I don't see here. Hey Jared, I don't see trustees here. I I got it on the agenda for add something. We Yes, he's going to add it to nine o'clock. We'll call the county board meeting order. We give them the
flag pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Roll call. Beth, sure. Commissioner Benoy here. Commissioner Heinen here. Commissioner Pop present. Present. Commissioner Johnson here. Commissioner Kapinsky here. Approve or amend the agenda. So, Mr.
Chair, a few items for you. Uh, first would be adding consent agenda item number three. The item from county attorney Katherine Rutder regarding signature authority on county attorney grants.
Where would you like item number three? Consent. Next an item from our auditor treasur regarding tax forfeit repurchase of tax forfeit land. If we could please add that as the first item.
925 auditor treasure. Again, the first item from 9:25. Lastly, there is a discussion item on County Road 54 right away that I uh I'm sure I know Chris is aware of this and there he's here. Hey. So, uh gosh, I
would just say add that let's put that right before commissioner meeting updates. Move for approval of the amended agenda. Mr. Chair, second motion's been made and seconded to approve the agenda. All in favor?
I oppose. Carry. County board meetings are broadcast live broadcast live and video recorded on YouTube. Please restrain from speaking from the audience area and come to the podium so that the viewers can hear you. The county board observes the Robert's
rules of order for its meeting. So, please obtain the board's chair consent before addressing the county board. Public comments are generally reserved for open foreign segments or public hearings. However, public comment on agenda items may be allowed at the discretion of the board chair. As we
begin today, please turn your cell phones to vibrate or off. Thank you. Um, we've got some people that signed up for open form. If you're here for the faucet um uh plot
um there will be a public hearing for that. So we would if you understand that if anybody is signed up on here then you can you can speak at that point in time. Oh Roslin Muscowski.
Okay. Um, yes. I I'm sorry, my hearing aid's bothering me. I have several comments for the board for the commissioners. One is I would like to know why you're not
um displaying our new state flag. And I don't know if you want to comment on that, but I believe that um we have a new fl state flag. And I happen to love the new state flag. Um, and I have noticed that both the city of Foley and
the county commissioners are not displaying it. And I think it's a mistake if that's a partisan issue. And I think on behalf of all the people in Foley who would like to have good government that we should support the
state flag. Um secondly, um and I have spoken to Commissioner Johnson about this before with regards to employee employee policy. Um I hope that we will have a new
government center here and it will bring more employees to town. And as a citizen of Foley, um, I think that we should change the lunch hour policy back to where it used
to be, which was an hour for lunch. I believe that that would greatly increase economic activity in Foley. And I think that if anybody is aware of administrative
research that a longer lunch hour actually increases productivity. It doesn't slow people down. Um second or thirdly at the county park. I know at one point years ago when I was
not in Foley that there was um consideration of a park in this side of the county and I still think that we are in great need of a park in this side of the county. Um, and I would just point
to you that the Fleege Old Fleege Farm is for sale and um, I I don't know how many acres it is, but it's next to the cemetery in the city park and I think it's a golden opportunity that will be lost
um, if that is not purchased as part of a park system. Um, that would be a county addition to the city park. It would be a nice big area. It's closely um configured to be near the golf course
and the Lion's Park and we could have a beautiful green um acreage surrounding the city. And I think that um there's plenty of things you could do with that. There's a pond on it. I think there's a creek going
through it. There's an old farmhouse. And there's an old, I believe, a dairy barn, very small barn that could be restored. And I think, you know, the land does not come up willingly close by. I know that
they were looking for a historic site and something, you know, well, they never found it, but an addition, it would be a nice addition to Holdridge Park and it would uh it's available. Okay. So, that would be my comments. And
then I want to thank you for um going forward with the government center. I think it's much needed in town. I know there's opposition to it, but um those of us in favor are kind of scared to talk because I heard my uh friend came here and got harassed on the way out
speaking in favor of the government center. So, I want you to know there are supporters out there that aren't commenting on Facebook and yelling and screaming that we do support a new government center. So, thank you.
On the on the park deal, maybe you would want to come to a park board meeting and put your I would be happy to do that. Okay. I take it the meeting. Am I just allowed to come to the meeting? Yeah, we're that's open to the park boards. Okay. It's on the website. Yes.
Okay. Okay. Well, thank you very much, M. Mr. Chair. Yes. On the flag, we did address that we were going to replace them with the new flag when needed. We were going to keep instead of expending those costs right now, when the flags need to be re re um purchased, then we do the new flags.
I think you can probably get one for free from your state representative or state senator. Usually, they fly over capital and then they donate them. Maybe you have to pay shipping or something. Um, I don't know how much the flag is, but as I said in the city, I'd be happy
to help fund raise, but I can't imagine a flag is that much money, but when it goes to the flag, there's a lot of things that go with it. Yeah. Like vehicles, like there there's a lot of things that the flag's on. Well, you could start with just having
it in the meeting. Mhm. Okay. I mean, you're in charge of the county. You don't have Yeah. the whole spread all at once. Yeah, because I as far as I know, nobody is flying the state flag in this city and I
think it's a shame. I'm an assistant Girl Scout leader and I don't know how to explain that to the children. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Rosie. Cammy, is it Cammy? I'm going to m murder this
name. Packinson. No. You can open that. I can't read the like Ericson. Ericson. I'll wait. Okay. Shelby Raky
Sheila Rob. I'll wait. Okay. I'm just butchering them today. Um Harold Graham. Harold Graham. I'll wait also. Debbie Graham, Mike DeA, and Mike DeA.
I'll wait till on the end of we don't we don't usually I'd like uh good morning. I'd like to uh talk about uh when uh when they purchased the um land across the road
for the government center if what it was zoned as what it's zoned at now. It was zoned residential and uh before we purchased it, we requested that the city reszone it to a business district and they did.
What was the reasoning behind that? In order to build a government center there, it needed to be reszoned to a business district. When was that done? Uh, approximately three years ago. Um, interest rate on the CIP
bond. What's the interest rate? I don't know current rates there. What? Pardon? I I'm sorry. I don't have information on current rates. So, okay. If we were discussing of building it, I think the public should know what the interest rate is for the CIP
going forward. It should be written brought forward to the public what the interest rate is. Well, you only you only know the interest rate until you sell the bonds, right? So, I mean, a bond advisor can give you estimates of what interest rates are currently in the bond market, but you won't know until actually
they're sold. So, what's the difference between the CIP interest rate and the HA interest rate on the bond being that you're calling it a bond and selling the bonds? I believe our our um attorney that was
in the other night said it was 0.25. Can I get that in uh writing in the written document being that we're moving forward that with the government center, Mr. Chair, two interest rates? What? It will be in the minutes. It will be in the minutes. Minutes.
All right. Thank you for your time. You bet. Thanks. Consent agenda. We have items one, two, and three. Move approval. Second. Been made. Motion and seconded to uh approve the consent agenda. All in
favor? I was carried. Monty Headley, county administrator. Yes, sir. Uh Grady Horn is joining us from rolling. Hey, Grady. Um I made you the presenter, so if you would like to uh share your screen and um
we can see here and if we have any challenges, I do have it here locally. I can go through it for you. Yeah. You know what? If you want to throw it up on the if you have a and you can throw it on the screen. I'll kind of just walk through it. It might be the easiest.
Sorry. You assume I can actually do it correctly. Okay. Let's see. Steve, are you close by? Was. He was It's hot here. That's what Steve said.
Yeah, it is. There we go. Employee. We don't do that in the middle of the year. All right. Go ahead, sir. Great. Mr. Chair or Mr. chair and commissioners. Uh thank you for having
me here today. Um I I was hoping to make it in person. Um unfortunately I have a couple events that popped up um where I will one of them be in front of some of the Clinton County delegation legislators. Um so I will pass on any information along to them. Can you
um I will the volume please. We need volume. You want his volume higher? Yeah. Oh okay. Because where I see I'm sorry getting blasted out here. I'm Yeah. So
you hear me? All right. That didn't change. Yeah. How is that better? Brady, can you talk? Yes. There we go. Yep. Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Chair and commissioners. Um since we last met at
the board level on June 3rd, um that was the the week before um the special session was called um there was a slew of of bills that needed to be passed uh in a special session. Um at that point in time, the working group level um
basically was in the conference committees, but because it was in special session, it was called a working group. um they were working on trying to come to compromise um from both sides in the House and the Senate um on final bill language. The majority of the bills
were bumped up to the leadership level. Um and as I'll go through in what's what's on your video screen now um is a report that kind of captures the the regular session, the special session, and what was um in in the contents of
the bills that were passed. Um I guess I want to start by um you know as our sessions in the past have been unprecedented um you know the unfortunate news after the special session um on the events that took place um and the loss of the
life of Speaker Hortman um who was a great asset to the state um will be greatly missed and it's a very unfortunate circumstance. Um, with that said, um, leadership was able to pass bills, um, in a special session
that took place. The governor called on June 9th. Um, they came in at 10:00 a.m. and were done by 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, um, completing the work and then adjourning the special session. Um, with that, the the legislature is not set to
return until February 17, 2026. However, we do anticipate a potential special session this fall um to go over some of the anticipated federal level changes and how that may impact the
state budget. Um, flipping over to page nine on the packet. We'll go to page nine. That's right. You got to tell me page numbers. So yeah. Oh yeah, the Benton County legislative priorities. Um and I can start out with
um the first which was the Mayhem Road Highway 1 capital improvements. Um we had many successful meetings throughout session and I wanted to thank the commissioners that participated at the day you when we had the days on the
Capitol. Uh those are very important and and we had one-on-one time with each member of our delegation as well as um leadership at the bonding committee level and the transportation committee level which will help push our project
forward. any time spent at the Capitol is um is well intended and and very helpful and seeing the face of your um county board there um is very impactful in getting things done. So,
thank you for your time being up there. Um unfortunately in the bonding side this year um leadership decided that they were going to go through and they passed a $700 million bonding package that funded
primarily the state asset preservation water infrastructure and some roads and bridges that were uh priority at the state side level. Um what this will do is it will get some of these projects out of the way um in hopes and I think
in speaking to legislators um from both sides of the aisle. They'd like to pass a bonding bill next year with local projects. What the dollar amount and the bonding capacity will be is unknown until November when the state u releases
its economic forecast. Um so we will be in touch as we find out more information there. Um we did have a hearing on this bill. Um the Senate didn't hear any bonding bills um this session um as there was a slew of projects they were
trying to pass um the from the prior year, but we had anformational hearing in the House uh where the bill was laid over um and that will still remain active next session. So, we'll continue to meet with bonding members and members of our delegation
between now and over the interim. Um, and I'd like to come up to the county and this fall probably and um you know, admits planning to do a a bonding tour if that um happens. I'd like to come
visit with you guys and strategize next session on the Benton County government center refundable construction tax exemption. Um we did have a hearing on that bill in the Senate where the
bill was laid over. Uh the hearing took place on February 20th and unfortunately like many of the bills um the target just wasn't in place at the high level in order to include a lot of
local projects this year um on construction tax exemptions. There were over $200 million dollars in project requests for local governments. Um there was some talk um throughout leading into
the special session about a broad bill that was passed in Wisconsin that allowed counties to do these on their own with a mechanism um to recapture that tax. Um Chair Rest in the Senate
indicated an interest to continue to look at that and try and find a resolution this during this interim um and next session. So, I I'll be in touch with her office in hopes of of getting maybe a tour um or a meeting with her and the county
board to walk through the importance of this for your project um and kind of looking at if there are any options. I know that you plan to start construction soon on it and how the best way would be uh going forward to capture that if
possible. Um so we'll continue those conversations on the next uh following pages and and you can see on page 10 and 11 it it outlines what is in the capital investment bill. One thing of note is there was um some funding dedicated
towards transportation projects um in in in the transportation bill and in my conversations with Chris, he's looking at exploring if any of those qualify for the Highway One project. Um on page
the one thing of note on the tax bill on page 12. Um while we were unsuccessful as all counties were on those construction exemption taxes, uh my team worked hard at the capital advocating
for counties um to prevent further mandates such as um modifying the PILT the um payment and move taxes. Um that from my understanding would have impacted the county's budget by $22,000. We prevented that from happening this
year. um and also additional changes that were proposed for uh county program aid. Um so that was one successful note on the tax bill. Just to mention in the transportation
side of the house, um the county board did have extensive conversations up until the very end of se of session and special session to try and get some funding through the transportation bill. Um our bill was written specifically for bonding. Um most of the projects funded
through transportation um are trunk highway related. Uh there were four in the transportation bill that were funded for trunk highway projects of which uh Benton County does not qualify. Um but we will continue to have
those conversations. Um sometimes they are able to put bonding dollars through the transportation committee and earark projects. Unfortunately, that was something that didn't get done this year. Um there was disappointment expressed by legislators on both sides
of the aisle for not including those local projects. And just one more major highlight um to note uh on page 15, the human services finance omnibus bill. Um this is where
the Avivo project in St. cloud was um we in or the bill was introduced and and during our meetings we supported that project um with our delegation. Um the bill did not move forward during the regular session. Um
and luckily though in the leadership agreement um it was able to come out of nowhere and was included in the final leadership agreement. Um, so from my understanding that is one small piece to the project moving forward. Um, but I
wanted to share that with the board. Also included a couple of the other omnibus bills that may be of interest. Um, so if you have a moment to take advance through there, we'll we'll email copies of this to you. Excellent.
