The Ben County Board of Commissioners meeting. Please join us for the flag pledge. >> I pledge algiance 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. >> Note that all commissioners are present. Approve or amend the agenda. Monty, anything to add? >> We have no changes, sir. >> Move for approval. Mr. Chair. >> Second.
>> Got a motion in a second. Any further discussion? If not, I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I. Oppose. Motion carries. Sync County Board meetings are broadcasted live and video recorded on YouTube. Please refrain from speaking from the
audience area. Come to the podium so that the viewers can hear you. The county board observes Robert's rules of orders for its meeting. So, please obtain the board's chair's consent before addressing the county board. Public comments are generally reserved for the open forum segment or public
hearings. However, public comment on other agenda items may be allowed allowed at the discretion of the board chair. As we begin the day, please turn the cell phones off or turn them on by break. Thank you. Open forum.
Really? Wow. Monty, >> I want to introduce Susan Black H director. Susie, you want to come up to say hi? >> Now you're on the >> I am on the spot. >> Wow. Wow. Good morning. >> Good morning. I am Susan Black, the new
HR director. Um, I ha I come to you with 15 plus years of HR and leadership experience through many sectors, just not government. Um, from retail, distribution, uh, manufacturing, um, have been my is where my career has led
me. Um, I current I am not in Benton County. I reside in Morrison County. Um, I'm a mom of six and a grandma of six with number seven on the way. So, um, very excited to join this team here. Um, I'm Yesterday was my first day, so a little overwhelmed, but it's it's been
good. And I'm here for day two, so right. >> Welcome. >> That's a good attitude. >> Great. >> Thank you very much. >> The team, >> thank you, Emily. Yeah, >> she's coming back today. >> Uh, Mr. Chair, I Yes, I do have an email that was sent to me last night and was
asked if I could read it into the open forum record, so I will do that today. Uh, dear commissioners, as a working taxpayer in District 1, I cannot attend in-person board meetings due to my work schedule. I appreciate the opportunity for public comment and would like these questions placed on the record for clarification. I understand the board
may not take action today, but I seek your responses to improve transparency and access. Number one, why did the board recently vote to reduce public comment time from 5 minutes to 3 minutes? Will the chair now begin strictly timing speakers as this has not been enforced in the past? Item two, it
was stated previously that the timing of board meetings would be discussed at a goal setting meeting to make them more conducive for working taxpayers to attend, such as evening meeting times. Has any discussion occurred on this topic for 2026? Item three, can committee the whole meeting minutes be posted publicly on the county website
without residents having to request them directly? And lastly, item four, can preliminary board meeting minutes be posted promptly, such as within 24 hours, so taxpayers can review and prepare comments or concerns before the next meeting. It is rare that meeting minutes are addended at subsequent
meetings when they are approved. Thank you for addressing these on the record. Greater transparency and accessibility would help rebuild trust with residents who fund county operations. Look forward to watching this on YouTube. Sincerely, Michael Acres, Sock Rapids, Minnesota. Monty, I'll give this print out to you
and we can together respond to them if that's okay. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Nobody else in the open form. We'll go to the consent agend consent agenda items 1 through 12. What would
you like to do with that board? >> Move approval. >> I'll second. >> Got a motion and a second. Mr. Commissioner Bonite. >> I'd like to pull items two and 11. two and 11.
>> I'll amend my motion uh pulling two and 11. >> I'll amend the second also. >> Okay. So, we have a motion for 1 3 through 12 minus 2 and 11. Correct.
>> Correct. >> Okay. I'll call that question. All in favor say I. >> I carries. Number two, Commissioner Bono. Um, maybe a question for Monty on that build grant. I noticed when reading through it
that it has all of Chris's information listed, including his email, phone number, and everything for contact information. Does that need to be fixed so that they know who to contact if we are awarded that grant? >> Um, >> page 18.
>> Yeah. Oh, I I see in the actual agreement itself, I am listed on uh the first page. >> Okay. >> I think what Steve did is he attached an old document from
uh right before when Chris left. >> Um >> we'll make sure we'll make sure they've got the right contact information. Oh, sure. Yeah. I >> But I see I see me listed in the actual cuz I remember Steve brought this up with me. He said, you know, should you be listed as a contact? And I said,
well, sure. Yeah. I mean, for now. Yeah. Okay. >> We'll make sure it's it gets the right place. Yep. Yep. I'll follow up. And we did, Monty, we did qualify for the refund of all of the build grant fees up front.
>> Yep. That 30,000. Yeah. >> This is about maybe what the third or fourth year we've gotten this grant. >> This is the fourth. >> It's fourth year we got the grant. >> So, MDOT has been good enough. gracious to cover the cost of applying. >> Yeah. >> And that's about 30,000. >> 30,000. Yeah,
>> that's what it is. >> Um, if I can, Mr. Chair, I did talk to Megan uh at length on this as well. Um I I she may join us on our next meeting. >> Okay. >> Um remotely, but we had talked about potentially having somebody come out
there and as soon as this gets turned in within a few weeks, go out there and really hit it hard. to try and get it around to everybody. So, um there has been talk about the APO going out there and if that time frame works that'll work perfect. My spot would be taken
care of by the APO. >> Okay. >> So, but if it doesn't work because we usually go in fall, then we might have to figure something out. >> It's the end of February. >> Yeah. This is our year. Uh Senator Smith is done. Closure is is going for
governor and and uh we got Emmer as a whip. So, >> and they're all signed on on it, too, which they have been for the last couple of years. >> I'll move number two. >> I'll second it. >> Okay, we got a motion, a second for number two. All in favor say I.
>> I opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. 11. Uh this question is probably for um Troy and it is um just a clarification and the information I can get later but Tri
County Humane Society it's the um applica or the agreement with them. Can you get me whenever you get a chance? I'm sure you don't have it on you, but in like last year, 2025 or
2024 even, what we paid, the sheriff's department paid to the Tri County Humane Society through the Sheriff's Department. I will double check our records. My suspicion is probably zero. This is a very low frequency service. However, if
we happen to have need of impounding a dog, for example, that's bit somebody and the owner isn't doing their part, we need to have somewhere to bring it or we, you know, that we need to have somewhere to go. It's a very unlikely that we're going to use it, but we need to have that available to us.
>> Yeah, I No, I agree. But in their in the contract, it says this is what they charge the sheriff's department and whatever. I'm just curious over 2024 and 2025 what the sheriff's department actually paid out to the Tri County Humane Society.
>> Okay, I will look that up and confirm that. But again, my suspicion is zero. >> All right, thank you. >> Yes, >> I'll move 11. >> Second. Got a motion and a second. All in favor? >> Oppos? Motion carries. Thank you. Okay,
Monty, discuss Great River Regional Library Plan. >> All right. And Brandy is here from the library executive director. Please. >> Good morning, everybody. >> Morning. >> Um, my name is Brandy Caner. I'm the new executive director for Great River
Regional Library. I've been with the library for 25 years this month, but this is month four um of me being executive director. Prior to that, I held public service roles um and and supervising public service roles. I was
asked by the Great River Regional Library Board of Trustees to come visit you all today and ask uh the Benton County Commissioner Board to reconsider the amount being paid to Great River Regional Library for 2026.
Um the budget for Great River Regional Library for 2026 was approved in July of last year and at that time Benton County was listed as providing $546,670.
We were notified that rather than that, the Benton County Board wanted to provide $540,46, which was the amount that was spent in 2024. And that's a $6,624
difference. And again, the board has requested that I come talk to you all, request that you reconsider that, and also perhaps share some information about Great River Regional Library and kind of how
what we do to try to be good stewards of public dollars um and help you feel assured that we are making the most of those dollars. Um I also don't want to make assumptions. I know librarians are really good at providing information and I could sit up here and yammer at you
for a very long time about things, but I want to know if you have specific questions, too. So, I am prepared to talk about things like why we believe that Great Rivers model makes good economic sense for our counties and where our revenue comes from and how we
use it. but also um if you want me to foray into that or if you would like me to if there's something else that you have in mind. >> I'm sorry >> Mr. Chair >> Hinsky >> I've been looking forward to this conversation to be quite honest with
you. Um you know our frustration or at least my frustration here is we have one library in Benton County and we're paying that kind of money. >> Sure. Uh, and then if we don't pay the extra 6,000, you're going to take it out
of Foley's library operating costs is what we've been told. >> Right. So, that was Yeah, that was the direct >> I'll finish here. And I look at it this way. In the days of everybody go doing cutbacks, why is a library that seemingly users
are going down, why why does the the the budget keep going up? >> Sure. So, thank you for the question. A couple things to clarify. Um, the directive that I was given from the Great River Regional Library Executive
Committee in December was to look for ways that that the library could potentially reduce services without negatively impacting those counties that are going are planning to provide the full amount
that was agreed to. Because of the way that Great River is structured, there aren't that many options for us. We have a structure. I'm so sorry. >> No, I don't think it's up. It is on. >> Okay.
So, we have a structure that's based on um everybody pays in from the six counties and that gets divided equitably between the libraries. So what that means is that small counties like Benton County where there are fewer libraries
that they still get the same access to services. They still get the same big collection. They still get the same train staff. They still get the same programming opportunities. All those kinds of things. So it's that equity of service model. We also have a floating
collection. That means that every item that's in the Holy Library right now is jointly owned by all those six counties through Great River Regional Library. And so everybody has that. What that means though is that there are limited
options for us to isolate what kinds of impacts could be on one county. And unfortunately, open hours is pretty much the o only one that I had to recommend that filled the brief that I was given by my executive committee.
So, it was brought up at the meeting last month whether or not to do this and that was when the board said very clearly they did not want to make that move until I had the opportunity to come back and talk to you all. A couple other
things that I'd like to mention is that with Benton County, while there is only one library that exists within the county geography, >> there are
um there are multiple libraries that are within driving distance of Benton County residents. And the actual number of borrowers from Bitten County has been increasing over the last few years. In 2023, it was
under 6,000 and as of January 1 this year, it was 6,600. So that number is increasing. And people use the Sock Rapids or the St. Cloud Library. They use Royaltton, other libraries like that. So
yes, there is one library >> physically within Benton County, but your population is using multiple libraries. >> A followup, >> please go ahead. >> So if we agree to pay the $6,000, can we
get one in Rice for that $6,000? >> That would be a board decision. that is out of my hands. >> Cuz I'll tell you from just on face value, if our residents and taxpayers knew that we had one library and they
went in the Foley library and seen what size it is >> and they were we were paying over a half a million dollars a year, I think they would have a problem with that. >> Yeah. A very significant number of Benton County residents use the St. Cloud Library as well. >> Mhm.
