Good morning everyone. It is 8:30. I'll go ahead and call today's meeting of the Klay County Board of Commissioners to order. Our first item on the agenda today is an approval of the agenda. Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. >> A motion offered from Commissioner Bayer. Second, >> a second from Commissioner Campbell. Any
further discussion? Any further discussion? Any discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I >> I >> oppose. Same sign. Employee recognitions. Okay. Today we are excited to
acknowledge Anna Bakira for 25 years of service to Klay County. And Holly, you'd like to say something about Anna? Sure would. Thank you. Um Anna is unable to join us today, but um I just wanted to share that Anna has been an intricral part of our home and community based team for over eight years as she
consistently demonstrates dedication and excellence in her role as a case aid. Um, prior to this, Anna was our social services office support specialist for 17 years. Um, Anna spends most of her day performing data entry for men choices assessors and our home and
community based case managers. She ensures timely preparation of packets, um, files documents to our system and manages details for our staff. So, without Anna, we would not be able to do our job and we are so appreciative to have her. And I'd like to say
congratulations to Anna on 25 years. make sure and let her know that we're in grateful recognition of her today. >> Thank you. >> Next person that we're going to acknowledge today is Steve Larson. >> Steve, congratulations on 30 years of
dedicated service to Klay County and our citizens. We're really grateful for all the work that you do. As you know, um, if anyone has ever received a, uh, email from Steve, you know, it has been, um, overanalyzed. Is that probably the
fairest way? Uh, so when Sarah asked me if I could say a couple words about you today, you know that I was overanalyzed. Um, but anyhow, Steve, we are just incredibly grateful. Steve always brings a smile to the work that we do. In fact,
he's uh received the words uh nicknamed Smiley from some of my kids. And when a a picture of Steve was in the paper here a couple months ago looking not so excited, uh my 17-year-old called and said, "Whoa, who pissed Steve off?"
Steve, uh it's an honor to recognize you today for your 30 years of dedicated service to Klay County. Over those three decades, you've served in several roles, and through each one, you've built a reputation centered on teamwork and shared responsibility. Those values have helped shaped you into one of the
state's most respected administrators. But don't tell any of the 86 counties. Steve has also worked with multiple county boards over those years, and each having different perspectives and priorities and personalities, which if you know county government, that is no small feat. Your steady leadership and
ability to bring together people have helped turn ideas into action and vision into real results for our residents. As county administrator, Steve guided Klay County through a global pandemic with calm, thoughtful leadership during a time in which there was no playbook.
You've led important work to expand capacity for ju juvenile treatment, helping to ensure our youth in our community receive the care and support they need. come a long way from those overnight shifts in Kroi the next day. 30 years in public service takes
commitment, patience, and genuine belief in our work. Steve, you have shown all of that and more, and Klay County is stronger because of it. Steve, congratulations on this incredible milestone. Thank you for your leadership, your partnership, and your unwavering dedication to Klay County. We
are truly grateful for your service. Well, thank you. Thank you for the kind words. I think that uh extremely fortunate when I when I was an intern at MSUM and I needed to to get 15 credits to graduate, uh I ended up at the West Central Regional Juvenile Center, uh not
assuming or ever thinking that I would uh would make uh Klay County necessarily a home for 30 years. And so, it's been a it's been a great it's been a great ride. Uh I I'm fortunate that I don't look at this as a job. I really look at as a career and I think that one of the things that we talk about uh in in c
county government and public services uh it does provide you know it's a career is different than a job every day I wake up I have the opportunity to grow both personally professionally and uh and have had that opportunity because of the opportunities that uh both past people
that I've worked with and for many of which who saw things in me that I didn't see in myself yet uh and I've worked with many amazing boards uh who work with and with work for uh who have had the had the opportunity and the challenge every year uh to take a a
certain number of resources uh and and hand that to to our departments to to to meet the needs uh of the citizens in a in in a great way of stewardship. And so uh we're we're I'm fortunate to to do that. And so I thank everybody for the opportunity. It it's it's great to be
here. So thank you. Our next item on the agenda is citizens to be heard. Are there any citizens in the audience wishing to address the board on any item that is not on the agenda? Any citizens to be heard? Steve, have you had any online correspondence for
this? I >> have not, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. Moving into the approval of payment of bills and vouchers. Move to approve the bills. >> A motion offered from Commissioner Kavanagh to approve the bills. A second from Commissioner Bearer. Any further discussion.
>> Any further discussion? >> Any further discussion? >> All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Same sign. Carried. The minutes from the January 20th, 2026 meeting were included in the packet. >> Madam Chair, move for approval of the
minutes. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Ebinger to approve the minutes as presented. Second. >> Second from Commissioner Bear. Further discussion. Further discussion. Further discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I. I. >> Oppose. Same sign. The motion carries. Item number two. Today we have our legislative update from Senator Mark Johnson. Good morning. Great to see you. Thank you for joining us.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair, members, staff. Thank you so much. Congratulations, Steve. >> Thank you. >> 30 years. Are you guys always this efficient? I just noticed you go through the agenda like this. It's kind of refreshing. You should come down to the Capitol and and >> No, you guys should come here. >> Maybe that's it. That's a great idea,
actually. Well, wonderful. Thank you so much uh for making a little bit of time to talk a little bit about the Minnesota uh legislative session that's coming up here in two weeks. Uh we could talk a little bit about what has passed over the last few years, but I think we've
probably talked that to death uh over the last uh year or two. Uh so maybe just looking at the legislative session uh coming forward here. This is what we would call a bonding year, a capital investment year, typically where policy is looked at, where a bonding bill is
looked at, but not state budgets. There are times where we have a a surplus or maybe a deficit uh that we'll look at a supplemental budget where we'll be either putting allocating some new dollars or else figuring out where we need to be cutting some dollars. Right
now we're we're waiting for the February forecast numbers to really solidify what the budget's going to look like. Uh I don't anticipate a large move one way or another in this uh in this forecast coming up, but uh sometimes it'll surprise you what has happened. Uh so
we'll be looking a little bit uh at the bonding bill. Now that's something that you know our our committees have both in the House and in the Senate have been going around the state taking requests uh from communities across the across the state. We've got a number of uh
issues uh here clearly both Klay County and Morehead City uh have been asking for uh some flood water mitigation. Uh I know in my district itself there's some drinking water uh needs up there in Klay County uh there that will hit a little
bit into Klay County. uh the pipeline for drinking water for communities, which regionalizing our our infrastructure in here just makes sense. And it's a priority for uh legislators up in northwest Minnesota to to do things like that. Both sanitation and drinking water and waste water where we
can save communities money and manpower uh by providing that from a more centralized location seems to make sense. It's something that we're we're pushing for. Another thing that we're looking at is a level four uh center for our schools to really send uh students
that are having maybe some emotional uh or or mental type uh issues that are disruptive to classrooms a way of of helping to grow them, foster them uh in a center that that's maybe not based within their home school district, but something that we have more specialized
expertise at. So, that's another bonding request that we've been looking at very heavily and and trying to figure out ways that we can get the dollars over to that to build that for Northwest Minnesota uh facility that we we really don't have access to in a lot of the communities uh up here. So, those those
have been some of the biggest requests and things that we're going to be putting forward. Uh there are a number of other smaller ones through communities uh all over the district. Uh but those are some of the the other ones. Uh so we'll move into a little bit on the policy side of things. This year
is going to be a fascinating year and uh as you know Minnesota politics is never boring. It always seems to be a n a nationleading headline making uh place here down in Minneapolis and St. Paul and that has lived up to it it its name
here over the last few months. uh you know starting with you know June 14th a tragic day where the shooting of uh Hortman's and the Hoffman's that day and then we had Annunciation and then we had uh you roll into the fraud that's been happening in the state and all of a
sudden that's getting national spotlight and then what's been happening now with the immigration enforcement down in Minneapolis and St. Paul and across the state as well too and how that is affecting politics. So the first day of session will be something that you
should tune into. It it'll be uh a mix of protests and memorials and we are I you know don't know what to expect that day. What it is going to do though it's going to make policym uh rather difficult. I anticipate in
this year it's an election year so you have the the viney interests of people trying to put out put out statement pieces trying to show that they are tougher in one way or another or you name it. and you're going to be seeing compromises a little bit more difficult
uh both because of po party politics where you don't want to get primar from your right or your left depending on which party you're at. So you're going to see more hardline I think and more difficult time getting some of those policy bills through which is unfortunate and it's a time when we need
to be working together more closely but uh I'm kind of fearful that that just the atmosphere that we have right now is going to create a difficult path forward for a lot of the the policy type uh legislation um that that a lot of communities in the state needs to get done. We'll be there. We'll be working
