--------- We have any new employees? Doesn't look like it. I know those two have been here a little while. >> Right. All right. Identify future work topics. Did anybody have anything? >> Yes.
>> Uh yesterday I was at Dancing Sky. Um Oh, man. It's AAA and it's uh area agency on aging. Okay. Um and it's a 21 county area collaborative uh that's
funded by a lot of the uh older American act and all of that. Um, and they said that they would be happy to come and talk to any of the county boards that that if we wanted them to and I and it's up to you guys. I don't care. I but I know that part of our budget and I think it's somewhere around 10,000. Andy, do
you remember how much in 8,000? So, it's not a huge number, but it's 8,000 that we and it's on a like a per population of how many people over 60. Uh, and they'd be happy to come and talk about services that they provide if if you guys want to. I just I'm offering.
Sounds good to me. >> Thanks. That was it for me. >> Okay. Any others? No. All right. Project graduation update.
Well, thanks for having me, uh, commissioners. I think this is about my sixth or seventh time in front of you. Seen some new faces but mostly old faces which is good. Anyway, I want to thank you for having
me uh opportunity to speak again and I appreciate your service to Bel Tramy County is something that um to be a servant leader that's something that we don't have the skills to do most of us but I appreciate you doing that for the rest of us. So, I want to give you an
update uh on Project Graduate, but also more importantly talk about what more you can do to promote 100% graduation rate in Bel Tramy County. I want to start out with a couple weeks ago, I was talking to some fifth graders in Clarebrook
and I was handing out uh handing out um bookmarks that said uh think graduate, be sure and graduate, something like this. and was talking to a group of fifth graders uh and I noticed this one fifth grader had a really nice uh belt
buckle on and I said where where'd you get that belt buckle and he said well in rodeo he said oh I said well what do you have to do to get that what do you do in the rodeo and he says bowls he said just answer one word bowls I said then I said well what do you how long you have to say on a bowl before you get recognition
he says 8 seconds I assume that 8 seconds probably meant like eight hours on a bowl but nevertheless as fifth grader riding riding bulls 8 seconds. Then I was thinking, well, how long does it take for somebody to remind a student to
graduate from high school? About two seconds. So that's our goal. If every citizen in Bel Tramy County identify just one individual and took it upon themselves to remind that student whether it be a senior in high school, a
sophomore, a junior, sixth grader to graduate, we could get the job done, but we'd have to do it relentlessly. Now, this past year and during this last year, I was teaching a class called Hope at Red Lake High School. H O P E. Each of those letters stand for something.
The P stands for being positive and the E stands for whatever we do, show some eagerness and enthusiasm. All right. So, I'm eager to see what happens to those juniors this year now that are now seniors. If because of that class and other things that we can increase our
graduation rate at Bel at Red Lake High School. Now, in your packet, you should have a current updated list on the graduation rate in schools in the area, right? uh going from Bichi High School 85% down to Cast Lake was 60 69%. Is
that about right Joe and Cast Lake you think? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. And uh so so overall we've we're improving a little bit. For example, Clearbrook had their had about a 90% graduation rate this past year.
Voyagers I serve on the school board of Voyagers and we've had one of our largest graduating classes ever. But still we have a long ways to go. You know, when you look at those marks and and some people say, "Well, John, how about if you just had a goal for the county of, let's say, maybe 90% instead
of 100%." Well, we're still leaving out 10% of the kids. And so, if I were a principal, again, you know, talking to my students, I say, "Well, you know, this year we have a goal of 90% graduation rate at our
school." And some of those kids who probably know are on the borderline say well I guess he's not talking about me you know so I go with expectations you know that we have high expectations for all of our students to graduate because all of them can graduate right so what
have we what have we been doing this last year that is maybe different than what we've done other years with this well we started an alliance program as you know the first several years of project graduate I went around to almost every business in Belrammy County and knocked on their and encouraged them
to support 100% graduation rate. They put up posters, this sort of thing. And that ended up with about 450 businesses that I contacted those first two years. So, I was on the road a lot just talking to people. Now this past year we're starting an alliance of just
like 12 prominent businesses in Bel Tramy County and each of those businesses have promised to do something to promote it themselves. For example, the Mitchi Woolen Mills this two months ago or about a month ago they had a hoops
contest which you probably read about and on the certificates that were given to the uh to the participants said be sure and graduate promote 100% graduation rate. Right. So, Lazy Jacks is on their napkin holders. They're putting the sticker behind graduate.
Buenova ski lodge on their ski lift tickets. They have a little sticker that says be sure and graduate. So, everybody is doing something different. Andy Wells at Wells Technology wanted me to uh to put together a little booklet for him to give to students that come and listen to his presentations at Well Technology.
So, I'm doing that, too. So, this alliance, I think we're going to try this alliance out for and see how it works. But also we have an advocate program. Now this advocate program now is in about 12 states and it's also in five foreign countries believe it or not. They said, "Well, John, how did you
get those five states?" Well, this past year we had a Peacecore reunion in here in Bamichi. And all of my Peace Corps volunteers said they would do whatever you know they could do to promote 100% in their communities in their states. So I've got them working for it. And then
I've been working with uh students in five different countries over the past three years also through the Peace Corps virtually. And so whenever I talk to students and their teachers, well, we talk about graduating this sort of thing. So we have advocates now in in five different countries. So that might
mean not too much, but to me it means that the word is getting out there and and of course that's the whole idea to get the word out there. I was watching the girls basketball tournament this past week and uh watching the Providence Academy win their title for
class 2A I believe it was and I was just wondering well how what percent of those girls at Providence Academy which is in Plymouth graduate from high school. So I looked it up on the internet and 100% of those girls did it and then I looked at well what is the cost to go to to go to
uh Providence Academy in Plymouth? How much you think it is? What's their tuition? Any guesses? Pardon me. >> Over 10,000. Yeah. Actually, $25,000 to go to. Then you say, "Well, John, that's why they have 100% graduation rate. All their parents are affluent." Well, that
may be part of the issue, but really, you know, probably none of us in here came from families that were really, really influent. You know, middle class, some lower class, etc. So, it's not so much the affluence that does help. There's no question about it. But the
fact is that we had a mindset to graduate. When I graduated from high school, I wasn't the best student in the world, but nevertheless, I knew that's what I was expected to do. And so, this high expectation grounded me in the idea that I had to graduate from high school. And of course, I did. And the same thing
with all of you. We had this mindset to do it. So, if we can make graduation a mindset in Belrammy County, then we're then we're home free. Well, how do you do that? Well, I gave you a list of some things that the commissioners could do
that would help this. And one of the things that you could do is to uh every year the KBUN has a PSA that promotes 100% graduation rate. And the one that's on there now, we started in the fall, so it's like five, six months old. So, I'd like to do
a new one. And this one I'd like to have somebody from the commissioners uh do it with me as well as somebody from the Bamiji city council and I spoke to the council a couple of weeks ago on doing that and last week I spoke to the Red Lake Tribal Council also and I'll
speak to the councils and Kellier and Black Duck in the near future here. So, if somebody would like to do that, that would be great. You know, just to get the word out there, it could promote the county commissioners. And then, um, as I said earlier, if all of you could pick
out just one person, it could be a neighbor, it could be your own son or daughter, it could be anybody, but just one person and relentlessly remind that student to graduate. Then kind of follow that student along, you know, for the next whatever it takes and see if that makes a difference. I know it will. It
just has to make a difference. And then another thing you could do would be to whenever you go and speak to your citizens, why mention mention graduation rate and talk about what the county can do and how this would improve the county. You know, we mentioned a lot about the fact that well, the more people that graduate from high school,
the fewer incarcerations we have. The more people that graduate from high school, the fewer people we have on public assistance. The more people that graduate from high school, the more likely they are to vote. So, there's just a myriad of reasons why graduation rate is so important. One of them recently I just discovered working with
Eileen Miller at Red Lake who's the diabetes coordinator there. There is a link between high school graduation and diabetes. So that if you have the more education you have, the less likely you are to get diabetes. Well, why would
that be? Well, because the more education, as you know, you make better decisions. And of course, that's what it is with diabetes, too. You eat better. you exercise better because you know more you see. So there's a lot of links to graduation rate and what we can do and uh so uh
with that in mind that gives me the update and if you have any questions about about um anything I'd be glad to entertain them you know >> yeah thank you Mr. chair. Thank you, John, for coming in. >> Okay, Joe. >> Preaching to the choir for the most part here. Thank you uh for the
>> All right. Yeah. Thank you. >> annual update. Uh I just wanted to ask a couple questions. >> Are you seeing anything new um over the past year or two as far as the why people aren't um graduating? Is it still
poverty, mental health? um you know there's yeah there's some sad depressing facts out there that contribute to >> right all that comes to play >> addressing those I think would would go a lot >> certainly would there's no question about it but I think the biggest thing
is though is that you know this is not this was not a school initiative initially wouldn't I make them my first presentation many years ago here seems like many years ago it's not a school initiative it's a community initiative so if we can get the community people just like my parents did just like your
parents that encouraging their kids to graduate. That's all it takes, you know. >> Yeah. >> And but they have to do that relentlessly. >> Public awareness and >> public awareness is a big thing. Marketing. >> Yeah. Right. Marketing, all that. You know, it's like running a campaign, you know, the same kind of thing that you have to do it.
>> But as far as addressing the root cause, uh would you say there's anything new other than what's been typical the last? There's so many causes, you know, um that determine whether or not a student will graduate. If they don't like school,
they're not likely to graduate because they're going to drop out early. If they have a teacher they don't like, if they're bullying, if their parents are alcoholics or into drugs, if their father and mother didn't graduate from high school, they're not likely to graduate.
Um so there's a lot of factors of poverty the whole but nevertheless even kids that have all those issues before them still a lot of them graduate and Joe you know this too coming from Voyagers high school uh teaching there
that so many kids have these issues but nevertheless they do it because someone has encouraged them to graduate and they were relentless about it and they just needed to do this they just needed to do it >> and I'm happy to help you on the PR are front. Uh, you know, I I think that's
super important. We got to keep that going. But, >> as you know, it's important to meet kids where they're at, right? And, um, I don't see anything on here as as far as social media, like, you know, Instagram, Tik Tok, uh, would go a long way as far as reaching that key demographic. And
there's issues with social media, too. Of course, it's, you know, there's two two sides of that coin. But, yeah. Um, I didn't see anything on here, and I was wondering if you have plans. I have a we uh I have a we're on Facebook, you know, people can go to Facebook and find it. I
have a website also. so they can go to the website and I try to use uh social media as much as I can with the limited knowledge I have that being an old guy you know I'm still working on a typewriter keyboard but nevertheless uh if you have any suggestions about that
you know what more we can do on social media I would encourage them and uh I know you send out a newsletter also which is is that monthly newsletter >> quarterly >> quarterly yeah which I I read it and uh you know just even a little blurb been
there would help also you know anything like that and as you know every every time I write a column for the Biji uh paper which is twice a month now sometimes three times a month in my column I put a little blurb in there in terms of what people are doing to support 100% graduation and with the
posters that you have you know that goes uh into all the communities uh here where I whenever I go around I put up these posters and businesses and say well John will that really do it I And it's just a poster, but you never know
if one student or one parent saw that poster that it made a difference, you know, and that's why you guys put up uh signs when you run for county commission. >> But from a county perspective, how do we get to that 100% other than just um PR
and marketing, right, and being a good role model? I mean, that all goes a long ways, >> but what what do you tell people to >> Well, investing in mental health or >> Yeah. So, next week I will go to the uh I think the Kellier city council and
talk to them and give them kind of the same spiel I gave you about what more they can do. And I'll visit uh sometime this year as often as I can visit with the schools during the lunch hour when I can pass out bookmarks to uh uh to
students that encourage them to graduate. So uh and then of course if a superintendent or principal wants me to come to their teachers and talk to them always glad to do that you know but as you know Joe educators are pretty independent people I mean they like to
feel that hey we can handle this ourselves but in terms of education we haven't done it and I've been in education this is my 61st year in teaching and u we haven't done it we have not graduated our students and so this is why the community need to take a
hold of this, you know, and do something. >> Thank you, John. Appreciate you. >> Yeah, thanks. >> Okay, move on to parental fee policy. Good afternoon, commissioners. Ann Lindsath, director of health and human
services, and I'm here today with Jeff Lind, who is our social services division director. We have presented a draft parental fee policy for the board's consideration, and we'd like to share some information about that. A question that would come up would be
why implement a parental fee? Um, and ultimately there are a number of counties across the state of Minnesota who already have parental fee policies in place. In fact, we have utilized a number of them when we've developed the draft policy that's in front of you. We've consulted with Scott, Nichollet,
Todd, Lake of the Woods, and a variety of others to understand how their parental fee policies work, and they all do look differently across the state of Minnesota. Um, parental fee policies are supported by Minnesota statute and rule.