So that >> and that's because most of them are from soccer rapids area. That's why because it's the closest area and closest to get to the library. You know what's interesting is that I think it's three or four years it's raised $30ome,000,
>> you know, for a sense of one li Yes. Yes, it is. We've got documentation of that. >> Sure. >> You know, and that that's what's disheartening, too. Even though we say we've got one library, but we use multiple libraries. If we're using multiple libraries outside of the
county, >> then why is our rate keep going up more and more? >> Sure. >> Fair question. So, the amount that each county um pays is based on a formula of
population, borrowers, and net tax capacity. Depending on how things change, that could go up or down in any given year. I did go back and look and since 2010 the amount for Button County has gone down 10 times and up six times.
So it does fluctuate. It's a little over a 3% increase total since 2010. So I'm not saying that in any way to devalue the fact that it has gone up. Just saying the way that formula works, it it
it changes every year. >> Yeah. We also really try hard to do things like if we have a surplus one year, we'll put it into for the next year. So that and that goes to offset the county amounts to try to keep them
down. A few years ago, we reduced the amount of capital investment that we were requesting from b from counties again to try to keep that amount down. So you know prices for everything are going up. We are re we work really
really hard to try to keep the prices down as much as we can for our counties. >> Commissioner P some a lot of that discussion what you're having Jared is that all went through the executive committee when we did it and yeah we look they looked at like how could you
not strictly penalize Benton County. Um, and then it came and all the commissioners sit on the deal. And what we heard was, well, it's virtually impossible to penalize Sterns County when they have six or
seven libraries and their bill is four times bigger than ours. If they were to reduce the same amount as what Benton County did, I believe it was like 20ome,000. >> Yeah. If everybody went back to 2024 levels, it would be approximately a
$127,000 reduction for 2026. >> And most of the commissioners felt that it wasn't fair to penalize those counties. And they were commissioners from other counties um to penalize them
for that deal. And then, you know, some of the questions brought up was, well, can we cut something from the St. cloud library or and it looked like it was too much of a staff deal to try and figure out, you know, what you would cut with a small, you know, the small amount. Um,
there's not a lot of I can tell you there's not a lot of support other for to reduce the funding other than what Brandy explained. But that's that's another problem we have is our lack of we'll call it um voting
rights on that board. >> I know that. Yeah. That you know >> that that to me seems like we're in a contract. No different than probably airport or anything like that that we're stuck. We can't get out of it and we need to be in it and we get told we need to pay this
this and that and >> we have one vote. >> And we have one vote. Yeah. and and that that to me is bothersome. But you guys, the the the the library board has made a decision or until we brought this back was easy.
Let's cut fully library $6,000. Why can't we cut 120,000 out of all the libraries to save people money? You know what I mean? >> It was easy to just do it at at Baton County in our one library. Why can't this happen all through them?
Mr. >> The question I also have catching up with that is that you know if we're considering St. Cloud where half of the full A residents go half that 66 should come off of St. Cloud too though. So it should be 3,300 off of St. Cloud because
if 50% of our >> and Royaltton >> and Royaltton you know if they're all going to the St. Cloud library then we should be splitting the cost too. Commissioner Johnson you had a question. >> Yes. Thank you. Brandy a couple questions. Do you know off top of your head what your current fund balance is
roughly? >> Our current fund balance is well it includes a significant amount of investments that we have in order to be able to use the interest from that.
So it's healthy at I I believe around 7 to8 million right now. But again, that is not liquid. That is what we have for that's tied up in investments because um $350,000
is what we have budgeted this year based on interest from those investments. Again, we work really really hard to try to make good decisions that support the counties so that we don't have to lean too hard on you. And >> so I yeah,
>> you know, I guess my comment on that I I believe our first year that we served on this board and Commissioner Popp, you can correct me if I'm wrong, that fund balance was in that seven or eight million dollar range. And I think there was discussion like we certainly understand reserves seemed like a considerable amount of reserves
>> for that type of budget. And so that's why I just wanted to clarify where those that fund balance was. Also, are you able to give a brief overview of what the potential impact of the Foley Library would be with a $6,600 reduction? >> Sure. If we took it out of the Foley
Library, staffing for Foley Library is about $95,000. And so to take that $6,600 out of that, I don't know, it ends up being three to five hours a week probably.
The Foley library is not heavily staffed and so a little cut goes deep. >> So just that right there absolutely floores me. >> We're paying in over a half a million dollars and our operating uh for staff
is under a h 100,000. So we got 400,000 or let's even call it 300,000 going to other counties. >> It's going towards the collection and services and other things like that. And and so it's not just staffing that
is happening for Benton County residents. >> So I think this board needs to see where the other 440,000 or 50,000 is going cuz if we're paying in 540,000, our staff is 95,000. We need to see a detailed list
of where that 440,000 is going. >> Well, and Mr. Sure. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the city of Foley provides the location, the utilities, >> the building. I mean, so there's no investment there from the library system operating that, >> right?
>> No, the library system provides >> the personnel, the staff, the collection that's both both physical and digital as well as the technology. It also provides the other the access to things like legacy funding
for programming and things like that. So I understand I hear what you're saying in terms of where's the other 400,000 but it is being used to benefit Benton County residents. We have a lot of folks who are library card holders who don't
come into a physical library. they use online services. That still is something that the Benton County is paying towards as well as other kinds of like I said the collection that we have is shared. Okay. I I can try to get you a more
detailed breakout but yes it is more than just the staffing. It is significantly more than just that. >> Mr. Chair, if I can back to the use sorry >> right ahead >> back to the usage. You you said approximately 6,600 users in the county.
>> Yes. >> And we kind of tossed around this idea of 50% are using St. Cloud or wherever else. >> So is that >> is it realistic to say there's roughly 3,000 people using the Foley Library? >> Let me double check.
>> I mean, >> I don't know. That just seems high to me. But >> and Royaltton >> and Royaltton. >> Yeah. >> The number of borrowers currently for Foley and this is from all different places is uh 1683 as of
January 1st. I want to again clarify though the way that great river works is you can have a library card that you get from Foley and you can take that library card anywhere in our region to check out. So
for multitude of privacy reasons, we do not track where people go with their library card. So I don't have a way of giving you drilled down information about the people in Foley. Where do they go? All I can tell you is what they have
identified as their primary location where they can get requests in. That is that is all I can tell you about with that. >> Thank you, >> Commissioner Brun. Oh, I have a multitude of stuff. But um and I'm going to say some things and
correct me if I'm wrong. Mr. Pop, you sit on that committee. So either you or her can correct me. But since 2020, Benton County has paid above thee, which is what the state mandated amount is. Oh, most of those years were over
$100,000. >> Sure. Thee is $427,785 a year per county. >> Um, and uh, just for clarification for our constituents that are watching or in
this room, Benton County has one library. Morrison County has five libraries, Sherburn County has three libraries, and I'm sorry to correct you, but Sterns County has 11, not six. >> Okay? and uh Todd County has four and
Wright County has nine. >> So, and you you keep saying that this many users. Now, my question to you is that are those actual users or is that actually every time someone comes in and swipes their card? So, if someone comes
in and swipes their card 10 times to say they've been at the library, does that count as 10 people or one person? because in the past when we asked at our um uh budget meeting they weren't able to clarify that. >> Sure. So I am talking about individual
borrowers. A patron can only have one library card at a time. So that would be individual library card holders. A couple things I I would really like to clarify if if you could give me a moment. The first is that library card
holders is not necessarily the same number as library card users. Okay, we know that we have services that people use in the Foley library and those people do not have library cards. The one of the biggest ones is printing. We
have e-rinting where they can come in and they can print from a computer or they can upload a document to print. Because this issue of how many people really use the library has been something that has been close to my heart and a problematic for me for a few
years now. Last year when I was in my previous role, I pushed to have a survey in our annual survey to ask specifically how many people who use the printing are library card holders and how many are not. And what we found in Foley was that
40% of the people who are using our printing were not library card holders. So that amount is under it's less than what really is. The other thing and I can tell you this from 25 years of working the desks and talking with staff
like Shelley who work the desk is we see a number of families who come in there's one card for the whole family >> because that's what's really convenient for the parents. So they may have four children but they have one library card to check out everybody's items on. So
again, the number I can give you is how many library cards there are. That does not tell me or you how many people are actually using it. One of the things that I've asked my team to do is to try to figure out what is an average of the
number of people using an individual card. So again, we can extrapolate and figure that out. And so one of the first things we need to do is a data scrub of our database to make sure that our addresses are correct. We're in the process of doing that right now because it is really important to me to be able
to give you a better sense not just of what your number of borrowers are but what the number of people who are actually using the library is because those are two very very different things. If I can request a little bit more of your time I
would also like to make a clarification about maintenance of effort because I know that is a big thing. It's really important to understand that maintenance of effort is a statep provided number. It is not in any way a
reflection of what the state believes is required for local services. Maintenance of effort is what the state says a municipality, city or county needs to provide in order to access the umbrella
of state services. Minnesota has a shared service model. So there are a number of services that are provided through the state and maintenance of effort is about that. So some of those things that the state provides is access
to regional library basic system support of which is approximately 19% of our operating budget. RLTA funding which is regional library telecom communications act funding. That's what we use in order to provide
hotspots for people to check out. It's what we used a few years ago in order to provide a wider access for Wi-Fi so that people could be outside the library and still get Wi-Fi access. Um, it provides that state services provides a number of
minute services that include the ELM databases that public schools and public library users use. um the statewide inter library loan as well as support for a 247 ask men uh
process that provides um basically it's a consortium online consortium to provide homework help and references. So that's what maintenance of effort is. It's not how much the state thinks a community needs to provide for local
services. >> I've been just chomping at the bit on this one. >> Sure. I'm glad you brought that up because this is another statemandated situation that we can't get. We have to belong to some kind of library board, but the minute you push back on trying
to cut back on their budgets, >> we get penalized and have to and and all of a sudden it just affects our one library here. This is another governmentmandated um situation that that we've got no say on.
