--------- 8:30 we'll call this morning's meeting of the Klay County Board of Commissioners to order for Tuesday, October 21st. And before we do the approval of the agenda, I just we have a item on consent and I don't need to have it pulled up,
but there is a slight error um on the date of the final payment. It has January 17, 2025. We'd be waiting for that for quite a while. So I that I'm assuming that should read
January 17, 2026. So with that uh correction on that uh mitigation agreement, we move approval of the or I would ask for a mo a motion to approve the agenda. >> Mr. Chair, I'll offer a motion to approve the agenda as presented. >> Second.
>> Right. We have a motion by Commissioner Mojo, second by Commissioner Kraban or Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. The same sign.
Motion carried. All right. And next we have citizens to be heard. Do we have any citizens to be heard in items not on the agenda? >> See none in the audience. Any online? >> Do not, Mr. Chair. >> All right. We will then move into
approval of the bills and vouchers. >> Move to approve. Second >> motion by Commissioner Krabanov, second by Commissioner Abinger. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I.
>> I. The same sign. Motion carried. Next, we have the approval of minutes from October 7th and the workg groupoup session minutes from September 9th. >> Do you want them together? Do you want the motion together? >> Pardon me. >> Do you want the motion to include them both? They can they can include them
both. Yes. >> I'll offer a motion to approve both sets of minutes. >> Second. >> Have a motion by Commissioner Mojo, second by Commissioner Kravanov. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I.
>> I. >> Oppose the same sign. Motion carried. All right. Next, we have our request approval to rehire two open positions in the nonsecure clips unit. Good morning, James.
>> Morning, Mr. Chair, commissioners. I'm here today to request permission to hire two openings um in our non-scure unit um with backfill. Um if that would come about by um current employees wanting the position. Um I brought this through pick um last week. Um it was approved.
Um these are two positions that are um pretty critical to have filled. Um, we run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week operation. Um, and when these full-time positions aren't filled, they're being filled with um, sporadic variable hour
um, that don't have the training that our full-time staff should have. And then it takes really hit to our overtime budget um, more expensive not to fill it. >> Mr. Chair, >> yes. I'll offer a motion to rehire both
of the open positions and uh that would include a back fill if applicable. >> Second. >> Motion by Commissioner Mojo, second by Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? >> Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I.
>> I. >> Oppose the same sign. >> Well, James is here briefly if I might. Uh James has obviously worked in an enormous capacity to help us lift the need to uh the legislature for the new nonsecure facility. We heard last week
that not only did we have the bonding house hosted the bond bonding house tour, but the senate house tour will be coming up to visit the facility as well. So thanks again for the work over there. >> Thank you, James.
All right. Next, we have approval of resolution 2025-27 for operation green light. >> I'm a little disappointed you didn't cue like a walk up music. >> Got Mr. I got Mr. Vegas here this
morning. >> Good morning, Kurt. Put your green light. >> Yeah, put the green light on there. >> Uh here this morning to get the uh 2025 resolution read and approved for operation green light starting uh
November 4th through the 11th. Okay. Um, do we um >> have it? Do you want to >> Pardon me? >> We have it. >> Yeah, we do have it. Yes. Um, Dad, do you want to just start going on reading?
Operation Green Light for Veterans. Wear as a resident of Klay County have great respect, admitt admir admitteration and utmost gratitude for all the men and women who have selflessly served our country and this community in the armed forces. And
>> whereas the contribution and sacrifices of those who served in the armed for forces has been vital in maintaining the freedoms and the way of life enjoyed by our citizens. And whereas Klay County seeks to honor individuals who have made countless sacrifices for freedom by
placing themselves in harm's way for the good of all. And >> whereas veterans continue to serve our community in the American Legion, veterans of foreign wars, religious groups, civic civic groups, and by functioning as county veteran service
officers in 29 states to help fellow former service members access to more than 52 billion in federal health, disability, and compensation benefits each year. And >> whereas approximately 200,000 service
members transition to civilian communities annually and an estimated 20% increase of service members will transition to ser civilian life in the near future. And >> whereas studies indicate that 44 to 72%
of service members experience high levels of stress during transition from military to civilian life. And whereas active military service members transitioning from military service are at a higher risk for suicide during their first year after military service.
And >> whereas the National Association of Counties encourages all counties, parishes, and burrows to recognize Operation Greenlight for veterans. And >> whereas Klay County appreciates the sacrifice of our United States military personnel and believes specific
recognition should be granted. Now therefore, be it resolved with designation as a green light for Veterans Counties, Clay County hereby declares November 4th through 11th, 2025 as a time to salute and honor the
service and sacrifices of those transitioning from active service. And >> be it further resolved that in observance of operation green light, Klay County will illuminate the Klay County Courthouse with green lights. And
>> be it further resolved that Klay County encourages encourages its citizens in patriotic tradition to recognize the importance of honoring all of those who made immeasurable sacrifices to preserve freedom by displaying green lights at
their place of business or residents from November 4th through 11th, 2025. >> Mr. Chair, I'll offer a motion to approve resolution 2025-27. I'll second that. >> All right, we have a motion by Commissioner Mojo, second by
Commissioner Bear. Any further discussion on the motion? >> Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Those opposed. Do you have anything else for us this morning, Kurt? >> Uh, no. It's good to be here. I don't
come here very often. >> We can change that. >> Yeah. >> I thought you were going to hop on a plane and go to Vegas now. You're all dressed up. Thanks for all you do. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you.
>> All right. Next, we have Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Public Waters Inventory. We have Wes is here and Alicia. >> Good morning, Wes. I think we've talked on the phone regarding this.
>> Good morning, Mr. Chair. Yes, we have. Good morning, commissioners. Thank you very much for having me. I'm joined by my colleague, Alicia Rolin, and I have about 10 slides for you this morning to just walk through some of the basics of the public water inventory update that
the DNR is working on, which I am the uh lead hydraologist for. So, again, I'm Wes Saunders Pierce. I'm with the Minnesota DNR. And today, just to give you an overview of our public waters inventory update
project, I'd like to share with you a bit about the project parameters, essentially the scope, uh, how we're tackling this on a statewide basis, what it means on a county level basis, what that process is, and then where we're at, and what you can expect for
next steps. The project was initiated by a legislative change to the Minnesota statutes in 2024. Uh specifically, the change in the statute required the DNR to revise or
update its map of public waters. And to accomplish that by 2032. And so to support that effort, the Minnesota legislature appropriated funds uh for that process. Uh, and I'll talk a little bit more about that shortly.
So, the public water inventory update will only address needed corrections to the inventory. We expect that this process will provide a better level of water resource protection, uh, regulatory clarity by
implementing the corrections, and therefore, uh, an enhanced shared understanding of where and what are public waters. Certainly the process will result in some waters being removed from the inventory and some waters will be added.
Anything that is added to the inventory as a result of the process uh will be subject to the Minnesota buffer law um regulations. So what this project includes is correcting errors in the existing public
waters inventory. And one of the things that we're trying to be very clear about is when the original public waters inventory was done back in the 80s. It was a very robust process. Uh it also involved a lot of discussion with uh land owners and local uh government
units. And in many instances there were hearings where people had um uh concerns about what was being proposed or you know a difference of opinion. And during those hearing processes, there were decisions made to essentially leave
things off the inventory or to have things remain on. So, what we're trying to be clear about is all of those quasi judicial decisions that happened during the original inventory are going to remain uh as they were determined. We're not going to reopen those. Uh but
certainly, if there are things that were errors, uh we would look at those. But to be a little bit more clear about what are the sorts of things we're currently contemplating as corrections, uh there are a host of designated trout
stream tributaries uh on the order of um a few thousand across the state that have been identified over a period of time through our um fisheries division uh that we do need to make sure are evaluated for inclusion on our inventory. Uh we also are going through
the process to address uh adding water courses that were removed about 10 years ago um by a commissioner's order and that was a result of some discrepancies that were uncovered during the buffer map project. >> I have one question on the trout streams
>> please. >> What if it isn't a trout stream anymore? >> Certainly. Uh, Commissioner, can you say a little bit more about what you mean if it isn't a trout stream anymore? >> So, how do you decide if it is currently a trout stream or if it is a trout
stream? >> You actually sample to see if there's trout in the stream or >> So, a little bit about that process, commissioners. Uh, the process to identify a trout stream is carried out by our division of fisheries and wildlife according to the rules that
they have established. And it does involve a fair amount of physical measurements. So, uh whether it's temperature or chemistry or things of that nature, anything that does uh fall into the category of a um trout stream,
whether it's the presence of trout itself or the conditions that are appropriate to support trout, those are identified and put on a list uh by our fisheries division. And so they published that list uh and it's in a
it's in a separate rule than our public waters inventory, but the cross connection for our process is anything that does appear on the state list of designated trout streams uh is something that's eligible for our inventory. So
the process uh isn't carried out by my staff or my team. It's by our partner division uh through their science uh in the field. just to let everybody aware we do have a trout stream in Klay County if you're not aware of that. >> Yes, thank you for that. And other
questions or shall I continue? >> So I I just want to point out we do have Kev Kevin here from the soil and water and Matt our planning planning and zoning director. >> Excellent. >> So Kevin or Matt if either of you have questions during this if you want to come on up and
all right >> thank you so much. Uh a few things that we are not anticipating this project to include is we are not um going to the level of detail to establish ordinary high water
levels nor will the process uh focus on revising any ordinary high water levels. Uh from a digital mapping standpoint uh we don't anticipate adjusting linework precision. that was a strong point of emphasis about 10 years ago with the Minnesota buffer map project and we
don't feel that's uh the focus of our project. Uh we simply want to know what needs to be on or off our inventory. Other things uh naming or names is not something that we're going to be looking to make adjustments on. And then I would
also say for uh the purposes of for instance the trout stream tributaries and other uh things that are added uh while they will be part of the buffer process buffer law process uh we are not going to um automatically have shore
land classifications for anything that's added. That would simply be part of our normal process where we would review a local government's ordinance should they have a amendment or an update that they are looking to entertain
from a statewide basis. And if I'm not mistaken, I believe in your packet there was a uh a fact sheet um from our project web page uh that describes some of this as well. But the counties will be updated on a statewide basis on a
quasi alphabetical approach. And what we're doing is we're tackling this process so that we can average 12 counties a year, but we want to have one county underway at any given time in
each of DNR's four regions. And so, uh, that's why it's a quasi alphabetical approach because we're tackling four different regions at the same time. So it's not literally an alphabetical approach purely uh but to support our process and again this is something I mentioned on the beginning where we uh
we were um provided some funding. So that was um guided towards hiring five full-time employees for the purposes of the project. So they're temporary positions in that way. uh myself and then four regional specialists and my
colleague Alicia is a specialist for our uh Northwest region. Uh we're using the best available technology to conduct this project. Uh and one of the things we're doing is we're really using our um our internetbased um tools. So we have a
project web page and on that we're uh having a a variety of resources. We have an interactive county map so people can always see what the status is. We have a process description, so a text and a diagram which I believe is in your
packet and I also have a slide for that as well as um a fact sheet about the project. So, a little bit more about the county process itself. Uh and again we have a diagram that illustrates this but I'll just go through these bullets and then
I'll talk a little bit about the diagram but the county process begins by uh the DNR sending a notification letter to the county and the letter also is sent to the SWCD district manager as well as
watershed district administrators for counties that have wershed districts. So it's um uh sent to the county as well as partner agencies. Uh that begins our technical review process. Uh the purpose of the technical review process is to prepare a map of
preliminary corrections. Uh and so we provide that to the county um with the and the stakeholders uh with the intent to provide opportunity for review and comments. At the time that the preliminary map is provided, we will
also be issuing a landowner notification letter to any land owner that would be potentially affected by any corrections. Uh so they would receive that information as well. After the preliminary map is uh
provided, we would have a 60-day uh window for public comments. And within that 60-day period, we would have a public meeting. And the public meeting will be held uh in in each county and the preliminary map the information
that's uh provided to the county to the land owners and other stakeholders provides all those details about where the uh public meeting is when it is uh how they can comment and so forth. So after that comment period is uh completed, we'll make any modifications
uh and finalize uh our corrections for that county. At that point uh we will have a provisional final map and we want to make sure that people have an opportunity to review that provisional final map before it does become the
official final map. And at that point, we'll essentially have a a period uh where for that particular county, uh there's just a waiting period. And if there are people that still may be uh agrieved or want to challenge a decision
that we've made, uh there will be an opportunity for those individuals or parties to request a commissioner's review, essentially a a hearing. So, it's very much a parallel of that original process back in the 80s. So once that's concluded then the uh the
final map and the list uh will be published for that county. So graphically it looks um uh it looks like this. We have a little diagram where we've broken it down into essentially uh three major phases. Uh we
have the preliminary review phase which includes notifying the county undertaking the technical review and preparing the uh preliminary map. Uh once that preliminary map of corrections is ready uh we would then issue it along
with the landowner notifications. Uh you can see that second phase the external stakeholder outreach phase includes the uh comment period as well as the public meeting and then anything that needs to
either be uh reviewed uh additionally if we get comments about things that we haven't already addressed or if something needs to be re-reviewed we would handle that during that time. Then the final review phase as I mentioned we would pre prepare a provisional final map. uh we would have
a 90-day period uh where folks if they wish uh would be able to request a commissioner's review for any particular decisions that they were um uh looking to challenge. Um and then then at that point we would um complete that process,
prepare the final map and then move into the publishing stage for that data. So, um, I do have some information about where we're at and where we're going. But before I move into the status and the next steps, I would just, um, take a slight pause. I know I went over a lot
in a short amount of time. >> Okay. Any questions? Yes, Commissioner Ka. >> Thank you. Um, just a few basic questions. Um, public waters. So, how do you identify them? Are they new photos
or how do you go about that? And then second, is there a certain size that makes a public water? And then third, uh, if a if you determine a public water that's current currently on private
land, I'm assuming, then does that is is that land is it a public easement over that land or is that private land now turned into public property? And then uh is that
adjusted as far as our work with uh uh land for property taxes on valuation? >> Okay, that's um super to have those questions. So the first one, how are public waters identified? Uh what we
look for particularly is the statutory criteria. So for water courses, so that would be streams, uh things of that nature. Um we have separate statutory criteria, uh we have statutory criteria
for wetlands and then for lakes, what we call basins. So how we identify them first of all is we look to the criteria that's in statute. uh the um I think the the intent to your question was more like through the technical review
process perhaps like what are the resources that we're using. So we have a host of resources that we use to evaluate the landscape uh against the criteria that are in statute. So, we have um uh not only access to aerial
photos as well as contour information, uh we look at um past uh county historic surveys like the um general land office map. And so there's a host of information, evidence that we look for
to uh evaluate the whether it's a water course or a wetland or a basin against the statutory criteria. So we have a technical review process um that we've set up that we're implementing, you know, for every county across the state
for the things that are potential corrections. Um the second question I had was about size. And so uh we we do have size criteria in particular. We do have size criteria that are very um explicit for public water wetlands.
>> And so those are part of the things that we're currently looking at is to make sure that the um public water wetlands that we have in our inventory do align with the statutory criteria for size. Uh so for unincorporated areas uh the size
threshold is 10 acres. Uh and that's also married up with what kind of wetland it is, what the type is um without getting into the technical details. So it's a size and a type. Uh that both have to be satisfied. Um but
the um the third question >> to do with private land turning into public land. >> Yeah. So um the the the um the identification of a public water does not change the land disposition. So
there is no easement. There is no um uh I guess transaction or change in that land control. Um, however, the uh the most important thing, and this is one of the things that we're um trying to make sure we put into our uh landowner
letters is, you know, the the fact that the there may be a public water that's identified on private property does not mean that the public can access that. There's no trespassing on private property. So, those are some of the things that we're um making clear in the
in the letter that we provide to the land owners. Um but there's no um you know public easement that gets imposed or anything of that nature. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Commissioner, >> what what if it's a man-made lake or
wetland or >> y >> if not on anything right now? >> Yeah, commissioner. Uh the I'm glad you asked that because one of the things that we're doing is making sure that we evaluate what um you know in those
instances what the condition was at the time of the original inventory. Sometimes there were existing wetlands that were maybe deepened for the purposes of storm water management and now have you know a purpose of like flood control. Uh but since it was an
area that was uh previously a water resource, you know, those are ones where we would uh interpret that as being still eligible for inventory. Uh things that are more um genuinely artificial, uh we would not
look to include those as a correction or include those in our inventory. And so we would look at um you know, was this actually upland if you know not a wet area. So areas that are upland that become through the course of
manipulation, you know, a water feature are not something we're intending to include on the inventory. >> So Wes, these um public waters that you're dealing with and defining these are Minnesota public waters, correct? >> Yes, that's correct.
>> That's different than the public waters of the United States. >> Uh Mr. Chair, that's correct. Yes. Right. Do you have more? >> Uh I do have two slides just uh to help you understand where we're currently at
and where we're going. Um in mid August the DNR notified the first wave if you will. So the first four counties. So that obviously includes Klay County, Aken County, Benton, and Blue Earth counties. Um, as I described,
uh, the notification letters were sent to the county as well as the SWC and any watershed administrators. Um, and we also did some, um, additional outreach through our gov delivery mechanism. And we have information on our p public on
our public facing web page. So, uh, that's how we, um, notified the parties of where we're at. Uh, I have had the opportunity to speak with Aken County. I've had the opportunity to speak with the Wild Rice Watershed District. So, I I very am uh grateful to
be here to help you understand where we're at and so where we're at right now. Uh in addition to all those notifications, we have been in the process of carrying out the technical reviews for those four counties. Um and our next step will be to share that
preliminary map of corrections and information about the public meeting. Uh and at that point we would then activate our web based tool for receiving public comments so that we can have one like shared uh repository that all that uh
feedback gets funneled to. So uh that's where we're at right now. Uh again we've been underway for a little over two months and um I am very glad to have the opportunity to come and talk with you about our process. Um, if you have more
questions, um, if you have time this morning, Mr. Chair and commissioners, I'm happy to entertain those. If you have follow-up questions, I am available as well. >> I I do have another So, when you're going out and you're um redoing this inventory, are you are you
physically on different properties reviewing them? Uh at this point we're using our desktop tools to the best of our ability so that if we're um able to make determinations using the um the aerial photos and contours and things of
that nature, that's our approach. Uh it does not appear at this point that we you know have to do a um fieldcale effort to get the preliminary map of corrections put together. Uh that's kind of the way it's looking right now.
Yes, Commissioner. >> So, you you started August 15th with Klay County. Where where are you actually at Klay County right now going through all this? >> So, excuse me. So, we've gotten through about twothirds of the work for the
technical review. Um we think that the preliminary map um may be forthcoming uh later in November, potentially early in December in that time frame. uh it's still um subject to you know getting everything closed out with our reviews.
Uh but that's where we're at. Um generally speaking uh the same is true for the other counties as well. >> So with being twothirds roughly through Klay County, how many extra waters have you found? uh the um the our process has involved
basically a statewide um screening for things that we have as known corrections. So the things the examples that I I mentioned to you uh what I can say right now is um
you know with Klay County so like the average like out of 87 counties uh roughly the average is a few dozen corrections uh that we've tenatively evaluated the bulk of those are water courses. Obviously it changes where you
are geographically in the state. um Klay County is less than the average uh in terms of the number of corrections, but we also um know that through the comment period, you know, we may get more requests. Uh you know, stakeholders may request things that we haven't
considered either for additions or removals, but that's um that's about the scale of what we're looking at for Klay County. >> But you'll be notifying everybody that with additions, correct? or everybody that has waterways >> uh addition potential additions or potential removals. Yeah. Yeah. So,
>> you ever have you ever removed anybody? >> Uh through the course of our process, um I do want to be um I want to slow down, be clear about this. So, the DNR did not have the authority to make corrections in the inventory until 2005.
uh statute was changed in 2005 to give us the opportunity or the authority to review uh make corrections. So through the course of time uh in the last 20 years there have been a few casebycase decisions that have been made um for
things uh and some of those have been uh delisting. >> Mr. Mojo, >> thank you Mr. Chair. Thank you for the presentation. uh serving on the environment natural resources policy committee. We're well aware of this. I know you'd reached out to the county
early and I appreciate the presentations to the different jurisdictions in regards to um the public public meetings. Uh are you anticipating that each individual county is hosting that
open dialogue or is that something DNR hosts or I mean I'm just wanting to know what that process is. So, uh, the public also knows. >> Yep. Absolutely. Uh, Commissioner and we will be taking all of the responsibility
for funding, coordinating, um, facilitating and, uh, managing the public meeting process. Uh, we will be having it um near the county seat for the counties. Uh so that is one of the things that our our review specialists
are doing is identifying the location uh trying to determine the the appropriate time and so forth. Okay. >> Um to that end if there are particular places that are common or are uh suitable we are open to suggestions but
that is something that's uh entirely the DNR's responsibility. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> All right. Matt or Kevin you have any questions at this time? I have a question maybe for Matt. Um if we if we have a a new public waters
determined in Klay County, how can that impact um what it might currently is there any zoning issues involved with that or >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, I think what would have to happen for if there are any public waters that are removed, for example, um
that have a shoreland zoning designation, we would want to have a zoning map. amendment to that and same for those that have potentially would be added as well. Um, and that's all done at the local level. Um, so that's something that'd be our responsibility
to do. >> Yep. >> That that'd be important to kind of >> Yes. >> know which ones are added so that we can make the necessary >> Yep. Yep. And I think it'd be nice be if we could just do that all in one hearing as well depending on the number of of changes.