Um and and our current Belrammy County fee schedule actually already allows for the collection of parental fees per an approved departmental policy. And so that's what's in front of you today is the opportunity to approve a departmental policy that would allow the collection of parental fees. Um,
parental fee collection would be the goal of the policy would be to maximize reimbursements related to out ofome placement costs. And the primary reimbursement would be our federal 4E reimbursement. And ultimately, we do request information from families in
order to determine fore eligibility so that we can receive that reimbursement. But we do not have a way without a parental fee policy to compel families to provide the data and information that we need to determine for eligibility. Which means that we could possibly be
missing out on fore reimbursements. And of course, the other um reimbursement source would be the actual charging out of parental fees based on income. It would be based on a sliding fee scale and would o only cover a very very small
percentage of out ofome placement costs. Um, so that's the why be behind why we're bringing it forward to the board today. Um, I'm going to have Jeff share some basic information. >> Good afternoon, commissioners. Um, and already talked about some of the things
on this slide, but one of the things I wanted to talk about is when a child goes into placement, we do have to So, first let's define what a placement is. We're not necessarily talking about um a parental fee for a child that's placed on a emergency hold. We're talking about
um a fee that would be a parental fee that would be um based on uh either a a voluntary placement agreement being signed or a court-ordered placement. uh those like so law enforcement might pick up a youth uh for whatever reason and
then have to place that child whether it's at Northwest Juvenile Center, whether it's at Evergreen or whether it's in an emergency foster home. We're not talking about those places. We're talk we're talking about the ones where we develop a plan and we work forward to
help that youth get back home. So one of the things that has to happen is once we get to that point we have to request information of the parents which allows us to to determine fore eligibility which I already talked about which is where we get much of our reimbursements
for foster care. There are times that parents provide that information to us and there are times where we don't get that information for a number of different reasons. This allows us to compel parents to give us that information so that we can then move forward with determining of of the
fouryear eligibility and then to see whether or not there is a parental fee that would be necessary. Um I think the next thing the next part of the reason that we want to do this is there are times when we have youth that have uh significant challenges at home and many
of us who have had uh teenagers sometimes get frustrated with our teenagers for any number of reasons. Again, uh there are times when a youth may be picked up by law enforcement and taken to Northwest Juvenile Center and a
parent's like, "Look, I I I can't have this child back home again. There there's too much danger to the family. There's this, there's that. There's any number of different things that happen." This allows us to work with the parent and say, "There is some skin in the game. You you you can't just say I'm not
going to pick up my child." Now, that doesn't happen very often, but there it does happen from time to time. And this gives us an opportunity to leverage um the the financial piece to ensure that parents are working towards the ends
that we all want them to be, which is children back home again. >> Not going. Oh, got it. Um so if a youth is is determined to be for you eligible this family would not
they would not be charged any any fee. Um and many of the youth that you may not be forel eligible and you still may may not be charged a fee because of your situation because your finances because of where you're at. Um, so it's really a
very small number of families that are going that we would anticipate being charged to feed. Uh, again, it just gives us another tool as we move forward with working with families. So, how do we calculate the parental fee? So, we do have a calculator that's
utilized by other Minnesota counties. Um the fees are based on current FPG or federal poverty guidelines. So it would be updated annually. Um and the Department of Human Services suggests beginning to charge a fee at 275%
FPG. Um counties can deviate from that if they choose. And as we looked at other counties parental fee policies, if you've seen one county's parental fee policy, you've seen one county's parental fee policy. So, it's ultimately um up to the board to decide where that
charging begins. But our the department is suggesting local health and human services is also suggesting alignment with the suggestion from DHS to start that uh charging at 275% FPG. The next slide talks about what those
charges look like. So, this would be how it is calculated and how health and human services would determine the fee. We would gather the required income information and other information necessary for 4E determination. And then we would look at um if you notice 275%
FPG uh family size of 4 between 7,563 to $8,249 um a month would be where charging would be for that and it would be $275 a month. Um many of the placements that
youth are in um are between $300 to $400 a day in certain specialty placements. Um our foster families between $1,500 to $2,000 a month. So again, just a reminder, this is a small percentage of out ofome placement costs.
>> I'm sorry. >> Yes. >> Was that a that fee at the bottom? That's a monthly fee. >> That is a monthly fee. Yes. I'm sorry. should have clarified that. >> Next section is objection and review.
>> So once we determine that a family has that there is a fee that they're going to have to pay, they would have opportunity to to come forward and say, "Look, I I can't afford it. It's not it doesn't I can't do it for whatever reason." Uh we would it would then that request would come to our our placement
review committee uh or our placement fee review committee. Uh and then we would be looking at whether or not there was any grounds for us to um step back from that particular fee at that time. Uh we would be reassessing uh per statute
every year to make sure it is statutoily um authorized and we would be looking at any significant household changes. Say someone else, someone moves out of the house, someone ages out, all those monetary changes that happen within a household uh and then there there are
some limited statutory reasons to wave the amended fees. Really the biggest one is the best interest of the child. So an an example of that might be if we if we are taking fee and someone and a and a parent they can't afford their housing.
Well, if they're going to lose their housing, there's not going to be an opportunity for us to return that child back to that home. So, we might take that into consideration. There's no guarantees. Every every situation is going to be different, but we'll look at all of them. Um, household income
changes, uh, you know, someone loses a job, those types of things. We have to pay attention to all that. We do not want to make it more difficult for a family to to have their their child return to them. So, we take we'd be we'd be taking that all into consideration.
>> And in in the policy in your packet, it does define who is on the out ofome placement fee review committee. It does include individuals who do not work for the county. So, uh school social workers, we have state probation. So, there's outside influences as we look at
those fees moving forward. We were very mindful when we created the draft policy to include stakeholders in the development and so we did include a number of divisions within the health and human services umbrella. It touches a number of areas within both social
services and economic assistance but we also included our county attorney's office who are very involved in this development. our state probation um director Trish Hansen. And then we did not consult the district judges regarding the development of the policy,
but we did I did provide a presentation to the district judges um sharing with them that we were moving forward. We were intending to move a parental fee forward to the board for consideration. I didn't receive a lot of feedback from the judges. The judges do cover a multi-county area and they are familiar
with parental fees from other counties. In fact, our court orders already include the necessary language to collect parental fees because it's likely done for other counties. And then I provided some example scenarios to look at how the policy
would actually be implemented in practice. And so as a household of two, just an example made up scenarios. If you have a caregiver with one child, the child enters a placement court ordered. The caregiver reports no income and that's verified and fills out all fore
determination information. Um the household would be determined for eligible. There would be no parental fee, but the county would be eligible for increased federal reimbursement. Household of three, if you have a caregiver and two children, caregiver
working earning $19 an hour full-time, um they would not be for eligible because of income, but they would be earning less than 275% FPG. So there would be no parental fee assessed for that household. And then a household of four, two caregivers, two children. Both
children go into placement. Both caregivers work at the amounts listed. They would not be for eligible, but they would be earning more than that 275% FPG. So using the fee schedule, their parental fee would be $325 per month. So
those are some examples just to consider how it would look in practice. Um, does the board have questions? >> I guess I have one. U is, if this were a mental health type of issue, is it different than
say a criminal type of >> it would be all courtordered placements. So, it would be probation. It could possibly be mental health placement under what's called a voluntary placement agreement which is actually does result in a court order. Um or it
could be >> with that would any insurance be paying or not? >> With the mental health placements that we manage, we get a very small reimbursement from insurance. Um it's usually not covered by insurance.
>> Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Senator. >> Thank you, Mr. here. Um, thank you, uh, Jeff and an for the presentation. And all my time that I've been on the board, I guess this is the first time that that I've heard about the
parental fee policy. So, I'm just kind of curious um h have we has the board been um given an update like this in the past or is it
because the financial situation that the county is facing that this could be our first time hearing something like this because um I understand that you know you you don't want to make it more difficult for
families amilies. But I think any amount, you know, uh the $275 to $300 a month, it does add up, you know, a year of this in a parental uh fee policy would amount to $3,300
to $3,600. And if there is a couple that making $50 an hour combined, I just don't know if if people have that type of money to uh afford this type of fee. Um, you
know, everything is going up except the paycheck, food, uh, rent, you know, insurance, you know, the cost of living keeps going up, but, you know, people are still struggling to
get by, you know, uh, living paycheck to paycheck. So, I'm just trying to get a little bit more information of where we're coming from. um if we're trying to fill you know the financial gap that we're facing in the county because if that is I'm not too
sure if it's uh something I would support at this time. >> Thank you. >> So Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Um I'm just curious that parental fee would kick in when the child is in some placement not in the
parents home. Is that correct? >> Correct. Has anyone tried to feed a teenager these days? I don't think you can feed a teenager for $325 a month. I I I don't think that's outrageous. I I If you think about what that couple is saving or that single mom or that single
dad is saving, not feeding that child for a month is probably in excess of the parental fee. Maybe I'm wrong. I It's feeding a kid these days is not cheap. I just want to reiterate that we we anticipate a very small percentage of
families would be charged a parental fee and our primary reasoning around this is to increase our 4E reimbursement. Right now when we do not receive information from families we can't determine 4E which means that we're missing out on
that reimbursement. So there this is twofold. One, there's that fore piece which is our primary motivation around this is to increase federal reimbursement and then the secondary would be the sliding fee based on the
federal poverty guidelines that would be assessed to a parent which would be a much smaller percentage we anticipate. >> Thank you. Um follow-up question Mr. Chair. So, with the um
I lost my train of thought because I was thinking about Commissioner Carlson's question and I'm not too sure if there was uh two his question and my question kind of align um yeah >> and maybe might piggy back up mine, Mr.
