It's over here. So he's Yeah. Good morning everyone. We will Good. Good. Start the meeting with pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Oh god, these new chairs are nice, Barry. All right. Do we have any adjustments or changes to the agenda?
I don't have any. I don't have any. The only This isn't a change, but what under planning and zoning when we get to the environmental assessment, we'll we will allow public comment um during that time. So,
if anybody has signed up for the open form, you can defer your time to that time. I don't know if anybody signed up for the open form yet. What is Okay. So, you you signed up for the open form, Matt. You probably didn't
know that. Okay. Okay. All right. So, you want to You're good. You're good. We're good. All right. So, without any with no changes to agenda, do I have a motion to approve the agenda?
So, move. All right. We have a motion by Phil. Do we have a second? I'll second. Second by Erica. Any discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. All right. Motion carries. All right. Minutes of July 1st meeting. We have any corrections to the minutes
or I figured out the couple that I had under page two. Oh, never mind. Forget that one. Um, the other one was under Judy's report. I'm just wondering where it said that there were 15 calls from after hours if
we should include the breakdown of who they were for like the however many for Becker, however many for Clear Water. Okay. Yeah. And how many for White Earth? That was all I had. Does anybody else have any? U Mr. Mr. Chair, on page two on under
um number four, report waiting for Pelican River Wershed District building agreement. I think removal should be crossed out. It's not necessarily removal. It's just a building agreement. Y um then on number under sheriff on page
three, um I would like on number two that this is reimbursed or motion Second that number one that that's reimbured by we the 28 shifts. Yes.
Um on number under number three of land use disposal of property that property should be listed I believe otherwise we will just throw everything in there and and that was it.
Does anybody else have any additions or corrections to the minutes? All right. Hearing none. I'll entertain a motion to approve the minutes. I'll make a motion. Motion by Phil. Do we have a second? I'll second. Second by Erica. Any more discussion on the minutes? All right. All in favor signify by
saying I. I. Right. Motion carries. All right. Consent agenda. Is there any items in the consent agenda that we would like to pull out? Mr. Chair. Um uh I would like number five pulled out. Um number
number number five number six and number nine. Number six. I guess number six. The only thing was was the number. No, number six. I was wondering if we have to if we have to accept that grant because it doesn't state that in the
Oh, yeah. It doesn't. Number G, could you do we have to accept the grant? I'm I'm guessing the board does. Yes. Yeah. Mhm. Mhm. I thought we did. Yeah. It doesn't state that in It doesn't state that in there. Yeah.
Denise, I mean, we accept the donation, but we don't accept the grant. Yeah, we accept the donation. We didn't accept the grant. The grant is just a donation. So, pull it and write up accept the donation for it. Yeah, we can just do or the grant.
Mr. Chair, I'd like item number seven just for clarification on that. I guess I don't understand it. So, just want to ask your questions there. Okay. Do you want to ask questions now or do we want to? No, it's up to Why don't you go ahead and ask it now?
We're That's our That's one of our EDA properties, right? Correct. Yep. Yep. So, what are we what are we paying for on that? Well, it's it's the the BCow the the mental health across from Lincoln Health. Yeah, I know where it is. Yep. No, the me mental health initiative. So it's I think it's four
different counties that have the that provide the mental health services there. They rent it from the EDA so they pay for the lease. Okay. It's similar to the the EDA the Becker County workshop
where the um extension office is extension. It's just a I think maybe what what we could have is pull it from the agenda. So Denise can just explain what willow tree is for Yeah. You know what? And I can do that later.
I just when I think EDA, I think of housing and I didn't know this was part of this. It was a housing building and I think it was converted to a um kind of a it's a forplex. Is it an emergency or a Yeah, it's a crisis.
It's a crisis bed. Mental health crisis. You know what? Uh let me follow up with we do not need to we do not need to pull and then we're not gonna and you're good on number six. Um we need to write up a a uh accept we have to write something up. We have to write something. So we have
to pull it. We have to pull it to have something. Okay. So we and we're going to so we'll pull five and six. So we need to we need Denise here for five I think for sure. I think she's online. Do you want to put that after me or do you want to do that? Yeah. Denise, are she's there right now?
We can do it now. Well, all we need to do is include a um under the human services grant just something stating something stating that we're accepting the grant. Do we need it written or can we just make a motion? There she is. I think you can make a motion. Oh, there's there's Denise right there. I think we just made
I'm here, Mr. Chair. Um I guess that was our intention for putting it on the agenda was to ask for approval of the grant agreement. Okay. So we have to state that it should have been done separately in a resolution. I'm not sure what
that would have been what you're thinking but it was done for the donation. There was a separate separate resolution. There's not anything and I think the reason we didn't was just because we had the grant agreement. So, we were asking for approval of the grant agreement, which would have been
the same effect. Is a grant agreement in here? I don't see a grant agreement. Yeah, I don't either. Oh, it should have been included. I'm I see a summary of grant on that. Oh, I apologize for that. There should have definitely been a grant agreement
included. Or is this the grant agreement? No, that's not. That's just the lease agreement for the equipment. Well, send us over the grant agreement. Yeah. Approve that. Yes. Yeah. If you can send that, then we can approve that later. Okay. And I just on number five.
Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. It does say here amount awarded 2,994 terms and condition equipment granted 29. So, there it is in here. Oh, yeah, it does. Yeah. Okay. Yep. So, is that good
or do you want that? Um, let me look real quick. What page are you? Um, page 13. There you go. Yes. Amount awarded project. Yeah, that's what I grantee terms. Yeah, that's terms. And then that's that's the correct
amount 29.94. Yep. That's the correct amount from Okay, that's f that's fine. And then just on number five, right? Um, what kind of water techn What is
that? Just a bottle. No, it's it's water and ice. Water and ice machines for the basement and the upstairs. There's no water fountains on those floors. Is there no capacity for water fountains? I'm that I don't know. Th they have been
those these machines have been there for well from this equipment for 10 years. Is there no capacity for is there no capacity for fountains? We just put one in here. I'm just curious if it's there are two water fountains in the
building as well. One on the the main floor and one one on the second floor. the second and third. I had the same Mr. Chair, I had the same question and Eric and I talked about this a little bit yesterday. Erica, you
had said that in previous years the staff had done that on their own and then the county took that over. Yeah, previous years meaning like what year is it? 2025. eight years ago. I would say the county probably started
paying it previous to that when I worked there. The we the employees pitched in money every year and we paid it and then at some point the board decided that the county would cover it. I don't remember. Maybe Denise remembers when that
happened, but I don't recall right of hand. I'd have to look back, but I want to say it's right around 8 to 10 years ago as well. um the board the board members at that time of the human services committee at least
I recall um it was Ben Grimsley and Don Scari and they um treated it like it was a cost of doing business and thought that it was similar to buying coffee for um the building at the courthouse or or
here for example. And so then it's yeah, it's been it's been like that for at least eight to 10 years. This just we just changed out the equipment to a newer model um at a $20 a
month increase. Richard, your department I know. I didn't understand why we had it, but it's been there for a long time. So I I guess I I don't know what to say. I didn't know what to say about it when we when it surprised me that that we did have a water machine there,
but it's it was a ahead of my time. And so I I really don't know what to say whether they whether we should have it or not. If I could just add the um it it provides cold water, but it also provides hot water for tea and um other
items. And I know the staff really uh enjoy appreciate that as well as the ice, especially in the summer months, as you can imagine. Denise, is it um used only for staff or is it used for the public as well?
Um, it could be used for staff or public. Yeah. Whoever's in the building. I I guess I'm I just look at if there's water fountains available. I mean, I I don't know what this is
specifically, but I would like I mean, we have water fountains and bottle water. I don't know why that and they're cooled. They're not But and there's an expense to those also, but I don't understand. Do we pay someone to bring water in or is it a f I
or a filtered or how? It is filtered. It's a machine that filters the water. I yeah they don't come in and and I'm not going to support us because I don't know enough about it and that we can't just use our own drinking fountain and so well
do do you guys deserve B but it's not significant amount that we're discussing. So no it's not but I I I would need to I just I just don't think I'm not sure that it's necessary if we can put a
drinking there. I don't I you know I'm I'm not sure either but it's been there all how did it get there and been there all these years and we've been paying for it and I don't know how yeah I well is the committee we don't need to pull it from the
consent agenda if no one else is wants to pull it. So, is it is the committee recommended, right? Good. Was it unanimous that the committee to recommend it? Were you supporting it?
Was it? Well, I didn't understand it, but I I also did not have a problem giving them ice and and filtered water since it's been there for all these years. And I did not know that they paid for it before that. I
didn't know. I just know it was it's been there. I didn't put it there. Um I certainly don't want to take it away now. Um I'm not saying I would put a new one in there if they didn't have one, but uh how much does it cost for a drinking
fountain to put a drinking fountain in? They have drinking fountains, but but I know the ice the ice they all said that they liked getting the ice out of there. I really don't want to take it away from them. They do a really good job over there. So I think I think what it is is the these
machines provide water then on each floor for each employee. There's there's there isn't a drinking fountain in the basement and there isn't a drinking fountain on the very top floor. So this so that's where the two machines are. They tap into our water though. They
must tap into our water supply. I'm sure they are if they're filtering it. They're tapped into the city water. So, we could easil I mean, I'm just I don't know if that I don't know if a drinking phone's cheaper though, be honest with you. Put two drinking BS in there.
I mean, over time maybe, but not right away. It may take a long time. I like I said, I I think them there's a lot of hardworking people over there and I don't want to be the one to take their water away now after they've had it all.
Mr. Chair, Commissioner Vartberg, I mean, you've said that there's hardworking people over there. I mean, we've got hardworking people that sell the waste. We got hard, Phil. I said there's hardworking people over there. So, now you're picking. Don't start adding stuff to something. I say I'm not taking their water or any of their stuff
away either. I'm just saying that we have really good employees over there and the water machine has been here all this time. I'm not the guy that wants to take it away. I didn't give it to him, but I don't want to take it away from them. And that's where I'm at. And I think, Mr. Chair. Yeah.
Commissioner Hson, I think where where you were going is that other buildings then what do we do if other buildings for other buildings want it? And I think in those cases, those buildings have water fountains accessible to them. You know, I think the highway has a brand new water fountain.
Here has a brand new water fountain. Human services doesn't on two of the floors, which is what this is for. So, it's not that we're providing them a better I don't think anyone wants to not have water fountains on the floor, water access, but is this the best option or
would an in-house option be better? That's the question. Mhm. So I I would just like to have that I would like that considered and at the end of the day we might go this route
but I think you ask your maintenance and how what the expense would be and if it's that's my opinion. Now if you decide to move forward with this today that's that's your opinion. So we just put a drinking fountain in here the courthouse. How much did that cost? It was several thousand. um we upgraded
it was just uh we drink from it so it wasn't a fillable one and and it's also accessible to the to the public and we had some um indiv Well no I'm I'm taking that backwards it was a fillable one not a drinkable one we had people trying to drink out of the
Yeah um so it was upgraded and that was several thousand yes to something yeah it was under we recently did an upgrade to one of the water fountains and it was um around $3,000 if I recall.
Yep, that's what I recall too. And the life expectancy for a water fountain is more than 10 years. True. I'm I'm fine with moving forward if it doesn't have to be pulled, but I won't support the consent agenda with it being
on there. So that's It's up to you guys. It's If you leave it on there, leave it on there. Let's do you. Well, we can pull it off and vote on it. Yeah, let's let's do that. Well, let's do that. Pull it off.
I don't know how it got there, Barry, but you were here when it got there. That's all I'm saying. I don't know it came to board. It's not a significant amount. The department head department head might approve. Yeah. Handle lease. So, Mr. Chair, do you want to add number five under me? Yeah, we'll add number five under the as an item. Well, I ju I just want to
say it if if we're if it doesn't then this doesn't need to come to board if we're saying that that probably the department the department head could approve it. We're looking at $1,200 a year. That's true. And several thousand for new fountains
and we need two of them then. So So it is several thousand is several thousand now. Well, I'll make a motion to move it. Should we just move it to the underneath the county minister? I think that would be clear. You're going to do a separate action.
Let's do that if that's what you're So, it's number It's number going to be number four. Number So, number four. County administrator. Yeah, it'll be number five will be number four. Okay, got it. Mr. Chair, that makes any sense. Um, I notice item five has four
individual items on them. Are we just taking out the one item? Which way? Well, we've got we got the water thing. We've got the separate. Yeah, they're separate. We're just taking out the water. We're taking out. They're all included in item number.
That's number four. Number four is the contract and agreement. Number five is human services pure water technology of the north rental agreement. That's the one we're pulling. Yeah, we're just pulling number five. The water cooler filteration. Okay. And then the last one we have is is
number nine. Um we'll move Steve is in here later today. So we'll move number nine to uh we'll put we'll added an item to his agenda on not under me. Okay. Yeah. On number three. All right.
So do we have any other things we'd like to do with the consent agenda? Motion to approve consent. All right. Motion may bury. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second by Erica. Do we have any more discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. All right. Motion carries.
All right. Open form. We've already taken care of the open form. All right. We'll move on to reports and correspondence. I'll go first. Um sat in on a Zoom about Minnesota demographics. I think Carrie did too. Just super super interesting.
uh deaths are increasing and we're flatlining on births. So, uh that was the big takeaway, but also they pulled out one item. Usually they say, you know, metro and rural and small cities, but they pulled out uh recreational counties, which I thought was really
interesting, which we are. Um and they had a slight increase in population to those counties. Now, how we make our decisions here is informed by a lot of things, but this might be one of them. Um, and I just thought it was good information. Uh, hard to encapsulate all of that, but if we could send that out,
Peggy, I think there's a there's a link. We could send that out to everybody, couldn't we? Yes, we have the PowerPoint. And actually, I was going to reference a couple of those slides. I could do that later. No, you do. You do it. You do. Y um I also had the rack committee yesterday. Uh Dunlocks, we got the sign off from the DNR. Um we're stuck still talking
about doing a little additional parking there. Um the watershed building update. Um so I talked to the waterershed. said, "Why isn't this Maloop moving along?" Uh, they want until August 1st to get their stuff out of there. Um, so that's been kind of the holdup. Uh, but after
that, uh, so they don't want to sign it until August 1st. Uh, they said they wanted till August 1 to get their equipment out of there. Um, so I guess Mr. Chair, with that with that too, um, we did we did target August 1 originally. So I'm sure they're taking, you know, the
amount of time that they need to get their things out. So, yep. And then we'll we'll move forward after that. We did talk about that at the rack committee how what we're going to do with that afterwards. Um Heartland Trail uh to Frzy I believe it's complete. They're going to have a ribbon cutting on July 23rd if anybody wants to
go. I think it's 10:00 in the morning, but better double check that. We talked about Wanigan Park. Um they're going to be doing some work inside Wanigan Park this year with some trails, some paved trails. Um Osage Swim Beach, they did get the rebar, the the everything sticking out of the water at that nice
swim beach out of there. We discussed that and we also discussed um there I guess we're not sure who owns the property adjacent and around there. So they're doing a little survey to see to make sure we do own it. It's I think it
says tax forfeited land right now. Um the township is also involved across the street across Highway 34 from the swim beach on the south side. The township has asked if we could take care of that park. I think the bathrooms and stuff. So, we're going to engage the township
and just see what that looks like moving forward and and kind of we we talked about it as a whole piece. The swim beach across the street, we talked about, you know, could that be trails? DNR owned some land right off, you know, could we turn that into something? Um, also talked about uh
there's access to the river then it from the public river on the south side, right? But I mean you could have a walk in carrying access for kayak canoe on that site. I was surprised that it's really a nice shelter. It is a nice shelter. I mean I wasn't aware of it until we
looked at it. It's a great little location and you know over in my short time here I mean one area where we can really move Becker County forward I think is recreation. I there's a lot of things uh in that area where and and this is one of them.
