e e e that's the third good it was a good it a valid point I didn't agree with it still good morning everyone um we will start the meeting with the Pledge of [Music]
Allegiance I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all all right agenda do we have any uh changes to the
agenda Mr chair I would like to add um a discussion on the Heartland Trail as well as a request to fill the veteran service office position under under let's put them under your reports mine okay so five
would be the Heartland Trail and six would be the veteran service okay I can't all right so is there any other is there any further uh Corrections or additions or subtractions to the agenda all right with that being said I'll entertain a motion to approve the agenda with the
changes so mov uh we have a second so uh any further discussion all right all in favor signify by saying I posed all right motion
carries okay minutes from last meeting February 4th are there any changes or corrections to the minutes I did not have any Mr chair yes um I think we're missing one of the open form speakers uh she spoke in favor
of Scott Busker that lady from the left side Lori Lori Olen that was mine too um yeah well was she during open form no or yeah it was during open form open form yes
okay she spoke later oh did she speak later it might have been later yeah I don't think she did speak it I think she spoke did she speak at the during the appointment yes that's what I maybe I remember too okay so that would be added to
under it would be under K K's report right or appointments appointments appointments yeah um under commissioner Nelson I can't remember what Emergency Management what what that referenced if it was but it wasn't a meeting we might
have I might have discussed something under but I don't think I had a there was no meeting under Emergency Management so just delete it okay um under County administrative report I um under the first tour of the extension building I I think it looked at space
needs not just looked at space yeah be like oh very good out there great um a number four on on the same page page two um bring to Eda committee recommend and support I I just think it
should probably read referred the request to Eda I don't think we had a formal um yay or nay on it but um on number four of page four four motion to Second that's the approval the
Ford 150 I think we authorize it go to other agency too but yeah if we didn't we're going to have to alter that I I had that highlighted also we did we did authorize it to to go to another agent environmental Y and the other well or
other agency because I think nrm is interested in that's what I me I don't think no that's what I meant nrm yeah and then in Motion in number seven it says sell it sells the just to sell the old trailer because um nrm wants old trailer to and sell their older trailer
so that's worded appropriately so that that's all that's all I had okay anybody else have any correction only other thing I don't know if we want to include this on here is when um we were discussing the
Pelican Watershed I think it was Charlie Jin that had made a point of saying like he he believed that there was no need to move the building that that wasn't an appropriate spot for parking and that he had suggested moving the door but I
don't remember if that was open form or if that was no that was later Charlie didn't speak at open form no he not so I don't know if that that was under the discussion of the Watershed uh the maybe put it under the Pelican River Watershed building update yeah there was the appointment which was one session then
there was the building it was kind of a different conversation yeah so probably under the discussion that that was Su yes yep anybody else have any corrections to the minutes turned myself off I'm trying to
turn it on off and I turned it off uh do I have a motion to approve the amendment with the changes so moved motion by bar do we have a second second second by Erica all in favor signify by saying I I oppos same sign motion
carries consent agenda is there any items that anybody would like to pull out for discussion uh I I I had some more I'd like to have some more questions on item six item six uh the Investments
mostly um I don't know if we want to how do we do this do we talk about this now or we we can talk about it now here could answer any questions if we you have any okay um so go ahead I would like to sit down and just I I think maybe this is a to bring me up to speed
maybe this is a conversation outside of this forum um so maybe we could set up some time to so I can better understand Investments are um Debt Service and just some high high level stuff well there
there are some questions under Investments that that I would like to see or have a question on also um under the recorder equipment and inorder enhancement uh significant drops even from last month but you know year to year it's been a lot but even from last
month it was a considerable so was there significant payments this month of Records enhancement and actually a transfer to it out of the fund let me just get microphone every
December we do the transfer once a year once a year I wonder if we should do that is it easier for you once a year is it we could yeah I mean we could do it every six months her revenues are coming back up but keep in mind those funds were depleted when she paid for half the
museum right and and the museum and I mean we've used those but I I just was surprised to see such a big drop in one month and we're in the negative um yes it was $70,000 the transfer to the to the it for equipment for
computers okay um the other one was Transit did we pay for a bus out of that this I believe yes there was a bus yes there was a bus I have to remember that's not that's year year comparison but that was a pretty good jump down so that was that was my
questions and I did notice that our sales tax revenue is holding its own currently but I anticipate that to be dipping a little bit in the future we're actually yeah we're actually down about 300,000 over last year over over
and all yeah so any any other so we'll make a motion to approve the whole consent agenda F you know Mr chair I I would just like to I I just want to let you know I'm going to sit down with Mary and try to go through some of these high level numbers that's all because I don't quite understand it the way you guys do
so just Mar bring me up anytime yep thank you is there any other items that any body would like to pull out of the consent agenda okay I'll make a motion to approve consent agenda motion by very to have second I'll second second by ER all in favor of the conention signifi by
saying I I I opposed seems all right motion carries Commissioners open Forum are there anybody signed up oh wow all right so we'll go to reports and correspondence who would like to go
first I can Mr chair uh uh so uh just follow up from the last meeting uh our discussion on the Pelican River Watershed building out there I I know there wasn't uh we didn't have consensus on that to to to move the
Watershed building and that's perfectly fine I just wanted to state that you know in 2028 we got a Highway uh Road um reclaim or Mill and overlay coming on County 19 from County 6 down to dunon
Locks so that might be another time to revisit that issue uh if parking is a problem there um and we should know that by 2028 so uh that's just kind of a follow-up from last last meeting U just something I saw on the that was going to
happen anyway um uh I had an opportunity to tour the old jail um from Sheriff glander uh very interesting um I toured the extension building uh with Linda uh and then Bren bristlin got me into that
adjacent building where some of the sheriff's uh snowmobiles and and and stuff were stored um and then they impound lots there also tour the transit building uh with the boats and a lot more of the sheriff's equipment which he said is all over the place which I can
see um uh and then I got a tour of the uh Courthouse by Brent just through the whole facility um had a Transit meeting with Kevin did you get a chance to go through the tunnel The Prisoner tunnel I did okay I did go through the prisoner tunnel
that's pretty that's pretty if you don't know your way around I mean there's only one way to go but you're like where the heck am I in this building you know you're like Mr chair I I went through I couldn't find my way back out so thank you sheriff glander for bringing me
through the maze safely um might have been a customers yep uh so Transit meeting on the 5th uh just ridership is up we we discussed some things about fairs and bus hours and uh hopefully we can get some new bus drivers so Kevin
isn't driving bus all the time he's a supervisor not a bus driver but that guy's really made sure that that department is is up to speed by he does everything that needs to be done it was really impressive um on the six I went to the
Westlake Drive Road uh project uh with the city now that project from from Legion to the um um just pass Legion to the Pavilion basically um there's going to be a lot of planning this summer um a lot of
things were laid out but uh the road project won't happen until 2026 but uh everybody should get up to speed on that CU that's there's some really interesting stuff going on there all good yeah that was a a really a really nice meeting um I thought most of
it was most of the discussion or the highlights were of what the city plans on doing on the beachcape you know there's a lot of that but you know the counties responsibility is the road surface curban gutter sidewalk and the lighting um and the lighting and and the city's been real good if they want to
upscale the lighting they'll pay for that extra charge if they want to upscale the the sidewalk stamping and stuff like that the city takes care of that so I mean it's um I think Jim is has a real good relationship and and they do a real nice job on um that the
The Proposal was to have parking on the beach side and not on the other side so because they're they're enhancing other other things so that parking Lane they're talking about a parking the city owns a a spot behind there and they want to put a parking lot kind of right behind Lake shirts isn't it it's right
behind those garages by by by People's Park yeah so that in people's Park yeah it would be it would be east of people's Park kind of behind zorbas into the East a little bit there so a real good idea actually the total parking spots then would go down a couple um they talked
about how that boat ramp would would be affected and there's still some they're still trying to decide if they're going to have it or how they're going to have it but they have a short u in there so people aren't backing off the road and I think that alleviates you know our biggest concern
of the stoppage of roads that was a that's their number one option if they unless they have just a walk-in carry access and then the Overflow parking would still be at the fairgr the fairboard I think you know has a good relationship with that uh there was a discussion short discussion a guy who
wanted the ground to be all paved and I said well we don't own own that and uh I didn't we didn't elaborate a whole lot into that it would be nice to have it paved again but the restrictions that the city wanted to if we were going to pave it would didn't accommodate for the
fair so I think that's where the that's where the rub is there but I thought it was a real nice meeting um real good real good they asked for all the input what you know what he and for for me it's like w you know this is your guys you know the beach Scapes your guys but here's my opinion on it and they they
took that well and what they do with it though yeah they they did have a lot of options and some of that was I think was the be cost prohibitive yeah well the beach is the selling point you don't need to I mean some some of that some of that extra stuff isn't as attractive but
some nice inexpensive highlights that you could accent you know a little sitting area here and there especially if you're right across from Zoras and you want to eat and Mr chair just to finish up with that uh you know just at a high level I just I think I think it's a a good way to view the cooperation
between the city and the county it's a County Road and I know we don't always get along but uh I I I think our people Jim and and them that work together um will get along and they will get this done and I just I I'd like to
see more cooperation between all entities that the county deals with just just a little fi you know this they were trying to get this done quite a while ago but they weren't sure how they wanted to navigate that the county instead of doing our regular I mean we
wanted to do curb and gutter at that time we just slapped a an overlay on it I mean we ground an overlay so I mean we did that because the city wasn't ready so we you know I think that shows that we we are willing to work with them now this the pavment that we have down there probably could go on for a few more
years but you know uh Mill and overlay wasn't too expensive for that short run there so it's a you know when they're they're ready I think we can move forward and make this a good project and there's a couple grants one Trail and park or Trails Grant and then one what's the if Jim was here he'd tell me the
name of the Federal Grant or state grant that we got for one was it 1.4 million or 1.5 million for this project and yep um that all goes all County then that's what I that's what I said no City all right I don't know where how it divided up I don't know Mr chair then uh
after that Mee had a meeting on the 11th with the recreational advisory committee talked about the done line situation also talked about possibly uh uh putting some additional parking off Highway 59 it's a Township Road I've confirmed with the township that they're okay if
they put some parking there off Highway 59 vent locks Trail right north of the Pelican River if we could uh we thought we had to buy some property there but if we just use the right away from the Township Road we may be able to establish some additional parking so Jim Olsen was going to come up with a plan
for that and that would be a nominal cost um if parking does become an issue um also talked about Eagle Lake access which I know Carrie's going to get to in her report um uh had the Watershed uh rule on the
uh Watershed meeting on the 12th uh still in the middle of rules revision I was good to see Kyle there um with theou with the county um uh he was going to send over written comments to make sure that we're talking the same language so the customer experience is is is good
the city was also there fine tuning some of those final rules revisions as was metal lands um Scott walls was there um and they've set up a special meeting for February 26 I'm unable to be there I'm going to be at the leg is everybody going to the Legislative Assembly thing
um I am on the 26th and maybe the 27th if I find a room yeah I I am I'm going in but uh that that that'll be an important meeting and I won't be able to be there if anybody can make it that that that would be an important meeting to be at we are finalizing uh the rules for the
Watershed um and hopefully there's there'll be collaboration with the county and that'll all mesh up nice um on the 13th we had a Heartland Trail meeting um Detroit Lakes VY Trail we already talked about that but there are some unencumbered funds um that have to
be used from Detroit Lakes to frz um and we were figuring out maybe how that can be used it doesn't have to be used till 2027 um uh in Clay County is doing their study so we were kind of talking about how we could hook up the trail from Becker County to Klay County and one
thing the DNR Kent star he's kind of the the lead guy in that area he said one thing I I pulled out of that I thought was really interesting he said you're never going to get a $50 million Grant to do a trail from here to Clay County he said you need to do them in1 to $3 million increments well you know you got
feasibility studies he got engineer studies he got all this work already put into it but he said that's how they're paid out in small portions um so he said you're way likely more likely to get a grant a small Grant than you are a bigger one I guess I didn't know that
going in and that's all the meetings I had one thing with that with the parks and or we were hoping to get reimbursed for for some of that money for the parks and trails back to nrm because we did put some money in
um for that for that Wetland so we're hoping that that money can then come back and get pay us off pay that back money back yes Mr chair there there's so many pots of money I'm not exactly sure which pot that was but that was for the the Heartland Trail so
so we did get some CLE some information on that the currently the money cannot be used for the reimbursement but Jim you can maybe help me elaborate on this the there is a possibility where we can fill out a claim to get more funding for
that go ahead Jim I'm not sure what I'm talking about right now so we have extra money left we'll have extra money left from the bond funds but that's been all thrown into the construction and since we had such good bids it can only be used for
construction based on the agreement but that doesn't mean the DNR will not reimburse us to some extent for that Wetland they have to go through their process to the appraisal and then purchase that from us and and they'll do that so it'll take a
while and they say specifically Jim help me here uh those were for construction costs not feasibility studies not engineering studies they were for construction only bond funds yeah from 2020 just going towards
construction um there is 2023 bond funds uh we got 500 or 550,000 that we uh won't need to use and that can be used for the Heartland Trail and the only
designation is it has to be used between the city of crazy and the city of Detroit Lakes that was the money I was talking about that can be used for studies Acquisitions or easements
um I don't think no it's just I don't think it was for that just for that was for construction um I think that was for conr constuction as well but it can be used for anything like e within the city yeah so like like there's no
determination on it says from the city of Detroit Lakes to fre Z so there's no determination that it has to be like there's no definition of the city where the city starts and ends and where free City so you can do stuff in throughout through the city Al that's what Kent star told us Mr chair we we had talked
about possibly you know the trail going up to wanigan park it gets you too but the trail up to wanam park is there a way that some of that could be used up there for uh to to get people on the bike trail up to there you can get up to the school but then back to wanan park
could could that be used for something there but it's all in the talking stages right now the B construction of the har Trail segment between Detroit Lakes and crazy so um we could do work in C CRA if
became designated bring the trail to the city city limning to go out at 87 anyways so we could look at possibilities of it there or even improvements here in the city it could