Chair. >> Mr. Yeah. Um just uh I had similar question to what Commissioner Sumar was asking. Wondering how how did you come across this of you know um this idea of of having the policy so that we could get more um information or have a way of
getting more information to be able to do more for reimbursements? Did did you go to a seminar or something where you found out about it or how how did we come across it? We've known for many years that many other counties have a parental fee
policy. Um, and so when I took over as director, it was one of the things that I looked into further with other county directors and and saw that it was very common across the state. There are some counties that do not have parental fee policies. Um, but for larger counties,
it is more likely that there is a parental fee policy in place. So, it's just something that we had just not gotten around to doing before. No, not not because of a money or anything. It just we hadn't looked into it.
>> I actually started working on a parental fee policy probably about eight or nine years ago. We've just never brought it forward because it didn't it didn't seem to be the right time and under the right circumstances to do so. Um we're we're really not looking at at um the we're
looking more at the savings opportunity when when parents are very invested in the work that they're doing with their children and very they tend they work harder and if there's a if there is a financial cost or some parents it may
push them to visit more. It may push them to be more involved in the treatment for their for their youth. Not I mean most parents I think are are completely involved with work and and with parenting their children and trying
to raise them in a way that we would all like our children raised. Um whatever whatever that happens to be for each individual family, right? Um, but this is just an opportunity for us to for some parents that that maybe at their wits end with challenges that they've
had and and this allows this puts I mean aside from skin in the game I guess in some respects. >> Um, Mr. chair, another follow-up question or whatever. The do the the families where the children are being
placed, do they receive reimbursement for accepting those those children into their homes? And and that so they're they're getting reimbursed for basically doing what the parents should be doing. And and uh and then but this would be uh the parents that would be paying the
county for this parental fee if they're making enough money to make it justifiable. Right. >> Correct. Okay. Yes. >> Just wanted to get my arms around how how it worked and >> families um facility placements,
juvenile center placements, um all have a daily rate that's paid by the county. Um and so this would in cases where it is affordable per that sliding fee, um then they would pay a very small
percentage of those costs. >> All right. Thank you. And if I could just add to that, um, for the Evergreen Shelter, for a youth to spend a night at the Evergreen Shelter, there's a cost of about $275, 275 to 285 depending on the type of
programming they get. And the same thing with the Northwest Juvenile Center. Uh, it would be three anywhere between 325 a day and 421 depending on the programming that they're getting. So you can see the amount that we're talking about charging
is very very minuscule in compared in comparison to some of the costs that come to the county. That's why it's not we're not looking at these dollars as a way to necessarily you know suddenly bring in $100,000 to the county. >> Although I will say that fore
reimbursements are significant and as I mentioned before that is the primary reasoning is to maximize those federal reimbursements. to get more of those paper. >> The other quick piece of that is many facil many facilities are fore eligible
and some are not based on the type of facility that they are. So that should be clarified as well. >> Well, Mr. Sure. Um, thanks to Commissioner Goswick for helping me uh remember my question, but I'm just
curious, have you reviewed the current cases to get a snapshot of the potential fore reimbursement that we would receive? >> I don't think they I don't think they can because they they don't get that. They don't have this in place to be able
to force. >> But they but they but they have the information of >> No, they don't. of of of the >> correct >> families in in out of home placement. Correct. >> We have children's information. Yeah. >> But we have no way to
>> That's what I'm I'm asking. So yeah, you have you have some information that could help you get some type of of numbers of of >> We have just children's information and unless the parents voluntarily provide
their income, which many do not um we do not have a way to make an accurate estimate of reimbursements at this time. So, one of the things with the policy is that it does say at the bottom of it is that it will be it h it can be changed
and it will be adjusted annually. Um, so it's something that we can come back to the board with and say this is this is what changed with having the parental fee policy in place. >> Okay. So, I think, you know, I'm having a hard time understanding is it's like
you're you're requiring the parents to provide this information when there could potentially be uh a situation where the kid is having a mental health issue. Um they're at their wits end, you
know, with with the challenges that that are happening. And it almost seems like uh kind of like there's a break in the system and and you're punishing the parents because there's not enough adequate services in the county to help the
children. So the way to get their skin in the game is to assess them to see when in reality we just need to provide more services. Well, I guess I would say our primary
goal is to maximize our federal reimbursements and if parents are assessed a sliding fee, we have set that FPG guideline higher than many other counties that have a parental fee policy. So, the goal is not to have a
large line item for parental fees coming in that impact our budget. The goal is to maximize the federal for funding as much as we possibly can. >> Every parent or every every set of parent or whatever to give the financial information to be able to get the
emergency majority. So I I look at it as being virtual and that there be probably not that many that would actually get assessed fee but we would hopefully get a lot more for reimbursement because we would be
getting financial information from all of >> that accurate >> yeah and and I do have to be transparent that we don't know without having the parents income how to forecast that impact and we won't know until we have a
way to compel families to hand that information in. >> If it ends up being more than what we thought or think, then we can adjust the policy, you know, so at a higher rate if we want, >> right? >> We can we will look at it annually.
>> Lower something hard. >> Well, it's a trial year for sure, the first year. So, and there I did see in the policy that they the family could have potentially even not have to pay that if their income changes. Correct.
Yep. They can >> start making less then >> they can ask for a reconsideration. Absolutely. >> There's a lot of jobs around here that monthly income fluctuates as you know. >> And I think the other thing to note is that we also need to balance the
administrative effort. So if we do, you know, look at that at the end, I think that's another thing to assess and bring back to the board. Um, so I mean there's a lot of things that are difficult to see into the future with right now. Um, but this would give us an ability to
have a pilot year and look at it um, and move on from there. >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay, we don't need to do anything with that right this minute. Right. >> Perfect.
>> Yeah. Annual soil and water conservation update. >> Good afternoon, commissioners. Um, taking this opportunity to give the annual SWCD update. Um, I want to publicly thank and acknowledge I've got a couple staff here that worked on the annual update and projects. Kaylee and
Rose and Claire and Dan and Cali were all part of doing that, but um, the other ones couldn't be here today, but they're here to um, be thanked and also to hold me accountable. So, if there's something that they need to correct or if they're not going to speak up today, I'm sure they will hold me accountable
to that when we get back to the office. Um we uh the the annual SWBCD report is a it's a statutoily required thing for SWCDs to provide to the county because historically SWCDs have relied on counties financially for their existence
and operation and and there's been this kind of cooperation in Belrammy County. we have a different um unique relationship where um we're one of very few counties in the state of Minnesota where the county and the environmental service department um have kind of
formed an agreement with the SWCD and we cooperatively do things. So, so our relationship is much stronger and just different than it is in the rest of the state. But, um we're still required to give an annual report similar to everybody else. And so, um you'll see some of these things in here are are
county and SBCD initiatives. Some of them are SWCD things. The the line gets really blurred. I have to often remind staff that um we are both county employees and SWCD employees and we're kind of just thinking about this in the greater good. And um sometimes with new
employees that gets really difficult and once they've been here a while they kind of start to understand like where funding comes from and how this works. But um at the end of the day we're just trying to do good things and help land owners in Belrammy County. And so without further ado, we'll kind of run through it. A little different format
this than normal. We're just kind of going through the actual annual report. We provided um one to you guys before the meeting. And then also it'll be on our SBCD website and um if anybody needs a copy or wants another copy, let us know.
Um I'm going to start with the financial side of it. Um last year, you know, and this isn't a audit full, you know, to the penny. This is kind of hitting the highlights, the the big picture stuff, but there was over a million dollars spent in Belrammy County in the last
year from SBCD grants, programs, projects. Um, of that, the number at the very bottom is 380,000 number. That's the number that the SBCD paid to the county to pay for staff services. And
really how that works is we track all of our time in our office that we're working on. And so when we're working on a grant that's eligible with uh time to get reimbursed, that grant gets build a billable rate and that just gets reimbursed directly to the county. So um
we budget for a number for for our county budget and this exceeds that number annually. So I think this last year was I think it was over what we budgeted by like $100,000. So 110 or something like that. Um, I'm not going
to go through all the details of that, but um, it gets really convoluted and confusing when people ask us like what's the SWCD budget? Well, the reason it's so hard and convoluted is because I'll like the third one down is a BSU stormwater grant. Um, that project that
we did was a we'll go over it in a little bit in detail later, but it was a $510,000 project. We applied for a grant to pay for that project. We received a grant. We had a cost estimate. We had a matching dollars from Enbridge. And then
um in the design phase, the engineers kind of realized that some numbers were um wrong and they redesigned it and said, "Well, really, if we're going to do this project to the best that it should be done, it should be this big instead of this big. That increased the cost of the project. So, we found
additional funds for it." So, there's that project alone is funded with like five different grants. Um excuse me. Each one of those grants usually has a a window of two or three years where those grants are effective.
So, we don't always know which year that money is going to be spent in. And we're often getting grants that are um one-time grants and then we have other grant programs that we get the same grant year after year after year. And that grant will be good for two or three years. So, um it's easier to say here's
roughly what we spent versus here's the money we have in grants sitting there at a time. But um bottom line is there was 650 660,000 spent on projects, landowner reimbursements, consulting, advertising, outreach,
um buying trees, other things like that. Um kind of divided the annual report into sections. The first kind of section is all related to water type things. Um a citizen lake monitoring. We've talked about this. Okay, we're going to kind of go over some of the things that we don't
normally talk about with our SWCD. We kind of come and talk to the board about some of the big projects. We don't often talk about the little things that are done on an annual basis. Um, the citizen lake monitoring program is something that the county board dedicated some
funding in our environmental service department budget to that probably um I want to say going on close to 14 years ago, 13 years ago, something like that. And um staff from our SBCD are the ones that go out and work with the land
owners and the volunteers and do the training and everything. But um the county budget is what actually pays the laboratory analysis the water samples. So citizens go out and collect the samples, bring it into us. We send it off to a lab, get the results back. The results get entered into a state
database. And then um periodically we'll work with a consultant to look at the water quality data to do trend analysis on those lakes and determine how we're doing, if water quality is improving or declining or if some special attention needs to be paid on those lakes. Uh the bottom part of that just kind of
highlights a couple of shoreline restoration projects that were done in the county last year. Um I believe the the vertical picture is a a big shoreline restoration project on Cath Lake if I remember right. Um there was a couple of big ones that were done last
year, but we're typically working with a handful of land owners every year on on pretty large shoreline restoration projects. Um keep it clean program. Uh, you know, we've talked about this a few times, but um, Upper Red Lake Area Association has
a grant, a couple of grants where they're paying for a collection program where they've got dumpsters at resorts. We're administering the grant. Our staff is helping facilitate the program, working with the volunteers with the upper Red Lake Area Association. And the the SBCD also received a separate keep
it clean grant. So, next year you'll see even more advertising and outreach and efforts being done up there. Um, the biggest thing to remember, take away or learn from the keep it clean kind of update is that this is the first year where I haven't heard of a single
complaint from a outfitter, a fisherman, or anybody about the garbage being left on the lake. So, um, I know every year is different, every weather year is different. There's lots of variables that go into this, but um what anecdotally what we're being
told is that this program has made a huge difference on that lake. Um so, you know, it's been a success. We're going to continue to keep working on that. Hopefully someday we don't need this. Um hopefully we don't need to spend any time telling people to clean up after themselves.