Obviously, we have to fund these things, but um it's one area where I really think we can improve. That was it was it was one of our best meetings I thought we had yesterday and just talking about all these things. I I I agree with you. However, I think I think one thing that we run up against
sometimes when we look at recreation is just thinking back to our Toad Mountain, you know, issue where there are things that we think w would be good for the as far as rec moving forward with recreation, but those that
live around it may not agree. So, that's just something I think we need to to keep in mind as we move forward with any big changes. Yes. So, in the future, we want to have 100% of all people agree on everything. No, but we need to but we need to get vocal input.
I'm just kidding. Barry, I'm not going to say you're right today. Last meeting, I was right four times. Yeah, I think it was either three or four. Yeah. So, that's swim beach there. So, we're trying to make some inroads there and come up with some ideas at least look for partners. Um, the last thing was
Little Sugar Bush. There's a beautiful building out there. Um, beautiful house. It's a tax forfeit property. There's 30 acres there. Um, we had rigorous discussion about c can we do something there? Can we we talked
about moving the house out and turning into a some kind of a park? Do something there. So, we're we're exploring options. We were going Mitch went to the township last night. They had their meeting and was going to report back next month. So, the rack committee, it all have to come through NRM. But, uh,
uh, we're going to come up with some good ideas and then we'll just have to see where we can go from there. That was when I was at that meeting, the last one before that, you talked they to some of those guys there talked about going talking to the neighbors. Did anybody ever Yeah, Karen talk? Uh, she she did. Yep.
Yep. Yep. And we're going to talk to the township and, you know, we do we want buy in from everybody around there. And uh you know Wan Park I don't think is going to be really controversial. They got the regional designation. I mean move forward. I don't think uh this is your area but Osage I mean they have a
swim the township just can't care for the park on the south. They don't have the people the Lions Club or whatever. So get with the township and and see if there's something we can collectively do together. So that that's all it was really. I mean Oage is really more about improving something that the locals
already use. It's already there. Right. Right. or or more so someone some commitment long term, you know. So, but yes, you're right. It it's something that we have to make. Yeah. That we want to keep. Yeah.
As a county, it's absolutely. I mean, the Heartland Trail could possibly come through there someday. We don't know that, but I mean, it would be a nice stop off area. It would be a what do you call it? A a you know, you you can park your vehicles there and go any direction. So, it's just you got to you got to think out 20 years and think of
Phil, have you had any more contact on the Frasy with the with the DNR on that Eagle Lake? Uh, Eagle Lake. Uh, yes. Um, yes. Okay, good. And I it's I I keep everybody it's it it's on the front burner, but we got to get somebody moving on it,
you know, and sometimes you you know sometimes we feel like we don't do much as you know as a county commission or or individually. But I mean these are things that that if it wasn't for individuals that working at it, they would they would not be available. I mean, there's lots of examples that um
if you're work, you know, that you can that you can claim as I helped do this and without without us, we wouldn't get it. And I think that's hopefully that's going to be one of them. But that is one that's on the front burner for me. I go to the Frezy Council meetings. They're aware. They're taking
some action. Their attorney Yep. So, I I'm I'm very aware of what's going on there and trying to push it forward. Yep. Uh that's all I got. All right. Who'd like to go next? and go next. Um I had Richard and I had human services. Most of what we discussed was
on the agenda. A couple additional things. Uh their child protection unit got 100% in their IQA audit review. Um they were one of only six units in the whole state to to get a 100%. Um and that is attached to funding and how that
that is really significant in my opinion because that means a they're doing really really good work. Um and it's really as evidenced by only six counties getting um 100%. It's difficult to get. It's a lot of documentation,
a lot of um efforts with the families to um make sure that they're providing those active efforts which is going to come into play in a couple years when the Minnesota African-American Family Preservation Child Welfare Disproportionality Act comes into play.
Hey, you can say she's right, Barry. It's okay. You're right. I don't know if she's right or not. I don't know. I am right. Very. Um, so I just I just wanted to mad mad ma mad act, isn't it? Well, now they just call it the act, but
it's so much funner to say. Um, so I just wanted to to make sure that we recognize them for their for their good work. Um, and then we did also review the budget. Um so far the the human services budget is at 35% of the
budgeted expenditures and 46% of the revenue. Um a little note about the revenue is that that is a little behind. This is as of June 30th. So they are still getting some of the revenue in. So they should be at that 50% or a little
bit over for revenue that they bring in. Your expenditures are down in the 30s. 35% of expenditures and sometimes that affects your revenues. Then if your expenditures are down, it could mean too that your revenues might not be at your anticipated number too.
Yeah. Well, I'm potentially I don't know about really in human services, but your margin there is huge. So that's the positive. Yep. Um we did also briefly discuss the changes to SNAP and Medicaid that are coming as the result of the federal bill. Um, I did learn that most of those
aren't going to come into effect, the like the administration fees, um, until, I believe, 2027. So, that'll give a year for the state to figure out what they're going to do with the the difference in that administration fee that the county
will potentially have to to pick up. So, um, I thought the SNAPED employees lost their jobs. Almost the SNAPED did. SNAPED. SNAPED is all through University of the the extension
um of M extension, not we we didn't have SNAPED in Becker County. Um so it didn't a SNAPED worker designated to Becker County. We have a SNAPED worker designate to the region, not just not just Becker County. They were and it you know, just a shout out to the
SNAPED. they work very very closely with our Becker County food shelf to get the the new system, you know, that that new system at the food shelf is a result of the SNAPED program. So, um it is a
a loss for us to to lose that SNAPED program. Um and then we don't know what the Medicaid, you know, we'll we'll see. It's again a to be continued this year. So, um that's all for human services. Then we also had our housing subcommittee.
Um we had continued contract discussions. Um you know it's coming to that point where we will start the contract discussions with MMCDC and we really um need to decide I think this year whether or not we're going to bring
it in house or continue to have MMCDC do um our housing management. Um, this is I think would be the third year that we would have a one-year contract and I think this will probably be the last year. So, it's that's why I say either
we need to either decide um or we need to sign a multi- a multi-year contract. Um, we hopefully will know by August what well, we'll for sure know what the increase is going to
be from MMCDC. Um, but we we talked um at length at our housing committee of what what would we need? What would that look like? Where would they go? Um, so hopefully have you looked at the city of Detroit Lakes partnership?
Yep. Cody looked at it and Carrie, correct me if I'm wrong. I don't need to you don't need to go. Yeah, there's some something with a joint with a Well, with it being the city and with it being the county, they're not that interested. Yeah. So, it's a really tough deal because MMCDC,
we are having some issues with them. At the same time, I don't want any new employees, but I don't want to spend money for something. So, it's it's really kind of a it's we have to make a decision. And you have to recall remember too that
it's not just the management, it's the maintenance. And that's where you that's where you struggle more than than just management. the m the maintenance we pay above and beyond our contract. I know but finding someone because NMCDC has their own staff to do that and they do
and we we do not. So that's where I'm saying we'll be you'll have to find contractors and that's the difficult part to well we they do also we we we mainly that you know when there's significant things we have they have a larger
they have much more places to keep so they have a better I mean it's it's just harder when you have a for maintenance going to be a difficult it is and here's the problem and it's also a very complicated thing this housing thing is so complicated.
It's Yeah. So, I I don't know which way we're going to go. We're going to have to talk about it again, of course, but but um yeah, I I All right. Thank you. Yeah.
That's all I have. Richard and I had the only meeting I had I was uh land or natural resources and and a couple things Phil's already talked about. um looking at the the old shelter and and looking at how how to
how to improve that with some donated help. Um trying to work through that. We might get a grant for that too, Bar. Yeah, we're looking at some grant money possibly for that. Um obviously the trail running trail routing study um looked at that again and I think that
was a I think Nate put something in the paper on that. Um yeah, go down to Nick, or you covered you covered a couple most of those things. Um, some road brushing maintenance on Tuli Road. Um, White Earth, this is the first
meeting that White Earth didn't have any represented uh at the at the uh meeting. We also looked at some online tax forfeit um auctions in the future, and Mary is all for doing that. She's so
into the computers that she's figuring that will go well for her. Um there's some there's a tax forfeited piece of property down on Blue Water Bay right across from Tanglewood on Big Corman Lake. Um I thought it might be and there's some docks that are on that and
that was the discussion but it might be an opportunity for us to do a walk-in access for you know kayak canoe area but um was going to touch base with the big corman lake association and and bluewater bay association before we move forward on that but we got to get 100% agreement on it. So
very very you know I think it might be an opportunity a blue water bay you know for non you know nonmotorized access would be uh nice for people to get in there. So but we'll see. Anything else to add Richard to No other than we're we were we've been
talking about permitting camping and and we're talking about the rack committee probably figuring that out. But we do want to not just talk about it. we would actually like to, you know, see some lowcost primitive camping. So,
and the other discussion was maybe uh some budget items. Um we were looking at having to budget for the STS crew leader that that money that the state's not paying for the STS anymore and we want to have maintenance. So, we were it might be in the NRM budget to, you know,
to increase that budget to to pay for that that increase. So, um or else maybe we could, uh look at I think the rack committee was also looking at getting some funding in there to uh as we move forward, but um see
where I and I I said we can always put the request in and we'll have to look at what what we have. So, okay. Thank you, chair. Go ahead. Yeah, go ahead. Human services and Erica covered all that and NRM with Barry. He's got that.
But I did have the safe my safety committee again. And so good job, Richard. We're so we're working on a draft and we're following Clay. We got Klay Countyy's draft and we're So we're going through and putting our stuff taking out
what we don't want and putting in what we do want. Um we're we're having a walk through through all of our facilities from safeure so that if OSHA does come we'll we'll be ready for them so we don't get any fines there. And then we
were talking about um active shooters in the building and what to do there. Hide, run. If you can't hide or run, stand and fight, grab something. Clipboard. you know, I think we were talking something you can throw at them maybe.
I'm not sure. So, that's where we're at there. And then we talked about weather alerts and and making sure everybody knows where to go if there is bad weather. So, uh so that's what we're working on there. We It's more I've been on the safety
committee since I got here and and we haven't done anything. Uh, and so we are actually I'm sure our insurance MCIT would love to hear you say that in a public we haven't done any updates and now we're doing a lot of updates.
Yes. So there you go. That that's I seen the email that went out from Tira I think it was this morning from about the air quality. I think that's a great idea. You know when we were here on Friday you could smell the smoke sitting in this room. It was so bad. So,
it was bad for Yeah, that's all I got. So, I had one and you guys were glad I only had one, I'm sure. So, I had the Northwest uh region Emergency Services Board meeting and there's there was several things we we discussed, but one
of the biggest things was that really pertains us in Becker County is that we when uh there are men there Mandot towers that when when you know you always hear those emergency services, the first responders or the uh fire pe
uh department people where their pagers go off. So those are set through towers that are in Becker County. Um there are towers that are in neighboring counties that are on the ed on the borders and they want to add those to that paging group so that they can so that because
some of those emergency responders will go across borders, some will come into our county, some will go to their county, some of our fire will go out of our county because they we you know we help each other. So they want to use those page. So there's there's five bordering towers. One's in Man Trap in
in Hoverard County and NeAs in Hoverard County, Sabika and Wadina County. Um, loose I don't didn't know there was one there that's an Ottertale and then Flum has one in uh Norman County. So they're going to they're going to add those to our paging groups. They're going to get
the pages too. So So Mr. Chair, one more thing. Um, one of the constituents um asked that I mention that the um there's a significant power line or transmission line going through Becker County um or possibly going
through Becker County and the impact that that would have on the land owners. Um I I think maybe you know it looks like they want to parallel the current line and that goes south of Lake Park and and they want to parallel that. So there would be two sets of lines. Um
it's just a cons concern that they brought up that um is this something that's wanted in in Becker County and you know obviously power transmission lines are needed and is that regarding the easement that we're talking about today? No.
So I just thought I'd I'd mention it. Um there's some people concerned about it going to their land and and uh Mr. Mr. Chair, Commissioner Nelson. Um I went to that open house for that and and we are in they're going from basically Brainard to north of Fargo. Um and they
are looking for a routing study. None of that has been determined yet. It might not come through Becker County at all. But uh yes, they are going to do it. They they they want they will go along other power lines if they can. If they can't, then they do have to find a new
route. Um but there and there's a lot of information online. I I talked about it last meeting. Yeah, this was after that and I think we touched base, but I I saw some of the maps then and and I you know I they throw a huge map out there saying you know we're looking at this whole area.
They're looking at a corridor. It's huge. It is. Um and I I kind of suspect that they kind of know where they want to go already and they throw out a big map saying, you know, it's not decided, but you know, it may or may not be decided kind of where they want to go. So I I
think if you're if you're a concerned landowner, you should be involved in it at this time rather than wait till it's decided. That's that's the point I think to be made. So that's it. All right. Anybody else have any reports? All right. Does anybody have any appointments?
Okay. So let's move on to our county administrator. Should we move Should we move down to number three because Becky's here? Sure. Let's go. Let's go right to number three then. So, Becky Mitchell from the museum and
Bethany. Yeah, I I knew it. I I didn't want I didn't want to say the wrong name, so she gave us a handout. Um yeah, I presented at finance I think a couple of months ago and uh commissioners
uh Meyer and Jeepson asked that we come to the full board but wanted to bring our staff. However, we are in a very busy camp week. So only Bethany and I could squeak away for a little bit. It is budget time. It's budget time for everyone. We're all struggling with budgets. But it's been a few years
really since I've kind of asked for a significant increase, if you will. And I know this is a hard time, but I wanted to provide you the first page kind of shows I I did this for my board um several months ago. This just shows like the plan for the museum for the year.
So, this is looking at 2025 and a little bit into 2026. As you can see on the bottom, if anything's in red, that's something we're partnering on. So, we are constantly partnering with other entities trying to work together um to serve our community in in new ways. uh
you know different partners bring different audiences as well and we're we're just busy um with that we have you know a combined staff of five FTEEs and those staff do everything from I'm teaching for instance this morning at art camp or I will be when I get back.
So we do everything from teach to clean to um programming to any special event. You know we're dressing up at the haunted house and scaring people. I mean, we do we do it all and it's just getting to be very taxing in that facility because we're so busy. The
second sheet um happened a little bit by accident. The county comparison at least did. I was in a conversation with uh the Sterns County director and it was end of year kind of time when you're gathering numbers and that's where it came up just like
wow Sterns County supports at a ridiculously high level which is amazing. Um, they also have Sterns County residents for free, which we've had that conversation here at this board. And that led me to call Ottertale and Klay County as well. And you can see
that we are I'm never I'm always thankful for the support we get from the county. Um, I've always said we're we're kind of in the middle. There's museums that get much less. There's museums that get a lot more, and we're kind of in the middle. But just with the amount of people we're serving per year and the
busyiness of that building at times, uh, we need some help. We need we really need another staff person to help do all those duties and help clean and get to some of the the tasks that we've talked about doing forever. You know, scanning records, getting things organized, getting things accessible. It's hard to
get to those things. It's hard for me to do the job that a director should be doing when you're jumping in and doing other jobs. Although I love it, it's it's just hard. Um, and so we do utilize volunteers. We have over 100 volunteers every year. Um, one
of the questions that came up at finance is how many of our me how much what percentage of our memberships are from outside our county. So Bethany looked up those numbers. It's about 15%. You can see um our admissions have shifted. 2023 when we opened, we had memberships kind
of down here and our paid admissions were up here. And last year when I came, we were about even. So that means every day if there was about 15 people that came through the door and paid, there's about 15 people that came through the door and they're members. This year we've flip-flopped and that's great news
that we're engaging more of our county, but that's less daily paid admissions, which then affects that bottom line because it members are free. Um, and uh, every week we do get asked I I think if there was a significant
increase, I I'm a strong proponent of having Becker County residents free. We get asked that weekly, sometimes daily, if Becker County residents are free. Um, some some historical societies do do that. Um, and and I just think also it's
just, you know, Jeff Seagler, we were talking, Bill, you're talking about we're a recreation county. Um, we're considered in a recreation industry and we have to, if we look back a few weeks ago or a month or so ago with Jeff Ziggler, we're not wanting to continue to get bigger necessarily. We're just
wanting to do what we do better and we need help to do that. So, Mr. Chair, Becky, uh, you say you got 100 volunteers. What do your volunteers typically do? So volunteers can do anything from help in the science center kind of watching,
but they don't lead. They're not leading the group. They're just kind of helping. Um they can lead tour groups like when school groups come in. Sometimes we have them as dosent. Uh the haunted house brings quite a few volunteers. 20 30 volunteers help with the haunted house and they're in the scare team or the on
the behind the scenes side. How many hours do your hundred volunteers put in like per year? like guesstimate. It varies. I'd say each of those volunteers work shifts and sometimes multiple. Of course, some of them are there often. They're working shifts of
two to three hours. There's probably 500 plus hours of volunteer time a year, I'd say, if not more. That might be I that would be a little bit hard to gather off the cuff, but we could certainly gather it moving. No, that's just
So, what Becky, what are you thinking you would Well, as I said in finance, we're not here asking for5 or $700,000. That's a lot of pressure. We're We're not wanting There's no pressure at all. That might be an easy answer. Actually, Erica said, "Well, that'd be
an easy answer." So, um I don't know if we want to do really easy math. I know somebody way before me uh you know had thrown out if you paid a fee like a rate for every county resident for instance. So if you took $10 which is a adult daily admission for every county
resident that's about $300,000. I I don't know if that's too much or you know for us that would be very comfortable. That would allow us money to put aside for repairs when they start coming up because they're already coming up in that building. It's two years older. It would allow us that that cushion. It would allow some
flexibility, but most importantly, it would allow um another person to accomplish some of those tasks to scan and and do the tasks that we just can't get to. It would also allow for um a break in some of the the programming.