>> Okay. Um I did have one other question. So as part of the process um are you looking at in Klay County we have a number of um old inactive gravel pits, quaries, things of that nature. If those um newly
created water features would meet the criteria for public waters, would those be candidates for being added? uh at at this point uh our view is if
that was um so I'm let me let me just let me just make sure I could ask the question back to you. So you're asking about old quaries and mines that not that are not on the inventory. Would those potentially be added? Um at this point
we haven't um identified that as a potential correction. Uh if there were a request at the through the comment period for us to look at that, uh we certainly would take that into consideration. Uh but at this point, we haven't identified that as a as a
potential correction for Klay County. >> Thanks. >> All right, I think u that's it. Thank you, Wes, for coming and we'll we'll be watching for your future
progress on this. >> Very good, Mr. Chair, commissioners. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we have a presentation from Morid Public Schools regarding their operating levy
presentation. Good morning, Brandon. All right. Well, thanks for having me this morning. Um, excited to present to you uh what we have on the ballot here uh this November. So, thank you for uh providing
me some time today to present to you. Um here at Morehead Area Public Schools, we have a mission and uh that mission uh has been here since I've been here and I arrived in 2014. And I have the feeling that the
folks that uh worked on this mission statement long before I got here did such a good job in their forward thinking that this mission statement could probably stand the test of time as our world is consistently changing as we just got done talking about uh watershed
and those sort of things. So um just wanted to share our mission with you. Some of the things over the last uh decade that we've accomplished and that we've been proud of is number one uh quietly our enrollment has grown uh over
30% in the past decade and uh to support that growth uh we've had some recent building projects. Uh we've have the 2019 uh Morehead High School building project here along with the career academy. Uh but uh we could also mention here the
2015 building bond which was the Dorothy Dods construction Horizon West and some uh safe and secure entrances at our at all our other elementary schools. And then we have some specialized programs uh like our ELLL uh continue to expand
that as our population becomes a little more diverse. But we've also implemented a bar program which is a building asset reducing risk program which originated uh at Horizon on the uh east side was expanded to Morhead High School and now
is being piloted at one of our uh elementaryaries uh and we're experiencing great success with that. What the building assets and reducing risk program is is a program where our teachers are grouped and they're assigned a group of students and during
the big bar uh big block meetings they call them uh they focus on students and uh where they're at academically and where they're at social and emotionally. So we uh are allowed time to actually get our staff together to talk about
students and where they are at. our K12, our K2 uh literacy proficiency with some local assessments uh has scored uh the highest uh we've seen since COVID. Then of course our activities programs uh looking back uh last year especially uh
we had a great fall with our football program. We had a great winter uh with our um uh both hockey programs making it to state um uh the boys program winning state. Uh we also had a wrestler achieve
a state championship as well. And then our basketball uh boys basketball program who uh went into the section tournament as the lowest seed ran the table and got to the state tournament and gave the ultimate uh challenge to
the eventual state champions NYZA. Moving into the spring, our boys baseball program um qualified for state for the first time in 25 years. And we cannot forget about our speech program who won their ninth consecutive state
title uh as well. So just a great year all around last year. Like you at the county level, we at the school level have have our challenges and uh here uh we like to explain them
in terms of uh funding and uh when most of our revenue uh comes from the state in a per pupil payment uh over time since 2005 uh that formula has not uh been able to
keep up with inflation. So as a result uh the state is actually when compared to inflation contributing about 18.6% less uh to our general formula than they did when compared to 2005. That combined with below average local
funding uh with us having a local voter approved levy of $224 a pupil uh when the state average is around 1,200 per pupil. Uh that really puts us at a disadvantage. And then of course uh that combined with uh we currently have no
capital projects levy in place as well. And then the third bullet is when it comes to uh school districts um we really have limited options to generate additional revenue and that uh forces us like many other school districts to
either reduce expenditures or try to increase revenues or a combination of the two. and we've done uh we're trying to do the one, we've done the other and uh that's what uh is here um coming up here in November. Some
other things that uh make it challenging sometimes is uh down in St. Paul, there are things that happen there that uh come out of St. Paul and and I'm not here to judge whether it's um right or wrong. I just want to hear to talk about the impact and there's a financial
impact to some of the things that uh happen in St. Paul and they come at at times uh with no funding and I take the first two bullets there. Uh you will also be dealing with the paid family medical leave come January 1 just like
we are. Uh curriculum requirements I'll give you an example. Um in 2023 uh the state implemented uh uh the read act and every district had to uh accommodate or uh make those curriculum adjustments and
um again the validity of the read act is uh I think the change is welcome. However uh we had to invest in a new curriculum uh to which uh we got $300,000 from the state but that new curriculum was an investment of 1.6 6
million to the district. So again, that would had a capital impact on us. And right now, bullet number three that I have listed there is what we're watching closely. Uh right now, that is covered uh by the state, but I I um we always want to be aware in case that does not
uh continue down the current path in terms of its funding that uh we anticipate that eventually uh the school district uh locally will be uh taking on uh those expenses. that hasn't been the case. Uh but uh we'll be monitoring that
every two years to see if that continues to stay the same or it changes. Uh some of the things that we've done here uh locally to um continue to reduce our expenditures is we continue to look at
ways to retrofit our districts through um through LED transitions um uh through our lights. And uh right now we did one that gave us an annual savings of about $49,000 plus a $35,000 rebate from uh
the Morhead public service. Uh we continue to look at uh how we can utilize HVAC upgrades to produce uh annual savings for operational costs. And we did uh we did apply for a grant and received a grant which was a savings to our capital side of the budget and we
ended up acquiring three electric buses and uh that also includes the equipment and infrastructure uh that will be put in to help support those electric buses. Now, I do want to say uh with a caveat that in the past, we've never applied
for um uh these types of grants before when it came to electric buses because the general rule in the past was that we had to get rid of a diesel bus for every electric bus we would we would acquire. And uh they had changed that
requirement. So now it wasn't a one for one. uh we get to keep the three diesel buses as well as acquiring uh the three electric buses. So, we believe that that was a capital uh improvement for us as uh purchasing and and acquiring new
buses was what we did have on the list originally to reduce or delay the purchase of. And then through some supply chain improvements, uh we were able to save some dollars annually operating wise. And you wouldn't think that um buying paper products and uh
garbage bag liners is a huge savings, but when you can buy them in bulk uh and store them at the operation center and then deliver them on an asneeded basis, uh we do save in our supply chain and our operational costs. So these are some of the things that we've done here over
the years to continue to try to save dollars operationally. So when uh we compare to uh the region in terms of voter approved uh levies, I just want to compare us to our peers. And I've got my
my favorite peers sitting over to my left here. And um DGF is at the top of that. They do not have a voter approved levy currently in play. But then I want you to take a look at Baiji uh and then us at Morehead uh public schools and all
the way down to Norman County East and Ulan Hitterdoll. I do want to note that uh DGF is obviously here because they're on the ballot here in November. Also, um Alexandria that's on the list here, they're on the they're on the um ballot
here November as well. They're doing a capital projects levy uh for the tune of about $600 per pupil as well. And I think it's worth noting too, although it's not in the presentation, MA, Minnesota Rural Education Association came out with a um some information on
Monday. I think that's timely to talk about the need across the state. And uh when looked at across the state, there's 22 uh school districts that are going out for capital projects levies that if they were to pass uh would equate to
about $621 million across the state. Um there are other school districts out there. Uh there's one district in particular to the south of us that's uh going out for a building bond and a capital projects levy. There are 976 million uh dollars in uh 24 school
districts that are doing building bonds. Six of those have two questions for a total of 30 ballot questions. And then of course uh this November um there are districts that who are asking for an operating levy in that
operating levy is a averaging about $818 per pupil. So I think that uh that's timely that was timely uh information here come Monday. So just wanted to bring that uh to your attention as well that it's not just a Klay County public
school uh public schools thing that uh this is across the state in terms of the need. Um so we got our local comparison and then what we do is we also want to compare ourselves to districts that are similar to us in size and you'll note
that we have St. Michael Albertville listed there. They do not have a voter approved levy in place yet. Uh that's not because they didn't try. Uh they just haven't been able to get that passed. Uh there is Morehead there in blue uh with the $224 per pupil. And
then all the way up to uh Hopkins and Burnsville. And I like to use Burnsville as the example. They have a $2,200 voterapproved operating levy and about a $600 voterapproved capital projects levy. So just on their levies alone,
voter approved, they generate an additional 20 million uh dollars per year uh to our about uh a little over $2 million per year on our voter approved. Why is this important? Uh it's important
because we need uh we need this op operating levy to help stabilize our budget and protect our student programming that's currently in place. We do have a two question levy uh on the ballot here in November. Question one is
a capital is not a capital project, but it's an operating levy. And that would generate about $4.37 million per year at the current enrollment. And I say at the current enrollment because this is on a per student basis. If our enrollment were to start declining, obviously the
amount we would generate would be less. If the amount of uh students we had were to increase uh the amount of revenue that we would produce would be more but I want to make it clear that it's on a per student basis and it's not just a flat amount. Uh question two is a
capital projects levy that generates 1.5 million per year for the next 10 years. I will point out that as a uh in the 2023 legislative session, they did allow they do now allow uh the operating levy
to be approved uh by board uh vote. Uh if you were to if the board were to extend it uh without adding uh any amounts to that, uh the board has the ability to extend it by board vote. uh the question two or the capital projects
levy has not received the same support for that. So 10 years from now if we look into our crystal ball and nothing changes legislatively and the board determines that question two would need to come back that would need to go to the voters again. If the
board did not want to increase any of the 575 they could go and just approve or extend that uh by the vote of the school board. delineation between the two uh questions. They're both critically important to the district. Uh one is an
operating levy. You can see what the purpose of the operating levy is there. And then question two is a capital projects levy and you can see what that funds. The the reason for both of them uh is if uh question two passes, it
keeps question one there to support the programs, the day-to-day operations of the school districts. And question number two then goes to uh allowing us some financial support to continue to purchase the things that we need to purchase on an annual basis to continue
to move the district forward. >> Brandon, can I ask you a question? >> Yep. >> On question one, is the annual amount that would be collected based on active enrollment? >> Yep. Yep. So it's 575 a pupil and that
would go up or down based on the number of pupils that we have in the district. >> So the so the so the amount that would be levied to a homeowner could change each year. >> It could change each year based on enrollment. >> It could go down if our enrollment were to decrease. It could go up if our
enrollment were to increase. >> But based on what we know today, those are the numbers. Thank you. It's 575 plus the 224. >> The 525 would uh be handled 10 years from now. The 224 would be handled in the next couple years because that 10
year is up. >> How long can you >> that 224 could be extended for another 10 and then it would have to go to the voters for an extension of 224. the seven the the 5001 that we have on the ballot this year could be extended at
the 10-year mark and then at the next 10year mark which would be year 20 that would have to go to the voters and the capital projects one is is a 10-year extension because the rules haven't changed for that yet >> did I get everybody's questions answered
okay >> I'm just glad you included a Mojo kid that actually graduated in the photo I'm impressed test. >> Yeah, we made sure that uh that one was in there. >> I appreciate that. >> Was it signed? >> It was signed. His grandpa handed it to him.
>> His grandpa did hand it to him. I have to say that. Yes. So, why the two questions? I think we talked about that earlier. They they they are uh critically important to the district, but again they serve uh two different uh two different missions in terms of the why
and the the tax impact on this slide is um question one um statistically on a median family home which is 250 250,000 in Morehead. Statistically, they say that the further
you can keep that impact away from $20 a month, the higher the likelihood that it is to pass. So, that's why you see the 1891 there uh per uh per month. And then on the capital projects levy, that impact is $4.83
per month. When you combine the two, it's $23.74. And statistically they say the further you can keep a two question ballot under $25 the more likely you are to pass. So that's why you see the amounts that were
selected uh there. So uh really trying to uh go with what statistics uh require or statistics have told us and that's how we have uh identified the numbers that we have. So, um you see the tax
impact there. And we know that if the referendum passes, pretty self-explanatory, we'll be able to preserve programs. Uh we'll be able to preserve uh our operations. And then if the program or the referendum doesn't pass, uh we're going to have to go back
and make uh $5 million in reductions. Um and that will result in uh fewer teachers. it will affect some programming and um it'll continue the budget instability. I think that's important to mention because a majority
of our revenue comes from the state and we get a you know ideally if you looked at our revenue in terms of like a three-legged stool where you'd have uh each leg representing the federal, the state and the local. Well, right now,
uh, the the state leg is a little bit larger, a little bit stronger than the local and the federal, but right now there's a lot of instability with what's going on at the state level. I think you've got an item on your agenda that's coming uh that talks about that and then
uh some federal uncertainty as well. And so this local levy would really help um continue to balance that three-legged stool as we move forward. If not, we'll continue to maintain that imbalance and
we'll continue to have uh some uncertainty in our revenue uh moving forward. And then of course voting. If you're a traditional voter, uh November 4th is your day. uh if you're a uh absentee voter or so, uh that process
started September 19th and you can do that uh at the district office. And then there's just some uh more uh options for you to gain a little bit deeper understanding from our website vote152.org
and you can follow us on social media or our own district uh district website as well. One one question, Brandon. One more question, please. >> Where where is the election being held? November 4th. >> They're uh at the combined Well, we combine polling places. Yes. So, not all
of them are the same. I think we have one that's shared with DGF on that side. I think we have a couple other polling places. I don't have that in front of me. Uh there was a required mailer, I think, that just arrived at everybody's uh >> Would you like I I pulled it up.
>> Yeah. Would you? Thank you. So if you go to the dis the onevote152.org uh it tells you where you can do it in person or by mail and then uh on the 4th on the 4th you can vote at St. Francis D to Sales Cullen Hockey Center Bethesda
Lutheran Church the Lutheran Church of the Good Sheeperd and Dworth Lutheran Church and then we can talk about yours as well when it's up. >> So thanks for looking that up for me. Uh it's not near what it is if it's a regular election year. uh but uh we did
the combined polling places in anticipation that the board would want to call for an election last December. So, thanks for the question. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Dr. Lunick, for the presentation. It's, you know, really I'm grateful to both of you
for coming today. It's really important to get the news out to folks, but um also for the public. I I really want to talk about the spirit of collaboration that we have with the school districts in Klay County in regards to how do we serve all of our residents and
particularly students in the most fiscally conservative way and how do we leverage mutual resources? How do we work together to provide this highlevel quality education component to folks? and and your work with us at the juvenile center
is something that we've talked to the state and they're blown away about how eager you are to what do we have four five classes now over there. Uh how eager you are to help us mitigate issues with kids to give them the best future. Uh but also to that uh we have also
talked about challenges in dealing with legislative actions and how it affects us locally and um I think the public should know that we've been on trips with the school districts as well to talk about that on how we advocate for them. you worked really diligent with us
on the burdens on the tax rate with um farmland and I know you've um been really careful in addressing that and how do we make sure that it's equitable but I I'll say that um the rates aren't equitable. How um the state
uh dictates what resources can and how they can be spent locally is really challenging. And um you know if anyone has has heard our meetings over the last year especially uh it is really hard to continue to provide services in a manner
that our our community really wants and needs. Uh and how do we address the vulnerable in our community as well. Uh but uh you know we as you your boards as well don't take lightly the tax burden
that people um are bearing. Uh, and so you're looking really critically uh to cut $4 million last year is phenomenal. And and I'll say I, you know, as a person who has three kids in the district and in elementary, middle school, and the high school, uh, parents
have been really flexible with that, but um, it's it's there going to be pain points uh, to see an additional 5 million as there would be in any organization, >> right? >> So, thank you for your work today. >> Thank you.
Commissioner Abner. >> Yeah, this is kind of fortuitous. I had a chance yesterday to go to our restorative justice meeting and three remarkable young men were Morehead School employees are there. They work
with kids in in our high school. It's great when the Spuds win. You're really proud of the kids when they go to the debate and get a state championship. Those are wonderful things. and I work out in a gym where a bunch of Spuds work out and I don't work out with them
because I'm an old man, but great kids. Uh whole future for them and keeping them in this area with the with the opportunity that they have to go to MSUM is is a remarkable thing because we need to educate and keep these kids here. The
Career Academy offers opportunities for a lot of kids to get an exceptional high-paying job if they don't choose to go to college. But again, that meeting yesterday, it isn't just for the kids who are motivated and lucky and smart
and athletic and and articulate. it. There is a a a real basis to be proud about this school district and what they offer to the kids that have problems and kids that have trouble and kids that are new to the country, new to
the district. There's they really try and facilitate an education for every kid here. Uh it it is even more remarkable when you look at the comparison on funding with schools of similar or districts of
similar size uh or regional districts. We they they have done a lot with very marginal funding and I think this is justified. You know, I'm hopeful that we can continue to keep this district as
functional and as productive as it is so our kids can continue to be successful. Thank you, doctor. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, Brandon. Thank you. Next, we have DGF.
Good morning, Shannon. >> Good morning. >> I do have a handout and a little fact sheet. So, this >> I is that what we got? >> What did you get? Oh, you have the PowerPoint. I just have another. >> Sure. Yep. Absolutely. >> Perfect. >> Thank you.
>> Good morning. Um, thank you for having me as well. Um, I don't want to be redundant and say the exact same thing as as Brandon, but uh, obviously public schools were in a similar situation, right? So, I'll tell our story. Um, which I think is is also an important
story because because we deal with the same things as Morehead. It's just on a scale, right? It's it's a different scale. Um, I don't have a communications person. So, your PowerPoint you're going to see today was done by Shannon Huntstead. So, hopefully you enjoy the show.
Uh, and this is and this is our leadership team, right? It's our school board. And I think it's important when I've had our public meetings to share this information because um these are our decision makers. And I would love these people to have more power to make more decisions and not have the state
make them for us. I'd like these people that care about their community and our school more than the people in the St. Paul. And I wish they had that freedom to make choices with funding. Um, but the rules are the rules, right? So there we are as a team.
Uh like Brandon, I the mission statement and then I underlined a few things about DGF's mission statement because I came in 2021. I was a former teacher at DGF. I taught in uh in the school district from 1996 to 2005.
Um and now I'm back in this position. So it's interesting for me. So as I came back, um I would still say there's probably a third of the employees are still there 17 years later. So that's been fun for me. But the underlined words here are vital. So does the
community know Shannon Huntstead? Does the community know our school board? Do they trust and respect us? Right. Trust is built on time. Often respect is built on time and and actions. And so when you come back, I I
I think I'd like to think that my time in the past at DGF was was trusted and respected. Um, I feel that and and that's a good thing. But DGF changed a lot in 17 years. There's a lot of new people, a lot of new families, which is
fantastic. So, those are the people that don't know me and and if you look uh and Brandon lives this as well. The community needs to trust the leader. They need to respect the leader. You don't always like what the decisions we make. Obviously, uh they're not fun
decisions. I don't always like the decisions I have to make, right? But but please respect it. And I guess that's then the next part there is our students. We want them to be self-directed. We want them to be responsible. And just like you or I, we want to be lifelong learners. And those
kids need to leave our place feeling hungry to learn. And and I feel we do that. I I kind of get right to the nuts and bolts of it. I like to share. Here it is. I'm a visual learner. I think other
people when you you know you can read it and see it and that's great but when you you know can touch it and feel it you learn more. So here we are. Um this is Ellers put this together uh for all districts from 2005 to uh 2025 and that
blue line there represents um inflation and the dotted line is the dollars that the school districts have received. Okay. So it just hasn't kept pace. You can see the blue line's higher than the dotted line. That's nothing magical there. The the next bullet there
though I talk about is they're already proposing a $420 million reduction in E12 spending for FY2829. Well, that's not next year and that's the year after and the year after. So, I'm thinking as your superintendent, and this is what I say down below, as your
superintendent, it's my responsibility to share this with you and together we can navigate future challenges to ensure success for our students. This is real and as the educational leader of our district, it's my responsibility to say this is what we have or this is what we
don't have. What do we want to do? The other part and what I did here in this slide is I just took the past 10 years because we're going to be asking our taxpayers for the next 10 years. What's the previous 10 years look like? Well, when you look at this, this average
funding shortage over the last 10 years is has been short $740 a a student. We're asking for 500. We're not asking for everything. We're asking for something that we feel just like Brandon is a passable number. It's a
number that we think we can use to navigate the next 10 years. I didn't want it to be 200 and then two years from now ask for 200 and the next, you know, I mean, it's that doesn't work, right? So, we want to be fiscally responsible. We want to pick a number that's um I guess the board and I felt
was doable. The glaring thing here on this slide though, if you look off to the right and and really zoom in the last five years, four five years, it's when the states had the most funding. It's when we have fallen the most behind.