be used for that uh be used for parking rid or kiosk or rest areas and things like that uh who's who who would like to go next I can go next um just uh addition to the rack committee we we we did also have
conversation about um I think we briefly talked about at our last meeting about um looking at the possibility of designating some of our County forfeited land to um a county park so there is one land specifically specifically that we
have identified in um for Chilton Park So the plan is for me to go and have a conversation with the Shell Lake Town board just to make sure that there we have some good open communication um you know prior to us doing you know taking anything off of because they they would
lose some of that pilt payment if um we would do that so just being a little proactive there uh also had crowing Watershed um the plan the The Watershed plan was approved um at the Bowser meeting in January and we approved the
bylaws reviewed and Rec recommended the budget so we are officially going with the the crowing one um crowing Watershed um also had uh housing on Friday we really just discussed our um
went went through a lot of our housing uh payments claims through um for our public housing and we're also having a conversation you know we're continuing to have that conversation of what to do with the contract um next
year year as far as um keeping it in-house or keeping it at um mmcdc or bringing it back in-house and trying to really explore all of our options um and then I'd have to say if if you're
if you're looking at changing I think the city of Detroit Lakes would obviously be an option that you'd have to consider again partnering with partnering having a conversation with them again and we did we did before but I you know I know we did it's an opportunity for us to review
that and see if if that um housing and and even Eda are could get some synergies out of it yep um sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't but if you don't look yep we also we also looked um
had a discussion about our affordable housing money that we have got from the state state affordable housing funds um and we're looking at possible using some of that for our Maple Avenue Apartments we'll be discussing that more
at our Eda meeting on Thursday then I had Human Services much of what we talked about is on the agenda but I did just want to make note we had a long conversation about the new policy put in place for hiring and I just wanted to
make a point that you know Denise did let us know over at Human Services that they do really go through a lot before they de side to to hire the supervisors really look at what's the best thing for
their unit they look at case load sizes so they do look at all that already prior to um asking whether or not to refill it so um they of course you know there's there's some concerns with the the policy that we approved at the last
board meeting um with us happening to go through the committee and then to the board before we can um refill a budgeted position so um Richard and I had a lot of conversation and we just said you know we would continue to listen we you know agreed
that they would contact us you know outside of the a committee meeting if that's what it needs to be so that we can get those positions um filled as soon as possible because those you know those positions are um time sensitive well and it does it puts a strain on people if they don't
have help I would like to relook at this again because bar I agree if it's if there's no funding for the position we should look at it but if there is funding I don't know that we I don't want to slow that process down I
don't want to I want to show good faith to our department heads I think that's their job to decide whether they need somebody I have no idea what the department heads need there's no way for me to know I know
what I need in my business if need a pipe layer or I need a truck driver I know that none of you guys would have a clue and what I don't want to do we when I came here as a commissioner we had a lot of employees unhappy employees and
we had we had a lot of turnover it was taking a long time to hire employees and I if they sit here and ask for an employee I don't even know I don't even know what to say if they're you know because I don't know their
needs and and they know and we have to I think we have to put Faith in our department heads to do this and so I I would like to look at this and and change it to where if there's if there is no funding for the position I agree Barry that we should look at it but
otherwise looking at every employee hire I don't think I don't think we're qualified to do that I don't think some of us are then well I I have a I have a I have a problem with you saying that you it's like your business yeah your business is different that's your money
that's your money you're spending not in this and this is my money we're spending y but the problem there's a big difference it is but that's not this isn't our we're here to make policy the problem is this County should be run like a business the the policy changing
now let me talk here's the deal if I have a a really a good employee it isn't always about money for them okay it's it's about faith from the employe it's about how they're treated from the employer um this is how you lose good
employees is by not letting them do your job you stick your fingers in there and micromanage and you you don't know what their needs are there's no way for you to know this should be run like a business and if you look at any big
business around here I don't care what it is whether whatever it is the ones that are successful get good employees they retain those employees and those employees then make money for the
company here we're paying we're paying good wages now I want good employees I want Happy employees who do a good job I don't want to lose our good employees we were losing them when we were doing this before we were losing good employees
we've lost good employees and now we finally came to a place where people are starting to level off here and now we're going to go and start more trouble and we're going to sit here and pick at these people when we don't even know and so I hope you guys I hope we all think
about this because um does anybody here believe that they're qualified to decide what those department heads need does anybody here think that they know that I think I think one of the things that we talked about is really just understanding the that the positions are coming from and
and as long as the the funding is still there because that's one of one of the issues and I think I think there's ways that we can have conversations with department heads whether it's at committee meetings or through trusting that you know car's going to have those
conversations or whatever it may be but I I do think that we need more conversations at the at committee meetings about budgets about maybe having more conversations about when employees are having the conversations at the committee level about Employees
leaving employees going because and I I I believe Denise was the one that pointed it out we don't know that we don't know what they what they are already doing because there those conversations aren't always happening at committee levels when employees leave and come back and Human Services is a
huge um department so I think I think if I think what I would like to see is us having more conversations at committee the committee level but maybe not bringing it to the board at this point
if if there are huge changes at the state and and federal level with funding where we really need to hone in on what's the funding source and and look at those positions I think we can tackle it at that point but I think at
this point I think it can be handled at the committee level I do too how do you guys feel about it Phil do you feel like you're qualified to decide whether they need an employee or not well that's kind of putting me on the spot here well because okay I'm going to tell
you I want to make a motion to change this so that if there if the funding is changed for a position it comes to us what is what is definition of change of funding how about if we lose funding for for for something for one of our
employees if we we we lose that funding if it comes from the state or federal then we look and see about rehiring but if the funding is the same if everything's the same I I don't know how anybody any of us think that we can
decide this and I've watched this before and I've watched Commissioners now you guys weren't here but I watched Commissioners sit here and decide whether we needed help at human resources or not and there was a big
discussion on hiring somebody to help and I'm I I really wanted to know how those Commissioners knew they didn't need any help over there we later found out that she didn't need any help because the jobs the stuff wasn't getting done and we had files all over the county and it was a big mess and and
it was a big mess for employees we had a big problem with employees and I I think that we're going back down the road to start more problems and to lose more good employees and so here's what I'm going to do I want to make a motion to change this and the only time we that
they need and and I agree Erica that we should have more discussion but I don't I don't think that department heads should have to come and sit here in front of us and be picked over in public about stuff that we don't know about so I want to make a motion to
change what we to change the what we did last time and I don't know exactly how to say it but I don't want to look at every every new hire I absolutely don't okay can first of all can we make motion y y if there's a motion on the table
there's no discussion point of order yeah we haven't made a motion he said he made a motion point of order we have a we have a motion by Richard to change the process that we approved last meeting I think you want to revert back to the old policy yeah okay that's what
I wanted so so is that that with you Richard Richard okay so Richard made a motion to re refer back to the old policy that we had currently before we changed it with with our motion or with our uh ex there's a point of order you can't discuss it y yep there's no
discussion point of order well we'll we we'll get a there's a motion on the table you can't discuss it when we get a second then we can discuss okay well I have done okay wait a second here Barry no I because I'm not sure exactly how to make this motion and I'm sorry that I'm
not as qualified as you but don't start let's start working together here now I I and because my motion did include that if there's a there's no debate on a motion when there's a motion on the table without a well it never actually got to be a motion we were discussing
how to make the motion and then you stuck your finger in it now okay we we want to work together so let's try and work together and be fair to each other I wasn't sure what the motion should say but I did say that if there's a change
of funding can I please talk Barry I came here to well hold on a second just so I would let's let Richard let me see I don't know that I actually made the motion Dave I don't know that I actually did that I was discussing making a motion okay and so I don't know that I
actually made a motion now we can go back and look at the film here if we want to so so in order for us to do this correctly would you withdraw your motion then we'll make a new motion that's what I'd like to do okay so Richard would like to withdraw his motion now let's Mr chair question yes is this on the agenda
for a motion action item was it last time Barry yes it was it was on the agenda that we were going to do this have you ever brought up a motion without it being on the agenda not something of significance and usually
you add it to the agenda well I do I do agree go ahead I do agree with Barry that really should be on the agenda if we're going to make any policy changes and it's not um I don't have a problem
getting it on the agenda next time either but I think yeah I think I I agree Richard let's have more conversation or more thought about this and I think this is a good discussion to have I think I think it's an important discussion to have we do have important you know important jobs of of monitoring
the budget um but I think let's maybe put it on the agenda for next board meeting so is that the feeling of the whole board is to put this on the agenda for the next that work for everybody I think that's the correct process we don't have a we had don't have it on the agenda currently so if we get it put on
the agenda for our next meeting then we can can have Mo get get a motion if we need one and then discuss after and we did we did confirm the agenda at the beginning we did already confirm the agenda correct yes well and Mr chair just the reason why you want it on the
agenda because this this seems like an ambush to on me on my on my request at our last meeting I had it on the agenda I asked it to be put on the agenda and we passed it now when you come with without me knowing that you want to change it back I have no time to prep an argument to say oh I think you know so
it's kind of an ambush on a policy that was just changed to go back now if you put on the agenda I have ample time to regard and and and get my thoughts and order but obviously it's not appropriate when you when you don't have it on agenda to prepare for an argument but
and I don't have a problem with that b Barry I didn't come to Ambush you I didn't talk to me and Erica did have discussion at the committee about about what what do we gain and what do we lose from what we did last time and so that it was not here about
ambushing you I've had a lot of thoughts about what we did and I'm not happy with what we did and I did not come here today to Mo make a motion and you know I'm not as qualified as this at this as as you are and and I'm going to make
mistakes here I don't have a problem Mr chair yep you know we're on this discussion I do want to I and I will argue this on some um here's from uh Aaron Murphy dfl St Paul last week the state's budget and to the family budget across the state of
Minnesota they're worried about the loss of billions of dollars in aid used to run schools health programs and what we're talking about today health programs inspections and more billions of dollars are changing so to to say that we shouldn't be looking at these hires and where the funding is coming
from in the future is a mistake and if you think that a 15 to 20% increase in our tax levy is not possible next next term it's possible we have to start looking at where where where are these funds going to be cut what's happening at the federal government is going to
affect us financially tomorrow and if you don't address it today we'll be looking at a 15 20% Levy increase you think that's acceptable I don't and I think these jobs need to be looked at today and if you don't look at them today we are going to be in a world of hurt when it comes to setting our Levy
we're we're talking about the state mandating a 10% Levy increase on the African-American child welfare or or community so I'm not H I'm not happy with our last year's Levy I thought we I think that's too high now if you if if
government has unlimited spending then you listen to every department head and give them everything they want and that's that's what you're going to end up with so I adamantly oppose not reviewing in this time now when this time settles back down and we can be confident that ederal government's
funding is is stable then I don't have a problem with going back to budget items but right now every every hire has to be looked at because we are in we are going to be looking at huge increase in our Levy and that's you have to address it today not not the C down so and and what
I said Barry was if we lose funding we should look at the position so now you're going to go back you're going to take positions away from people that still have the funding you're going to go through every hire how are you going to know whether they need that person or not now we're having this discussion how do you know if they need it how do you
know I I think I think both we know both your sides we' understand it repeating ourselves so well I know it well then don't put it on me like I want to go ahead and keep hiring people without funding because I said if the funding changes we should look at them otherwise
I don't know why or how we could possibly look at each hire and eliminate one on on Feeling Just feelings that we don't need that person anymore Mr chair can I just can I just say one thing I just just one one thought and this this of
course is specific to Human Services is as long as yes I agree Barry we need to look at the funding but the services that we are that Human Services is required to provide hasn't changed and that's not going to change
until you know there's there's possib of funding change or policy change and so until then we still have a a duty to provide those services in human services and we we we can't say that we might
lose the funding so we can't provide those services so I just want as we're thinking about that we all I want everybody to also think about the services that we as the county are required to provide our citizens so so with that I
we know we got both sides we're going to have we'll put it on the agenda for the next meeting and we can discuss more all right does anybody else have any or Eric do you have any more communte reports nope that that was it
Richard do you can't talk sorry there uh Mr Frank Mr chair while we're on this topic just for a point of clarification with the policy modification from last time I had my department head um meet um following that um change or
modification and there some questions came up and um there are going to be a few positions that are going to come before you with request to fill so the questions that really came up it was really the intent of what the board did the last time what I understood of what
how you wanted it to flow and how some of the department heads um heard it it was different um so for these positions that are going to come before you today I understood that you would be asking the questions or whatever questions you you felt you needed to ask and then once
the board did approve to fill those positions then it could be uh posted or if there was a lag in time if it stayed as is that they could come before the board if that's what the wishes of this board are but it could be simultaneously
posted because what the department heads were concerned about in the meaning was that we would have a lag in getting uh information out there for posting Etc so I just wanted to clear clarify that point of what what your all all of your intent was
okay any any further uh committee meetings any by any for I have a couple but did we want to clarify four I was hoping for an answer oh please all right we'll give you an so so I think you know what what we had talked about
last meeting was really just making sure we're having the conversation about the funding and where the funding comes I believe we the the cons consensus was that they could move forward and post that's what I understood but some of the department heads thought that it had