Not that we would lessen the programming, but it would give us a break from trying to always find the next big program, if you will, to bring in dollars. I think um for me it's hard to to make the decision today. So when when do you need to know
only because I want to know where we are with the rest of our budget before we make a a you know a decision on kind of what what our levy is going to be without that. of course and that's why we wanted to come you
know earlier and even you know if we did look at like a bucket that amount also then there's some income that will be lost of course from residents that are coming in so that also absorbs that amount too but yeah I I didn't figure we would probably hear today
Mr. Chair, is your major source of income then admission fees? Is that your memberships and admission fees are our two top this time of the year? Uh summer camps carry us through. We're serving um about uh almost five almost 50 kids in summer
camps this week. So there's a lot um there. And that is one of those camps is Pioneer Camp, which you can see in red. So those red camps are if a school district has worked with us. So, like right now we have LPA summer day camp utilizing um some of our summer camp
slots. Is it Does anybody else have any questions for Becky and Beth and Bethany? We definitely have something to think about. I want to hear from Bethany. Yeah, Bethany was so excited to be here today.
Bethany does a great job very very hard. All of our staff do. They really do. Um Bethany, what's your favorite part of the museum? My favorite part? Probably meeting all the people and having to do something different every day that I didn't think I'd have
to do. Just learning something new every day. and pushing myself to do something better. What What do you see the benefit for children? Um, it's really cool to sit up in the science center and see how their brains
work and how they come up with different things. So, we have like a the marble runs on the wall so you can move all those parts and put the marble in and see how it goes. And they have so much fun with that and they come up with so many different ways to do it. and they'll spend hours at that one thing
just trying to make it work and make it all the way through. So, it's really cool to see it that way. It's fun to take them through the exhibit hall and teach them history and things that they didn't know and tell them the fun stories and they get all excited like
about three legs of course and those things. Thank you. And and then uh do you want to talk about the the spaceship that was out in front of our courthouse? Yeah. Yeah. We are um if nothing else resourceful. So when we had the haunted house here, we secured a couple of old
satellite dishes because it was the outer space or the alien theme and we just stuck them together and made a spaceship. And so when that was all over, we kind of like are we ready to just get rid of that or what should So we actually ended up um with the help of Herszog roofing, we separated the two and put a band in.
And so inside it's a now a UFO in the science center. And so kids can go in there and there's all sorts of interactive panels they can touch and and do whatever. And the science center really is a mix as a lot of I'd say smaller children's museums are in our
state and in other states a mix of those exhibits that you buy like the marble run that uh Bethy's talking about and ones that we kind of DIY. And so, but they really love that. And it it is truly a science center that is um some adults would say, "How is this a science
center?" Well, it's a science center because they're work their their brains are working. That's engineering and, you know, technology and what have you. And so, it's STEM and and that's really what they're learning over and over and over up there. And that is by far the busiest floor in the museum. It It's
like this today. It'll it'll be busy today because people are looking for something to do. the the the air is smoky. They're coming in, they're looking for something to do to get out of the air. Um, and so I love that we have been able to build a facility that
serves everybody and if somebody walks in the door and it's pretty obvious if somebody's struggling, right, and they need and it's just like, "Yep, just go on up or you know, you can pay a dollar. Okay, go on up." We don't we don't turn people away. That's not what we're there for.
So, um, you have to manage that sometimes because there's those that will always look for the free. But if it's clear that they are there and they need some assistance, we give it. Or if a group calls and says, "We've got this group of individuals, but funds are limited." Okay. Well, we'll do the
school rate, which is $5 a student to get in, and teachers and chaffrons are free. So, we're we're constantly trying to serve as many people as we can. Well, thank you. I think it's impressive just to look at the number of visitors. Yeah. Um, you know, 19,780
in 2024 is pretty impressive. Especially when I had somebody from a deal res in 2016 when we were working on our campaign and he wanted to support, but he couldn't really find why. He just felt he should support because
he's a lifelong resident, but he wanted to justify it in his own mind. And he asked me, "How many visitors do you get?" And I said, "About 900." And he said, "900 a month." And I said, "No, a year. So from 2016 to now, we went from 900 a year. A year.
A year to this number. So So more than that a month. Yep. So that's pretty impressive. Does anybody else have any more questions? Thank you very much for coming. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you.
Let's go. I saw Cecilia walk in here. Yeah. Let's go right to Thank you, guys. running a bit late today. Have many places to be. Good morning. Thank you for um having us
in front of you. Uh Mary said she um just handed out another copy of our extension budget. Um we have kept everything um standard with the increase in um uh
callers um for the county support staff. The budget you're looking at has two FTE and that's one educator position and one um office support position and then two um temp position. one for the intern and
then one for the summer assistant that comes in and support um lender. So with that um the MOA position is the professional and technical services line. Um that includes the intern position as well for
the year. And then um the top of the lines has the permanent position and the part-time position. And then just general operating um budget. This line is also included to support the staff in the office.
So the prof professional and technical services is the full-time and intern. Yes. The that's for the earlitor position and then the permanent position is for our office support. Yeah, that's for Linda's position. And
then um on the bottom there's the the semi- assistant position that supports Linda. Were you at the Clay County Fair this weekend? No, I was not. Oh, I was down there and I was wondering how the numbers um seem to be pretty good there.
Mhm. Demo derby that Saturday night. I got my corn dog and my goal at the fair and have a corn dog. Corn dog. Mr. Chair, is this u or Barry, maybe you can answer this. Uh is this all
allocated dollars from the county or is this subsidized by the state or extension? Is that U of M or whatever. This is the county request. This is so back this is this is just the county request right here. What we're looking at this isn't the total this is yeah this this is not the total budget for extension. Yes.
This will be the total um staff and operating budget for the the state doesn't pay anything for um 4. So we are we we pay it to hire that person completely. They used to back in
what 2006 or eight they switched that I would say eight is when there was a so it used to be uh partially funded by the state partially it was a partnership and the state um elected not to pay anymore so wasn't there some college
U of M extension I mean these are extensions of the colleges right no not of the colleges it's un it's from the university uh um I'm not sure your question what your question is well I I mean the ultimate question is where does the financing come from you said this is just our um Cecilia is the
regional manager so her salary is paid by by the state um so we contract with the state with University of Minnesota to hire the 4 coordinator and the intern and that's the professional and technical services for 11270 yeah county has um
and we don't pay for they pay for the benefits of that employee so Elliot is a state employee and he's the 4 coordinator at Becker Becker County and we supply the the office space and
the support. It's a memorandum of agreement between the county and the university. Yep. It's a three-year agreement. So, essentially every year we come just to formalize the process of approving the budget, but the contract pretty much is
in place for three years. So um next year the numbers that you're looking at um besides the county and operating budget that technical line will just have another 3% increase um which is communicated in the contract. If you recall last year I think was a big jump in the
there was a big jump in the in the in the wage and I think we were kind of aware of that because we were not being able to hire a 4 coordinator. they could they what the university was offering them was less than what they could make at
jobs that were much less demanding of evenings and and you could get a so um the university did finally raise the wages but unfortunately that transfers right to we pay more um if you remember we tried to pay we tried to compensate
that employee and they wouldn't we couldn't do that we had a hard time getting anybody to do it y so Yeah. Um what do you see coming to our fair is coming up? What what is how is the university going to be supporting that? Um per uh agreement and discussion
previous years of how support will be at the u livestock is what we'll continue to do. Um obviously as things come up and the needs arise we'll have discussion but the goal is to continue supporting the livestock um as IA has
been right. But besides doing a day camp, besides besides Elliot, is the university going to are you going to be at site? Are you are you offering any I mean is there any other support that you the gives? I've typically done the cerey celebrity
host um part of the fair where we're serving um communities the breakfast and the uh meals. Um this year I'm not able to do that. Um, I haven't been able to commit to that for Becca County. Um, because I have eight counties.
Typically, what I do is I try to travel around to some of the counties and I don't get to all of them every year. So, this year Klay County and Outtale and other counties were on my list to visit. You just said you didn't go to Klay County. I was at Klay County on Thursday.
You did go you were at county. I ask how how were the numbers? Do you It was pretty good. Um, it was obviously got hot. um as the days went on. But um general is a bit was the numbers were up for people. You think? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But we can look forward to more hope.
I think our numbers will be up this year, too, especially if it doesn't rain or it's not below like almost freezing like it was last year. Yeah. Yeah. Last year was cold. It's better than 100°. So, yeah. All right. Any other questions or does anybody else got any questions?
So, we need a motion to approve the budget 2020, don't we? We need it now. Do we need it now? It'll be approved at our It'll be approved at our budget. Yeah, you're right. I would suggest you put it in the final numbers. Approve it now like here
or in the final budget? Later. Later. In the final budget. Final budget. Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. Well, I appreciate your time and your continued partnership. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Let's move on to Car's report. Do we want to do Denise first?
I was just Yeah, Denise. Let's go Denise. We'll do number five on the the water the pure water technology. I'm sorry, Denise, for for pulling this up. No, that's all right. Kind of a um It's kind of why I don't like the consent agenda being getting so large. It's I do I do question a lot of things
and I like No, I understand like to get those answers. Absolutely. Um, did you run this through did you run that by um like um our custodial staff or maintenance to see if they're No. Okay.
And that's the only question. Should I mean should that be looked at and seeing or not? How much was each how much was that drinking fountain out here? 123 2,300. And so we would need two more over there so that there would be one on each floor, I would assume. Yeah. Okay. And the time
to put it in. Mr. Chair, if I could just add, I it's not so is not as much the water. I think the water fountains in the building could serve us the two that we have. It's the ice and the hot water. The combination of hot, cold, and the ice.
And I think the ice being the large. And I just made a call um before I came just to check cuz I couldn't believe that there weren't other systems out there in the county. The highway department has a ice separate ice maker and they also have two large fridges with ice makers.
Um, so we wouldn't be the only one who's paying for ice. Um, that's that's our own that's our our own though. Yeah, but she's right. I was going to say this and I thought I shouldn't, but I'm going to tell you the highway department has a beautiful place over there. Phil, you know what it looks like
there. There it is. And I don't have a problem with them having it. And here's my problem. When you everywhere in our country is a bean counter somewhere counting a bean and taking away little
things and sure if you take away every little thing, but I I'm not sure that we should be giving anything new to anybody, but I'm not here to to take away things from our employees. Every big company gives their employees different perks. This is not a huge
perk. And like I said, those we have hardworking employees all over our county. That that's just the way that is. But those are good, hardworking people. And I I don't think we should be taking that little bit of comfort, hot
water, and ice away from them. Go to our highway department and look at their kitchen and look at which is fine. I I think that we can we can treat our employees to some small things, but and that's to me this is not a huge thing.
Well, no, Mr. Chair, I mean, you you you stray from the the the question. The question is is is this something that's served by the lease or is it something served by internal that we could that we could do it internally or not? That's the question. I don't think these are
items are I mean, that's the question. And if you don't ask maintenance if if this is reasonable, can we do this for a more reasonable cost or not? Well, I don't have a problem with that. Well, that's that's what I'm just saying. I'm not saying we shouldn't provide water and and if and if an ice
maker or a fridge is but that was my question. Very simple question. If if this is the most economical way, then that's fine moving forward. That's I don't think it's wrong to to question. Call me a bean counter all you want, but
if I'm if I'm looking at the costs and expenses of of products and things in the county, I'll take it. I'm a bean counter. I want to know it's it's the best value for the dollar. So be it. So So I don't know. You You have two options.
either check check to see if there is your other one's still working fine, right? Or do we have is this a time do we have time to wait till our next board meeting? Absolutely. If if it's something that you your committee and and Erica knows probably better than anyone. If you feel strongly
about it, just move forward. I'm I I Yes, I will make a motion to approve the water contract. Thank you, Erica. I'll second that. So we have a motion to approve the pure water technology north the rental agreement and we have we have a motion a second motion by Erica second
by Richard. Any more discussion? I just want to I just want to note I was a human services employee for 10 years and this for the first seven years I worked there. We paid for it. Every employee pitched in however much money they could
afford to pay for this water. And I remember the day that it was brought to us that we would no longer have to do that because the county is going to pay for it. And that means a lot to the employees. It's a very small money. I mean, it's not a lot of money
in this in the big scheme of things. And as we mentioned, this likely didn't even have to come to the board. So, thank you for bringing it to the board. It probably probably does because it's a because it is an agreement. And that that is why I brought it. Yes. But so at any rate, but it's six grand plus labor to put in
two new drinking fountains. That Yes. That and there's no hot water in them. And there's no right. Yeah. And like I said, go to our highway department. If you want to count beans, go out there and start looking and see if you can do something with that. All right. So, we have a motion and a
second. Do we have any more discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. I I motion carries. And I and I just want to note I'm I'm voting no because I think this should be I think you should compare. I think there should be a comparison what what
the two would cost and what the benefit pros and cons are on these even these little contracts. That's well all I'm saying. I know what ice maker costs. I know I I'm I already know about a lot of this stuff. If we're going to replace this thing and give and still give them ice,
then they've got to have a big refrigerator with an ice maker in it. And I mean, the fridge is over there from the 80s. So, and so you can employ purchases go through all of it. And I and maybe we should, but it's gotten this far now. And I don't know if we're going to put
new ice makers in there or this one here, it's not that expensive. And and so we can we can always change it. Um, how long is that contract for? Five years. Five years. Yep. Five years. Six months. Let's move on to Carrie's report.
Thank you. Thank you, Denise. I'd like to move our meeting on next Thursday a little bit earlier for Lake Health. I can check if we can. I can check. I got to I'm supposed to serve pie ice. Okay. I can check and I'll Oh, man. I'm sorry. Yeah. Yeah. You go ahead. Yeah, you're
next. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um the first thing I wanted to start with was to acknowledge that we did have a a terrible event here in our county. Um we did have an officer involved shooting and which is terrible and terrible for
our county, but we are working through that and and dealing with that. But I wanted to also take the opportunity to let law enforcement and emergency response um know that they are appreciated. And um Peggy put together a
little uh I saw this on social media so I wanted to share. I like to do some of these kudos because not everybody gets the appreciation that they should get and deserve. So, she's gonna put up one
piece of paper. Technical difficulties out there, but I can't get it to share. Hold on. You're sharing. I know. Click on the actual slide.