And um and with that, I think um just wanted to note that I will be attending um there's a DC Transportation Alliance meeting uh September 16th through 18th and I will be attending that and hopefully we can work with the board to
uh te some meetings um on the side when we're in DC. Um and I'll be in touch as I hear if bonding tours will be happening this summer. Um, we'll keep you all posted.
With that, I just wanted to stand for any questions. And any questions from anybody, Mr. Chair? No, I just want to thank Ready for everything he's did did for us for the county at the county level. Truly appreciate it, though. We came up
short. Hopefully, we can get something in the pretty much everybody, right? Yeah. Thank you. Yes. And uh we will continue pushing, you know, full force ahead. I think um one comment that I was told about making a presence at the capital
is if you're not at the table um during all these sessions and sometimes it it it takes time to to get things based on the political environment, but if you're not at the table, you're on the menu. Um, and I think that, um, Benton County
has made significant progress this last year, um, in being at the table and, um, making your project known, uh, to those that make decisions. It's an honor to to work with you. Thank you, Brady. Thanks, G.
Thank you very much. Thank you. Yeah, we'll email a copy of that to you. All right. Yep. Uh, I believe, Mr. Chair, next up is Amanda. Oh man, I better get this seas. Go right ahead. Y we get a fan up here.
Good morning, county commissioners. Morning. get right to your PowerPoint presentation. And um in your packet you should have um our staff report, the memo um that was sent out on Friday um and then the the draft resolution and
then also the PowerPoint, the copy of the PowerPoint, but um for the public, I'm just going to go through the PowerPoint um for you. Um all right. So for several years um the quad counties of Benton, Sherburn, Sterns and Wright counties have been
working towards the creation of um a 7W economic development district. Uh the economic development administration provides um preferential consideration and awarding funding to areas within a designated economic development
district. Um, currently our region 7W is not a designated economic development district and that's um, uh, with the materials that I'm presenting to you today. That's um, what we're looking forward uh, establishing at this point and we've been talking about it for
several years. I'm sure um, you know, this is, you know, nothing new to you. But um as far as uh establishing that economic development district, it's really for the purposes of workforce
economic development and or n natural or economic development disasters. Um we are partnering with the initiative foundation um as uh the regional economic development and community um foundation dedicated to serving all four
of our counties. um they offered to serve as the coordinator and the fiscal agent uh and the host for the establishment of our regional se region 7W economic development district application. Um they intend to submit that to the US uh economic development
administration so uh federal EDA uh to create and host the region uh 7W economic development district. If that application is approved, um the county would commit to participating in the
district by appointing an elected uh representatives to serve on their governing board and to contribute county staff time to further work um further the work of the economic development district. And that county staff time would be um counted as
my staff time working towards the Thanks for that clarification. Yes, of course. Um, so I'm just going to go run through the PowerPoint presentation mainly for the public so they understand what a region 7W federal designation looks like. Um, the designation is really um there's several
different districts within the state of Minnesota. Um, you can see in the top right or top left corner um our region and um a couple other regions are not currently served by an RDO.
Um there are nine regional development commissions in Minnesota and they're established to provide technical assistance to LGUs, local government um uh agencies or units in their region such as obtaining administering grants for programs and projects. So really
really the um reason behind establishing this regional economic development districts is so that we can apply for federal uh EDA grants if that makes sense. Um, central Minnesota is not served. Uh, we there are
multi-jurisdictional planning and economic development agencies federal fed federally designated by EDA. Um, a regional RDO uh is is really um one that has applied for federal designation.
Um, DED has further defined central Minnesota region 7W as our region. uh the designation of federal economic development districts. Uh this really just kind of talks about uh how our how
an organization is um created. So upon the request of a district organization, an EDA may designate a region as an economic development district if that region contains at least one geographic area that is subject to the economic
distress um criteria and is identified in an approved SDS. We do have an approved SDS agreement that um we have been keeping updated over the past few years. Um staff from all of the uh counties have been working to keep that
updated so that we have the tools in place if we were to um move forward with adopting this uh region um economic development district. So the other thing is is um in order to
create a regional uh EDA district um it is it has to be of sufficient size and population contain sufficient resources to foster economic development um on a scale more than involving more than a single geographic area subject to the
economic distress criteria um and has an EDA EDA approved sets which we do and that meets um the statutes es underneath that chapter. It contains specific program for intradist cooperation, self-help, public
investment and is approved by each affected state and by assistant secretary. Um the other criteria is to obtain commitments from at least a majority of the counties um or other areas within
the proposed district as determined by EDA to support economic development district to support the activities in the district. So a majority of the counties have to participate in order for us to establish this district which we do.
Mr. Chair Amanda, has anybody passed this yet? Um so Sherurn County has um moved forward with their discussions on it. Um we're presenting this information to you as um so that we can gain support for this application. So Sherman County
has presented it. Um Sterns County has presented it. I believe they tabled that discussion. I think there's some other factors going into to the reason why they they've tabled it. Um Wright County is not participating and I'm presenting it to you today. So Mr. Sure. Amanda, while we're on that
subject, so you said a majority of the counties, so in this case, if Wright's already said they're out, were right has said they're out of the four. Yeah. And is Right still included even though they haven't passed a resolution? So, we've left it open for Wright County to participate. Um, I think there's just
uh there's the board makeup and um the idea of establishing this district. Um, and the financial contribution they weren't comfortable with. Um, so they they have backed out as far as right now, but they do have the opportunity to
join this organization if they do choose to later on. If they're not in, will they receive the same type of services if they're included in the four county members? Technically, yes. Um, they could. Yeah. Okay. Mhm. Same with Stern. What Well, what happens
if Sterns is out and it's a two to two? Well, then we won't be able to because it's not the Mr. Capinsky. There's I don't think the the Sterns part is in or out. I think it's there's other factors that came into why Sterns can't do this right now. Yep.
That's why they tabled it. So I don't think you know. Yeah. So we we do need a majority of the counties to support this. And really if you understand um the whole reasoning behind creating this economic development district is really to apply
for federal grants. Um in your memo that you have in your packet there are examples of grants that the our region has already um secured and that would be St. Cloud has secured actually two different grants. Um one for uh in 2020
for the St. Cloud Technical and Community College um 2.5 just over 2.5 million. Um in 2018 112,000 just over 112,000 for the city of St. Cloud. Um hiring an economic recovery coordinator
to complete an analysis of economic needs um for the city after the closure of the Electrolux facility. So, they've received two grants already. And then there's other examples in here um of grants that the state has received as as
far as um having these districts established. How did they receive those without this being um so at that time we were um a designated district because Central Minnesota jobs and training, they were
the facilitator. Um, I think there's some a little bit of history behind that. Um, I think it's actually in this slide and I can kind of go through what that history looks like. So, the economic development districts are critical to EDA. Um, they're vital
in uh to a regional economic development uh capacity building. So, institutional partnerships, grant making, implementation, information sharing. Um the ED the economic development district helps local community organizations apply for administer EDA grant funding. Um
planning to for building public sector capacities higher levels of federal EDA investment in designated areas. So 73% of the projects funded um from federal EDA are in designated areas while only 52%
of the population live in areas with EDDD. Oops. So, the growth and expansion of EDDDs, um, EDDDs are eligible to receive actually an $80,000 grant. There's a
mistake there. Um, not 70,000, but $80,000 in, uh, federal EDA funding to support the development, implementation, and revision or replacement of their SDS plan. And that's what we're looking at applying for for this next year through federal EDA for the staff time.
um examples of impacts made by RDO's. This is where that slideshow tells you about all of the other RDOS's um and in different regions that applied for funding and received funding. Just examples of of grant applications
and you can see um St. Cloud is listed in there and that was for the Electrolux and um of course uh the 2.5 million for the uh advanced manufacturing training lab at St. Cloud Technical and Community College.