>> Sure. And it it's ridiculous. I mean, and it just it floores me. And and we're going to cut it back by $6,000. And it every bit of that money comes out of Foley. Even though you can prove that
we go to St. Cloud and Royaltton >> 50%. Y >> and none of none of them get get penalized. >> That to me, like Commissioner Heinen brought up, is is absolutely a travesty. And I I appreciate Commissioner Benoy looking into this. You did all the leg
work on this and I thank you, >> Commissioner Benoy. >> Yeah, I I I thee, you're right. You might be right in what that all details, but by state statute, that is what counties are are
statued to pay. Okay? Mhm. >> And unfortunately because the the counties, all of them, not just Benton County, have been paying above that, now they're stuck because of other state statues pay still paying above that.
>> Mhm. And so I mean just in 2026 7 million6 7 million640,954 is is what is collected from all of the counties belonging to this. I've done a lot of talking to a lot of other counties that belong to a lot of other
library systems and every single dime they put into their library system from their county goes to their libraries. >> Sure. >> Does not go to a multitude of multiple libraries. Uh it my issue is that Sterns
County has 11 libraries in their in their county. a we have one and like Mr. Kabinsky said, we're paying over a half a million dollars for one library. What I want to see is I want to see a breakdown of every one of those counties, every one
of those libraries and what the operating cost is for those libraries. I want to know what the Foley Library in Benton County their operating costs because my understanding from looking into this you you do not pay for building maintenance. No, >> the library system does not pay for
building maintenance. They do not pay the electric. They do not pay any of the of the overall running of that building. >> That's correct. >> And that I would assume goes straight across the board to all of the and and
I'm a little confused because when I go to look at the library thing, it says 32 libraries when ultimately there's 33 because there's a locker system library in Sartell, right? So there is 33 total
libraries within this system. So I I I am not going to vote for the extension of the 6,000 because if we continue to go up on that on that extra money to the library system, we are going to be hard
stuck in continuing to do that because of what state statute says. And I know it seems minimal. I know it seems like it is not a lot of money, but you continue to do that every single year and it becomes a lot of money. So, I I
want to see a clearcut and I look through our budget book because I thought it would be in there of exactly what every single library, all 33 libraries, what their expense and costs are for every single one of those libraries. So we can kind of compare to
Foley and what it's costing to operate the Foley library to all of the other libraries. >> Okay. I can try to get that for you. >> And um how many what what how many or do you know what Sterns County pays right now?
>> I can look that up. >> I do. >> What is that? >> 2 million. >> 2,321,618 >> over thee. No, they're paying. No, they are paying 56658 over the >> So if they if if they spread that money
out between their 11 libraries, it's $27,000. >> Okay. >> We're paying 550,000 for R1. But as you said, some of our people go to St. Cloud and some of our people go to Royaltton. Mhm.
>> But if we back off $6,000, it only goes to the oper or $6,000. It only goes to our Benton County one, even though you've you just said it goes to three libraries. >> Again, that was the directive I was given by the executive committee.
>> So, I I think you can feel our frustration here. Okay. >> I do feel sympathize. Yeah. >> All the other counties. >> Yeah. I Mr. here. I think um when I got on the board it was the same thing. It was I think we were approaching 600,000
570 or so and I think we had about a $10 million surplus and they did back that off. They used it on several occasions to >> you know not have a levy increase. The problem with uh once you look at the
library, the system, it's a joint powers agreement and in order for some of this stuff to go has to go between all the counties and all the counties have to vote to agree to that to you know reduce that. Um and if you look up look at the
makeup of the board again, we get back to we have one vote >> and I don't know that that's been forever as far as I know. Mhm. >> Um it's going to be really tough to reduce that um maintenance of effort deal.
>> Yeah. I >> I mean it's it's like you said, it's like like the airport or whatever. Do I think it's too high? Yeah, I agree. But it's not like we're kind of out there on an island where we have one library. You
know, Morrison County's got several libraries. Todd Countyy's got three. I believe we said >> county's four >> and >> but but when you break it down just like Commissioner Gapinsky broke it down 200
you know I don't know the exact number but about 200,000 >> compared to all their libraries and once again we're at 547 >> something >> you know but >> the hardest thing is that I realize it
goes up and down 3% every year but we stay flat and then we get $18,000 increase one year. >> Okay. I mean, this up and down is crazy. Go ahead, >> Mr. Chair. The other my concern too, as you brought up, is I believe you said you have $95,000 worth of staffing costs
in Foley. >> You have no cost of the facility for the most part, right? So, we've got $400 and some thousand to be able to access the system >> basically is the bottom line.
>> Yep. Because obviously we grasp that you got $95,000 in salaries. I get that. That's what it takes to >> have people there. But to be able to access the system is costing us $460,000. >> Mhm. >> It is more than the staff. And yes, I
hear your >> but but it it's also been talked about because we've talked about it at this board. the library system has looked at closing down a couple libraries that don't get used as much and to this day none of them been closed.
>> Well, I went that route. >> Yeah, but but but once again, we get one vote, >> but we get No, there's I'll just use a Morrison County Library for example because when I got there, I said, "Well, I I go to Swanville, I you see Swanville, see Upsula, they have a
library." And I asked the previous executive director like why why do we have it's in the agreement for the the state library system that they were grandfathered in and there's absolutely no way you can get rid of them and the
people in the city of Swanville or UPS are going to come and say oh no you're not taking our library because it's it's a system >> but why would you at $200,000 a year? Yeah, >> but it's going to be the same problem here where we're obviously going to have people from Foley say we don't want $6,600 cut out of our
>> district. I agree. >> To be quite honest with you, if we added one in Gilman and and Rice, it it would probably be cheaper for us per It will be cheaper per library. >> Cheaper per library. >> Mhm. >> Yeah.
>> Because our it our fee it would go up minimal to add two libraries, but you'd have to get your city to agree. the city's going to take on all the >> Yeah, exactly. But there's there's my point. The system >> I mean to to to say a lot of this stuff
goes to online. I mean we know that online doesn't cost that much. It doesn't cost 450,000 um to do online and there's other things that go into it. But Mr. Johnson, >> to that point, um may I ask Sarah, do you know off the top of your head
roughly what the city of Foley pays a year in that facility? Um I no I don't we have we're doing the report right now to be honest for this year because they just made the request but um I don't even want to guess right now honestly
>> no stab at it 100,000 50,000 >> it's it's not it's not 100,000 okay I mean you got to realize we own all the equipment already the minimal maintenance stuff like we did carpet we've done painting you know we it's not 100
>> how many square feet is that Oh, >> I don't have that off the top of my head. >> I'd have to look. I'm sorry. I'm just not good. I don't like to pull numbers. >> Is it fair to say the city would have had to make the investment though in the equipment that you're talking about? I mean, at some point >> initially. >> Okay. Yes. >> And you own the equipment.
>> We own all the furniture. >> Bookshelves, tables, >> you know, the desks, those type. We own all that. They own the computers. Mhm. >> Um they own the you know the staffing obviously is provided and all the like books you know newspapers things like that
>> are all great river materials but we own all the physical the building stuff. >> Yep. Okay. Thank you. >> And I know you're just a messenger. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We I do know that. But you're getting our frustration, our heavy frustration >> and and I have been hearing frustration
about statemandated costs and concerns about rising costs from every commission I've spoken to. I am not personalizing this. >> Um I sympathize
with the predicament you're in. I also am in charge of a library system and it's my job to try to make sure that it we continue being able to provide services. You know, I I think we are all here today doing our jobs. >> Let's put it that way. >> And and I think it's going to be taken,
you know, we're going to start budget what another couple months >> in a couple weeks. We the finance committee meets to pass the budgeting guidelines. >> Yeah. We will have a draft budget. you know, everybody's out there in the same boat >> that, you know, you got to >> that they want to tighten it up.
>> Um whether it happens or not is >> pretty much up to the full board. And then again, you know, we get one vote. But >> this this $6,000 is not like earthshattering to our county on this
this end of it, but it's a principle. It will absolutely not support us >> paying the additional money. We have to we have to take a step back and realize and if we don't start this ball rolling down the hill or at least stop it >> from going up.
>> It's going to continue to rise. >> Sure. >> Well, and and it's just such an unfortunate situation that if that happens that Foley is going to take the >> brunt. Yeah. >> Which is disappointing because 50% go to St. Cloud and Royaltton. >> And I don't know if Brandy would know
better than anybody if there's a way we can look at that. Sure, I can look at some different things. We can use statistics to figure out percentages. That is not something that I have looked at to this point again because the executive committee's directive to me
was to look for an option that did not negatively impact those counties that were providing the full >> I mean, realistically, we could come back and they could say, you know, it'll go before the full board >> and they could basically say that it's going to come out of the Foley library and there will be not much we can do
about it. >> Yeah. But then then then we we absolutely 100% I as a board member here will not support the the notion that we have 6600 um users in Baton County cuz a bunch go
to St. Cloud and and and some go to Royaltton. So >> we need to dial that down to the 1,600 that go to Foley >> because that's all that's being pen penalized. >> Yeah. >> Right. So, so when when we go back to that
board, if they don't want to split that $6,600 or whatever that total dollar amount is between the three libraries, then don't come back to us and say we have 6,600 users cuz only 1,600 are getting penalized. >> That's right.
Okay. Board, possible direction. >> Well, it sounds like she has an option she may go back and talk to her board about. Mhm. >> Yeah. I I will share as will Commissioner Pop share your frustrations and your concerns with the full board.