>> Mr. Sure. >> I'm sorry, Brent, but if if if history is any indication, I I remember 30 years ago when my kids came home and admonished me for not recycling a tin can, and now the kids today just throw them in the garbage. So, I'm I'm not
sure that that'll ever go away. Yeah, I I say that in just a little bit because there's always going to be a percent of the population that's going to need a little bit of reminder, but can always be optimistic, right? Yep. Um the Geo Atlas is something that um we had hired
uh through a temp agency through always their staffing. We had hired some staff to work on this project for us and then we um we also finished it with staff inhouse but completed a um geollocating like 4700 wells in Belrammy County. Um
the University of Minnesota and I'm not sure the US geolog or uh Minnesota geological survey department is working on a geologic atlas for Bel Tramy County. So um I expect that in probably about two years we will have a geologic
atlas that'll be completed with um soil profiles that go down a lot deeper and more in depth than our soil survey and there's a lot of information that we can use for development and for other things in that. Um, we have a well sealing program. If anybody's curious, reach out
and ask. Uh, rain gauge program. We've got 16 citizens in Belrammy County currently that are monitoring every rainfall that happens. Um, it doesn't sound like a big deal when you think about that, but um, it ends up being
that the data ends up being used in a lot of different ways that people don't really fully understand all the time. And I just want to say thank you to those volunteers that are doing that because there are some farmers for example who rely on NRCS drought maps
and those drought maps are based on these rainfall monitors. Um, so they know where pockets of drought have been occurring and pockets of heavy moisture have been occurring. And, um, the more people that are that are doing that and submitting their data every month, the better data that's out there and helps
it helps everything. Um, here's the BSU storm water basin. On the top there is just a couple pictures showing it in construction. Um, everybody, I'm sure, saw the huge pile or mountain of sand in the BSU parking lot and most people were wondering what in the heck is that? Um, just a kind of
quick reminder. Essentially, it took a um a roughly a 90 acre drainage area in the city of Bumiji, the Mindad Highway and city streets and the like the old high school area and all that. Um, that storm water all went through a a pipe underground under BSU's campus and out
into Diamond Point Park. There's a couple of um drastically undersized storm water ponds there. They, you know, I don't know what the the ratio is if they should have been 50 times larger to be really fully built or what, but um but drastically undersized nonetheless.
Took that pipe, cut it, and just rerouted that storm water into the ground in an underground treatment area. And then that treatment area is designed to handle the first one to two inches of rain, depending on how fast that rain falls. And anything heavier than that or
more than that would start filling up in that ground similar to a septic system and then it would continue in the existing pipe and continue to go where it once went. So um heavy rainfalls there will still be some water flowing through that pipe out to Diamond Point. But the vast majority of our rains will
be treated in the ground right there. So that is um there's a there's a 10-year goal for phosphorus removal for Lake Bamiji. this project alone was like a quarter of that goal for a 10-year project. Um that's it's huge. Um so if
we can continue to find a couple projects like this, um these these go a long ways for protecting water quality and um restoring water quality. Um these projects aren't easy though. This this project was first talked about probably I mean probably 30 years ago. I mean not
this exact project but doing something in this area of BSU. they just they take a long time to develop these types of projects and it just worked out right now that this um the stars aligned the funding aligned and it made it happen. So um the bottom one is just a a snippet on storm water planning. We we've been
working with um a bunch of the small cities in Belrammy County right now with our one large one plans to look at their storm water treatment and look at ways that we can help them. Um, currently we've got conversations going in Black Duck and Kellier. Um, potential storm water projects happening in those two
towns. Um, excited about that. And then, uh, one other thing, I see the Smart Salter logo on there. I just want to kind of tell you a quick story. We hosted a smart salting workshop here this last year. Um, a bunch of staff from our public works department attended that training. And after the
training, they went back to public works and they went to their supervisors and said, "Hey, we learned some stuff at the smart salting training that we could do things a little bit more efficiently. We could help reduce the salt use in the winter storms if we did this different type of treatment." Well, highway engineer comes and talks to our staff
and says, "Hey, can we work together on doing something like that?" And through the one waters, one plan, we are working with our highway department to pay for a portion of it's not the entire cost, but it's a pretty significant chunk of money that's uh going to retrofit a plot truck
with a large brine tank that will do some pre-treatment before storms in the the heavy traveled areas right around Baiji, I think, is what the plan is. But, um, they've got a a formula to figure out what the anticipated reduction in salt use is just for that project alone. So, um, things like that
that are innovative, new, and we couldn't do without these partnerships. So, kind of a cool one. Um, switching on to forestry. Um, just, uh, this is kind of what the SWCDs are typically mostly known for is spring tree sale. Um, highlights. I guess we sold 17 18,000
trees last spring, the equivalent of about 26 acres. Um, the goal of the spring tree sale is to come as close as possible to breaking even every year. So we price the trees as low as we can so that the more people as possible can buy trees and plant them for conservation
purposes. Um we also work with land owners on helping cash share to pay for forest stewardship plans work with land protection when conservation easements. Um there's a lot of different things we can do with land owners in that regards.
Um I'm not going to go over the blowdown. We've had quite a few updates here. I guess the the one takeaway is we're also collaborating with some other organizations for some replanting tree opportunities in Baiji area. Um working with let's plant trees.org. It's a
nonprofit group. They're going to bring in some free trees this spring and distribute. I think they're over 10,000 free seedlings now that they're giving out. And then another group, Great River Greening, um has been working with some larger public land owners to work on some restoring some uh trees on those
properties and then working a bunch with the city of Biji in their grants and reforestation efforts. Last fall, we did a first ever that we know of fall tree sale. Um sold 2,700 trees. Um, basically
trying to provide a a service to people that were a little nervous and they wanted to plant trees as fast as possible and get them in the ground. Um, the for the staff, I guess the biggest advantage of doing the fall tree sale last year was we got to do something to feel like we were contributing to restoration after the storm, but also
got to test out online tree sale. Um, we've been working on going to an online store for our tree sale for a little while and last fall rolled it out. Everything went awesome. So this year the spring tree sale is all online. So if you're interested in trees, check out the SWCD website.
Um soil health, we're we have a staff person that is um working on a grant that was a soil health technical assistance grant and he's doing a lot of stuff developing kind of a soil health program in Belrammy County that we didn't really have before. We didn't have the expertise and the time and ability to do anything like that. Um
there's a lot of stuff happening. There's um the red dots I think are just all the land owners that we've been working with in that upper lower red lake wershed area. Um there's a picture of the noil drill we have that we're going out there and um wood ash just a
quick wood ash is a program that we we run where essentially we're we're the we're the conduit between West Frasier being able to get rid of an industrial waste byproduct their wood ash. They have they produce wood ash and they need
to get rid of it. The MPCA regulates industrial waste and they're able to give that to land owners and deliver it to their fields to use as a a component of their nutrient management system in their soils. But they need the SWCD's uh
basically review. They look at soil samples for those fields. There's an analysis done to determine how much wood ash can be applied on that acreage. And there's a form that's filled out given to West Frasier. West Frasier then takes that and delivers the appropriate amount of wood ash to these land owners. Kind of a mutually beneficial program where
land owners get the the pH um stabilizer and uh West Frasier gets rid of a waste byproduct. Um SWCD has been doing a lot of education outreach. Their biggest thing I guess we do a water festival every year for the Bumiji area schools and
then we partner with Red Lake um doing a a water festival for the northern schools out of Bumiji. Um there's Environ and then there's a whole bunch of soil health events that have been done in 2025 with
another dozen I think planned in 2026. Um, and we've also got some other educational kind of tracks that we're planning for 2026. Um, last year we hosted the fall tour. The Belrammy S3CD is uh part of area 8.
The state of Minnesota is divided into eight areas. The SWCDs belong to one of those eight areas. Um we're area 8 and every SWCD takes turns um once every nine years giving a fall tour basically looking at all the cool projects and programs that you've been working on
sharing that. So essentially SOCD supervisors and staff from your neighboring districts get an opportunity to come and learn from what you've done successes failures everything else there um we did that last year. It's a lot of work, but it's good to brag about the
things that you've done. And um also got to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Belrammy SVCD with that. Um so last last year was the 75th anniversary. And um essentially it's 75 years ago from last year, a group of farmers up in the
Keller area decided that it was time to do something about the erosion and um the stuff after the Dust Bowl and the depression. They wanted to implement the soil and water conservation district. So that's kind of where it started. There's a little blurb on the bottom about the miss mighty Mississippi cleanup. We've been involved in that for the past I
think three two or three years. And then um the last two pages are just one wershed one plan kind of updates. The first one is for the Mississippi River headarters wershed and the second one is for upper and lower red lake. Just kind of shows the progress of all the goals in the plan to date. Uh the
Mississippi is nearing the midway point of that 10-year plan um coming up. So there will be review this year on that to see how we're doing and what needs to change if anything. And the upper and lower Red Lake, we are essentially kind of one year into implementation or one
year done with implementation so far. at the very beginning. >> Great. >> And that is all I have for the SVCD update. Unless you have any questions or comments or else >> looks good. Thank you, Brad. That
>> Thank them. They did the work on it. So, good job finishing Geo Atlas. >> Yeah. Excited that that one's done. Yep. >> Perfect. >> Then the next one is up too. So >> yeah. Yes.