hard. The Senate will probably be the quieter body. The House is always a mix of of excitement over there. So, you're probably going to see more messaging coming out of the House. The Senate, we should be able to pass a few things out of there and get that done. Uh, and the governor himself is
kind of a wild card right now. You know, with him stepping out, he's kind of a free agent. So, we'll see what his agenda is for the rest of his term in office. Um but uh you know with Clolobashar coming in, he may fade away and become more quiet with uh and let
Amy take or Senator Clolobashar take that limelight, but we'll kind of see what that looks like through the legislative session itself. With that, I've used up most of the oxygen in the room. Uh if you guys have questions or thoughts, comments, I'd be
more than happy to take that. >> Questions? Well, I >> yeah, I want to thank you for the work on the uh West Central Regional Waters project that uh that's really important for all three counties that are partners. As a matter of fact, it's gaining some momentum now where we're
even having a fourth county asking us to join in. So, uh so it's it's a good deal and and we certainly appreciate your leadership on on helping try to make that happen. So >> commissioner and thank you for that and very small part in that in that you know
the organization that's really put it together and you've been a part of that >> has really been putting in a ton of work and uh Lucas Faith and others that have leading that um just been really fun to see how they've they've really put their shoulder into that project. It needs to happen. So
>> can I just ask you one question too? You mentioned the level four for schools. Um, is that is that is there something that's being planned for Northwest Minnesota on that? I >> Yeah, >> I know. I The reason I asked that is I I
also serve on the board for Lakes Country Service Cooperative. >> Oh, sure. >> And Lakes Country does a lot of work, I think, with level four students. >> Yeah. >> I think we we have a spot in Fergus Falls and there's one in Alexandria. We're trying to get one in Morehead. And
I'm I'm just curious if if this is part of that same thing or if this is something else. >> It and Commissioner, it might be slightly different uh than that. But it it it's exactly what you're talking about. It's a facility for our school district to be using. I think the one that's currently in discussions uh is
planned for Krookton, okay, if I remember correctly. But again, it it sounds like it's going to be open for the region because we don't have any facility that that's able to really handle that, right? Um, it's it's I if you're working on that too, that's
great. I I know right now I think um I think there's probably 25 30 kids out of Morehead that are every day they're sent to Fergus Falls. >> Yeah. >> To for this level four and uh it would sure be nice. It'd be nice where these
people kids wouldn't have to go so far on a daily basis to >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Good. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner. questions. >> Senator, thank you. We um have seen you several times when we're at the capital and you're always available to have
conversation and hear the needs from our region. So, we really appreciate the representation, particularly since you serve part of Klay County as well. But, um again, we are uh anxiously awaiting what session brings for all of us and appreciate your voice down there. Well,
thank you, Madam Chair, and uh commissioners. Really appreciate the time this morning. And my phone number's out there. Give me a call anytime when you have issues. It's wonderful to see you guys down there. I know you've been very active uh down in St. Paul. Uh just really appreciate seeing your faces down there as well, too, and your voices
being heard down there. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Our next item today is the annual department update from the Soil and Water Conservation District. >> Morning. >> Good morning, Madam Chair, commissioners. I hope you all know Tony
Nelson, our water resources management uh technician. Um Tony and I are going to tag team here this morning a little bit. So, one of the highlights of our 2025 season was after getting a notice that one of our employees was going to be resigning early spring, we were able to hire a new person, Dylan Gerald, that
started in March. And Dylan's uh roles will be handling the county feed lot officer position, the tree program, and our no tail drill program. Um, I'm going to go through a couple of slides here quickly that uh our tree program is something I think we start off every year of our update. um what we what we
do and I think a lot of people recognize uh our office as doing as the tree people. So I have a a planting job. The top left picture shows a spring 2006 planting. Normally we plant around farmsteads and field wind breaks. Well, this individual came in and he lives
just near the on the landfill road, but came in and he you can see his feed lot. He's got black Angus cattle there. We planted a three row belt around three different sides, three sides of his feed lot there. The picture on the bottom left shows 10 years after. And I took a
picture last fall, the far right one there. So after 20 years, he's getting a lot of good protection for his livestock, which was the intent of the program. Our noil drill program continues to be popular. Um in 1993 our our board of supervisors elected to get into the no
till drill rental program and um it's been very popular. Last year we planted over 1782 acres of which we rented the drill out to 32 individuals. We did apply for a Minnesota Department of Agriculture grant to help us um fund a
new drill in 2024. So that continues to a a process of updating our drills to keep them working and keeping them maintained has been very popular. And our individual now Dylan will be the delivery um person for evenings and
weekend work. our egg BMP best management practices lowinterest loan program since 1996 when the program evolved we've uh have loans out over two and a quarter mill million dollars to Klay County land owners egg
businesses and um projects such as I guess no till drills have been very popular conservation equipment egg waste management septic system upgrades and well relocations are all qualifying categories one thing kind of unique about this program. It does
not have to be brand new equipment. Um the the photo on the left is a a new drill that one of the individuals did purchase, but on the right there is a manure handling a a tandem beater manure um spreader. Um used equipment is also eligible. So, those are things that uh
it's amazing how expensive this equipment has gotten to be, but landlords that can go out and find a a piece of equipment that they need is uh is used equipment qualifies as well. Our one plan, we're now heading into our
fourth round of funding. This has been a very very good program for land owners especially in the eastern part of our county where we have some erosion projects such as our water and sediment control basins and also uh landowners northwest of Glendon. We put in five
stream bar stream bank stream barbs and I've got a couple pictures of those here in a second. But the total projects that we spent last year was $834,000. Landors are in line to get up to up to 90% cost sharing for these projects. And as far as I as long as I've been here,
that is the best program that I've seen as far as being able to fund at a 90% level. Um, we are able to leverage federal dollars. Last year, we we have $300,000 that was brought into our projects that we can piggyback our state funds to get to that 90% level of which
our water our one water plans funded $410,000. That's in both the wild rice and the Buffalo Red River Wershed districts. There's a picture of the stream barbs that were placed. You can see the land owners uh actually there was three land
owners side by side that their whole river bank in the Buffalo River was just dropping and washing away. So our project involved putting in stream barbs and it's basically little rock dams that jut out into the stream force the water away from that current uh forces the
current away from the bank to the other bank. And most of the time we have problems with these is in the outer bends and rivers. On the far right there, you can see the erosion that's occurring in a landowner's field up by Ulin. And a water and sediment control basin was installed. And it's very hard
to show these things that it's a little dyke there that you can see that orange pipe there. It's called a hicken bottom intake. Basically, water is um stored behind that dam and it and it flows out through that that hicken bottom and is tiled out to a safe outlet. Those have
gotten to be very popular in in in in Klay County. Another project, if you're aware, the Sneaky Creek uh just north of Morhead up north of the the beat plant. Um years of neglect along that 2600 foot long Sneaky Creek, which actually is the outlet for
County Ditch 41. Um it prompted a state clean water fund application that we worked with the Buffalo Red River Wershed District on. We got a $400,000 grant to pursue um repairing this site. The top left up there, you can see the down cutting and the erosion. It's just
a mess out there. It was in tough shape. You can see garbage hanging up on some of the logs um numerous events have been out there with the river keepers um out of Fargo and covers more going out there and cleaning up garbage. And you can see a lot of the downfallening trees that
are basically we're blocking this pro this uh this project that right into the the Red River on the far right. Our project involve shaping, cleaning, and receding and it's been mulched there. So hopefully in time we'll get a good grass catch. Last year was the first year that
uh we've got some pictures that will be showing you know some actual growth in there. But um estimated pollution reductions uh we got 144 tons of sediment per year that is being reduced as well as 1615 lbs of phosphorus. So
those are things that these one wire plans basically are looking at. What can we do to better our our environment and like I say this this this was a special project fund. >> Good morning Kevin. Uh Kevin asked me if I would present the next few slides. Um
and and these are slides that are more oriented or or or uh programs that uh that we partner directly with the county on. And so we just wanted to sort of highlight some of these things as we sort of move forward. Um we have our own sort of robust urban conservation program. Uh and I know that some of you
over the course of time have been involved in these things. um Crestwood site is one of the one of the highlights that we've that we've done and we've been kind of um actively involved in those um removal of woody vegetation and and this year I think um Steve helped us
uh put together uh or or get a uh get a program where we can have somebody come out there and burn that and we're hoping that that's going to reset some of that quality out there and just sort of reestablish some of that stuff. Uh we monitor the Klay County walk-in public access property that was planted in
2024. That that piece is uh just south of the excuse me, Crestwood site. Um and so we'll monitor that one over the course of time and help with weed control and woody vegetation stuff out there. And I know we've been kind of working um to to help u monitor that.