Uh services typically provided by an RDO is transportation, community development, visioning, grant writing, facilitation, um hazard mitigation, trail and transit, revolving loan fund administration, local worker training. So those are
typically funded um and provided by Minnesota RDOS's. So this is the history if you want to kind of dive into history with me a little bit. The quad counties had an informal group that met occasionally to discuss regional projects but there was
no formal federal designation in place. Um initial meeting with federal EDA staff was was held on uh in May of 2016. That's where I met maybe one or two of you at that meeting. Um, and that was held at the central
Minnesota jobs and training or in Oh, it was in Monaceel. It was in Monosel. Monosel that one was. Yes. Um, and so at that point in time, Central Minnesota jobs and training was our partner. They developed the SDS document. Um, the application process
took place because you have to fill out the SDS, you know, you have to do the SDS document and then submit it to federal EDA to establish our district. Um, our joint powers agreement was created between the four counties and uh, Central Minnesota jobs and training
services was added uh, added an FTE, a full-time equivalent employee to facilitate the process. Uh, an updated regional certified economic development strategy was developed and then um, we submitted that
EDA application in 2018. So the process took a couple years for us to submit that uh SDS document to federal EDA. EDA initiated that 68week process time and request additional information. The evaluation continued in the spring of
2019. And then in 2019, federal EDA staff visited central Minnesota jobs and training um for a closed dooror meeting with the elect officials from the four counties. Um and at that time they advised the group that we would not be granted the federal designation for
central Minnesota economic development and shortly thereafter a dissolution uh resolution of the joint powers between Benton Sherburn Sterns and Reich County was executed. Um and the reason that uh Central Minnesota jobs and training um
was not granted that economic development district is because they um actually their network expanded further than just our counties, our four counties. So um federal EDA
um didn't accept that uh because their their network was too broad. So, and that's why, you know, the initiative foundation um is uh looking to host um our region 7W uh economic development
district. So, our next steps really is to continue discussions with federal EDA. Um the initiative foundation is completing a feasibility study that would examine potential local interests moving forward, potential partners to host ED.
um the structure and then the matching grant opportunities which is that $80,000. Um so working with IEDC's economic recovering recovery uh corporation uh fellow program to assist with that feasibility study, the initiative
foundation is handling all of that internally. Right. So, um really the request that I'm looking for is the initial support um through that resolution that's included in your
packet um adopting that resolution supporting the initiative foundation's application to the US EDA um to create and host the region 7W economic development district. That's that resolution of support. This is not
committing any funds to um the the establishment of the district. Uh you know at that time you know if the application gets approved because we'll have to submit our SS document. We'll have to um the initiative foundation will have to submit their application to
federal EDA. um if that gets approved by federal EDA for for the initiative foundation to host, we'd come back and do some sort of joint powers agreement and um discuss uh potential funding matching funding sources and um and
discuss our bylaws actually as part of that too. So um really it's not we're not asking for any funding commitment today. Um, we're asking for support to submit the application to federal EDA. Um, as I mentioned before, our bylaws
that we initially created and the conversation between all the counties talked about uh using staff time as inind contribution towards the contribution by each individual county. Right? So that's how I was mentioning
before or earlier that my staff time um Pamela's staff time would be uh essentially counted as a contribution um for the funding source. Mr. Go ahead. Two questions, Amanda. Um if it were to go through, you talked about elected
officials representing that board. Is it based off county population? Is there one from each county, two from each county? Um, we haven't established those bylaws and what that looks like yet, but I'm assuming that we'll have at least one from each county. I'm not sure if there's going to be more. Um, I'm
assuming that there's also going to be some representation by county economic development um on that board as well. Okay, second question. Aware of any federal cuts to the federal EDA? At this point, I am not um certainly not. But
Amanda, when you talk about the host is you're not talking about Benton County being the host. Absolutely not. Initiative Foundation is Initiative Foundation is the host. Be that host. So the Initiative Foundation is essentially carrying everything um to this point. Um we have to submit the application to in order
for us to move forward, the Initiative Foundation has to submit that application to federal ADA. So way back when we're going and I I went to several of these in Monaceel. So were they an EDA at that time that had it was a it was established at that
time. Yeah. But um they had to dissolve that entity because uh central Minnesota jobs and training I think their their span they reached so many counties and um it just it wasn't a federal EDA distant.
So we're just trying to get back to where we were. We are trying to get back to where we were. It's been quite the struggle the last couple years, but we've been keeping up our uh SS document. Um, and we just submitted that update, I want to
say last year before the end of December. Um, so we have I think it has to be updated every 5 years. So, um, really it's just it's an opportunity for us to participate to apply for federal funding, be eligible to receive those federal fun federal
dollars, and, um, you know, there's several different projects across the county that we could tap at that. Is the initiative foundation part of the cost sharing? Um, I believe they um they applied for
the grant funding through federal EDA. I know that at one point they discussed it, you know, but um they are going to have staff. They're going to have to have staff to support it. So that 80,000 80,000 matching grant if
if if just to be clear if Wright counties out that 80,000 will be split between the three counties based on population. Based on population that's how we have talked about it in the past. Bars will have 50 plus%. Yeah, that explains later. Yeah.
And again, um remember, uh we're looking for inind contribution through staff time to help uh alleviate any cost burden that the county would have. So, there's that. Is there a timeline on this
on submitting this? We would like to get it submitted before the end of the year. Okay. And really, I mean, we're just we're looking for the county board support um through that resolution of of support. So, I mean, just because we support it
doesn't mean there's a financial contribution. We would have to come back to the county um to talk through what that financial contribution looks like and how that's structured, but um that will come back later and that's
depending on if our application is approved at federal EDA. How long before CERNs looks back at it? I don't know with their board. um how what their dynamic is going to look like in the next few weeks. So
yeah, I couldn't really tell you. Well, I don't know if they tabled it or postponed it. I don't know what they they tabled it indefinitely. No. Okay. I think um they needed uh another
commissioner on that board in order to push it forward. So Well, that person won't be there till January. Yeah. No. Is it November the election? The election will have election. They don't take office till they don't take office. Oh, actually they would. Yeah,
they can take office right away. Yeah, they can. So, November. Yeah, hopefully. Yeah. Wow. Would there be any problem with us tableabling it for a week to think about this too, now that we got the presentation? Uh, if you want to table it and think about it, you sure can. We just um to
me it makes sense. But you're saying readress it on August 5th meeting? Yeah. you have the information. If you have additional questions, um, feel free to reach out to me. Of course, I I don't see a reason why I wouldn't pass it, but
Right. I, you know, going back to when we were there, I so far back, you can't remember a lot of things, but it seemed like it was to my recognition, it seemed like Wright County and Sherburn County were the ones at that point in time that were benefiting the most. I think there
was projects um that they had envisioned um at that time at that time. So Mhm. And I don't know that Benton County had anything pressing. I can't we but again this is a regional economic development initiative, right? So um projects in and across Benton County,
right? You know, Sherburn Sterns, we we'd all benefit. We didn't have an economic development group and you were working for another entity at that time. Correct. Yes. I'd like to talk to the other boards and find out why why why write didn't
support it. I mean I had that conversation this morning with a man because um let's see I have um I was told it's a little complicated over there um and uh they felt it was
another layer of government um and that there was not a board majority to move it forward. Um, that's all I really got from Wright County. Okay. And we as individuals can talk to Right County. And maybe if you know if
you could talk to Wright County and get them on board, that'd be great. Yeah. So maybe tableabling it would be a really great idea just for in tune with Wright County right now than we have been because um they've joined Micah, you know um the
person on the library from Wright County seems to be the commissioner seems more forward thinking. So there's always a possibility. We'll be seeing Tina next week. So yeah. Yep. And really it's just you know establishing this regional development
district. it it seems like it would be another layer, but it really I mean it's a it's a process that we have to um move forward with if if we want to apply for any federal funding. It's a it's a process. One more question. Yeah. Are we the only area that doesn't have
one of these right now? Um there is another I think it's in souththeast. But I see everything colored in pretty much. Um this Yeah. Okay. Southeast. All right.
So, there's nine. Um, so 7W 111 and 10. I'm going to move to table this to our August our first meeting in August. Second. Okay. Is there Can I ask if there's a general consensus as far as thinking about it or
I mean I Yeah. Just want more clarification on other boards. Yep. Yep. My consensus too. Yep. Okay. Good. Thank you. Okay. Thanks. We call the question, Mr. Chair. No, we don't have to on a table, do we?
I'll let you decide that. No, I think when we table, we don't have to call the question. I think it's a major motion. I think you do, but that's your choice, Mr. Chair. Okay. Um, I think we'll just table it. Okay. Thank you. Yes. Thank you very much.
You got no lots of girations. All right. So, Mr. Chair, at the recent legislative session, the legislature made substantial changes to the remote meeting aspects of the open meeting law. So, you may remember in the past there was kind of two ways you could
participate remotely from a public location that had to be published three days prior or if you were under the care of a medical professional, you could do that three times a year. Well, basically those two provisions essentially just went away. So, instead of having kind of
two buckets, there's just one. And the one of the most substantial changes is uh when you participate remotely, it does not need to be from a publicly accessible location. Also too, that three time limitation
that associated with being under medical care that went away. So really now there's just really one bucket. So you can participate remotely from a non-public location. Uh, I wanted, if I may, I so I've made some suggested revisions to your board policy to
reflect the new the new law. If I may, I have on the screen the relevant sections. And if I may, I'd like to skip C and then first go over items D, E, F, and G because these are statutory. So, for example,
you still need to be able to see and hear each other. That's that's that is retained in the policy. So, we got to see you, we got to hear you. um at at least one board member must be physically present at your regular meeting location. At least one. All votes must be right by roll call. And
then lastly, the names of board members who may participate remotely must be published in the meeting agenda not less than 3 days prior. Now, you may be thinking, well, you know what? If suddenly I'm I'm I'm I'm kind of not feeling well, but I want to be remotely and it's like the morning of the
meeting. What do you do? Well, I picked this up at a recent I believe it was a Micah call or was AMC call and it's acceptable basically to print the names of all board members in your agenda and just leave it there. So every agenda would say these five board members may
participate remotely and then you're good. You're good. So uh so that's kind of the basic statutory stuff. I want to go up to item C. I carried forward the policy choice that you all had made uh months ago when we first adopted this
that limited your participation to not more than four times per year for a regular board meeting and four times a year for a committee of the whole. I want to ask you, you know, you want to revisit that that numerical limitation. You is you want to you want to leave it?
Do you want to change it? You want to just totally toss it out? I I wanted to get your thoughts. I for now for starters I just carried it over from the old policy. So I pause there Mr. Chair for your discussion. Okay, Mr. Chair. Yes. I think it's hard to go against us. I
mean because we're we can agree up here but the minute you get a new board member, they could go right off the state statute. Correct. The board policy manual is not is not legally binding upon board members. Sort of an agreement amongst you all to
abide by it. That's right. Yeah. Well, I could I could say this, Mr. Chair. You know, if you wanted to force the issue, let's just say, for example, you know, one board member says, "I'm going to be remote." Well, I think you as board members have the authority to say no. In other words, you would you would say, "No, we're you," In other
words, you might have a motion and you would vote and you say, "No, we're not going to allow you to be remote." I think you have that authority as a board collectively as a whole to determine whether or not someone can be remote or not. I think that's within your authority. This is another thing I think we need to think about because we can agree right
here, but you get a different board member on it could be a battle. Yeah. Um, you know, I my personal feeling is that you can be remote, but if you're rem remote time after time after time, I don't think that's good for the
No, I agree. for the board. Um, and I think I would I would like to see the county have some rules on part. I mean, if you got health issues, different story. Mhm. But if if you know if if you just have a
like a grievance against the board or something that you don't want to come to the board meeting, right? I mean, I don't think that's right. So that So, Mr. Chair, what you're saying is that we should probably just leave it as at is it as as it is right now before with just four per line item
C unless you want to add any additional absences that are approved by the board. Okay. I mean like back to your medical thing if you've maybe you have to be gone six meetings. I don't know. I mean you could that could happen. You could put a revision in there under medical.