>> And I've got zero problem coming to that board meeting and talking too. >> Okay. Thank you, Brandy, sir. Thank you, Brandy. And once again, we know you're just the >> messenger. >> As are you. >> As are you. I hope you all have a
>> a really mellow rest of your meeting. >> Thank you. >> Yep. Thank you. Agreement with fluid interiors. Monty >> going to use the agenda item, Mr. Chair, to explain this issue. So, uh, at your last meeting, the board,
uh, agreed in and concept to go with fluid as our furniture, fixtures, and equipment provider, FFE. Uh, there was direction for staff and a couple board members to meet with fluid and GLT to
discuss potential not to exceed numbers for what I call the soft costs. And those amounts are shown in the agenda item. You can see there's three components to this. Design 15,000 again not to exceed project management 20,000
installation 160 for a grand total of 195. The agreement itself includes some additional description about what those things mean. Uh design uh wasn't initially I'm sorry project management was initially delineated for us and they
added some discussion about what that means. Basically, it's it's it's overseeing mostly the installation. Excuse me. And as I note here, this total amount is is about 13% of the $ 1.5 million FFE budget.
The agreement also establishes with with great clarity that the purchases of furniture will be through the Omnia National Purchasing Alliance. Um, I first heard about this the word Omnia when actually we visited with uh
Wright County. Uh, all their furniture was purchased through Omnia and recently the folks at uh at Fluid told me they used to be known as US communities and I'd heard about that for a long time. I guess they rebranded as Omnia recently. And I should mention if you do have
questions, I know Becky is with us online also. Mike from Fluid, they're joining us online. I know Becky was driving so she may defer to Mike if you have questions. Uh so I think I wanted to stress that Mr. Chair and that is I'll I'll go to uh I included in your
packet the statutory reference. It's Minnesota statutes 471 subdivision 15. says uh basically if you're if you're uh if you're not going through the state's cooperative purchasing venture, you can also
purchase through again what's described as a a n purchasing alliance or cooperative created by a joint powers agreement. So, this this satisfies that requirement. And I should back up for a moment because uh I know a decision was made a
long time ago is that we would we would attempt to leverage state contracts and not put this out to bid per se. And I want to just make it really clear is that using a national purchasing alliance satisfies this the state requirement for competitive bid. So,
make sure that's clear. >> Mr. Chair, just for clarification on the state contract, when they when they get awarded a state contract, they already bid it against multiple companies at that time. So, it's not like it wasn't out to bid. They have to go through a
whole procedure to get on the state contract. That's why they're on that contract. >> Certainly, they're they're doing a lot of work for us and we greatly appreciate that. Uh so, um Mr. Chair, I believe that is all I wanted to cover for you. Again, if you have questions about some of the details of the agreement, Mike
and Becky are available with us from Floyd. >> Any questions, concerns? Mike or with Mike or Becky? >> Okay. What would the board like to do? >> Move for approval. Mr. Chair, >> I'll second. >> Okay, we got a motion, a second. Any
further discussion on this? If not, I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you everyone. Thank you for being online, Mike and Becky. >> Oh, we had a bunch of folks. I see uh Roger. >> You're welcome. Yes, we also had Courtney from Hworth and Roger, our
market president. We just wanted to be available for um any questions that you might have and we are looking forward to our partnership moving forward this year. So, um if there are any other questions, we will log off now. And we appreciate the opportunity to join your meeting this morning. >> Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it.
>> Thank you. >> I do feel bad. I told them we'd be at on this right after 9. Well, it is just after 911. >> It is after 9. You're right about that. >> Okay. Next, Christine Sherbing
consider the sale of the parcel. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> So, back in um November, I believe it was, we had the sale of the county owned parcel in East St. Cloud. Um it did sell
to Habitat for Humanity. Um the winning bid was $3,000 and then they did pay that $11,000 assessment that was due to the city. Payment was made in full and right now we're just requesting approval of the
sale and for the board chair to sign the deed that was drafted by the attorney's office. >> Uh Christine, do we have any other lots out there that we need to sell? >> Nope. >> Good. >> I'll move approval. house.
>> We got a motion and a second. Any further discussion on this? If not, I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it, >> Sandy. >> Good morning. >> Good morning.
>> Good morning. >> I'm not going to do the talking this morning, so I'm gonna Will Chu, the deputy director, and Rachel Clemens, our CP um supervisor. Good morning, commissioners. >> Morning. Sandy asked that I come to the board and and that Rachel and I give
kind of a rundown of 2025 statistics. As you know, next year 2027 is the start of the act and so that's going to kind of change the the face of what child protection does and that we're required to do active efforts under every case. So, right now we uh in 2025 we had five actual IQA cases, the Indian Child
Welfare Act cases. Those have been in federal law for a long time where they require active efforts. Um, and like I said, we've only had five out of 182 cases we had open last year. Um, so now moving forward in 2027, the act uh is going to require every single case uh
that we come across, close to every single case uh as active efforts. So, not to spend too much time on that, but I did want to run through in 2025, we had 773 child maltreatment reports. Uh, we did open 182 for investigations or assessments. the difference in those
numbers. A lot of times when we get a child malreatment report, it's not likely just to be one individual. If a child has said something to a professional, we'll get a mandated report from that individual, maybe the therapist, maybe a a neighbor. So sometimes we'll get three or four or five reports in a day on the same
instance as well. Uh there has been a change uh in ed neglect. That was always one of our largest areas of assessments. uh the state legislature last year legislature put on um restrictions that the schools are required to do more active efforts with their students with those families before they come to us.
So we did uh gladly see a significant reduction in the educational neglect reports. Uh most frequent allegations as has been for many years is neglect primarily drug use. We still see a high level of fentanyl use in Benton County. Heroin, methamphetamine, those are the three big hitters. Um a lot of times
we're dealing with fentanyl that's laced with norfanol which is also increasing the the rate of overdose. Um and so we get a lot of those reports coming in as our primary allegation. The second and third are pretty similar. Uh very few in between uh separating them, but physical abuse is second and then followed by
sexual abuse. Uh in 2025 we had 57 kids in care. The good news is that's down from last year. In 2024 we had 63 uh kids in care. Uh so that's been a positive trend. We did complete eight adoptions. Uh but we do still however have 14 pending adoptions that rolled
over into 2026. Uh with those numbers, uh staff are very active and and so going out in some high-risisk situations. Uh but the team we have here at Benton County does a very good job of maintaining uh professionalism and also carrying themselves in a tax dollar friendly
manner as well for how we operate. So any questions from the board? >> Commissioner Gapinsky. >> Mr. chair. First off, I want to thank you guys for all the work you guys do, but not that I want to go back to the library, but this act is exactly again
what we just talked about. Um, government mandated, non they're not paying in for it. >> This is all on on on the heels of our taxpayers here. And h how many how many um people will do you think this will
affect I I heard you say 63 at one point? Well, it's with 63 kids in care. As far as our our 182 cases we opened, it's going to be almost every case because it's they didn't define >> state did not define disproportionately represented individuals very well. It started out initially when it was first
developed into law as African-American children. It has now changed and transformed into anybody disproportionately represented. So, for example, a single mother in poverty has children. They're considered to be disproportionately represented as well regardless of race. Uh so we did estimate it's going to be anywhere from 97 to 99% of our cases because we very
rarely get a case of a of a middle class family or anybody of socio economic stat. >> So we heard at the AM at our district or AMC or Micah I'm sorry Micah meeting that they're saying roughly for every
six Clay cases you need an employee >> estimates. I don't think anybody really truly understands what it's going to mean. You know you have Henipin and Ramsey that are the first piloted programs. They were given a total of $2.5 million a piece which is nothing compared to what they've had to do and they have tried to operate without
increasing their staffing. Um they are last time I heard they're only at about 60% of their cases and that's almost two years into into them piloting this program. So, I know Micah, Maxa, and AMC are all making position statements with legislation legislators hopefully to get
some change and to maybe clarify and maybe reduce it back to African-American children or try to define disproportionately represented youth as well. Uh, so I am hopeful. There's been a lot of discussions uh when I attend Max and Sandy. Um, you know, there's many many discussions. People have very strong points on we don't have the
money. You know, we need to be given some money and so it's not all tax levy dollars. Uh but right now there is nothing nothing in in the law for that. >> So if you if you look at that just dialing that down even if we took 15 cases that would be 13 more employees
>> at roughly let's just call it $75,000. That's a million dollar more on the levy for next year. >> So we have no intent to come and ask for that. >> Yeah. And and will we know that this is not you guys. >> Absolutely. And I and I don't disagree with you, Commissioner Kapinsky. I I
think this law is it could lead us down some different paths that we didn't want to go and and could really cause some funding um stretches. But, you know, what we're already looking at, Sandy and I, Rachel, we've had discussions already do, you know, is there some ability to repurpose? Is there a way to shift what we do? Is there a way to make our
practice even that much more efficient? Um because when we did our initial assessment, now numbers have changed over the years, but we were looking at potentially four new staff, you know, to start out with, but that's not even an ask recognizing where the budgets are at in the next couple years. You know, we recognize we got to make do for essentially with what we have.
>> Yeah. Commissioner P. >> So, basically, they're telling us that our people ain't doing a good enough job. We're not going to fund you to do a better job. >> And we're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard pin because every one of us up here wants child protection. We don't want anybody falling through the cracks
or left behind. I mean, you're kind of like, you know, so >> I I asked the question. I said, "What how many other states are doing this?" And nobody had that answer. >> No. >> Yeah. >> So, I was on a meeting yesterday, too. And we brought this up to chair Mary
Franson and they said that they're going to try to work in the legislature this year to do a two-year enrollment ver, you know, because that's what Henipin and St. Henipin and whatever county program. >> Yep. So, they're trying to get it to a two-year program for all of us outside
the metro area. >> Mr. Chair, will just for clarification, if this would have been in place in 2025 instead of the five cases you talked about, we've basically been at 182, >> right, Commissioner? >> So, it's it's not a far stretch to
imagine that we're going to be looking at 185 cases in 2026. I think that's a fair statement with the population that is typically involved with child protection. >> Yeah. >> And and >> talk about active efforts. I mean that so for example reasonable I can send uh
somebody that's addicted to you know drugs to treatment. We can pay for a try cap ride to get there with active efforts if there's no culturally specific uh programming around here. So for example Twin Cities workers are going to have to pick up that individual drive them to the cities. But in 2025
the 177 that weren't active would have became active. Correct. You're right. Yeah. >> Correct. >> In all honesty, this dwarfs what that over here costs. >> Yeah. >> The building. >> Yeah. >> Oh my.