It's it's and so I I tell our public, I wish I wasn't here. I don't want to talk to you about that. But I also need to be here to show you that's the fact. We pay for goods and services just like the county does at an inflated rate. But we
don't get the inflated dollar. You know, we had inflation tied, which was wonderful. Uh it passed again legislatively that that the formula is going to be tied to inflation. That gave us 2.74% to our formula. What the public also
needs to hear is the formula constitutes or it adds up to 66% of our budget. The other 34% of our budget comes from other sparsity aids, declining enrollment, those types of things, transportation aid. So, we have a chunk
off to the side that nobody talks about that is coming in at less or right around 2%. Well, if I'm going to pay bus contractors 3%, I'm already behind, right? If I'm paying
teachers 3%, I'm behind. It doesn't take long as you move forward to get farther and farther behind. And and that's really uh our issue. This is not a fun one to share with the county. Uh >> can I ask you a question on that on on
the graph that you just had up there? Is is this graph just now showing just DGF? >> No. No. Great question. >> Still this is still statewide. >> This is this is a statewide average. Yeah. Thank you for clarifying that. Good point. >> And I'm wondering are is there are there
disparities based on different areas of the state when it comes to funding? >> Well, and that's that 34% chunk that I'm talking about for sure. Transportation. So, let's say um Detroit Lakes, they drive around lakes. It costs more to
drive around to pick up kids, right? We're pretty fortunate. Uh we are pretty square at DGF. Problem is, we don't get any hardly any money then, right? Because it's pretty clean and simple. So, that's one thing. Uh ELLL students, you get a little extra money. You get a
little declining enrollment. Like for us last year, we had a little dip in our kindergarten number. Now, we're back up again, which is nice to see. But then that affects that number. Um so yeah, there's I'll give you not to get super weedy, but this is kind of how specific
it is. How many um square miles per resident pupil unit? Well, last year our ratio was.1967 89. I mean this digits go on and on. It's kind of like pi, right? This year
our square miles per resident pupil unit is 23 and go on, right? 47,000 extra dollars we got this year. As your superintendent of public school, I can't predict that, right? And next year, oh, two years ago, by the way, we
lost $57,000 in that same formula. So, when you talk about I mean there, if you look at middle school finance, that's how weedy it gets. And then as your superintendent, just like Brandon and Phil and everybody down Highway 10, it's
hard. There's some of these things you just can't control, right? And and that's why didn't you know we were getting 47,000? Well, two years ago, I didn't know we were losing 57. You You know what I mean? And I don't know, graduation.
Now, I got a new kindergartener out by Felton. Hey, sweet. Our square miles just went up. We got a couple. You know, it is what it is. But yeah, um this one is just this is again state average. So to um Chair Campbell's question, is is
this just DGF? No, this is statewide. So this is this is the difference between a public school and cities and counties. If you look at that number, the red dotted line is cities and counties. Uh to stay up with inflation, their current average number is 91.49. If we go back a
slide, if public schools were tied to inflation, we'd be at 86.45. Counties and cities have had to make very difficult decisions with taxes to their public. Correct. I mean, you live it. You guys, I don't envy your position
either. You have the ability to say we're going to do it. I hate it, but we got to do it because we got to pay the bills. We got to blah blah blah, right? And I totally understand it. We don't have that freedom. We have to go to the public. And so since public schools have to go
to the public, the blue line represents schools, they just don't get as much. And so that's the that's the problem there is we don't we don't go or if we ask, we get the no vote. Last year there was 32% of the schools in outstate Minnesota
that passed a referendum. It's why we didn't go. I didn't go last year. I should have gone last year to ask. It was a presidential election. Just like Brandon talked about playing the percentages, we played the percentages. the odds are that you're not going to pass it and that was proven uh after the
election and the outstate of Minnesota did not pass at a very successful rate like Moret right so we didn't we're going to ask this year because uh on odd years the odds are better that doesn't mean it's it's kind of a numbers game but it's kind of where we're at we got
to play the numbers game I guess so um so what have we done um this has been this is a I've been here four years this This is year five and it's been super depressing as a leader. I've cut that says 11 staff members. Now after our
reductions this year, we're over 15 staff members. We've cut in our elementary, middle, and high school. It says one administrator. I've actually cut two because we moved our special ed um department to a cooperative in Holly, which has been financially great, but
there's been a lot of learning curve in that. Uh retired tech person didn't replace him. We've eliminated three bus routes since I got here. We've added 150,000 square feet to our building, which we super appreciate. We clean it with two less custodial staff.
So, when the superintendent comes into the room, everybody gets jacked up and excited like, what are you cutting this time? And it's it's just to try to survive. Um, and it's not fun. It just hasn't been it hasn't been a fun experience in that way. Uh, open
enrollment is a big topic at DGF. Um, obviously with uh our neighbors Morehead to the to the west, we um we are a small school. Some people grew up in small school and moved to Fargo Morehead and they go, "Wow, I'd like to have a small
school." We are at 1535 students as of this morning. Not that we're keeping track, but we keep track of that every day. Anyway, um so we're fortunate. these numbers that you see um uh the the underlying number is last year and then now because I just got the new data here
a couple weeks back I added our FY25. So, we currently have uh 476 students now that come from outside our district. Uh Barnesville, Holly, Morehead, wherever they're coming from somewhere else, right? Unfortunately, we uh we
have 186 that leave us that also go to those same places. You can see the number though is moving in the right direction. Uh so our plus minus on our open enrollment is plus 290. Uh that's up 33 from last year. So obviously state
funding follows students, tax dollars don't. And this is one of our issue with our local people. They say, "Well, the Morehead person now is paying taxes in Morehead and they're just living off our dime." And and so trying to explain to the public, which is a challenge. I get
it. There's other expenses. We're busing. We have counseling services. There's other things that are tied to students, right? So, if you go to the bottom, we just say, "Hey, if we had put 20 of these kids in a classroom, and this was last year's number when I did it, the 257,
uh, we need 13 more teachers. It's going to cost us, you know, short of a million dollars." But the dollars that come in from that open enrollment number is over 2 million. So, we're net gaining somewhere around 1.5. Well, then some people say, "Well, you didn't put this and you didn't put in." So, I created a
whole new chart to really get into the weeds on open enrollment. And I've shared it with some people that have asked. We're still well north of $800,000 to the positive every year due to open enrollment. When I came here in 2021, I said, "The reason you don't have an operating referendum is because of
this right here. That's your operating referendum. You have a plus 200 plus kids coming to your district from outside. that's giving you the money to keep the operating referendum away. It's as simple as that. This is our ballot. Our ballot question
is is we wanted it one question. We uh I met with people in Felton. We met with people in Dworth, people in Glendon. The farming community in our three uh communities is is vital. If you're not a farmer, you're tied to egg or egg in
some form or some fashion. So, we talked about a capital project levy and we talked about this, but the way it's taxed on the farmland, we just decided we're going to leave them alone. They're important to our community and they've been super supportive and we appreciate that. So, what we did is we went right
for an operating referendum. It's $500 per pupil. We did tie it to inflation. Uh the reason why we're going to tie it to inflation is very simple. It helps us when we get an influx in enrollment and it also helps protect us a little bit when the state doesn't fund us.
It's yeah, pretty simple. Again, it's going to run for 10 years. And you guys asked earlier, you know, it can be renewed. If this let's say this gets approved 10 years from now, uh the board would have the opportunity to renew it if if needed. If we felt there needed to be
more money added to it, then you got to open that back up for another public vote. So, okay. And we wanted to keep it simple. We didn't want to confuse. This is what it is. This it's the same for everybody. So now you'll see some of our slides here talking a little bit sharing uh with what Brandon was doing too. Uh
the far left right there is DGF today. Uh after so right now we get uh 7,481 of students and then all those little 34% sparity aids you get up to 9234. That's how you get to that number. Those
are schools in our region and our conference. Uh, and so what we wanted to show here is that if DGF passed this at $500 a student, you'd see where we'd fit. We'd be kind of right in the middle of those communities. So, we're not again asking for the moon. We want to be
in the middle and it's it's time for us to to maintain and and and grow our programming. If you look to the left of us, um, let's so we pass it. So, we're right there in the middle in the red there. Fergus Falls went for an operating referendum last year. It
failed. Um Barnesville went for an operating referendum. It failed uh last year. So the people to the left left of us are trying. Uh there's another district there that's uh been in statuto operating debt recently. So they've worked theirelves out of it. But the
people to the left are hurting and the people to the right are um I'll just say are doing better. And we just want to be like the rest of them. This this slide uh is is exactly Brandon's slide and I I use this slide just like he does, but
this one looks good for us because we're a zero, right? U but you know, you go down the line just like Brandon said, they're going for more. They're at 224 and you go down that list of schools. Um thief just recently passed a year ago uh
$900 per student and they're basically the same size as us. So yeah, and and we know Norman County East, my previous superintendency was in Lancaster, Minnesota, right up on the Canadian border. Uh I grew up in a little town, Argal, so I was just south of there. But
just like Norman County East, and you hit it all, those people are saying, "We love our school and we're going to keep it open." When I was in Lancaster, Minnesota, they had theirs is over 3,000 per student. Why? They love their school and it's not going away. And there's a lot of school pride in that and uh it's
appreciated. So yeah, this is the tax impact. Uh and then you find your spot and $250,000 for us, you can see is about $22 a month. Um and uh so yeah, it's uh it's doable, I guess, is what we felt and that's why
we're asking for it. One of the things when we have public meetings, people don't know what they don't know. Um I always it's not to insult anybody's intelligent but intelligence, but I wanted to make sure they know that hey, there's some refund out there. you might qualify for this and so please look into
these things with your tax provider or do your own research. So there are some opportunities here to get some tax breaks and so don't forget to miss out on that because it could add up to $15 a month. It can add up to $10 a month and pretty soon now your impact uh this
operating referendum is much less. What happens if this doesn't This is This is going to be probably Well, it will be the toughest some of the toughest decisions and I've made some tough ones already. Um uh we're going to sit down with our site teams
and say, "Hey, we need to cut." And I gave I gave my leadership team, all my directors and principles. I showed them the percentage of the budget they are today. And I told them this is what you have to cut. 128,000 in the high school, 117 in the
middle school, 170 in the elementary, blah blah blah blah blah. And that's what this is. This is we're going to be cutting some six. Obviously, our class size is going to jump at our current numbers today. It'll jump by four or five students a classroom. Uh
ultimately at the end of the day I say this is a board and site team. We're going to get data from all of our sites. We're going to bring it together and decide what is our top priority. What if something we can do without or hurts the least impacts the least number of
students? All of that, right? It's just uh yeah, there's going to be uh a reduction of right around 750 to $850,000. And uh when we we cut $566,000
out of this year's budget, um like I told the school board and I've told the public at our public meetings, I can't cut our way to success and I can't cut anymore without having a
significant impact on our student learning. And that's what we do. Our job is to provide education and to give our kids the best chance and we're slowly that's slipping away because of our condition and our position. So progress,
we believe it or not, we still have done some amazing things at DGF. I I didn't throw our sports programs on there. I think they speak for themselves. We've been so fortunate in every season, fall, winter, and spring about the successes of our students and our our athletes,
our coaches. Uh it's yeah, we're very fortunate to have what we have and uh the commitment to athletics at at DGF has been second to none. The other part we talked about earlier though is we we started an alternative learning program because we have a group of students that
just get lost. Some of them in the past used to go to the Morhead ALC. They got they didn't get run out. They just didn't feel like they were out of their community, right? So they would quit. We had a lot of dropouts, those kids that need it and
had that had skills that just weren't given a chance. We have teenage pregnancy just like everywhere else. We have all these different things, homeless, homelessness. So, we started an alternative uh alternative learning program. We have now in the last two
years have had about 13 14 kids graduate high school, got their high school diploma because of this program. And so, yeah, we're super proud of that. Um, we also added a a new shop or career and tech education and and that was part of our it wasn't in our original building
project. Um, we were hoping to have a partnership with the career academy just logistically. It just doesn't work with transportation and travel time. It's just the requirements of the state on graduate requirements. It just we
couldn't make it work. Uh we tried we tried for two my first two years here and finally said it's just not going to work. So we did decide to build the shop which has been a huge success. Super proud of that. The other thing the district hadn't been doing in the past was staying up to date with curriculum
and so we've spent some significant dollars. You heard Brandon say you know redact and they got some funding from the state yet. So did we. It covered probably a quarter of our expense. So, you know, you just end up doing it because you need to do it. The other
part we we the last two things there is we've created an MTSS. So, it's multi-tered systems of support. It meets every kid whether you're at the lowest level to the highest level. We put you in groups at a time during the day so you can be challenged and learn the
skills you need to learn. So, if you're a gifted and talented, you get challenged. If you're a title kid and you're missing skills in reading or math, you you get with a group that so you fit. It's not like you're going, "Oh, I'm not I don't fit here." No, you're always going to fit in that little group for that time and you also
get the skills that you need to improve. And so we're excited about that. That was totally funded through a grant. So that was we're very excited about that. And then the last thing, when I came back in 2021, I was shocked, number one, when I was here in the past, being a farm kid myself, that we still didn't
have egg at DGF public school. So, we did hire, we have now two egg education teachers, one in the middle school, one in the high school. We started our FFA program, which has been nothing but a hit. And, uh, we're just super proud of that. So, um, if it passes, well, number one,
we're going to maintain our class sizes. We, that's important to us just like any other district. uh our mental health and the people we have in place as social workers and counselors. We're proud of what they do every day and we want to make sure that that can stay that way. And then our electives and our career
programs, we want to continue to expand on that. Much like Morhead has partnerships, right? We are in that same process. Uh we met with Concordia again last week. We met with MSUM as well trying to get those same types of things set up. So really excited about what that can look like. Our other goal is to
get our kids out of our building uh when they become seniors and go to work, which means they're going to spend part of their day out at a at a job that they hope to have someday. So, yeah. So, those are things and then maintenance. We have with the adding of the shop, we
have some dollars there that need to cover up uh that building project and also facility needs that, you know, we added on 150,000 square ft, but we still had 350,000 square feet. That is not very new. Okay. Um and so this is just
our link to our website, uh our micro site regarding the referendum. Um I want to thank you again for your time here. I really appreciate it. Um, I did and I'm not going to talk about them just because I've been here long enough.
This is so when I've had my public meetings, people ask, "Why do we pay $22 a month?" And down in Burnsville, they same dollar amount, they're spending $3 a month. It's property value. So, when people at the state legislation say
every zip code's the same and we're all equal, we're not. That map right there shows you the red the red uh counties or I'm not sure I'm sorry not counties township or school school uh districts. The red
you can see there's a pipeline that runs from the Brainard Lakes Cross Lake area all the way up into uplock way up in the corner. Iron Range has money, the metro has money, then there's some other lakes area. >> It's it's just different. So we if you and I highlighted us, we are one of the
lowest referendum market value schools uh in the m in the state. We just don't have a lot of industry, right? We have a lot of homes. We work in Fargo Morehead and that's awesome. And then of course eggland doesn't count towards it. So kind of hurts. So who
ends up paying for the referendum? Every house. And so that makes it more difficult. So anyway, uh I'm not going to get into a free and reduced lunch and our universal meals, but our people are also saving money because the state has decided to give universal
meals like it or not. Uh but our people do save some money. So I share that with them as well and that's just an open enrollment. So questions if any from the group. >> Commissioner, >> thank you Mr. Chair. Thank you Mr. Hunstead for the presentation. I echo
the sentiments that I talked about when Dr. Lunick was here in regards to how active you've been in collaboration to help reduce costs wherever we can. So, thank you for that. I just wanted to I did pull up your polling places location since I said I would do that uh on
election day uh the Dworth Lutheran Church, Glendon Community Center, and then the Felton Community Center as well. >> Correct. Yep. Thank you. >> And we do have early voting right now or absentee ballot and that is at our district office. So, yep. All right.
Other questions? >> Well, Sham, thank you for being here and um hopefully that our viewing audience will be able to, you know, look into the information you provided to help make those decisions. >> Y thank you.
>> You guys enjoy your day. >> All right, we'll do real quickly here. We'll um do the out of state travel. >> Morning, Kimberly. >> Okay. Good morning, chair, commissioners. Um I am here today to request approval for out of state travel
to attend the national um napsis conference. It's an identity and security conference in Washington DC that will be held December 1st and 2nd of this year. um attending this would be part of um the work that I do on the vitals advisory committee which is a committee
of Mako um and it's going to be focusing on like digital identity and digital issuance of vital records so I would be attending with the state registar other people from the state and then another county that's attending as well um the travel will be reimbursed by the county or
excuse me by the state the county will pay for it upfront and then we'll have a contract with the state to reimburse the county for those travel expenses. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Chair. I will make a motion to approve the out of state travel request
uh to go to the conference in Washington DC because it is being covered by someone else. >> Second motion by Commissioner Mojo, second by Commissioner Abberer. Any further discussion on the motion? >> Any further discussion? Seeing none, all
in favor signify by saying I. >> I post the same sign. Motion carried. Request approved to add postage and handling fees. >> Thank you. Um, so this last summer or this past summer, we have implemented an
online ordering system for vital records. So an individual is able to get our form online and submit that back online to us and then pay with a credit card. Um, so they don't have to come to our office to request some of those records. Um, so when they do place that order
online, we incur additional expenses that we don't have if the customer is coming into our office. We're paying for postage to send it out to them and an envelope to mail it in. So, what I would be asking for is $1 to cover the cost of those electronic orders. That will cover
the postage and the cost of the envelope. I'm I'm short a little bit, but I know that postage is increasing in January, but I wanted to have time to notify the funeral homes that are ordering these electronically that this
expense will start January 1 of 2026. Mr. >> Kimberly contacted me about this and this is an additional uh convenience for her customers to be able to do this online ordering, but it
comes with an additional expense which I think that they'll probably be happy to pay given that they don't have to come down and do this in person. So, uh having said that, I'll move that we add a postage and handling fee of a dollar.
the electronic vital uh records orders and I think that would be a fee that we would we would need to add. >> A second. >> Right. We have a motion by Commissioner Abinger, second by Commissioner Crepo. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh in regards to
when this would be implemented, are you immediately or January 21 or January 1st to 22? >> January 1 of 2026 is what I would be requesting. So, I'd have time to notify those. >> Include that in a motion. and your second. >> Yeah. >> My only question is I I I don't know if
that's enough to cover what that >> not for like the larger um like when funeral homes order death certificates from us that's not enough. But sometimes they order two or three orders in one day and so then we would put them into
one envelope for mailing. So they would be charged a dollar for each order. um it will not cover, but it'll at least get me something for some of those. >> And you know, in regards to fees and services, I've always been really careful to talk about additional pieces
because I think part of what we tax our residents, I think that that is covered for those services, but we're we're talking about a convenience fee here. And um you know, having it take additional time out to particularly do that. I just want to be careful that
we're covering what the cost of this additional piece is. Would you anticipate is this a you know January or June 1 of the year tracking it and then propose something for 27? What are >> Yeah, I anticipate it will go up as the
cost of postage and supplies go up. And I just kind of wanted to see what um >> how many of those kind of orders we're able to group in different things like that if we need to implement a different fee for the larger >> um the larger orders that the funeral
homes request. Um just wanted to try and keep it simple to start off with to see for implementation if it will work or not. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The only comment I had was going off Jenny's there was when stuff increases, do we want her to come back or just have
it put something in that motion that postage goes up five cents at a dollar five now instead of you coming back every time postage goes up or >> Well, I already worked in the first increase that's going to happen in January into this.
>> Okay. for those the orders that most individuals would request from our office. >> I in the future I would be interested in you proposing something that there's an equation what whatever that line item that your your postage percentage of
this is. Um in the future we could look at some sort of automatic fees. >> Yeah. >> But I support this today. >> Yeah. >> Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Seeing none. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I.
>> Oppose the same sign. Motion carried. Thank you, Kimberly. >> Thank you. >> We will take five minute break. We will continue with our agenda. The next item is a request approval to transition SNBC special needs basic care program from social services to public
health. When are you going to start this off? >> I sure am. >> Morning. >> Good morning, Mr. Mr. Chair and commissioners. Um yes, we are here to request approval of a transition proposal. Um I kind of want to set the stage as it is a little rather complicated. Um what is SNBC? Um special
needs basic care is a managed care program uh adults ages 18 to 64 um with disabilities who are enrolled in both medical assistance and Medicare. Uh it provides a single health plan that coordinates their medical, behavioral, prescription, part D benefits and has
care coordination attached to it. Um the key purpose of SNBC is to simplify care for people with complex medical and social needs through one integrated plan integrating the MA and the Medicare. Um and then we bill UKare uh for care
coordination services in Klay County. 277 residents are enrolled through the integrated portion of SNBC. Um, and it has historically been a really stable revenue stream for both social services and public health departments.