Ask the board then just say I need to extend this because of this. Right. Just a thought. Any additional absences would need to be approved by the We can revisit this again next year. I mean, I don't think I don't think
anybody's been really Well, it hasn't been abused been abused at all. I think we just leave it as is for now and address it next year. Yeah. And see how it goes this year. Was there consensus for Commissioner Johnson's suggestion for an additional sentence to say additional absences may be approved
at the discretion of the county board? Something like that. It should be medical related, I think, Commissioner Johnson. Yeah, I think that's the intent. So, we're good with that. That addition. Okay. Medical and some word to say medical. Yeah. I mean, it's for medical reasons.
So, you think you think the additional times in excess of the four should be based upon a medical reason and still approved by the board. Okay. Understood. Yep. So I can make that revision. Everybody okay with that? I think that's the most likely happen. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So you're saying the first four are good
are good no matter what it is for after that they need extended time. Right. So making no assumptions. Mr. Chair, I want to make sure that you know again the plan here is that we would publish your names every agenda. It would say the following board members may participate remotely.
Are you all comfortable with that? Okay. Want to make sure. Okay. Okay, that covers that stat that statutory section G in this says you have to publish the names. I think when people wrote this law, they didn't they didn't think about well what about a medical issue the day before
the morning of. I don't think they thought about that. So I could have done that this morning. Is there then a motion to approve as amended by Commissioner Johnson's? So moved, Mr. Chair. Second. Most been made and seconded to approve as amended by Commissioner Johnson. All
in favor? I poll was carried. Thank you, sir. Thank you for Roxan. Roxan. Do we have any AC in this building? God, it's hot up here.
It was hot in here yesterday. You're going to make me pass out. Ask Monty if he's got a fan. I might have to relieve myself for I suppose you're not feeling well. Plus, you know,
all right. Good morning, Commissioner. Uh before you, we have a plat of Focat Farms Plat One. Uh Corey and Katherine Folk do own this property. Uh it's approximately uh it's it's just over 30 acres and they're proposing three lots.
One of the three lots does have an existing dwelling on it and then it would be two additional lots for development. All of the lots meet our minimum lot size of 2 acres. Uh the smallest being 3.9 acres. Um they have
access from County Road 6 or Rabi Road. It will just be one additional access. It'll be a shared driveway entrance for both lots two and three. There will not be access from the township road. Um, this did go to the township last night
and was approved by Maywood Township. We did review this at a public hearing um last Thursday at the planning commission. There were some concerns from surrounding residents about the development of this egg land. This does meet all of our requirements for minimum
lot size for density. Four per 40 is what's permitted. Um because this property is under 40 acres, three is the maximum density, maximum number of houses that can be placed on this property. Um in the corner is uh a
cemetery. So that's not a dwelling in that far uh uh southwest corner. That's not a dwelling. Um, this is just north of Ronaby, an area that is zoned for rural services. So, it's uh it's more of your uh more compact development, which
is uh residential and commercial type uses. Um, this is consistent with our comprehensive plan, making sure that we're uh containing development um near uh roadways and intersections um and then closer to our rural service
districts. Um it did get approved by the planning commission. Mr. Chair Roxan, just as a point of interest, that all the property to the west of the proposed lots are is deed restricted. Not the entire parcel, it's just deed restricted to the amount to make 30
acres. So, there's roughly six acres that's not deed restricted. However, that's not enough uh for a development, right? Okay. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Then the next item on our agenda is to consider a public hearing. Before
we open the public hearing, we've heard from staff. Is there any else you wish to add? I have not received any comments from the public. Um, we did receive approval from the township and the county highway department did grant access approval.
Okay. If the applicant is present or their representative is here, would they please come to the podium, state your name and address, and tell us why you're seeking this? Uh, excuse me. Good morning, board. Uh, my name's Cory Faucet. My address is 13792 Roundab Road, Foley, Minnesota.
Excuse me. Dang it. The reason that we're seeking to split this off. Um, so me and my family farm in Benton County. We have about a little over 500 acres that we farm. Uh, we recently purchased this um this parcel and we don't we don't need the house, so we're splitting
that off. Uh, during the time of the split, um, we decided to make two other uh parcels across the front. Um, you know, maybe someday down the road. I have four kids. Maybe they would build out there. Um, the intentions are just to keep farming the whole thing. Um, in
these front corners, this is kind of the worst part of the field. So, that's kind of why we went with this because there's some wet land up in the corner and and it's full of rocks. So, Benton County is good at growing winter potatoes. They show up every spring. So, so anyways, that's why we did uh the way that we did
it. So, oops. Sorry. So, that's the that's the intention. Okay. We'll now open the public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to address the county board on this item? If so, please come to the podium. State your name and address. So, anybody in the audience
that wishes to come before the county board, state your name and address. Harold Graham, 1384178 Street, Northeast Poland, Minnesota. Okay. Going to point to the Oh, maybe it'll show here. Does it show up on the screen? Let's go over
here. this these piece this piece right here that Mr. Johnson was talking about to the west. Would that potentially be allowed to have houses on? Uh Mr. Johnson talked about deed
restricted. Um so what's stopping uh two years from now, five years from now having that uh turned into additional housing? Roxan, can you address that? Yeah. Um at this time the maximum
density is reached in that area. So he cannot build an additional dwelling out there unless density is transferred from another area which would be a conditional use and public hearing process to transfer additional density. Okay, that answers my question. Thank you.
Anybody else in the audience that wishes to Hi commissioners. Uh my name is Carrie Ericson. I live at 7975 Ron Road Northeast with my husband Mark. We've lived on the property for 22 years and we are here to oppose this and we did
present at the meeting on the 10th and many um actually one of our other neighbors was also present and opposed this as well and we've made some of their of our other neighbors aware of this as well which is why they are also here. Um, we, like I said, presented on the 10th and were saddened by the
outcome and the lack of concern that was shown by the zoning and planning committee at that time. Were taxpaying and voting citizens of Benton County. We feel that our feelings and concerns are being disregarded for the financial benefit of the county and one individual family. We've questioned the intent of
Mr. Fauet as we've been made aware of his purchase of additional properties on our road. Uh, in the past several months, we found false information by Mr. Focat that was provided on the application. We were told last week that these issues do not matter. We raised concerns about the possibility of flooding at our home due to the changing
topography of the land. We have concerns about harm to wildlife, wear and tear on Rabby Road, safety, and additional resources needed for fire, police, and EMS services in the area. The city of Rabby dissolved in 2009, and with that, the speed limit was removed from the front of our home. It's now a 55 mph
speed limit. We have concerns about safety in this area. This is an area that families walk with their children, with their pets, and we've been near missed, almost hit trying to turn into our driveway by cars passing us at nearly 80 miles an hour, a quarter of a
mile north of Ronaby Road. Um, the generalized speed of the vehicles on that section of road is ridiculous. We have asked Benton County to provide additional patrol out there and they have not. Um, this is a road, like I said, where families walk with children, with pets, and we're now scared to do so
because of the lack of safety due to traffic. Added adding additional housing to this area is saddening. On top of that, like you said, everything is prone to change, right? And so, if he were to decide to build another house in the back, then we have four houses um
instead of three houses that could potentially be built in the area. Benton County had to come out and emerently dig out the ditches at our house um because of flooding. When they reszoned and replaned the ditches in the area when they redid Rabby Road Northeast, they
flooded our house and changing the topography of the land just to the north of our property causes great concern that our house is going to flood again. And Benton County is going to come out with a back hoe. I don't care what time of the night it is. They're going to do it again because they did it last time
for us because they admitted that they were wrong in how they zoned and how they planed the ditches and the road. They knew that they put in the wrongsiz culverts and everything. They admitted that when they did it. Um, as neighbors of this proposed property and with our other neighbors that are also here,
we're concerned about the taxes. We ask that you consider all of the residents that live in the area. All of us. Many of us have lived there for years, not just one resident who bought a farm and several other farms and seems to be working in cahoots with the zoning and planning commission at this point in time. They're helping to line the
pockets of one family and the county employees. Remember that those who are there are taxpaying voting citizens as well and we strongly oppose the development of this land. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Anybody else in the audience that wishes
to address Hello, my name is Sheila Robach. Um, I live kitty corner from the property at 8272 Rabby Road. I just want to restate my strong opposition to the subdivision. At the last meeting, every neighbor who was able to speak opposed this plan. And while only two of us could speak at the
time, many others also disagree. Several couldn't speak publicly due to personal or professional ties to the folks. It was disheartening to see unanimous unanimous board support for converting farmland, land that directly impacts our lives simply for one individual's financial gain. Please
don't dismiss the voices of those who actually live here. This decision affects our community long term and once farmland is gone, it does not come back. Thank you. Thanks. Anyone else? Anyone else wishing to come to the
podium to speak? Last call for anyone that wants just to come to the podium and speak. We had the final call. So, um for anyone wishing to speak, uh seeing none, the public hearing is now
closed. Were there any emails, letters, or communications to be read? No, just just that the uh township had acted on this and approved the plat. Has we received anything from state agencies or cities? Not necessary. Okay.
Um then the township was affected and was acted on. The county board will now have time to discuss time for questions of the staff and discussion. As a reminder to the audience, the public hearing is closed. Are there any comments from board
members on this action? I think it's met all the criteria from what I can see. Yes, Mr. Chair. From from our standpoint up here, when it goes through the township, then it goes through the planning,
I mean, we're our hands are kind of tied to be quite honest. We got to we have to have a valid reason other than what you know people opposing it to to deny this. Correct. Or we could be held once again correct
personally. Yes. As long as the township approved it and it meets zoning requirements and all of that with planning commission too. Yeah. Can you re can you go through that adding that third h or the fourth house how they would have to do that because
right now it it is at the most that they can do. Right. So we allow for a maximum of eight dwelling units on a 40 acre parcel with a density transfer. So someone density can only be transferred from
adjacent properties. So some they would have to own property adjacent and then go through proving that there are four building rights or if they wanted to only transfer one they'd show that they have one building development right and then they would go through the process
of a conditional use permit through the planning commission to transfer that density to this property Mr. chair. But then with that property that is transferred from gets deed restricted. Correct. Yeah. And then those development rights are no
longer on that property. Right. So we're not we're not actually increasing density in the county just on it. It's just being dispersed differently. Mhm. So you said that property would have to be a jointing property in order to do a density transfer. Correct.
Okay. So if it's across the road and they want to move one over to the other side, the one across the road that they moved it from can't is now restrict. If there was a 40, that'd be it'd be one less, right?