>> Yeah. It it dwarfs it. And them are them are the things that go into the levy that a lot of taxpayers don't understand. And the thing that we've got to be very careful about is making sure that we don't over um overwhelm our
employees because that's what's going to happen. We're going to burn our employees out and then we're going to be losing employees that we can't get to come in to do those jobs because of how many hours they're going to spend. >> Mhm. >> Because they're already dealing with with um situations that are not uh are
not we we'll call it uh um >> preferred pleasant. Yeah, pleasant situations right now. So, >> and it takes special kind of people to deal with >> situations, too. >> Yep. >> Any more good news?
>> I'm trying to put a positive spin on No, I agree. No, I I none of us are really looking forward to this change coming up and it really is going to change the face of, you know, and is it necessary? I guess it'll remain to be seen, but >> in the future, Mr. chair. I think these guys would be well suited to be at some
of these like Micah meetings and stuff like that. So, >> yeah. Sit on panels and share that. >> Yep. Exactly. >> Thanks. Will you appreciate >> Thank you guys. And once again, we do appreciate what you guys do. Yeah.
>> Well, how about a little ray of sunshine to follow that up? We'll ask Lindsay to come up here. >> I don't know if she wants to. >> Good morning. Good morning. >> Um just here with some financial assistance um SNAP updates. So the supplemental nutrition assistance
program. >> Uh so the state does set some benchmarks for us as far as timeliness processing. Um so 95% is the goal for processing SNAP applications within 30 days of receiving that application. We are at
95% in the third quarter of 2025. And then the state average was currently at 83%. >> Nice. >> And then they also want to see a 95% goal for processing expedited SNAP. So expedited is just certain applications
that meet criteria to be processed quicker um within a seven calendar day time period. Um we are at 85% in the third quarter of 25 and the state average is at 51%. So we've done some things to try to up
those rates. Um, we've implemented some new processes. Um, we've been doing some texting to clients to remind them of their appointments, which has been very helpful. Um, and then also we've been attempting to schedule all SNAP applications within that 7-day um, time
period to catch any that could be expedited. Um, so we're paying close attention to these rates um, due to the potential financial implications to the counties if we aren't meeting those those state benchmarks. So, just an update there. Any questions?
>> No, you guys are doing a great job overseeing this. >> Commissioner Johnson, >> Mr. Chair Lindsay, so you're texting clients to remind them about their appointments. So, if you have 10 clients that have appointments, how many are missing appointments?
>> Because I feel like you there's a whole another step now of holding their hand to make sure they're coming to the appointment that they're asking to be at. >> Yeah. So, they're all phone interviews. Nobody's required to come into the office for interviews, but that is the hard part is trying to reach them. So, initially when we get the application,
we have staff that reach out, try to contact the client, and then schedule that appointment. Lots of times we're leaving messages, they're not calling us back. So, um, again, we've been doing that texting, which has actually been helping because people seem to respond better to a text message than they do a
voicemail. Just hearing you say there's a lot of staff time spent chasing the tail here for people who are asking for benefits >> yet aren't necessarily returning calls or attending meetings that have been set up >> but I think these rates are reflective
of our texting and it is helping soc recall why we are trying to improve that rate is because the county will likely have a percentage of cost to pay in in 2027 >> depending on our rate. >> So we need our error rate
>> to be higher >> to be higher >> than lower. So that is why this has been an especially big area for us to look at because this could eventually >> not that we're trying to drum up business but >> right >> every time a client doesn't call us back and doesn't meet with us that affects
our rate and eventually will cost us money. >> Yes. >> So cost us money again. I just >> that's that's the attempt. It's it's that's why we're texting. That's why we're changing the way we do our system >> because of the future
>> federal changes. >> Thank you. >> Commissioner Ginsky, >> that's the reason. >> Commissioner, >> this has been the longest hour I think that I've had in a long time. >> No, this is good. I I I so appreciate what what our staff does. Yes. and the
general public probably doesn't see that. And this goes back to the act, the library, the airport, the everything that goes on here. But just in our next
meeting, and I should ask Will, what we should do is is have a review of what that act pays for. I'm going back to that. I know this doesn't have to deal with you, Lindsay, uh, at this point, but >> you know, we we were told that we actually have to coordinate family
meetings >> with the act, bring their whole family together cuz they can do it, take them to appointments, basically be their parent when parents don't want to be parents and and and on the on the heels of all
the taxpayers. So, I think the g general public and and I think Tim, you do a great job writing stories. This is this is something that the taxpayers need to understand and and it's just not in Benton County. It's every county >> because if if general public knew what
was going on, >> they'd be furious >> cuz I take care of my own kids. I get them to their appointments. I I do all that. I don't ask for for Tim or for anybody to pay for it. So
>> yeah, I'm done. >> Well, >> it's been an interesting morning, Commissioner Benoy. >> And kind of what's crazy to me is that you have to chase them down, send them texts to get them to come and do something they are asking for. I mean, my personal opinion is if they're not
going to respond, we shouldn't have to chase them down and they automatically lose their benefits, >> right? But but then we through the library, >> we can give them free hotspots. >> Yeah. >> I mean, >> I get it. It just doesn't it it doesn't end.
>> And our error rate >> up till the funding drops. >> That's right. >> Yeah. >> So, we're held liable. >> It's one of those >> double-edged sword things again. >> Yep. >> Very much so. >> Well, I appreciate everything that you guys are doing. >> It's greatly appreciated.
>> And you guys get thrown in. Yeah. >> To so many things and I I will 100% back our whole staff there because if people knew and we need to bring out what what you guys all do to the public and keep bringing it out because we hear it on
the budget side that why aren't we taking away people when you guys are technically understaffed already and the state keeps doing these unfunded mandates on everybody and we have to hold you guys down on on adding
positions. It's not fair. >> And just to go back on the texting, that's automated, correct? It's somewhat. So, it's not that people texting. >> No. >> Yeah, we always do that, too. >> Mr. Chair, >> Commissioner, >> I just want to make one more comment. And Sandy, you both know what I'm
talking about. >> You guys are working on green screens. >> So, if they updated the system statewide, >> that would free up some of your staffing time. >> True. in itself because
those green screens are just it's astronomical how time consuming it is when you can sit there and put every single piece of information in, they hit a wrong button, it's gone. So now you got to reenter it again. It's just it's
it's beyond my comprehension that the state doesn't step up when they're requiring and demanding this stuff from every single county and they can't >> figure out where the funding is going to come from to bring the computer system
out of the dinosaur age to be able to help with those. >> It's it's ridiculous to to to jump on on on what you just said. It it is it blows my mind to know that we went through
billions of dollars of surplus, billions of dollars of fraud, >> and we can't upgrade our technology so that we can save time, energy, and money all the way across the state is absolutely insane. >> Well, and to add on to that, one thing I
picked up that the thing that you and I were at on is you take these 22 year olds that are coming in with a desire to prov to help people, right? They want to work in human services and that means they want to work with people generally, but they're spending six hours of their day trying to work on an adequ
antiquated equipment and programs and they get flustered and guess what? Out the door. These people are coming in with the ability to use these. >> They're not interested in AS400 systems from the 80s and the '9s and then they leave, right? And it's so costly.
>> We've trained them. They've spent some time here and then they're out the door and now we're back at the hiring frame again >> and retraining on green screens and retraining the same thing. >> Well, Sandy, do you have anything else for us? >> We'll get off the soap boxes, Sandy.
>> Spread my little >> Thank you. >> Well, we appreciate we do appreciate it. >> So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Have a good day. >> And Sandy, please thank your whole team. >> Yes. Right now, we'll reconvene uh the county
board and turn it over to Commissioner Johnson to do the ditch. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We'll call our ditch authority meeting to order at 10:10. Uh please note that we've had a roll call on commissioners are present. Uh approval or amendments to the agenda. Uh Adam, anything you need to change or
add to? Members, is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. Motion second to approve the agenda as presented. All those in favor? >> I oppose is carried. Move on to an open forum part of our ditch authority. Anyone here in the audience or online that would like to speak in open forum
for the ditch authority. Last call. All right. Move on to our consent agenda. One item approving or amending the ditch authority meeting minutes of the January 20th 26 meeting. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> Motion a second to approve those meeting
minutes. Is there any further discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? I >> opposed. >> That's carried. Move on to Go ahead. >> I just want to make another comment real quick before he gets going because this has to deal with what we've got coming
up. >> As I've said before, this goes back to the act. This goes back to the library. This goes back to what Lindsay and I all the way down airport authority. There there are so many things that that come
up with these ditch systems that are completely out of our control. right? >> Completely. >> It's all mandated. >> And then when they're out of our control, the the the constituents don't see the Bowser, the DNR, the wetland, all of this stuff that we have to deal
with that we have no say on, but we get we're in the forefront of everybody. It is getting so frustrating to have to keep going back to governmentmandated things that we get to sit up here and tell the public that you got to do this.
We don't have a say. We can't put it on all the taxpayers because it's got to go to the ditch system. >> Mhm. >> It it all of this goes back to things way above us. >> Way before us. >> Way before us. Way above us. And we have
to just grin and bear it. So I'm I'm done. Thanks. >> Thank you, Commissioner Kinsky. >> All right. We'll move on to a regular agenda. The first item, review the quotes for ditch maintenance of CD9 and 14. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. morning.