>> Grants for star stonewart removal. >> Yep. And I brought Callie's here today. Callie is going to give you a kind of a short update on what we're doing this year for star stonewart. >> Yeah. Thank you for having me. Good afternoon. Um so our county has 14 star
stonewware infested water bodies. Um and that is a very expensive AIS to be managing or at least to conduct management. Um so the Minnesota DNR every year has an invasive aquatic plant management grant program that they um
offer to lake associations and LGU's um water organizations. So, I applied for four of the grants through the Minnesota DNR for Star Stone W Management. Um, and all four were
awarded. So, this is just an update to make you guys aware of some extra funding that's coming into the program. Um, I applied for Lake Bamiji, um, Pamush and Moose Lake and Turtle River
Lake. Um, and let's see, $65,000 is the total grant award. So, that is going to free up a lot of funding for us to conduct management at other infested waters that have been a little neglected
in the past few years. Um, and then just an opportunity to uh conduct some vegetation surveys across our other uninfested waters, too. So, this is just an overall update to let you guys know that some management will be conducted
this summer. Um, and then I will be notifying lake associations and land owners of this management prior to conducting. >> Any questions for Yes. >> What were the the four lakes again? Biji, Pamoose, Turtle River, and
>> and um Lake Biji, Pamush, Moose, and then Turtle River Lake. >> Okay. And it was 65,000 the grant amount. So, and that is going to be for manually pulling, you know, having people dive and go and hand pull the the weeds from
their roots. >> So, for all four lakes, I've chosen to do either diver assisted suction harvesting. Um the that will mostly happen at Moose and Pamush because their infestations are pretty dense. The
populations there are very heavy and well established. Um and then for Baiji and Turtle River Lake, those will likely be a scuba handpull. >> Okay. >> So we'll be doing a pre-treatment survey
and that will likely happen in July when it's at its peak growing season. And then we'll have the um contractors come in and remove in August. And then we'll have another survey conducted
probably in September just to assess how effective that management was. >> Will there be any closures of any public accesses? Uh I think the the one on Turtle River Lake is the area that's affected is close to the to the non-public access, but it's still a
public access on the the whatever that is west side or >> Yes. Yep. the Turtle River Lake one will be on that main avenue. Um, that one is a little lower traffic. Um, and I know that the mayor would be open to closing that one off if need be, but as far as I
know, I think that the accesses will remain open to the public. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Good. >> No, but I swim like a rock. I know a constituent that wanted to help and couldn't and wasn't real happy that
he wasn't allowed to. >> Yes. Yep. We have sent out some requests for proposals to DNR approved licensed uh scuba diver harvesters and surveyors. So, we're going to be collecting those quotes and then figuring out who will be
conducting the management and then we'll notify everybody. >> Yeah. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> AIS grants. No, we got that one. Commissioner committee alternate and pdeium. >> The one we talked about a little bit
last time. >> This is just information. This is just review. There's nothing new here. >> Yeah. Mr. Chair, Mr. Mr. Chair, members of the commission, you had asked to place this on the agenda for a future meeting. There's a couple a couple
thoughts or points I wanted to just make about this. The county attorney and I have been talking about this behind the scenes. Uh, one of the things that we had mentioned before in a previous um, conversation was that we didn't have some alternates for some committees that
we felt like we probably should. um that sort of then crept into the discussion around well what about PDMS and can we add PDM committees and and then that sort of led into other discussion as well. So um we want to just answer the
question around adding a commissioner or changing a commissioner to an existing committee. You can do that uh all throughout the year. Um you can't add a new pdeium committee. I mean, you can add a new committee, but it won't be eligible for pdeium because it's not
covered under the resolution for that year. And that resolution um would need to be updated in order to go into effect for the next year. And I think the county attorney um is here to help you with that if you have any additional questions on that. Um what
what I was requesting in the original conversation was can we get an alternate for the personnel committee? Uh, and there may be, um, I think if I understood your, uh, conversation last, a need to have an alternate for the
solid waste. Um, we had we had Mr. Carlson down for the P County solid waste committee at the alternate and because Moringer is on the solid waste, the normal waste committee with me. He he went to the alternative
and just did more into the trash talk about potentially switching the P County solid waste from the alternate being Carlson to being commissioner. Um if they are minimal to that. >> So those those are the two changes that I'm aware of. Um you'd want to do that
in a regular session. Um, >> yeah. >> That'd be great. Yeah. Perfect. And then uh so the question around I I we weren't intending to have a conversation or try to change anything around the pdium committees, but uh I just put that on
the agenda in the event you did because I wasn't certain that that was an area you wanted to talk about. So that's where the county and I county attorney and I were kind of discussing uh sort of the statutes and what was allowed and what wasn't. So we're just here to help you through that part of the conversation if that is indeed part of
the conversation you intended. new one that that can club, right? So, >> whoever goes to that has um wouldn't be able to get a perm, but they still got expenses. >> That would be correct. Yep. You can
still eligible for expenses. >> Right. >> January of next year. That's your understanding of the statute. >> Correct. Mr. Chair, so if I understand this right, we would need to do this at a regular board meeting. Is that correct?
Is that right? >> Well, I mean, if you typically you have your appointments that are set at a regular board meeting, and it would be my recommendation that you do that just to get it all established. Um, and the reason I ask is because I I I see even
like two or three more that kind of made some sense to me, but and maybe they don't to anyone else and that's fine, but I was wondering if maybe we could go ahead and put that on the next meeting's agenda so that we can actually do that >> instead of doing it tonight. >> Yeah. Well, if if it should be at a I
mean, I guess if we're all agreeable, that's fine, too. I I and I would be, but I I didn't know if >> is it it's not on >> it's not on the regular agenda. No, it was just it was just brought up because you wanted to discuss it. We didn't know that there would be any action on this. Um, but if you'd like, you can you have
the time and space today to give us direction on which committees you want to kind of switch around, you know, members membership of and then uh which ones you want to have alternates added to. It would be great because then what we'll do is we'll just revise the committee list and then put it on a
regular session for your approval um at the next meeting. There's no real rush to any of this by the way. So, um, but it just it sort of made sense as we were starting to tinker with it with one or two committees. So, maybe we just want to look at them all and make sure that we feel good about all those committees
kind of going forward. >> So, Mr. Chair, I I had one and I I wondered if if Commissioner Sumar, we've had some interesting dynamics with the Blackduck and the emergency um Commissioner Sumar goes to one and then
Commissioner Gaz goes the other, which is great, but then I come in as an alternate and and Commissioner Sumar is already there and I'm just wondering if that would be more convenient if maybe Commissioner Sumar was the alternate uh on Commissioner Gazik's committee just
because he's at the one right before that. I I'm just throwing that out there. It I mean, I'm fine with being the alternate, but just trying to make things smoother. Another one would have been um on the con and the PILT committee. I see that uh Commissioner
Gould is the alternate. Um kind of difficult for a commissioner that whose only constituents are in the city of Bumiji to to work on ditch committees. that not that if you wanted to that'd be great, Joe, but I but I just didn't know if if it would be more appropriate to
have maybe Commissioner Wing or somebody be an alternate just I'm just throwing it out there for conversation. Um the ditch committee um is has a lot to do with um Commissioner
Sumar's district and I didn't wonder maybe he would want to be the alternate to Commissioner Winger instead. Um >> the stitch >> the ditch committee >> one by my house >> yeah there the one
>> was the 11 and >> and that's coming up right >> it's on the 30th >> so I mean I know that we were all on the ditch committee for for I thought we dissolve that >> yeah right but we
>> there's there's another Yeah. So, ditch >> how do you ditch a committee? Well, you you used to be on the ditch committee and then somehow that fell off like a year ago or so from whatever circumstances, but then Commissioner Winger's on it, but it seems like maybe
there might be something that you might want to be on because they're in your area. I don't know. It's just it's these are things that we could talk about so that they can put that together and then bring it back board meeting. to your point on the the block deck, I think
might not be the greatest idea for him to be the ultimate for me because I think that Dave that they usually are back to back and sometimes because of the juven I'm going to sub for him >> on on the black board, but it doesn't
work the other way around a lot of times. I don't think but that's up to you. >> Okay. I just throwing some stuff out there. Yep. Okay. >> The alternate for commissioner Winger on that one
was the alternate on the other one. >> Well, in the Pulk County also the alternate having the alternate. Yeah, that makes Yeah, >> he got that one. Yeah, >> that was an experience >> and I would volunteer to be the alternate on the negotiation mediation
and the personnel committee. I've already been had done that once and I >> April 24th. Yeah. So I I would be willing to do that if anyone if I one's agreeable >> anyway that that's just
know that we need to be labored. Well, I guess I just I was under the impression that I was on the ditch committee for the uh for town griggle area because I been going to them last year and there wasn't
a question or concern then. So, uh was invited again for the March 30th one. Um and it's a long-standing committee that I've been >> part of. So, I mean I to me it it's makes sense to continue being on that uh
as the delegate. >> I know that somebody really does want. >> No. And if we if we have Commissioner Sumar as the as the delegate and Commissioner Winger is the alternate, that might be the way to do that. >> We all be delegates. >> We could all be alternates. I think we
can all be alternates. Right. Well, and and I think maybe we need to have a more in-depth conversation about about these committees because I was talking to uh Bruce Hasborgan, the engineer, and he
mentioned that he was going to look over the um the the joint powers agreement because there may be uh the potent potential of having two
additional commissioners on on that um ditch committee because currently there's three Marshall in one Bel Tramy. So it doesn't >> might be better to have it evened up. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So he mentioned he was going to uh
look into that to see what the um joint powers agreement says. So >> we we may be, you know, discussing this further and I'm I'm hope he's watching so he can uh give us an update on on what he might have found out. So
>> stay tuned. >> Don't we operate as a judicial district board though too? >> You do? >> Yep. >> So this is different than that. This is a a committee for just a specific area >> and then then that has to come to the
whole board. I think you definitely should be on your >> So there's two different meetings up there on the >> 11. Give that to the city. >> Yeah. >> I'm tracked that
>> one. >> Okay. Yeah, that that works. >> I think so. What we'll do is we'll um we'll revise the committee list and then we'll put it on the next agenda for a regular session. I won't put it on consent just in the event that there's some additional conversation that needs to happen. So, but you can expect it on
the next regular deal. >> All right. Thank you. >> Perfect. All right. What do we got up? Hey. Yeah. Development fund. the 2026 development fund grant appropriation.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have uh placed in your packet the development fund scoring sheet and the grant application packets in an abbreviated form. You might know that uh the full packet was sent out on March 10th via email. A little bit easier to get out to you
electronically. Um, as you know, the county board did set aside $16,426 for awards for 2026. And I incorporated in the request for uh applications the notice that this was likely the last
year that the development fund would be financed, at least for the foreseeable future. Um those grant invitations were sent out on February the 20th and grantees were given until March 9th to uh to provide proposals. Uh we did
receive I believe it was nine proposals. Um and I think the total request is something like $75,000 or so for an allowable amount of you know that 16,000 or so. So um at this point in time we'll
just kind of turn this over to you and uh what we have done as you might recall in the past is you know each of you has kind of taken your own allocation and placed it in the in the sheet and then however the numbers calculate out there uh is how we have typically done it in the past. Now you're not obligated to do
it this way but it has been sort of a tradition. Uh so I might recommend that you continue that way. Uh just just understand that there are other ways to do it as well. So, with that, um, I'll just turn it back over to you for for that exercise. >> Have anything else with that?
>> Yeah. >> Typically, we would go through and just say what what areas we want to put them out in. >> That's right. I remember that from last year. >> And then it vote on it. Okay.
>> Well, it looks like uh Commissioner Gazig is first on the list. So, >> districts make the full association. Mr. Y, >> I am still calculating mine at the moment.
>> You want to skip me for a minute? >> I'm ready to warm mine up. >> Okay. Yeah, let's go to Commissioner Carlson. >> All right. So, I had $713 to the Blackduck Area History and Art Center,
$713 to the Boys and Girls Club, $10,000 to Greater Bumiji, and $5,000 to the Bumiji Veterans Memorial. And that should total 16426 hopefully.