Okay. Your wishes, anything from the planning side? Well, I mean to the neighbor's point, planning commission did approve it unanimously. I I think it's the same issue we deal with a lot in the planning commission is the applicants if they meet the criteria of the existing ordinance we're in a position to have to
permit otherwise we're going to put ourselves in a position that the applicant sues the county correct so this is something the planning commission faces all the time and I think that's why we have certain criteria that has to be met and as we all know when criteria isn't
uh what's the word I want current there's possibilities or options to change the ordinances. So, but we obviously have to face whatever ordinances in front of us that evening. So, that's what the planning commission did. Okay. And this went to the township before you.
Township just saw it last night to my understanding. Okay. Maywood Township had not seen it yet uh before the planning commission because their meeting was last night. We met last Thursday. Okay. And and they they passed it last night. Yes. Okay. I would also say, does it need township
approval? The plat is signed by the township. So, yes. Okay. Michelle, anything you want to throw in? Okay. What' she say? I didn't get her. Roxan covered it. Okay.
I guess I guess just from a legal standpoint, we're kind of bound by if it meets the criteria. Okay. Okay. Looking for a motion. Motion to approve the final plat of Faucet Farms plat one and authorize the
chair to sign the plat. Is there a second? Second. Go ahead. Second. Motion been made and seconded to approve the plant and authorize the chair to sign it. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call the question.
All in favor? I. Opposed? Carried. Christine. Oh man. Tax forfeited property. Yes. Good morning. Morning.
So we added in uh a Oh my god. the application for repurchase of a tax forfeited parcel owned by Anthony Socher of Empire Mobility Solutions. Um, according to statute, the property
can be repurchased anytime during the 6 months after the forfeiting, which was on June 5th, I believe. And Mr. Soer is here if you wish to speak. the applicant or the person is here.
Yes. Do you wish to speak? I'm not really good at it. So, I think Okay. He's got a letter in here. I think it pretty be straightforward, Mr. Chair. Okay. Well, I think it's probably safe to say
we really don't want the property. Correct. Move for approval. Is there a second? I'll second. Motion been made and second for to move for approval. Any other discussion? All in favor? I I
opposed. Carried. Thank you, Christine. Yep. Next up, we have uh Brad Chimolleski is here from Stonybrook Farms to explain to you his intent for a large ex. I'll let
him come up and speak to that. Christine, could you please double check to see if that mic is on? It It's green. Okay. Right. All right. Well, good morning, guys. Thank you for allowing me to have this on the agenda, I guess. Um, as you may
have known, I've run this uh corn maze and pumpkin patch every year um for about the last eight years since about 2016, 2017. Um, it's been really successful with it. It's been growing every year. um kind of been doing the same things each year as far as um safety and traffic control and things
like that. But um I kind of came aware that there was going to be a uh kind of an enforcement of this large exhibition um ordinance that is on on for the county, I guess. Um so just kind of want to see I'm going to submit that permit probably today um and just kind of see
if you guys have any concerns or anything that might uh deny my approval. But the corn maze is planted, the pumpkins are planted. So hopefully uh everything goes all right. But just wanted to come before the board and see if there's any concerns with you guys as well. But um usually average attendance at the most we'd probably have 4 to 500
people there at one time. Um we get about 18 to 20,000 people come through every year. Any concerns? Any questions? I don't I don't see any from my standpoint. I think everybody's reviewed that, you know, or reviewed the permit. Sure. Okay. Well, if there's anything that
comes up, just let me know. Thank you. Good luck. Thank you. Okay. And then lastly, I have a request for a part-time technical analyst position. Currently, we have one person in this position. Um, I believe in the past it
was held by three people. Prior to me, I don't know how it ended up coming down to just one person. Um we are experiencing large amounts of documents, plats, splits, combines.
Um there's over 400 document types that come through and on average we're getting about 30 of them per day. We have a 5day statutory window to complete those on electronic documents and 10
days on paper. Obviously, we're getting a lot more electronic documents which shortens that window to the five days and the person currently in the position is just overwhelmed and I don't want to
lose her questions for Christine. Um, I have some questions. How long have we been doing this and what's I mean we've been doing it for a long time and is this person you know because of the
workload unable to perform duties or are we No, I mean she can still perform them. It's just there's just too much work for one person is simply what it comes down to because some of the documents can take the legal
descriptions can take three to four hours to go through. Well, that's just one document. Then if you have 20 of those sitting there waiting for you each day, it's a very uh indepth position.
Okay. Typically, these kind of things we like to have come before when we do budget and they come before the budget instead of in the middle of the cycle is my thoughts on this. I mean, if we're getting by now, we can probably get by till the beginning of the year when we can How How many hours a week are this
individual putting in? 40. Okay. But so it's not overtime. No. Okay. Excuse me, Mr. Chair. Your uh proposal here shows that she's considering moving to a part-time position. She would like to go to part-time because of the stress of the position.
So, I guess where I'm at is what do we do if if she just up and quits? We we have nobody and this this is a very uh important position. We can't go
without it. Mr. Chair, uh do you think you could find somebody for a part-time? Because if you look at if both people go down to part-time, it's basically other than a a few extra taxes and and stuff like that, it it's going to be a wash.
Or would or would the part-time pays go up? We would want the a full-time and a partition. That's where I have the problem that we're adding a person, you know, or adding another person to the staff. It would be adding a part-time position, right? adding.
I think the goal the notion there is that the person that's in the full-time job part time and then you'd fill So you'd still have one FTE then, right? Yeah. Excuse me. Still have one NFT with a part time for Yes. Yes. One more FTE. Uh 20 hours a week.
What's the approximate cost on that? Monte in here 36 367. 20 I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. You said Monty, you said 20 hours a week. I think that's what Chris We talked about. Isn't it 20? Yeah. Your current employee would go to 20 and you'd bring
somebody on new at 20. No, bring someone on full time. Full time. So you'd have one and a half FTEs, right? Well, yeah. Right. I I thought you were just thinking about the additional one. So, okay. Yeah. I don't know.
We have currently our we're we've been short staffed in the DMV and we so we have budget in that in that salary the DMV salaries to cover it and also the revenue from the DMV it has increased
substantially over the last year. So there is Mr. Chair, I agree with you. We I also struggle. You know, I I agree about the part-time position. It's a problem. We've got to fill it with a full-time position because the odds of us getting
another person to do part-time for only 20 hours without benefits. I think we struggle with that. But that's just my opinion. I I apologize if I've created confusion. Again, our person that we have now wants to move into the part-time job. Could we be recruiting for a full-time
role? we'd be recruiting for full time. So, we're just really adding a half time position. Yep. In in essence. But um And how much are you're you're short staffed over at the DMV right now? Yeah. How long have you been short staffed
there? All year. All year. Well, we've been down one all year and two for a couple months and then we just filled one and we have another one coming in in August.
So, we'll be back to full fully staffed there. Okay. But we've been pulling the person who has been helping this technical analyst to the DMV when the DMV is short. It's
just been a lot of moving parts, you know. So, the DMV employees are crossrained to do this position also. One is okay. Would would this the person that wants to go part-time,
would it be considerate to ask her if she wants to go part-time that we wait till after the next, you know, board presentation? The board presentation budget cycle budget cycle and we we could if she wants to, you know, take a leave and then we could hire somebody full-time to
replace her and then we could look at that at at the budget time. Basically what he's saying is budgets are next month and start going with them. Uh that would be a this would might be a good thing to be put on the budget presentation and then um it would
we would take place potentially at the at the end of the year. But if we've approved it a there's times where we've actually said go ahead go ahead before the end of the year at the budget presentation. Exactly. Because we have to have the preliminary set by the end of September anyway. Yeah. Yeah. At first meeting in August
I'll ask you to schedule those. Right. Yeah. Budget work session final adop excuse me adoption proposed budget loving because we've we've done that before when we've had excess for people not viewing all fill positions like sheriff's department stuff like that wouldine I have a couple questions.
How long's this this full-time employee been in your in your department? Uh eight years. That's a long time. How versed is she at doing her position? And can somebody just jump into that position? Absolutely. And do it. Roxan. Yeah. Sorry, I've just been ready to
jump up. Um because this position actually for a time being was in the land services department and then because it needed to be deputi I think it was deputized so it could sign on behalf of the auditor treasur's office that's when it moved over to the auditor treasures office. So
it's bounced back and forth over uh time. Um it's essentially they're a title examiner. It it's a very complex job. It's not easy to learn and I know we Scott in our office, the GIS coordinator, takes on a
lot of questions and assists Letha through that process. Um, it's not going to be easy to fill. Uh, and and frankly, the there's not schooling for it or anything like that. It's sort of on the job unless you've been working for a title examiner. Um, and learning to read
those descriptions. There is a lot that comes into the office. Um, and a lot of it is not thoroughly read through and processed before it even gets to um, Christine's office. And so that just adds extra work. And I
think the the digital process has made that much easier for um, title companies to submit things without thoroughly reviewing them. And it and it may cause it to be rejected five times without them ever fixing an error that we've pointed out to them. Um, so I I it is
it's a stressful job and I I support Christine in this and I I told her I'd be here to support her in this request. You've got a fiveday statutory requirement to turn it around regardless electronic or paper. No, five electronic 10. 10 paper. Okay.
But most are electronic now. See, now my biggest concern with this is is I know that this usually comes through budget, but my biggest concern with this is you can't lose that 8-year employee because you're saying, "No, we're not
going to do this until budget time." and then you have nobody sitting in that position to be able to do that process where at least that if she stays on part-time, she has the capability of training that full-time person into that position.
So, I mean, to me, that's very important. I mean, to try and find somebody to fill that position, if she just step ups and says, "Okay, this is way too stressful. I can't handle this. I'm gone." And it's in in in all honesty, it's it's a halftime position
because we've already got the full time. Correct. Yeah. But it's still 36,000 that we got to come up with now. Mhm. Mr. Chair, where's your famous question? Where would this come out of? Yeah. Where's what coming out of? I think as Christine noted, your your
your year-over-year on EMB revenue is ahead. I And Do you have a rough kind of rough number where you're at year-over-year in terms of being ahead of budget? Uh, I think we budgeted 200. I don't recall exactly.
Yeah. And we should do about 360 this year. Oh my lord. Christine, just logistically, so if this person right now is full-time, is interested in part-time. Mhm. But if the board were to move ahead with that position, would they stay full-time
through the transition, through the Yep. and the training and everything which would be very much once that's kind of complete they want to back off to half. Is half the right number? They want to be half. Yep. Well, Commissioner brings up a good
point. If the employees gone, we got a lot bigger problem. We have a huge problem. Yeah. Right. Way more than 36,000 plus some legal issues. Mr. I I get that. But this process has probably been ongoing. I don't
It's not like it happened yesterday. Why did it just come now? And my thought is, why didn't we have it come sooner like in the beginning? Here's the deal. February. You ever boil noodles, all of a sudden you look away and then the next minute it's boiled over, right?