Uh we participate in the educational efforts through the Morehead community education. We have evening workshops uh to include rainarrel workshops, compost tumblers, um making paint for the uh for the rainarrel workshops, and then of course the pollinator plantings. And
last year we had uh about 67 or 65 people that participated in those programs. So it's a it's a way for us to engage the county and and meet one of our goals as as as sort of education and outreach. Uh we also partner with the FM Riverkeepers uh this this past year. Uh
we we were instrumental in in helping out educate 1,700 uh fourth graders and staff uh at the uh at the Waterfest uh which is which is kind of an annual event that we participate in every year and and uh it's a good it's a good event for us. And then of course our our
annual pint night. Last year was our seventh and uh this year will be our eighth. And I know that we've seen a few of you guys out there um participating with us and getting an opportunity to meet the community community and it's a great fundraiser for us to to help supplement our urban conservation
budget, if you will. Uh and then for 2026, you know, we'll do a lot of the same. We're going to continue to monitor the county properties that we're working on. Um we work closely with Matt Jacobson, too, to kind of look and see if there's new projects that are uh that are potentially available to us out there.
Um and then uh and then the other workshops that we participate in over the over the course of the summer. Uh the wetland conservation act which is one that uh that uh I participate in um directly in the office sort of supports in in uh in partnership with the county
itself. Uh it continues to be uh to be a pretty robust program in terms of uh uh managing compliance with water resources within the within Klay County. Um last in 2024 the the state came out with some
with some additional changes to uh to uh rules and regulations and they're still working on the the rule making process there and that can be kind of tedious and and and long term but we continue to work through those processes. Uh this past year we've had I worked on 55
distinct projects with over 452 landowner contacts trying to kind of figure out and negotiate through those processes. um a lot of agricultural concerns, uh a lot of uh infrastructure and and construction stuff. And so we're working
directly with uh with uh customers and clients uh both in the rural areas and the urban areas to try and sort of mitigate and manage those resources for the county. Uh local water management and you can see sort of the description there. The water management program is a voluntary
program that requires counties to use uh local task forces to develop and implement water plans based on priorities. Um and so not only do we participate in the one wershed one plan programs with both buffalo red and the wild rice wershed district um we're
involved in sort of monitoring uh uh updated source water protection plan which is which Morehead's going through right now. uh the watershed restoration and protection strategies. They're uh going through both the Buffalo and the upper red river right now. So, we're participating in those and just kind of
overseeing well not necessarily overseeing those but but participating in those from the Klay County's perspective. Um and then um of course I think uh you're all aware of the public water inventory that's going on right now. um we participate in that from uh from
uh from a just a our own sort of perspective and uh trying to just kind of make sure we're monitoring that process. Um the preliminary review came out and you probably heard that they're adding um nine additional water resource
sort of um areas to our public water index and so or our public water inventory. And so um we're kind of monitoring that. They're not going to remove any, but they're adding nine more. So, you can you can imagine that might that might be just a little bit contentious for a few that are out there.
>> Do do you guys have an opinion on that? >> Um, >> I both Commissioner Bear and I were at the one watershed, one plan discussion, the open house if you will, that was host hosted by DNR. And what I really appreciate about the SWCD office is you
really um were able to bring forward the historical knowledge of of what land owners have dealt with in wet years and in dry years and kind of offer some insight that may or may not have been looked at by DNR. I think encouraging them to be out physically uh be out uh
to you know lay lay of the land type look before we go into a formal finalization was really helpful. So I you know from my perspective what what you've offered is maybe an unbiased but more factual approach at what actually is happening out
>> yeah areas. I mean ultimately if you know before this thing is final we we hopefully we're going to have a say and I think it's important I that's why I asked the question. >> I I think too I I you know sitting in there as as was Tony I think some
frustration from land owners as far as the only accepting comments online to me that was um they won't take phone calls or if they do take phone calls that's that's you know they won't remember your phone call is what I kind of took it as. So I think there's some frustration as
as even with some of the more savvy people on computers. I think it's a little bit cumbersome. So um yeah, I can say it probably going to be some additional sites that are going to be on the buffer map too. So there are two separate maps, the buffer buffer map as
well as the public waters inventory map. So, um, there's we've had numer numerous phone calls from land owners seeing buffer requirements on land that they thought was, you know, not even on the, you know, not to be included or hopefully maybe had been removed. So,
you know, I would I would sort of echo what what Kevin said. Um, I I think right now our role is is more to observe and just sort of um interact with the with the local land owners that are going to be affected directly. um we're going to have a bigger role when this comes to a head and uh this thing's been
approved one way or the other and then they and then they start um um applying the sort of the buffer regulations that are associated with this because that'll change land use sort of opportunities out there for land owners. And so I think we all probably have our own personal opinions, but I think from a
from an S SWCD perspective, from a from a resource perspective, we're kind of waiting to see kind of what happens and and how the process works. We want to make sure that the process is uh you know, is is um everybody understands how that works and and and how that's going
to impact them moving forward. and then and then at the back end, how we can help those land owners sort of work through those uh work through those new land resource sort of um classifications and assist them with whatever they may need moving forward. So,
>> I do think it's important for to articulate the fact that they're not taking conversation as comment. That that's troubling. um some really great information came out in that meeting and and for DNR to not be able to apply that as part of the
comment period is I'm just um not really getting the whole scope of what the feedback is. So I would encourage your office to provide that feedback. >> Sure. Both Commissioner Bear and I are working with the environment natural resources group for AMC to provide that insight as well because as you know
they're only doing four counties but as they move forward with this that's a lot of comments that could effectively not be included. >> One of the questions and I you know we don't need to cover this too much longer but one of the questions that I had was you know where where did this request come from? where did the request come
from to update this public waters inventory that's that's been on the books for you know decades and so now all of a sudden we're changing these things and and updating may maybe needs to be updated but then you know I I agree the transparency has to be there
to be able to say you know who who should we talk to about this and why why is the urgency all of a sudden to get this done and you know at the rate that we're doing this right I mean I you know this just started a couple months ago and all of a sudden we're down with four counties and we're we're ready to brief
the public and uh and get some answers. So, >> and another challenging part is that as you have newer properties that are coming into buffer requirements, the legislature is also talking about cutting buffer funds to local areas as
well. And there are some counties that are looking at a substantial amount of need to implement additional acres into buffer. And and where does where do those funds come from when it's a statemandated program? >> Sure. Absolutely. >> We had we we had Senator Johnson right here. We shouldn't have should have
>> should have asked him >> asked him. Yeah. >> Well, his phone number's out there. >> Yeah, for sure. >> Well, yeah, more more to come for sure. Right. So, >> I I just want to follow, you know, I I asked a question um
from from this board standpoint. Uh I was chair last year when we got the notification about this uh study that was going to be going on and and then um I made a request that the DNR come here and explain to us what they were doing and they did that. >> Sure.
>> Um and but what what some of you might be hearing, you know, in your watershed meetings and stuff, the rest of our board doesn't hear. And I personally um put a lot of faith in you in in Bay
County Soil and Water uh to help uh with how I might form an opinion as well as listening to the land owners. I haven't we haven't had one landowner come in here and talk to our board about this. So I that's why I raised the question and I you know I think at some point in
time you know are we going to are we going to be satisfied with these nine nine new areas? That's why I asked the question and and what what abilities do we have if we're not happy with them to raise that concern.
that that's that's precisely why I asked the question. And >> yeah, I I you know, I we're here and we're monitoring that. Um and and and we're not getting a whole lot of push back from from the public yet. Um there's been some questions. Um and
we're trying to work through those a little bit. Um I don't, you know, I guess I don't know that we're necessarily supposed to speak for, you know, private individuals. Um, and so I think we'll maybe let them sort of manage that. But but but we're we're
available for for you know that's part of our partnership I think with the county too to to monitor that and and then be available to answer questions if you have questions. >> I also believe you've had a very good working relationship with the um agricultural community. So
>> generally we do um I I think >> at at some at in some cases uh we have some challenges right we that's in anything >> we we typically can can get blamed early on in the process with some of these things but I think uh I think Kevin's
done a great job historically of maintaining great relationships over the course of >> I don't know couple years that he's been here so >> all right I won't go any further. Thank you. Good insight. Any other discussion? >> We're always available. So, I mean, you
you all know uh county feed lot officer. Um over the course of time, uh the county's asked us to participate in uh and kind of run this program. Presently, we have uh 79 registered feed lots in Klay County. The MPCA requires us to um re-register these things every year. And
as of I think last year, uh we have uh all of our feed lots reregistered and we're ready to kind of move forward this year. We'll continue with our um our our periodic spot checks. I think we're on the hook for 7% every year, which means uh we'll do another six this year and
kind of go through that process. And I was just going to ask uh Commissioner Bear if he knows anything about that upper left hand slide there. Look familiar though? >> The color of those pigs don't look familiar. No. No, >> it's not
>> new. Commissioner Kavanagh has a question. >> Oh, sure. I'm sorry. >> So, going back to that program, I just uh his for history when we started this program uh the county along the S water. >> Uh what year was that?