well I think I think I think the question was should it go to part-time should um the position go to looking at two part times or continue on a fulltime as you know two part times will save the county money and if it's um if it works out that there's part-time people
available and and want um that's a less expensive route so I would say to post but but the option of posting it probably both ways would would save you save you some time or options if you want to post a opening for full-time or possibly part-time position two
part-time positions and see what the the POS the posting of it isn't going to affect whether or not it's you can still say it's which way it's going to go or if it's not going to go at all or so the posting doesn't it doesn't matter to me if it's
posted or not yeah I do I do however think that there are certain positions that parttime just doesn't doesn't work especially in in human services so I don't so what I'm hearing is the intention of that Mo the motion or the policy
change we made was to allow the department heads to post a position that was was a resignation but right away but not get a final approval until it comes to the board is that correct and then if we don't approve it then it the posting is
taken off you just wouldn't hire would higher yes or potentially two yeah move it and then go through the pool and then indicate that the position is now parttime versus is that is that the well I think the posting would have to change to parttime if it's if one approved by the board it
wouldn't hinder it appli it wouldn't hinder if you if you kept the full time if you kept it as I I'm fine with if if it's if we continue this policy if the position it can be re read advertised or reposted in the and it as it was but it
may change I mean as as long as we're all right with that it may change into part-time or but the board you can post it as is and the board again most likely will post it as is but if there's a case where they want to try something else or
see that this is too questionable funding then then we postpone it for a while now you know I think we're getting ahead of ourselves a little bit because some of these you know this this turmoil that we're feeling at the federal level should taper off down you know in months
in a few months anyway I I I believe but in that meantime I think we have to be very cautious so so so my understanding is then we will allow positions that are resign for currently right now with the the current policy we have will allow
the department head to list them post as post them as is and then come back to the next board meeting for our approval or or or maybe adjusting it or whatever that's that's the plan that's what we currently going right now so do we also had I don't know if we had a specific
intent but that's I think that's why we all heard something different so so then my question what would be does that should the two committee commissioner members be informed that that is going to happen or department head emails them or calls them I think that's that was that was our intention too I believe
well and I think I think your consensus if I may u Mr chair is that you know I think you've all agreed that you probably want to have some more in-depth conversation you know at at the committee level since we're concerned about funding okay yes
Mr chair my elementary understanding of this was that just if it was a new hire in addition to what was already budgeted for that's what I thought it was oh no no no no we that's what it was
previously y okay I think I have it straight thank you okay yes all right any other committee reports by anybody okay I have two and I'll make them fast so we not here all day uh I had Transit with Phil there's just a couple things I wanted to add so Riders ships from last year are
up 133% so that's cool the new bus is supposed the new bus that was ordered before I got here on the board is supposed to be here supposed to be delivered the first week in March that's that's the original that's the plan right now um and then also one more
thing in transit the the state funding for Transit is is not currently enough for our Transit budget um now we have ridership fees that have been able to cover that but what the state does is they they budget 95% and you're and and
then the Riders ships are expected to cover F at least 5% while ours wrers ship coverage is more than that um and if it continues on the way it is without the state making any adjustments that we might have to look at things we need to do in transit maybe some of those things
were Kevin had some ideas about maybe cutting Saturdays or short shortening the hours up in the morning in the evening or um we could increase the Riders ship's fee from for example maybe from $150 to $2 um th those are just
options right now uh he is working with the state to see if they're are going to have amend the the current budget um there's a lot of questions a lot a lot of all the transes are having the same questions as what he said so so there's a possibility but we're not there yet to
do some of those things but we could we could get there that's that's what I'm saying um and then I also had a Historical Society meeting and the American Adventure um exhibit is still up and running it's in the basement it'll be
there till early May so anybody interested it's really it's actually really cool uh I did it once I died many times at denter so all right and then I had a Lakes Country service Co-op meeting and basically it was just it was the main
part of the meeting was we have a couple new board members so there was a lot of information about how the service Co-op runs how that we met the the we met a uh an kilzer who is the uh person that represents all of the service co-ops in the state of Minnesota she's the executive director of all of them she
kind of manages grants and so forth that go to the individual service co-ops and so that it was just it was good information on the process of how things work and it was pretty good one thing that the service Co does do that they're really proud of is they they worked they
work with Mor msum it's not Mor State University anymore it's Minnesota State University at Morehead and but by teaching like a lot of schools teach concurrent rollment classes a concurrent en rollment class is a is a class that you can take at high school that you can get college credit for and you stay in
the high school you don't leave to go somewhere else where they don't lose so they don't lose the funding if they go online they lose the funding if they go to the tech school they lose the funding so um morid State actually or Minnesota state I call Mor State they actually uh
have agreed to allow the teachers that need these credits because they have to be graduate credit so they have to be have a master's degree in order to teach these classes in that field they've agreed to allow them to do it for half price and then that kind of Lakes Country service Co-op kind of negotiated that and then there's also some
possibility where Lakes Country service Co-op could teach some of those classes also and then they'd even be they'd actually then they' be a free service to the to to the co Cooperative members so that's kind of that was kind of exciting well most high school teach college classes yes and most of those instructors can even get waivers for
their masters they don't have to they can get a waiver for a while yeah especially and they can extend those waivers probably except for especially for the smaller schools where they don't have as many options I I did notice that there's funding Cuts in in the governor's proposal for private schools and schools too so there is um I hope
they look at their budgets yeah oh I'm sure they are uh I had one more oh never mind that's it anybody else have any committees all right let's move on to appointments does
anybody have any appointments today what do I did nrm and oh do you have any more um I did nrm and um the DL City meeting um we did look at Dunt locks Park um and
I think I think we should have a at the end of a board meeting I think the board should go out there to determine what we're going to do with the old shelter um one of the things we discussed was um now right now the STS crew is tearing down the bathroom fix everything inside and gutting it so I think I don't know
Richard uh me couple meetings from now when it warms up a bit that we should go out there as a board and determine should we keep this structure as just a structure or should we tear that down too and I think the concrete there is pretty is part of it it's pretty good but I don't know what it's like under
the whole thing so we should probably um visit that and deter as a board what we should do with that we also discussed the Pelican Watershed um we're going to look at uh the building we're going to look at putting a a door on on the other side um to utilize that I think
Charlie's you know voice on that you know resonated quite well and then we can use that area for parking and we can put a patch of pavement on the south end of that building um we did discuss the Heartland Mr chair U uh Barry uh What uh
who would be paying for that would that be a water shed cost well we we'd look at we'd look at the cost I don't think it'd be that much but maybe a split on it or you know we'd be asking for a split of course and seeing what what works we would pay for the this the pavement in front of that but the door
would and Richard said he'd put it up for nothing anyway well I told we did talk about it and we talked that maybe we we could share the cost of the door it would be more of a benefit to us than them charers probably do the
door you know what I mean but we should we could help them with the door and we should help them with the door yep um we were looking at designating some tax forfeit Parcels um the statutory requirements there's a parcel on um one of the lakes that we
just we just got that would be nice um has a has a log cabin on it Mary was adamant that she gets to use a log cabin whenever she wants but um there is a discussion if that goes in a public swim area and there'd be um just what we'd use it for and there's some maybe
primitive camping areas available it was interesting uh the um the tribal was represented by Jessica um Dave and is it I can't remember is it George I can't
um anyway he's he's filling in for the tip of person and he said they have a couple primitive campgrounds one in I think they're not in Becker County but they manage them very well so I mean there's an opportunity if if we do have a primitive Campground maybe they could
maybe they could manage you know help manage it you know then we wouldn't have I mean it's just they need a permit but it's free and they have to check in and um so I mean it's it was some I think it's something to consider if we want some primitive camping they have they have some a system set up already that
seems to be working at least have a conversation about that system and learn from them serson is it George Severson last name is I know it's Severson but very very good he said Dave he said you dunked over him on in Fed so serson
that's sure that's true so anyway it was a it was a good meeting and and it's it's nice to have the Merit to throw some ideas off um so um woods and wheels has a grant and aid application we're signing on that we're
looking at the STS you know future of that program is is in question so we're always keep an eye on that we talked about the truck purchasing the truck and selling our truck our old truck and that will come before us later um potential land sales we went over each each land sale that we were going to put up that's
required by law and approved all those and some of them are a couple of them are joining property owners only CU and I wanted to make sure that they were attached lands they weren't lot of Records so you can't come back and ask to build on those because they were under under an acre out and um and Mary
Mary provide a list but there nothing real interesting on there I don't think had a land owner requesting to put a gate on um a picture of the property so tax forfeit land here he wants a gate here but the the it's a road that goes
through here this is a wetland so it's got a lot of questions uh we learned something about tribal tribal land lands also that there's a trust land adjoining that and the trust you know the people that own in that trust it's a private
trust so um it's a is this Wolf Lake Township yeah but anyway there's numerous owners in that and technically they can't cross it and we can't cross it without and and we're not but it's it's the joining property here so this one um there's a lot of concerns when
you do cross those there could be multiple multiple owners and then there's a process to go through to get permission to do that and it it's quite um extensive so that was that was a kind of eye opening that there's those
parts over that nobody has permission to be on but um we talked about increasing the Lakes short cabin in interest or there's more interest in it we we said that we did not want to increase cabin leases at this time or more areas for cabins um talked about the seasonal
Forester and and tram operator um and again these are positions that I think you need to review I and I and I think when your budgets are tight I and and I think we did that at committee level and I mean those are good arguments so we'll
get to those later on and then there was no um new expenses on credit cards that we reviewed so anything else uh his name is Jake Severson I I remember that vividly now Jake yeah very good school yeah yep yeah
he said you dunked over Adam th too well I'm sure I did I'm sure is anybody else have any more reports all right let's move on to appointments does anybody have any
appointments I have one so I would like to make a motion to appoint um Sandy Gunderson to the Becker County Extension committee from District 2 some of you may know sy's worked in our
environmental area for 33 years and now she would like to do some more cool stuff for the county y second okay we have a motion in a second uh any further discussion uh yeah so what is that for that's for the extension is it set up by
regions or districts or is there a vacancy what there there's a vacancy for the district 2 area I don't know if it's officially has to be District 2 but is recommended I I don't know the rules on the extension so I I believe the bylaws for Becker County Extension do do outline a representative from each
district each district yep and since I'm in District Two there's with the extension it's a state it's a state required committee M for extension and the auditor treasur is required to be on it um and then two Commissioners are required to be on it and then the individuals are appointed by the
Commissioners and um I don't know the details but they're represented by each district Sandy could you fill me in on when you get appointed here uh will you fill me in on what you get I I don't know anything about that so I'd like to see the bylaws and just
do once over okay all right any other discussion okay so we have a motion and second all in favor signify by saying I I oppos same sign all right Sandy we have a meeting Monday okay also if you want more information are you looking for the
bylaws for for Becker County Extension is that what you're is that is that what you're wanting from Sandy uh Mr chair no I I'm I I'm looking for any information I didn't know this existed yeah Sandy would probably be the one you want to ask I mean she's just the but as they on board her they'll give her that
information would they I I mean that's what I got with the Watershed and with the rack and might not be quite that extensive but yeah Mary might be the better one to ask for the bylaws or or Linda I mean if you already spoke with Linda over at Becker County Extension she might be able to you a little bit
more and and just a little extension so extension committee is the one that recommends to this board what services for 4 um and Master Gardeners are under that umbrella um and uh it used to be the far Farm
extension agents but we don't have a farm Extension agent anymore but we run through any Farm questions go through there and then they have a the regional people that they can connect you with there's also a snap snap educator I don't think we have a
we share one with other counties so well it's state funded it's not County yep all right anything further okay we'll move on to the County Administrator report so Carrie thank you Mr chair um the first item that I just
wanted to provide some information on was the Eagle Lake Public Access that we've talked about more informally information I had gotten information I received information use proper English here I received information that there are three joint
owners and that there is a purchase order in process and they have and you can chime in as well um commissioner roughly 190,000 in the purchase um it doesn't appear that there is desire to
donate any of that back to the county for for public use but their desire is to leave it um and allow public access to that so I'm not sure um what the board would like to proceed on if anything I guess it's more of a question
back to all of you so uh thank you commissioner or um thank you Carrie uh Mr chair I uh I had uh done some work on this I went to the uh frzy city council meeting and tried to get some clarification it's about ready to close
as I understand it three uh individuals have have uh they must have an LLC or something set up to purchase it for about $190 $200,000 from the city of fr the city of Frye does not want the property but they
do they would very much like it to remain public you know it's outside the confines of the city limits it was gifted to them by the fire department as I understand uh so these three individuals bought it there was some survey uh information that they had to go through and some lines had to be
adjusted but they want I think what we want the problem is you know the funding for it um I I think we talked in the past we would like that that is the only AIS on Eagle Lake um so that's kind of where it stands the I thought it was a
little bit urgent because this is this um this is scheduled to take place the sale in the next few weeks the the city of free the administrator over their step said that uh you you know this is ready to go uh in the next few weeks this is ready to be done at the record's
office so I thought you know if we are going to do something it seems like now is the time to do it so we don't have they go through a sale have additional costs and they're going to want to be reimbursed on their cost if we come in at a later date um so I just thought it
was important to talk about it now and do something if we are serious about keeping that public not that it can't happen down the road road too but it'll be additional cost the the the buyers were they had paid $190,000 for it and
then they had some legal costs into it and that's what they said they would like to be reimbursed for well I think um I think it's something that we need to look into I don't know that I'm I'm prepared to to make a make a decision right now