And and that's probably what happens that the the individual got to their last string and goes, I got to do something. Yeah. But I I think in the process that we do budget, we could be on board. Yeah. you know, the end of September. And I think
couple things I I would like to bring like how how uh how much you're um I will say un or over budgeted right now. So on on on the running short-handed through the DMV, if maybe we could I'll
just I'm not one to kick it down the road or table things, but for the next meeting, it might not be a bad idea to have those things because if there's enough money there at that point, we can make a decision before the budget side of things or we can we can choose to
look at it and then say, let's bring it to the budget. Either way, it's only a, you know, either a couple weeks or or a month month, right? But I'd like to see Christine talk to that employee to make sure that that employee is not so stressed or having medical issues that they're going
to just say because we said nothing at this meeting that they're going to say, "I'm done." Yeah. We don't want that. That's my concern. Well, and I I think that you you need to let her know that that Yeah. We're looking at putting it to the
next meeting and get her thoughts, her feelings, and maybe a couple commissioners can stop by and talk to her and find out, you know, if she's willing to hang tight or that we can come to to a consensus on what we need to do moving forward. Yeah.
So, can we have a consensus that she should come back at this August 5th meeting or do you want to wait till budget or what's the numbers? Well, I I think with with numbers, I'd like to see how much we're under budget on your on your departments. Okay.
And uh projected revenue. The other thing is is if we would do something like this, I'd like to continue that cross trainining to where if if all of a sudden DMV needs somebody and and you can spare, you know, the halftime person, go over there and help out. So I think the
Commissioner Hina, you're sighing over there. What what you got? It's too hot in here. Oh, I agree. I've just came over my sinus infection. It's like I I I truly don't want to lose this
into No, you don't want the individual because I I'm I don't know how we'd fill it and still meet timelines. No. What What is the penalties, Michelle, if we don't meet these? I would have to look into that. I
haven't looked at the penalty section. I've just reviewed documents. So I can attest to that that they are dealing with complexions. Okay. Can't ask for forgiveness. Yeah. Okay.
So sounds so maybe bring it back next meeting and have the information on for example DMV revenue where we stand year to date how how over budget we might be in terms of the revenue collections and that might be helpful. And if we've had opening positions there's yeah there's dollars there available. how much at least for this year at least for the
rest of then we have to look at the budget for and that gives us an opportunity discussion then I I can tell you from my standpoint I'm I'm fine looking at it and and figuring something out because if we don't it'll figure itself out for us and then we're going to be in bigger trouble y
so please make sure you let that employee know that we are taking consideration into that and that we August 5th we're just asking for some more numbers and to make sure that we can cover that within the budget Okay. Okay. Sounds good. Thank you. Thank you, Christine.
Thanks, Christine. At this time, we'll recess the county board for the board of the board meeting of the housing and redevelopment meeting. All right, Mr. Chair, let's call order our housing and redevelopment authority board meeting. Uh, looks like everyone
is here for the record. Please, Beth, if you could note that. Uh, we have some housekeeping items to take care of first, Mr. Chair. Uh we need to select a HR president for 2025. So are there nominations for the president of the HR for 2025?
Mr. Chair, I will move for Commissioner Pop and Commissioner Heinen as chair and vice chair. It's been moved. Is there a second? Second. It's been second. All in favor of that motion, please say I. I. All right. So, Commissioner Pop, if you could take over as our HR president, we
need to select a secretary. And as noted in my agenda item, uh the secretary can be any other HR board member and that person signs HRA documents along with the president. So we need an HR secretary. Okay. To do it
open for nominations for an H secretary. I will you know what I'll nominate uh Commissioner Benoy. Second motion been made and seconded for Commissioner Bono. Any other nominations? Any other nominations?
Commissioner Benoy. You win by white ballot. Congratulations. Select an executive director. Yes. So, Mr. Chair, uh, North informs me that is there will be subsequent bond
documents that require signature of the executive director and they recommend appointing your administrator as the executive director. And again, it's for purpose of signing subsequent bond documents. So move, Mr. Chair. Yep. Second. We didn't give him a chance to say he doesn't want it. He's got no choice.
I was going to put Scott in there. Do that. Motion's been made for the county administrator to be executive director. Okay. I All in favor? I I Congratulations, M. Thank you, sir. All right. Consent agenda.
Who's here? Yeah. Which one on this board? July 6th of 2004. That's going to be an interesting approval. We all have to abstain. Yeah. How we want, you know, I'll let you decide that, Mr. Chair and members of the county board. It if you don't want to approve them,
that's okay. It meeting minutes don't have to be approved. It's nice if they are because then they they carry that for official stamp of approval. But if you don't feel comfortable, that's fine. We can certainly pass. I'll move to approve them.
Yeah. doesn't mean I'm going to vote for it. I'll I'll second. Well, if you're going to have we could have a little discussion, Mr. Chair, then maybe we can make notation in that approval that you know to recognize none of us were here. I was here for that meeting. Yeah.
There you go. You want to sit up here? Did there isn't anybody else that was here? No. I'm sorry. Was there a motion to second on that? Yes, there is. We were having a little discussion. a little discussion on who was here. Maybe we should even
discuss who's still with us. There's 20 years. What? Yeah. 20 years. A long time. Um, you know, I from my standpoint, I look at it and go, I I I'd hate to put
in the record something that wasn't true and and and valid, and now we just blind, you know, blank stamped it. Correct. So, well, M I can certainly vouch for I was act that meeting and I can vouch for the accuracy of the meeting minutes for for
what it's worth. Yeah, that was you know that was the last time HR was used as a vehicle to refinance debt on the core facility. So, that's what that was all about. Just wait, Mr. Chair, would it be appropriate? I mean, it says approve or amend.
Can we make a statement in there that we weren't here? None of us were here were present and based on the administrator's recollection of the minutes, we're going to move for approval. Was that a motion? Make that a motion, please. Well, let's let the other die. I rec I I can send mine.
I I'll resend mine, too. Okay. So, then I'll move for amending the Benton County HA meeting minutes of July 6, 2004. recognize that none of the current board was in membership then and that we would uh consider the county administrator's recollection of the minutes to be
accurate accurate. I'll second that motion made in second whatever he said. We got it. We got it. And uh yeah, any other discussion? All in favor? I oppose. Carry. Thank you. I had a feeling that might be a little bit
bit of a challenge. All right, Mr. Chair, moving on. So um this item comes to you uh based upon the recommendation of our bond council Mary Iple and she tells us that uh this is the process that that is before us. So at some point
I believe it's August 5th uh we'll ask the county board to hold a public hearing on the redevelopment plan. A draft of the redevelopment plan is in your packet that was prepared by Mary's law firm. So what we're asking today is
you sitting now as the HA to request that the county board hold a public hearing on the redevelopment plan. So again, we're not asking you to approve the redevelopment plan today. We're simply asking you to ask the county board to hold a public hearing August
5th on the redevelopment plan. So that's that's the that's the resolution in your packet today. Okay. Pretty straightforward. Yeah. I'll make a motion to ask the county
board to hold a public hearing on the redevelopment plan. And just for the record, that's August 5th. August 5th. 9:00 a.m. The county 9 a.m. Yeah. Thank you. Second. Motion been made and seconded to consider a motion for Benton County
Housing Redevelopment requesting the county board conduct a public hearing on the redevelopment plan in connection with the financing of the government center. All in favor? I opposed carried. All right, we're
adjourned at 10:39. Okay. So, now we put our you put your county board hat back on and Okay, Mr. Chair, then the next action before you is is to schedule that public hearing as county board. You're now stating as county board to schedule that
public hearing for August 5th, 9:00 a.m. here in the boardroom on the redevelopment plan. Motion to adopt resolution to set a public hearing on August 5th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. in county board room on post
redevelopment planning connection and financing a new city government center. I'll second. Motion been made and second it. Any other discussion? All in favor? I
opposed. Carried. Thank you. One more for you, Arteonty or Chris. Chris. Chris Bird. County Road 54. I I called and had this put on the agenda because I had some conversation about it. Uh person that called is not
here. Um I think they're questioning the legal rightway on this road. I've also had numerous conversations as well. Yes, I've had conversations with township officials about Go ahead. So, what can you tell us, Chris?
Well, uh, in the last couple days, just limited amount of research been able to do. Um, some of the early documentation I've come across this road has existed since at least 1941. Prior to 1960, it was also known as
state aid route 12. So before they had adopted the county state aid highway nomenclature and system, it was known as state aid road 12 and then after that point became county road 54. Um
which is common a lot on a lot of roads, rural roads especially, uh there may not be recorded easement documents. Um a lot of roads exist by um width of use. the fact that a road authority has been maintaining that road
to the width of use for a number of years. Um that's I guess the preliminary what I found so far uh on this this section of roadway. So I did one other thing I did confirm that the assessor's office has been removing one acre of
land from their their tax role or assigned one acre of land as zero tax value which would be for a 40 acre parcel 33 feet of road rightway comes out to be one acre of land and so that area of road rightway at least 33 feet
of it has not been taxed so to be you know when that occurred Chris uh my conversation with the assessor yesterday was as far back as they had records on it. So, um, Mr. Chair, Chris, do we know how many
owners? I mean, I understand the current owner is the one who's brought up the concern, but there's others. Is there others others along County 54 that have the same concern? Uh, that they have the same concern. I have not heard concerns from other land owners, land owners. I do know the
concerns have come to us that we have never been able to maintain it as well as some residents would like. Um, we either cut down too many trees or we didn't cut enough, we didn't plow it soon enough, we're plowing it too much, we're uh we mowed too far back, you didn't mow enough. So, it's been a and
as you know, we've tried to work on a turnback agreement with the township and we've not come to uh amicable terms with the township for them to take that over as their own own. six or eight residences on that road on that section. Yeah. Um yeah, there's at least seven
parcels, but maybe about six residences. Maybe I should bring it up on Beacon. What about the utilities? I know that's not uh that's not your forte or you don't have we don't control utilities, but I think in our conversation, Chris,
that utility may be outside the 33 uh feet. Well, that's we don't know for sure. So, we didn't have them located or anything like that. Um, I did find some documentation that goes back uh 20
years. That's maybe when the utility company um I think we're talking about this parcel right here. So, I mean there's a residence that looks like a residence. There's a residence. There's a residence back here, but multiple parcels along here. And this is the 40
acre parcel in question here. So, So extending to that 9100 parcel that doesn't that doesn't go on their property. The Petroskis uh
I think I kind of was under the understanding the whole the whole road goes on their 91 and correct and 8300 both. Mhm. Both of these parcels are owned by I believe so. Yes.
Yes. I don't think we are aware of that. So Chris, does the road go all the way back to the back end of the whatever that right there? It goes to Yeah. here currently. So Okay. Michelle,
I will add I did find a document from 1993. I just did a brief look at the records. um more would have to be done. But in 1993, they did revoke portions and rename portions. And County Road 54 was a portion of that where they
reidentified a line um that included both of those parcels, but it did um revoke a portion of When you say they, what do you mean? And how long ago was that?