>> 2007. >> 2007. And weren't there about 120 at that time? >> Yep, there was 120. Yep. >> Yeah. So you can see how that industry is um in some ways got uh has less
>> numbers but quantity maybe as bigger on this one probably not much >> probably hasn't changed much >> right >> uh we also administer the county a inspector program and and and a large portion of that program is is weed
control within the county uh 2025 we 16 species of plants that were on the prohibited prohibited control noxious weed category which means you know the the county is responsible to well at least the citizens are
responsible to sort of maintain control of those things. Um all lands within the state uh the this this slide shows some of the common weeds that we see in Klay County which includes the additional Klay County weeds that we've added previously over over the over the years.
Um, I can list all of those off for you if you want me to, but I know most of you guys have seen some of those um on the in across the county landscape. Um, we also perform uh yearly township officer trainings at the Klay County Association of Township Officers. Um, we
proctor the applicator licensing and exams. Um, we did 68 in 2025. Uh, we have 275 miles of county road rightaway that we spray uh in conjunction with our contractors. um eight buyout properties that we assist
with to to maintain weed control out there where we periodically get calls from concerned citizens. Um and then two 2026 we'll continue doing what we're doing. We're already uh we're already starting with our proctoring of uh of
the uh um uh the commercial applicators test. Yep. Um, uh, we'll do the, uh, 2026, uh, program to present to the townships for weed control. Um, and then also our, uh,
Alyssa, our our technician that works on this program, she submitted a grant last year from, uh, for $10,000 to the MDA to create a noxious weed book for citizens of the county. So, she's going to present this in the in the spring and then uh hand out that weed control list
for the for the counties so they have a reference when they're out there running around. Uh we also have the aquatic invasive species program that we administer for the county. Um a lot of what we do for aquatic invasive species is uh is um
um priority is education and outreach. So, we do a lot of uh outreach stuff where we uh spend money on on advertisements and billboards. You may have seen them. We have a billboard we have two billboards that we usually do every year. One on I 94 and one on uh 10
US 10 highway 10 uh going towards the lakes where where um you know uh lake owners from coming from Minnesota andor North Dakota that are going back to the east, they can see those things. Um we participate in the fisherman's derbies.
Uh we also participate in uh you know I said earlier the riverkeepers water festival. So you know uh staff and uh and uh students from all around the the the region come and and uh participate in these things and
that's uh that's kind of our role there with the aquatic invasive species. So those uh those are most of the programs that we uh participate in and uh I know that uh we we uh interact with most of you guys.
We um Commissioner Bayer and and Commissioner Kenhoff participate in our monthly board meetings and I think we uh do a pretty good job of keeping them up to speed and I think we have a pretty good relationship with you guys and hope that you'll continue to uh engage us
when you need questions asked. Any questions from the board? >> I just want to say thanks for coming in, guys. >> Thanks for your report. Thanks for the work you do. It's really great to have um your office available when residents have an issue. You're always willing to meet them where they are and help find a
solution. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next item today is item four. What? Item four, a re request approval of the revision to the capital asset
policy thresholds. >> Good morning to you both. >> Morning. >> What we're looking to do today is just to uh change the thresholds on the on our capital asset capital asset policy. And what we're looking to do is change
the inventory and tagging threshold from 1,000 to 5,000 and the building improvement threat capitalization threat threshold from 1,000 to 10,000. Uh there really shouldn't be any fiscal impact regarding those other than saving
Stacy's time, which is significant. And um we looked at we did a print out since 2002 I think the total change would be $43,000. So it's in insignificant and so that's what we're looking to do today.
>> Questions of the board? >> Well, I think the madam chair I think the um you know these numbers are from a long time ago and I I think they kind of coincided with you know even in private industry at one point in time anything
that had a value of a certain dollar amount might have had a threeyear life expectancy or more. you you had to capitalize all of that kind of stuff and it it would be foolish for us to not adjust those numbers. Um I I think what
you're asking for is makes all the sense in the world to do so. It's >> Thank you. I appreciate that >> questions. I think there's a real efficiency with it also. Um, so I'd move for approval of the proposed revisions to the county's
capital asset policy policy effective January 1, >> 20 second. >> Is that excuse me, is that 2025 or 2026? >> We actually want to do it effective January 1st, 2025. >> Okay. >> So when we're doing our current financial statements that we can
recognize this policy. >> Okay. Very good. >> So the motion is to approve the recommendation effective January 1st, 2025. Commissioner Kabnoff and Commissioner Ebinger seconded that motion. Was there any other discussion? Seems like this has been through a
substantial amount of discussion. So, I appreciate the work. Um, also looking at how to best resource or allocate our resource, which is time. So, I appreciate that. >> Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I
>> I oppose. Same sign carried. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Item five, request approval to repair the landfill dozer. Good morning, Corey. >> Good morning, Madam Chair and commissioners. Thank you for having me.
Uh my first item today is a request to repair the landfill dozer. Um the undercarriage and tracks on that dozer are wore out. We did look at replacing it. Uh to replace it with another used machine, we'd gain about six years of of life from the machine, but it would cost
us an extra $200,000. Um, and that was the minimum bid. So, we felt it' be better. Um, we only use the dozer about $150 a year. So, I didn't see it justified to spend that kind of money on a new machine. Uh, the engine's still good. So, if we replace the tracks
for a cost of $44,947, we would essentially have what we would have if we bought a newer machine. So, that would be my request this morning. Okay. >> Corey did bring this to the SWAT committee. Uh, members, we did talk about this Discussion
from the board. >> One question, Madam Chair. >> Yes, Commissioner Bear. >> How old a machine is this? >> It's a 2012. We purchased it in 2016 with about 4,000 hours on it. It's got 7,500 hours on it now. >> Additional questions.
>> Move to approve. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Campbell to approve the request. >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Bayer. Further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Carried. Thank you. Item six, the request approval to replace the landfill pump controls. Corey. >> Yes. My second item today is um we have Leeade lump pump controls at the landfill. Um they are the original
controls that were put in when the leech system was put in. Um my dad was still here when they were put in. So, he's been retired for 20 years. So, these are they're wearing out. The uh the panels, you can't read them anymore. The the LCD screen are just bad. Um we did get a bid
for this in 2023 and they haven't been able to get the parts until just recently. So, they are going to honor the 2023 bid of 23,125. Um I would request that comes out of the Internal Service Fund and that would be my request for today. I would venture to
say there's not a bid from 2023 that would be honored 2026. So, the fact that they've been willing to provide that, >> they've also been out and and kind of pieced it together to keep us going while they're waiting for these parts. So, um I feel bad not going with it now. So,
>> yeah. >> And this also went to swack. >> Yeah. >> Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the internal service fund to pay for the replacement and leech control pumps at a cost of $23,25. Have a motion offered from Commissioner Bayer to approve the request? >> Second. >> A second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any
further discussion. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? >> All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Same sign. Carried. >> Thank you. >> Item seven is a request approval of the
2026 statewide affordable housing aid contract. Quinn. >> Morning, Madam Chair. Mr. >> Good morning. >> I am here to request approving into a contract uh for statewide affordable housing aid. If you remember, at the end
of 2025, I had requested to uh post an RFP for statewide affordable housing aid. Uh that time frame for applications has come and gone and a review committee has reviewed the um proposals with one recommendation. Um we don't only have one submission. Um it is familiar to us.