>> Hopefully bring more sunshine to you guys. Um yeah, so the first agenda item here, um our last meeting, um we talked about quotes for ditch maintenance on CD9 and 14. Um the quote did not have a not to
exceed cost and you all requested that I add that to the quote. Um so like last time we had four quotes. I resent those quotes on 120, 2026. That was the day of our last meeting. And then I had a due
date of last Friday, the 30th. Um, so the four quotes I'm going to scroll down here. I'm going to hopefully zoom in at least a little bit here. >> I was looking to >> There's a lot of there's a lot of information here. Um, but basically this
section here, the estimated is what was given to you last meeting and this was just their estimate on how many hours and their hourly rate that they believed they could get this mowing done in. Um, this these two boxes to the right were
um what I got back for a not to exceed number. Um there was another company called Treetory that they did not get back to me with a not to exceed number so I did not add them here. Um obviously
you can see Helman Construction does not have a not to exceed number as well. Um, I was in conversation with them, three separate or I sent them two emails and I also got a phone call from them last
Thursday. And I told them, please send me a not to exceed number by the end of Monday, which was yesterday. And from now, I have not received a not to exceed number from them. I got a call from them stating
um that they would get it to me, but I I have not received anything. So, I kept them on here just to let you know that I was in conversation with them but received no numbers. Um, basically the main table here is this bottom one.
In the middle it has their totals that they estimated and then here are the totals that they gave me that were they were not to exceed. >> Holy. So MNL um over doubled their not to exceed number compared to their
estimate. Um >> how could you be 50% off? >> I mean >> yeah basically what MNL told me in their email back to me is this is the worstc case scenario. I don't know what that involves. Um we've obviously never
worked with M&L on ditches. I know we've worked with them on our parks and and such. Um, but the one thing here, Cars Tree Service, they're out of Otter Tale, I believe. >> Um, at least the person who sent me the quote is. Um, and they basically stated
that their estimate was their not to exceed number. >> Um, >> I like it. >> Adam, remind we have references on cars tree service. I I don't believe we've worked at all. So, I know this isn't in your your board packet because I wasn't
able to get this information until until last Friday. Um, but I did scroll down here. I went on their website to look at kind of their references. I didn't get any from other counties. Um, but they do do they do have government work. Um,
they do power line rightways, lot clearing, trail creation, and maintenance. Um, it says their equipment handles material up to 10 in in diameter. Um, this is a picture obviously of of something they do. So,
it does seem like their equipment could handle our ditches. Um, obviously we've never worked with them. So, there's always, you know, a risk to that. But, um, >> and do you recall which equipment one of the uh quotes was for tractors and wing?
>> Yeah. M&L was the >> the buffers, but I'm trying to remember what they wanted to use. >> Yeah. Cars tree service. It seems like they would use kind of like a skid steer with brush hog. Um, which obviously it's not as wide, so they would probably have to take a couple passes at at the buffer
strip. Um, but obviously I'm guessing they have have the the means to do our ditches. I I just still think it's so interesting that Helman did the repair work and knows those ditches like the back of
their hands and yet they're basically double on some of these. >> Yeah. So, regarding that phone call I had with Helman, >> they wanted me to let you guys know that when they did our I believe ditch six
mowing, they said that their total cost ended up being around half of what they estimated. >> True. Yeah. >> And I get it's hard because you can't as the board obviously assume that's going to happen again.
>> So you have to take at what they gave us as face value. >> Um m Mr. Chair. >> Yeah. Go >> ahead. >> You know, so Adam, when you told them that, >> what did they say? I mean, because we're not going to give them the bid even though they think that they'll be 50% of
what they provided us. >> Yeah. an open book. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I there was not really much communication regarding that they did it in half. I was kind of confused. Like Commissioner Johnson stated that
they know these ditches kind of like the back of their hand cuz they did the repairs. You know, it's basically in their backyard. So, they should know how long it takes. Um, but then again, I'm not sure why they why they estimated so high if if they knew that.
>> Yeah. >> I just >> that's the quandry for me because I I mean I you're going to have some egg on our face if we go with cars and the thing work out real well. >> And I'm not saying it won't. >> M Mr. Chair, >> go ahead. This this right here begs
the conversation in the future of how does the county get wrap our hands around this so we know and we can determine what the end result is going to be. And I think the only way you can do that is by doing it ourselves. And I
know I I know that you're cringing over there, Commissioner Pop, but at the end of the day, we're paying for a service that we can't control. >> We'd have to have an estimate of if we need to purchase more equipment or
something that goes with that. But >> cuz cuz your your your idea of a sunny day might be my I might have a different idea of a sunny day, >> right? >> And it's all in the eyes of the beholder. The only way we could control that is if we were doing something in house. And
that's where I would like to get townships and and uh county together and just say, is there a better way if we look at this? >> You know, you go going back to that. So, um this happened up in Wattab and
Langola. The guy that was was doing the brush cutting for Wattab uh either he got ill or he was something and he couldn't do it. So they hired Langola because Langola's got the equipment and they were just thrilled that they could hire him for that amount of money to cut their ditches. You know, basically it's
one set of equipment. >> Sure. >> For two townships. >> I know you I know you this doesn't it's not I I will say like this, but you look at snowmobile clubs. >> Yeah. >> They've got clubs that do it because they like to do it to keep cost down. Right. >> Right.
>> And and they get to enjoy their their trail system. Right. Well, I'm sure that people that own these ditches or that are right on these ditches want it done a certain way, too, right? And I think that there's there's a way that we could do this that we can maintain the buffer
strips, especially for the first three years because it takes three years to to establish them. Mhm. >> So, >> well, and that's the other important part here, Commissioner Kaminsky, is we've kind of committed to all this work is we don't want to mess up the buffers because the long-term plan is hopefully a lot of these land owners are going to
do it on their own. Yeah. >> And save the system, >> right? >> Does do we have to let this bid >> today or can we >> I mean, I don't know that we're under any timeline. We've given him >> any not technically a a bid. This is just a
request for quotes. So there's no, as far as I can believe, there's no laws we have to follow that we have to do. >> Okay. >> Um, you could deny all three quotes. You could continue it. Whatever your guys's desire is. >> I say we continue it.
>> I would I would recommend that we continue it. Um, and I'll talk to you later about it. >> Okay. >> Have consensus to continue this discussion >> and and and Mr. Chair, I want to thank Adam and you and Commissioner Pop for
being on these ditches. I It's not a fun situation and you guys do meetings outside of here on this. So, I I appreciate your work on this. >> So, Mr. Chair, are you thinking perhaps you would ask this uh car to come in and meet with the subcommittee to talk about? >> I don't know yet. I think maybe the
subcommittee >> you want to chat about it. >> See, >> but I was thinking maybe you could you could talk to them in person and talk about the kind of equipment that they use and their assumptions and so on and other work that they've done. >> Yeah. >> Is car is that the one from county? >> Yes, correct.
>> I think we can there's enough people up there that we know we can talk to them get references for them. >> I think let's just continue the discussion and then may be an option we go with. You >> sure? >> We have consensus. Yep. >> Yep. Yep. >> All right. >> Who would like to me to reach out to
these three companies and just let them know that >> we're going to continue >> continue >> discussion? Yeah. >> Getting more information and stuff cuz I know um you know they're they're looking for the work and >> I don't want to leave them hanging for too long, but obviously these ditches
this is a lot of money. So, >> right. >> So, they that'd be fine. Keep them in the loop. >> All right. Move on to discussion regarding the annual special drainage authority meeting. Yeah. >> All right. Obviously, you guys know that we had um special ditch meeting, annual
ditch meeting at the Foley High School auditorium last year. Um I think it would be a good idea to have that again. Um Rinky Nan, John Cob also agreed that it's good to have a annual meeting um at
least for now until these assessments kind of kind of keep going here. Um, our last year's meeting was August 19th, 2025. Um, if we were to do that again, being the second county board meeting of
August, it would be on August 18th. Um, we did do postcards to every benefited land owner on a ditch. And Christine, our auditor, stated that those were $385 in total. I mean, and
that equal out to about $35 a system. um her and I both believe that those were very good investment. >> Um I feel like we got a pretty good turnout last year. Um and basically the reason I wanted to bring this up to you all today is to get a tenative date just
so our attorneys could get this on their calendar so we we can make sure we have them there as well. I >> I agree. From my perspective, Adam, I think the the it's a good investment on the postcards. It gets the information from those land owners. My my question would be I mean I hate to take it out of
Foley that auditorium was miserable last year >> when we were there. >> Can Stock Rapids Government Center handle 150 people? >> Yeah, >> I believe they can. Yeah, >> Mr. Chair, I I'm wearing that was a temporary issue due to the repairs that
were underway on their air conditioning system. It was down for repairs. >> Okay. Uh perhaps we could check with them to confirm that the system is operational now. >> That would be great. I think it was kind of miserable for everybody. >> You know, I I as you know, of course, it's an auditorium seating which I which
is the the fully I'm sorry, the soccer government said it would take setting up a bunch of chairs and so on ready to go there. Yeah. >> So yeah, I guess from my perspective, if we can confirm, I mean, it'd be nice to have here >> and if uh if fully doesn't work, we could check with Sock Rapid School District to use their auditorium too.
>> Yeah. To Yeah. Notorious situation was nice. >> I think it's pretty important that we can try to keep it in full because most of the ditch systems are in this area. >> Maybe what we could do is confirm the date so we can get Rinky Nunan on board and I I'll connect Adam with my contact
at the school that we talked to to reserve the facility. Yeah. >> Did you have a suggestion at all or do you recall when we sent the postcards last year? I I don't want to send them too early and I don't want to send them too late. So >> yeah, I know I'm from what I recall, I think it was a month or two prior to the
meeting. >> Okay. >> So I'm guessing sometime early summer, middle summer, we should send them out again. >> Yeah. >> Um because the cost is so low, I don't think we have to send them with anything else because it is just a physical postcard. >> So it doesn't need an envelope or
anything like that. >> Okay. >> Just a just a thought. I know there's a couple websites out there that are reporting what we're doing. I think there and I think this would be a good thing to put out there and maybe get those guys involved in it because they
they got followers and the more we can get there and understand >> get it on the county website. >> Exactly. Exactly. >> Well, we would put on the county website and Facebook and of course we usually ask Sheriff Pec to share because he's got a lot of followers. So >> So do we have consensus in the August
18th meeting, 6 p.m. meeting? Y >> All right. So, >> we'll do that and then we'll confirm a location. >> Yeah. I will contact Rinky Nan after this meeting today and then once we confirm the location, I will bring it back up as an agenda item
>> so we can confirm the date and get that on the on the >> Perfect. And you're going to check with John or Kale to see if >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. Correct. >> All right. Anything else, Adam? >> I have nothing else, >> members. Okay. We're adjourned at 10:27. Back to the board chair.