especially with all our lumine like I think we have to know where the money would come from and what yeah you know all all that I I know we had talked also at the rack that there somebody was going to have conversations with the DNR just to see if there was any interest um
of the of the DNR purchasing it or if that has conversation has already happened by the city I'm not sure um but I think that I don't know that we're we are prepared to say one way or the other in the next two weeks before that purchase would
would take place but I mean I I think it's a great thing for us to to look into funding options and and see what's there but I don't know that we will we will know that before the purchase is finalized
okay um the next item that I had that I wanted to report on um as you all know we had in the past appointed a a County Surveyor and we had used uh Josh feifer in the past I believe he was appointed last year we have not done an
appointment for this year um in my consultation with our County attorney um I asked him to review whether or not we would be required to post that position or not because we historically have posted for appointments and he had indicated that we're not required to do
so however my thoughts were and I'll certainly take direction from this board was that you know in best practice many of our other positions we are advertising for and allowing you know anybody that wants the appointment to
have the fair opportunity so that's what I would that's how I would like to proceed I don't think you need our our a motion from us to I don't I just it's appropriate but I think we're we're I was hoping for some discussion yes I think Josh has done a lot for us and
with the the grant monies that he's received and started putting out I don't think we'd want to change that I mean I think he I don't think there's a need to because I think we're in the middle of that but if if certainly doesn't hurt but I I want Josh to know that I think we think he's done a great job and thank
him for what he's done um I don't know I don't know the best survey out there I wouldn't support right now because we are doing this project with with him and and uh so but I just want to make sure that they know that we really appreciate what what they've done they've done a
lot for um The Monuments starting starting those section monuments on the grant money so correct um it it's it's it'd be difficult time to have to ask someone to come in and CH change that but okay Mr chair Josh is
what's his last name and who does he work Fifer he works for metaland surveying he's the he's the County Surveyor okay got it um we appointed him he he applied and received grant funding from the state I think it was 300,000 um and uh started doing section
Corner points um and he's got a couple lines done across the county now so um they and he did and he comes to some our committee meetings he does state that the east to west lines those section points that that those lines are a lot easier to to find than the north south
lines they that's going to be a lot more difficult and I don't know actually the reasoning for that but um the north south lines are harder and I guess or maybe areas of the county are harder with the the east side is for for us but I mean it's it's fine to see if there's
anyone interested it's up to you but I think that's your discretion so okay thank you um I could go back just to fill to the topic of the eagle um Lake access um I was kind of under the impression that that that was almost a
done deal the purchase and they wanted to sell it back to the county um I don't know that they wanted to sell it back in its entirety or if they had a piece of property they were going to slice off that and sell to someone else and then ask for the remainder for the co you know um but they didn't it didn't sound like they were trying to profit but they
did want to recoup their expenses um so but I I'm not sure exactly where where that whole process is Miss uh Mr chair commissioner Nelson yes that that that that is true they they want it to remain public the buying group wants it to remain public and they do want to be
reimbursed for what they have into it that were but were they going to sell a portion of that off or if the county buys that is there a portion of that we would sell I mean that's those are the questions that need to be answered before we make any decisions so yeah and I think for my future contact with them I can certainly clarify that and and
maybe maybe if the county bought it we would sell a portion of it off I don't know I I don't know what's reasonable out there but it is a a nice park on a major highway or close and it and it's a park that's widely used by the public correct maybe that and I think that was
one of the reasons why we were a little hesitant on the toad mountain is there was the finances that would have went there might need to go here yes Mr chair my only uh point with with this was to do it quickly is because there
will be a whole another batch of recording costs and lawyer fees to change it over so I thought we could save 10 grand or whatever that's going to be by us inserting the county into this these three guys who are trying to buy it insert us there and save a little
a few dollars if we do intentionally want to keep that public and we want to commit where we find the money I I don't well there is some money in Parks or in nrm we did um we are we would be depleting that budget
down to zero if we spent the if you were looking at 190 we don't have that much but we do have probably 100 that we that we have available of course you got to remember that depletes any funds that we have in there that we use on an annual basis to
do things um hopefully if we increase Timber sales that Revenue can that Revenue can come back in there a little bit so continue on y said okay all right um there is going to be an economic Summit um March 26 and I do have a flyer that I
can certainly share with you and I was asked to speak on behalf of Becker County so I will certainly uh do that um I was looking through and and later you'll hear for a delegation agreement um with regards to the AIS um contract that we'll be spoken to uh
shortly but as I looked back through records in 2016 our County did have an agreement um in conjunction with that delegation agreement which outlined probably more so which um fees and such
could be reimbursed through that Grant and I I think it would be a good idea and I will certainly take a look at that and bring it back before this board I know that there's been some back and forth discussion about um costs and you know responsibilities and those kinds of
things and that's that's another item in the governor's proposal that's gets cut 50% yeah um and just to refresh your money memory the state's budget ends June 30th correct um so to not
review our fiscal end year is the calendar year so we have six months of I mean that's within all these the the F the years don't match so if they cut funding at the end at for their 26 it affects us at the second half of this
year correct so it affects our budget this year and I believe the AIS budget is uh slated for 50% cut yep so yes that would be something we would certainly have to take a look at which leads me into my next topic um I've had some
discussions with um a few of you with regards to some potential on going board work sessions with looking at the end or how we ended in 2024 with budgeting and then preparing as as commissioner Nelson has
talked about for any potential cuts by department and but I I thought a good starting point would be the year end from 2024 where we landed and that was just being finalized by the auditor treasure so if that is something that I I believe you all would be interested we
could certainly start that uh you know following our next board meeting next week or excuse me next time not next week and in in conjunction with that also um there's been some requests and again I'm just trying to get the the
flavor or the the direction from this board to look at some strategic planning and also some discussion further discussion about our space needs and and space across the county so it perhaps could all be um jointly discussed but I
think probably the starting point would be to discuss where we ended up with the 2024 end of the budget is that I I think that's a great idea I think it's a good idea what about anybody other feelings for
any uh I just I that strategic planning I just think to have an overview and and to set a a mission for the county what what direction we're heading um I I think would be valuable to to us so we can dedicate resources time money
whatever to what we think is important and I think it gives great direction to our department heads too about what what we're trying to do here um yeah so I think it'd be good okay so the next item I have is on the
agenda it's with regards to the the appointed record's position this came to our attention or in our in hr's attention um that there's an existing statute out there with regards to how um a salary should be set and that it wasn't included in your
packet in review of the statute um our County attorney was consulted as well as a labor attorney and really what it came down to and I was asked by the board chair to bring this before you to get a direction there's two um different legal
opinions on this statute um really as you read it it doesn't distinguish elected versus appointed record order it just basically states that the salary shall be set by the board annually annually thank you and um the other
opinion that we did receive was that it was probably more so not reading it at face value but really the intent behind it is for elected positions that are in the recorder position um I do know across the state um I'm not aware of
other there may be some but I think probably doing it ilar to how we have been doing it but I don't certainly think that there would be any concern with um the committee you know meeting with our recorder in setting the
salary my recommendation was would be to set it by resolution to the what it is I mean what the and then we're we'd have to negotiate it with with her because I believe that's what statute says right is that it do we have to set it or do we
have to neg the statute states that we have have to set it annually by by board resolution um I think it would be a good idea to have it the committee meet no we don't have that exact committee but we would could be the elected officials
committee we could amend the name of the committee or we could just have Finance to it um and then our recorder could come in she she could give us information and then we could make a recommendation to the board it's like we do with that committee um the only reason I say that is also in the statute
um it says if it's a arbitrary egregious or whatever I don't know the terms are do you know that the words arbitrary egregious one acious so if we just that would that would uh make sure that we went through a process listened and then
made a decision yeah and I I think I think I don't know if we need to do that this year I would I would I think it if it comes back to us at the same salary all the benefits and I think that's I
think we can show that the research has been done and but I do think it needs to be an annual annual resolution I mean and and I think the money's this year I think you just keep them the same and and next year you have a process where you address it in the same time as you
address the other ones that would be my opinion okay so so who else kind of the same that's what you're saying um yeah I think what you're saying is to do it this year to meet and you would do that this year but I would suggest using okay
okay okay so but we but so is it is it a feeling with the board that we do that suggestion from the finance committee to to have have that meeting with our recorder do it by resolution and then come back and do it by res yeah okay so we'll set so we'll set up a so we'll
have Carri set up a meeting with the finance committee is that is that fair okay yeah well and the finance committee the same Committee just so we're clear okay okay um there is the Becker Bay auction I just wanted to
bring that to your attention if you do have items that you'd like to donate in the dates um Peggy is uh graciously cheering that that committee and she's looking for assistance through the county to assist with that but that is upcoming and um
yeah the deadlines and the were included in your packet I will donate something I just don't know what yet I accept your donation matter what it is so Peggy these are food items I think it since it's the food pantry so this is
an auction where we in the past John has like for instance John always donated his maple syrup and then we put them online and people bid on them and then the money 100% of the proceeds goes to the food pantry we donate the money
to the food pantry so you can donate gift cards people have donated whatever whatever you choose and employees bit on it money you can give them money or you can just give money yes Richard last year donated a free
Septic Service um inst installation huh no I gave him a little money no no free and if and a Commissioners usually give a I mean I've given gift cards to a $50 gift card to some place and then um people usually bid on that and I've given gift cards from my
business we take cash too we don't discriminate yeah there's cash donations and we usually raise what about 20 22 to $2,500 a Year Sandy a year okay that's that's our
goal and we've typically made it right then we all but I I do want to stress too this is all donated this isn't funds this is donated funds from employees from Commissioners from um and some departments are very generous on some homemade items and um pontoon tours and
maybe NFL jerseys or you know you know just different different different things like that I don't know signed NFL jersey you Super Bowl tickets or something like that I I whatever whatever you got laying around sometimes Mr chair I had modified the
agenda for number five for the Heartland Trail I'm not sure if we we need further discussion on that if you had further questions we kind of talked about it earlier so yeah oh I skipped Soil and Water telling me yes Soil and Water maybe we go to
that topic You Know Carl and Brian don't you I'm sure Brian good morning morning good morning Commissioners uh I'm back again for a signature on our delegation of powers agreement with
Minnesota DNR um I know we have a new commissioner here for this year this agreement is um something that allows us to hire watercraft inspectors and work at state-owned Lake access sites using the county AIS prevention aid funding uh
that was discussed earlier uh We've entered into the same agreement every year since 2015 when uh that funding became aail ailable and this program started um it uh those watercraft
inspectors that makes up about 65 or 70% of uh where that funding goes every year in in Becker County um in the past we were hiring you know 25 to 30 people with some uh you know pay increases that's now closer to 20 to
25 people uh in a year there were 24 inspectors last year um they work around 10,000 hours uh inspection hours throughout the year at 22 sites around the county um we take in contributions from townships and Lake Associations
those uh groups that want expanded inspection hours at specific Lake access sites um that varies from year to year but last year that was uh covered around 650 extra inspection hours for the year um
small portion of that funding around 5% goes to monitoring for new invasive species in the county uh in particular invasive plants in lakes and for managing those plants so we make some uh reimbursement grants available to groups
that are doing uh projects related to like Curly Leaf pondweed treatment um some uh Lake Associations like Toad Lake Association will go um you know uh raising money on their own spending uh quite a bit of money every year for
those treatments so we we reimburse some of that work if it takes place right adjacent to the public access site with the thinking that that could prevent it from uh spreading to other sites um another part of that monitoring is
having a a contractor who works by scuba uh using scuba diving equipment at the the busiest Lake access sites and those Lake access sites that are determined uh by the state and different research kind of tells us where to look for these invasive plants um I do a lot of that
work just you know kind of visually and checking in the summer but at the the sites that we think are the highest risk a contractor comes through and scuba Dives the bottom of the lake looking for these plants too um I've seen your scuba diver on Lake Melissa last year okay so
you you uh that's that's so that's one of 11 sites where a scuba diver Works uh a small amount 2 or 3,000 goes to uh Outreach and media projects maybe you've seen our our bar coasters some media things with groups of other counties
around the state and uh the other portion of it 20 to 25% of it goes to uh my expenses our rent our our shop space that we rent for the decontamination equipment and U those
expenses as you know Barry mentioned the governor proposed uh reducing this funding uh next year by 50% % what I read was that it is proposed to be eliminated completely at the end of FY 29 um I don't we'll see what happens uh
the point of that is we'll have some kind of a timeline or window to know uh what to do when the funding's gone it won't be like all of a sudden it's uh you know gone o overnight so that's a discussion to have uh I guess when that that time comes for this summer though
it is it is allocated correct the the payment for 25 were certified at the Department of Revenue we'll receive half of that roughly 340,000 in July and the second half in the end of December 2025
so you're you're secure the 26 funding because the correct this okay right because FY 26 is this summer right starting July one July July 1 we would receive the first half okay December the second half he's he's proposing and the
next bium the governor's cutting AIS the next not this current bium but next July 1 26 is that correct is that what you're saying that's that's what I've heard fromr yes
it would be 50% reduction at 2627 uh by Ann so for this summer it's your you you believe the funding is and this and that could change too for if I mean the the percentages or the so you
we'll just have to keep our eye on it and I I'm sure you'll adjust hours work for Lake people if that happens correct right I mean it would be a discussion to have with uh if the money's not there it's not there if the money's not there where
what is our priority uh moving forward um between those categories maybe we maintain the monitoring and the prevention or management stuff for a couple years going forward while reducing the inspections or something like that um but we'll we'll find out
when they get a budget together I guess so this is for the the entire County right and the the major lakes that you talked about because I mean so C LEF pondweed I mean the Pelican River Watershed I mean they have money and they do that too but just in the
Watershed District of pelicans so I mean what you're doing is for the rest of the county and when you can comb your efforts I'm sure you do with what you're very aware of what the Watershed is doing yes they they have applied for those um management grants we have