Kind of a snapshot in time. This is how it's uh in operation right now. Social services has two FTEEs that provide SNBC care coordination and public health has three FTEEs. Um you can see here this data is based on the most current 12
months worth of revenue that's generated. Um public health does generate quite a bit more than social services in this department. So each staff in public health generates approximately $273,000 in annual revenue while social services
brings in again this is each staff $186,000 in revenue. Um so it's about 47% more in public health. uh trying to figure out the why behind that. Um we split the case load 5050 between social services and public health. So their three FTEEs
do allow for a little bit smaller of a case load to have a little bit more time. Um public health is also kind of more accustomed to documenting the clinical nature of this work and and clients tend to view public health staff as more of their primary medical health related staff versus a social services
social worker. Um I do want to spend just a minute talking about how this revenue is generated. It'll become important later on. So every eligible member in Klay County um is put on for SNBC. We are able to bill UKare $25 per
month for every eligible member. However, if our care coordinators are able to complete what's called a health risk assessment for these folks, we're able to bill $185 per month to UKAR. There's a significant difference between kind of an engaged client versus just an eligible client, if that makes sense.
Um, public health just seems to be a little bit better at completing those health risk assessments and getting that higher monthly reimbursement rate. Um, there is a change coming, which is uh the whole reason why I'm here today. Um, if you remember a few weeks ago, uh,
Susie from public health came to request a position refill that we said we're going to just press pause on at that moment. At that time, this information was not public yet. However, UKARE announced that it will be dropping Klay County and all but 14 counties in the
state from this integrated SNBC plan effective 1126. Um, that means that those 277 residents are going to lose their integrated coverage and either must enroll in a non-integrated SNBC plan by about mid
December, which would require them to purchase Medicare Part D separately. that's going to be an additional out-of- pocket expense for those folks or they can move to a straight MA plan, what's called fee for service, still having to purchase the Medicare Part D separately as well. Um, as a result of this, we are
projecting between 15 to 30% loss in SNBC enrollment members and corresponding revenue to go with that. We don't know exactly if it's going to be 15% or 30%. It depends on how many of those folks will choose to come back on a non-integrated plan.
uh snapshot in time. As of last week, we had 978 total members between both departments. Um I do want to highlight what this means for clients. Uh Medicare is going to be their primary insurance and Medicaid will be their secondary insurance. So with this change, clients
are going to have to manage multiple physical insurance cards um and billing. Uh basically, they'll send bills will go through Medicare first and then through MA. So, it's going to be more paperwork, a little bit more confusion and complexity for the people that um will be left to kind of navigate this on
their own. Um there might be provider issues. Uh they'll only be able to go to providers that accept straight MA. Um again, because there wouldn't be a care coordinator for these folks. They, the client, would need the contact the provider to inquire if they're a
straight MA provider or not. Um, obviously losing the care coordinator um is going to be a big a big hit to them as they're accustomed to contacting their care coordinator for questions like this. Um, and then one of my biggest concerns with this is some of the folks are going to lose access to
transportation uh for medical appointments. um their their only option moving forward is going to be what's called our MA access plan which means excuse me they would need to drive themselves or someone else like a family friend or neighbor would need to drive them and then the drivers
reimbursed mileage. Um we do have an MA access plan that outlines the most cost effective way for folks on MA to get to transportation. Um however essentially what that looks like is is the client upfronts the cost first and is reimbursed later. So, some of the folks on these plans, if they're on fixed
incomes, that's going to be a pretty significant barrier to access their medical appointments due to transportation issues. Um, what we're doing to help in the meantime, our eligibility workers and case aids have already received a large number of calls for clients in our
financial services department. Um, th those those clients that have already received notices from UKare are contacting us. Uh, we kind of have a coordinated effort between our financial services and our SNBC coordinators. Now, um as well as our staff are proactively reaching out to all of the impacted
clients to explain their options, connecting them with the right plan, and making sure they continue receiving care um and medications that they need. With UKare no longer offering this service, much of that administrative and client support that they were doing behind the
scenes has really shifted back to our staff. There's no single entity now that's legally responsible for helping clients navigate this system once the change fully goes into effect. So, our teams are kind of stepping in to fill that gap where we're able. So, what I'm proposing to do, um, I'm
going have to take my fingers out for this. I know PIT committee saw this already. Um, with the reduction of 15 to 30%, it really doesn't make sense to have the split department model anymore. we're going to see approximately could
be up to 277 members drop and having the full five FTEEs to cover that case load size just doesn't seem to make sense. So our proposition is to move the entire SNBC program under the umbrella of public health, remove it entirely from
social services. Um with that we would drop from five FTEEs that provide SNBC to four. um the two staff that are currently doing SNBC work and social services would be reassigned to other duties. Um and I
wanted to lay out exactly what this looks like. So this graph that you can see in front of you as of right now today snapshot in time social services has 150 FTEEs. Two weeks ago, this board approved the min choices transition plan in which
four public health staff are transitioning over into social services in which were budgeted positions in 2026. In 2026's budget, we also I have a new disability case manager request which would bring the total FTEES effective
1126 to 155 with the that so that would be budgeted positions that would be added to social services with this program realignment uh proposal. we would be dropping those two SNBC salaries and benefits to have
153 FTEES effective 126. Uh that would be a cost savings of $181,312 in salary and benefits. At the same time, the county overall goes from five SNBC coordinators to four.
Okay, the dollars and cents of this from the social services side of things. Uh the green bars represent the uh two two SNBC staff. It was gener uh projected to generate about 370,000 in SNBC revenue. With this proposed change, which is
represented by the white bars, uh we are going to lose the 370,000 in revenue but replace it with 234,000. the potential positions that we'd be able to move the staff into would be able to generate revenue as well. Approximately 108,000
and 126,000. So we don't just lose the revenue outright, we replace it with a different stream of revenue. Um so there would be a loss of revenue with this change. However, when you factor in the 181,000 in salary and benefit
savings, we would actually have a positive social services net impact of $45,312 for 2026's social services only budget. When it comes to public health, um when I was actually able to get some of the
information and revenue from public health, working with our fiscal teams, the Okay, sorry, I have to go back to my fingers now. the four men choices assessment positions that were coming over into social services that was approved by the board. Jessica, myself, and Susie from public health have had
many conversations about how would we implement this? What would this look like? We would take one of those min choices positions to become the fourth SNBC coordinator. So, one of those people would not transition over 1126. They would stay within public health to
assume that role of the fourth SNBC coordinator. that would leave an open position for one of our existing social services SNBC to apply for. The other position would be that newly created disability waiver case management position in 2026's budget. So both of
the social services staff that essentially would have the rug pulled out from underneath them would have an opportunity to apply for those two open positions. >> So an opportunity to apply I we we have >> Yes. I because I raised that question and I and
even in your um presentation here you say this two social service positions will be reassigned into existing vacancies. >> So we have to follow the union contract whether it's those two positions exactly or whether there's other internal
interests within the bargaining unit that assume those positions then the other two positions would be open. So, however, >> the result is is that is those two people will still be employed with Klay County. >> Those two people will still remain within social services, wages, salary, benefits would all be the same. There's
there's no guarantee as to what position that they get because we have to follow the uh 5-day internal posting per the union contract. >> I I think when they when somebody hears that they have to reapply, it could assume then that they're, you know, but
if they don't get it, are they unemployed? No, there however this falls there would be I mean I guess they could choose to not take whatever position would be open to them but yes um that's that would be their choice. >> Correct. Yes. >> Um so again the public health side when
I was able to kind of view what the revenue and expenditures of public health looked like as well. This one position that we would recommend staying in public health to perform the fourth SNBC coordinator. that position in 2026's budget was projected to bring in $81,250
worth of min choices revenue. That would be with this proposal replaced with SNBC revenue. Um if everything stays on course even with the potential reduction because they get the higher reimbursement rate more than social services. Um, it's projected that they
will generate $273,854 worth of revenue for a net positive impact to public health budget of $192,64. So, to sum it all up, in the 2026 budget, we did have $370,000
of social services SNBC revenue. With this proposal, we'd be zeroing that out, but we'd be replacing it with 234,000 from this uh new revenue from these other revenue streams and at the same time eliminating the two SNBC salary and
benefit expenditures of $181,310 for a net social services impact of $45,312 to the good. At the same time, public health gains approximately $192,000 in new net revenue from this SNBC
realignment, resulting in an overall estimated levy savings of $237,916. All estimations, but it's based on the most current and accurate figures that we have as of right now. Any questions for me? >> Well, I want to come this, you know, we
spent quite a bit of time talking about this in our pick meeting and and obviously you know, for both public health and social services to really grind this out and to see a savings for everybody. I think it's ultimately
what we've been looking for, you know, in terms of our levy. So, that's a great deal. But I I do want to go back to a minute if I can to the no transportation issue. I I raise some concern when I hear about that when we talk about
uh those people who need to make medical appointments and they don't have cash in their pocket to pay and currently there's under the proposal there would be a way where they'd pay it but then they could be reimbursed. Correct. >> Right. So, and and so my question to you
back in pick and I'll ask it again now. Is there a way that through the county that we can assist with that transportation with the with the ability to get reimbursed rather than the client?
>> We we would have to we have two DHS registered transportation providers in Klay County. we would have to explore contracting with them to provide that service for the folks that you're talking about where the county would then pay them upfront and then we would get reimbursed. Um we're looking into
that certainly. Um Michaela and I were talking about that even before you brought it up at pick is is that something that we should do? Absolutely. Um the issue with that is the timing component of it. Effective 7126 the state is taking over all
reimbursements for travel expenditures. We will keep like hotels, parking and some of the meals, but the state is taking over the mileage and the transportation component of >> reimbursing. >> The reimbursement part. Correct. The the functions of reimbursement, the administrative work behind the reimbursement,
>> which scares me even more >> little bit. Yes. >> From from the standpoint of the client. >> Correct. Because >> because the client's going to have to somehow come up with money out of their pocket that they don't have to make this medical appointment. >> Correct. And then they're going to have to more than likely they're going to
have to wait long even longer to get a reimbursement because they have to go through state >> bureaucracy. Right. So >> lack of better term, >> right? So so we could explore a a six-month contract effective 1 to June 30th with some of these transportation providers for that interim, but
effective 7126, that would no longer be a function of what we do at the county level. We hear time and time again on all sorts of different areas about how significant transportation issues are in Klay County and this is one of them
and to even make it even worse isn't a good option for us. So I I would encourage between yourselves and public health or whatever any way that we could incorporate I mean if it's going to be reimbursed it's still going to be it
would be costneutral for Klay County other than what you're talking about maybe the staffing time >> correct >> you know and so I think if you can work that out I would like to see some sort of a proposal that could come into place for for us to help them in that regard.
>> Sure. I know in my initial conversations with Michaela, the staffing time was the primary focus. It was can we absorb that additional administrative work. We have one case aid in our financial services division right now that does all of that reimbursement for the MA access. So any
folks that are on straight MA right now, that's what she's doing all day every day. So the idea would be can can we add that to her plate with what we think is coming from these 277 residents? don't know that we have enough of that specific information yet to figure that out, but it is actively something that
we're looking at. >> Well, if you would work on that, be great. Other than that, um, from a PIC standpoint, like I said, we spent quite a bit of time talking about this and and it was kind of a unanimous uh decision from PIC to
support this request to make these changes. Commission, >> just a quick question of the potential people needing the transportation. Um, I mean, is that a high high percentage?
Do you know are is it is it a common thing in uh part two is are they people throughout the whole county or do they tend to be more toward Dworth, Morehead? Oh, the population of the integrated
SMBC members in Klay County, I would say, is spread throughout. Obviously, the majority would be located here in Morehead. Um, and I just want to share that the communication that has come from Ukare to the members has been
difficult and confusing. I know when my myself and my staff and Susie and her staff started getting copies of the letters that were being sent out to people, we questioned what it meant ourselves. Um it was pretty disheartening to see. I mean, these are
adults with disabilities. Um a lot of them have guardians. Um you know, some of them have have mental health, chemical dependency, physical disabilities, just a a wide range of people that we work with and try to support. Uh so today I would like to
encourage those folks of these 277 individuals who have received this letter who know that they're losing their Medicare connect or I'm sorry connect plus Medicare. That's the name of the plan in um that UKare offers
that's being impacted. I'd like to encourage those members to contact their Klay County care coordinator uh for specific instructions on what they can do to either stay enrolled in the non-integrated connect plan. Um they can
do that by contacting the UKare sales office and I actually have the phone number here. uh that's 612-676 3558 and that strictly is for their MA portion of the insurance that um will be
changing for them in 2026. Uh and then for questions regarding the Medicare side, they should contact Aging Pathways which was formerly known as Senior Linkage Line. The phone number for aging pathways is 1 800 3332433.
Um so and they can also contact the disability hub, but really they're going from having one health plan to two separate insuranceances and we're going to try to do as much as we can to help them. Um, one of the public health care coordinators assisted one of or yeah,
assisted one of her members with calling aging pathways this week and they sat on hold for two hours. Uh, the entire phone conversation took an hour. So, for us to even think we're going to get 277 people
through to these lines to to get the answers that they need, um, it's a little unrealistic. um but we can give them the instructions and help guide them on on um their best options going forward. So, and this is going on during
Medicare's open enrollment. So, it started October 15th. They need to select a new plan by December 7th. That's my >> And they've all been sent letters. >> They've all received letters. Um hopefully they've opened them and are actively pursuing options. If they do
nothing, if they don't respond to the letters or make these phone calls, they will automatically be enrolled in original Medicare and fee for service MA and they will lose their care coordinator and the medical transportation provided through UKARE.
And that's kind of the concerning part. Had they automatically been enrolled in the non-integrated plan, they would have kept their medical transportation through UKare and their care coordinator. uh but that was not the way this change was designed by UKARE.
So the person actively needs to pursue options to to keep their at least their um SMBC product. >> Do we have a way of knowing who has not of those 277 those have not responded
with enrollment? Um, we've been making calls to our members. Um, the care coordinators are tracking who they can get a hold of, but >> I'm I'm sure they're not always easy to get a hold of either. >> No, no. You know, phone numbers change.
Um, you know, we've been having people come up to the office and we're, you know, trying to help guide them, but um, it's been a little complicated and really there was nothing we could even do until the 15th when open enrollment happened. Um, so I just encourage people
to contact their care coordinator and they will guide you on your best steps forward. >> Right. Comments or questions? >> Mr. Ever? >> Um, just off the top of my head I for the for the public that may be involved
in this. It doesn't help rural Klay County residents, but there is u senior rides, I believe it's called, that provides transportation for seniors at a at a modest amount. I don't know if it's reimburseable or
not, but it is something that possibly they can pay out of their pocket. Um, and it requires they make the arrangements. So if you have people that are really uh limited in their ability to to to function through these
processes may not be useful. And again, uh, I had Dancing Sky meeting yesterday, uh, the area on aging, uh, or agency, area agency on aging. And one of the issues we've got in rural
Minnesota, not just rural Klay County, is transportation for people. And, you know, consistently, uh, that's that's right up there. And food insecurity and transportation are two of the major concerns. So, I appreciate the fact that you're
you're reaching out and you're trying to make this as manageable as possible, but it is a a very um profound issue we're going to be looking at for years as the numbers change on on what we can do for our people.
Having said that, um we this was accepted by pick and I would uh like to make a motion to approve the transition of the SNBC program fullander public health oversight effective
January 1, 2026. >> That we have a motion by Commissioner Reminger, second by Commissioner Bear. Any further discussion on the motion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I.
>> The same sign. Motion carried. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Jessica. Quinn, you got one more thing here. >> I do see a um federal shutdown letter. here unfortunately with more not great
news, but it's super important that we get the word out for the community. I'd like to spend the next few minutes talking about the impacts of the federal shutdown for residents here in Klay County. Uh the current federal government shutdown has resulted in the suspension
of certain appropriations including key funding that supports the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP or food assistance. A lot of people call it different things. Um on October 10th, the US Department of Agriculture notified states that if the shutdown
continues into November, there will not be enough federal funds available to pay out November SNAP benefits. USDA then directed all states to hold November issuance files, meaning they cannot transmit benefits to the EBT vendors who load those dollars onto participants
cards. Uh it's important to note this is not an optional step for states or for counties. Once that directive is issued, the system is effectively locked from processing new benefits until Congress restores funding. So this is not a state decision or a county decision. It's
really a federal stoppage that flows downward. And the USDA's guidance has triggered a series of state level system changes that I'll talk about here next. Um really at the state level um in response to USDA's directive, the Department of Children, Youth, and
Families or DCYF implemented several statewide system changes that directly impact how counties operate our SNAP and our MIP programs. So MIP is Minnesota Family Investment Program, otherwise known as cash assistance, but there's cash and food that are a component of
that program. DCYF programmed our state's eligibility system, Maxis, which I'm sure you've heard a lot about. It's that wonderful outdated technology system. Um DCF programmed that system to automatically block block approvals for both SNAP and MIP cases once the federal
shutdown extends into November. While applications are still being accepted in process, county staff will be unable to finalize or approve those applications until federal funds are released. Um, again, because MIP combines both federal and state funds for food and cash
assistance together, the entire program has to be paused as there's no way to separate the federal portion from the state portion. Um, DCYF is managing statewide communication today. Um, they're going to begin notifying all SNAP and MIP households via text and
email. um to explain that November benefits will not be issued while the shutdown continues. Uh this is really a a systemwide safeguard to prevent counties from issuing benefits that cannot be federally reimbursed. It ensures consistency and it protects the state
and counties from potential overissuance errors. I think it's also important to note that right now with the big beautiful bill impacts that I I brought to your attention a few months ago, the SNAP error rate is definitely a point of contention right now for how potential
overissuances would impact the SNAP error rates. SNAP error rates right now are being assessed for how those potential penalties to states and counties will be implemented when the big beautiful bill uh provisions go into place. I know NATO at the national level
is trying to get some sort of advocacy to carve out this specific time frame and how SNAP is being issued and having those not count against states error rates moving forward. Um kind of when these changes take
effect. So we were initially told that uh October 15th no new and pending applications can be approved. They then extended that to October 16th. However, then on October 17th, they said new and pending applications for SNAP can be approved through the end of October. Um,
so we can at least do that until 10:31. Um, today DCIFF is sending that public notice um saying that November benefits will not be issued if the uh federal shutdown continues. On October 29th, that same block will extend to the MIP
cases um pres uh preventing any active or pending MIP approvals from being processed. And then beginning November 1st, the system will block all reinstatements or active cases, essentially freezing all new benefit
activity until Congress acts. Um it's very important to note that applications are still being accepted and entered even during the pause. Our staff are continuing to process every application. So once federal funding resumes, we can immediately approve those pending cases and minimize delays. So while the system
is blocking the approvals, it is not stopping people from coming to our office and applying. We're just keeping the pipeline ready to move once the shutdown ends. Um, this slide I I I wanted to highlight this for the community as well. This slide really breaks down which public assistance programs are directly
impacted by the federal shutdown and which ones continue to operate as normal. So SNAP, which is food assistance, and MIP, which is food and cash assistance. Those are the ones that are being temporarily blocked, but we do have several programs that are continuing normally. Um
we we administer and operate the DWP cash, general assistance, Minnesota supplemental aid, housing support, and regular medical assistance. um just wanted residents to know which programs are still available so they can continue continue receiving the help that they
need during this period if they're eligible for those programs. Uh wanted to speak to the local and human impact as well. Um here in Klay County about 3,400 households receive SNAP benefits. That represents over
7,700 individuals uh children included, roughly one in every eight residents. Uh, an additional 326 households receive MIP, which combines both food and cash assistance for families with children. Um, together, SNAP and MIP bring over
$1.1 million per month into Klay County's economy through grocery stores, local retailers, and essential household purchases. Uh, when that flow stops, the impact is not only felt by the families, but also by local businesses that depend on those dollars circulating through the
economy. Uh while the numbers are significant, uh I feel the real story is kind of about the people that's behind them. Um families may suddenly find themselves without resources they count on for groceries, baby formula, or everyday essentials. If the shutdown does continue and November benefits are
not issued, we're going to have thousands of Klay County residents that might struggle to afford food. We can expect to see an increased demand at our local food shelves like Dorothy Day, A Place for Hope and Reach out in Holly. These organizations do wonderful work, but they rely heavily on donations and
volunteer capacity. A large sudden increase in need would put added pressure on their ability to serve everyone who walks through their door. Um, it's important to emphasize that Klay County Social Services along with our community partners are doing everything we can to prepare and respond for this. We're continuing to process
these applications. We're communicating with residents, trying to coordinate local resources so that hopefully nobody falls through the cracks. um to break that down how we're responding. So even though SNAP and MIP approvals are blocked at the state level, again our staff continue to
process all incoming applications, everything's being entered into the system so that the second federal funding resumes, those cases can be approved immediately without any delay. Um we're maintaining tracking of pending applications and active cases that are impacted by the pause so we kind of have an accurate count of how many households
are going to need benefits uh the moment that the system reopens. Um, again, residents, please continue to reach out to us, apply for help. Uh, know that your information is in line to move forward once the federal government reauthorizes it. Uh, our second focus is
on communication. Uh, we've rolled out consistent messaging across multiple platforms. We've got lobbies, uh, lobby signage, uh, kind of phone scripts for consistent messaging, social media posts, county website, uh, just to make sure residents are getting the same
information and that it's accurate information, uh, no matter how they contact us. I've also been working with our GIS and communications department to push updates through our Facebook page, local media, emphasizing again that applications are still being accepted.