Uh Klay County HRA is the applicant for the statewide affordable housing aid. Um their proposal really focuses on preserving and stabilizing the existing affordable housing assets that we have here in Klay County. um specifically for the 2026 funds um elevator modernization
at Hogi Estates in Dworth um as well as support for front desk operations at Gateway Gardens in uh Morehead as that facility requires 24-hour staffing to maintain safety and housing stability. Um just to note the 2026 allocation
totals $81,550. Um, I did put the comparison for last year's allocation, which was $68,698. So, there was an increase of $12,852 from last year to this year's allocations. That was good to see. Um,
this is completely funded by uh Department of Revenue. No county levy funds are requested. Um, so I am looking to enter into a contract with HA for the statewide affordable housing aid, but I would yield for any questions that you have. >> Yes, Commissioner Kavanagh. Yeah, just a
curious question with the increase. Um, how does this how does it happen? And it's great. We're getting the increase it uh increase. What creates that? Is that just some formula they use or are we doing something in positive ways that
um are outpacing other counties or >> That's a great question that I have no idea. I'll have to research. >> Okay. I was just curious. It's a good thing. >> I'd like to see it increase, but yeah, I I'm not sure why. It's one of those I'm happy when it goes up and I don't know why, but I'd be much more curious if it went down and I didn't know why. So,
we'll figure it out. >> As part of being a las on the H, uh we had deep uh real uh uh detailed um discussion about the use of these funds. Um there are two elevators over at Hogi
and this will replace the one that's been really in tough shape for quite a while. >> The old one. Yep. >> Yeah. That's the biggest piece of it. So, for clarification. In the proposal, it uh highlights that that elevator that was referenced has been used over one
million times. >> Yeah, there you go. >> Questions from the board. One, I are we, you know, I know we've continued to have one proposal on some of these with known uh partners for the work. Is that something in the future we
want to look at branching out, trying to get more proposals? Um, it is communicated. It's posted on our website and sent to all our providers. So, I feel like our outreach efforts and trying to be creative about how we could potentially use the funds otherwise the message is getting out there. We just haven't received applications from other
providers >> and they'll apply if it reaches if their capacity is within that. I understand. >> Yep. >> Questions from the board. Can we uh somehow um acknowledge the
increase in SAHA funds to our legislators with a letter correspondence? >> Any further discussion? Oh, I'll move to approve uh enter into the uh 2026 uh statewide affordable
housing aid contract with the Klay County Housing Redevelopment Authority in the amount of $81,550. >> Second >> motion offered from Commissioner Kraban, a second from Commissioner Be or Ebinger rather to approve the motion. Any
further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Same sign. Carried. Item eight is a request approval for the 2026 local
homeless prevention aid contract. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, very similar to the SAHA funds, uh, I now have a request for the local homeless prevention aid contract. Um, it's the same process where an RFP was posted. Um, and we only had one application. And again, that application um is similar or
the same uh partners that we had last year. Uh I guess the difference with the local homeless prevention aid versus SAHA is the uh proposal by CAPLP is actually a collaborative approach between CAPLP, Churches United, and Morehead Area Public Schools. So uh rather than them uh kind of apply
individually and kind of fight for resources, they kind of teamed up together to see what work they could do with the total allocation. So, it's great to see that level of collaboration from our partners in trying to combat um homelessness for our students. Uh so, CAPLP's proposal um again was scored and
it was recommended to bring forward a contract with them. Again, they would subcontract with Morhead Area Public Schools and Churches United. Um it is very similar to the activities that were done with last year's uh last year's allocation. So the outreach and housing
navigation services would be done by CAPLP. Uh Churches United would use portions of these funds for their case management at Micah's mission and Morehead Area Public Schools helps utilize these funds for uh liaison for students uh experiencing homelessness
trying to identify that and overcome the barriers that those families are seeing. Um I guess with that the allocation did increase. Um, however, it was very slight increase of only $751 from last year's allocation to this year's allocation. Same kind of deal,
Commissioner Krabanhoff, that I'm not sure how the allocation is filtered for this one. I I'll, as I'm finding out one, I'll find the answer to the other at the same time. Um, but with that, uh, I would yield for any questions. >> I'll just make one Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
>> I can wait. >> Just a quick comment. I uh too just want to um reiterate the um the ability of a collaboration between the schools, you know, and Churches United and along with
the work that CAPLP does. I I I find it um it was all new to me a couple years ago, but uh just how that exchange and they and their constant look uh at all ages, but mainly the youth area. um
knowing having their eyes on the amount of homeless kids that there are in our community and doing the best they can to you know mitigate those issues and find them stable housing. >> Yes, thank you. Um Quinn, the
three core service areas that they outline uh for us here uh are are we are there specified dollar amounts uh for each of those? >> We do have a budget broken down. I did
not include it in your packet, but we do have a a budget that allocates the funding to each agency. Yes. >> Yeah. because I think, you know, I think in our early budget process, I know one of the uh certainly one of the areas that um this board has really
found a good target was that homeless student service area for I >> Yeah. So, I I guess in the past we've kind of had an idea how much dollars went each of these into each of these course. You can maybe just pro provide
that to us later. It's >> absolutely >> I think that's would be helpful to know. Commissioner Ebinger, >> I'd like to move to approve entering into the 2026 local homeless prevention act contract
with Community Action Partnership Lakes and Prairies, including including subcontract subcontracted services with Morehead Area Public Schools. schools and Churches United for the Homeless in the amount of $33,877.
>> We have a motion offered from Commissioner Ebinger. >> Second >> and a second from Commissioner Bear. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I.
>> Oppose. Same sign. >> Carried. Thank you, Quinn. There was also an increase in that. Can we make sure we reference that in our gratitude to St. Paul? >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Rory, if you don't mind, can we take a fourm minute break really quick? I will
be back in four minutes. Sorry. Okay, we are back. Thank you, Rory. We're excited to hear your department update for tech services. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, commissioners. I appreciate you having me this morning. Uh I'll start off by just giving kind of
a overview of our department and a recap of uh 2025 and then we'll kind of dive into maybe some projects and upcoming things here in uh 2026. So to start off, we're we're 10 of us here in technology services, four computer support specialists, uh four
systems administrators, our cyber security analysts here for the last year or so, and uh myself. Um this 2025 was a uh busy year for our department. Um had a lot of a lot of
different issues, a lot of projects we tried to tackle. uh you know employee numbers didn't really go up too much. Um checking with HR, if we had every position filled, we'd be at about 712 employees uh starting, you know, as of now. Uh we support roughly 25 buildings.
Uh kind of a staff ratio, IT staff ratio to to regular staff. Um 1 to 71, which is it it's higher up there throughout the you know, the different counties in the state. um especially with having a sheriff's office to support uh juvenile
detention center which is only other 13 others in the state. Um overall desktops and laptops we've actually reduced that a little bit. Uh so instead of last year we're about 800. Now we're we're down and that's kind of winding out all the
people that had desktops and laptops. Now we're just kind of focusing more on the laptops and trying to save a little bit of money there. Uh cell phones, landline phones, those are all the same. Otherwise, our active assets that we track, you know, with even Stacy and
Lori and their capital assets. Um, so anything under that, you know, $1,000, $5,000 threshold, we'll put a IT asset tag if it's electronic. Then we add it to our uh MCIT EDP insurance coverage as well. So that that went up a little bit
as we get a little more, you know, what's what's classified as a asset that we want to ensure. Um so those those numbers will go up. Um just kind of numbers compared 2024 to 2025. We still see a steady climb and
again just mentioning that we were very busy in 2025. So those uh numbers seem pretty accurate. We were we were pretty busy. Um and so the the biggest change I think
we'll see this year is with uh AI being so prevalent um kind of almost like back in CO days where there was such supply and demand of electronics AI is now taking all the memory all the storage in
the industry and driving up the prices. So, uh, last year we'd get a laptop or a desktop PC for about 800 bucks. Now, we're looking at 13 $1,400 per machine. So, times that by 150 that we need to get every year, it's it's going to eat
away at that internal services. I expect that for the next, you know, two, three years, but um, I think we can make it through without really upping that too much here for, uh, next year's budget either. So kind of average. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
>> Yeah. Along that line, okay, there's a cost, but in the work that you're seeing develop being developed in AI, do do you see efficiencies that are giving you savings? >> Yes. You know, we haven't implemented a
whole lot here at Klay County, but in the industry as a whole. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. you know, it's uh I suppose more in the private sector saving on staff time. >> That's that's that's where the >> So, it's more possibly in some of our um
other departments than it would be with yours. >> Yeah, I would say some of our other departments, it just depends on the software solutions they're using and can they take advantage of some of that AIdriven data um or generate that data. Um so, it really just depends on
>> Yeah. And I know we're at the beginning of it, so I just, you know, >> there's got to be a reason for it. >> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Yep. Somebody's making money off it and it's it's uh we're paying for it. So, >> thank you. >> So, overall, uh staff cost will be going
up probably this year and the next year. Um just just onboarding staff cost I would say as far as electronic equipment, software, licensing goes. Um, all of our software contracts that we're renewing, we're seeing about an average of eight 8 to 9% in a year-over-year
here. Uh, to to mitigate some of that, we've we've switched resellers, different vendors. You know, if there's a big jump, we'll say, "All right, well, let's let's get a let's get a quote from somebody else and see where we're at." So, right now, we're waiting on one other one for some of our backup software to see, you know, that that
jumped to about seven grand. So, we're going to see, well, maybe maybe going with a different vendor or a larger reseller that can take take advantage of some of those bigger discounts will help us. So, so those are some of the kind of techniques we're using to save a little bit of money. >> Commissioner Campbell has a question.