helped them with their you know ongoing curly Leaf work like on big Detroit there by holiday in um so yeah they that th those uh reimbursement grants are available to anyone with a permit for the management project but there's only so much that you have budgeted for that
I mean correct in the last couple years we've been doing two grants uh at a maximum of $4,000 per Grant just an FYI middle corant um treats curly Leaf pondweed by taxing the people on they do a self tax
on their property tax on in on their Watershed the middle M just middle cormant just middle cormant property owners have a tax on their for for curly leaf pondweed that they do treatment the Pelican River Watershed District receives one of those $4,000
grants from this oh okay to to do the C Pond management and and as far as the monitoring you're very aware of the The Watershed monitoring too I mean they do extensive water uh monitoring with the city from Floyd Lake all through the
Watershed I don't know if it's the same type of monitoring but well we're all on the lookout for invasive plants that are you know causing problems in other parts of the state um as far as I know our program is the only group doing the scuba that level of detail and you're
looking for plants I mean the monitoring is for pH and all other kinds okay all right yeah okay thank you this the thought process is is if we can find if star Stone ort gets in a lake here if if the scuba diving and that in test
testing at our super spreader accesses that we have Carlos put together a reserve fund to attack that and try to eliminate that from that Lake because if it once it gets established yeah it's going to be impossible to get rid of out that Lake and and our Lakes um are Chain
of Lakes for the most part and it would be a um that that is a that's something that we have I have nightmares about having I've had nightmares about star Stone order in Big cormer Lake and it it's you run across mats of of you know
what it's not grass it's it's a legume it's a like a filamentous algae so it would look like a plant in the lake but it's just this big stringy kind of mass it's not not a a true plant it's be called a macro algae yeah but it would
look like a big mess of plants in the in the lake in some I mean I don't think probably the people up here in the state of Minnesota have a full understanding of the life cycle of that right now in these in this environment but I'm sure they're getting educated because it's it's moving it's been in I think it's in
Douglas County now yeah there's kind of a cluster of lakes north of us and around bidi and Cass Lake wios has star ston war and then a cluster of lakes to the South um Paynesville Lake coronis and
then kind of that Northwest of the metro area and creeping closer into like the Northwest Metro but yeah in some Lakes it's been a big problem and like you said if it's widespread we don't really have tools to control some of these plants very well uh it turns into an
expensive ongoing project just to keep Pathways open for boats to get through uh so yeah but the prevention side of it looking at the access sites before they spread widely uh is really the only thing you can do with these these
invasive plants um and doing a a control effort when it was still you know kind of localized to one small area in the lake so like my biggest concern before was will the funding go through all the way through 25 and it does
so it does we'd have a a year window to you know get started with next summer do our you know field work of next season and have a conversation about you know uh what folks have for a priority and and what we should do going forward um the delegation agreement that
we're looking at today is uh was ex extensively reviewed in 2015 because we were worried about what does this mean and it really is just a partnership agreement that that's worked very well so I'll make a motion to approve so we have a motion to approve the delegation agreement do we have a second I'll
second okay we have a motion in a second any further discussion okay all in favor signify by saying I I I oppos all motion carries thank you Carl and Brian thank you thank you than you um Carrie so the
last item I have that I made the um addition to the agenda is we did have a resignation of our veteran service officer that came in uh the very end of last week and I would like um to fill
that position advertise that position and fill that position I did put before you a um cost analysis if this position were to be hired at step two of the new pay scale I just took a a stab I have no idea who
would apply [Music] um how is this how is this position paid County like is that all it's all County dollars they they do have one small GR rant but okay yeah and we did not have committee on this Carrie called me and I'm sure she called Dave and uh we did
discuss it pretty pretty well um at length about what are the needs of that office and and I think that office has wanted I mean if you remember we've had two people in that office for a long time it's it the structure has changed a little bit so both people in that office
have ability to converse with clients about all the claims the claims and the all the matters before it was more of a Sports staff and one so now they're both doing kind of the same job I imagine they have split duties but um the the thought process is that there there's
probably a halftime position needed after that but I'm not supporting another halftime but um I think having this now I'm hopeful hopeful that you know at the federal level there's been discussed at the at veterans portions too even at the VA they've been asking
for resignations on and I don't know how you can you know how you show that but um hopefully these fundings continue solid um that's anticipation for well there are our funding so it's it's ours but uh hopefully um if that happens at
state level we might have more more questions and comments and concerns so um position that recommend to move forward with so is that a that a motion um if there's no more discussion I certainly will make a motion okay so we have a motion to approve the moving
forward with the position the veterans officer we have a second a second okay motion by Barry second by Erica any further discussion okay all in favor signifi by saying I I oppos our motion carries and Mr chair just um I don't think I said
this but he um Matt did give a 30-day notice so he will be done uh mid-march will we move forward with posting that position prior to him leaving though yes yes okay keep forgetting to turn it off I H my favor that's all I have Mr all right all right
thank you K so let's move on to uh Human Services Denise good morning Commissioners morning morning morning N I have two items for your consideration today the first is an outof State training request with um through public health for one
employee to attend a preparedness Summit to be held in San Antonio Texas April 29th through May 2nd for a cost of $4,125 that cost we would pay for but be reimbursed by the um various grants that
this um employee has paid through what grants would that be it would be I think it's through the partnership for health are those they're all through partnership for health but there's um a federal p a state
fpr the state RSG and the state lph um 80% of that is State and 20% of that is federal if you'd like that information so we had a a lot of conversation about this both at the committee level and at
Finance one of one of my issues is really you know we we have um I believe the last two years approved an out ofate travel for I think it was the wick coordinator because she was the chair of this Association and one of her
requirements as being a chair was she had to attend the National Conference this this training is not a requirement of the position you know I I I can agree that it would probably be a wealth of
information um that would help her with her job I just have a hard time um that's okay I didn't mean to look at it um I I just have a hard time spending $44,000 and and while I know it's reimbursed um I
just I don't it also don't know how I feel about it also takes a weeks of time away from the employee doing County duties I I just find it tough in today's environment that we can't do this training
for preparedness Summit to for Recovery of aftermath of disasters I mean hopefully this never happens but I just wonder how how we can't do a over over Zoom get that information or I don't even have a problem paying for the registration get the get the content I
mean it's a week it's two days of 10 hours of travel that we're paying for it for the employee and three days of of training flight Uber parking so this this one training will cost us over
$6,000 and for emergency disaster preparedness that I feel if we can't in today's technology can't do these trainings I don't you're not doing networking I mean it's not a networking thing in Texas for your you know if it was in Minneapolis I would I would think it would be a great opportunity for us
but I I question and you can sell it to me if if you if but just because it's paid for by the federal government or the state government doesn't mean it's the right way to use those funds because I think those funds can be used in other ways in our County if we don't use it for this correct it can be used um it's
set aside for training because it's for other training correct but we had money left over last year we didn't use it all on that same Grant there's a significant amount of carryover it shouldn't be a it shouldn't be our goal to spend every penny that we get the
Grassroots we need I mean I think that's why we're at our federal government today is that there's too much waste and and I think just want to make note that it's not our Becker County Public Health not spending the money it's partnership for health correct like it's not it's
not that public Health's not it's not required it's highly recommended by partnership for health due to the content and um yes and the um dollar value and so partnership for health my understanding in the conversations we've had partnership for health wrote this
RPG Grant which I think that's the acronyms but I'm not for sure RSG RSG RSG Grant and part of that RSG Grant was the intention was for a a a public health nurse
in the district to attend the National Training last year and this year building capacity of nobody went last year so this year they want to send two one from wilin and one from Becker that's correct so that's so it's it's
well it's not County dollars other than the paying the the wage um the wage actually isn't County dollars either because they're the wage is all paid through those grants also they're our build just to
clarify thank you so I I still am apprehensive that's which is why we we have I I think it was just it warranted a full board discussion as far as because this this I believe if we
approve this we are opening the door for all employees to potentially look at a out of state training and is that is that something that we as a board are willing to to pay for and allow for
out of state trainings well I don't know as much about it as I should but the training that we're talking about isn't offered through the local training correct we did check that certainly yes that the same content was not in the if this is
her job and that's her job right correct um and we she is the sole public money last time I don't have a problem sending her um and I I understand ER where you're coming from and and I would want to see
the funding for each out of state training um but I would also like to have our people trained if the if the training is not offered here and they got and she's got to go down there to get it I don't have a problem doing that if you look at the
last hurricane the federal government failed miserably those people down there so for us to have if we have some kind of emergency here and and we have somebody who's trained on it that that's important to
me because it can it can affect a lot of people's lives and so if we've got somebody that doesn't know everything that they could know um I guess and it's all paid for through through these grants and we did have the grants we didn't use them all
last year year so I guess that's where I'm at I'd like to see our person trained for emergencies if that's her job and that is her job so Mr chair I guess I I'm not up to speed on this at all I guess um Erica I
I hear what you say Richard I hear what you guys say I I guess I'm going to defer to Erica since she's got the most experience in that area I guess I would say I don't have experiened in that area really really my my conversation has just been in human services and um I
mean I think I think it probably is a very good Training and I think it it would be it would be a great opportunity as Barry said if it were in Minneapolis I just I struggle
with with the out ofate travel that's all so I don't that's I guess that's how I feel I I just don't know that I I am willing to to start especially in in
today's budget climate of Us opening the door for out of state travel have have has there is there any emergency preparedness like what's specifically about this training and maybe you can't
answer this Denise I'm sorry but what specifically about this training is what she can get there that she can't get on any other training let see if my communication shows that CU I honestly
didn't feel I felt a lot like you when I first got this request and so I asked a lot of questions um and um they were answered and I'm providing you all the information that I have as far as the content um I think it's just not as um
specific to Public Health some of the other preparedness from what I understand um trainings that she would take locally are were not specifically for public health this would be specifically for public health and what we would need to do in an emergency is
my understanding what questions did you ask that change your mind then um and I'm not saying I changed my mind I was bringing it forward because the supervisor and I think the employee feels strongly and so does partnership for health that it was a highly recommended um position so that's why
I'm bringing it forward for you all to make the decision um but just because the salary the full salary the full training is all paid for through those um four different grants and the money is there through the
carryover so you're saying you don't have an opinion on it I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other to be honest on this particular one and Dave have you had a partnership for health so I was just going to bring that up so I be honest with you I we
meet for the partnership for health quarterly so I really don't know a whole lot about this at all and and and I probably wouldn't know as a board member on that committee unless I asked I do have a partnership for health meeting Friday right um so I could get
information on what the partnership for help what the grant is what it does why they use it why they think it's important I could get all that information when I at that meeting I don't know if that would help us or affect our decisions I don't know but I could do that well that brings us to the
question of partnership for health I mean are we going to continue with that relationship with partnership for health as we move forward um what we need to supply a one-year notice this whole year 2025 we would regardless otter tale has already
provided that correct one year and so yes um so I'm just wondering how how that affects everything I mean it's just something to know that there's turmoil in Partnership and how how does that how do we move through that and and and one thing that
we did discuss at our last partnership for health meeting was the informing of the board more information on budgetary items not just showing us a grant and and and explaining what you know what some of these things are for and where they're used at um there's a lot of grants that go through the partnership
health so that that but but something like this it would be nice to be informed on the partnership for health to inform on it just so I can answer questions for you guys I also think this is something that if partnership for health feels that strongly that we should be sending a public health nurse
I think having more information about why and having somebody from public or from partnership for health here to advocate for it and answer the questions um would make it's surprising to me that nobody
from Clay County wanted to do it if it's so if it's so valuable that was be my first question why why did nobody go last year or why you know I can't ask those until Friday I gu so I I don't know would would it be feasible Denise if we wait till the next
board meeting would it still be able to if it was that too late believe so we've um so it was originally brought forward to me a while ago to meet the early bird deadline we've since past that but um you know it's not a huge difference by
any means and we could it's not until towards the end of April so so we could bring it back to the first March meeting first March board meeting after I have a meeting yep that would be great I I would like to consider the options of leaving that entity also I mean otter
tale I mean there's there's things going on there and I've heard reports too that there are concerns that philosophies might be different for you know County so Mr chair commissioner Nelson what uh I know a
partnership for I think I know what it is but we' bring it we'd bring it inhouse than in to Becker County we do it ourselves yeah and that's what I think that's with Otter Tail and and you said wil well so so currently right now otter taale and wilin have have made it it's a one year they yeah they've did it
the first of the year so they'll be done after at the first of the next year um and they are going to partner with each other um and we look our so when this year is up we would be partnered with still with Clay County now we are a
large enough County where we could go on our own and Clay could go on their own or we could I'm assuming two I think it's 30,000 30,000 yeah population population and I believe we also could I'm I think otter till and wilin would
be receptive to us joining them also if we if that was a decision we would like to make um when we had talked about it previously it was recommended by our public health nurse and Denise that we stay and try it and if it doesn't work the way we want to after a year then we
make a decision that was the rec is that correct yeah well we just didn't have enough time strong on us a couple weeks before the deadline yeah that was a big part of it too was a very short notice yeah we definitely will be looking at what we're going to do in the future I think it's best if you we do decide to
leave that we do it partnersh with partnership with Clay County also I mean I'm not saying we should or shouldn't at this time but I think I think this full board has to better understand the pros and cons of of staying with that or leaving we've left we've left entities before so Y and and prior to the
partnership for health being created we were with Klay County for that public health is that correct I think that's what I was saying uh we were with Norman and um monoman now were we oh right yep