93. 93. This GIS would show and of course that's not necessarily survey lines, right? This is an indication of lines. Yeah. Nothing would be 100% accurate without a probably a legal survey. This would show that the county road is
on the property, right? I think Yeah, we always caution aerial photographs. I mean, unless you're directly overhead may not be 100% accurate representation. So, Commissioner Kapinsky, I think you're under the understanding that I am that the property owner had this surveyed and
is telling us that the road is definitely he showed me the stakes. Yeah. That it's definitely on his property. Yeah. Cuz actually the stakes are actually across the road. So, in other words, this is a private road. No, it's county road.
But, you know, he has if he has a survey that shows that, then what? We would have to do some research. I mean, we we have documentation. We've been maintaining this road for decades. Well, that's that was another question I had from Michelle. So, um when you
maintain a road for x number of years, whether you know a governing body, whether it's township or whatever you actually have rights to that then called dedication by use. Yeah. And it doesn't just include the paved
portion. It does include potentially cuz we had one of them in Langola where it was a it wasn't even a road. It was a uh what do they call it? A cartway. Cartway. And the cartway was being maintained and they wanted it asphalted and everything else. And
we did not have to buy property from the adjacent landowner to the north because we were maintaining that road for x number of years. We didn't do nothing but put a little gravel on it and snowplow it and that was enough to say that it was your rightway.
Believe me, there's nothing more I'd want than to reduce the number of assets that we have to maintain. Except that I know the moment we do that, we'll have other people knocking down the door saying, "Hey, y I want we want you to maintain this. We want you to plow out to our our driveway now." And I think in this case, we just want
clarity for the owner. Yes. You know, I mean, if if they have the documentation or whatever, we have to get to the bottom of who who whose documentation's correct, right? Who Yeah. Whose documentation? Well, I would remind you too, however,
that they might own the underlying property if that doesn't impact the easement for the rideway. So, may not be definitive of where the county road is. And and even if that's true, back to your dedication of use, it's going to be
the counties used it. Yeah. Yeah. Because that's there's hundreds of miles of roadway that the underlying property owner still owns to that section line but with the roads over top of it by by easement. Sure. Only in a handful of location mostly in
municipal areas where we have bought the fee title to the land and you know the county holds the title. Most miles of roadway are just there by easement. Yeah. And if you go out in the country and you see, you know, the the quarter section markers are usually in the
middle of the road. I mean, that's where your property starts. You don't pay taxes on it, but that's where your property starts. And if you're surveying, that's where you start. Mhm. Yeah. That that's that's where it was a little different when when he showed me the one
stake. I remember in the corner. So, you had the it was all the way on the other side of the road. So it was it was going it was a 33 feet plus is where he was showing me. But then what do you do with the dedication of use though? Exactly.
I I get it. I I I don't know what to I mean we we can't recreate the law here either. No. Is he is the landowner wanting just clarification or other intentions or Well, I don't know. From when we were speaking to him, it's something to do
with East Central came in and very line and put transformers and they don't Yeah, they put it right in there. They can't turn a truck in the private property and and stuff like that. They'll probably use the center line of the road. Yeah, probably.
But East Central had to have been issued a permit from somebody, council or county or Well, county road on this, they utilities would have to pull a permit, wouldn't they, Chris? Uh, theoretically. Um when Betton Communications went in there because they're in there also.
I think they halted our process right now. Um they who figures out if they're outside that 33 ft. Yeah. Well, I mean we would have to have the utilities located and marked on the surface. Um and then
have to compare that to some kind of understanding of where the roadway is. I I can I can see the applicant's issue with this, especially with the utilities because they they they don't have any recorded easement. Nobody knows these laws better than
attorneys and and you know, road authorities. Right. Right. Michelle, I personally don't know. I would imagine it doesn't You see all these fence lines that are maintained by neighbors that could be off 10 ft. I would imagine that that uh you've been maintaining it
doesn't doesn't go to individuals just government entities right well there is prescriptive easements of quiet title actions that held privately okay yeah we have extra but from from from what they what what
this individual is saying is um the electric company put a transformer or a pad right in the way of them being able turn around trucks and there's no way and I think you had mentioned Chris too. It's hard to turn any truck around back there.
Oh yeah. I mean that's a constant issue with us like we drive down the road one way and Yeah. that would be in that that cult that's up there. No, this would that would be before that but but it it put it right right where they turn into their they got an access coming up that's I
think it's the only one on 54 to get onto that property. And I I from what I hear is Excel has not been not Excel but E central has not been real uh um eager to do anything right with it without them paying the money. So there's a lot of underlying deals
with this with this and um we just wanted to bring it up and and figure out what we can come to what what we can go back to them with. I just trying to find my correspondence. I had correspondence from East Central just last week. We we were under the impression that they were trying to do
something recently and then they confirmed that uh no they were not doing anything recently um and they were not aware of why this was becoming an issue now. So so from what we understand the lines have been underground and maybe
this ped box has been there for an undetermined amount of years. So I can understand if there was something happening recently then there'd be cause because then we would want to know. We didn't have any permits recently with East Central either. We'd want some permit from them to work in our rideway. So, um,
when is the last permit that they pulled out there? Was that quite a few years ago? Yeah. I mean, predates I'm thinking this is early I thought I thought it was just done recently. Yeah. I thought it was within this construction year. Oh,
I I I was under the understanding either last year or the year before, but it very recent is what Well, when we were out there touring 54 for the potential uh turnback turn back to Granite Ledge, Bet Communications was already in there. So, they've been in there a while. Yeah. There's no new activity there
cuz Granite Ledge was one of the few townships up there that were built out. Yeah. When we were doing the broadband work. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. I'm going to throw it out there. I mean, is there a way that maybe Chris, yourself, and I, and whoever else could
maybe just meet out there and kind of take a look and Yeah, we could we could certainly schedule a meeting. I mean, I I don't I mean, obviously, we know that the they you guys have been using the or we've all been using the road, so we got legal rights to that
right now. Correct. Yeah. Does uh the land owner have uh a completed certificate of survey from a surveyor? Would they be willing to share that with us where you know a licensed surveyor found the property? I would think so, but we can relay that message. Yeah. The survey is public
documents. Not necessarily on a private, you know, parcel. Okay. I mean, our section corner information is all only if you register that, right? What's that? Only if you record it. Yeah. That survey. Mhm. Well, is this something that rather
than I mean we're doing our road tours shortly. Is this something that we can go look at next Monday? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Next Monday. We're already then you're not planning another meeting. Yeah. Okay. That work. We'll make it as a stop on the road to uh on Monday. That's where you're going to get that
extra jelly bismark pan. Yep. Nice thinking, Commissioner Bono. You're providing the donuts. Yeah. Central claims that they have not done anything out there in decades. Mail
that we received from them on Thursday. Nothing new has happened on that road in decades from Is this a new central? No, I think uh I think Warren Woods have they owned it? Transferred it from a
from like a entity to an um another trust. Yes, you're right. And I think that's where it's the same people. It's the same people. But I think that's when the survey became probably. So I don't know, you know. Okay. Well, this isn't I can I this is not the
only place in the county this has happened because most of you know where I live and my property goes across that road. Mhm. By trying for me to jar away and the road's right in the middle of my property. I wonder if we have dedication use on
that road. Are you a township road? Well, it was a county road and then we turned it back. Swap and turned back. Okay. And now it is Township Road. Was you one of the people that opposed that turn back that time? It was swap. It was swapped. Yeah. Yeah, it was swapped for the Yeah. 35th.
35th. I remember that. I was pretty new. That's why it sticks in my brain. That was 2012. Oh, wasn't that No, that was later than that because I was on the board when we did that swap. But with Menon Township? Yeah. Does that ring a bell? Yeah. I believe my husband was on the
report. Okay. It's before my time. Okay. All right. So, we'll do we'll make a stop on our road tour next Monday to look at this. So, okay. And not to get off subject, but can you also add to your road tour 11 and 22?
Okay. 11 and 22. Yeah. Counties quite a few counties 11 and 22. It's Yeah. Yeah. What the issue is we fought with contractor there's there's settlement
over a pipe that was replaced and so there's a dip a significant dip in the roadway with that project. So okay they fixed it once and it's still settling. So which tells me they couldn't have packed it very well. Yeah, it's pretty low some places
through there. Yeah. So, let's let's hit it about 55 and see how it's kind of what kind of lift we get. Being told that it will lift somebody into the ditch. Oh, hopefully there's no stumps coming up too. Yeah.
Just so as long as we're on the road tour, I will not be on the road tour. I won't be back yet in time. Okay. I will make it to the first stop, I Okay. All right. Thanks, Chris.
Commissioner meeting updates. I know. Uh I had a city council meeting on 77 with the city of St. Cloud. Um career one days on 78. Um I had a Lincoln Avenue meeting with
the contractors for updates on Lincoln Avenue on 79 and a I went to the planning commission meeting on 710. Uh July 8th I had union negotiations and we had career day career day. Career
career one day. Career one day. Thank you. At career solutions at the technical college uh union again on the 9th and radio show in WJ. Uh 10th was criminal justice.
Jared, did you Wasn't there seven females? 36. Yeah. Um, male in the jail. Yeah, I think I left my notes at home. Sorry. There really wasn't a lot. There wasn't much for an updated No.
criminal justice. Um, and then uh yesterday I was Yeah, I was in and out on the phone with union negotiations. I was not feeling the best. How's that going?
Just like just like they have in the past. Okay, that's it. Sorry. Okay. Um July 9th, I spent about three hours in the jail. Uh spent some time with touring,
Mr. Chair. Okay. Touring clarification with Charlene and a number of the staff over there. I was able to meet spent some time in general for probably 45 minutes which is about 43 minutes too long for me. It's kind of some action in there that they have to notice what
those detention officers have to deal with sometimes. Um spent some time in central over there too. Um also uh walked through the women's unit with the detention officer. Um went through the whole facility, walked
over through the tunnel over to the court facilities. Saw how that process worked. So, I had been through the jail before, but had never spent any specific time there. Also, then later that evening, I was able to spend about another 3 hours with uh Katie Ducine and
um Julie was there when I first got there and dispatched. That was pretty interesting. It was pretty quiet. I'd walked in just as they were finishing up that accident, I think. Oh, up on 10 on 12 just or Yeah. I don't know if that's where it was. What day was you in there? The 9th. No, that wasn't.
Okay. And so I didn't get in on the that was just ending. Um but very interesting. A lot of questions, a lot of information. They've got a lot going on there. One thing that really stood out to me, I don't know for those of you that maybe sat dispatch, I thought it was interesting that they really don't
on the screen in front of them, they really don't have the location of our deputies. The deputies are calling in and saying, you know, I'm at such and such an address. Mhm. The reason I noticed it is because when I did a ride along with the deputies, they have on their laptops where their
car is going, right? And so when they're communicating all the time, they're checking in with dispatch. And you know, like I think Katie that night set a threeminut timer that if she didn't hear back from the deputy, she's going to check in with them again because maybe they didn't clear to see where they were at. Something to that effect. But I just
thought it was really interesting up on the main screens. You don't really see where they're at. Where your deputy is. Yeah. Yeah, they do. Yeah. Well, I asked her multiple times. She said, "I don't we don't see them. I go by their address. And if I know the address, I know where they're at, but I don't physically see.