I can go next. >> Okay, go ahead. >> I got uh 7,500 for Greater Bumiji. Um 4,000 for Boys and Girls Club, 4,296 for food shelf. So there's the
See, maybe I calculated my 00. >> Yeah. Um, you can add that 700 to the uh is it 700? >> No, that's 650. >> Yeah. >> Well, my calculator must be uh taking an
off day today. So, if you can put the the remaining in in the Boys and Girls Club. No, wait. That Okay, now I see 4,000 to the Boys and Girls Club. And then for the food shelf, I had
4,926. >> Oh, you're dyslexic. >> Yeah, there you go. I got to head up here and make sure I'm right. You ready, Joe? Um, just put it all in
community food shelf 16426. Something wrong here. My numbers aren't coming up. Okay. So, 16. Okay. Um, so I will go
um 2500 and Boys and Girls Club. 2500 in food show 10,000 in the Bel Tramy County egg and the 1426 into the greater Bamichi
So the average it would be what is uh being allocated to each. So with that commissioners that's on the regular agenda as well for your approval. So, uh, you can just, if you don't have any changes, you can just move what you've what you've just
decided on here. Okay. Set. >> I got to get back to that so I can see where I'm at. Okay. Yeah. Uh, administrator update. Yeah. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair, commissioners. Just a brief update for you today. Uh, the jail project continues on schedule
and on budget, which is great. I love to say that every time we talk. I'm dreading the day I have to tell you otherwise. Uh because I I will be highly shocked if that day does not come. I mean there will be at some point something that goes ary. But we are very
far along uh for not having that happen so far. And so I I am actually more optimistic than I I would typically be on that front. But uh the design and operations team did go out to have a tour of the facility last week as part of our um bimonthly meetings. And I
think everyone on the team was pretty impressed with how far along the the building has come, how organized um the work has has been out there. Um the safety protocols that are being incorporated and utilized daily. Uh there's just great leadership and and
great teams that are working out there. So we're all very very impressed. Um, and we've been told time and time again by both the site foreman and others out there uh that this is probably one of the best construction teams that's been assembled for a project of this size uh
in in in essentially their careers. So, we just happen to look out on so many fronts and uh the majority of our contractors and or excuse me, subs are uh locals as well. So, that's really great news, too. So, we're we're excited about that. Um the structural steel for
the second floor walkways has been installed in the housing units in area A west. Uh and then all of the concrete was poured into that as well. So those of you who were on the tour, we were kind of looking at that when we when we met. Um there's more masonry that's being completed both in the laundry room
and in the medical suite. Electricians are getting the main electrical service rooms connected. There was a big conversion last Friday where they had to shut the entire system off and convert. So now they're on main power instead of the alternate power. That was a big deal. So now the system is running
through the actual or the electricity is running actually through the building now as opposed to the alternate sources. So that's good. Uh the kitchen is coming along nicely with lots of plumbing and duct work that's uh continuing and of course you can imagine how much of that has to go on to develop the kitchen. Uh
and then of course we have the frame drops that are occurring for 40 plus skylights that are throughout the facility. uh a little bit more involved than even I kind of thought and um little bit uh I would say in my personal
opinion overkill. Uh but it's a state requirement. So uh I think when you go to see those you'll you'll be surprised about how much infrastructure has had to go into a skylight. Um and and we have many of them. >> The chamber played with erector sets
when you were little. That's what they're doing right now. >> Yeah. That that was a result a change order was the result of the state requirement for that, wasn't it? >> Yeah. Uh not the portion I'm talking about, but the actual skylights themselves, yes. Had to be breakable. Uh
and so we had testing and we we felt like they were breakable, but the testing wasn't, I guess, certifiable to the state. And so we had to go back to ground zero on that and refined a new a new skylight that they would accept the
testing on. Uh so we've done that that added um I want to say roughly about $150,000 to the project if I'm not mistaken. But uh underneath the skylights is another state requirement to have these things framed and gated and um a whole lot of infrastructure
just to get light down from you know above. And of course we chose to bring the light in that way as opposed to putting windows in all of the exteriors because we wanted light to get into the center of the facility as well which is also important. So um so just one of those necessary things that kind of has
to be done but does add quite a bit of expense and I think if you get an opportunity I'm sure you will in the at least the video tour here that we'll have in the next uh two or three months or so you'll you'll be able to see that. Um but yeah, otherwise uh manpower's kind of averaged around that 90 persons
um you know per day for the last several weeks and and um and uh drywalling is occurring now. So there's sheetrocking uh the administrative areas of the of the facility as well. And I think, you know, when you get around to going into the facility, you'll realize it's it's
actually a lot bigger than even you kind of think, you know, I mean, it's pretty big on the outside, but when you get on the inside, it's it's uh it's pretty good size. It's pretty easy to get lost in there. Um I just want to follow up on next on Biji Day at the Capital. You know, Ann Lindseth and I did go down. We
rode the bus to to participate in the day at the capital. We had about 35 or 40 folks that rode the bus and went down. Um, and then of course we all break up into teams and meet with different legislators and such. Uh, Ann took a number a team with a number of folks. I I had a team of four and I split that up into two teams of two. So
we were able to get a lot more done. So I think we met with probably between my two teams maybe as much as 10 or 12 different legislators uh and also department leadership uh for commerce and also was I was able to get a meeting uh with the governor's uh office as
well. So all that was great. Um and uh we we I think made very good process or progress rather in educating and informing and and sort of building support uh for our legislative platform. So I thought thought that was all really good. Uh keeping on the theme of the legislature uh you know many bills have
been delayed. You might recall uh stuck in the revisor's office. We have an abbreviated legislative session this year. Uh the revisor's office had a number I mean a large number of bills that were being processed and kind of just created this backlog. Um, so even
when we were down at Biji day at the capital, a lot of the legislators legislators were complaining about their bills getting stuck in the revisor's office. A lot of that is now moving. Um, and so we're now starting to see uh bills get dropped and introduced and then we're going to expect hearings to
be scheduled maybe as soon as next week uh for some of these uh some of these first bills. Uh that will continue for the foreseeable, you know, month or so uh even longer than that. And then um and we'll just kind of see how the session evolves. This is where for staff it can get kind of unwieldy. I mean, you
know, things come up quick. Uh we have to respond, create testimony both in an offensive or defensive positioning, uh work with our associations, you know, draft up positions on things. So, there's there's kind of a lot to that's going on, especially in the abbreviated session. Um we have been working with
our lobbyists. I've been talking with uh legislators uh almost daily, if not I mean for certainly weekly. uh and uh we're getting good support for a lot of the things that are on our platform right now. I think we're in a probably as good a position as we could be, you
know, where we're at in the session, but you know, there's a long a long period of time to still go through. Um so, we'll see how we come out on the other side. But so far, I think things are okay at this point. Uh and then lastly, I was just going to update you that uh you know, we I don't know if you we have
a formal name for this this kind of expanding the tax base project we're sort of working on uh where we're talking about like how can we build more housing and affordable housing and where should we build and you know what's limited is it are we land limited are we
infrastructure limited are we financing you know limited or or so on and so forth. Uh well as part of all of that work one of the things um I did is I pulled a meeting together with greater Bumiji and the city of Baiji uh and the county. So we had the two engineers the
city and the county engineers along with leadership from from the organizations and and kind of tried to talk about where would development occur, what kind of limitations are around that development and we were kind of targeting southeast Lake Bumiji area um you know kind of up along the east side
of lake where it was also hardest hit in our community as well. And um and so the concept that you know could we develop an extension to existing water and sewer infrastructure that would open up some areas that greater Benbiji says is ready to develop now. Um would that make
sense? And so um the reason for kind of pulling the team together is that we had been given invitations to essentially put in project requests for congressional designated spending projects. Uh you might recall we've done this several times in the past. Uh and
uh Congressman Pete Stabber has been very supportive of infrastructure, particularly water and sewer infrastructure. So we did put in um after we kind of studied this all and looked at it and and that sort of stuff, we did put in a $5 million request for infrastructure along Lake Avenue
essentially uh up to the Power Dam Road kind of area that we could then branch off of and go east. Um I'm happy to report that we've made the short list on that and then um letters of support were just generated by uh the HRDC, the HRA.
Um I put one in and the city put one in. I will just kind of see where it goes from there. But I just thought I'd keep you up to date on what's happening. Uh $5 million would be what's estimated to be about half the project cost uh to to kind of do what we're thinking. Um but there are some ideas about how to
identify additional funding kind of going forward as well. So, um, >> to extend current city utilities, >> correct? Yeah. Current sew sewer and water utilities, >> land. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, initially, there's a lot of city properties along here that aren't
currently serviced, >> right? >> Yeah. Lots of city properties that aren't serviced that would would potentially get serviced. And then, of course, obviously, the septic system issues are still profound. And uh that that's one of the areas that we're trying to address is you know high water table, lots of septic systems,
particularly older septic systems. Can we also make a water quality improvement here uh with with Lake Bamiji? Um so there's a number of benefits to the project. Um and so we'd like to see if we can't make some traction on that. And I'm also understanding that there could
this could open up an additional 3 to 400 units of um of housing that uh is essentially being being um sort of developed right now um at least in concept. So So this could potentially reach that as well, which would be
great. So that's the update I have for you, but I'll stand for any questions you might have. >> Questions? >> All right. Good. None. Okay. Thank you, Tom. >> You bet. >> Uh, any other business items?
>> Well, Mr. Chair, I know that I asked uh if we can remove 7 I to item 10 on the regular agenda. And I see Ann is still in in the in the audience. I'm not too sure. Yeah, I just
asked that it be pulled for uh a vote. I have no no questions. I just want to make sure that uh as as I mentioned in the uh regular uh work session that it's something that I don't support and I just want my vote to reflect uh that. So
I mean I have no additional questions. >> Okay. >> So 7 I 10A. Is that right? >> Yeah. >> Then Mr. Chair, were we adding 7 M the well path agreement was add on >> as consent agenda if everybody if
everybody's amenable to that >> I I am but I do have a couple of questions that maybe we can uh get some answers to before we >> you want to move it >> uh no I mean if I if I can
>> right now >> so I was just uh curious um I think I heard amongst the the group up here that it was supposed to be in the agenda a meeting or two ago. >> Well, actually should have been in the
agenda back in December because the uh rate increase is is essentially 4% annually starting on January 1st and I believe that it got missed when the sheriff's office didn't forward it to us. Okay. >> Then when they did um in an ironic
fashion uh we neglected to put it in this last agenda on time. So the the agenda got published on Thursday. Friday is when the sheriff notified us, oh wait a minute, that's supposed to be in there. We did look and the sheriff did in fact tell us to uh include it in this
week's uh packet, but uh you might know that uh you know based upon uh what's being requested that it's a rate increase that's been contractually negotiated years ago uh with Wellpath for 4% annual increases for the medical
services provided at the jail that was supposed to be effective January 1st, 2026. So my another question is um the sheriff or the sheriff and you are the ones that negotiated the contract?
>> Yeah, the sheriff I can't remember this is probably two or three years ago now, Commissioner Sumner, but uh the sheriff's staff. I don't know if it was Jared or Kandra and the or andor the sheriff, but I know I was definitely a part of it. We did when we had to move away from AC uh and we moved towards
Wellpath. Of course, we we did the proposal requests and negotiated with them. Uh this was a a uh I want to say it's a five-year contract with escalators that have been built into it uh that were predetermined at the time that we negotiated the contract.
>> Okay. And that was uh one of my next questions is is this a one-year contract that is negotiated yearly or was it? So um can we get a copy of the the contract? >> Sure. Yeah, we do have a copy of that. I
don't have it with me, but I can forward it to you. >> That would be good. >> Would all the commissioners like that contract? We can have the >> Sure, we could do that. No problem. >> That's all my questions. Thank you. But >> so 7M >> leave it on. Leave it on.
>> Yeah. Okay. >> 7m. >> Okay. >> Did we want to take care of any of the lowhanging fruit uh committee assignment stuff? Just the couple of alternate additions. Um >> well, we're not
next meeting. Yeah, we can still do it if you want, but we're >> I thought there was a I thought there was a few that we um decided upon as far as who alternates for different committees just to take care of some of the easy ones tonight. It might be
easier on Diane if we do a little bit tonight and then the rest of it right here. So, I think there's only two things done. >> I don't care. It doesn't matter. It
means that No, that's fine. >> If if you'd like, I think we could probably make the adjustment and then throw it up on the screen for you so you kind of knew what we had and then if you wanted to add it as a regular item. Uh 10B. Is that what you're thinking, Commissioner? Cool. just to take care of
the couple alternate >> and I then I can take it off next week's or the next board agenda. >> Well, I don't I don't know if we can take care of all of it tonight, but just a couple >> I see >> alternate spots for a couple of the committees. >> I think we have I think we have it all
recorded and could probably do it this evening if you so desired with the time we have between now and the start of the regular meeting. They need fast. >> It wouldn't hurt. >> If you wanted to go through it more thoroughly or whatever, if you want to
just do the ones we know now and then go through early next, whatever. >> Yeah, let's let's at least do a few of them tonight. Uh because I think we should take care of the end club for sure and then the the
the two alternate suggestions from Commissioner Gos. Sure. >> We really can't do anything for any club other than just decide who's going to attend it. Right. >> Right. We got to decide we we accepted the membership but we didn't we failed
to decide who's going. So, >> not that I recall. No, >> I did check today and we are allowed two people for that and two alternates. So, I'd like to volunteer as one of the delegates. >> That's the one with the pill fun.