>> Sure. Rory, the um you know, speaking of AI and how that I mean that just is really just ballooning right now and and I I would think an awful lot of it um
kind of centers around all the work that you guys do, right? Right. I mean, there's an awful lot of what you do can have some involvement with AI. And and in terms of your staff, how how knowledgeable are how knowledgeable are
they in all of AI and >> AI? I would say, you know, we're not in the development side of it, which where I think that's where the drive is in the world. Um, you know, we're more just generative AI, you know, chat GPT, some of those things. Our department
throughout the county to help help automate or help uh save a little bit of time, a little bit of efficiency that way. But as far as designing something that's going to help, that's that's not that'd be out of our scope of knowledge. >> Thank you.
>> U so just kind of recent upcoming projects here. you know, as as you're aware, we uh uh you the board uh approved the company to come in and do a security penetration test for us. Um we we've
completed that. We're still waiting on, you know, we have some preliminary results that we've been working on, but for the final report, we'll get that here in a a few weeks and I think maybe at that time we'll try to get a close session and go over some of those results with all of you just to kind of
show you where we're sitting in that. Um, >> Commissioner Bear. >> Yeah. >> Does it look like it was worth the money? >> Absolutely. >> Yep. Yep. >> I'll leave it at that. very very good you know to have an expert in that field
say well this is this is what we recommend this is what we should change even some of our Microsoft software out of out of the gate is just by default is not as secure as we'd like so having another set of eyes that's does this routinely to say yes you you should do
this or you should go that direction it's very helpful >> uh let's see late late this last year too uh board also approved some uh infrastructure replacement uh network switches. We spent a good portion of our
internal services funds on 48 network switches. So that'll be a project will continue out through uh 2026 here. Take take quite a few months to replace all the network switches in all the departments. Uh we just about 3 weeks ago we did uh
migrate with the help of a momentum uh move our tax system from on premise to cloud. So now they host everything and that services Klay County departments and uh some of the city of Morhead assessor's office GIS staff as well.
We're still working through that but uh that project will be wrapping up here pretty soon. And then just more uh infra infrastructure refresh um different you know wireless access points um just some other equipment that we'll be uh looking
at this year as well. One of the big things and I believe all of you are aware of it is the uh our Minnesota county IT leadership association. It's kind of a push this uh Minnesota cyber response team which I believe AMC is
backing. And what that what that program is is any counties that maybe fall victim to a cyber incident. Um there would be a a team of volunteers of county volunteers
that would go and help out where needed. Um so it's seems to be a great program. our our local cyber security expert Jocyn Sloan. She's she's a part of that as well. She has been from the kind of the ground floor coming up with it. So, she's been helping out with that and
it's a great program. It even offers some training opportunities for those IT staff to, you know, better secure their environments, too. So, it's a it's a great great program. A couple other couple other things we're
um through the sheriff's office through our ecitations um that software is it's getting pretty antquidated antidated um and old. There's just some of the security there involved. So,
we're working with the Minnesota BCA to ensure that we can keep up with that, but at some point that will have to be a something on the plate to refresh and it's not going to be as cheap as it is now. Um, I think right now we pay roughly
14 $15,000 to the sheriff's office per year. Um, I know the Morhead Police Department did now move away from that here at the end of uh January. So some of those costs will go down but um at some point we will have to increase
that. Currently it would be the Klay County and then the four uh city police departments within the county that are jointly using this this software. Um another one that I'll just mention here quick is u just working with HR and
and Darren um just talking over the last couple years here about a paid on call schedule for IT staff. I believe we're the only department left that has a paid on call schedule, but that's something we're kind of putting together and we'll bring it to pick here at some point in
the near future. >> Any questions? >> Any questions for Rory? >> Yes, Commissioner Aber. >> The ecitation, are you looking at getting an updated version of ecitation or what's more gone to? They they went to this Tyler
Technologies Enforcement Mobile which now just did get approved by the Minnesota BCA. It's on their approval >> and that that matches up with the dispatch CAD, right? >> Yeah. Yep. Yep. That's the same same uh company. >> Is that something we look at? >> That RMS system is a Tyler Technologies based and this would be the same just
another >> Is that something we'd look at or is there >> we we have looked at it the last few years. um the cost has just been so high that it's kind of been out of our our reach. But at some point here, we're going to have to look at something whether it's the the Tyler Technologies
one or another one in the in the out in the market. But okay. Yeah, it'll be a change. But >> Commissioner Campbell, >> I have just uh going back to your service request, Rory. Okay. Um
I it seems to me that a 51% increase is significant in service requests and I'm kind of wondering what you know in terms of the help desk calls. In 2024 there was 123 a month and now
it's at 180. Is that is that um are those login issues or what >> it uh a lot of times it could be you know just in this last year you know we had a lot of different projects so if a project went wrong we get a lot of calls so that's not always a praise for us to
get as many calls as that but uh that's typically happens >> I I'm not faulting you guys but I'm I'm just I'm just wondering you know are we >> are we satisfied with some of the uh services that we pay for uh through
outside entities for example. >> Sure. >> Yeah, I I would say so and we're always looking to change and benefit us as a county. Um you know just even one example was you know last summer we had that fiber cut >> over by the high school
>> which took down you know that that generated a bunch of calls. just just kind of examples like that. Even if it's out of our control, um just random events that can uh prompt for a lot of calls. >> Thank you. >> Yeah.
>> Well, I just want to give huge gratitude. No one uh is more frustrated than someone whose technology is not working and your department always meets that call. Uh you know, a reflection of those calls for service. I know I've I've reached out several times when things don't seem to work out and your
staff always just fix it magically. So, uh, huge kudos to your department and, uh, your staff. You do a wonderful job. We >> They do a great job. Yeah. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> They do. Yes. Thank you. Our next item is item 10,
the request approval to advertise for SP014-070-116. Good morning, Justin. >> Good morning. Yes, so this is requesting approval to advertise for that project. This is the roundabout project at CASAW 12 and 52. We did finally get federal
approval on this project. So I am proposing a letting date of March 10th, 2026 at the board meeting. >> Yes, Commissioner Kavanagh. >> Your microphone. >> Excuse me. So after these bids are let
that project potentially start. >> I mean with this project there is a lot of grading work. So until the frost is out of the ground most likely. Um, if there was work that they could do as soon as we get through the approval process of through the state aid and
federal aid, they could probably start two weeks after, but odds are with frost levels right now. >> But you anticipate early summer. >> Oh, yeah. Definitely as soon as road restrictions come off. I would guess sometime in May. >> Okay. Thanks, >> Madam Chair. I move approval of the
advertisement for SA SP0140700016. >> I'll second that. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Campbell, a second from Commissioner Barry. Further discussion. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. I.
>> Opposed. Same sign. >> Carried. Item 11 with you today is the request approval of letters support for CASA 36 bridge replacement. >> Yes. So PK County is taking the lead on a raise grant application. So we've applied I think three or four times for
this. It is a bundle project where it's Klay County, Norman County, and Pulk County replacing three Red River crossings. Last application actually made it pretty far. So we there is some light at the end of the tunnel with hopefully might I think there's a fairly
good chance we get funding. So these would be funded 80% federal funds bridge bonding then also a local match and C county would also be participating if we were to get the raise grant application >> dialog.
>> This would be the bridge outside of Georgetown. >> The old trust bridge just north of Georgetown. Yep. With that, Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the letter of support for CASA Casaw 36 bridge replacement. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Bayer. >> Second.