There you go. So, these are just some comments from public. Um, and I had shared this with the sheriff. Um, just um many comments I from public, just the random public. It was on uh the deal. I think it was on DL Buzz or something
like that. Um, so yeah, just shout outs to our sheriff's department and and there were several comments and uh very positive. So I just thought it was worth sharing with the board. the last one. That was it. All right. Yep.
I just want to say I met I met our sheriff's department chasing that guy yesterday. When it was No, it was Oh, the It was it Wednesday? Wednesday. Yeah. down Highway 10 there. And if that
guy would have came into my house and and that went on, I'm sure glad. Well, he might not have gotten on. It might not have went as good for him, but that's everybody's like that. But, uh, for for what happened there and you guys catching him that quick and if you seen
all the cars coming after that guy, I wouldn't want to be him. So, thank you, Sheriff. That was Yep. That was impressive. I just want to say kudos to also yesterday. Yeah. I mean, I don't know if anybody knows about what happened yesterday in Frezy, but there was a another standout for several hours
which thanks to the patience and um ability for our offers to to hold him accountable. I mean, he he was finally apprehended after 8 hours, 7 hours of sitting in the river. 10 hours.
10 hours. So, I mean that that is a an true example of how dedicated and great our officers are that they're able to do that and we have a offender safely in jail. And they were all I don't know where they began, sheriff, but they were
all right behind. They were there was really good response I thought to for that to everybody be there at that time that fast. Yep. First of all, I just want to thank
obviously for their support. Thank you. Thanks, Mr. Chair. And I and I want to thank you know Sheriff Glander too because he's hopefully these deputies and the officers involved um will take advantage of our mental health I mean support and
because we all thank it thank them and and think that this is so easy. This it's not an easy job. It's not that is not an easy easy decision and and thank you for for being strong and doing everything and keep keep healthy and keep your mental
health well and know that that you have the support of the community. So, um, and and thanks for putting those programs out there for your staff. So, yes, thank you. Thank you. Um, the next thing that, um, this was talked about just briefly
earlier. Um, I did sit in on some migration trends for Becker County. And Peggy's going to pull up a couple slides here. This is for from the Center for Rural Policy and Development. And I'm just going to share a couple slides, but um these just kind of show throughout
Minnesota um if you look for um Becker County and just the trends. And really what this uh says is that in Becker County, expected increase in population in the recreational rural area is uh set or on
a growth pattern um to be very high uh the 25 to the 50% or even higher over over time. So basically um you know birth rates are going down, death rates are going up but our trends are more so
due to migration. People are coming here and want to live here. Do the next slide. So and this is just how it ended. So um on the budget an update on the budget work sessions. Um, one of the things that I've talked about is a work session
uh for all of you. Um, looking at our finance meeting the the first o uh I was going to say October, good grief, August. Um, in August we had talked about doing a work session for the full board. So, we'll be going through um some of the preliminary budgets. Would
expect that the smaller departments will be presenting at finance on that day. So I I can certainly send out a meeting invite for all of you or unless you have a different idea, but that's what we had talked about off work. Yep. All right. Um I've been attending as many online
sessions as I can to try to learn more about you know the state and federal budget cuts. Um I there is uh and I can certainly share this with the entire board. I did receive it was a really good outline and and Denise had it as well. It came from the n national
association of county human service administrators and it really outlines dates and when we when expectations are going forward as far as specific cuts in different programs and those types of things. And
yep. So, if you scroll down, yeah, it it just really outlines again, it's probably one of the better tools that I was able to find that was out there. Um, but I can certainly push this out to the board if that would be helpful. Um, yeah, I think it would be
okay, I will certainly do that. Um, that too. Yes, sir. Do you want the PowerPoint? Okay. Um, the sheriff's department is scheduled to move into their new lease space for storage of their equipment and
that's happening. I believe it's this week, 17th. That's right around the corner. So, we are all set to go on that. So, that'll um hopefully give them enough time before they have to start with Wefest and all their other um activities. I just wanted to note um
moving on to veteran services. Um there's really been an uptick. I know uh Tony over there has been very very busy with walk-ins and he has been dealing with a lot of crisis situations over there with um veterans that are uh lacking in housing
and a lot of mental health issues. Um so it's been a a pretty big uptick in in in kind of that category. And so I just wanted to mention that our um second employee is scheduled to start on the 21st.
Um, so hopefully that will assist him, but he's been, you know, working full-time over there. He's finally got his credentials so that he can do uh service requests and it's it's quite the long process to get certified and do all of those things. So, is the person that starts on their 21st
certified or will they they aren't unless they are coming from another county there uh, you know, with them with all the health records and things that they deal with with claims. It's it's quite a lengthy process and we're really at the mercy of when the state you know provides the training and the certifications and all of those
things. So, um there's a meeting coming up um with uh MN uh triple C with regards to our UKG, our it our uh payroll system as well as our human resource system. And
really the focus is going to be we haven't been able to report as required for uh paid family medical leave. So, we're hoping that we're going to see some resolutions or some ideas of what that fix is. hope hoping that we're hoping and it's our county and several
others that are in that co-op. So, we're hoping to to hear something positive on that. And then the last thing I think all of you have um given uh Peggy um whether or not you're your RSVP whether or not you're going to be going to fall policy conference.
Um registration is open and she will certainly reserve your rooms if if that's in Alexandria Arowwood but not for Wednesday. I'll go Thursday morning. So just Thursday night. Okay. Yeah. If you just want to shoot or Yeah. Let her know or or so she can just and and I would suggest Peggy if if
you can't get it arrowwood then notify the commissioner because I won't go if I can't get it arrow if I can't be on site. I mean I'm not driving around. No. Correct. So we probably should get rooms reserved sooner than later. Yeah.
But I just went Wednesday night. All right. That's all I have. Thank you. Okay. you. All right, let's move on to EDA. Let's go to Cody was there. Oh, there he's hiding behind a pillar. Morning, commissioners.
Morning, Cody. Peggy has a sheet to pull up. Um so just a quick update for the uh childcare economic development grant um round one, we call it round one in the event that we had some remaining funds
after reviewing applications, which we do. Um but this is just a quick summary of uh we had six applications. Um these were the ones that were deemed eligible and approved. Um and what it does is just outlines the funding request.
um and essentially the uh net impact of child care slots that are um that the funds will assist. So um utilization of total approved amounts is around 31,000.
We have a total uh grant award amount to use for this portion of it for 50,000. So uh that's the balance down there in the little pie chart that you see. and then um it'll impact roughly about 38 um
child care slots. So, just wanted to give that update and then um see if there's any questions. But the intent would be that after these are um awarded out then we would use the remaining balance of the funds to uh continue um
until the end of uh our grant round. So, the only question uh Mr. that I had was the on the last one. It's a $10,000 grant and it's only two net slots. It's it's a little that's a little spendy for what we're getting. Is that Yeah, there's vetted pretty well.
There's different categories for the expenditures or eligible expenses I should say. One of them is for subsidies to uh retain employees. Uh so this would be assisting with two staff positions and um over the period of a certain time
frame. So that's why that one looks maybe a little bit skewed, but yeah, it falls under the categories of the uh grant eligible expenses. So thank you. All right. Thanks, Cody. Does anybody else have any questions for Cody? Yeah.
Thanks, Cody. Thanks. Thanks, Cody. Do we Do you need a motion to accept or approve? Accept. We do. We do. Okay. Accept round one. Yes. Hi. I'll make a motion to accept round one of the building block grants. Second. So, we have a motion by Erica and a
second by Richard. Any more discussion? I'm just wondering is it appro Do we need approval? Accept and approve. Approval. I think you need accept and approval. Okay. So, is that amend my motion? Accept approval. So, we have a motion and amendment. So, any other
discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion carries. All right. All right, let's go on to human resources. The very interesting one. Why everyone's here to hear Yeah. hear a talk. I'm sure they're all here to see you.
This is the most interesting one of the day. I I sense a hint of sarcasm there. No, come on. Uh the first item that I have in front of you is another HCSP account. There is another group that would like to be
formed. Um and that is for the auditor treasur's office. So that will be any non union non-elected members of the auditor treasur's office um including the finance manager, deputy treasure, deputy auditor treasurer, uh licensing
supervisor, and then the accountants. And just for those public, this is a this is a employeeonly contribution, correct? Um so it's it's a benefit that doesn't cost the county anything, but they can contribute to. Uh motion to approve 2A. We have a motion by Barry to approve 2A.
Do we have a second? Second. Second by Erica. Any discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion carries. Okay. None. Down to 2B. The second resolution I have is for um agreeing to set up a working advantage
um account for our employees. So this is completely costfree. It provides discounted um admissions to both travel to uh sporting events, concerts, different things of that sort. This did
go through our benefit committee and it was agreed upon that there's no hurt in doing it. It's just going to provide another benefit for our employees at no cost. Make a motion to approve 2B. So Erica, motion by Erica. We have a second for 2B. I'll second.
Second by Phil. Any discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion carries. Okay. The third item that I have is for regarding PFML. Um so paid family medical leave that is going to into
effect January 1st of 2026. This is by state statute. We are going to be required to do it. Um there is an option to go with a private party plan instead of going with the state plan and this is what that is entailing. So um as you can
see the state plan would be at a8% rate. That would be split 50/50 between employee and employer. The private plan is a 79%. So it is significantly less um and still split between employer and employee.
But this also would guarantee us a rate lock because we have at least two lines of coverage with MetLife. Um, this would guarantee us that 79% for 2 years. There is anticipation that the state will very likely increase their rate after they
kind of figure out what they're doing. Um, one thing to note, there is a $500 registration fee with going with a private plan that's required by the state. So, in total, the savings, um, both employee and employer savings is
right around $22,000 at that 79 versus88 rate. So, more than enough to absorb that $500 filing fee. That's just u is it a one-time or is it annual or It is a one-time fee unless the state
amends any of their requirements. So, if the state amends whatever they want to, then we would have to pay the filing fee again to ensure that the private plan does um coincide with with what the state is requiring. So, I have a question. So, let's say the state decides to amend it and have a
huge filing fee. Could we get and it doesn't make it feasible. Could we get out of this contract? There is no contract with this. So, we could um it would just I don't know all of the answers of what the state is going to require, but yeah, there is no contract with with MetLife
on this. It's just a rate guarantee years. Correct. Yep. So, do we have a motion to approve uh 2C? I'll make a motion to approve 2C. So second by Barry. Any more discussion? Yes, Mr. Chair. Tira. So
this paid family leave uh 79. Okay. So what does that mean? Like what are we going to have to absorb as a county? We got to do half of that. Right. Correct. So what what is that dollar number that the county is going to have to come up with? So based off of we're going off of 2024
total wages paid. Um the total amount is just over $2 million. So the county would have to come up with just over $1 million of that. So you're saying in addition to everything else we do, the pay increases
that we've already committed to for our employees for this program alone, we're going to have to come up with another million levied dollars to pay for this. Yeah. It's just like a tax. The state is imposing it on us and we don't have a choice but to do it.
There's your state of Minnesota for you. Yep. Yep. I can't let you have my business. Any other questions? So, we have a motion and a second. All right. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion carries.
I do have a question though ongoing as as this as this gets funded. I mean if I mean will it depend on is it to individuals I mean how does this track down the road I mean is that 79
so um I can't I can't guarantee what the state is going to end up doing currently in legislation they do have it written that there will never be over that 1.1 I.1 yep um but they can change that at any point in time
but can this as we fund that can it be reduced? I highly doubt that, but I mean there's always a possibility. It could, but I they're going to find out that they're not going to have enough money to do it. They're going to have to raise it. That's my And that's just my opinion. Are you thinking if it doesn't get used? Yeah.
So, they do have it in in writing that um they can't dip below 25% of the overall cost of the program. Um, so I guess potentially if there was like no usage whatsoever, then potentially it
could lower the rate one year to another, but I I very much so doubt that. Well, it's funny when you talk to the legislators that supported this, this wasn't going to cost anything. No, you know. Oh, no. It's not going to cost you anything. It's not only costing us something, it's also costing the employees.
So, Mr. Chair Tira, one additional question. Um so paid family medical leave that means people can take take time off work. So correct correct. So so not only are we pay is this to cover
the time off that they have wages. So not only are we losing employee worker hours to this program, we've got to pay for it. Correct. So there there it's a double because we're going to have to get the same amount of work done in the county with less employees because they can use
term then we have to hire someone to fill that. Correct. So we'll take a child birth for example. If you're the birthing parent of a child, either one, not only can you take the 12 weeks for bonding, you can also take up to an additional eight weeks for the medical
recovery of of that child birth. So, the father or the father or the the non-birththing parent will say because it could be both adoptions or birth of a child. Um, the non-birthing parent is is qualified for the 12 weeks of bonding time at a paid
rate. It's not 100% of their pay. There is a tiered system that's based off of the income that employees make. And um the less you make, the more percentage of a replacement that you receive. And that's up to it drops below 70% after
$102,000. Um then it's less than 70% that people are being replaced. Okay. So we got to pay them for like in your example the bonding time and then we also in the middle of winter we got a snow plow. I mean we have to plow we have to find someone else to plow the
road and pay them too. That's that's definitely anticipated. You know I just you just clarified. I thought I knew what I just want to make sure that I know what's going on here. So okay. Thank or if you're one of our businesses in town here, you know, Samuel, they can't ab absorb it like we can. We can pass it on to the taxpayer, but
you know, there's a little book on how to drive everybody out of Minnesota and they have it down there in the cities. How about how about this one? If you're a substitute teacher, Yep. and you want to substitute and you've done a lot of it and they call you to substitute, but you're but you want the
day off, you can or if you're sick, they have to pay you sick leave, then go hire someone else. That's that's the other one though, right? Isn't that the Yeah. So, right now they don't have good I think that's exemptions from the FML.
It's uh it's very unclear and and hopefully they do clarify that prior to the beginning of the year. Nothing we can control here. The next item that I have is just a Yeah, we Yeah, go ahead. The next item is just a contract
addendum. So we did approve the last board meeting to um regrade three different positions. So this is just contract addendum for getting that into their contracts. Uh the first is the
deputies. Nope. The first is the supervisor. So the chief baleiff. Yep. So the chief baiff's going from grade seven to grade eight. Yep. Can we just do them all at once? You certainly can. And the second is the contract addendum for the deputies contract uh reflecting the bailiffs.
Yep. So just those two. Correct. Yep. The third position was a non-union position. So there's no need for Oh. for any addendum. So do we have a motion to approve the two lees contract addendum? So moved. I have a motion by Barry. We have a second.
Second. Second by Erica. Any more discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. All right. Motion carries. Thank you. Let's let's uh move on to Steve and then we'll take a break after Steve. So you got to go fast, Steve.
Morning. Morning. Morning, Steve. Uh the first item is the Manota Power Transmission line project option agreement. Uh Makota wants to add another line on the south end of our solid waste campus. South of the campus.
There's an existing line. You just want to run another port line through there. Which, Steve, which side of that existing line is it going to be on? I'm just curious. I tried to figure it out. It doesn't really say here in this but it's in that same in that
opening going through there. That's my understanding. I I can get clarification on that though. It's an additional 2 point some acres, right? 2 some additional land. It's land that we really don't use. So, but it's a permanent easement on that land. It's a permanent easement. I I think
picture's on page 56. I think the price is low myself. It's on page 56. Big makes your hair stand up when you stand under the one that's there now. Does it make mine stand up? Mr. Chair, Steve, is that something that's negotiable or do you know that or
you know? I don't know that. I I can reach out to him if you'd like. This this there's some time on this. I mean, I think it's low price. I mean, it's low price. I thought it was I don't know what those prices are normally, but Well, if you don't sign it and they need
it, it's going to go up. Well, I'll tell you that. And that land will be unusable. It really is one cuz it's right by my house. It is. That's why I'm concerned if it's coming closer to me yet. Uh, but
either way, it buzz. It's a That's a big That thing makes a lot of noise. I thought the price was low, too, but I don't know anything about it. I mean, when your farmlands appraised for over 10,000 acre, Mr. Chair, Steve, could we if it's not urgent, can can we table that?