Correct. >> That's the land use coalition. >> Did it find out where they meet? >> Yeah, I looked at their schedule. Grand Rapids. >> Yeah. and I can attend those. >> Well, um they're during the day, but
it's only two hours. Um it's a two-hour meeting, and I'm already going I'm already going that I'm only an hour away. So, I I would miss part of school, but not the whole day. >> Yeah. And that would be a little
>> There's also a Zoom option. So, yeah. Yeah, they meet a little more than quarterly. five, six meetings maximum a year. But they do a lot of ditch work. >> They do. I mean, they a lot of what they
do. >> Yeah. >> But also planning and zoning and things like that. when I ran for commissioner and nobody told me that they were going to be doing so much work on big city.
>> You know, it's funny because I was talking to some like I was talking to Ducky from Royal and that's a big deal for them up there. Big deal. >> You got that down? Uh, I got one now, but it sounds like we need two two
delegates and two apparently. >> Who else wants to be a delegate? >> Anybody not want either of those? >> Did you find out what day of the week it is? >> Uh, they're th I believe they're Thursdays 10 to noon in Grand Rapids
with a there's usually a Zoom option. It says and then uh two of them take place during the annual AMC meeting. One of them does during the annual AMC meeting
>> actually. So in person down there. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Which I'm normally at the December conference. I'll >> ditch. He's our ditch guy. >> You can meet me in Cass and we'll ride over.
Well, it does involve the PIL and the >> and the con and all that stuff is pretty >> right >> pretty >> which I am interested. I mean we need more money from the state on both of those. >> Yeah, we do. >> Sure.
>> You don't care. You can put it down if you want. >> Probably not. I'll go ahead and probably I do plan on attending the AMC this >> ADA.
>> Is there an H in there? Must be an H there >> instead of ADD. >> ADHD compant. >> So district one is alternate. Dist is delegate. District three is alternate. is delegate for the >> Okay. So, and household hazardous,
you're going to come in on that one. >> Okay. space and Carlson will be eliminated for the negotiations mediation and you would be changed on the P County report to being elder instead of Carlson
that's then committee um second delegate you thought you said delegate yeah I was waiting for him to to get back to me on what he found out
>> you're what they want up there anyway. So, you should be a delegate on on the ditch committee >> for your ditches. Anyways, >> Commissioner Sner, do you want to be a delegate also for AMC? You do quite a bit with them and I notice you're not on the list. >> Yeah,
>> for AMC. >> Yeah, I thought I was when we um did that. Uh >> we should all be on that. Yeah, I thought we were all on it. >> They sent out a link prior to >> You are on that form, but not not on this one here.
>> Yeah, >> should have been there. >> Um, when does the behavioral health committee collaborative meet >> that says, >> what is it? >> Thursday at what time?
>> Every three months. Two months. >> Every two months. It's a Thursday morning. >> At 8:30 8 or 8:30. Yeah. Yeah. >> What about Basque? What time do they >> They meet at 8:00 on Thursdays also.
>> Okay. >> Oh, is it Wednesday? >> Yeah, maybe it is. I I just go when they send me >> alternates. I'll look at my stuff and see. >> Uh, Mr. Chair, can we um we wrap up the the ones that we were
discussing in our work session and then >> maybe move on to the other ones at the future meeting because I would like to take a break between meetings. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you.
>> We have nothing further. We'll adjourn. Part: 2
5:00. Call the meeting to order. Rise for the pledge. >> 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.
>> Good for him. >> Yeah. >> All right. I have no general comments, so we'll go right down to anyone which wishing to address the county board on an item not on the agenda may come forward at this time to be recognized by the board
chair. Please state your name and address for the record. Comments are limited to 5 minutes. A personnel complaint against an individual county employee may not be heard initially at a board meeting. Personnel complaints may be submitted to the board in writing through the county administrator's
office. A person addressing the board may not use preventity or vulgar language. And do we have anybody online that wants to address anything? Oh, just
Okay. Anybody out here? No. All right. Look to have an approval of the agenda. >> That's you. >> Okay. >> Oh, he's going to do it. >> Okay. >> Delegate. That's
>> Mr. I'll make a motion to approve the agenda with the following changes to move item 7 I from the consent agenda to item 10A for the um that's a parental fee policy and to add item 7M the wellpath agreement to the consent agenda
and then 10 do we need to do 10B for the changes on the to ratify the changes that we discussed in the work session for the um Um the committee assignments delegates and alternates
I believe. >> Okay. So that's a motion. >> Okay. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed carries.
All right. Approval of the consent agenda. >> Have a motion. Mr. Chair, I would move the consent agenda as printed with the following exceptions that that item 7I was removed
to the regular agenda and adding 7M the well path agreement to the consent agenda. >> Okay. Do we have a second? >> Second. Okay. All those in favor I opposed
and eyes carry. All right. Regular meeting. Where are we? >> Give a little public hearing info. >> What's that? >> I don't hear
>> I don't see it. >> I can speak on the >> So, the public hearing this. I'm Leila Roth with the license center, the license center division director. Excuse me.
>> Don't we have Don't you have some paperwork for that? >> That's what I was asking. With us for just a minute so we can get her done, right? Yeah. Thought I one of those sample didn't bring it in. I had a
Oh, maybe on this one. >> You got it here. Sorry. From last year. Shoot it to email. I can open it that way if you want. >> What's that? >> Okay. >> Sorry, Leo.
>> You're welcome. >> Let me know when you send it. No. Okay. It'd be coming in I would think. Right. You did say it is. All right. Got it. Okay. Okay. All right. We need a
we need to request a motion to open a public hearing. >> Mr. Chair, I make a motion we open the public hearing for the the new off sale liquor license. >> Okay. And do we have a second? >> Sir. >> Okay. All in favor?
>> I opposed. Carries. Uh, open the hearing with staff comments. Okay, open the hearing with staff comments. So, that must be you, huh? That's Laya. >> So, Farmers Union Oil of War Road has
purchased an existing offsale store, which was the My Store Washkish location. And by statute, the county board must hold a public hearing prior to issuing the new license. And that's to receive public comment on the license. Uh this application was sent
over to the sheriff's department for all necessary background checks and that has passed and both the sheriff and attorney have signed off on it. So this is the last step of receiving public comment and board approval at this point
I believe. Did did Marcus log in on? So Marcus Stricker, he's the CEO and he's logged in online. if you have any questions or if any of the public has a question for him, >> he's available at this point as well. >> Okay. Do we have any public comments
first off? Oh, okay. Any questions? Anybody have any? Okay. Final comments from staff. That's it. >> That's That's it. So, like I said, this is the final >> staff recommends.
>> Staff recommends to pass the license. It is an existing store. So, the next step would be board approval for that point. >> Okay. Okay. Do we have a motion to close the public hearing? >> Well, Mr. Chair, we do have Marcus
online. That's why I asked if anybody had any questions. Um I'm wondering if if he wants to share anything uh as far as plans uh just general update. Uh he's taken the time to be here so
>> Okay, sure. >> Go ahead, sir. Do you have any comments for us? >> Oh, you you're muted. >> Got to unmute. >> Unmute there. >> There we go. No, I certainly appreciate uh the the board of commissioners
holding the holding the hearing and and the feedback from Leila. Um as far as a little background on Farmers Union, I've been the manager of this cooperative um for going on seven years. Um our cooperative has been in business and in
good standing with the state and and uh our cooperative members for over 90 years. Um, we we saw an opportunity in Wasish and and we realized that that area could really use uh that store. Um, and we do a great job with serving our
customers of similar uh clientele along the the shores of Lake of the Woods and we wanted to be along that uh um uh Red Lake area as well. So, um I can assure the the commissioners that uh we are we are uh here to to operate the right way
and uh and uh and do things like I said do things the right way. So, any questions? I'm I'm happy to happy to answer those. >> Okay. Thank you. Did anybody have any questions for them? >> Nope. Okay. And this is at the Is this
at the gas station? What was the gas station? >> Right. Yeah. >> Correct. Yep. It was a gas. It's been a gas station for um since the early 2000s. Uh local couple had built that originally. They sold that in 2019 2020. Um previous owner has recently lost that
in the bankruptcy side of things and uh we we we picked that up through the court system. Uh we signed on that in December, late December. So, >> perfect. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Okay, we have nothing further. Then
we'll go back to the making a motion again. We have the motion made. >> The motion was >> I made and second. >> Did you make the motion? You just made motion to open the public hearing. >> Oh, to close it. Okay. Y >> we have a second.
>> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Do we debate the issue? Not really. >> All right. and we got all that done. So, we voted and
>> Mr. Chair, I would move that we approve the liquor license for um basketball. >> Make a motion to take that. Gotcha. >> Okay. And a second on that. >> I'll second it, Mr. Chair. >> Okay. He wanted to second because it's
his area. >> You can have it, Tim, if you That makes sense. It's fine. >> But I do have a question. >> Okay. >> Um, >> what was it about? >> You need me to buster here for so you can remember?
>> I'm sorry. Go ahead. Oh, so the public comment is the public hearing. Is it We only need one or is there two or three? >> Just one. >> Just one. Okay, that that's the question. Thank you. Okay. Any other discussion on the motion?
Okay, we need to have a board decision vote. All in favor or should we go one at a time? >> All right. All in favor? >> I >> I opposed carries. 5 Marcus. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Thanks for doing that.
>> You're welcome. Have a good night, guys. Way to >> do that. 2026 development fund grants. Mr. Chair, I'll move to approve the 2026 development fund grants uh as presented as we formulated in the work session.
>> Okay, >> I'll second that. >> Second. Any discussion? Do do we do we want to have Diane put that up just for the purpose of the the u public Yeah. >> Sorry.
There we go. Okay. There's no other discussion. All in favor? We have a first and a second. Yes. All in favor? >> I >> opposed and carries 50. Very good.
All right. Additional items. >> 10 amp. >> Yep. >> I make a motion. We approve the fee policy. >> I'll second that. >> Discussion. discussion. Okay. All in favor?
>> I I opposed. >> No. >> Okay. Carries 41. All right. Next item. 10B. The committee assignments. Did you get all those done or or
otherwise I can run through what I have to draw all the way up? Yep. There we go. >> Okay. So Tim's added there and the >> gas
the ditch deal that the A should still be a D I think shouldn't it? And then >> and then put an alternate for for the uh the >> we're not sure if he got a three on that yet anyway, right?