>> A second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further discuss? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Same sign. Motion carries.
>> Thank you. Item 12 is a request permission for Commissioner Kabnoff to attend or travel out of state. Mr. Larson. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Madam Chair, Madam Chair, commissioners. Um the uh the item before you this morning uh is a request
for Commissioner Kavanagh who serves as the president or the >> chair >> the chair of CAP LP. uh they're going to be going to Washington DC uh in the coming months and uh we just would be requesting permission for him to travel. Uh there's going to be no cost to Klay
County as Cap LP will be picking up uh picking up the entire travel amount. >> This is an exciting opportunity. I had the opportunity to attend this uh conference about 10 years ago and given all of the dialogue that's happening in
Washington DC. It's really helpful to provide your insight. Uh I I think CAPLP does a phenomenal job uh utilizing the funds in which we get from the feds. So I'm really excited about this opportunity for you, >> Madam Chair.
>> Yes, Commissioner Abinger. Uh this has been both you and and Commissioner Krabangh have been on top of legislative issues that are impacting on us. Cap LP is a great partner for the county and it we're grateful for Commissioner
Krabanoff moving up being part of the the the body that moves this forward. So having said that, I'd like to make a motion to approve Commissioner Kabinoff travel to Washington DC with CAP LP. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Ebinger. Second
>> and a second from Commissioner Bear. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Same sign. Carried. >> Thank you. I'll bring back a good report.
>> Good. Item 13, committee reports. Commissioner Ebinger. Madam Chair, last week on Tuesday the 27th, um I attended the Red River Regional
Dispatch Center Board of Authority meeting. Uh we elected a new chair, Ryan Nelson and vice chair Jim Capitan from Cass County. Ryan Nelson's with uh Morehead City. Uh appointed the secretary within
the staff of the dispatch center. Um had the uh update on the on the issues that couple of issues that have popped up since the new dispatch center's been developed. they've been addressed and there was a brief period of time where
they had to operate out of the downtown trip, the old location and that went seamlessly. When they then they got back in the uh new facility and there were bathroom issues that caused them problems. The place was cleaned up, the
problem was addressed. Uh and looking at this project, it looks like it came in about a million dollars under budget. So that's always good news. Uh it's a beautiful facility and uh they are just about fully staffed. They
have 37 of 38 FTEEs that have been appro approved with three in transition. Um they will soon fill the part-time administrative assistant position they've had budgeted. Now that they're in their new location, they're ready to
move forward with that. Um on Wednesday the 28th, um I attended the swearing in ceremony at the sheriff's office. Uh they also had awards. Uh we sworn in
a new deputy and I don't have my notes from that but uh sworn in a new deputy and a uh one of the uh community service officers and a deputy were given a service award. It was a good ceremony.
It was good to see the deputies in there recognized. They brought their families and compliments to to Sheriff Empting for the staff he's got and for his uh willing or his his his inclination to always make sure they get
recognized for the good work they do. We have a good a good office over there and uh good people. They're going to going to respond for our community. On Friday, um the 30th, I attended the uh Klay Klay
County Intergovernmental Retreat, planning for the future growth and infrastructure needs. a good um presentation from James uh Whirlwind Soldier who's with DED and Greg Wagner
with with West Central Initiative. uh just kind of on on what's going on in our community as far as development for commercial advancement and and uh industrial within what's basically an agricultural area
plus our metro had Ben Griffin from Metrocog uh very good presentations uh from our school districts uh Superintendent Lun from Morehead
uh Superintendent Eller Eller Ellerbush from Barnesville, uh, Superintendent Flatten from Ulan Hitterdoll, and Superintendent Jensen from Holly. U, we had our city's uh, presentation
from Morehead, Dworth, and Barnesville. It was a good Oh, and Senator, don't want to forget Senator Coopek and Jim Joy and Representative Representative Keeler was with us. Uh, and
Representative Gander came in and we did have a legislative panel and Q&A for them. It's a a good well planned uh intergovernmental retreat and I I think we got a lot of good information from it. And that completes my report.
you, Commissioner Evinger. Commissioner Kavanagh. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, yesterday had um the monthly meeting for the planning commission and board of adjustments for the city of Morehead. We had um our
elections for 2026 officers. Uh uh Bob Seagull, our current chair will remain chair and vice chair Jana Casper and Lindsay Shaack will be our new rep onto the Metro Cog board. Uh
we had uh four well excuse me we had a three uh conditional use permits. one's for a wireless uh trans telecommunications tower on the 1800 block of L Street North uh which was
approved. This next one was uh um I'm very excited about u youth works uh for a conditional youth permit for housing shelter. Uh, youth works is um serves youth um for um transitional housing for
kids or young adults, not kids uh 18 to 24 years old. Uh they've had the opportunity and purchased uh the former Echome Evergreens Assisted Living um uh which I remember be the old Sharp School
back in my day. Uh anyway, at 502 and 5123rd Avenue South of Morehead. This will be for transitional housing for this age group. Uh they're going to have um 25 uh apartments there. That complex is
already set up in pods. There's two buildings and within that they'll have um um enough for 25 youth including one area that will be for uh parenting
rooms. So for pregnant young women or uh with small children. So uh average time there uh the maximum time in this transitional place is 18 18 months and most live there about 6 to 8 months at
which time they still they get um um they have individual case management learning life skills and help them housing navigation. to get um them to some uh more permanent uh housing place.
So anyway, it was a a very good presentation by the um staff of uh youthworks and it was uh unanim and public did have some questions uh mainly neighbors and they answered those questions very well. So this a
recommendation then that will we approved unanimously and that will go on to the city council. Uh, another one was for the uh, beginning of the ex excavation construction along it beh preparation of the new pedestrian bridge
that will be going across the river. And uh, so that that was approved. Looking forward to that. And and then the other the last thing was um just a f uh uh final approval of a preliminary and final plat relating to a new uh fourth
edition of Prairie Parkway, which is the new development on 40th 40th Avenue South over by Good Shepard. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Commissioner Kraban. Commissioner Campbell,
>> you on January 27th, I attended the Red River Regional Dispatch Center Board of Directors meeting, uh, Commissioner Abberinger reported on that, but we did, uh, we heard learned that there's they do have 37 of the 38 full-time
employees. Uh, three of three of those 37 are going through training right now. I think that was supposed to be done in a week or so from the time that we had had the meeting. Uh they have nine shift supervisors which is fully staffed
uh in 2025. It was we approved them to hire the an assistant administrator. That has not been done yet, but they're looking to do that in 2026. And in terms of the building project now, that's I think we're starting to there's a few things that are happening
right now that deal with warranty issues. Um, but in essence, that project, building project came in about a million dollars under budget. On January 28th, I attended the Prairie
Lakes Solid Waste meeting in PUM. Uh we got a it's not final yet but close to being finalized. Uh the annual budget was about 80,000 revenues over expenditures which so that's always
a good thing. Uh there was an issue with um the steam going to bombards. there was an a break in the
pipe and so there's um some issues going on there that could by the time all all said and done it could cost over $100,000 by the time you figure they're going to probably have to have the whole place shut down for a
couple of days while they repair it. So there's conversations going on about um how that's going to be paid for. Um, Ottertale County also owned.17 acres of land that was just right next
to our facility and um, in reviewing it, they it made more sense that that property should be owned by Prairie Lake Solid Waste. So, Ottertale County has
uh, offered to um, sell us that land for $1. So, that's a it'll just give us a little bit more options there. Um, we did receive a letter um
that talks about the how that how those facilities really help with the elimination of POS. So, That's another positive outcome of
having um that incinerator in PUM. It can eliminate another contamination that would otherwise be going in into our landfills. Thursday morning, I attended the Klay County Solid Waste Advisory Committee
meeting. Um the 29th, uh we had an additional conversation about organics. Uh we had a presentation here. Um you know I think there's you know there's some discussion about
um maybe a 2 million might it might cost $2 million. I think that was at first impression that was a concern about how we would raise that. Um I think there's a lot of work going into
try to submit for a grant option. uh and that if successful that grant would be there'd still be a 20% requirement on the local entity. Um and I you know
it's my it's my feeling that that 20% I think there could certainly be a way that we could figure out through our our um enterprise fund over time where we could pay that. when you when you figure the um
I think roughly 37% is that the number 37% of all garbage right now is considered food waste and if we can find ways to deal with that do the organics um process to save on that landfill
Corey's working on it um I think the the big issue there is that we need to try to get that grant So that's that's where the focus is right now. And and Corey and his staff is helping with that process and
preparing. I think that grant needs to be submitted by April. So we'll see how that goes from there. And then we had the boiler that we dealt with today as well as the dozer
issues and those are were approved today by the board. That afternoon, the 29th, we had our Klay County Joint Powers uh M Klay County Joint Powers Authority for the diversion. Um action items were uh some
reimbursements for different property owners that were approved. There was u an amendment to a one of the land owners flowy easements and there was a some change and forest
mitigation deed restrictions. All of those items were approved and on Friday the 29th I attended the intergovernment retreat. I was able to be there for the morning session and um a lot of a lot of good
information was presented uh on K Lake County. I think the it was really a a positive focus on Klay County and how we're kind of the shining star outside of the metropolitan area in terms of of
being a growing community. And I think there that was good that they focused on that. I thought that was um and I think they really uh when I say they I'm I'm referring to James Roland Soldier from deed and then also with Greg Wagner with
West Central Initiative on how we really need to focus on the story we have to tell and why this is a good place economically to for people to bring their roots to here and establish
establish businesses and homes here. Uh then yesterday I uh attend yesterday afternoon I attended along with commissioner Mojo and and um Mr. Larson. Uh we had some conversations with the
state um bond bonding committee staff I for >> finance >> finance uh uh committee staff members going over some questions that they had in terms of our bonding request that all of it was all of those questions were related to the diversion project and I
think we had a good conversation there and I don't remember the date but I but I did also attend that deputy awards program that that the 28th >> 28th that sheriff um had which I thought was well attended and um those awards
were welld deserved and we some and also there was a promotion so um that was also very good to attend that and see the support that's given to those sheriff deputies. That concludes my report.