We can table it. Is there anything else besides price that anybody wants to No, Richard, you want to know what side it's on? It doesn't matter. I'm wondering it's either going to be on my side or my neighbor's side. It's closer, so it it's going to be where it's going to be. But
I hope I can do that. I I'll find that out and get back to you. Okay. Just curious. Sounds good. And then maybe if you'd reach out to other counties and see if they have similar situations, what the going rate is for something like that? Because I I don't know. None of us really know. I don't know, Barry. How do you know that that's a
little low? It just seems low. When you're buying If you're buying 2.5 acres, what what can you buy 2.5 acres? If you go stand under them lines, there's nothing. You're really buying the airspace above, right? You're buying You're buying the they're buying an easement on the ground.
Yeah. Yeah. So they're buying permanent access to that land which is more or less you can't use it really tax free land. That doesn't mean we can't drive under there and across there right? No you can but you can't just table it and we'll talk about it subcommittee. All right let's move on to
the second item is request to purchase compostable liner bags for household and business organics for the waste containers. This is the liners that will go inside of the carts. Um, we've ordered carts for the residential people
as well as commercial ones. This would be covering both. Mr. Chair, Steve, this would be part of the uh grant correct funding. Uh, with that, I will make a motion to purchase these compostable bags uh as requested. So, we have a motion filled. Do we have
a second? Second by Richard. Any more discussion? Just just to clarify, is that through bioag? It is. Right. Yep. Yep. Do we need the dollar amount? $17,25920. I would amend the motion. We did get some competitive grants or competitive bids. This was a little one.
Richard, are you okay with amending the motion? Okay. All right. So, we have a motion and a second and amendment. All in favor signify by saying I. I. All right. Motion carries. All right. Then, Steve, we got to go to number nine. It was the fence. It was the fence. Yeah. The fence. Yeah.
I just My question was, do we need the three strands of barb wire on top? That was I didn't I ask that yesterday or did we didn't ask about the barbs, but I mean it's an 8ft fence. That that'd be some I'd have to check with MPCA because it's a condition to our permit. I know. But I I was just curious if we
didn't I mean that would reduce the cost if we didn't have to have that. Yeah. And I don't know that we need that. I don't if they're going to get in, they're going to get in anyway. Yeah. And then Sure. I can um check with the MPCA and and if it's agreeable that we can have
two or one or less and it reduces the price. This was a low quote. So, could we still go with this quote? I'm fine with I mean it's something we require to do, but I was hoping that we could reduce cost by not having the bar boy on top. I don't think we need that bar. Also, Steve, you know those swing gates?
Yeah. You know, a rolling gate doesn't have to have a motor on it, but you can. That's so easy to open. I don't care what snow comes, but you know what I mean. It them swing gates with have you got to have a big area cleaned. Yeah.
But you know, I I I roll my gate open all winter long or I used to cuz it's otherwise you have to heat it. But it's I don't care how much snow we can get. I can walk up and roll that thing like nothing. So they're not that much. They are a little bit more money,
but they're not that much more. Okay. And I would say that we would want rolling gates and not swing gates there. I can find that out. Um that it just it's a lot less hassle,
Mr. Chair, uh commissioners, uh this is not the fencing for the road that we talked about. You're clear on that, right? That that'll be a whole separate thing. We're not fencing the the township road that we're This is for something else. Yep. Y all right. I just want to make sure I asked that yesterday and
that's how I can speak so confidently about it. Can we get So we're going to have to get another quote. Well, we can make a motion to approve um pending pend um with the request from who's it? Pollution control.
Yeah. To see if we if the f if the wire is required and if not do it with at a lesser amount at a negotiated less lesser amount and then check on the needs to. But that would be a So that's that's that's your motion. I'll make a motion to accept the low
quote with the option of seeing if the three barb wire strands are required by by pollution control and if not negotiate a lower price and and can you add to that to check on the gates too? Can we look at I I can
I'm fine with this. Any cost savings could be addressed to the Well, if it's if you're looking at an incre if it's within so many you're Carrie would have the authorization to Yeah. If it's over her amount, then we'll have to bring it back to you.
That wouldn't be that much. I don't think so. Right. So, we have that motion. I don't have anything with the gates, but yes, the previous that's administratively. Okay. All right. So, we have a motion and we have a second. Hold up, Mr. Are Are we clear, Steve? Do Do you know what we just said?
Yeah, I do. I just Peggy, do you have it written down? Got it. Motion. Motion to accept low quote and request that the wiring not be Okay. Considered. I'll second that. Okay. So, we have a motion by Barry, a second by me. Do we have any more discussion? Okay. All in favor signify
by saying I. I. All right. Motion carries. I Mr. chair before you break. Um I just when Tier's back in the room Yeah. Um when she quoted the figures for the paid family leave, I about fell out of my chair and I'm like that isn't right. But um she's back here to correct her
figures for you because I didn't want that out publicly that it was Mr. Chair Tiar, please correct them, don't luckily it is. So my apologies. I looked at the monthly payroll number. Very very sorry. So it's actually 194,205
annually. Much better. Much much better. I would like to hear that publicly. That that's an annual number. Correct. And that's the total annual. So that is split 50/50 between employee and employer. So about 100,000,000. Mr. Chair, if I may, um the figure that
we have in the budget um for the county for the county share, we did take the 0.0044 0044 because we weren't sure we were going to go private. Anyway, that figure is 116,704. That's from 044.
Correct. So, it's a little bit high. A little bit. It'll be a little less. Correct. Okay. So, it's better than a million dollars. Thank you for clarif correcting. So, this I'm sorry Carrie, I didn't hear you, but the 194 205 the half of that goes on to payroll for the employees to pay half of it.
It's a shared cost. Employer pay. Yes. But we, as you recall, with the private contract, we got a little bit better rate. Yep. Yep. Yes. Um, thank you. Something for us to consider in the future because we do have a a bank. Are we going to eliminate our
bank? I I think we're going to have to revisit that or um how to use that. Um, just for clarification on this paid family medically, uh, it's, you know, you have to qualify for the leave. Obviously, uh it doesn't um pay out the full wages.
Tiara has already alluded to that. There is a waiting period for this for some people. So, the one area that I would see is the catastrophic leave bank perhaps may be beneficial is those new employees that are coming in with no time. They'll be waiting a 7-day wait
period before they're eligible for this other leave as well. But to your point, I think we need we do need to revisit that. Yes. One thing with the seven days though with PFML, it does go back and pay them that seven days once they do get approved for the leave. So, they
would have to either pay back or it'll be their leave will be offset by the amount that they're paid in between. Okay. Is there any requirement to use down the leave that they have, their sick or vacation? So, Carrie and I have kind of been
discussing this at length. Um, so we're required as an employer to either allow them to supplement with their leave or to not. It does specifically need to be in policy or um the state would not allow for them to
supplement and ultimately their benefits from PFML would be reduced by whatever amount they took either if we don't have it in our policy. Correct. So, so we should probably look at we should probably look at policy. I think we need to make a decision. Yeah, have to make a decision.
Yes. Before January, correct? January 1. All right. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Again, my apologies. Thanks. We'll take a break till 10:06. We are back in session. So, Kyle, uh, good morning, Mr. Chair.
Commissioners, uh, have one item for your consideration this morning. Uh it's a decision on an environmental assessment worksheet petition um that we received regarding the Prairie Lakes investment conditional use permit for a gravel mine in Lake Ununice Township. Um
here this morning is attorney Tammy Norard um who will be going over uh the petition. She's representing the individuals. So just turn it over to you and Okay, great. Um can I interrupt? Could you spell your
last name for Sure. So, it's Tammy T A M I Norard is N O R G A R D. Thank you. And I'm an attorney with the Vogle Law Firm. Um, I was hired by a number of uh area property owners uh in the vicinity
of this proposed gravel mine and they're very concerned about basically nuisance conditions and environmental conditions. Um, just to, you know, put a a broad brush on it. Um, as I looked at this uh project, um, I I have a few big
observations and um, can I say one thing before you? This is just for the environmental study. So, please make sure that all your comments are for the environmental study and nothing else. Right. Yep. And I totally understand what you're saying because this is a separate hearing whether there's a need
for a discretionary EAW versus whether you should approve or deny the conditional use permit. They're entirely separate. However, there's significant overlap and that's where in my comments that I put together and in my comments today, um I kind of address both in certain areas because they're the
relevance of things like noise, dust, vibration, nuisance conditions. I I would I would disagree with you. The noise we don't need to talk about. Um the dust maybe. Um we're it's only for environmental issues. Um, I don't I don't know if you guys I just want to
make sure that you're not talking We're not going to go through some some of the information. You know what I'm saying? Um, an EAW, when you ask somebody to prepare an EAW, it's about 20 22 questions that have to have detailed responses to them and it identifies
certain areas that um have to be reviewed and prov and provide information. Question number 17 deals with noise. Okay. And so when it comes to an environmental assessment worksheet, the um the state of Minnesota has rules that identify what needs to be
studied. And actually noise is one of the things that need to be studied because it's it's identified as something that would be a nuisance to your neighbors. M Mr. Chair, can I ask a question before? So So I I understand that the EAW has 22 questions, but do all of those need to
be addressed in determining whether or not one is required? No. So, so I think I think that's what that's where I'm coming. What we need to know is is why should one be required or or not, right? And so the the legal standard um
of whether you need to order an environmental assessment, usually there's a there's categories that are mandatory. You don't have any choice. You have to do it. Okay? And then there's um categories that are discretionary and you have to decide. And the language is in the Minnesota rules. It's um rule
4100.17000. And the standard for you to decide is um that there needs to be an EAW if because of the nature of the project it may have the potential for um adverse environmental impacts and affecting the
human environment. Okay. So you have to decide based on all the evidence you've been presented with whether there is a concern on the environmental impacts of the project. And um one of the concerns I have is that this application is very
sparse. And so the first thing and and this is where it ties in. You have to have the information in front of you to make sure that you've that meeting your planning and zoning requirements and standards. your planning and zoning commission was supposed to decide that there are no um
unreasonable adverse impacts to surrounding property, no adverse impacts to the valuation of the property, no nuisance conditions going to be um created for the the neighbors basically. And so my point is you don't know that. You can't know that. That decision is
arbitrary when the planning and zoning commission said, "Yeah, sure. It should be approved. There's no adverse impacts to anybody." Okay. I think that is something that could be overturned by a court easily because you don't have any of the information in front of you. The developer didn't provide that information. I'm going to interrupt you. So that is
part of the cup, not part of the environmental. So we're not going to talk about that today. Okay? And that's where I'm saying they overlap because you have to decide. I'm going to interrupt you again. Please do not mention that again because we are not going to talk about the condition use permit the act because to me that has nothing to do with the environment.
We're doing it with our environmental study. How does it affect how does the possibility of this infect the environment, not the way the application was filled out for the conditional use permit? Okay, I I understand what you're saying. Um,
Commissioner, that the difficulty is in order for you to decide whether you need an EAW, you have to assess the quality of information that has been presented to you. That's correct. And we have that information. and you've been presented information in the form of an application by the developer and that's
the only information you've been presented with and so that's where I'm saying you have to rely on the application and if I say the application is deficient because it doesn't go through how they're dealing with dust how they're addressing erosion how they're dealing with noise vibration
um that's because that's what is I'm picking from the application because it's deficient and so I apologize if I'm in your mind crossing a lines by referencing the conditional use permit application. But that's all you have in front of you. And that's what you need to support your decision in this case is
is there enough information in that that you can say today, oh, there's no no possibility, there's no need, no concern about environmental impacts. And so, and that's where I'm saying it's insufficient. And the way you find out that information, and I represent gravel
companies, so I am not an anti-gravel person at all. I do a lot of work for gravel companies. And what you need is you have to fill out the plans that you've decided as Becker County in your ordinance that you need to have in front of you to make decisions. And I'm not
going to argue about the the plans that they're missing. And they are missing, you know, as I've indicated in my materials, the staging plan, reclamation plan. They don't even have any of that. But the important thing of that is that those plans provide you with that information that you can make these environmental decisions on. And without any of that information on staging,
groundwater topography, reclamation, how are you going to sit here today and decide, oh yeah, there's no potential for any environmental concerns? And that's where the tech panel met. And the tech panel said, yeah, we don't have the information. And I haven't seen a a staff report on that, and I don't know
if you have um on the tech panel, but they said there's, you know, there's a there's deficient information. And so even your tech panel is saying, "Well, we can't really um can't really identify whether there's, you know, an environmental issue in some of these cases because the problem with what the
developer did is a developer said, "Well, hey, we'll get permits for the MPCA and that's going to be sufficient. So, there's not going to be any problem with dust or noise or vibration or anything like that because we'll get permits for airborne um constituents." But the problem with that is that that
you can't just say, "Oh, we'll get a permit later." because your ordinances say that they need to submit if you're going to if you're going to rely on continued mitigation, future mitigation um through regulatory authority, they have to be specific
and they have to give you specific information on how it's going to mitigate concerns. And without any of that information, you deciding whether there's an environmental review component necessary here, you don't have any information on which to to make that decision. And so that's where when you
don't have a record, you can't make a finding in favor of something when you don't have the information in front of you. And that's part of the reason it's deficient. Um I will say, you know, this is a 90 acre parcel in general. I have um I have a map that I brought. I'm sure you have.