okay multi County and we went on our own y and then we went 20 years ago 25 years ago or so yep so is that is that is that okay with the board that we bring it back to the next board meeting when I find out some information I'll ask a bunch of
questions about the Grant and why what it's for what what's the re rationale and and all those questions I I think a little bit more in-depth of the itinerary I mean Pathways to to Recovery in a in the
aftermath of disasters I mean well and I think disasters in Texas might look a little different than disasters in yeah but we all had Co and that's kind of what I was thinking about and that was a big deal and we didn't know how to handle it and that that's
what concerns me things like that this is this says the aftermath though it doesn't have the so I mean the itinerary would help support or either way I mean I don't know yeah it's so I just think and and then I would also like to say is is are those speakers available in any
other form Zoom you know cuz I really um two days of 10 hours of travel each is it's it's well and often times conferences do offer some online portion I mean there there are benefits to being
in person even but those connections won't be ever in again you know if you go to the cities those connections that that you that you are continuous so yep okay all right all right so Denise
your next item next item is a Personnel request for a public health full-time RN due to a resignation this is a budget position um for a evidence-based home visitor for the mesh um program which stands for maternal Early Childhood
sustained home visiting um we show a cost analysis at step 10 so this would be the worst um possible scenario um if we if we the rehire was at step 10 uh the current year cost is
$921 over our estimated budget and the um next year is 13,2 over next budget what what um what funding is this required are we required to have this by law this position that's that should be I mean we should have a step is this
required by law to have no I don't believe it's required by law at all at all are we are is the county required to offer maternity visiting I don't believe so I wonder if Amanda's on she might have a better understanding of that particular yep she
is Amanda would you mind responding if you're available I don't believe this is a statutory requirement by any means the funding um is funded by a number again about four different um this position is funded by
four different grants um and lph is one MCH is one tanif is one and strong foundations and it's um 88 State and 0.12 Federal so my question is if this does
is this position reimbursed those grants by Bill by sending by billable corre hour billable hours yes so would the billable hours would that exceed the salary of this
person um if it's at step 10 potentially yeah okay if it's at step 10 we we always do our cost analysis I understand that but that's the highest step so if yes the answer would just be yes then right correct I mean at step 10 is the highest so that would be the highest
reovery but so you'd Bill the billing rate is higher than step 10 is what you're saying the billing rate is not at step 10 currently so if it's at step 10 we would not be full fully reimbursed
correct that's not what I got out of the sorry sorry no I understand um so it it if if we hire at a lower step it's possible that it's fully reimbursed plus income yes generated um what I I I'm not quite following you said it's 8.88 State
funding and 212 Federal funding are those grants so the four grants that you're getting are state and federal GRS correct correct through the partnership for health through partnership for heal yes um the tanif must be the federal correct as one of them the other is MCH
Title Five and and I assume the the state grants is federal money coming through State I mean we're looking at I mean if we hire this I mean I'm not saying we do or don't but if we lose that funding then we then we lay off is
that is that what we're looking we because this isn't required by law if it's not funded then we then it's termin I mean then we look at termination is that fair to say absolutely yes that was the way I look at it yeah so you know this one is not
required and and I think we've had some great um RNs but I know we've had some poor Communications with new mothers back in the day so you this position can be a negative because when I when we had
children I was not very impressed with the Communications and the RIS how we were treated as new parents from the county staff um so you could have good good people doing it and I think we've had have great people but I think it's important to make sure that that that
relationship needs to be very professional and um not condescending is what we felt we were being condescended at well and I think that can happen at any in any right but in any position but as a position that's not that's not required I don't want it to have a
negative effect and I don't think it has recently but um if if it's at step 10 and we and we have to put in money to this I would I would like us to look at offering it as two part-time positions at at under the
under the cap of insurance so it would save us money then we would be sure not be losing money um at least advertise it like that so you can see if there's interest if there's no interest then then I could support going I back the fulltime I think my issue with it and
I've just got to say it when when you are doing client work which is case management work which is what this is part-time work is very difficult um for you to to do the work that you need to do even with a smaller case load size
because everything changes and I just don't think part-time work um is conducive to to to client work and I don't know do we have any part-time Public Health positions currently we do not have any part-time in public health
at all currently we do have uh part-time in office support um a few of them and in one in accounting and they are seven those are the only part-time um positions that we currently have and when we had Public Health
positions we have previously had Public Health positions that were part-time though yes or I I can't recall you know I'm not really sure either um right off hand about part about public health we've had some in other units definitely
that that did not work out well um we just they tended well um other part-time positions and other units they just tended to turn over constantly constantly what we've seen before with part-time and we were actually we've actually lost some really
good employees that would have stayed had it been full-time and so I I am not I I think I'm not a big part-time person I mean there are certain positions where where it is it's okay but if we want quality employees and again we're paying
good money for these people I want I want good people and I I think full-time is especially on something like this is is important that we get a good person in there to do this job and when you go
part-time you lose a lot of op of hiring opportunities when you start saying part-time and you don't get any benefits and you don't get this you don't you don't know that though till you put it out there and we've seen it I've seen it happen here I have seen it in in our
previous job markets it depends on what the job market is if you have a if you have a I mean I think the past few years we've had trouble with part-time and I think um when you have that you you tend to go back to more full-time and I agree with that um in this case
we're going back the other way there are more there are people looking for jobs now and I don't know in the RN if that's going to be the the same but I think you I think you look at at a at part time at part-time and whatever
whatever percentage you want 75 25 or 5050 what would work but I think you start looking at it but but again funding will if ends it ends with both of them so and I'm open to looking at part-time positions for certain position but I think that when when you have a
case management position you have a case that could take all 28 hours of your time a month and you or a week and you have cases that you know can take you know you just there's no way of of
[Music] estimating how you would get all that 28 hours of work done like it it's it's very difficult to do um case management work in 28 hours even with a lower case load um just because somebody may be sick this week and if you have to see
them once a month then you you know it's it's hard to to make that work so I while I'm open to looking at part-time positions I think the parttime position I think it gives you more flexibility with with and I think you can get more hours in parttime because you're not paying full benefits you do you know any
other counties offering part-time no I haven't checked either but you don't know Otter Tail I do not okay aot tail is offering a parttime for on R RN right now uh Denise so this person has to be has to be an RN in order to correct
qualify okay is ail offering part-time for this specifically for this work oh I do know actually you're right I do know about that particular one yeah it was it was a three day a
week position I think I think you can at least ask what the interest was at for Otter tale see if they had a lot of applicants and if they had a lot of applicants well doesn't mean that they be our applicants too but
um that's just my opinion so I don't know the full um information behind why they have the one part-time either I don't know if we would I'm saying we need the fulltime and I don't know why we would break it up into part times and
how that would work because like I said we only have 7 FTE vacant or positions right now I'm not sure how you could do two point two 2 point 2.5 you could do one 75 and 1.25 you
could do 6040 whatever I mean whatever part-time is under the under the requirement for insurance to save money yeah you get what you pay for Barry that's that's that's life and that's the way it is and if you want some if you want an employee that's
going to get in here a good one and stay here um we've seen it before when I came here there was a lot of turn turnover and there was a lot of upset employees and now we're going to we've forgotten about all that trouble and we're going
to go right back down the path and go right through this again it doesn't make any sense to me you know it depends on who's available and what they're looking for there are good employees that are more than 75 we would not save any money
I said that's why 75 would be the max 75 we would still need to pay the full um insurance package from what I understand whatever you're well I just said whatever not paying Insurance that's how you save money Mr chair U just listening to this
conversation um I understand this I heard that this was this position was funded by four grants which came through the partnership for health so if we eliminate our affiliation with partnership for health does would that
affect this we wouldn't be able to eliminate that until um we'd be able we'd have to give our notice on December 31st and then we wouldn't be done for another year so Denise correct me if I'm wrong the funding would just be changed from going to partnership to go to
wherever we it would follow us wherever we it follows the partnership Health was not a it's not the it's the funding source but if that funding if we dissolve that then that the money would be split to wherever we you know it still comes in
yes partnership just manages I think what's I I think this is what we keep an eye on down the road is if these grants yes are eliminated that this position is eliminated I mean whether it's for when that grant funding runs out and I think that whatever whatever way we go today I
think that is part of the motion that if this when this grant funding is if if this grant funding is terminated this position is terminated and and I think you got to look at what percentage of this grant funding if you get there's four Grands so if two of them are gone are we going to are we willing to pay
that extra money then to continue this the rest of that time I mean those are the those are the question I think you got to answer now if it's full-time it's or part-time it doesn't you know I could argue one but I'll be fine with whichever way this board goes I'm just saying that this is an opportunity to
look at saving money but we have to say if one of these grants goes away the position goes away if two of these grants go away then you know what where is the dollar amount that then the position ends so I will make a motion to approve the public health position
fulltime with the understanding that if there is a change in any grants the position would we would need to evaluate the full-time St status of the position based on grants available and potentially eliminating the position if
there are not a sufficient grants does that make sense yes I'll second that so we have a motion and a motion by Erica second by Richard do we have any further discussion I do want to just say though that these discussions will help us
prepare I mean in in these times I mean it it is difficult to know where these funding Sol where funding is coming from and if we don't think about it now or address it now we're going to be hit hard and and I don't want us to go in and get smacked upside the head without preparing a little bit and Barry I I
appreciate you you have much more experience than than the rest of us in these times so I appreciate your input and and forcing us to to think that way I agree I think we need to have these discussions because it's possible that we might have to make some tough
decisions later on yes so I think it help it's very helpful so Mr chair just for clarification I think um I as I understand the motion when we're advertising this position we're probably going to need to advertise it pending future funding for this position the funding is current until
when do you have an estimate again I need to um refer to Amanda on that I don't know that answer exactly um I know it goes through I would say TP typically the funding does the funding renew every
year or is it just a standing funding with those programs every each year and this year goes through July this current approval goes through July of or I'm sorry June of 2026 Amanda's online that's Amanda pel
or different am person I see is christe um I I think you will have to advertising with Grant just notifying that it's grant funding so yeah I just I think that's the fair way if you're is that but that's to be honest that's
with the how many how many do we have in that department I mean that's I think it's three if I call well I think it's safe to say that if grant funding if if there's changes in Grants we're going to be looking at all looking at just it we haven't done that in the
past at all so do we want to put in that this okay with the two motions pending was fre saying pending renewal of grant funding ER put that in there didn't you did you put that you did put it there okay all right she did all right so we have a motion and a second um no more
further discussion okay all in favor signify by saying I I pose same sign all right motion carries um I did have a question for Denise and we approved it earlier in our um but I do question I should have I should have pulled it I didn't I I have it in my notes though
the children's the healthy kids Minnesota join Powers agreement with the state um is that cost effective for us to go into it doesn't cost us anything how much do we get paid we don't get paid anything either it's just a uh
agreement to refer which one is it that we get 16,000 and we service 250 to 300 kids I'll get to my notes here in just a second it was my understanding that that what that joint Powers agreement was no money exchanged whatsoever I think the
only thing was possible gift cards that we would provide the the families if total obligation of the state be paid for by the state will not exceed 16585 so how do we how do we get reimbursed for this was the 16,000 can you tell me what page that is I see it
the total obligation will not exceed of the state so that's for For Us gift cards I believe for their for the families for for participation how do we get reimbursed for our time on this
uh there won't be any time all we do all we're doing is referring it says aiming to recruit 250 to 300 kids which is referring the current um children on their case loads are we not are we not the
government unit it says DH D mdh duties on page one of seven it goes to page two of seven that's their duties then it goes to page p on 2.2 on page 3 of seven government units duties is that us yes so we meet
virtually with mdh to plan a recruit protocol meet with DM for virtual in-person training complete subjects training um provide space communicate with families ahead of time prepare for non-english participants that doesn't take us any time yeah I guess it would
yeah so how do we get reimbursed for that time through the various grants that they get paid for that the that they currently get paid for those um public health staff we're we're not getting we wouldn't be reimbursed for this
specific employee time correct it's just it's one of the duties that falls under requ current position no is not required no we have done it in the past and it was from what I understand very successful and then we have a liability
and we have auditing at with that page five of seven in um liability is governed by applicable law so I mean we are liable to some degree um set number seven we have state audits for those funds and for those gift cards I'm
just wondering if is it a program that we we've already approved it but yeah I I question if we don't get reimbursed for anything why we would do this it doesn't sound like a program that's it's it's it's a testing program
for the kids urine to see if they're drinking water is good I I if if why are we why are we doing this for the state for nothing if we're doing it that's that's my
question well I think it's an important thing to consider for Healthy Families I think that's part of Public Health role is to increase health and healthy children and families um it's like a community service type thing
along with I I don't dis that I just we it it's it's like in Highway when we want all the lights everywhere I mean there is only so much government should do and and I don't I'm at a point where we need to re review
what what government's role is in everything and um I I if I would have I wouldn't have supported if I would have pulled it but I didn't and it's done unless anyone wants to discuss it we'll just move on so but that's my thought on
it all right all right thank you thanks Denise can we take a break uh do you want to do Todd real quick first and then take a break or do you can you wait I can wait okay you think I think I think all right [Applause] Todd good morning good morning morning
morning Mr chair members of the board I have one item right now which is a Personnel request for a full-time dispatch position due to a vacancy U Mr chair I again you and I were conversed on this this is a um this
person the vacancy was someone just going through training actually and didn't finish the training and um um dispatch is a much needed and and there still there's still another another vacancy within that department um so I think Todd's request is reasonable um