Thank you, Commissioner Johnson. Now, any comments or we'll reconvene our uh regular board meeting. We'll go to the comments by commissioners. Anything >> or did you say enough? >> Meeting update, >> sir. >> Updates or comments? >> Comments. >> Okay.
>> Any comments? >> No, I'm >> good. Water. >> Okay. >> Water. >> Commissioner meeting updates. >> I I can go or whoever you >> whoever somebody >> I'm ready. Mr. Bite, go right ahead. >> Um, well, we have obviously had our
board meeting on the 20th. Um, I had a a core meeting um, which is the relationships new name relationship meeting on the 20th. Um, I had a BE quarterly meeting at Harvest Square on
the 22nd. I had a GLT and fluid meeting that I covered for Jared. on the 23rd. Um I had a St. Cloud City Council meeting on the 26th was very interesting. >> Mhm.
>> I had a 27th meeting for uh uh well get together for a department of the month and then AMC drainage conference in Alexandria on the 27th and 28th and then they had a Micah annual legislation form
meeting on the 29th. And on the second uh that we had a redevelopment meeting. >> Well, I had a library board meeting on the 20th. >> Thanks for bringing that up.
>> We uh didn't discuss a whole lot about, you know, Benton County at that point because it was just the recommendation that Brandy come to the meeting and try to do that. Um, we elected officers and I am the president for the next year.
So, we'll go from there. Um, um, >> I think you know the direction we want to go. >> I know. Well, we talked about that. Okay, >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Uh, I was I was just thinking, would it behoove us on these library um board
meetings to have one of us alternate come and talk to open forum to keep expressing? That way we get two voices there. >> Yeah, >> they have an open forum at the library. >> Two minutes. >> Y >> maximum of six people. >> And that brings up a good point.
>> Monty was there last time. Then we did have questions for Monty when he was there. That that brings up a good point on one of the questions that you read off today. There's a lot of places there's a lot of boards that actually have a timer and when that timer is hit
and they hit that 2 minutes or 3 minutes or whatever it is, they're done. They don't get the option to finish. They're done. >> We we we haven't had a lot of people come with since Bry's been there, but when we had Oh, it must been a year ago. Karen would sit there and she'd actually
hold her phone by the by the mic and it would go beep beep beep beep and that means there and there was people that had to stop in the middle of of their presentation. >> Yeah. So, us going from five down to three, we're still on the high level of of cuz usually it it's two to three
minutes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, we'll see how that goes. You know, what the support is. Um, the finance committee is going to meet, I think, probably in April to to go forward with what the budget is. And there's concern out there, you know,
from other commissioners from other counties that they don't want to see this go up. Whether it's going to go down or not, I don't know. We worked that. And then of course we had the BEP annual meeting and then we had the the board meeting after they elected uh
officers there and Kevin Johnson is now the new chair there. So um and I think they'll do executive committee on that at their next meeting I understand. >> Um did anybody go to I had a question. Did anybody go to the DNR public waters?
>> Yes. >> Okay. I did. >> How many people were there? There was myself, Roxanne, Luke, >> three people from the DNR, and one person from the public. >> Okay. >> And I don't know who he was. And then we had the Micah open form,
which I thought was really interesting. I thought they had a lot of, you know, I mean, it gets gets to the point where this is what you need to get involved in in order to make change. You know, I I was amazed that with the counties, the two counties we added, we
now have 44% of Minnesota's population that belong to Micah. That's pretty huge as far as when it comes to that 44% represents a large portion of our state legislators and our state senators that if we can unite and
get them to do that, that's a pretty big deal, I think. >> Yep. And then you add a, you know, you add a few from the the non the rural counties that are maybe in the rural county caucus or whatever. So I think that's pretty >> pretty well spoken for Micah. >> That's it.
>> That's it. Okay. Great. >> Mr. Chair, can I ask one question on uh on the library board? Is it kind of like our board where um like Brandy would come to the board and make a recommendation or does the board come to
those conclusions to cut something by themselves or does do they have staff that make recommendation? >> They have a budget presentation kind of like what we do from different staff, but um the years I've been there, the executive director has never come forth
and said, >> um we need to add this, we need to subtract this. It's been pretty much the finance committee that does it, which is the six commissioners plus one. And we don't have anybody on the finance.
>> Yes. Uh the the commissioner that represents the county is on the fin. All they try to keep all six commissioners on finance plus one. And if the chair is not a commissioner, then the chair of the library board has to be on the finance. So like this year, the six
commissioners are on the finance and I'm the chair. So there's one Tina. No, Tina's on there. Uh JC is going to be on the finance committee, >> but you get to still sit on the finance. >> I sit on the finance. Yeah. And the chair sits if you're not the chair, you
sit on on the finance regardless. So the finance is controlled by the county commissioners of the six counties. >> And so is there somebody that comes forward and makes recommendations to the finance committee or do you guys talk about everything and come up with your own conclusions?
>> Yeah. um the executive director and the we got a new uh finance director comes forth and says this is what what we need. This is what we're going to have to do. We're going to have to replace this many vehicles. Um you know, >> so Mr. Chair,
>> with that um is there anybody any other county that is um uh opposing these increases? Is a vote like are we the only ones or what is is it is it unanimous or what?
>> You know, I was I was kind of thinking that Todd County was going to be with us in that and I don't believe they are. I think they've come to the conclusion at their board that they're okay. No, theirs is 400 roughly 400 some thousand. Um >> for how many libraries? Um I well they
got four I think they got three or four but one is actually in Staples >> and I think that it's more or less like on the county line between >> um Wadina County and and Todd County but we
do service that library in Staples. You know that was the other thing I was thinking afterwards is that so we have vehicles that are out we have staff in those vehicles that come to Foley every day. So, you know, there's some things that you could look at maybe a little differently on instead of just
putting the whole 6,600 on staff at Foley, >> you know, because some of that goes, you know, it's an every day, you know, three days a week occasion when they come to Foley. >> So, >> well, it's part of the 400 some thousand of access I was talking about.
>> Yeah. Yeah. As far as the the you know the looking at the joint powers agreement, I don't think there's support there from the the county commissioners or the board. >> Are we on record at least to to to it? Was it was the vote five to one or what was I mean?
>> Well, we just made a recommendation to make R to have Brandy come and speak is what they did. >> Okay. So, the so the vote hasn't happened yet. >> The vote hasn't happened what's going to happen, but >> well, >> it'll come before the full board. It won't come before the finance committee. It'll come before the
>> And which you're the president of. >> Which I'm the president of. >> So hopefully there's a consensus here that we vote against it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I agree. >> Yeah. >> Whether it's going to make a difference. >> Yeah. Exactly. It may not make a difference at all, but at least we're on the record of it.
>> Yeah. >> But you know, Jared, you made a good point. We've got one library for 546,000. Everybody else has multiples down to 200,000. Well, Todd has four and they're paying 400,000 and one might not even be in their county, >> right?
>> But we're generous enough to pay it. >> Yep. >> And Todd is 3002,000. >> 362. >> Okay. >> But, you know, it's it's not based it's based on your property your population tax capacity and usage and you know, tax
capacity is where it gets us. >> Okay. Okay. Well, I'm going to go forward now. Uh the 20th engineer interviews. We've got them tomorrow again. Uh Benton, I had the Benton Historical Society meeting that
night, too. Uh the 22nd, I was on the radio, so I could not make it to the BEP. We were talking about uh fraud at the county level. Uh Friday the 23rd, JLT architects for then the furniture meeting.
And then I was on vacation all last week, but I had two uh call-ins. And then I also had yesterday I filled in for Commissioner Johnson for the Minnesota Royal
Counties. Uh so Chair Mary Franson, she's with the uh uh bonding committee said that being it's a short a short session, they're not going to do any hearings >> really.
>> They're not going to do any hearings. >> She wanted to let me know that and I says, "Well, thank you. I'll share that with our board." >> I actually think that's good for us. It >> It is. It is. I actually think that's good for us because >> she says you're welcome to come Benton County and say hi though. So
>> yeah, >> it was a good meeting. Uh that's all I had. >> All right, couple duplicates. Uh 20th, Commissioner Heinen, I was with him on the engineering interviews. Uh the 21st um on the Highway 23 executive board and we met with uh our consultants Bolton and Mink to try to establish and
finalize the 26th budget moving forward for their consulting services. 22nd Tri County Solid Waste. Uh 26th DNR meeting that we talked about a little earlier. 27th to 28th the AMC drainage conference up in Alex. Um also on the 28th I
stepped out for an hour or so and had the bi-weekly building committee meeting virtually. Uh 29th the Micah meeting in Becker and then again yesterday the redevelopment committee meeting with Commissioner Benoy to talk about the potential redevelopment of this site. So that's what I had.
>> Okay. um relations. I I I do believe that there was a few things that came out of that that were good. So, uh hopefully that that goes through the the employees. Um uh med I had a medical
services board meeting. I had the uh uh radio services board meeting. Um APO uh I got elected one more year for chair. I got one more year left. So, um, uh, uh, Commissioner or I'm sorry,
uh, Mayor Anderson will be probably the chair next year. He's vice chair now from St. Cloud. Um, had a AMC finance meeting over the, uh, BEP meeting uh, that we had. Then I had the next day
uh we had an AMC board meeting in the frigid cold that we had to drive to. >> Which I'm very glad I went to because there was some commissioners pushing to support a ice out. >> Oh boy. >> Oh boy.