Usually there'd be a a visual that would show you um where the property is. And I'll just identify here that this little cross-hatched area is the area that's expected to be mined. And I wanted to emphasize to you what is around that
area. There's three residential subdivisions. There's 11 parcels. You have a house 100 ft from the property line and 170 ft from the property line. And they're they're proposing to have gravel mining right there. 200 feet and
100 feet from um from properties and um you know I I heard the commissioner's comment about a power line being too close to his house and he's concerned about where a power line would be. How do you think these land owners feel when they're 200 feet and 100 ft from a
gravel crushing and mining operation? And there will be an impact. There will be an impact to the neighbors. there will be an impact from um dust, fugitive dust emissions. Um there there will be
an impact and so you need to be assured that there's not going to be an environmental impact. And how have they done that? Well, they've gone through and um they have said that there won't be any dust because our dust plan is we're going to put some um material on the roads. We're going to water down the
roads. It totally misses the mark, right? that's not the dust we're concerned about necessarily when you're living right next to an active gravel crushing operation. Um the application also says um they're going to use some material on site to make a screen, a visual screen, and that's going to take
care of all the um aesthetics and the dust and the noise. We don't know anything about this proposed screen, visual screen. We don't know how high it is. We don't know if they're just going to dig up a bunch of boulders and sand and pile it around and make a fortress and work within it. And is that an
appropriate aesthetic screen? Well, we don't know because you don't know. You haven't seen it. And so, this is directly relevant to an environmental assessment worksheet of you should order an environmental assessment worksheet so you get more information on that and that you can figure out is this going to adversely affect the neighbors or isn't
it? Is having an active gravel mine going to reduce the ability to develop some of these other vacant residences? There's vacant properties that have been platted by the county and they're trying to sell them. Well, suddenly you're opening an open gravel mine next to it. Is that going to affect the, you know,
ability to sell that land? And I would say absolutely it would. Um I think there's inconsistencies in that and and this is relevant to the dust and the noise. Um in the planning
commission or the planning and zoning commission has said, well, we'll just operate. we won't let them crush and mine during the summer and saying that's just going to take care of it and otherwise there won't be any adverse impacts because we're only going to let them crush and mine during the fall and
spring. But that's inconsistent because it basically says there is an impact there is an impact to the neighbors. So we're just going to let them be impacted, you know, half the year and and Tammy, I don't think that was one of the conditions. I don't think that was a condition on that. It was only um the
restriction on the summer use was only within 400 ft of the one residence. Is that correct? There was freshing was limited uh to to spring and fall after Labor Day and before Memorial Day. Yeah. Yep. I thought that I thought that was just mining by the one
one res. Yeah, that's how that's how I read it. Okay. But I think the the finding of fact said 500 ft from the home during certain time periods. It was after the one home Labor Day. The one home and before Memorial weekend
we have crushing limited to spring and fall. Yeah. Okay. And then within 500 ft of that home would be limited to spring and fall as well. And Mr. chair. We did change the hours there, too. But at the tech panel, as I
remember, um we left the tech panel saying we needed somebody from the MPCA to give us an expert opinion on the silicut or whatever the the stuff in the air. And that's where we left. That's that's the one determining piece that I
thought we had had to have. And we had a deadline to get that. So where I mean they so I reached out to them and they were not able to provide us anybody that was able to meet they basically sent us some guidelines for thresholds for permitting requirements and that's the
email that I forwarded you if you recall that they couldn't provide us some forward and that's I guess I would say that you you don't have the sufficient information in front of you then I mean we submitted health effects of simil of silica dust
when you're um when you're living close to an active gravel mine as just showing you that there are real impacts to health and you had there was some testimony at the planning and zoning commission with residents that have lung conditions that live close by and that they were very concerned with their lung
conditions. I mean you see the smoke advisories that we've had the last um week you know and that act it actively impacts people's health. So, it's a real concern and if you're living next to something that continually turns that out, um it's an active concern and you need to know more about it. And that's
where if you order the discretionary EAW, the developer has to go through and present more information on the plan and why there is or isn't a concern and what can what they can impose that would mitigate those concerns. And that's really what we're talking about here is what would be appropriate mitigation,
whether it's an appropriate location. Um there's groundwater flow issues, you have traffic safety issues, which is also considered in an EAW. Um and you know that you don't have any information on how many trucks are expected, what
the timeline looks like, what stages are going to be actively mined, and when. I mean, in one place it says we're just going to crush enough to be used on site, and that's 25,000 cubic yards. Another place says we're going to mine 700,000 uh cubic yards. And so, you
know, what is it? And and whatever the planning commission has recommended, that's not a decision. That's just a recommendation. Um, but that's where it's it's a little bit up in the air of what's even being proposed. And you don't have enough information in front of you in order to say, "Oh, yeah, that's not going to have any effect on
the neighbors. Is it 25,000 acre feet and or cubic feet, cubic yards, and is that in a certain area at a certain stage that happens in a certain time frame or is it much more? Is it 700,000?" because that's a dramatic difference between those two and especially if you're living 100 ft or
176 ft from that. Um, we have drainage conditions, we have noxious weed control issues, fugitive dust admissions. Um, I think in in general, and I I know you don't want to hear about the uh application not meeting your conditions,
but one of the um conditions that your Becker County ordinance requires is a mining operational plan. and they're supposed to give you specific information on a number of things. And had they done that, you would have a lot more environmental information to base
this decision on today. But they basically didn't even have complete sentences. I mean there's probably a dozen different topics here about mining timetable method um of extraction top soil management erosion control
screening plans noise control setbacks dust control pollution control. Okay, there's less than a sentence on each of these. And what they're supposed to submit to you under your ordinance is a specific plan for your operations. and this is what you're making your decision on on whether they've provided you
enough information to make you confident that there's not going to be any adverse effects from their plan. And I'm saying if you're saying this is sufficient, this is all you have to expect from a developer, I will tell you the people that live really close to this mining and crushing operation, don't feel
comfortable that this is the type of responsible developer that they want to be crushing gravel right next to them because when they're when their noise controls are just setbacks, topography, and hours of operation are going to prevent any offensive noise. That's no
offensive noise as long as um just in those situations and screening plan um topography and material piles will screen the project. Okay. Is that is that really a specific plan? Just saying it's sorely insufficient and you know I think these developers are probably great guys. I know one of them was
appointed on the planning commission. Um this isn't personal at all and they want to make some money and um nobody's um nobody's saying they shouldn't. The county needs gravel. Great. Yeah, they they do. If you approve this, um, I mean, you're you're basically allowing
them to profit and and, um, cause contamination, dust, noise, vibration at the expense of their neighbors. And if you if you approve this and say there's no EA required here, we're we're talking about the EAW. So, if we approve the AW, then
No, no. If you if you don't require an EAW, so that's I just wanted to make sure you stated it correctly. Yeah. I I was mid-sentence. Yeah. All right. You're if you don't require an EAW here and you say this is a fine place to um have a gravel mine with no additional
environmental protection than this or no other information, you as a county board cannot deny anything. You cannot allow another um you can't require an EAW on the next guy if somebody gives you a sentence on the things they're going to do and says trust me and you know we
don't need an EAW because you didn't order one in this place in this situation because you have to treat similarly situated parties before you the same and if you're going to say oh this is fine yep we have plenty of information in front of us the next one I don't know what the next application's going to be that is going to trigger a
discretionary EAW and that you well over a hundred people petitioning saying, "This is something of concern. We're concerned about it. Please ask for a a discretionary EAW." You're not going to be able to say no on anything in the future. If you think that this is sufficient, it almost makes a
discretionary environmental assessment worksheet in this county in front of you a non-issue. If if this doesn't trigger it, I don't know what would to be honest because there's usually a lot more information than this that's presented. I also in my um petition for an EAW, I
attached what the EQB says you should look at and that you should have in front of you when you decide on a mining plan and whether that would have a discretionary EAW. I included the executive summary and and the details of what you should be requiring. None of
that is in this. And this is the operational plan. There's not a staging plan or a reclamation plan. This is the plan we've got. Um, but if you look at what the EQB recommends that these local governments have and look at, none of it is even remotely close. Um, there are
townships, I cited townships that say every mining plan needs to have an EAW because we are concerned with health, um, noise, dust, uh, property values. They want an EAW on every mining plan. Cited some of that. I just gave you a
handful of examples of where it's very normal for um local government units to require an EAW with a mining plan because these aren't just something that you put next door to your average citizens here in Becker County. You don't put an active you don't put an active mining crushing operation a heavy
industrial use right next door to your residences and right in the middle of three residential subdivisions and you're 3/4 of a mile from Pelican Lake, 3/4 of a mile from Cormont Lake. This is the middle of recreation mecca, which is
a big part of your tax base. And I just think that if you're going to allow it here, where are you, you know, there's a lot of sand and gravel all over in Lake Country there. There is not I'm going to stop you there, but it's not everywhere. I know it's not everywhere. It's only in certain places. Y and when you move out into the country,
you're going to move out into the country, you got to know you're not going to control everything all around you. Whether it's a hog operation, a dairy operation, somebody combining, whatever it is, but a gravel pit is so minimal. You can make it sound terrible,
and you do. You make it sound terrible. I'm in them every day. What this would do for the county is have gravel accessible to all those people there instead of trucking it. Trucking is expensive. It's hard on our roads.
That's a that they'll be selling gravel there and that's not available. There's some a lot of gravel pits down in that area. They're everywhere, but there's there's not a gravel available to me out of those pits. Most of that stuff is going into Fargo. It's not even for sale
for me. Um, you talk about noise, gravel pits. The one of the loudest noises in a gravel pit is a backup beeper. Um, there's going to be uncomfortable things that come from everything. But what
you're saying is we shouldn't have one of those anywhere because I have houses right next to my gravel pit. But what it does is allows me not to go halfway across the county to get a load of gravel. It allows me to go there and get that gravel and take it to that job
site. So, I'm saving on our roads. I'm saving on traffic conditions everywhere, not just there. Um, and this is unfortunately this is what happens when anybody comes up against a campground or whatever it is. They come in and make it
sound like this terrible, horrible thing. And I I stood up for a campground. I said, "Go sit there and see what actually is there. I don't need some big study to tell me the effects of
a gravel pit. I can just go look at them. And they're not they're nothing like you're making them out to be. And this is America. People get to buy that piece of land and use it. Now, is it going to destroy
somebody's life? No. Is it going to complicate or make a little noise or a little dust? Maybe. but nothing compared to the benefits that that gravel pit would produce. If I can respond just briefly, and I'm
I'm not going to argue with you that gravel is just true. No, no. I I'm I'm saying I'm not going to argue with you that gravel is necessary. It is ab if we can um if you guys could not make noise when she's talking about um so gravel is necessary. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Yeah. 100% agree with you. However, you have an you have an ordinance in Becker County and I assume that your ordinance was intentionally drafted and you passed it and you're supposed to follow it because that's what the law requires is you have to you have to follow your ordinance. You have to follow the law. What you're saying is it's so necessary
in the country and and you know so what everyone has to put a little put up with little inconvenience. Why would you even have an ordinance that says we don't we can I mean this says if you're going to have a gravel operation you need a conditional use permit. And basically, I mean, the the position that you're espousing is why, you know, you wouldn't
even need a conditional use permit. You never even need to look at dust or noise or backup alarms um or aesthetics. Don't worry about it. They can go anywhere. And that's not true. It's your your ordinance is here for a reason. You are duty bound to follow your ordinance. You have to follow Minnesota law whether you
like it or not. Minnesota law says if there's a concern about the environment or if there if you don't have enough information in front of you to decide whether there's the potential for concerns because of dust, noise, vibration, nuisance conditions to your
neighbors, um then you should order an EAW so that you can better study that because if you go forward and allow something like that without an EAW and then go on to approve it later and it gets appealed, the court of appeals or the court's going to say, "What did you decide on? Where's your evidence? And you're going to say, well, I know
because I am involved in gravel pit operations and I don't know that that's in front of you. From what you're saying, we can't have any then. No, we can't have any in Becker County because I'm going to tell you something. There's going to be a truck hauling out of there. And that's that's what I'm saying. They they are a necessary thing.
Everybody in here needs it. Everybody in here uses it. Everybody does. And and I've told you I I represent gravel pits and gravel operators, but they come in with their mining plan, their operating plan, all their information, their studies. They've met with the
neighbors. They've talked about mitigation. They plant trees. They put buffers. They limit lighting. They limit hours. They There's a lot more that goes along with a more sophisticated um gravel operation. And so I'm just saying you as a county need to follow your
ordinance. You need to follow Minnesota law. And that's what these other gravel operators do and you should require all the gravel operators to do that. Mr. Chair, Kyle, I have a question for you. So, so today our options are really
we order an EA, we don't order an EI EA. Is there also an option where we or the applicant would table the application to provide the additional information
that we're hearing is possibly lacking? Not to my knowledge. Uh the EQB once uh the petition was received, we were given 15 days to respond to that petition. We are allowed one 15-day extension
um which I requested and we utilized. Um I believe we received this the 16th through 17. Um so we would so our only options are either order an EA right or not order an EA.
I don't there would be no further time unless we like Kyle I have a question too. Who does the EAW worksheet? Who who would do it? uh the applicant is responsible for providing that information. Good. And that information is reviewed by the county
and the county can assess your costs of of reviewing that if you hire a consultant to review it. Um or if there's cost to you of reviewing it, you can assess that to the applicant as well. And I will just address um Commissioner Jeepson's question about what if you want more information. Um, I
mean that's where I think that it's incumbent upon the applicant to come forward with the right information so you're confident in making a decision. And if you don't have that information in front of you and you have to make a decision, then you don't have that information in front of you. And that's where the standard kicks in that because
of the nature of the project with the information you have in front of you, if there's potential for adverse environmental effects to the human environment, you need to order an EAW. And that's where when I was at the meeting with the tech panel, I encouraged the developer to withdraw the application because I said it's it's so
sorely insufficient that you should withdraw the withdraw the application and reapply at another time because you can't keep putting band-aids on it as you move forward and say, "Oh, you wanted this information. I'll give you a little more information." Because the process starts with the public comment period before the planning commission.
You know, the public is allowed to review and have comments to the planning commission. The planning commission should look at that information before it comes to this point. And so basically they can do it over and they should withdraw their application and do it right and supply the information that you require in your ordinance so that you can make this decision
or go sit in the driveway of a gravel pit for a half hour. So what and and basically at the tech panel commissioner Nelson and Hansen were both there and the question was left on the table. So with communing communicating with the MPCA regarding
the petition and seeking their input um basically related to dust the PCA didn't provide us an opinion on the petitioner dust control. It did however explain that an applicability determination will need to be completed to determine whether the applicant requires an air
permit for its mining operation and that even if no air permit is required that the applicant must comply with state noise indust rules found in Minnesota rules. That is basically the outcome from what we got from them that they
would have to do this determination for the mine to determine if they met thresholds for permit requirements. And even if they didn't, they would still have to follow Minnesota rule regarding state or noise. Mr. Chair, here's here's my dilemma.
I I think there's a lot of issues with this with the application and a lot of concerns for the individual residents around there. Um so as present I mean I don't know I don't know if we can even discuss about the application in total
or how my what my opinion is in support or not. I don't know if we can you know this is just for EAW but I I can see the concerns of the area. So I I'm I'm trying to figure out can we I
mean we can't work on the permit itself. I'm looking to carry I mean no we can't I I don't know if we can state our support or non-support of the project in its entirety now at this time. I mean cuz if you know this board may vote it down
completely may alter it significantly and those are questions you know this is the this is a cart before the horse but like you said if we had I mean if we're voting on what's before us then it's a different story to me that
if it's something different than that if it's a if it if the applicant or if we change this as a board saying you know this is this is too long or this is too too much or this isn't sufficient, we need this. Um, that would be at a later
meeting. So, I'm I'm just I'm struggling because I have the concerns, but I don't know if an EAW is the route that would, you know, even if an EA comes back, I still have more probably more concerns than that would answer. Um, and
if I can respond to that, I think that's the very reason why you need an EAW is because you can't tell us right now what conditions need to be put on it without knowing what the plans are and what the impacts are and what their plans for screening, what are they doing with the
materials on site. I mean, you need to study what what is that what does that mean? What's the impacts of that? And without that information before you, how do you even put the conditions on it? And that that's why I'm saying that's why that's the very purpose of an EAW is to give you more information so you can
better delineate um time frames, limitations on um hours, years, amounts, etc. We can change things. Dust, most of the dust is going to come from the road. You put a little mag chloride on the road,
the crusher does not make that much dust. It makes a little dust. Most of the dust is going to be on the road. They could mag chloride that road and that there's your issue there. The noise is that I don't I that's why I say you we don't need an EA. Any of these people
can go sit in a gravel pit. Any of these people can go sit in a gravel pit and see what conditions are there and they're not that bad. And and that's I don't need the state of Minnesota or anybody else to come and tell me that. I
can visually see it, hear it. I can I can breathe it that it's it's not that bad. I have emphyma and I'm in a gravel pit almost every day. How did you get that emphyma? Smoking Marlboro reds.