this is County All County money that does this there's no state or federal grants that pay for the wages at at the sheriff's office so that's correct um I I do want to I do want you know maybe touch base with you and I know we've
looked at this in the past but um Regional Regional dispatching and I and I'm wondering if you've reached out to other smaller counties around us to see if they would like to use us as a regional facility instead of their own re dispatch um I think we probably have
the capacity I mean we would have to add staff but it's in my opinion at dispatch it's better to have and I think this is why we have two people on staff at all times you know in the past we've had one overnight and that gets real real critical to have one person overnight do you still have any one time any time
when there's one staff when we're full staff no and I I did bring Joan with just to answer some additional questions when it comes to scheduling okay uh but uh no we obviously with the vacancies we've had uh single dispatching
but those smaller I mean those smaller counties if they have one person overnight it I mean that you get an emergency you want to talk about pulling your hair out look at Todd I mean I mean it is he's picking on the ball G it is it is some I mean I support
this position I would like us to look at requ or kind of put out the feelers if there's another small County that wants to share that because you know dispatch can can go across county lines and and Fargo Mo had do a joint uh dispatcher um there are issues with state lines
there that we wouldn't have but uh I think there are some issues but I think it's something that we should continually to look at to join ask other entities to to um join us and and Phil if you don't know the city of Detroit Lakes dispatches their own police from 8
85 8 a.m. to 4 P p.m. 4 P p.m. but not through 911 not 911 but just dispatch which is kind of a an odly yeah but there's someone in the office all the time so um I'd make a motion to approve do have a motion to approve the personel request from Ser part do we have a
second I'll second all right any further discussion okay all in favor signify by saying I I I opposed all right motion carries thank you and Mr chair if I may uh I would like to commend uh our dispatch staff and Joan of course I know
Joan has been putting in a lot of extra hours along with other staff members to keep uh everything going smoothly and they're as smooth as it can obviously um but again um thanks to her we we would be
struggling but uh we're managing we'll say that thank you thank you all right let's take a five minute break so back here at e e
e e e e e e e e e e meeting so let's go right down to
steveen Mitch oh M Mr chair I had modified the um agenda for the Heartland Trail we kind of got off topic a little bit I didn't have and then I was uh approached by Steve on the break here that he does have some updates on the
Heartland Trail okay of some funding and partnership for health left our funds so I just wanted to alert you okay thanks thanks K morning Mr chair morning board members uh we got three items before us and the fir really the first two are
really related uh resolution 02252 is a Personnel request for three seasonal workers to work in parks and wreck be one for dun locks one as just uh somebody to maintain the accesses and the parks and the other one is a in uh
forest or somebody that does Forest invent for us and for the person that if we get an intern to do the forest inventory we need a vehicle actually we didn't have one for him that's where we'd like to purchase that SDS truck and use so that person could use
that you know after you know looking at the full agenda and seeing Jim's requests for three seasonals and our requests is there any um sharing of an individual not the Forester probably because the Forester has those duties but the other part-time I know Jim has
three and and your request is one um Jim I was reading in yours that if if we don't hire the you know well I I just thinking about if we had two and then shared one is there um I'm just wondering the capacity
of it stated in your in your presentation that other people would fulfill the duties you know higher paying but is are they at capacity of their duties the other entity so would there be a job sharing of one person person would that was that something that's been thought of or of of one of
the seasonal part times so I know in the past you haven't even been able to complete all three seasonal part times so I'm I'm just curious if we could and maybe maybe that's for Jim's discussion more so but it if one of your positions could be um a multi-position
if we even if you can't or if we could you know share that person over back and forth a little bit I don't know what are your any thoughts on that well two of our positions um geared more towards maintenance we
could use those we could probably use those for the full 67 days because of the flagging operations durink seal coat or shouldering other maintenance um I was thinking that too two you know give you the two but the third one is
there a possibly that third one could be shared with their third one and and I'm just if if that what the Capac and then the third one is more geared towards our engineering or during our construction um we have a lot of Duties
out on the road of you know taking tickets measuring quantities and stuff like that uh this year we do have you know a number of projects going on simultaneously so we'll probably only have one inspector at each job you know
we'll have workout on seven doing the grading and then all the paving work going on um they're going on simultaneously Sim well it is just one contractor it depends upon them I mean there's some smaller chunks you know
helping the townships out and stuff like are they responsible for for their um someone on site the township yeah uh we have an agreement we we Bill them you know for our time and materials so there's billing so there's recouping some of those expenses for those yeah
for the township work yes yep okay you know coming from the township Mr chair coming from the township um the county bends over backwards to help townships not only ours A lot of them and and it's very helpful useful a shoulder to lean
on and hey are we doing this right kind of thing and I would hate to see that that that that go away there're all of them Jonah Brian jim on a moment's notice help out the townships which I think only benefits all of this but uh no but it's nice to hear that there's
some reimbursement for some of these employee too that that I know they bend over backwards because if you look at that job those two that job is us over here and then two townships over it's like that was some distance on that so um so you're saying that there's
probably not a lot of availability for ours to share back and forth well I guess I I'm not familiar with what Mitch is looking for for as Forester work or whatever or he has extra time you know and hours to generally we're on the same you know
we're working four1 in the summer um I don't know Mitch I think you might be doing the same but it's yeah generally speaking 410 it's just that Recreation position now taking on we've always taken on the state ma is trying to get
from place to place and if they're running and do something for Highway I don't know how that would work or look um but they got out a set schedule I I see that where they got to get to these um 42 acts within the week or the next week trying to spread them out work but
specifically to that parks and W intern that maintains public acces parks and and so we're remembering that Parks and Rec we just started getting funding from the state in the amount of was it 16 or 19,000 19,000 to to maintain their parks and wreck because we've been doing it we
haven't been being getting paid and I happened to chastise Teresa Umbridge who was the regional and she said well put a bill in and we did and now we're getting paid so um that pays for one of those full-time positions then to to do that I mean one of those one of those positions fully
one of the seasonal yeah one of the seasonals fully to to do that so um that's why that's one of the reasons I would to support that but I just it's just nice to to understand these even part-time positions better so there understand there's not a lot of
synergies in those two relationships so thank you Jimma for that thank you do you have any other questions on the part-time positions it's three no I think I think the three are warranted then yeah so do
I I'd like to entertain a motion then for uh 2E um what page are we on we're on page 5 67 all so have we have a motion by Erica
to approve second second by Phil approve two to e yes any further discussion all right all in favor signify by saying I I opposed all right motion carries um we have to go back to the to the letter A yes the STS
truck um and Mr chair this purchase is an inter government I mean from the highway department are and we're not looking at selling our other pickup is that correct at this time not so um if it if we do sell that other pickup then we will be coming back to for disposal
so I'll make a motion to approve the the purchase request for the STS or for the former STS truck most my have a second 8 was it 8500 8,400 or 8500 yeah second by Richard any further discussion uh yes uh
so our this was within it's an intergovernmental change here but our Fleet of vehicles uh I mean we've got Vehicles out back here too right that the county has are those dedicated to certain people or during the summer we need
dedicated is there any way to do what you were trying to do with managing up nrm with the highway to use some of these vehicles back here to maybe reduce cost or something um so some of these vehicles are dedicated to certain people
especially in the summertime you know for the assessor's office because they're out inspecting all the time so some are dedicated uh Human Services has some dedicated but they're encouraged if if they're traveling and they don't take a County car like then there's a reduced rate for employees
so if the car is available and it's not taken to a a whatever you know for um going to the meeting in Fargo then they take a lesser rate Mr chair commissioner so commissioner Nelson you're you so we're trying to encourage people to use
their own Vehicles no no other way around they're a lower rate they're able to for their own personal if they take their own car they don't get the full IRS rate to for tax reimb 80 80% 80% and some supervisors don't
allow it I mean there are some that don't allow it I I believe that but managing the fleet is you know um it's a good discussion for another time because we've entertained if you're familiar with Enterprise um they will come in and manage your Fleet I don't you know
everyone has their own opinion I think we have better I think it costs money to hire someone to do that to manage your Fleet um and I don't I don't like them managing our Fleet but we certainly probably could oversee our Fleet better than what we've been doing cuz sometimes
you see a car not move for a long time excuse me commissioner Hansen in in response to your question part of the reason we're looking for this truck too is it has higher clearance this person is driving down primitive Forest Trails where you normally you don't take a car
that's part of the reason why we would like I think his his question though is if Highway's got an extra truck out there why would you have a spare just I mean but Jim you might be able to address the usage of Highway ve Highway pickups the problem with it it's usually the busiest time of the year in the
summer when everyone's goes their everyone's out in the field for Highway and nrm everyone's out where they working out outside Mr chair probably a bigger conversation for a different time y so we have a motion and a second uh for to purchase the STS truck all in
favor of purchasing the STS truck signified by saying I I POS all right motion thank you uh all right go ahead Steve yep the the third request is a purchase capital capital purchase request that I brought back previously the board had approved spending up to I think it's
25,000 to buy a bucket for a payloader and there was some confusion on what bucket we were getting so I got that clarified with the salesperson and uh a recommendation after looking at it was to spend some uh purchase a little more expensive bucket it's 28,000 but it's uh
when looking at it the the difference is that it's a lighter bucket which is easier on the pins and stuff when you're on the loader itself but it's made out of a harder steel so it should last longer yeah it's a steel and it is light not only easier on the Lo but you could
carry a lot more with it and it going to last a lot longer there's a big difference between AR steel and regular steel I will move to approve the capital purchase of the grapple bucket I'll
second for Mr chair for 288 for yeah I say for 28850 dly amended all right any further we have motion a second any further discussion do we do we need to have anything in the motion that this
this because we already approved the 25,000 so just um making it clear that we're approving this in lie of the one we approved last time so it's not both we're not approving this one and I'll amended to say that yes is that good
with you to Richard yeah okay all right any further discussion okay all in favor signify by saying I I opposed all right motion carries Mr chair can I just just an observation before we move to Highway um you know I I sit on the rack
committee Barry sits on nrm um it seems like there's a lot of duplication there um Steve is environmental but overseas forestry is is is that another topic of conversation is that the right
organizational structure I guess for that um I think I'd like to hear you guys' I think Mitch's voices his concerns that he doesn't have time to go to Rack meetings or I'm putting words in his mouth but I think he would love to not be not have to go to Rack meetings
because he is it's taking time away from him um I think the rack committee I think I've I've I've for quite a while said the rack committee could be dissolved and it wouldn't well we brought it back to life two years ago it's much more active now so
yeah after Co it kind of went defunct um but I being on the rack committee for a couple years I always thought uh we didn't have a lot of pull we had to jump through a bunch of levels to get something done I I was asked do we have a funding source and the forestry could
could could we do it can we get some funding to do what we need to do from there approved by this board but seems like there's a lot of levels of the the original purpose of the rack committee was for when we had a lot of people
wanting to make Trails everywhere um it was for trail and Mary probably can correct me or if I'm wrong but it was for making new trails for um ATVs utvs maybe horseback there was a lot of and the big
thing was the ATVs we had a state grant that came in that that was a big turmoil and and we end up not accepting a state grant for a four-wheel uh ATV trail um because there was so much opposition we decided that if you want to put a new Trail you have to vet it at the rack
committee Recreation advisory committee and then it comes for us for recommendation that was the original um and what it's evolved to is is supporting different things and um I think the the people that are on it I think are doing a good job now I think
there there's a lot of interest in it um but I would agree it's a it's say another another hoop to jump through if you're an individual in the past they just come to our nrm committee and propos something and we Mr chair commissioner Nelson it seems to me that uh you know we've just got it going
again and it's up to speed fully we've got everybody from every District now so I I I'd hate to dissolve it but I think saying what their mission is and how things get done because I always felt we can't do anything without someone else's permission which is okay
if we have the funding to do it um but it just felt like a lot of work where someone else was going to make the decision how to move forward maybe that's a conversation for another day where we just try to but it it really hurt too when they recommended to go with toad mountain and then we didn't I mean so they put a lot of work into
that I recommendation well they went out on site and reviewed it well Steve did a ton of work on that but that was directed by this board to R committee it went through rack to review it also and they were excited about what the opportunities were and then it I mean I mean so to your point yes I don't know
if we give maybe a different conversation for a different day I it's just you just have to start I mean these conversations get you better understanding and how how we can move forward you can't do anything today but you start thinking about what what's best and I think the committee like you
said is doing a very good job and very and and I've talked to my rep and he he enjoys it and I think there's good of it um so I I just don't know what the role how the how you get their role so okay well any other all right Steve
yeah Steve go ahead it was talking about the rack so I contacted part uh partnership for health and they had had some extra funding that they could use to help provide funding to look
at uh a public Traer bike path going between dun locks down to shm in that area so they had $155,000 available that they'd want to know by the end of February if we could we're interested in getting that they're looking for local funds to also leverage
that we didn't really know what we could do with it till we found out what the if you could use excess funds from the Heartland Trail um for other St Trail study purposes which you had that meeting on
Friday Thursday yeah join us Jim yeah and uh so now we found out out that that those that extra funds can't be used to do Trail studies going across the county or or portions of this the question is is do we want
to continue pursuing the $115,000 to do a shorter segment because they they want to know by the end of February if we're interested in doing that to secure those funds and is the county willing to put some money towards that and I'd previously talked to Lev Township they were interested in putting some dollars
towards that as would corant and I haven't talked to late so um I guess just like to be interested in knowing what your thoughts are as far as continuing to pursue that $115,000 Grant opportunity to do his Trail study going
from dun locks going as far as we can down towards Shor or buck Mills or somewhere else to I think I think if you have the F you know in this case the funds available to do that study because I tell you what this is our population Hub and if you can get recreation in your population Hub it it serves a whole
lot more people than you get out you know in the far outreaches of the county M so I don't I you looking for a recommendation or just so so you Steve you're asking you're you're saying the 15,000 isn't going to
cover what you originally wanted so the original engineering cost estimate from Apex to do a trail study going from dun locks down to shm was about 20,000 that would prep you to go