Uh, the third piece is really the coordination. We're working closely with our local food shelves as well as other community organizations and partners. These partnerships help us anticipate where the need is going to increase the most uh and ensure families know where they can go for emergency food and basic
supports if the federal shutdown extends into November. Really wanted to put this out there as well for the public. Uh this slide focuses on what's important uh for residents right now, where they can turn to for food and immediate support if we do see that November benefits are
delayed. We want residents to know that they're not alone and Klay County is coordinating with every available partner to ensure access to food and essential supports. We are encouraging residents to contact these agencies in advance before visiting just to confirm hours of operation and specific intake
requirements. A lot a lot of these places are volunteer run. So hours of operation and and kind of staffing patterns really vary depending on uh volunteer availability, their donation supply, community demand. So a quick phone call or website check will help
residents ensure they don't make an unnecessary trip to one of these places and that each agency can plan appropriately for incoming visitors. Uh really the most important step is for residents to stay informed using reliable official sources. DCYF's
website is being updated regularly with statewide guidance. We're posting information on our social services Facebook page and the county website so people can quickly find accurate local information. Residents who wish to share how the shutdown is affecting them can contact our federal delegation, Senator
Amy Clolobashar, Senator Tina Smith or Congresswoman Michelle Fishbach's office. Um our message to residents is simply your stories matter. It's important that the federal decision makers hear from those directly impacted by these funding interruptions. Um, we're also encouraging residents to look
out for one another right now. A simple check-in with a neighbor or offered a car pool to a food shelf or a small food donation can really go a long way. For those in a position to help, local food pantries are always accepting donations of food, funds, or volunteer time. Even modest contributions will make a big
difference if November brings the shutdown uh further. In the weeks ahead, we'll continue to monitor state and federal communications every day. We'll share updates with this board and the public, and we'll continue to coordinate closely with our community partners, but our focus remains the same to provide
stability, compassion, and accurate information to the people that we serve. I know that was a lot of information for you to process, but do you have any questions for me at this time? >> Questions? And we're looking for a motion to approve the attached letter.
>> All right. Yes. Um, go >> ahead. Thank draft a letter um kind of urging this board to for the federal delegation to kind of support the idea that we get a resolution to this matter one way or another. The draft of that
letter is attached. Thank you for that, Mr. Chair. I am looking for a motion to approve that letter if this board chooses to. >> Mr. there like to make a motion to approve the attached letters u to support the of support to the Minnesota
congressional delegation. >> I'll second it. >> We have a motion by Commissioner Erbinger, second by Commissioner Krabnoff. Any further discussion? >> Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> Thank you. Uh thank you for the information and the presentation today. I I really want to applaud your
department for trying to be as upfront and clear to the public about how services could be interrupted or paused or however we want to phrase it um during this time. So, I really appreciate that and I I I do think it's important for folks to know that this
board is not taking a political stance in regards to parties and how you resolve it, but to share the story which we constantly talk about is how this effective affects our community and obviously the government shutdown affects more than just SNAP pieces, but
this is today what we're really seeing and how those challenge those present challenges to our community. Um, I would really encourage the uh media also watching uh to be as um forthcoming to
go right to staff in the counties in which um staff is working to be as clear and have the most accurate up-to-date information as possible before presenting that out to the public because uh I was just at a uh meeting with the Association of Minnesota
Counties on Thursday and there was even a change from Thursday to Friday and how um what we're seeing how that changes uh etc. But um you know I I think this letter is important to share uh to our
leaders and as someone who has experienced food insecurity in my life that was a really scary time and I think it's um we would be remiss to not underscore how scary some of these situations are for people particularly
going into a colder time of the year. So hopeful that uh Washington DC can find some resolution um soon. All right. Any further comments? Any further comments? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I.
>> I. Oppose. The same sign. Motion carried. I I just want to make a comment here. I this um obviously these programs that are be putting on hold are are federal and state programs that basically are
mandated down to the counties to do. And I find it amazing that uh when the federal or state has problems, they can stop mandates, but counties really don't have options to stop mandates. I I just I find that
ironic that we as counties are always arguing about state and federal government putting mandates on us and we have no options. But they can't get along in Washington
DC and so all mandates stop. That's just a point. >> I agree. That is rather ironic. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Quinn. Thank you. All right. Next we have um
we have Rory and Jocelyn here on the pen testing. >> We've talked about this a few times. >> We have. Yes. Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, commissioners. Uh so today uh last time we spoke about this uh IT
penetration testing. Uh Jos and I did uh meet again and reviewed the proposals and spoke with a couple of our our top two uh vendors that we were looking at and uh the one we would like to go with
is uh Clifton Allen Clifton Larson Allen and we're requesting uh an amount of $25,000 a year over a 5-year contract and the the proposal that you should have seen in your uh board only packet there was about6 16,500
for the testing and vulnerability assessment. Uh along with a $1,200 on-site expense, travel time and lodging, and another uh $4,500 for time of materials. That uh $1,200 and $4,500
amounts. Those are varying costs. So depending on, you know, how much travel is. So it might go might go up, might go down. Hard hard to say. And then the uh the retest at $4,500. So that would be after our assessment and testing is done, you know, after 60 90 days, they'd
come back after we've had time to uh remediate any any issues that have been found. Then that amount is kind of a rough estimate of what it might cost to help us uh retest and just depends on how many findings there are. So, we we
would probably expect that amount to be a little bit higher, but that's that's why the uh the total request is $25,000. Um those added up together are $22,220, but we're asking for just a little bit more each year to uh especially on this
first year and then offset the co, you know, the six to 7% growth or uh cost adjustment that's going to be every year going forward to uh on the annual basis from that vendor. Ry, I didn't read through the technicalities of the contract itself.
It's a five-year contract and and just the way things uh redevelop and and in the grand scheme of technology and how rapidly it moves. Uh
do we have an out on a five-year contract? Maybe >> we can I mean we can sure add some sort of out if there's a you know mutual agreement that's something we can definitely uh you know have uh Mr. Melton and his team take a look at as well. >> I think five years is a long time to you
know you know know who knows what >> might be available to us at maybe reduced rates than what this is. We don't know. >> Sure. You know, so I just think that it would might be in our best interest to at least have an option to know what it
would cost us to leave early. >> Gotcha. Okay. Or are you suggesting that maybe we do a three-year or >> No, I'm okay. >> I'm I'm just suggesting that we should at least have an opportunity to, >> for example, I don't think you should I
think you should always monitor >> what what we're doing here. And at some point in time, maybe through that monitoring, you find out there's better options for us and we don't need to wait five years to do them. That's all that's
all I'm saying. I saw it. Sure. And but if if there's no opt out clause, um typically when we enter into a five-year contract of some sort uh with with an entity, we have we have the ability to
um leave early if we're not satisfied. That's all I'm that's all I'm saying. >> Sure. Okay. Yeah, I can I can look into that and you know, kind of defer on the recommendation of Mr. Melton and his team. So, with that, uh, are from a timing
standpoint, Rory, how soon do you need to accept this? >> We I mean, we we have some time yet. >> Can we So, could we could we not act on this today? And I because we'd be acting on the contract, right?
>> Yep. Yep. We can. Yeah. >> From my standpoint, I would I prefer at least a review language. I don't know if there's others who have >> Yeah, >> Mr. Mr. Chair, I would I would be willing to approve this today contingent on
our attorney's office adding either a 30-day out or, you know, some sort of parting language. You know, I I don't think we're arguing over um moving forward with CLA. I think that makes sense. And I think it's a minor piece that certainly Mr. Mountain could potent
>> I think certainly we can remove or we review it and and get it back to the board even by I would think or or if you had a contingent. I think the only other contingency might be in there is presenting it back to the company. I mean they may have something that if they're approving it for that period of
time at that price it might be based on them knowing that that's guaranteed for that time period. So they may have their own thoughts. >> Well typically an opt out clause has a price to it. Right. So, at least it gives lets us know if we're going to
leave in three years instead of five, >> you know, what's that and then we'd have to incorporate that cost into what other alternative we'd be looking at. >> But I think if the board wanted to, you could approve it with the contingent having it in there and then if there's no problem and they are fully accepting
of it, then it would be completely done. If they didn't want that in there somehow or had some other things, I think then Rory could bring it back to the board. No. >> Yeah. Okay. Yes. >> Internal.
>> Yep. >> They do. Yes. >> They have quite a few add-on services as well. We're we're we're focusing just on the one one component that Yep. Well, maybe. Yeah, hard to say.
>> Yeah, >> I guess. Yeah, it depends how much you want to commit to that one company. And, you know, if you want all their services, I'm sure they'll have cut you a better deal. motion. >> I'll second the motion.
>> We have a motion and a second to approve the contract subject to our county attorney's uh working on language to clarify early withdrawal of the contract. >> That sound right? >> Yep.
All right. Uh, any further discussion on the motion? Yes, Commissioner Bear. >> I appreciate. >> Yeah. Nope. It I mean, it helps. I mean, this this type of thing affects the entire county. It's sometimes it's more than just an IT decision. So, it's it's great to have uh input from input and
the support of the the board. So, yeah. appreciate the the questions and the the checking and it's it's it's good to review this. All right, any further discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I oppose the same. Great.
>> All right. Thank you. Next, Rory, you got see camera licensing and maintenance. Yeah. Yep. So in our 2026 uh budget
request uh we we're transferring uh the software and maintenance support for our uh security camera s uh system from uh GIS and communication over to uh technology services. So in that in that
request was 11,500 a year transferred from uh Mark's office over to ours. and we just received a renewal for that here just in September and the amount was closer to $16,000 as you can see 15,798
and.38. So, and how that was missed was because of our two newest buildings uh our new withdrawal management detox facility and DMV buildings with the roughly 90 cameras that we had included in the
project over there. So that was paid out of the project funds. So now this is the first year we're seeing those renewals for that software and maintenance contract. So those were those were just maybe not not thought about at you know in the May June when we were doing our
budget planning. So the request today would be to to add add some uh funds here. Oh, was it trying to add $6,500 extra to help cover that cost plus um cost of extra cameras
that'll be happening here this next year and uh likely another uh video server as well. And the as far as the cost impact or funding source um with that approval of the the previous agenda item for the penetration testing, the original amount
was $40,000. with that approval of $25,000. You know, I I believe if maybe administrator Larson can correct me on this, but I believe that 40,000 was already kind of factored into the
overall uh plan for 2026. So, if if anything, maybe that can that 6,500 could get come out of that 15,000 that was available and then maybe that remaining could be cut from the 2026 budget out of technology services.
That'd be one option anyway that I present. >> That sounds like a good option to me. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Wouldn't come out of anywhere extra. It would just be a little less uh that we'd save for next year. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. So, I'll make with that I'll make a motion to approve the $6,500 uh from Yeah. unallocated 2026 technology service professional services funds for equipment uh repair and maintenance of
camera license and maintenance which is already period in 2026 budget >> second we have a motion by commissioner Kavanagh second by commissioner there any further discussion >> just wanted to clarify that's what >> I I want to I just want I want to
clarify from Steve do we need this as a motion if is already built in. I mean, his budget's already built in with this extra money. >> I think we've you got as a board, you guys have made recommendations and so I think that uh uh this would be fine.
>> I think this is an unexpected expense >> that's being offset by a reduced >> uh amount of need for an item that had been approved. So, I think it's appropriate. >> All right. Any further discussion on the motion?
None. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> The same sign. Motion carried. >> And we have a request uh purchase a new electronic storage appliance for criminal justice staff. >> Yeah. Thank you. So last item here would
be another electronic storage appliance. Um and we've had a couple here in the last year. Uh this one would be specific for our criminal justice use. So, attorneys, uh, law enforcement, uh, correctional facility, and going forward
also for the, uh, juvenile detention center as well. Some of that data being stored all on one system. So, a lot of this comes from, uh, Minnesota BCA requiring, you know, kind of separation of criminal justice data and noncriminal
justice data. They don't like the co-mingled data, which which I can understand. So, we've been working hard the last few years to essentially separate off as much as we can from the rest of the county departments to uh these criminal justice departments. So,
this would be a an appliance to uh replace the aging hardware that we have now. Um, the renewal we've received for that is closer to $8,000 just for one year of maintenance and support, which is a legacy system through HPE.
And that's includes a 60% price hike just to try to get you off of their legacy system and onto a new one. Um, and we did include that in one of our quotes here as well, just to show you the the cost difference of what that would be versus what we're looking at
going with. Um, so we did get uh three quotes uh or competing quotes here um all through a state contract through Omni Partners. But uh the quotes for that replacement system that HPE wants us to go with
comes in at $138,59740. Uh the next quote would be uh the same appliance that we're looking to purchase which is a pure storage system at $124,610.39. And the last quote for that same pure storage through SHI uh $95,55.
So if if approved, we'd like to proceed with the uh lowest cost option of $95,55. And originally on when I submitted the agenda item here, uh the funding source, I had put uh $59,55
to the tech services budget and then the remaining $36,000 to internal services. But after reviewing internal services, uh we do have uh $83,96.7 set aside for this replacement appliance. So I'd like to use that full
amount just to clear out that uh internal services item. And then out of my 2025 budget item, I'd like to also spend the the difference of $11,148.93. >> All right. So, this would all be handled through your 2025 budget, >> correct? >> Yep.
>> Between internal service fund and maximizing the internal service fund and the balance from your >> tech services budget. >> Yep. Correct. questions. Commissioner >> Chair, I move that we approve the
purchase of a new electronic storage appliance from SHI for $95,55. >> Second motion by Commissioner Eber, second by Commissioner Bayer. Any further discussion? Any further discussion?
Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Motion carried. All right. Thank you, Russell. >> I did look I did look through the contract and I'm sure Brian will looked at it a little bit closer, but they do
have a termination clause in the for the pen testing. Um, it says there's a minimum requirement of a 12-month commitment from the date services began. If a client cancels the statement of work for any reason in months 1 through 12, then the client agrees to pay for the cost of a one-year commitment. If
the client cancels a statement of work in any month following the 12th month, then the client agrees to pay 20% of a one-year fee as a termination fee. >> Very good. >> Very good in there. >> That answers everything right there. I I told you I didn't read it, so I just
want to be aware of it. So, thank you for that, Darren. All right. Uh we do for a quick break again. All right, we'll take five minutes again. Item that we have is uh request approval to adjust Fargo Morehead uh West Fargo
Chamber of Commerce 2026 funding request. We'll start with Mr. Lars. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh as you recall last week, we had a discussion uh at the at the preliminary levy back in September. We set the uh FM chamber of
funding at $85,000. Uh there was some additional discussion uh about what was paid for last last year and which was 100,000 $100,000. Uh the board had a discussion that the intent was not to uh decrease their
funding and so the request was that we brought this would bring this back today uh for additional discussion and action. Right. Well, I'll I'll start with the com. I I I do um when we had the conversation
about what was the 185,000 and how we would change the distribution of that, it was certainly my understanding and my intent uh to fully fund the chamber at its previous amount.
I think there was just a an error in how that was presented. I think there was presented in reverse of what it was actually supposed to be. And um you I think the chamber,
you know, we've got we've got many millions of dollars that are on the line in St. Paul and they've been right there helping us. And um so I I certainly I I think from the intent standpoint and my vote was
that it just not be reduced but it would maintain its it's like I think most of our other outside entities you know we didn't necessarily grant increases but at least in most instances we maintain them at current
levels if I'm not mistaken. Right. I certainly agree with uh everything you just said. I mean I think it was pretty clear that day. So I I would fully support the uh amount being increased by
15 to that 100,000. So I'll I'll make a motion for that motion to adjust fire chamber of commerce uh 2026 funding uh request. >> Second. All right. We have a motion by Commissioner Krabanov, second by
Commissioner Abbinger. Any further discussion on the motion? Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose the same. That motion carried.
All right. Then uh we move into our um standing item with the with regarding the 2026 budget discussion. Steve, do you want to um talk to us a little bit? Have you incorporated uh for example the action that we took
today uh regarding social services and public health? I think there was 200 and some thousand dollars there and I think some other minor things have come up. Do you want to give us >> I think that Thank you, Mr. Chair. We did did take those two items uh that
that you just highlighted. uh we will have to go back with Rory's piece and make make that adjustment to the final budget. Uh but with the with the two significant changes that were made today uh by the board uh we we are now at a
4.92% uh from a levy perspective. And so we did did see roughly roughly about just about a quarter of a a percent decrease. >> And that 4.92 is net. That's correct.
Net. Yes. >> Mr. Chair, >> Commissioner Mojo. >> Okay. I have a question just in regards to where we're at with union negotiations piece. That's just such a a large outlier. Um
I don't know how else to pitch it. >> That's true. Um we've had a lot of them. We've had the third negotiations already. Um, I'm going to be bringing a summary of everything to the board next Tuesday, the 28th, and then kind of get
your um, additional guidance on where we go from there. Um, I think we're making some progress. I don't know if we're making as much progress as I would like to have made, but um at least when I bring it back to you on the 28th,
I will have where we are in the negotiation process and I'll have what they what they do is they give us our their proposals on the first negotiations. We give them ours on the second and then they counter counter proposals on the third negotiation. So,
we have a pretty good idea of where everybody is going to be. what I'll need from uh you next week during a closed session is kind of where we are going to draw the line on some of that stuff. So I don't know I don't have a great answer for you as far as budget and costwise
but um and then we and then right after our our board meeting next week um I'm meeting with several of the unions again to kind of hopefully solidify some of that. Okay.
>> Based on the on the board's uh wishes. >> All right. Yes, Mr. Heavier. >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, I I would like to discuss um the request from Lake Agassy Library.
Uh when we met oh probably a month ago, the discussion was that uh we were going to decline half of the $30,110 increase they requested in her $226
uh ask of 30 $362,690. Uh we had a meeting on the of the executive board here last week and uh at the behest of Becker County, we took a hard look at the funding formula and how
the the signatorries requests are formulated and it has it has some strange it was developed 30 years ago. It's having some strange effects on Becker County on their their necessity that they pay for
their geographical members, which is what this is based on, and the fact that about 40% of the people who patronize the Detroit Lakes Library are actually being paid for by Becker County. Long story short, um we
had a discussion where Becker County said that they they will live with the formula this year, but they wanted to be revisited next year. In talking to the executive director after that, it became apparent that those entities that don't pay the
request, there has to be u some cut back in hours. the budget uh that was proposed is not so uh rich as to have any any wiggle room for that.
I asked for some uh specific numbers and uh one of the issues was reserves. Uh right now the reserves with the library are uh $2,136840 or $2,136,840.
By the end of the year should be down to just north of $2 million. The the 2026 budget I asked, do we have a deficit on that? And the response was if the funding from
states and federal remain what we anticipate and that's based on this year uh there'll be a $152,579 deficit. if the and frankly the funding that's
coming from the state and the federal is probably not going to be uh close to what we base on it in this year's figures. So they're already into deficit spending and again with the at that point the reserves will be 2 million and
change. um the end of 2026, the reserve should be down to 1,884,254 if the fund the other funding remains steady, which as I said is questionable.
That figure is 43% of their annual expenses. I'm saying all this uh to to let the commission know the request is not unreasonable based on
the funding available to Lake Agassy and also I don't find it unreasonable but I find it concerning that if they have to make up for the additional 15,000 and change it'll have to come out of the
hours of our rural Klay County libraries. I think they serve a purpose. I think they're important to the communities they serve in Udel and Holly and Barnesville and the surrounding areas.
And I would like us to to provide the funding to keep them operating at the level they're doing now. So that would be approving the entire ask. It was as was originally submitted uh by Lake Agassy.
And can um Dave, can I a couple questions? So you mentioned if the um if their reserves was brought down to1,884,254 um that would equate to 53% >> 43 >> 43 >> 43%.