Mr. Chair, uh Kyle, I went back I found the email. I mean that that the MPCA sent. I mean there's nothing definitive there. I thought that the two things out of the tech panel and Barry, you were there to help me with this, but the two things I thought we were going to from that meeting we're going to go with,
we're going to go to the MPCA and and figure out if they had an expert that could make a recommendation about this. The second thing was the reclamation plan, the Burm. I thought we were going to put some specifics on those things
that would be easily attainable because they weren't answered. Um, I mean those are two things that I can remember. I got my notes. I don't have them here. I recall the dust specifically that was the concern of of I believe Ed. Um, and
essentially from that meeting so I got a letter yesterday which I'll read to you. I I don't I don't know what I don't know what the the reclamation and and burn plan would have came from that. Maybe I I I don't know either. That's what dust was the to me what was left on the
table at that meeting. Um but I got this letter from soil and water yesterday. Um it says we attended the county tech technical review committee meeting on June 26, 2025 to review the EW petition for Prairie Lakes gravel mine proposal. The committee meets to make
recommendations to the county on environmental concerns on these types of projects. Becker soil and water conservate conservation district is the LGU through the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act in Becker County. We also provide input on the conservation of soil and water resources in Becker
County. Our comments on this EAW petition are strictly within the scope of those topics as they were within our area of authority and expertise at the county technical review committee meeting. From a Becker County SWCD standpoint, we would not recommend that the county requires an EAW for this
project. This recommendation is based on one a site visit to the proposed gravel mining property on the morning of June 26 to look for potential wetland areas that would be subject to WACA. We did not find any areas that meet wetland criteria subject to WACA jurisdiction on this proposed parcel. The process number
two, the process of gravel mining obviously results in significant disturbance of soils within the area of operation. We did not see any surface water resources that would be significantly impacted by the mining of gravel within the proposed area of operation or on nearby properties that
could receive surface water runoff. We recommend that prior to the issuance of a Becker County conditional use permit, the project sponsors submit a mine reclamation plan to the county that ensures that the site be regraded top soil and vegetated after mining operations have ceased to minimize
postmining soil erosion while meeting needs of whatever future uses are intended for this property. There is one other topic somewhat unrelated to the specific recommendation, but also of significance to the Becker County SWCD. A couple weeks ago, the sponsor of this project met with Brandon Gil, the Becker
County egg inspector employed by the SWCD. The sponsor will work with Brandon to become a Becker County certified weed-free gravel pit with which Brandon monitors. This program lists mining operations that have agreed to export gravel free of vegetation listed under
Minnesota Noctuous Weed Law. Brandon conducts annual inspections of these certified pits to ensure compliance. And lastly, let us know if any further information is needed. One last time we are basing this recommendation solely within the scope of our expertise in MN Wacerole and soil and water
conservation. We desire a recommendation based on all EW factors. Would be happy to assist with that committee recommendation. So again when we left there we're looking at being outside of the shoreline
coming down to noise and dust. Um, basically the the only people I think that could speak completely to that was the MPCA and what they gave us is they didn't they were still looking for somebody to speak to us and we're within a timeline that we don't have any more
time to wait for who this individual may be and suggest doing this or applicability determination. Basically, if it's granted, if it were granted and they needed that permit, then they would be required to
get that done. That's the only thing I can give you to go off of. I mean, it wasn't we weren't given anything further from that. So now you could suggest through a conditional use permit that if you you
know through I don't reclamation I don't know is going to do much for duck in terms of I mean well reclamation would would put top soil back on and get something growing. I mean, usually doesn't just sound
once it's not once it's needing to be reclaimed, they're not working in that area like disturbing and creating dust, but yes, I to your point that probably would eliminate some faster, but I was thinking probably the stock piles around
what was going to eliminate some of that dust from Well, again, this is a this is a difficult one because I the we need a more detailed plan plan for reclamation and for um the whole operation. There's no question in my
opinion that we need that. Um I don't I think the time frame you know the the project as presented has numerous things that I but is would that change? I mean I still have those con my concerns whether we
have an EAW or not. I mean, and the EAW can tell us if if the EAW could tell us specific things about um how is radon affecting the the joining properties if it's released from the soils because if you look on the state website that is significant we are in a significant
radon area in Becker County and I know is there silica dust I don't know if there is any silica dust in that area or not is is that something that we could find out prior to
the application coming to us. Would would the dust be any different if it were farmland? Dust as in silica dust. I mean, if if you chose to silica dust plant corn there and it's going to create dust. Is that
silica dust is a harm? Yeah, silica dust is a harmful dust. It comes from silica sand though, right? Yeah, that's what I'm I said. I don't know that there's any in there. any I've not heard that there is any silica sand there. I would it would surprise me if there is. It would surprise me too because we go a long ways to get it from
here. It's mined down by Mano, but I've never heard of any here. Um again, I I don't disagree with you. Yeah, I don't think there is. I don't think, you know, I I think there are concerns here. Do Do we need EA? No.
We're intelligent people who can look at different things and figure it out, but trying to waste more time and make these guys jump through more hoops just costs everybody more money when you're making the decision. And I
Tammy, you can correct me if I'm wrong in your opinion, but you you have three three things. You have a a threshold of a mandatory AW, you have a discretionary AW, and you have a petition for an AW. You have to
base it off of the evidence before you to determine if you believe significant environmental effects are going to be created from this operation. So, it's based off that evidence. So, what you have to b your decision is based off of
what evidence Tammy has put before you. Is that going to cause significant environmental effects? It's not gathering the evidence. It's not my job to do that, nor is it your job. The petition has to show the evidence. You
have to either decide what is that going to cause significant environmental. Yeah, that's I would disagree a bit because you're saying that it's incumbent upon the neighbors to provide information on whether the there's environmental
concerns here, but in fact, it's the proposer. It's the proponent, the applicant that has to establish to your comfort level that there's no adverse environmental impacts. And it's not our our council I guess that we've retained was has directed me differently
that the evidence needs to be provided by the petitioner and that is what you're basing your decision off of. That's so that's how I've been directed. The EQB does an initial review. That's why we originally send the letter to the EQB. We have to include technical
information that would establish that we have a real concern here. If we didn't include that technical information, the EQB wouldn't have forwarded it to you. I think they look at like the completeness, but I don't know that they're validating concerns. Are they if they were doing that, we wouldn't be
making this decision. So So what you're saying, Kyle, is that we have to decide if we if we have enough information from the petition cuz we we we got information about the water. There's that's not the soil and
water took care of that for us. with dust and noise and did they show us in the pos petition that that's an issue? Right. And okay, what you've what you've heard, what you've gathered, you know, if you if you've been on site, if you if you've listened to the planning
commission recording, so what what you've gathered through all of this and the evidence in this petition, um I think that's that's where your decision is made. Um, and maybe just to level set here because I don't want you to have the impression
that the the burden of proof is on my clients to prove something. Um, if the actual rule 4410 um, 1100 and it's subsection 6 EW decision. So this is what Minnesota rules require view and it says that the
RGU shall order the preparation of an EAW if the evidence presented by the petitioners, the proposers, so petitioners is my clients, the proposers who are the applicants and any other persons um or
otherwise known to the RGU demonstrates that because of the nature or location of the proposed project, the project may have the potential for significant environmental effects. So, it's potential. It's not like we proved there's a significant environmental effect. It's is there a potential in
your mind based on what's been provided to you today. The RGU shall deny the petition if the evidence presented fails to demonstrate that the project may have the potential for significant effects. So that's where if you're going to deny it, you have to um you shall deny if the
evidence that's been presented through the application and through our comments demonstrates that um there's no way that this project would have environmental effects. And then in considering the evidence, the RGU must take into account the factors listed in this other
provision subpart 7. um RG shall maintain a separate document uh that has a record making your specific findings of your decision on the need for this. So you have to make specific factual findings on what you're finding. No, there's absolutely no potential for any
significant impacts. If that's if you're going to deny the EAW, you have to be prepared to make that written finding and say there's enough evidence and we've heard from the experts in the tech panel and we don't believe there's any problem ever going to happen with dustier and noise and nuisance conditions to the neighbors. That's the
legal standard to you. And I can go through the criteria if you want me to go through those two. You know, I was today, Mr. Mr. Chair, I was I was I was probably I'm I'm not real sure how to how to go today. I mean, cuz I
I don't like this project very well. I I think it's affecting it's affecting people in a negative way. But I I don't know what the environmental concerns. I mean, there's a couple concerns still out
there that I that I'm not sure of, but the incomplete plan, I mean, it just leaves so many things, so many questions. And I would like to I would like to say I don't want an EAW because I don't want I'm going to limit I want to limit the scope of this so
much that I don't know that it would require an EW. with such an if if we're going to look at approving this at a future meeting. I I can't see how unless you're going to reduce this significantly and and minimize this, I can't see how you
couldn't ask for an EAW. And I didn't I didn't know that I mean I don't know that we would need one if we approve it at if if it goes forward and is approved at a significant less impact. But as as it's been moved forward, I think we need
an EA. That's if it was a different project with a more complete plans. I don't know that it would. So, but that's something we can look at. We're always putting conditions on on all kinds of things. And like I said,
the dust can be addressed. The noise is not that significant. It's just not. I think and and sorry Richard, I didn't mean to interrupt you. And so environmentally, you're looking at a machine digging out gravel and putting I can I could name a bunch of
things that go on here that are really hard on our environment. I'm not going to do that. But I will I I'm a human being, intelligent human being. I can look at the gravel pit and see the environmental impact on it. And it's a
necessary thing. it. There's so many good things that will come out. Nobody's looking at the good things. There's so many good things. Air pollution for one thing. If you look at a truck burn, getting 5 miles to the gallon and a
diesel fuel burning truck, and instead of bringing it all the way from Richwood, which is where I have to go now, because there is nobody selling gravel down in that area, there is one, and that's aggregate, and it's very expensive. So, there's no competition down there. So when I go down to Lake
Lida or Ida, I'm not I'm going to have to go to Richwood and get my rock. That's there's so many bit benefits to this gravel pit. It's huge. And when you just look at the negative site and it's a I'm going to say it one more time. It's a gravel pit that they're not that
complicated and it's not that hard to control dust. And we can we can set conditions on this when we pass it or not. We I I cannot make see making these guys go through this for a gravel pit.
It's to me it's ridiculous. Here, Mr. Chair, Commissioner Barber, here here's my my concern is while I largely agree with you, I also agree with with Commissioner Nelson in that we
can we can make these conditions when it comes to proving the when it comes to approving or denying the permit. But but that's not what we're here to decide today, right? What we have to decide today is the information that we have in front of us based off of do we have sufficient
evidence to say that the application as presented doesn't pose any environmental risks. I don't know that we do. Um but I al I also don't want to force them
to go, you know, spend $20,000 on an EA. Um but but the reality is is we we don't have a sufficient mining plan to show what they're going to do in that we can require that in the conditional use permit what we want them to do but
that's not what's in front of us today. What's in front of us today is do we have do we have sufficient evidence to require an EA or not an EAW. I think most of the concerns we can address in a conditional use permit, but that's not what's in front of us
today. Well, that's the struggle. I don't care, Erica. If you build a chicken house, you're going to hurt the environment. If you go out here and get in your car and drive back to Fargo or wherever you live, you're going to hurt
the environment. But because they gathered the petition, presented the petition that there's discretionary evidence to prove that an EAW could be warranted, we are now here to to to make that decision today.
So that's all I have to say at this moment. I got to go back to my head, Mr. Chair. So Barry, I think you started it and I I agreed with your line of thinking there. So, Kyle, uh, uh, the
petition, we're deciding on the petition if we do the EA. I get that. Are we past date on that or do we got to do that today? 16th, isn't it? We have to the EAW has to be decided
today. I received the EA um they contemplate monthly meetings. It's 15 days unless you're somebody that meets monthly or you know if you need the time to consider it at your meeting. So it would have to be done today. Okay.
Yeah, we got it June 17th and we applied for extension. So July 17th, um, here's the one question. So I believe it's 30 working days. So if you count the 17th, I bet it's a
one. So it'll be in August. Yeah, August. 30 working days. But but but what is what is it? I I'm seeing if we can do this. I've never been through this before either. So 21. What? I believe we're on day 21 of working
of 30 of 30. Okay. So Mr. Chair, can uh Kyle, could we Miss Norard brought up some some things in the tech panel after we'd been through planning and zoning. She brought up some things I don't think had been considered. Roger Hempill mentioned some
of that. Um, could we send this back to planning and zoning to address some of those issues or can we not do that? I think you have to have a yes or no today. Yeah. I mean, well, for the EAW or we'd have to call a special meeting
within this 30-day timeline. I think I think the options are if you vote to have an EAW, I think the applicant can they can not do it and not move forward and like um Tammy said refile with a
more complete application which would be probably quite a bit cheaper than an EAW. Um or they can do an EAW and continue as as a proposal. Um during that time they can obviously they have 90 acres there.
They can get a uh land alteration permit and start work on their own projects. They just can't solve them. They just can't remove the prop remove it from their property. Is that correct? Yes. In which they I just got some
numbers from their engineer. They're going to be applying for that land alteration. Um, and I and I I don't know that the AW is going to give us a lot of information that we don't know, but without without that
data, without that more complete submission of application, I think in my mind, I I'd like not to require it, but I think in my mind, it's it's one of those things we're going to have to have just because we don't have that that should have been on a lot of that should have been on the original
application. Mhm. And and we don't have it. And unfortunate um that we can't go back in time and get that because I think an EA might be in this case not needed if we had that information.
If I can just respond to Commissioner Varberg, the concerns I can hear that you're saying, hey, I just want to allow it. I want everything to go forward. I don't I don't want an EAW. But that's if we're talking about EAW. But I guess my my point would be even if you're saying, I think this is a fine project. we don't need an EAW. Don't you want to make
developers do things right and provide the information because you're hearing from the other commissioners that we don't think there's enough information here. If you say yes, you have to do a discretionary EAW, maybe the developer will say, well, it sounds like there's a lot of concern with my application that it's insufficient and now I'm going to
have to do a discretionary EAW. Why don't I pull my application, go get the information that everybody seems to be saying would be helpful and start over, reapply, go to the planning commission, have that information, and you know, as Commissioner Nelson said, I think that's obviously cheaper for the developer.
It's also cheap for the cheaper for the county because if you move forward and if we're saying you're not allowed to do this under your ordinances and file a lawsuit, you're stuck with legal fees and time and it's going to cost everybody if you go down a bad path of not requiring to do it right. And so I
think just responding to your concern about well I don't feel like we need an EA but if you don't have sufficient information in front of you it'd be cheaper and more cost effective for everybody including the developer to make them come forward with the proper information at the beginning and start over. Yeah. And and I I see where you're
coming from, but I'll say it one more time. It's a gravel pit and it's not that complicated both. I don't Yeah. Yeah. I don't understand. Go ahead, Rich. It's just a gravel pit. That's all it is. And if we turn it into something big and make it really expensive, we can do that. State of Minnesota and a lot of
government people make everything so hard. I don't know why anybody does anything in Minnesota to tell you the truth. I was born and raised here, so I'm going to stay here. Um, but I I I deal with the pollution control agency all the time and I look at the
ridiculous things they make us do. And this is just another for me, it's a gravel pit. It's a ridiculous thing to do a study on what it's going to do. It's like I said, when everybody leaves here, they're all going to hurt the environment. Yet, we don't ride
bicycles. We drive cars and we need roads. And our county needs gravel. We who knows that we might not get gravel out of that pit instead of hauling it all the way across the county. It's it's that that's that's all I'm saying. This
you can complicate this as much as you want, but it's really not that serious. And I know the dust can be addressed and I know the noise and the noise is not that loud. I live on Highway 59 and between the motorcycles and the straight
pipes. Uh, and but I live there. That's where it is. I live out in the country. If I wanted to control the environment, I would move into Detroit Lakes and then in maybe into a condo and I would know exactly everything that goes on around me. I would have a pretty good handle of
what's going to happen. But if you move out into the into this rural area, you have to understand that there's other people that own property out there, too. They all have everybody's got a different idea of what their property should be used for. And if you're if
you're if you want to control everything, move right into town here. But and and if we can if you want to make everything so expensive, that's that's what we're doing here. Because one more time, it's just a gravel pit. I I I I wish these guys had more
experience in in being in a gravel pit. Um they might see that gravel pit makes my house look really quiet. Um and or my house where I live it's steady noise. I do have experience in gra with gravel
pits, Richard. I mean I it's it's not that I don't it's not that I don't agree with you. It's just we also have to think of the best interest of the county and and how we're going to move forward and do we want to subject the county to a lawsuit essentially.
