ripley explained the plan to the county board Tuesday.

Out-of-county service will operate during normal bus hours. It will operate down to the Iowa border, but not past. It will go north to Highway 30, including the cities of Mapleton and Amboy. It will go east to Highway 13 and Interstate 35. It will go as far west as Highway 15, including Fairmont, Truman and Northrop.

The cost will be $3 one way if the ride originates in county, or $6 round trip. If the ride originates outside the county to come into the county, the cost is $6 one way. The bus would not, for example, be available for a ride from Amboy to Mapleton, since both towns are outside the county.

"People in the north part of the county see a benefit," said Commissioner Tom Loveall. "Amboy relates a lot to Winnebago. ... The people outside of the county are not getting the same deal as the people in the county."

And that relates to taxes. People in county pay taxes to help support Prairie Express, non-residents naturally don't.

Ripley checked with Minnesota Department of Transportation to see if the change would be OK, since the county receives a large portion of its transit funds from the state. The only stipulation: The county cannot offer rides into Iowa because Minnesota won't fund transit to another state.

Ripley has heard feedback from people involved with Prairie Express, but heard only one negative comment from a driver.

"They just thought you know, $6 is pretty cheap if you're going to be going to say, Albert Lea and you bring them back to Faribault County," Ripley explained. "He said that's four hours on the road for a total of $12."

Commissioner Bill Groskreutz emphatically disagreed, slamming his hand on the desk a couple times during his response: "Faribault County is not the city of Blue Earth," he said. "Faribault County jurisdiction is the borders of the county. ... Every time it comes up, it is because we're based here in Blue Earth, and we have to accommodate what happens in Blue Earth. That is not Faribault County."

Groskreutz noted ridership is down. In 2008, there were an average of 1,500 rides. This year, so far, it's been around 825.

The board approved the plan 3-2. Commissioners Warmka, Groskreutz and John Roper voted in favor; Loveall and Commissioner Butch Erichsrud against.

The board asked Ripley to contact neighboring communities and transit systems sto let them know this option is available.

In other action, the board unanimously approved combining the auditor and treasurer positions. It voted to keep the position elected. Auditor John Thompson has been serving in the interim joint position since the retirement of treasurer Dave Frank. Thompson said the change can be appealed by citizens with a petition of at least 10 percent of the voting population's signatures.