to get the specs that you need to look for bonding you know to do the engineering and get all those numbers what if if we leverage that and the county put some money because they they strongly recommended looking for other funds to leverage that to get that
15,000 if the county put some dollars and the township put some dollars in maybe we could get a little further down from Detroit Lakes or or dun locks down maybe to Buck Mills or go as far as we can I guess I do you have any thoughts
Jim yeah um we had done some preliminary work with the Heartland Trail committee uh myself and Hank and Cleon and we've had discussions uh
dnr's uh master plan for the Heartland Trail right now pegs the Heartland Trail pretty much following the highway 10 Corridor um all the way to uh uh Morehead um there are some large obstacles getting through the oton area
and that and you know with wetlands and things like that we had some different options that we looked at but they're not feasable we had at the Heartland Trail committee discussed you know options well let's put the trail maybe more so
in the where the populations are going down would it be feasible to go down into the Sharm area and through the Lakes there and even going through there you know that road is that's a highway preservation Road it's narrower than roads and there really isn't anywhere to
Peg a trail through that area so we thought you know if we go through still go through uh either uh the weest grounds and stuff and head south down 17 you know with the Bucks Mill being developed you know maybe that's a better destination spot um 17 has some right
away the uh Township roads down there has right away um and then was thought we could just bring it down to uh County 20 which is a shared Road of th tail and bring it straight East or straight west down to where you know Pelican and zorbas is
they have a trail system you know going further on but then we bring it up into the corant area then back up into Lake Park um all this is outside the realm of you know where the DNR is and they would have to amend their master plan study
but if we kind took the led the charge on this um you know get this started and then this work would be kind of preliminary work uh for the DNR to amend their their master plan and uh and go
from there so that's why we wanted to take this in chunks and if we could have used some of the funding that was in the Heartland Trail you know that would be a big chunk we could probably get it right to the county line because Clay County just finished or finished in up they're
bringing the trail right to our county line up there on it's going to end uh where our County Road 102 is uh that goes west out of uh are we going to try to match up with them or we we would match right up there and that's a that's a really kind of a nice little you know
gravel County Road to put it along and and it's outside the railroad right away so there shouldn't be a lot of obstacles there but uh it's a real quiet area up there yeah also um we had some discussion you know we talked about the bonds that
are already dedicated for construction down there uh the 2020 bonds we we have left over we're going to have leftover money there we can't use that but we have 2023 bonds for that 550 one thing uh that also is dedicated
for construction of the Heartland Trail because we didn't think we'd have enough but that is still eligible until 2027 one thing that we do is we could ask to have that Bond language
amended and include preliminary environmental work design and stuff like that so then we could grab that 550,000 and use it for the the rest of the otherwise it's going to go away you know unless we have 550,000 to spend on
construction you know we talked about like going to wanigan stuff like that but that will needs engineering work too uh or anything new needs engineering work so that might be something we should probably go after is amending the bond language Jim where do you think the
money would be best spent if we can go after it to amend it I mean yeah to amend it where where would it be best spent in most appc yeah we would amend it to I would say to use just make it wide open in Becker County either to the east or
to the West use it for environmental preliminary design and Engineering work and that would where ever is the easiest path to expand it we'd follow that then would that money then count towards the
15,000 Grant helping get it or would you would have two separate things yeah they are two separate things but that you know that would 15,000 if we use that and we leverage that with some County and Township dollars that could get us started we we couldn't leverage it with that that well
yeah this wouldn't be done until summer completely no no I'm just I'm just yeah this would we could continue then it would continue so that could be part of the this would take legislative yes effort so this is two separate things yeah yeah I I know well working with
this uh on the rack committee and Township and all that I mean there is the the people at we Fest are doing some buildings up there and and they were very receptive to a trail going through there to get down to wherever it goes down to the shm area I don't know County 17 or whatever there were some issues
with some elevation things but they were receptive to listening to something and that would be the engineering study or the feasibility study right yeah I think that's important I mean to get that done because then you got to ask we Fest yes or no will it be will you allow the
trail there otherwise then we have to push it out to 59 and put it which could be done you know on the 59 right away I think that's an obst but just moving out and knowing the The Pavilion to Legion is going to be done and I see how that trail is used all the time the bike
Trail for baby strollers people everything and then that continues out to done locks to continue that down to the golf course which is City on I think the city would even be receptive financially or or whatever to to seeing that complete I would be a big proponent
of seeing that done from dun locks down to so shm or whatever and then on to cormer if we move I mean if it if we if weest wants it or is allowing this they're certainly going to be closed during weest though wouldn't it I mean so we'd have to have an alternate route
for that time yes we did discuss that probability they had mentioned that and I don't know where we left it Steve but uh because a public if it is a public you're right if it is a public Trail it's got to be public all the time you can't shut it off for three days but I think I think there's Avenues to shut it
off if we have an alternate route I mean I I think money well you you can build the alternative route but if you can get a trail that I mean I don't think we we can go through we Fest without having an alternate route during those days that it's that they're using it I mean and
just a reminder unfortunately we Fest has a permit to do up to five events in that bowl annually and they've had up to three a year so I mean just I mean you could be talking more than just those three days right so I mean you have I don't think you could plan on going
through we Fest I mean as a I mean I'd like to use it at any time you can but I think you're going to have to plan on an alternate route around it my opinion we can't I mean I as a person thinking as a business owner i' would never allow that to be open during the SE during my
festivals I mean so Mr chair commissioner n Nelson um yeah I would like to figure that out I'd like them to say definitely no before we say we can't go through there and they have been receptive they wanted to know what it would look like and we haven't
done that thus the need for the engineering feasibility study where it would go they all those questions answered and I would too yep and and and when I was on the rack committee they did say no that it would be closed during weest they we're adamant on that and I
don't uh Public Funding would not be allowed to use that if it's closed so maybe an alternate route is better I don't know so really we got three questions is one is do we want to continue pursuing that funding from partnership to health for
15,000 and if we do is the county willing to put some money towards that from our Parks and Rec fund to leverage that well I don't know why they I mean we're doing in kind and I think partnership for help it's their Grant and they can amend their Grant how they
want they certainly don't need I mean we're going to be spending a lot of money on I don't know why they need it for this spe I'd ask them just to give us the grant so if if Dave yeah I I'm okay with that I don't know if they'll give it to us but well they will I mean I can ask that question too can you ask
can you say we're improving this this area and improving the gr the the trail already in D locks and we're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars you know can you give us 15 to to look at what where we can connect to yeah I mean can you can you use the money that we're
spending on the trail already in that area no this was for a feasibility study to go from dun lock down to sha that that's what the original question was to them right but it we've done we've already put a lot of money in in studying say we the archaeological study
the the the change of our Trail already I mean we've done a lot of money's worth already I mean and I think you're talking at a do small dollar amount I'm fine with that and and Carrie has the authority to do that I think if if we need to because you're talking a couple thousand dollars if if the two townships
contribute to 1,500 or something and so I think that's I leave that up to Carrie but I would ask them just to not require a match on it sounds kind of silly for that low dollar amount and then the third request is is
this something you want us to look at pursuing changing that bonding language I would think that would be ideal is that for the 20120 bonding or the 2023 2023 the 500 whatever the 2021 is already closed so you can't change it m
Mr chair is this would this be appropriate when we go down to the legislative Conference next week to ask yeah I think we I think we blast it to our legislators now beforehand yeah MH and then pursue it when we're down there thinking timeline quick turnaround
is what I'm thinking okay so the answer is yes okay Yes sounds good and we're going down I who's going down on the 24 on the my Tuesday 2 MRC is the night of the 24th I believe right 20 yes 5th
isn't it so who's going down and we can hit the lobbyist down or 25th is Tuesday yeah I'm going down the 25th 26th coming back 27th yep I'm going down the MRC meeting I got one I only got one night lodging because I got late I'm not staying seven miles away so there should
be a room the second night for me when I get there but maybe you guys can chair room I'm I'm past that chairing room sorry good any all right Jim you're already there so you're up you don't have to get up and down again shair room
if I could stay with you bar bunk beds bunk beds all right go ahead Jim all right uh first request item from Highway is um a contract a bid award uh this is for our Paving project uh number of our roads 26
34 35 uh and a couple Township roads uh we open bids uh last Thursday a low bid is zalin Suns they came in uh almost 12% under our Engineers estimate at
$4,499 n82 48 uh they have worked for us before uh couple years ago on the on the project up on 21 up towards White Earth uh we're recommending award to them it was very competitive um I do have a question so
on the first one CA 21 to 29 on our is that continuous the whole stretch of that road no it's split in two segments okay does it was that that clearly identified yeah because on the you know on our fiveyear plan it's split it's not continuous from 21 to 29 no no no
no um just want to make sure that doesn't cause us a hiccup in the bidding process it was well defined in the bid right correct to where that ends okay correct Mr chair I will move to approve the uh contract bid award to
zav resolution two resolution 2C okay y do do you have a second for resol all right uh motion by Phil second by Richard do we have any further discussion I I just had a question the two Township add-ons um I I fully support we we add on
townships when they need it but this one the distance between them seemed to be quite extensive is that something normal um we like to bundle them together but it's still um it saved the townships a lot of money uh they got the
same pinous prices that we did um this one it's probably likely that the plant might be set up in Ernie andison again which is not too far it's kind of right in the middle and of all the projects so so you don't think it hurt our bid no no okay that was my question with them
being so far away from our cluster I was like does that hurt our bid when if they're but if they're setting up down here it doesn't hurt us at all correct yeah Mr chair commissioner Nelson um I've went through this whole scenario
and we townships look at where where your five-year Road Project is and say hey we could do that road too and jump on because we do2 200 $400,000 bids on ours you guys are doing four or five million I mean that makes a difference to those those contractors
and the bituminous bit I mean what they're charging for it it's enormous the difference it's super helps out the township and well I support it 100% no I I know I just questioned this one when the distance was like holy mackerel that all right so we have a motion a second um any further discussion okay all in
favor signify by saying I I oppose all right motion carries Jim next item is a purchase request um we are looking to uh purchase a uh new GPS unit um this was uh budgeted uh in last
year's budget during the 2025 budget so we have uh we I think we put $50,000 in uh under our state contract uh with this vendor we have a request amount of uh $41,500
um so GPS units are kind of like computers um our one right now is over 10 years old it it's getting obsolete but we still will be able to use it um but it will probably likely fail and they don't make replacement parts for
them anymore any qu so do we have a motion to approve the new GPS unit it seems like just yesterday you got that I'll move to approve the GPS second for uh motion by Phil second by Richard or I'm Sorry by
uh Bary sorry Richard I insulted you what do you say sorry to him for he's sitting he's sitting next to me all right uh I did I do want to say one thing um I looked at the bottom this and it where said the the the shipping
and does not shipping and setup doesn't be included but it actually is included because the B the number the bottom line were of the of the amount that they're paying is $1,000 and that's for the person to deliver it and help set up so yeah so there is no additional there is going to be no additional charts okay
all in favor signify by saying I I opposed all right motion carries last item is uh request for seasonal employees uh we had a little discussion we're seeking three to help in uh out with maintenance and Engineering activities uh this is we did budget for
this uh so it's included in our budget um it's kind of calculated at the maximum amount of 67 days at 10 hours a day um typically you know if we get college students they're not there nearly that long they're just there during the summer but you know it's nice
if we can get one or two that stay the full term so do I have a motion to approve 2D so moved motion by Barry we have a second I'll second second by Erica any discussion okay all in favor signify by
saying I I oppos motion carries thank you yeah thanks Jim thanks thank you Jim Human Resources Tiara good morning the only item that I have is for Transit the three job
descriptions for that department So currently we do have a bus driver position that is a grade three and we're looking at adding in a dispatch only position that would be at the grade three we currently have a dispatch dispatch driver position looking to move
that to a grade four Transit committee met with us yes we did yeah recommend approve yep we recommend approve they need it they absolutely need a person that can dispatch and drive um and then right you were weren't you doing interviews like last yes
currently we are we're finished interviews so we're in the process of selecting a candidate that would be a second full-time position that would be also a dispatch and driver position yeah and I know Kevin drives a ton so this is going to help hopefully help him not be in the bus so much I will move to
approve resolution 225 2D a oops hold hold who whoa who resolution for this yep just to approve I'll move to approve the job description Amendment or just job descrip job description just job description do do
we have a motion by Phil do we have a second I think he didn't Richard second okay all in favor have a question yes discussion no now you said Kevin's driving a lot um if Kevin doesn't drive a lot what what is he going to do he's so he's not able right now to do his
what he's been hired to do as a supervisor he now he he does is one of his duties is to B basically be a fill-in driver when when needed but he like he has to get a hold of the state a lot for the budgetary stuff he has to he'll he'll dispatch sometimes if they
need that um he's not able to do his mainly his what what did he say what was his word he's a supervis he's the supervisor he's supposed to oversee all this but he's can't fill bus drivers so he's got to drive bus so for example when we're he needs to contact the State a lot of times because of certain issues
especially when no wants when they're trying to move his budget around and so forth and he can't go on the phone and call him at opportune times because he's in a bus Mr chair me um I think one of the things that we're hoping this would eliminate is the amount of overtime that can and that and that was my next thing
he's getting a lot of overtime he's he's probably doing a lot of the duties like you're saying perhaps not able to do some timely but the hope would be that I mean he's working a ton of overtime to keep the bus going thank you car yeah that
makes a big difference and I mean when you think of it if he's doing all these things and getting his job done are we you know yeah he's not do you need to add more people but when you have overtime you start yeah so thank you Mr chair commissioner Nelson he did say that he did have he thought he had a
good pool of candidates to get as bus drivers now so he could go back to doing some of the his supervising work that he should do and not overtime and not overtime yeah yep and and there were a lot of things he pointed out that were lacking it was a it was a really good
meeting for his budget he answered every question I had and was was he he didn't have that's a lot thank thank you though I mean it's nice to get that little bit all right do we have any further discussion we have a motion and a second thank you okay all
in favor signify by saying I I opposed all right motion carries thank you all right no further business we are adjourned boy our timing on this really sucks it's supposed to be 10:00 right
now it's all good I'm sorry for