>> And uh I was not >> They didn't take a stand on that. I hope >> no >> leave it alone. >> They Yeah. Yeah. We're leaving it alone. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Really? because it it was it was really nice because Sheriff Hec just came to us and said that things are going good in
our county with that and um um uh whatchamacall from uh >> um uh J uh Jenny >> from no from uh Max. So we were all in one kind of corner and we're all like it's going great in our
county and and people spoke up Neil Gwick and so it was it was it was contentious. I'm not going to lie. It was very contentious. >> Yeah. You can about believe how just kind of >> the proximity and who gets >> Yeah. So um let's see here. Uh I got a
futures meeting coming up. Uh, and then obviously the Micah meeting, which I was very, uh, Commissioner Johnson brought up something that you didn't get scolded for, but wasn't on the agenda, but the
the safety of of people, and I I bring that up because I wanted to to elaborate a little bit more on that because everything I've said today goes back to the safety of us. >> Mhm. Because I'm telling you there, you
we all know it. There's so much being put on taxpayers that are out of all of our control and we're at the forefront of it and we get the ability to tell people that they don't have a say and it's above our head and go down to the
state. Well, the state now has they're working on no guns and all of this stuff and and increasing security, but we're sitting here >> that we get to tell their story locally and people are getting fed up with it. So, I appreciate you bringing that up
down there, Commissioner Johnson. That's all I got. >> Okay. Committee to hold meetings. >> All right. February 19th at 7 PM the township officers association spring meeting. Feel like spring yet? Glenderedo town hall. Again, that's
February 19th, 7 p.m. Glendero town hall. >> No, that ain't either. >> Um, >> sir, we're going to be at the capital that day. And I wanted to also bring it up is uh
who who was committed to attend the capital visits. Grady Horn is is arranging meetings with legislators on bar bonding requests for February 19th. Uh did we want to set that as a cow for three or more or do we just have two going?
>> So as of now it would be myself and it will be uh the superintendent Brad. >> I I'm pretty sure I'll go. I leave the next day on vacation, but I I would like to be there on that. >> I would like to be there, too. So, I >> Okay, so we'll set that as a committee the whole um again, February 19th. I
don't have a schedule yet from Grady. I just sent him a text asking for an update on schedule. So, I don't I don't know when the first one will begin. I know like last time we actually started it from their offices, I think, which are right by AMC. >> It's walked over. Yeah, >> they're by AMC. Yeah. So,
>> what what time does the uh C >> 7? >> It's not until 7:00 that night. >> Yeah, I think you know we could get back in time for the township officer meeting. >> Okay. So, we'll set that as a committee hall. We'll get you the schedule as soon as we can. So, arrange for transportation, that sort of thing.
Okay. >> You're invited to the uh Foley Community Expo, which is March 14th from 9 to noon at Foley High School. Again, that's a Foley Community Expo. This invitation comes to you from public health March 9,
excuse me, March 14th from 9 to noon, Foley High School. Beth has already been in contact with you about this, but let's put it on the committee, the whole calendar. The AMC Legislative Conference, March 4th through 5th, St. Paul. I believe she has
registered and made contact with you all about that. >> Wouldn't that be going down the third though? >> Yes. Um, yes, we've got a meeting the third meeting. >> MRC should be the third >> like 5:00 they start. >> Have you spoken to board members about their hotel arrangements?
>> It wasn't open when I >> It wasn't hotel arranges have not been opened. Let's do this is I think you know best should speak with you all individually about your specific travel plans and and so on, right? Maybe you want to go down the night before. >> Uh, sometimes that that's a good idea if
it's bad weather or whatnot. So, >> let's just get this on the calendar. I'm I'm I'm citing this from the AMC publication which says March 4th and 5th. >> Is there an agenda on there? >> Uh I thought >> uh this does not have the printed agenda. I don't have it. >> So we have a 5:00 meeting Tuesday night.
>> Pretty sure there's Tuesday. >> Wednesday night. Yeah, it's Wednesday night. >> Tuesday night, >> isn't it? >> Tuesday night. >> The third. >> What is there? Is there pre-conference activities? >> There's usually Tuesday night. >> Yep. >> There's a pre-conference public safety meeting, I think, at 3:00. >> Yeah, that day. I'm pretty sure there's
>> activities. Let's do this and we'll just go ahead and put it down as March 3rd, 4th, and 5th. >> St. Paul and And um >> would you like us to get you the agenda? >> Get the agenda. >> I have >> We have it in an email. >> Yeah. You have it in an email. Okay. >> And you can find it online, too.
>> Right. >> Yeah. It's It's typically embedded in these AMC notifications. >> Mhm. >> Right. Okay. Um let's see here. that doesn't need to be um
I I was there discussion at the at the core meeting about the employee forms. Are we settled on that matter or or is that still kind of up in the air about when and where and how and so >> they were going to get back to us? We we expressed what we said about being open to the public if if we're all there
>> and we can't do it up in that third floor because of the cart access and everything like that. >> Yeah. So, >> but I actually think Jared, we were supposed to get back with them on on >> I think we were supposed to get back with them after this meeting on on
meetings. >> I thought we had to have it here until the new building is That's right. I thought that was decided. >> Yeah, we decided that it would be here. >> Here. Okay. >> Just not up here. Down there where? Yeah. Sure. >> Right. And then they were supposed to
attend um um your your department head meeting >> which >> right and they're going to be on our next agenda. They will be. Yes. >> So then maybe the 17th meeting you can set the >> Okay. I thought I saw some some minutes from a last meeting and correct me if
I'm wrong. I I thought there's some discussion about not allowing a remote or virtual option for these forums. >> Yes, they brought they brought that up. I guess I'd be a little worried about that because you do have employees that work remotely that have would they'd have to drive in physically to be a part
of the meeting. I guess I'd ask the group to reconsider that idea. >> I I would do that at that department head meeting. >> Yeah, >> give us some feedback there. Yeah, we were I don't think necessarily we were on board with that because of that, but >> I know we talked about it because
>> there was some thought and and process behind it that >> that maybe you know people would feel more comfortable if they were in person and knowing who might not be listening online and who might >> Exactly. >> Okay. Which brings up another point and
we don't have to talk about it now but at some future discussion about the remote policy work. I think we need to gather again and >> find where that's going to take us as we move forward >> and if that's where we're that's what we're stuck on or not. when I saying this isn't a cow but uh there's we've
had discussion about having board meetings at alternative locations and alternative times and my direction was to find out is could can the city of Rice can we live stream from the city of Rice can we live stream from the Sock
Rapids government center city of Rice? No. The city of Sock Rapids maybe. Um I our IT department is going to be meeting with >> No, >> our IT department is going to be meeting with folks in Sock Rapids I believe next
week. Uh they it sounds like they may potentially have the ability live stream. We just don't know yet. So we have to sort that sort through that issue. So that's my report to you on again rice no sock rabbits maybe. So, uh, I don't know what bearing that has
upon your decision to have meetings at alternative locations and times, but I I'm just sharing that. So, >> well, let's find that out first. >> Let's let's gather more information. >> Yeah, I I'm pretty sure it's next week that that Steve is going to go over and meet with with Todd and sort this sort this issue out.
>> Yeah. >> Is that it? >> That's it. >> Move for approval of the cows, Mr. Chair. >> Oh, wait. Oh, wait. I'm sorry. One more. One more. One more. >> The state demographer. >> Yes. Um, Jacqueline wants to know who plans to attend the state demographer
presentation on March 9th at 1 p.m. in Sock Rapids Government Center. >> Not me. >> State demographer presentation on March 9th. >> It's 100 p.m. Sock Rapids Government Center. >> Maybe. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> We can list it. >> Yep. >> It's It's already listed on It's already listed. >> I have it on the calendar. She just want >> Apparently, they're asking for registrations. Is there a cost? >> Uh, I don't see anything about a cost. No,
>> no, there's no cost. No. No. So, I'm sorry. We I missed it. >> My tenant plan is Yes. >> Yes. Maybe. >> No. You're a No. Okay. So, >> I I have no I have no idea. >> Yeah. >> Commissioner Benoy, Commissioner Hein, Commissioner Johnson.
>> Yeah. We'll register you. Thank you. That's it. >> Oh, Commissioner Pop, too. Okay. Okay. That's always >> just register all of us if you can make it. >> I'll move approval of the cows. Mr. Chair, >> get any more. >> Yeah, >> I'll second it.
>> Got a motion, a second for the cow. >> Mr. Chair, during communication on this, I should have brought this up during our other communication and I brought up earlier, but if we uh have to have representation out in DC, >> we need to go.
>> We need to go and and I Megan was going to talk to you, Monty, too. I don't know if she did. >> Uh we're trained voicemails about getting letters of support from our representatives and and US senators, right? She she absolutely said it would
be 100% beneficial to be out there in person and push this directly this year. >> Okay. >> This is our this is our year to to get this across the finish line and it's 20ome million dollars. >> Since there may be more than one that
goes, it's a cow. >> No, I would say I I would say if we had a couple people go, that would be great. Plenty. M >> but I think having a couple people go out there to show like this is a need and why and they can support this without it coming out of their coffer.
>> That's right. >> Cuz it's it's a build grant. So not only can they be heroes in our area. Um and and Megan said that a few of them, you know, let's just say Clolobashar does win government governor
whatever, but we already know Smith is out there. it. This is a way for them to bring back another substantial windfall to the state >> commission, not have them come out. >> Could you remind me of of what is the time frame are you thinking about? >> Yeah, she uh Megan was going to get back
to us to find out cuz she said March is a very vulnerable area, but we >> March March. Okay. >> It' be March or early April, but we want to do it >> right after it's turned in. >> Yeah. >> And before that they get moved to that
next step. Okay. >> So, that'd be around the first to second week of March because it gets turned in the end of the month, February. >> And you said you might go through APO. >> APO, but now they're talking APO wouldn't go until mid to end of April, and I think that's going to be too late.
>> And this is specifically for our build applic. Okay. The nice thing is is I can say it is an APO project because it's in our APO area but this is specifically >> forass >> for CASA one >> right okay so I will connect with I need
to talk to anyway about these letter of support okay so try is it too early to ask who might be willing or interested in going >> definitely the obvious want to go >> yeah I'm sorry these okay okay >> and it would be a go in one night and
probably leave the next day. That's right. It' be a very short trip. >> Maybe two nights, but it' be probably just one night. >> Okay, understood. Okay, we'll get some more details from Megan. >> We We need to get more details because Brad showed interest in going to >> Yep. And Ross did as well from Sock
Rapids. >> Mr. Chair, before I forget, can you call the question in the cows? >> Oh, sorry. Got a motion in a second. I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you for that. More more. >> Yeah, I just didn't want to forget it as
we were having this DC discussion. >> Anything else? >> Nope.