Yeah, we don't know, I guess, but >> but it was currently it was um you were the delegate and and Carlson was the alternate, but um >> yeah. Are we going to
>> I'm fine with the change that Diane has with with Tim being the delegate and >> for now anyway back and then we can adjust it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, >> sounds good. >> Yep. >> Okay. and and then Craig's added to the
household hazardous waste. >> Yep. >> As an alternate and >> negotiations, >> that's Carlson is added as an alternate. >> Yeah. And then scroll down and we had P County and
>> Oh, is that also also the personnel then on the personnel committee as alternate also? >> He should be. Yeah. Mhm. >> Um they put um number five or on the personnel committee put um Carlson as
the alternate there, but they the P County in incinerator. Um I I um think that that one I'm the delegate, >> right? So that should be not changed
from the delegate >> and but the alternate should be like you have it there. So just get rid of that. Yep. >> There you go. >> Get rid of Carlson. >> Yeah. >> And then the end club you've got. Correct. Yep. >> Okay.
>> Did they change their name? They did. >> Yeah. Whatever. >> Okay. Anything else that we need there? >> Any other discussion? >> No. The only other thing I would just remind is then club won't qualify for pdeium until next year, >> right? >> We'll put on the committee list, but just if anybody
>> still submit mileage if you drive to it though, right? >> Expenses will be reimbursed. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Yep. So with that, I would make a motion that we accept those changes at this point. >> Second. >> Okay.
All in favor? I opposed. and carries. All right. Commissioners reports, Mr. Gazvic. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um had a one wershed, one plan committee meeting yesterday, the policy committee
for the headarters wershed and uh we wrapped up um completed all of the the first um whatever we call budget and work plan um deal. They 2022 through 2024. or it had been extended a year. So, we actually
finished it uh finished that up and closed all all that out. Spent almost all of the funds that we were allocated 800 and some thousand um and now the the new um work plan and everything that has been approved is actually just over a million dollars that bringing into the
area. um and that uh we're just getting rolling on. Um as we talked about earlier during the the uh um sol not solid waste but the SWCD presentation um some of the stuff
in that first plan where like the the BSU project was one of the things that was um in the the one wershed one plan was part of the a portion of that was done by one wershed one plan and we got some other other bigger projects that are being done um in this new
um million dollars worth of stuff. So, that's good. Uh I got reelected as chair again this year. Um had a fair board meeting last night and they'll be anxious to find out what uh they're getting from the development fund and
had a solid waste committee meeting this morning and we'll be bringing forward an agenda bill in the future here for uh thermal cameras. I think I mentioned it one other time, but um we've looked at a couple different options for a thermal camera system to look at the tipping
floor uh to avoid fires. Hubard County's had a couple fires. Manomomen County has had a fire and and we just want to be proactive on having thermal cameras looking at it so they can alert and tie into our fire prevention system. And uh that's so we hopefully don't burn down
our newly remodeled um solid waste facility, >> which would be a reminder to residents, please don't put the uh >> lithium batteries, especially >> batteries. >> Yeah, we've special battery containers for at all the sites um for dropping off
and individually packaging the lithium batteries because they are extremely dangerous even on little coin cells. So that's my report, Mr. Chair. >> You Mr. Mr. Ser. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, well, I just want to start by
my report by saying congratulations to the uh Keller North Mustang girls for their uh appearance at the state basketball tournament. you know, it's uh it's it's nice to see, you know, one of our local teams uh make it to to state
and and for the first time, you know, I'm sure is pretty pretty remarkable. You know, I coming from a community that that has been to state a few times, I I can only imagine how happy uh the girls and their parents are um for them.
Unfortunately, you know, they didn't uh uh make it as far as as we were hoping, but you know, it it's often times to to to win it your first time. But, you know, I'm pretty proud of them and in the community for for uh their achievement this year.
Also want to follow that up with um the Kellier Winter Festival that was organized by Amy BS and the public health department. I was joined by uh Commissioner Carlson and and it was a pretty uh fun day, you know, watching
um Commissioner Carlson read to to the young children um and and just seeing, you know, folks in the community at the school, getting a a lot of information from, you know, organizations and and uh
businesses that that operate in in our county. So, uh, kudos for for putting that on. Uh, I don't know if it's the first annual, the inaugural, or or what the future plans are, but, uh, it was a great event nonetheless.
Um, I attended the AMC legislative conference uh, March 3rd through the 5th um, in St. Paul. And, uh, there
the 4 the deer dear lake for club uh received a 4 award from the association of Minnesota counties for their uh turkey giveaway efforts that they um do did for the past three years. So, I
think the club was ahead of their time when they were planning and preparing for uh distribution of of meals for for families uh considering the circumstances that we were going through uh last year with the uncertainty of of
SNAP and and other uh benefits that were uh on hold around that time. Also uh during the AMC legislative conference uh Senator Hoffman gave a great uh speech
and testimony uh about Belcham County and our efforts and and lobbying efforts um that uh we have done over the past years to educate not only him but his colleagues in in
the situation that we face up here and and Belchami County being one of the uh poorest counties and and to stay with the with the 25% taxable land base. Um so it was uh pretty touching to to hear
him, you know, give uh credit to Belrami County for what we do with with the minimal resources that we have. I was quite surprised when uh when he when he looked out and he said, "Is anybody here from Bel Tramy County?" and I quickly
raised my hand and and I it was nice. So I think that's why it's important that we show up to to these type events so people um understand that you know Belrammy is is pretty unique. So um that is my report. Uh thank you Mr. Chair.
>> Mr. chair. One other thing that I failed to mention, there's a um at the fair board last night. I was given a bill there's a free event coming up at the at the fair. Um and I was asked to invite the rest of the commissioners if they wanted to attend. It's a um guy named
Ian Hill. He's an award-winning um speaker and he's going to be putting on a a free um basically a free speech or free seminar type thing on April 17th in the evening from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the fairgrounds. And so if any of you
are interested, got a QR code you can scan to to sign up to register for it. Um award-winning speaker. He will address the importance of better communication and how it can strengthen fairs. Um this program will offer offer action ideas,
stronger personnel, personal connections and strategies for building leadership qualities. The event valuable benefit to leaders of all kinds who are working to guide and support their communities. So I was asked to just let you guys know about
it. It's on a April 17th from 5 to 5 to 9:00 p.m. at the at the fair at the the 4 building there. that are being served. >> Uh actually there will be some it says there's going to be some kind of um light supper provided. Yep. So um anyhow that thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you Mr. Google. >> Yeah I had a hope house board meeting last week. Um main thing there is uh they are in search for some board members. Um so if anyone in the public
is interested um they are looking for uh a few um volunteer board members uh again their mission uh helps uh adults uh struggling with uh mental health. So um that was last week.
This Thursday I have um KLS library board meeting. Um and speaking of libraries, um the Baiji branch budget has been um finalized. Um and according to the director there, um because of our
uh county cuts, uh they'll have to be laying off two full-time employees and which amounts to about 33% of their staffing levels. Um they'll also have to reduce their operating hours from 56 to
39 hours. This is about a 30% cut in operating hours. Uh their new hours starting March 30th. Uh will be uh Mondays they'll be closed. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday open 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday 9:00 a.m.
to 6:00 p.m. And Saturday, Sunday they will be closed. Um that's pretty much it for my report. I have some AMC meetings coming up. Uh uh but other than that um happy St.
Patrick's Day. >> Thank you, Commissioner Carlson. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um Commissioner Gosig and I attended a pipeline safety training last two weeks ago, right after the board meeting. Um and u our
emergency manager Chris Mueller was there. Um, and uh, it was actually kind of interesting to see all the different things that go on if if there's an accidental break in a pipeline or if it's a natural gas. Uh, it was kind of eye opening what was uh, so that was
interesting. Um, I had my monthly Prime West finance and operations committee and the joint powers board for Prime West. Um, and then I want to echo what Commissioner Sumner said. Excuse me. Big shout out to Amy and Amy Bulls and her staff for putting on a great uh, event.
I believe that there was about 150 um folks that came and visited. Um I didn't get to read as to as many kids as I wanted to. They all went right straight to the gym where all the fun games were. Uh but I understand that Commissioner Sumar made a mean hot chocolate. So that
was that was enjoyed by all. So thank you for that, Commissioner Sumar. Um jail and design operations committee. Uh Tom already said that we had had the the tour last Tuesday. Uh, oh my gosh, I was exhausted after going through that. It
was And you know, you go through that, you say, "How can it be that it's going to be another whole year before we're ready to get into it?" Because I mean, there's sheetrock walls up and everything and it's it's pretty cool. So, anytime you guys want to get a chance to go out there, it's it's it's pretty cool. All the concrete's in and
it's a lot easier to get around now. So, anytime um maybe let Tom know or we can figure something out. um had a dancing sky meeting yesterday. I mentioned that. Um and hopefully we'll get a chance to have Heather or one of her staff people
come and talk about the area agency on aging uh for our area. Uh coming up this week, we have a regional airport authority meeting on Wednesday. Uh Thursday, we have a mean, which is the Minnesota Electronics Aviation
something, whatever the N is. Uh it's a it's a case study uh for the regional uh the Minnesota uh electronic aviation that'll be on Thursday and then greater Bumiji on Friday and then uh Commissioner Gosig and I have a JASBY
annual meeting next Monday. That's it. >> Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Carl. All right. Uh I did chat about Okay. I think uh >> want to do it again tomorrow?
I can if you need me to. Uh uh AMC I went down to the awards lunchon and uh the young lady from the Deer Lake Flyers 4 club did a really nice job in her presentation talking about what they did. Um
so I was really happy I was able to get down to to see that presentation. Uh and then uh I attended the uh garbage meeting.
>> It was uh yeah, it was a it was a an experience. Um I Yeah, they talked a lot of trash, but I I did learn quite a bit of things for sure. Uh it it it was a little longer than I anticipated it being, but uh
educational. So, uh, that's all I have. >> Oh, Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> I I forgot. Um, just a reminder that I won't be here on April 21st board meeting. I'll be in surgery that day for my new shoulder. Um, and that means that
the April 22nd would be the chat about and I don't think I'm going to be in any position to do chat about. I'm just wondering if m Commissioner Gos wants to swap unless she's unless you're going to be out of town. I I need someone to cover for the chat about for me on April 22nd. Are you going to be out of town?
You'll be out of town, won't you? >> April 22nd. I actually already have that down as doing chat bump for you on that morning. >> Did we switch? Do I have April 8th? >> I think so. >> Maybe we get Diane to make a note of
that so that Well, >> if you want to swap, I can do the 8th. Um, >> yeah. Go all the way to the bottom. See, >> I I must have tended to put it in Mr. Carlson, but uh I I don't have firm plans on on my vote. So, I I can
certainly if you wanted to, >> we can just swap Do you want to swap other than >> you want to swap us on the schedule then? Okay. Thanks, Diane. >> Thank you. >> Actually works better for me because I actually have a doctor thing that morning
on the on the 8th. >> Okay. Well, there we got that. >> Sure. like mentioned at the fair board meeting last night. Um you uh you and Commissioner Summer were both spoke highly of for the letters that you wrote regarding the the you know the award
that was given by AMC and so on. That was nice uh nice to hear good things about our commissioners. >> Yeah, thank you for that. >> All right, do we have anything else we have to move to adjourn? Do we have a
second? What? >> You're just waiting. >> I'm waiting for the parade at six o'clock. >> A second. >> Yeah. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Hi.
>> We're all