Mr. Chair, I coming in today I was I was I mean I wasn't decided but I was leaning more towards not requiring an EAW because I I I think it's a a project that might not meet the threshold. But the points that Tammy brought up today
about the lack of plan that was presented and the future future applicants what they're going to be required. I mean it's significant to me. It it it's it's a significant deficiency
that in that's been presented to us. So, for that reason, I I think I think we are going to have to because this is a decision today, we're going to have I'm going to have to support requiring an EAW because of the
because of that. Um, not because we have to have proper have to have proper applications for this this one for but for more so the future and what we're going to require in the future on future applications. So, I'm going to make a motion to require an EAW
Yeah. Do we Do you want to Yeah, we would like to I'd like to have everybody. Oh, so you you want to withdraw your I I will I will withdraw or recognize me. Mr. Chair, Kyle, would you finish your statement before Yes. What were you saying before you got cut off there?
When? Okay. And then also we'd like Yeah. Could you come up Matt? Yeah. Oh, sorry, Matt. I apologize for jumping the gun here. So, I've had the pleasure of sitting
through all these meetings and hearing all this information and Oh, sorry. Yeah. State your name and address, man. Matt Hedstrom, uh, 1831 Celely Street, Detroit, Minnesota. And it's spelled just like it's Yep. H E D S TR, not H80, which is on the petition.
Yeah, I saw that. Um, so sitting through this and questions for the board is this was first sent to the environment quality board, right? And they sent a email back saying that you're the um the RGQ on this, right?
So why did it go to them first? I I I don't know if if you're the deciding board, why did they try Hold on. Repeat that quiled with it. It's filed with them and then they distribute it. Basic. So the RGU could be different agencies. It could be the DNR depending
on the project. Could be the MPCA. Basically, the petitions filed with them, then they distribute it to the correct Y and just from experience, you know, it's it's a gravel pit and I'm hearing all these environmental issues with that and
how it affects people, how it affects the the land owners next to it. Um, I live in Chesterfield Edition, which is in the city limits of Detroit Lakes. And in 2010, Becker County approved a mining operation within 100 ft of my house,
which is on the border of a whole neighborhood within a,000 ft of Detroit Lake. So then, we we tried to get a condition use permit to to get some gravel off the premises. That's that's all it was. We
want to develop this property and one area of it it doesn't meet specs where you could have a township road because of the grade. So we were informed by the engineer that some gravel had to remove removed off premises. So we asked for conditions per bit
because the only way you can sell that is to get the condition use pin. Right. So right here I have a list that I went and I've worked with um Becker County Soil and Water. This is the 2024 Becker
County certified weedfree gravel pits in Becker County. 79 of them. 79 gravel pits in 2024 that were certified. Okay. Of that 13 of them are
in Cornro Township. Four of them are in Lake Ununas Township. Becker County has four of their own. So, and all of these right here, gravel pits.
You you know them how many um environment studies were required? You guys any idea if any research on that? Okay. one stratus. And if you guys are familiar,
it's on County Road 6, which uh has train tracks that haul gravel to North Dakota every day. There's a conveyor system and goes underneath the County Road 6, and they're within a,000 ft. Their land is within 1,000 ft of Long Lake, which I think is a nice lake, too.
Do you know how many of them had a discretionary EAW petition filed of them? And that that's the problem we have here. Yeah, that was strong. So, what you're saying then you're setting the precedence, right? Because if if you're
going to have 78 of them never had an issue and now all a sudden this one, which given the indication this this is in a urban area and I know you've all been out there and this is not an urban area.
There's two residents that are very close to this property. One is my son's and the other one is the Millers. And that the Millers is a concern. I really do. I mean, because I had a gravel pit by my house for um Marty
Salman's for 7 years and there there was thousands and thousands of truckloads of gravel right down 22 over to the airport to fill that in. And I went to that township meeting saying, "You know what? I don't want this in my backyard." Okay?
do not. I thought the noise is going to be terrible. The dust, we won't be able to have our windows open. We'll be dusting every day and our kids riding their bikes, all of them are get run over. And guess what? It was passed
100 ft to my house. 7 years I got to listen to that. But in the end, it was all said and done. Was it terrible? No. Did anybody die from silicone dust? No.
Was the ra rad radon gas coming into my house every day? I don't know that. But I'm still here healthy. So with this whole process, I really struggle with this petition because I've
read through it 20 times and I'd love to sit down and go with her. She she makes a lot of comments on here that they're untruths. It it just it's like a fear factor. It's like I'm going to say this and if they believe it, then it's true. Like she says in here that this is an
urban area that's going to affect thousands of people. How do I know that? I have to believe her because she's saying it. Um she says in her that the county must treat similar situated applicants the
same. So 78 of these people are different than our project. We're just trying to level off some hills, take that gravel out of there so we can develop the property. We're not
building a gravel pit. Another term she used in here and she has its temporary. What is temporary? When you get a conditional use permit of five years, is that temporary?
I I thought it was because if it's not temporary, it's forever. So, yes, it's temporary. If we could do it in one year, we'd have that gravel out of there in one year. Do we know how many truckloads that's going to be? I can't tell you how many truckloads that's going to be to get that out of there.
I'm not the expert. I am, and she I I'll tell her I agree with her. I am not an experienced developer. Okay, I bought some land so my son could have a house and has acorage around it and we want to develop that land and if we could have
done it without taking any gravel off of it, it would have been done like that. We would have hauled gravel in many truckloads to build a road, but we would have hauled any out. But in this situation where there is gravel there and we want to get rid of it,
do you want to just obvious give it away? Because with your understanding if if we get a land altering permit, right, we can do whatever we want on that land. Correct. Very to some extent. Yes. Yeah. To some extent. But could we haul that gravel off and just get rid of it?
Yes. Just can't sell it. Yeah. We do it all the time. Yep. So, basically, I could get a hold of Tori Senberg, say, "Tori, I need to develop this land. I need this much gravel, haul it off there, and you're going to haul
it down to county roads, and it it's going to go to wherever you give it away. Okay. And fine. But the big issue here, I don't think it's environment, be honest with you, because I got a lot of emails and text
messages from people. it it's more of a well it's in our neighborhood and we didn't have an opportunity to get this and there is some jealousy. I could read you a text message saying that two was he
called us not very nice names guy snarfed this up and this was to the seller saying you left a million dollars on the table. So, are you mad about the environment or are you mad about not be having the opportunity to purchase this land? And
okay, so that that's my it's issue. I mean, if you want to start doing um EAWs to every gravel that opens up in Parker County, have at
it. They everybody though is going to spend $20,000. It takes four to eight months. And the endgame of this is not having a EAW. The endgame of this and how many times you've been asked is why don't they pull their petition or their request? That's at at the tech meeting
twice. Why won't they just pull it? Because that's they're not going to be happy if we do EAW and it comes back. we need to do this and this and then we do all that and then then what's the next step? Is it safety for traffic? Is it
the dust? It they're just you're reaching for straws. It's like well these two guys who are local boys who bought some land, we don't want them to develop it because it's in our backyard.
And there's been a lot of a lot of hate, a lot of mean words said. I've been called a lot of names. And all I did was buy 100 acres from a guy at pickle ball that wanted to sell his land and approached us about selling it. It
wasn't us. And there there's text messages saying, "Well, how did they con you in?" can you help us out and go to the board and write a letter to them saying how they conned you into selling it to them because somebody else wanted to buy it for even more and you didn't sell it to them. It's like
I I don't understand. And and you know and again the order of the EA it's it's a ploy. it it's just the first step to request to stop the whole project to make sure nothing happens out there. And I I said common
sense would say when you've never ordered one of these except for a project that was a 20-year project that was huge amount of acres, you know, with railroad tracks. Yes. And that was within a thousand feet of lake
that absolutely needs EA. this magnitude of a project how small it is just trying to not open a gravel pit operating gravel pit just hauling gravel out I'm sorry I I disagree with you Barry
there um Mr. chair. Yep. The problem is in the application, we don't know what it it it doesn't state just going to haul this gravel. I mean, we it needed more detail. Okay. But, you know, Barry, with
everything that we do, you add screening, you add this, you add that. You can add any conditions you want to this at the time. But now if you send these guys for that $20,000 EAW and then you tell them no after it comes back
because it's going to come back saying nothing. It's a gravel pit. It's not there's not an in. So that's what it's I already know what the EA is going to say and now so then are you going to say yeah okay go ahead or are we going to say no after they spend that money? I I
I don't know why they would be treated any different than the rest of the gravel pits in the county. this issue specifically is the data that we've received is not detailed to tell us those things and
you can't let me ask you can you answer that at the time that you vote on this today we have to act today we do we have to act today so let's act and not not make them get an EA let's do the right thing don't make them don't make them jump through these hoops and when
they come to us then you can You can put conditions on it or say no, but don't make them do this and then say no later because if you do that, I I don't disagree with you, but I'm it's what's concerning to me is the next project
and we should do the same thing with the next project. We are people with common sense and we should not be making developers jump through hoops and go through unnecessary steps and that's this is the problem. It's a rural area.
It should be treated like a rural area and that's what it is. Everybody likes I like living out in the country too, but I put up with different things that go on out there. Correct me if I'm wrong, Kyle. If it's 40 acres, it's mandatory. Correct. Yeah. So, there is mandatory requirements for
an EAW at 40 acres. Now, if you wanted I mean, you could go on the offensive and argue that this is a 90 acre project, but they're only asking for 20 acres to mine the gravel and moving it on the rest of it. So if it was a 98 acre project, we wouldn't even be here today.
It would be required before before the even my question is is you know going through this because I've been told it's it's inadequate. It's this it's that. We've I've probably looked at just a handful that we've done in the past few years. Um one is out near Picker Lake.
That's the Dale Rener um site. Um we gave one to Daryl Bergstrom on Hide of Land. We gave one to Colin Metry. gave one to Roger Clem. None of that information is much different, nor is it extremely
extensive. The only extensive application I've ever seen regarding gravel was strata. So, when I'm looking at this and we're administering this, and I know the one thing missing was that reclamation plan. Um, but I think what the developer would say is obviously we're going to mine this and
in a couple years we're going to lay the top soil back. So, I'm not sure. what we're going to gather after today. They're going to come and say the same thing they've said already. So, I would like rather than to avoid this in the
future. And uh Commissioner Nelson, you've said it once. If they if you did order it, they had the opportunity to withdraw. I'm guessing that's what they would do hearing everything that they've heard today. What they need to provide? What is it?
Wait. Well, somebody want to know how many exactly how many chucks are going to come out of their day because they can't provide that. Um, they're not washing materials there. They're going to do some crushing in the fall. I'm sure that crusher will
move on site depending on where they're mining. I'm sure it's going to be immediately next to the road and as they go, it's it's going to move. But I think for everybody, we should identify what is missing or what should be gathered. so when they do come back or what have
you that there's somewhat of an idea of what the group wants and I follow up with that as you said if you look at have you all looked back at other applications
because I've been told in here that ours is a scant effort but when you got 12 applications that were approved were exactly like our application and I've never heard of of a less than one sentence answer because that that to
me that's one word but she calls it less than one sentence. All those applications are going to be so similar that you wouldn't be able to tell them apart but yet this one because of the location of it
is being really scrutinized and and because we have a discretionary EA in front of us. Yeah. All the rest of them we haven't. Yeah. Right. We haven't had a mandatory EA, so we didn't have to decide on that. We didn't have to look at the information to decide, do we have enough information
to to address all the stuff on the EAW? Unfortunately, in this case, Commissioner Gibson, do do you think next time then like the the project on 54 that when these people find out that this is all you got to do is get a GoFundMe page, hire Bogle Law Firm and
require this, it's going to happen on every gravel pit that's going to want to open in Becker County. It is going to If not, I'm I'm going to pay very close attention to it. So, we're setting a precedent right now is what we're doing. And we shouldn't we should be very careful what we do. uh be
careful how we spend on both sides their money. Well, I I'm going to say it one more time. It's a gravel pit. They're everywhere. We've also denied gravel pits. Uh planning and zone has denied uh down by
Corman Church, the uh gravel pit that was right next to the cemetery was denied. I mean, there's been denials before before the board of the whole gravel pit. Um I I there was a second one too, but um that was that failed in planning zoning
and they didn't. So going back to it was said earlier, you can get a land alteration and pull it out of there and there'll be no AW. So it's and it wouldn't change anything. is going to come out of there just the same as it's
so then it comes down to like your your EAW is say basically does this okay we pull it you know our conditioning permit we get the land permit we pull all the gravel out of there we develop it how we're going to develop it and be done
with it because that's if if you vote for EA that's that's what it's going to be the plan I we will have to just go that route with it. Yeah. And what would change in the operation? Nothing. A crusher. A crusher
is not a big deal. I don't care. Go sit by them. What would change is there'd be absolutely no conditions. Yeah. And they would lose a bunch of money. So, let's let's we talk about this develop developing at the EDA all
the time trying to find people to develop property because we're short of housing in Becker County and we have a developer sitting in front of us and we're going to make it as hard as we can for him because these people hired an attorney. Great. Cuz none of us have any
experience of what a gravel pit is. I guess that's shocking to me. But and then we we try to jump through all the hoops, you know, to get this condition use permit. You know, we went to Vector Soil and Water. We had them
out twice. Um I I don't know what else you need to do. It's ex unless you have to submit a 40page application to explain everything that you do when that hasn't been required in the past.
when there's I mean because I'm we'll review other applications that you guys approved but they are in different neighborhoods. So this is and my son lives right next to this. He he's the closest resident to this. And do you think I'd have an
operating gravel pit next to the house my son just bought? Well, Mr. Chair, I would say that Dean Miller and Sue Spitzer are the closest. It's I mean no property when when you go where this this is cuz we're in a back up from
their property. Yes. You look at the topography and and you see where that hill is and it's right on their line. I mean and it slopes down to your son's place. So the majority of work will be right right in there
and it's going to take place whether they do an EA or not. I don't like the EW today, but I think every Thursday, every once a month, me and Erica go to the EDA and we try to
find a way. Are these low income developments? Well, try and find a way to make housing every once a month and we look for ways to enhance developers to come in and do that. And now we have one sitting in
front of us and and we're going to kick them in the rear end and tell them go somewhere else. Has nothing to do with the development of the property. Has everything to do with the development. They bought it to develop it and then found out there's gravel there and now it's got to come out of there and so we're going to make them
give it away and it's going to be the same. It's all going to be the same amount of truckloads. This is ridiculous. I think we need I think we need a motion. I think we do. I I'm going to make a motion to not have an EA there. That's what I'm going to do.
So, we have a motion by Richard to deny the EAW. Do we have a second? I'll second it. So, we have a motion and a second to We have a motion by Richard and a second by Phil to deny the AW. Do we have any further discussion? Mr. Chair. Yeah.
Um, I do have some findings of fact uh with a conclusion and a decision for you. I'd like to introduce I have a copy for each of you. Okay, I can summarize it. It's a 15-page document. I have copies available um for
anyone. Let's go. This is the from the other meeting correct the this is basic basically the whole entire record. So the planning commission, the tech panel, the petition itself, um
that's how it was created. Once if this passes passing out publicly have a motion in second. Yeah, we do change. No, no. So basically what this document
is um is identifying what the concerns were um from dust to radon to noise to vibration to truck traffic
to groundwater quality to con to chemical contamination to endangered species and to phase or connected a actions and then to other ISS issues and basically it it responds to all of those
um items and constitutes that the EV evidence presents fails to demonstrate that the project may have the potential for significant environmental effects. So if you would consider adopting that in its entirety
could you you attach that to the motion and second is that yes that's what I would like. Yes. So, Richard amends it to attach this. Is that good with you too, Phil? Uh, no. I haven't had a time to review this. Um, this is just the finding of
fact. This is the the log of what we talked about. What this finding does is support your decision to not order the AW. Okay, I will amend. Okay, so we have a motion and a second and an amendment. Um, do we have any
more discussion? All right. So, all in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I opposed. I All right. Motion carries. All right. Do we have any Do you have anything else, Kyle?
I have nothing really, Mr. Chair. Carrie, do you have any we have any anybody else have anything for the good of the order? No. Nothing. All right, we are ajourned. Thank you. I do have a concern that the commission just adopted