>> What is their annual budget? I don't have that in front of me, but I got this from Jamie, uh, who's the the accounting guru they have. But looking at that, um,
looks like be just short of 4 million. And then uh when we talk about I and again I I don't know um I don't know how what are the hours of rural libraries now. What
>> I don't know when open and close is but Barnesville is open 36 hours a week. Holly is 32 hours a week. U is six hours a week and Morehead is 64 hours a week.
And so the proposal would be that the rural uh library >> Morhead is a separate signatory. >> Okay. >> So they they get build we are the second highest. Becker County is the
highest. I think Morehead's third. We're we're third and they're second in the pecking order. But uh as far as the amount of the billing >> Excuse me, Mr. Chair. Commissioner Everger, the uh 2026 proposed budget
next year is 4,44,172, [Music] which is an increase of $212,984 over last year. >> And their total ask for us was $30,000 and we're giving them half.
>> No, the total ask about increase. Oh, >> the increase. >> $30,110. Okay. Can I >> Mr. Mojo >> clarify? So we voted to fund half of the increase. >> Yes. >> Wasn't it like 5% 5%.
>> Um you know I Commissioner Ebinger called me yesterday to kind of talk about this. I I would and you know like to hear I've followed the Becker County conversation throughout the um the media. It's been in the paper a lot. uh
want to make sure um that there is action on that. I mean I don't believe they've had full action board action on the allocation yet. Is that >> um it was not but their representative that spoke to us said he was satisfied
with the response. Number one, they and it it does sort of defy logic that they're the biggest uh s highest paying signatory in the in the organiza in the organization, but they only have three
um rural satellite locations. But 80% of the bill that that we receive is based on the geographical residence of the card holders. If I have take my Morehead Library card and I go to Holly,
I can check out a book a week and it's not going to reflect in Holly's bill because I'm a Morehead resident. If somebody from Becker County goes into Detroit Lakes once a week and they got a
fantastic library in Detroit Lakes and they go in there and basically all of their business is done. This this Becker County resident with Detroit Lakes, then Becker County is still carrying the the burden on that. That is something we're going to have to
sit down and reformulate because 30 years ago it seemed to make sense when they passed this is how they were going to do the the billing. Uh now I think uh although residence of the card holder has some bearing I don't know if it's
worth 80%. I think maybe the costs of running the library uh should be factored in there. So we we will see. But uh at this point I feel it's a legitimate ask simply going in there and asking for the
detailed numbers. There's a real need there. And they've cut it close enough to where there's not a lot of wiggle room if we want to keep our hours and they would have to take the difference out of the hours of the of our rural libraries
which some of them are thin enough as it is. I I would not want to see that. And so, Commissioner Abinger, you you talked you gave us the number. So, the current reserves uh is that 2,136,840.
Is that is that the anticipated reserves at the end of 2025? >> No, it'll be 2 million uh and 36 thou 2,36,000. at the end of 20 >> at the end of 2025.
>> Okay. Um and then and then when you said at at the end of 2026 those reserves could drop to 1,8.84 284 >> 254
>> 254 and and that that is as a result of just currently deficit they're they're looking at a deficit of 152,579. >> Is that is that deficit um due to spending or are they
anticipating reduced revenue from the state? That deficit is based on their best guess for revenues from state and federal sources, which right now, you know, I think is shaky, as we all do, but that would be if they get in
basically equivalent to what they've gotten in this year. Um the uh one of two of the big impacts that have happened in the last year is they had they had employees who were making
less than fast food restaurant wages. We had a negotiation and they got a raise to bring wages up to modest levels but it was certainly an improvement over what they had basically what we've had to do. And the other
aspect is the lease on the new library space, office space in the new Morehead Library is considerably more than what what it was in the old location. And although it's been planned for and it's hopefully going to be a relationship
that goes on and is is good for both parties, it is it does have an impact on Lake Agasses. >> And what was that annual increased cost for that rental? I don't remember the total. It was $18 a square foot.
>> What was the increase per per square foot? Was it 11 and we're up to 18 or what? >> Uh the they're they're getting about twothirds of the square footage they had in the old library. >> I guess what I'm what I'm wondering is how much of our 30,000
increases related to the rental increase and building. >> I would say ballpark less than uh the increase being for the salaries.
>> Yeah, but I'm sure probably 10,000 of it. And that's just me taking a a a shot in the dark. >> Mr. Kraba. >> Yeah. Well, I I guess to me and I don't
want to make light of any money, but I don't want to make light of this organization. I think Lville is extremely important to our county. I think it's important to our region and for this, you know, I know it's
something, but uh for this small amount, I I don't it has to be sustainable, and we have to help them with that. So, I'd be in favor of um going back to their original uh request. Um we're finding
savings. We've knocked our numbers down. We'll probably knock them down some more. We don't know about the union. I get it. But I don't think we need to be knocking L down where they can't operate uh the way should they should be.
>> Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Mo, >> thank you. You know, I I agree with the sentiments on all the conversation points. I just don't want to preemptively make an action before the other partners have officially done it either. Um, you know, I I get that that
one commissioner can say something, but sometimes I just worry about I mean, I you got to sell it too. And so there's that piece. And um the nice thing is we have time. We have um you know, we have time to kind of work these things out. You know, I'm cautious on the increases
just not knowing what the union piece is. I mean, that's a big thing, but I, you know, I do appreciate that you brought this back up and I think we have time to kind of work through what pieces are. Um, you know, we just heard two superintendent talking about mass
layoffs for educators if if they don't get their piece, too. So, I mean, we're all in these really challenging times to figure out, you know, how We utilize tax dollars comments.
Um, what are we in? So, are is it unclear what Becker's position is right now? Is that is that what we're saying? I was left with the impression that we were going to move forward. And I don't know
if that the commissioner that's on the board had the authority or the blessing or what, but he said, "Okay, I'm satisfied with her explanation. Uh, we just need to work on changing this formula over the next year." Which I think is a valid observation on his
point. But >> and I did reach out to that commissioner yesterday just to have conversations and he said I while I see I see it and I we need to redo the formula which we talked about. He goes I still have to sell it to my board and I don't want to preemptively
commit 100% until I get them to sign 100%. That's >> have all what other counties are part of this? Manomomen, Norman County, >> Noman, Manomomen City, Norman, Pulk, Wilin,
>> Wilin, Clearwater. Yep. >> Do we know if they've all agreed to their increase? >> I was told nobody has notified her that they're not paying. Wilin County was in the executive board and he said, "Sure." He said, "Yes, we've already approved
it." I know the concern was and it may just be reflective of the larger signitories but uh the concern was Becker Morehead was pretty much in a position where they couldn't
they're getting paid rent so I I think they're they're uh meeting the full ask is is >> what was what was increased, you know, morehead >> um Morhead's request was $98,300
>> compared to what the previous year >> uh compared to $837,210. Well, I you know I guess you know in terms of the discussion about the importance of it I you know um again it's an external
agency and I I think I think finding out what Becker County is going to ultimately do is is important. Um, we are increasing 5% as it stands right now and down the road once we know
more about Becker County, I wouldn't be opposed to to reooking at at the additional 15,000. Um, but I mean, if what if another county
who's even higher up than us doesn't do their >> I don't think there is. >> It doesn't matter even if they're higher up than us. just another county. >> Yeah. But I but I mean if if they're not going to if they don't take that increase, Becker Countyy's increase,
>> then is everybody else going to ask to take more or are are there going to be >> I think they're going to cut Becker Countyy's >> cut start cutting now. Or is that >> services? >> Okay. that would ref >> that's that was her comment and and
uh it was not made in any kind of >> oh >> anger she just said if if a county doesn't pay that's where the the cuts need to take place >> why don't we find out what those cuts would be potentially >> yeah I think
>> so Mr. Chair, commissioners, just to provide some additional context. I think in just looking at the board in the budget that they presented, there was a a $200 $212,982 $84 increase request. Um the the
personnel uh that Commissioner Ever commented on earlier uh was a 6% increase which was 182750,000 of that request. They also uh Mr. Mr. Chair, you asked about revenues. Uh they
they are receiving or anticipating receiving $70,572 less in state basic support uh as to what they received in in 2025. I think if you find out what are the potential cuts that we would be looking
at, then we can have a better idea on what to go forward with. I you know I don't I don't want to ignore this uh second request on behalf of Commissioner Ebinger and and the library but I you know I think we I think we have some time to and obviously
down the road if if um you know understanding more what Becker County is I you know I can certainly still support this going forward but I um And that's a decent we have this on we
have this is precisely why I asked that this be a standing >> I agree >> item on our agenda so that we can continue these this dialogue >> and not wait from now until um the need to set the final levy in December. So,
um, you know, I think I think as far as I'm concerned, Commissioner Abberinger, you can go back to them and tell them that that the board just is looking for more information. Um, >> better understand. >> We'll get some of the
>> better understand what other counties are doing and >> I'll get some of the answers to the questions that come up here. >> Perfect. >> And we can revisit it. So, if there was no change to what the um current um amount that anything that that
the library board have to do, they wouldn't have to do it until 2026 anyway, right? So, >> you know, in in in all fairness, and I think we're demonstrating it today, if people start lowballing these
and not paying the ask, it it take it takes one and other people will say, "Look what Klay County did, just like we're saying, where's Becker County?" Uh, it's a reasonable thing, but I think that's probably
uh a concern. Any anytime you have a like a partnership and a particular entity wants to change what has been the financial structure of that partnership, it sometime it sometimes reflects more
than just that one partner. It, you know, it has consequences to all remaining parties. And I I think I think that's kind of where Commissioner Mojo was going too on it. I think Anyway, I don't, you know, I, as far as
I'm concerned, let's just get some more information. And I I certainly will not be opposed to um further further discussion and and consideration on the request. I mean, it's up to you guys what you if you want to act on it today. It's your
choice, but >> Okay. All right. Do we have anything else, Steve, on budget stuff? Can you find any? Have you found any more yet since we started this conversation? >> Nothing else, Mr. Chair. >> Darren, do you got any Huh? You find any
cuts for us that we >> Okay. All right. All right. Let's move into committee reports. Uh, Commissioner Rabinoff, do you want to start today, please? >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, let's go back
to last Wednesday the 15th at the historical and cultural society finance committee. We reviewed our monthly reports and uh um went through the final details of proposed annual
budget. Uh obviously going back to our piece um there was no increase on their request. Um that'll come before the full board. Uh uh on Wednesday on the 16th I had a the monthly meeting for HR.
Um we had a healthy meeting uh overall uh overview of projects updates. Um uh for right now their uh revenues are improving. Uh they uh went through a period of higher evictions for a while.
they've uh made their repairs to these properties and now they're starting to bring revenue. So uh uh much like last year, it's continuing this year to be a steady improvement uh uh forward on their returns.
Um they did do their went through their annual plan along with that their annual budget and u once again thankful for their part of having their their levy that we we all talked about. So that it
was mainly a high overview of um meeting of uh going on for next year. Um excuse me. Uh in the afternoon on the 16th we had our uh public health director interview that took place that
was part of that. Uh and then also um we I had the historical um and cultural society retreat. We do that annually. We talk about uh future visit uh exhibits not only for the coming year but many of
these exhibits um can be uh uh two years out something like that trying to find out when they come to our area. Uh, also one thing that did come up that sparked a little thought was about the museum space that we have down there at the
MCOMs. Uh, after the Morhead development gets all done and Morehead starts city of Morhead starts moving back into their uh, future location back within, you know, city hall. Uh, that's going to be opening up some space. So, um they're
just beginning talks with the uh city of Morehead what that uh that might look like um in in how the museum fix fits within the Yamcon uh center. Uh Friday I
had um u two meetings uh regarding the PRTF and the nonsecured facility. First was with our small group with Rep. healer. Um and um uh kind mainly just talked about um other opportunities that
may be coming through. Uh may thought I mentioned it last week perhaps, but uh engagement with u uh Senator Cler about maybe uh some federal input and then also uh just through last week
discussions more about private partnership uh coming in. I don't know how that would work but anyway uh essentially Stephen showing some interest in our development of the project. Um then uh after that meeting
we did talk both senator Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mojo and I were online talking to Weren't you? >> You just called me Senator Mojo, >> didn't I? Oh my gosh. Haven't done that for like a year. How about that?
Commissioner, were you part of that meeting or not? >> Okay. All right. Never mind. So anyway, we talked with our lobbyists and um Winthrop and Weinstein. Uh good talk
weekly meeting. Uh Steve and I were talking to him and uh anyway uh you already mentioned uh earlier today we're on the Senate Bond bonding bill. Thanks to Senator Koop to make that mark in the stop getting on and that body bill will
be potentially November 12th through 13 and um so back to the lobbyists we'll be working with branding and uh raising it uh for try to get more involvement with other stakeholders. And then um uh
yesterday on the 20th I had a CAPLP u HR committee meeting uh Senator Senator No, just kidding. Um Commissioner Mojo uh myself and uh another on that committee and we reviewed the bylaws changes and
we'll be having suggested changes to approve from the board on Thursday. That must mean >> Commissioner Mel. Thank you. Last week I attended a metricog prep meeting as I was not able to attend the full board meeting uh that happened on
the 16th. So worked with staff on that. On the 16th I traveled to St. Louis County. Uh they had a um the day before their district meetings have a um a tour of issues going on in the county. So I appreciated being asked to attend that
and did attend the AMC district 1 meeting in Duth the next day. And then yesterday I attended the uh CAPLP um HR committee and Commissioner Kavanagh presented that well. And then the last piece is I did have a meeting
conversation with um Kale at the chamber in regards to strategizing our legislative work. just um any additional loose ends that we need to wrap up in between two tours and in between um legislative session. Then I also attended the mindot open house on the um
input for the uh I94 uh 336 corridor um plan. Uh very very well attended and they had several hundreds of uh worth of comments.
That concludes my report. Thank you, Commissioner Bear. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. On the 15th, I had uh the revised partnership for health with Clay and Becker County members where we went over
couple action things. We went over a revised joint powers agreement, a bylaws and delegation agreement which we all approved of and we are on track coming the first of the year to be ready for that public for
health group to be running and we also appointed an interimm co-CHS administrator. So we have one from Klay County and one from Becker County and for right now so they can sign the agreements
but everything went pretty well. It was we got done everything we needed to get done there and our next meeting will be December with the two parties if any Mr. Ebinger was also there. So he's the chair of that. So he can add on anything else on that. And then on the 16th, I
was also at the interview process for public the public health director. Those are all my reports. >> Thank you, Mr. Bigger. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. On uh the 14th, I attended the PIC
meeting that we discussed a couple of issues on uh the Quinn Jagger's presentation and the two juvenile detention employees. both those passed. We just had a preliminary discussion on
on early retirement incentives and that's just something that uh we wanted to explore. No action was taken on it. Um on Wednesday the 15th I attended the meeting with Cass Clay Interagly Inter
Agency Coalition uh against homelessness. Um we discussed there's there it's a new organization. We discussed the governance models that are looking at was presented. There was some discussion
about basically looking for volunteers within the governance uh structure they want and looking at uh staffing some of the committees. And then we had a presentation from a uh an
expert on homelessness. And I don't have his name down because they took up the notebooks they gave us because there was a problem with with some of the information in it they wanted to update. But uh it was a it was a good presentation. Um on Thursday the 16th I virtually
attended the Rethink Mental Health and Substance Misuse Coalition. um had a uh Sarah Dixon uh Hackey, the Klay County
coordinator uh for outreach or liaison uh outreach liaison uh gave a presentation on translation and interpretation for public service settings. Uh we also uh discussed
um Annabelle Default gave a a present presentation on rethinking mental health and substance misuse and discuss the findings from the data party they had earlier in the year. Um,
and on Thursday, no, I'm sorry, later that day, on Thursday, I attend the West Central Regional uh Juvenile Center meeting. uh discussed current budget stand where we stand
looking at uh some of the population statistics and patterns that emerged from from uh uh the West Central data that they've collected. discuss the food service
contract and West Central juvenile uh programs that are currently going on. Commissioner Campbell's the chair there. He probably has more insight into presenting on this.
But uh moving on, later that day had a public health interview which we all attended. Um after that I went to the Lake Agassy Regional Library Executive Committee which uh again we were going through the
budget and discussing our um current formula used for the signitories. Yesterday I had a uh dancing skies area on aging uh meeting I attended virtually.
Again, a lot of the concern and the discussion revolved around grants that aren't being refunded in the coming year and funding for particularly the concerns of transportation and food.
And then following that had the quarterly uh restorative practice meeting uh we had we have just gotten a grand funding in place uh that restorative uh practices got and
they had some of the the two positions that are being uh presented uh and supported by those grants. They're both working at Morhead High School. had a really good discussion about what their role role is, what
their hopes are, and just kind of where it's going. So, it was a good meeting. And that concludes my presentation. >> Thank you. October 14th, I also attended the personnel issues committee. We dealt
with the uh SNBC program as well as the replacement of the juvenile detention employees. And um staff brought forward to us uh some information about several years
ago we did implement an early retirement incentive program and no action was taken on that. We're at I think we've just asked for some additional information from HR and Darren to bring forward in
the future. So whether or not something develops remains to be seen, but that's uh kind of where that stood. Um that afternoon we did hold the the public health interview. uh that interview went well
and in full transparency I think we we saw through our um HR department today that uh or yesterday that was put out that um we're going to open it up for interviews again. And it's not to say
that the person that we um had interviewed wasn't qualified because that individual was more than qualified and it just didn't work out for them. So that individual. So Steve may have more
on that in his presentation, but I think in fairness to our public health employees, they need to know where where we stand on that and where where it's at and why it is where it is today. Uh then on the um 16th we also had the
West Central Regional Juvenile Detention meeting. Um Dave, Commissioner Abberinger gave a good report on that. We uh he did they they did provide us with a SE secure residential program. Um, and it outlines kind of the
different things that that they do in there that makes us makes our our uh secure program the kind of the premier in the state. And uh as a matter of fact, I think there was some discussion
there were other members from other counties were asking if other and I think other counties are trying to duplicate what we do because of the how well it's done. So I don't know maybe Steve if this we can
get to the other board members maybe. Huh? >> Yeah. So we can maybe if you can give an electronic copy to them or a print out to each of them that would be great. Um and the other um obviously the the numbers are really
high right now in the facility. There's there's good and bad to that. It's I guess we'd like to have no kids in there, but uh from the standpoint of where it's at, it's um you know, we're we're close to that capacity issue where
our members take priority. And so there are there are still a certain number of non-members in there. We're still anticipating reaching the revenues that we anticipated from non-members through the through the process of 2025 budget is still on target to be like it was
similarly one of the concerning things that I look at here on the 24 month look back it's um Klay County is up 31% in the in the 24-month look back that's
31% of our you know we're up 31% what we were C County is up 24.5 and the rest are all either down or within the range of 3 to 5%. So, and obviously that eventually down
the road that in that incorporates a larger percentage for Klay County to have on the budget. So, uh, let's see then. Um, I think that concludes my report. It does.
All right, Steve. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Last Tuesday, participated in the PIC meeting that has been well covered. Uh that afternoon, Lori and I met with Todd from Ellers uh in preparation of the bond call, bond rating call that we had later in the
week. On the 15th, had correspondence with MCIT on several liability issues. Uh on the 15th, uh had our had our weekly meeting with representatives from City Dworth and Morehead on the casino. Uh on the 16th I was I was invited by
city Morhead to participate uh in a meeting with the White Earth Reservation. They are beginning some initial discussions about u the needs of the casino uh as far as utilities and what that would potentially look like look like. So there's more to come on that.
uh again participated on that afternoon in the public health director interviews that we've been discussed and after that did participate in the bond rating call uh with for S&P uh that uh went well we did provide some additional information
uh they've elers did put out some additional information about the outlook for the re uh the rebonding and uh continues to look strong uh for for that uh for for the bonds that we have um 17th participated in the nonsecured
juvenile legislative meeting and the lobbyist meeting that's been covered. Yesterday morning uh I participated in a meeting and uh with representatives from Dworth, Glendon Holly and Barnesville about uh about the dispatch services.
I was notified uh by their administration uh that we that the Klay County will be receiving a joint resolution uh stating that they do not uh wish to pay for additional dispatch services after the contract uh but that they may be willing to look at a
sunsetting contract over the next three years. And so more to come on that. Uh just a reminder for our uh our employees and those on the campus on Thursday there's going to be this is fire prevention month and there's going
to be a fire drill at 10:00 a.m. And so please follow follow our policy at that time. Uh, and then I did provide each member of the board a handout uh that I received this week in the mail from Sherburn County uh about uh their uh
their requests for for counties to look to sign a resolution to participate in the min Minnesota Nuclear Energy Alliance. Uh and so in speaking with Mr. Mr. Chair, I would bring that forward again for any input uh on the board uh
if the wish would be to to bring this back at a later meeting. I'd like to see it be brought back. >> All right. All right. Let's uh Can we have that placed on the agenda for
I don't know that it's >> I don't think it's time sensitive. I think that they're hoping much like our legislative work. They're trying to get that that support prior to the legislative session. >> I agree with Commissioner Bayer. I'm fine with it coming back. It's it aligns with conversations that we've had in
regards to it. Very good. >> That concludes my report. >> Thank you. I do have one additional item that I did not bring up. I did yesterday I did attend the Prairie Lakes Audit Committee meeting regarding their um
results of their annual state audit and that was very well. They got a unqualified opinion as well which is the best opinion you can get. Couple of very minor little things in there similar to what we see oftentimes at Klay County.