They're all GPS." Well, that that is weird because when I was there, we could actually see where the car was moving. Not on the screen. She had up the top right or top left screen when we she had the county split about, you know, who was on the east side, who was on the west side, which deputies were
patrolling, etc., but I asked specifically because I saw that in the deputy squad where they're moving. Yeah. But I did not see it at dispatch. Huh. When I was at dispatch though, four or five years ago, we could see it because we could see it on Maybe it was the It's entirely possible. Maybe they're in
the midst of a system change. I I've seen it before, too. I know what you're talking about. I bring it up. It was interesting that I could see it. Couldn't see it. Oh, and I had seen it in the the deputy squads. But anyways, able to spend some great time with them, learned a lot, had very good discussions. So,
um, and of course, last week's planning commission meeting. So, that's what I had. Okay. Uh, our APO meeting was cancelled. We had a criminal justice. I think what they say that they had one person that was able to do STS if
one. Yeah. But they had some that would qualify for in-house. They had 10 of them that wanted to qualify. Yeah. And one that Yeah. only Yeah. So more and then airport authority meet. We had
our airport meeting that was a very interesting meeting again. Um that's a a continue and watch and learn. And um one of the things that that uh I brought up there is, you know, we met May 15th
and I brought up the fact that, you know, hey, what about naming rights to bring in more revenue, everything like that, and they just failed to disclose anything, disclose that they were rebranding the airport that night. Huh. Yeah.
They didn't think what they St. Cloud Sky Central wasn't important enough to It's Yeah. So, it it it uh got voted on unanimously to um basically rebrand it that night. They
haven't come up publicly with it right now. No. But it I mean, anybody who looks at the minutes and everything like that can see that. So, I don't know. That was frustrating. Um I think they still plan on doing the
million dollars. That's what I would think. Um I like Commissioner Kapinsky was really we had some push back from them about having elected officials on there. Um and that wasn't unanimous. We had one one member that he didn't really say no and he
didn't really say yeah. Yeah. I think he's still thinking Yeah. Y about whether or not there should be an elected official. Yeah. Well, anytime that we're going to be putting money to the taxpayers, I think there should be some elected and and and this is just a,
you know, a technicality, but they have their their board is listed as commissioners and there's a Commissioner Johnson on there that people misconred with. Commissioner Johnson only it's Kevin Johnson versus
our appointment. Yeah. And it just had to be from Baton County. So it it if you're outside and I think you brought that up. Yeah, I brought that up. You brought if you're from the outside looking in. Oh, great. They're thinking you're making Yeah. You're making these decisions. So, good luck. Yeah. Great.
Great. But, you know, it comes down. We're going to do another Now we're at the point where we're going to do a meeting with St. Cloud and Sherburn. That one. Yep. So far, they haven't been No. And I I did talk to Sherburn County
and they were unaware as well of the rebranding. Yeah. That they actually went and did it. So, is it safe to say none of the appointments by any of the counties reported anything back to their That would be 100% accurate. It was in the minute sentence after the remain
that and and I did bring up we're we're we we bring that up to everybody too when they come in and and oppose things that we've done it you know watch our minutes everything like that. So I did put that on me. I said hey I'll take it
full full well. But at the end of the day we were here on the 15th and that never once got brought up that you were doing that. To your point though Commissioner Binsky these have been appointed by county boards. Mhm. This isn't the general public. Yep. And this is true. So, I mean, all of us sit on
appointments that we come back and report to the county board. It's what we're doing right now. And we get minutes. And we get minutes. And it was brought up, were were was there any um uh consideration taken in for the counties? And it was the three lines underneath the logo or something
like that that represent the counties. Yeah, that was in the minutes, too. going to be really represented when they receive tax levy money from the counties. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, that's a, you know, that's a
just for for for my standpoint. I did have Monty record it and stuff like that. So, I wanted to make sure that I wasn't overstepping or anything like that. They did they did resend the communication deal. They got us that. Do you see that email?
So, that was good. that was done in November of last year and it was that was the one that there was tons of meeting minutes on and I didn't go all the way down so I I felt bad on that but they did u Bill sent that over that was done in in November. Um
so the the people we appoint to the board now can report back to the board. They can Yep. There is no there's I I was surprised at the push back on having elected officials sit on the before they could on the board. It was I know. I mean,
it was really their push back um was conflict of interest and everything else that we're we're going to be voting for our our position at the next uh at the next election. And we're like, uh how about you utilize
us as a bonus? Like we go out to DC, we go to the state, we we can be advocating for this airport. Yeah. You know, so we we stress that. I mean, even um Commissioner not stressed that, you know, he believes there's importance to
the counties the airport, but I don't know. I don't think that's ever been the argument. No, more or less the communication. They feel that it's maybe not as important as what we the counties think it is. I know one of the one of the things that
uh um Brian, is it Brian? Yeah, Brian Myers. Yeah, Brian Myers brought up. He's like, "Oh, this was 10 minutes before I I I I got him caught in a little trap." And it wasn't a trap. It was just wording. But it was like, "We never ever envisioned being a taxing authority within the 10
years, right?" And then I I brought up like 10 minutes later, I said, "Well, what happens, you know, this is 1 million now. What happens when it's four or $5 million in three years?" And everything like And they both look said, "It'll never happen. It'll never happen." But I'm like, well, we just said
just said 10 years ago and and did I I I just I said we just said 10 minutes ago that you you never thought it would come close to before 10 years. So there there's a lot of things that got to we all got to get to the table and hammer this out
and we're only in year six of the tenure and I'm going to tell you rebranding an airport right now in the midst of all of this stuff to me I I truly felt and I brought this up. I felt like that was a let's get this through the meeting.
Let's get it approved by the board and move on. Because I I'll tell you this, if I would have known about the rebranding that that day, I would have been to the airport meeting that night and say, "I think you guys should table this." Yeah. We need to get everybody together.
Rebranding is going to cost money. Well, they they had a marketing company that was on for what, seven months? Eight months already. White box. Well, yeah, that they brought their recommendation that night, the 15th. So, we met hours before and never once was this brought up. Even though
direct questions about branding where were asked. Yeah. So, that's all I got. That's plenty. Thank you. Um I just had labor negotiations at the airport and we had a Micah uh executive
committee just trying to hammer out uh some of the finances that are going to go through for next year. So that was all that I had. Commissioner concerns. Anybody got anything? I don't have any commissioner concerns. There's a couple things that I did want
to bring up though. Most of you probably got an email from Benton Soil and Water asking for all of us to go on a tour or whatever with them. Do we put that on our cow? Do we We do. We do. Yep. Yep. I'll bring it up.
Oh, okay. You bet. And then the other one was um Roxan sent an email out about um navigating key key land use issues for August 7th. Um, and I I would like to go to that. I don't
know if other commissioners are planning on going to that, but that might have to be listed as a count. Mhm. Yeah. Okay. Anything else? Set committee of the holes. All right. Well, Mr. Chair, it's it's time to schedule the fall policy conference for
AMC. That is September 10th, 11th, and 12th at Arowwood in Alexandria. Um, we did go ahead and schedule your lodging arrangements. Did we also register? Yep. We have registered you all and made your
lodging arrangements uh for this. I we did that because we know this hotel fills up really quickly. Correct. So, that's why we got right on it. Um, again, that's September 10th, 11th, and 12th. Um, Mr. Chair, Beth, would you please email out the cancellation date,
cancellation by date, please? Yeah. All righty. As Commissioner Benoy noted, Sona Water wishes to ask invite you to a um a tour of practices. Uh but very different this year. So this year they want to scale it back tremendously and
shorten it. And the tour would be just the county board. That's what Jerry told me. So, they're asking for some possible dates uh that you all could go on a tour of practices. Again, just the county board in this instance.
Um I would suggest scheduling when it's a little cooler. Um about the 29th of September. I can make that work. the 29th of September. Okay, I'm just throwing that out there. I
don't know what everybody else Excuse me. I'm just throwing that out there. I don't know what everybody else I got to get to my September calendar. September 29th. Monday works for me. Monte, would you ask Jerry or we can ask them too? I think some of the importance
when they do this is that they have um like people like Tim there so that they can get some of the projects in the paper and know knowing what you know the money that's being spent and the amount of money that's coming into the county from grants and that it highlights their annual
it highlights their annual expenditures. I mean you know you talk a couple million bucks sometimes comes into the county from So they hear September 29th that'll work. Yes. at 9:00 a.m. Okay. Departing from soil and water at 9:00 a.m. roughly.
Okay. Um then Commissioner Bernard, you mentioned the August 6th, 7th, excuse me, seventh. 7th key land use issues. Um I don't recall is did you register yourself for that one?
Me? Yeah. No. U Roxan said to let her know and she would get us. Okay. Thank you. So, uh, besides Commissioner Doy, anyone else interested in this? I'm I should I will register also, but to her point, you may have to list it as a cow because I don't know who else is going to show. Let's do that. Well, let's And what was
the start time? Uh, 8 Yep. 9:00 9 to 4 and I'm sorry, the loc the location, the park event center in weight park. Okay, thanks. So, 9 8:30 registration's at 8:30. Okay, so 8:30 Weight Park, the new
conference center over there. Key land use issues. And we know at least Commissioner Johnson Buenoy are interested. Okay. Could you please let and Mr. Chair that's all we have move for approval of the cows Mr. Chair? Second. Motion been made and seconded to set the
cows. Any other ways? Just a reminder. So again your road tour begins at 9, excuse me, 8:30 on Monday. 8:30 on Monday. 29th of September. No, your your Monday, right? Our highway, our own
highway road tour is scheduled for 8:30 departing. 8:30. And I don't know if we published this, but uh if we could meet at the highway department, that was that would be preferred. There's plenty of parking and stuff out there. We can on the new pavement. We can change the the location right to
highway, right? Yeah. Yeah. You could see the new pavement. Hopefully, we have all of it done by then. You're not going to use sir lines a lot, are you, to put boundary lines on? No, we we've got it. We We learned recently there's a new player in town. Yeah. From Wisconsin. No, there's actually uh one from Minnesota that just
bought a truck and they're trying to get into the market. So for them. Wow. And you said that's at 8:30 or 8. I got at 8:00. Um Chris must be buying donuts at 8. That's what it was. Well, I I looked on our committee our official committee hall listing. It shows 8:30. Okay.
So at 8:30, no. Okay. 8:30. Well, let's go ahead and make that address change now as part of your motion if we can. Then we don't have to like move to highway department, right? Amend. Okay. Motion been made to amend the emotion to change the highway. All in favor?
I I Okay. Car.