>> Thank you Commissioner Campbell. Commissioner Bear. Thank you, Madam Chair. On Wednesday the 28th, I was also at the swearing in and awards ceremony at the law enforcement center. That was well covered. Then on Friday, January 30th, I was also at the intergovernmental
retreat. That was well covered. And I'd just like to thank everybody for showing up to that. That was a very well attended retreat. And then yesterday I went with uh Holly Elementary School fifth grade class and we went and delivered about
500 blankets to Micah's mission. And I just want to give a shout out to uh the teacher there that puts that on. It's her 21st year doing it. Uh Miss Chaden, thank you very much for putting that on and putting that all together. So those are all my uh >> thank you >> reports.
>> Thanks. >> Last week I attended the planning commission meeting. We did have uh several items on the agenda. There was a request a petition for a text amendment. A petitioner looking to
uh reduce the minimum lot or reduce the minimum lot sizes for all commercial uses uh for setbacks for cannabis businesses. That was a recommendation. Uh after a long uh community input, that
recommendation was um put forward to this board. a recommended denial. We'll see that I believe in the next few weeks. There was a request for an interim use permit, a home occupation permit in Holly Township. That was an after the-act use, but uh really excited
about that opportunity. It's a great uh business fit for the area. That uh permit was approved. There was a request for a conditional use permit from Novel Energy Solutions for a conditional use permit for a 1
megawatt uh community solar garden in Felton Township and that was also approved. And then a Buffalo River garden request for a conditional use. Uh the applicant was looking for a cup on a 4.75
megawatt community solar garden in Elmwood Township. That also received an approval. And then we had discussion on the public waters uh inventory update similar to our dialogue that we had earlier with the SWCD. I attended a chamber public policy event
with a strategist Rupeka Ryan. A great opportunity to provide insight on how we continue to be uh the star of the north really if you look at uh the economy and the work in which the region is doing. I attended the Prairie Lakes meeting that
PUR in PUM virtually that Commissioner Campbell updated well and that afternoon attended the flood mitigation working group with Klay County, the Buffalo Red and Morhead and the Chamber of Commerce and their uh and the lobbyists associate
associated with that as we continue to finetune the bonding request and the bill language. That afternoon, I attended the sheriff's office swearing in in recognition. Really grateful for the work that our sheriff's office provides to our
community and also really great Commissioner Abinger as you noted uh to see the families in which support those officers every day. Really grateful for their sacrifice as well. Thursday I attended the SWAT committee meeting. We had that organics recycling uh proposal
or um discussion rather and then the other items as Commissioner Campbell uh updated on the MCC JPA uh as reported on um we did approve some
of those contracting actions. Commissioner Campbell covered that. Well, thank you to all of you who uh helped plan the Klay County Intergovernmental Retreat on Friday. Always great to see such great uh input
and uh participation from so many different entities particularly uh found interesting the um the the statistics rather on what is going on in our region. I think that really helps us to plan and move
forward. Yesterday, I attended the Minnesota Rural County Caucus meeting uh highlighted by a presentation from Representative Mary Franson, who as you know is co-chair of the House Bonding Committee. She was part of our tour. Um
good insight on um trying to figure out uh what projects get funded. Uh certainly they need to figure out where to find the debt service capacity for the whatever a bonding package looks like. And as Senator Johnson talked earlier, we'll know much more once the
forecast comes out. Yesterday, I attended the Metrocog Executive Committee meeting, general business. We did talk about a staffing hire offer that will be going forward. The Chamber of Commerce hosted a business and um government roundt at DS
Beverages yesterday uh with House Maj or um Speaker of the House uh Lisa Demouth. I appreciate the opportunity to sit through that. Uh it was really uh important as we highlighted some of the challenges and opportunities that we see in greater Minnesota. Thank you also to
Doug Restyer for hosting at DA's beverages and then had the opportunity to participate in the uh diversion finance request uh from both the GOP and DFL Senate Finance Committee researchers uh as we move forward those requests.
And I believe that concludes my reports. Mr. Larson. >> Uh thank you, Madam Chair. Uh last Tuesday afternoon had Darren Zval uh completed his first year as assistant county administrator. Again, thank the board uh for allowing that position to move forward. Uh on the 28th,
participated in the flood mitigation working group with the city of Morehead and uh the chamber as we align everything for the upcoming legislative session. I participated that afternoon in the swearing in recognition and promotion. Again, thank the sheriff for
uh in inviting us uh in those occasions. As has been mentioned, it's been fun to see uh fun to see the support that is received uh each time that we're there. Uh that afternoon, I was at the DMV, met with Chelsea uh on some issues at the at the motor vehicle. Uh on the 29th, I
worked with MCIT on issue here within the county. uh the 29th participate in the MCC JPA meeting which has been covered. Uh the 30th I also participate in the IGR. Want to thank the committee members for their work going into that and also each year one one of the
entities is responsible and DJ DGF schools did a very nice job uh pulling that off. Uh the 20 yesterday met with commissioner Krabangh on a series of issues. uh also participated in the House and Senate research committee uh
diversion discussion uh and uh yesterday afternoon met with Darren the sheriff and our labor attorney uh for a discussion on negotiations. Uh and just lastly would just note a press release has gone out. Our sheriff's department is going to be working with University
of Minnesota DUTH and updating our hazard mitigation uh plan. And this a requirement to do that every five years to ensure that we get FEMA uh that we get FEMA support in the grants program. Uh it'll it provides or encourages our citizens
to reach out to to Gabe Tweeten, our emergency manager, or also there's an online option to submit uh comments. And that that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Mr. Larson, Mr. Rook, you survived your review.
I'm still here. >> Uh, I hope so. Well, Steve said he would put up with me for one more year, so I guess that's good. Um, most of my stuff has already
been covered by the board. Um the board of adjustment on the 27th I attended that and the planning commission also on the night of the 27th. Uh Commissioner Mojo uh covered all of that. On the 28th I did meet with the land management team to discuss the new judicial security law
that went into effect on January 1st uh and how Klay County will be implementing that. Um attended the swearing in recognition ceremony as well over at the law enforcement center. On the 29th, I attended the SWAC meeting, which has already been covered. I had a long
discussion with Anna on paid leave and how that's going, and a discussion with Josh Hegim, our labor attorney, regarding the jail administration uh negotiations that were coming up. 30th, I also attended the intergovernmental retreat, which has also been covered. And yesterday, we did have the jail
administration negotiations. uh and then after that set in with a meeting with the sheriff and the regarding the uh updated status of the negotiations and I will be requesting next week to come to the board uh in a
close session to give you an update on all the rest of the negotiations that are going on. >> Thank you for that. Mr. Brook Sarah, do you have anything? Okay. Anything else from the board? We have a work session scheduled for this
afternoon and our next board of uh commissioners meeting will be February 10th. We are adjourned.