They were directed they were directed more towards Ottertale County and there were minor things that Ottertale County has responded to. So all all was well in the financial department in Great Lake Solid Waste. Darren, do you or Brian, excuse me, I'll go to you first. No,
nothing. Okay, Darren. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh on the 14th, I also attended the PIC meeting which has already been covered. Uh also spent a lot of the day uh preparing for union negotiations and uh gathering some uh data from other counties on some of our
positions. Uh on October 15th, I worked on the early retirement calculations and reports and using different criteria. Um, Commissioner Campbell, you kind of alluded to that already, so maybe I can um present that at the next pick meeting
of what we can find. Uh, October 16th had a meeting with Quinn on some union questions. Some of that was already covered in the SNBC today. Um, also had social workers third negotiations on the 16th and uh, I also participated in the
public health director interview. Uh, on the 17th I was out. On the 20th, I had a meeting with Anna on various uh things and uh also worked some more on the union costing sheet. So that was
by week review. Sarah, >> nothing for you. >> All right, we are journed. Part: 2
No big deal. Motion to approve. >> Second. mic. Um, and look for a motion to approve if there's no questions or additions. Motion by Laura.
>> Second. >> Seconded by Brad. Any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Is there anyone in the audience tonight that wishes to speak or online that
wishes to speak on something that is not on the agenda? Is there anyone in the audience or online that wishes to speak to something that is not on the agenda? Third time. Is there anyone in the audience or online that wishes to speak
to something that is not on the agenda? Thank you. Okay. Um, our public hearing number one is Lauren Richards request for an interimm use an IUP mining permit. The
in the applicant is seeking for an IUP for a gravel mine on parcel ID 17.005. 005.200 0 the northwest quarter of section 5 township
141 North Range 45 West Keen Township. Look for a motion to open the public hearing. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Motion by Josh, seconded by Brad. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I.
>> I. Motion is carried. Public hearing is open. Taken away, Matt. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, this is a request for an intermuse permit for a new gravel mine. Uh this is located in the northeast part of Klay County in Keen Township. It's actually just uh to
the northeast of the county gravel pit. Um it's 168 acre parcel. Uh primarily the use right now is egg and there is an inactive gravel mine in the lower left hand or southwest
extent of the property. Uh the zoning is egg general. Uh the overlay zoning is resource protection biological kind of a little finger coming down here and then the rest of the parcel is resource protection aggregate. Uh the cup for this was
granted in 1988. Uh with the existing property and surrounding area, uh there isn't any prime farmland on site. There is high aggregate potential. Uh there's native prairie in the northwest extent of the parcel. There are natural and excavated
wetlands present. Um the surrounding properties do contain high quality native prairie and prairie chicken habitat as well. And then you can kind of see here. So, a lot of the parcel has very high aggregate potential and then all this green is essentially that
native prairie. As for wetlands, um there are just some on the west side of the parcel and some on uh the north here of the parcel. Uh, and just because this is so close to um one of my favorite um
landmarks in Klay County, the Buffalo Rock is just to the south here. So, you can actually see it on the aerial right here. And this is the parcel down here. But yes, this is worth a trip if you ever have time if you haven't seen it yet.
Uh for the mining, uh they're going to do open pit extraction. They're going to use frontend loaders and bulldozers. Uh material would be processed on site with portal screening and crushing plants. They're not doing any washing at all. They're looking to operate between April
and December uh 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. So that's consistent with our um with our time and then Keen Township as well with their um required operating hours. um looking at maybe 30 days out of the
calendar year for doing um uh crushing um just for bigger jobs and having two to three equipment operators and 8 to 12 truck drivers on site. Uh dust control would be a mix of water and calcium chloride as needed. Uh they
would do contouring vegetative cover and they'd have to comply with their storm water permit. Uh and then they plan on uh top soil um stockpiling that to be seated and then reused um for reclamation.
So some haul route and environmental considerations. So this would uh pass through um sensitive native prairie habit habitat, greater prairie chicken booming grounds. Um, so dust control, minimizing truck speeds, limiting early morning noise is essential and then
potentially coordination with the DNR and then also the Klay County Highway Department as well just on um road maintenance. Uh so their sites here, Hall Road follows this township road 170th out to county 108 which is a paved
road. Did not receive any comments from the township or the general public on this request. Um though approval may be required by Keen Township. So they'd need to check with with the township on that.
Looking at how this request um aligns with our comprehensive and transportation plan goals and objectives. Uh we have a goal to foster a balanced approach to aggregate resource extraction that is compatible with the natural resources and rural character of Klay County and to avoid or
mitigate impacts to groundwater surface water, native prairie woodlands and wetlands for new or expanding mining operations. Uh really the big thing here is just with all the native prairie uh habitat in the area um really controlling that dust control on um on
the roads, hall roads and in the mine itself. Uh part of the proposed mining area does appear to include a wetland or a portion of a wetland. So a wetland consultation with um our um water wetland conservation act coordinator
would be must occur prior to any mining commencement so they can avoid that. We do require phased end reclamation plans and bonds and they've indicated that reclamation will occur as mining progresses. Um and then the there is a
reclamation bond requirement with every um gravel pit. Um and then just considering cumulative impacts of mining. So there would be that with the nearby Klay County Felton Pit. Um, there's also a northern
improvement pit that's been and both of those mines have been in operation since the at least the 50s or 60s. So, very old, maybe even the northern improvement pit probably a lot longer than that. Um,
just um paying particular attention to this the sensitive environment. Uh, and then also just with 170th Street being gravel road, just making sure there's regular maintenance and dust control on that. Any questions for me at all?
Hearing none. Would the applicant like to step up to the mic and introduce yourself and speak your piece? >> I'm Ian Severson. I work for Lauren Richards. He wasn't able to get here yet. Um, I don't have anything to add unless you got specific questions on anything.
>> Um, I guess I'll go first. Um, so this isn't the first mine you guys have operated in. >> It's not >> in in Klay County. See, you're aware that if um you know this is approved and magically you mistakenly are mining 15
more acres, then you're supposed to that you that there could be some punitive >> Absolutely. We've we've been through that before and we've learned our lesson and went through all the steps necessary to fix our past problems. Okay. And I
encourage you to reach out to um our Wacka County WACA specialist because it may be because this is an old mine that >> those wetlands may not be actual actionable wetlands because they're artificial.
>> Sure. >> So that was all I had. >> Mr. Chair. >> Paul. Oh, I just have a question for Mr. Severson. If >> if there's a third party that's going to be doing the um stripping or site prep, like a Subaniac, or will you be doing
it? >> We do all our own stripping and reclamation. >> Okay. >> They they may do a little bit, but just as they're there, but we do the majority of it. >> And I work with Stefan. I mean, everybody does. That's
>> that's who does our crushing at our other pit when we crush in there. Just a question for Matt first and then I'll learn this. Uh Matt, what's the uh setback for the native prairie? >> So we have a setback for anything that's zoned resource protection biological 100
100 ft. >> 100 feet. You're aware of that? >> Yes. >> Yeah. I will Mr. Chair just add that um Mr. Sever, Mr. Richards, and I have met a handful of times um going into earlier
this year um on this on this proposed site, even into last year, I think. And um they just wanted to make sure that they're doing their due diligence ahead of time. And there, you know, you're you don't I'm assuming they won't be
required, they'll be required to put it back to natural state because in your notes you'd stated that the prior mining didn't do any reclamation. >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, that's correct. The the prior pit um the conditional use permit
did not have any conditions attached to it. No requirements for reclamation. So that would be a kind of a separate the the mining here would take place would be separate from go back to a map here.
Yeah. So it would be separate from this. >> Okay. >> So they wouldn't be required to do anything with unless they go in there and mine. >> Yeah. Unless they use this for whatever reason. No, they would not be required to reclaim that. >> Okay. Thank you. Anyone
else on the board? >> Mr. Chair, just a quick question. Um, I don't see anything about uh expected runoff direction. Is the flow onsite or is they have to implement any best management practices to keep a runoff off site? >> Yeah, Mr. Chair and Mr. Schroeder, the
they would be directing all storm water runoff in into the interior of the pit. nothing would be discharged. Thank you. Is uh there anyone in the audience that
wishes to speak for or against Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak for or against this IUP? Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak for or against? Hearing none. Look for a motion to
adjourn the public hearing. >> Some moved. >> Motion by Brad, second by Laura. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Post. Motion is carried. Public hearing is closed. go through the findings of fact. The
interimm use will not be injurous to the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of residents of Klay County. The interimm use will not be injurous to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the
purpose already permitted. The establishment of the interimm use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding property for uses predominant in the area. Adequate measures have been or will be
taken to provide utilities, access roads, drainage and off- streetet parking and loading spaces as required by this ordinance. Adequate measures have been or will be taken to prevent or control offensive odor, fumes, dust, noise and vibration,
water pollution and soil erosion so that none of these will constitute a nuisance and to control lighted signs or other lights in such a manner that no disturbance to neighboring properties will result. The interimm use will not create an
excessive burden on current or anticipated public infrastructure or services that serve or are proposed to serve the area including but not limited to parks, schools, public safety services, roads, water supply, sanitary sewers, storm
sewers. Unless the county and the applicant establish a development agreement that determines how such impacts will will be resolved. The interimm use is allowed by this ordinance and conforms with any specific
use standards established in chapter 8 as may be applicable. The use the interim use is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Klay County comprehensive and transportation plan and any comprehensive plan of a township or city
as may be applicable. And uh staff has 13 14 15 >> 15 Paul. >> Yeah, I didn't plan that one. So, thank you Okay, staff has
listed 15 um potential requirements and uh they are appear to be keeping in line with what we have done in the past and keep in
line with gravel pits in that area um or in in in in the entire county actually. Does anybody have any they would need to add or
If there's a case of emergency, the uh you know, blood or behind because of weather, all they they would just need to contact and you've done this before, contact Matt and staff and they could or you know may
give you a permit to work longer and have I'm assuming you have access to or have looked at these 15 recommendations and understand and are able to follow
them. >> Yeah, thank you. Mr. Chair, I'll make a motion to approve uh conditions 1 through 15. >> We have a motion by Brad to approve the IUP with conditions 1 through 15.
>> Second by Kurt. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. IUP is granted. Okay. Our
next hearing is uh the Spring Prairie um Spring Prairie CSG LLC request for a cup. Um, the applicant is seeking a conditional use permit for a 1 megawatt community solar garden on parcel ID
27.0043000 in part of the northwest corner quarter of section 4, township 140N, range 46W, Spring Prairie Township. Look for a motion to open the public
hearing. Motion by Laura, >> second by Paul. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Public hearing is open. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, this is a cup
request for 1 megawatt community solar garden. Uh, this is at the intersection of Trunk Highway 9 and County State Aid Highway 26. uh there it's currently agricultural and there is an existing one megawatt community solar garden permitted by cup
in 2019 on site. Uh the zoning of this property is agricultural general and so the request is to establish this uh community solar garden on approximately 16 6.63 63 acres of land farmland. Uh part of this community
solar garden program which allows for residents, businesses, and other entities to to subscribe to solar power and receive bill credits if they can't do it on their own property and that's accessible to XL Energy customers in Minnesota. Um again looking at site
selection criteria, level train, amount of sunlight, proximity to electrical infrastructure and landowner participation, ability to inter connect to the um grid through XL Energy. It's kind of why we're seeing a lot of these requests and projects in the Highway 9
corridor just because of that proximity to um the infrastructure and it being in XL Energy territory. So, the goal is to begin construction in 2026 and and conclude in 2027. The project has about a 35-y year lifespan,
be about 2400 solar panels, height of 8 ft. Um, and in Klay County, our maximum height requirement is 15. Um, they would also have to establish bene beneficial habitat and pol
pollinator vegetation as part of this as well. Uh there's a decommissioning plan to full removal of all equipment and restoration of the site to egg production. Um appreciate the applicant providing probably the most detailed cost breakdown of um solar
decommissioning that we have seen thus far. So that's much appreciated. Uh the estimated cost about 300 thou $36,46 and there's a salvage value of 1028 $818,000
uh with a net cost of $226,000. Uh considerations for this request um would take about 6.63 acres of prime farmland out of production. We did not receive any public comment on this request. Uh this was approved by Spring Prairie Township at their last meeting.
So they did get a permit from from the township. Uh the township did not have any issues. Uh they will likely require an access permit uh from the highway department to connect to CASA 26. So while this uh request relates to our
comprehensive plan goals and objectives, we do have a goal to support the long-term protection of the county strong and diverse egg economy. Um being that community solar gardens um they do add diversity to our egg economy and
allow producers to diversify their operations in revenue streams. Uh the development is compatible with all is compatible with the character and quality of the county's agricultural areas. Um a lot of these are going up right along major transportation
corridors and hubs. We do have a goal to protect prime agricultural soils from commercial, industrial, and residential development. This is something that would take 6.63 acres of prime farmland or prime farmland if drained out of egg
production for a minimum of 35 years. Uh there there is the um possibility that the site could be returned to be restored to for farmland as soil loss would not occur. um and it's a pretty small scale project.
We also have a goal to encourage commercial and industrial development that is in harmony with the egg and rural character of Klay County. Um get comments from folks that um community solar gardens can be detracting from the rural character of Klay County but can
also be seen as an emerging component of the agricultural landscape. And then to avoid um or mitigate against commercial and industrial development in or near environmentally sensitive areas. This project is not in or near any
environmentally sensitive areas. Uh and then to avoid or mitigate against commercial and industrial development that increases the potential for land use conflicts with rural residential or egg uses. So this use is relatively p passive. It doesn't generate any excess
traffic, um, noise, vibr vibrations, or dust and generates power for Minnesota businesses, residents, and institutions. We do have a goal to grow and restore prairie and woodland areas in Klay County for the benefit, enjoyment of Klay County businesses, residents, and
visitors. And this would result in about six acres of pollinator and wildlife habitat. And that is also a requirement uh per our ordinance as well. Any questions for me? Feel like we've seen a number of these
this year. So, >> is the applicant present or a representative and would like to speak for the project? Please come to the mic and identify yourself for the record. >> Yeah, my name is Jacob Van Dlin. Uh, my address is 33 West State Street, Geneva,
Illinois 6134. Um, I have nothing else to add. Uh, if you have any questions for me, I'm happy to answer them. I have nothing. It's, you know, pretty boilerplate at this point. Um, I appreciate that you put in there that
you're really looking at two years before it's done. Mr. Do you have anything to add? >> Just a question. Um, are you involved with any of the other projects along that stretch in that area?
>> No, it would be me if anyone. I'm not aware of any. So, this is our only project in this area in this county. >> Okay. And I'm assuming there's no issue getting an entrance off of CASA 26 that close to the intersection. I did uh speak to the county engineer about that
and said that just go to go through the access permitting process. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak or online that wishes to speak for or against?
Is there anyone in the audience or online that wishes to speak for or against? Is there anyone in the audience or online that wishes to speak for or against? Hearing none. Look for a motion to close the public hearing.
Motion by Sebastian. Second by Kurt. All those in favor say I. I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Public hearing is closed. We will go through the findings of fact.
The conditional use will not be injurous to the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of residents of Klay County. The conditional use will not be interest to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for
the purpose already permitted. Establishment of the conditional use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding property for uses predominant in the area. Adequate measures have been or will be
taken to provide utilities, access roads, drainage, off- streetet parking, and loading spaces as required by this ordinance. Adequate measures have been or will be taken to prevent or control offensive
odor, fumes, dust, noise, vibration, water pollution, and soil erosion so that none of these will constitute a nuisance and to control lighted signs or other lights in such a manner that no disturbance to dis neighboring
properties will result. The conditional use will not create an excessive burden on current or anticipated public infrastructure or services that serve or are proposed to serve the area including to but not limited to parks, schools, public safety
services, roads, water supply, sanitary sewer, storm sewers. Unless the county and the applicant establish a development agreement that determines how such impacts will be resolved. The conditional use is allowed by this
ordinance in conformance with any specific use standards established in chapter 8 as may be applicable. The conditional use is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Klay County comprehensive and transportation
plan and any comprehensive plan of a township or city as may be applicable. and staff has established six. Yep. And Mr. Chair, these are pretty standard across the board for all of our
community solar garden permits. I did make one suggested change on the um decommissioning um bond or to just make it an even $300,000 >> and I the township has already voted on
and approved >> correct >> this. So Mr. Stiken, >> Mr. Chair and Matt, I know in the past we've had some discussion on keeping weeds down, the fence up. Is
that all covered under the number seven or of the findings of facts long as they establish or the standards established in chapter 8? Does that cover those issues? >> Yeah, and correct. And as part of the um
Minnesota statutes 216b 1642, um one thing that the board the board of water and solar resources does is they actually go out and do checks on all of these to make sure that they're meeting that habit beneficial habitat standard. Um, and so that's that is part of that.
Okay. Anybody else have any questions or comments, subtractions, or additions? >> Hearing none, look for a motion to approve or disapprove.
>> Stiken approve the permit requested. >> Motion by Commissioner Styen to approve. >> Second. Second by Brad. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I.
>> Opposed. >> Hearing none. Motion is carried. Permit is approved. Thank you everyone. Our next public hearing is Steven and Teresa Opatrell request for a subdivision.
The applicant is seeking to plat a two lot oneb block subdivision on parcel ID 19.017.4200 4200 in part of the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter and the
southwest quarter of the southeast quarter. Section 17, Township 138N, range 48W, Curts Township. Look for a motion to open the public
hearing. >> So moved. >> Second. Motion by Sebastian, seconded by Brad. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. >> Public hearing is open.
>> Matt, take it away. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, this is a request for a platted subdivision. Uh the location of this would be um just south of the um recently approved um platted subdivision um on the east side
of Highway 75 uh north of 90th Avenue and south of 80th Avenue. Uh the base zoning or the zoning for this property uh base district is Egg General. Uh the overlay district would be there is some flood plane fringe on
um in the southwest part of the property. So this would be a preliminary plat um one block two lot. The name would be the optrol subdivision. Uh the parcel is 66 acres. Um land use is agricultural. There aren't any structures on the
property. Uh the crop equivalency rating on uh the property is ranges from 67 to 73 um which is considered good very good and there aren't any known wetlands on the property as well. Uh improvement plans. So the the lot
sizes would range from 10 to 53.73 acres. There would not be any internal road public roads. Uh it' be a direct access connection to US Highway 75. They don't have any restrictive covenants. Uh there was township action on um this
request. Um September 8th they considered request from a different applicant to reszone and plat the property and that was that was denied. Uh in September 23rd they heard a request from the landowner for this plat. Um the request was approved but the township did voice operation to the
sighting of a concrete plant or other industrial use at this location citing loss of far farmland neighborhood concerns concerns about traffic safety and potential groundwater use. Um one thing that was discussed at the township
meeting on September 23rd was um a concrete plant would be permitted as an interim use in this zoning district. um the agricultural general zoning district. So whether there's a plat or not, that would still be permitted. It
would have to go it would still have to go through the interim use permit process. And then we did receive um public comments um and you all should have received the letter that I had that I had received provided to you um concerns
about um noise, dust, vibration, uh highway safety, just this as being a um 60 mph two-lane road. um comments about long-term planning and zoning just having industrial uses that could disrupt progression and under undermine
long-term planning at this location. Uh uh then impact just with the recent commercial industrial development. Um they've neighbors have observed impacts already on on US Highway 75. Uh also received a phone call from a neighboring
property owner um Mr. Victor Haggarude who um strongly emphasized that the county should protect rural character uh and that his opinion was that development along this corridor should match US Highway 81 corridor which is in
North Dakota and Fargo and it's across the river. It's primarily residential and then industrial development limit limiting the growth of Morehead to the south. Um just again all these comments relative to this plat um would be more
appropriate once we know for sure if there is an interim use permit for in the future. Did also receive additional comments from mind. They would require an access permit and as part of that a site plan as well.
Uh just looking at the average annual daily traffic count for Highway 75 at this location, uh there's about uh 1646 uh trips or vehicles a day and that's 2024 data. So that's the um most recent
um count. All this request um would relate to our comprehens transportation plan goals and objectives. Um, we have a a goal to recognize and
protect the egg character of Klay County, protect prime egg soils from commercial, industrial, residential developments. Um, and the proposed resoning has the potential to take approximately 10 acres of prime farmland uh out of production uh ranging from uh
a CER of 67 to 73. Uh, this would be considered to be good farmland. And then that we just have about 297,600 acres of prime farmland if drained and 154,240 acres of prime farmland.
Uh to we have a goal to encourage commercial and industrial development that is in harmony with the egg and rural character of Klay County and to promote value added egg commercial and industrial development in agricultural service center areas and along transportation corridors and hubs. So
the proposed plat would allow for egg residential and some commercial such as storage units or industrial uses um like a concrete plant would be situated along Highway 75 uh which would be a major transportation corridor in Klay County.
Again, just noting that there's no reszoning request with this plat. So these be limited in in in uses that would be allowed to the egg general zoning district. We have a goal to commercial to encourage commercial industrial development that is in harmony with egg
and rural character of Klay County and to avoid or mitigate against commercial industrial development that increases the potential for land use conflicts with rural residential egg or egg uses. Um just noting that the closest residence is about a/4 mile north of the proposed plat and there's also a
residence uh point4 miles west of this proposed plat as well. Any questions for me at all? >> Want to be clear, Matt, there's nothing on this property at all right now. >> Correct. >> Nothing. It's the middle of
>> farmland. >> Yeah. And so this piece was picked in this location, you know, for any reason specific.
>> Run over to it here quick. So the original request from to the to the town board and that would have gone to the county was for that re platin resoning for specifically for a concrete plant. >> Okay. Yeah.
>> And and one of the reasons I'm asking this question and I don't know if the the bigger piece that's on is owned by one same owner or not, but if 75 some issue, you know, why wouldn't it be on
some location that would exit on a 90th or something in a safer place? >> Just asking >> just to the >> But that's not what's being asked. Yeah. Anyone else have anything for Matt? Okay. Would the applicant care to come
up and speak your project? Introduce you know the drill. John Lowry with Lowry Engineering and I'm here on behalf of Steve Alpatril and the land owner and uh I think Matt laid out everything really well. One one item
that I would stress is you know um Steve is interested in and his wife are interested in creating a 10acre parcel that they can market for sale as an agricultural use as permitted uh through the county ordinance. that that's the only request that we're here to discuss
and and uh asking approval on tonight. Um you know, there may or may not be additional requests coming in the future, but uh at this point, he's looking for a 10acre marketable piece of property, which I believe he's allowed to do uh by right through the code. So,
um that that's uh what the request is. So, if there's any questions of us, uh feel free here to help and answer in any way I can. I guess I'll ask my question. Yeah. >> Why why this particular spot uh in that
piece of land when we're talking about potential? >> Yep. >> Uh danger on on 75 when maybe I'm not saying you can or can't you know be exited off on 90th. Well, I think the
same danger that perceived danger I I don't know that there is, but I think the same perceived danger would be the same if it was to the south onto a township road and then onto 75. You know, you're going to have the same traffic, the same, it'll be stop controlled from the east. And this
location is where in, you know, in the future at some point, this is where an access will go uh for Mindot. This is where they prefer. >> That's where they want >> when this land if when this land develops, this is where an access will be located. Okay.
>> We we've been in contact with Mandot and that driveway location is uh preferred by them. >> Yep. >> Sense to me. >> And if a turn lane or something is required at any point in time, you know, that that'll be identified and built out for safety concerns. They haven't
expressed that with the level of traffic that could be anticipated here. So, for one site. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> So what you're what you're saying is that right now even though you know we we see that there's talk
about you know potential concrete plant that right at tonight >> Yep. All you're talking about is splitting off 10 acres for a potential >> sale >> agricultural. >> Yep. Yeah. And with the egg zoning and
any uses that are permitted underneath egg zoning. There's no reasonzone request or anything else. It's just creating a 10acre parcel that they can they can hold for sale with agricultural uses. Yep. >> That's correct. And then that would
allow, you know, a fertilizer plant or something based, an egg based business to go in there if we would allow this. >> Yeah, Mr. Mr. Chair, I think there's a a little bit of difference between um egg uses and uses allowed in the
agricultural general zoning district because there are some uses that are not egg such as a batch plant, concrete plant, asphalt batch plant, um gravel pit, um those types of things. We do
permit those as um the typically either interim uses or conditional uses in the egg general zoning district. So would still whatever use would be proposed would still have to go through the
permitting public hearing process, the permitting process. um you would have to as a planning commission um or the applicant would have to actually demonstrate um that they can satisfy the review
standards that we had just gone through in our the past two public hearings. um and that you would make findings for that. Essentially, regardless of the plat, the an an
applicant could come forward and propose a concrete plant on the entire 66 acre parcel if they so choose because it's allowed in our code in this zoning district. provided that it meets all the
setbacks and that it um satisfies our general review standards and criteria for interim use permits. >> You just taken >> I just want to make sure I understand this clearly. We're just here to decide
on the plat tonight. >> Correct. And it's a it's the applicant's risk or their idea what they can do with it afterwards. That'll come back in some fashion if it's approved or not approved. But we're just focusing on the plan tonight. >> Correct.
>> Right. Kind of getting off in the weeds on a lot of things there. >> Just want to make it really clear in my mind. So, we're saying even though I may believe that the very best use of this land is
it farmland and we're going to burn up some good farmland for another use and that's okay that that we can't stop that. >> I'm no I'm not saying that because we do have a comprehensive plan in place. We
have goals and objectives in the comprehensive plan to protect prime farmland. If you as a planning commission in the future make a finding that this is not an appropriate use here because of uh it conflicts with our comprehensive plan goals and objectives.
That is a perfectly reasonable >> but that wouldn't be a decision made tonight. >> No, that would be another time. >> Yes. >> Yep. That would be at another if whatever development or proposal comes forward in the in the future.
>> Yeah, >> we everything's cool tonight exactly what they're doing and the the fact that it is prime farmland uh is just part of the deal. It goes with this other uses available to that
land. >> Correct. Yep. >> Thank you. All right. And I would also add that a lot of the um well just with batch plants in general, they're not conditional use permits. So they're not land rights, they're interim use permits. Every essentially every single
batch plant that's been permitted as an interim use in Klay County has an expiration date on it as a condition. Typically, it's been we've seen some that are one year, we've seen some that are five years, we've seen some that are 10 years. um that's part of the interim
use process and that's similar for now if you wanted to do like a egg service establishment so more commercially oriented to agriculture which would be allowed um that would be a conditional use permit so that would be a land right
so no expiration on on those >> Yep. Thank you for that. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank hearing nobody else. Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak for or against
>> Ron Null? >> Pardon? >> Ron Null. >> Okay. Please come to the mic and state your name and um please come to the you wish to speak. That's what you have to do.
Uh, I have no questions or comments at this time other than to express my concern for the batch plant that we know is coming uh down the road. So, thank you.
>> Okay. Is there anyone else in the audience that wishes to speak for or against >> Dale Schulfeld? If so, please come to the mic. Introduce yourself. >> Develop 921614th Street South Morehead. I'm like a half mile away from where
this is going to happen. And there's going to be a lot more traffic coming down these roads. I live on 90th Avenue, which is a gravel narrow road, and it's actually comes from the downer road, and we're just afraid we're going to get a lot more traffic on that narrow gravel
road, people coming here. And then the dust and the noise, all the construction equipment beeping all the time and then the all the water use that they're going to be doing. This just kind of concerns us. We're against it. The shows are
>> you. Anyone else in the audience wish to speak for or against >> Paul Bannerman? My name is Paul Bannerman. Uh we reside at 8462 Highway 75 South. We the closest property owner. Uh our families live there for 80 years. Currently still live
there. We are a lot of safe concerns. The shows have the water usage. Um we're concerned with water wells running dry. There's no definite source around how long it's going to last. increased traffic, noise, dust, noise, pollution,
lights from everything, you know, yard lights and such going on around us. The um increased the noise from the beeping of the trucks in constant use from that. And as previous stated, the eventual we see they're eventually going to try and
put a batch plant. They've been trying to do one for a couple years for either asphalt plant and or a concrete plant. They've been trying for years to do it and we're extremely opposed to this. >> Thank you. >> Jeff Jelene.
>> Um, it would be terrible to live next to that. Am I supposed to say my address? >> Just just your name, please. >> Oh, uh, Jeff Julen. It would be horrible to live next to a batch plant, but I actually have a small concrete company and like five years ago, I couldn't even
get concrete because I'm a small company and the other batch plants were really busy. I think they were doing like the diversion project. So, it wouldn't hurt the community to have another batch plant available for smaller concrete companies such as myself.
That's it. >> Thank you, >> chair. There are three people online. Is there anyone online that wishes to speak for or against? If so, please state your name and speak your peace.
Anyone online that wishes to speak for or against? Is there anyone in line or anybody else in the audience that wish to speak for or against? I can't
hear nobody responding. I see nobody else in the audience. Um, look for a motion to hearing nothing else. Unless anybody else has questions for Matt, I look for a motion to close the public hearing.
>> So move. >> Motion by Brad. >> Second. >> Seconded by Sebastian. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Public hearing is closed. Thank you.
So, Mr. Chair, just with all all of our platted subdivisions, kind of three options for you. Um, one would be to authorize or recommend approval and the authorization of the final plat. Once that's completed, you would have the
opportunity to review that again before it comes to the county board. Um, you could just authorize the uh preparation of the final plant and wave that right to review and recommend to the county board or recommend denial of the plat to the board.
And I appreciate everybody speaking their peace over this. But tonight our main and really only task for this board is to advise the county commission
whether we approve taking this 10 acre parcel out of this parcel. That is our one and only ask and Mr. was correct careful not to get too much in the
weeds. Um I do wonder I do appreciate people coming to board ahead of time to express their concern over something that may or may not be
in the works. It's far better to get in early than late. That being said, um we only have three options. I would recommend anything, but
look for a motion to recommend to the county commissioners for approval or a denial of this plat. Mr. Second approves the uh
uh request for the plat and is it to wave the right? Is that the most streamline way to move forward on this? >> Yeah. Um Mr. Chair and Mr. Styen, I think if you're looking for a motion to
recommend um I guess recommend it be a motion to um recommend authorization of the preparation of the final plat and then wave the right planning commission right to review to the county board.
>> That's the direction I would like to go. >> Second. >> Seconded by Mr. Schroer. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I.
>> Opposed. Motion is carried. Platt request is moved on to the county commission. >> And Mr. chair, just for your awareness than for the folks who um did attend this meeting tonight. Um the earliest
that the county board could hear uh that plat request um would have to confir confirm with the the developer as well would be uh November 18th just with um um public meeting public
hearing notice uh Minnesota open meeting law. Uh and then also with um the Tuesday, November 11th being Veterans Day, there is not a board meeting um on that date. So in order to comply with the notice public notice requirements uh
and then also the the holiday um the 18th would be the the earliest, but that I'd need to to discuss with a further with a developer on getting that final plat. >> And there is also an end date or must must be by date, correct? or is that
just on the next hearing >> for the for the plat? >> Yes. >> Yeah. It's typically 120 days. >> So, thanks everyone. Moving on to our
final planned hearing of the evening is Scott Manthy request for a platted subdivision. The applicant is seeking to plat a 12 lot oneb block subdivision on parcel ID13.0093000 0093000
in part of the southwest quarter of section 9, township 139 north, range 45W, Holly Township. Look for a motion to open the public hearing. >> So move. >> Motion by Kurt. >> Second.
>> Seconded by Brad. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Take it away, Matt. >> Yep. This is a request for a platted subdivision. Um the location uh this is west and south of Holly uh
south of Highway 10 on the east side or west side, sorry, of Mariah Lake and um east side of 200 Street. I got my east and west mixed up there, so I apologize for that. Uh the base uh the zoning the base district is egg general. uh the
overlay district there are is general flood plane uh and then some shoreland uh special protection as well. So the request would be for a u preliminary plat for a oneb block 12 lot residential subdivision. Uh the plat
name would be the oaks on Mariah Lake subdivision. This is a 67 uh acre parcel. Current land use is is agricultural. There aren't any structures on the property. Uh very wide range of quap crop uh equivalency
ratings here from ranging from 24 to 67. Um not a whole lot of prime farmland um on this property. And then three kind of major wetland complexes as well. You can see those here. Um, we'll just say that the developer
did work um with the clay uh SWCD and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources on a wetland delineation to avoid impacts to the wetland. So, they had their um it's a pretty intensive process with site visits and then having
a um technical evaluation panel meeting. Um and they did provide a notice that they were um in concurrence with um the where these wetlands are located on the property.
So improvement plans for this would be uh 11 residential lots ranging from a little over two and a half acres to 8 and a half acres. The average size being 4.16 acres. There would be one large 15 and a half acre outlot here.
Um and then one um a 70ft rightway with a 24 foot wide internal road. um storm water management involving kind of the wetlands and then a storm water pond as well and then restrictive covenants um private sewer. Um the lots appear to
have a ample space for two uh drain fields and then private wells as well. Um the nearby well depths um they range from about 55 to 88 feet and pump tests about 15 to 40 gallons per minute. So our um minimum standard is typically
five. So they seem to exceed that. Here's just a closer look at that plat for you and where the road goes. Um road design really is to um avoid wetlands and then also the um general
flood plane zoning as well. Um which kind of encompasses the the shoreline here and then this larger wetland as well. Township action on this. Um they did approve this preliminary plan at their September 25th planning commission in
October 7th uh meeting. They also did a grant variances. Um we recently updated our our land development ordinance to reduce the um ordinary high water level structure setback uh from 200 feet to
150 to match state standards. Um Holly Township is in the process of doing that. Um they haven't quite done that yet. So they did grant um uh variances to match that count on the riparian lots on the lake lots to match that 150 foot
minimum setback. Um they are also in the in um the process of of getting the road agreement finalized as well. Uh a couple additional comments. Um no public comments have been received. Did not receive any comments from the DNR.
Uh this is something that we will have to send to as a shoreland um to to the final plat to the DNR as well. Just some minor updates to um the signature page and then we'd require a title opinion as well. Um should just also note that um
just the name of the road would have to be changed to match Klay County um road naming standards. Uh, I talked to our um addressing um specialist, our GIS and communications director and he said it
likely would be like a seventh avenue to fit into the kind of the naming or the street conventions, naming conventions and addressing uh the comprehensive plan. uh how this relates to comprehensive plan. Uh we have a land land use residential goal to
provide opportunities for quality rural residential development in Klay County. Um this would typically fit fit with this just providing highquality lowdensity rural residential opportunities. Um just with larger size lots as well.
Um, we do have also to encourage the development of egg and conservation subdivisions that cluster residential development on small lots and provide for shared open spaces. Um, this isn't formally a conservation subdivision, but they do have a large outlot. Um, that
would contain probably the most prominent natural feature on the site, which would be that wetland. Um, and then help preserve open space. And the the design is really to um of the
subdivision, I think, is to minimize any or avoid impacts to wetlands and then to stay out of that uh general flood plane zoning as well. We have a goal to permit large non-farm residential development if a portion of the property is preserved or converted
to a use that retains rural character of the land. So these again are large lots um with a with a large out lot as well. Um there's no change to the agricultural zoning, agricultural general zoning. We have a goal to or an objective to
avoid or mitigate residential development on or near environmentally sensitive lands or lands with high quality natural resources. And just want to point out here that the applicant did coordinate um to delineate with Clay SWCCD and um Bowser the board of water and soil resources to delineate and
avoid wetlands. Um, no structures are proposed would be proposed could be proposed within flood plan areas. Uh, development setbacks meet or exceed the county standards. Um, there's a lot of goals and objectives for this one, so bear with me here. Uh,
we have a a goal to protect and enhance renment tracks of native prairie and forest for the benefit of enjoyment of Klay County residents and visitors. There are some remnant woodlands. Um, they'd have to be retained. Um there's covenants requiring mature tree trees um
be preserved. Uh and then just large lot configuration provides flexibility for homeowners to site dwellings with minimal disturbance to existing vegetation. Uh then we have a goal or an objective under this goal to protect native and highquality prairie and woodland tracks from residential
commercial industrial development. We'll note that this property does have a history of egg production. Um, no natural heritage data for the property indicates the presence of native prairie or sensitive species. So, it was farmed. Uh, good portions of it were farmed back
in the 30s. And actually, I should have um brought the the aerial photo, but the 1939 aerial photo shows that they were actually farming in the Maro lake in the bed bed of the lake at the time.
So, which was common in the late 1930s. Um, a lot of lakes in Klay County, they're shallow. Um, a lot of them were farmed. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Potatoes. I think a lot. Yeah.
We have a shoreland and storm water goal uh category to protect and enhance the health and vitality of Klay County surface waters, including lakes, rivers, and streams for the benefit, enjoyment of Klay County residents and visitors. subdivision does meet all the shoreland
uh standards. Um they do have a storm water plan in place. Um we have a goal to reduce development pressure on natural environment lakes in Klay County of which Mariah Lake is. Um this would be considered low density development. A
lot of the minimum lot sizes and lot widths are um exceeded um in in this proposed plat. Then we have a goal to maintain and
enhance riparian areas of public waters um especially within shore impact zones. So in our 150 ft setback um from the ordinary high water level or from the shore uh the shore impact zone would be half of that. So 75 ft essentially from
the water. Um and so we have regulations in place uh to manage those areas and to protect um uh the the public water. And then an objective to continue to enforce shoreland regulations on Klay County Lakes, rivers, and streams.
Again, this um proposal complies with all of our um lot dimensional standards. Um so it's consistent with our our shoreland regulations. Any
questions for me at all? >> Yeah, I I appreciate the they um Scott coming through ahead of time going to Bowser and visiting with Tony and going over the whack of things. That's that's positive
step. I guess a general question for me is so what it's an environmental lake. what uses are allowed on the lake specifically >> a natural environment or state um
shoreland rules basically of classify lakes um there's natural environment um there's general development there's recreational development a lot of it is dependent on um the amount of shoreline
the size of the lake the depth um the development ment at the time um existing development at the time and all goes into that determination. Um and from there really
that informs what the minimum lot sizes would be, what the um minimum setbacks would be in the state shoreland rules is based on that that lake classification. So for example, uh Turtle Lake is a recreational development lake. Um the
setbacks for Turtle Lake are um smaller than or shorter. Yep. And the lot sizes too. >> So I guess can and does this prohibit somebody at 6:00 on the morning of July 4th go out
there with their jet ski and tear around at 80 miles an hour? >> I would not recommend taking a jet ski on this lake because you're going to ruin it. Um >> well I mean are there legal >> no >> restrictions on >> that kind of
>> no but really this lake I mean the depth max depth is probably 10 ft. Um you'd maybe get a small pontoon on it. Um it's pretty it's a it'd be a nice lake for duck
hunting. >> Yep. >> Until the house is gone. Unless the houses are duck hunter or the homeowners are duck hunters, then it's Yeah. So, um but it's also an impaired lake
too for I want to say um aquatic recreation just to because of um phosphorus. Um so it's probably not a lake that you want to swim in either as well or limit your swimming. >> Yeah. Um
Matt does I'm just word has here about provide a fully executed township road resolution is that is there what does specifically that mean? >> Uh in this case >> it varies from township to township. In
this case they would be the township uh we don't allow public or private roads in Klay County. So they have to be public. So, they'd have to be taken on by the township >> and um some townships just have a resolution that they pass that say,
"Yep, we'll take over the road. We will maintain it." Meaning, but that ultimately means that they hire the county to maintain it. >> Um >> Go ahead. >> Yep. I know in Holly Township with a lot of their subdivisions, they um have pretty detailed requirements for their road agreements. >> Okay.
>> Um that kind of go more into the actual specs and design of the road itself. Yep. >> And then with that to township, then the requirement of the name change is would be by the county. >> That'd be by the county. Yep. Mhm. >> Thank you.
>> But the the board would not be able to consider this request until that agreement is um the county board until that agreement is is executed. >> Mr. >> Mr. Chair and Matt, um on the one slide you mentioned there's enough room for
two drain fields. Does that mean it's a shared uh septic? >> Well, that would be just a requirement um just in our in the state um state rules just that there's an ample space
in case you have a drain field that fails um that there would be a spot for a backup drain field. >> Mean for each lot. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yep. And then uh if the applicant speaks, I had a comment for him. But I guess that was my
question of you. Anyone else? Thank you, Matt. Would the applicant care to come up, state your name, and speak to your proposal? My name is Scott Manthy. uh looking at
doing this development for my kids. Uh my family's here and uh they're looking to move back to the Holly area. Uh some of them are two of the oldest two are married and my daughter's not married yet, but they have a desire to be back in the Holly school district if they have kids and things like that. And so I
don't know if you guys are familiar with the Holly area, but it's very tough to find property that's existing to to build on or to to buy. houses are expensive more more expensive than in Morehead for instance and uh so it's a very tight market. So when this property
came up uh again I looked at it a second time. I looked at buying this piece of property as a uh when it was foreclosed on by the previous owner Paul Johnson and uh I was recommended not to buy it at that time because of some outstanding
leans and things. Those have been cleaned up when it was um inherited by his brothers Gary and Daryl. And uh they decided to put the property up on a piper auction. And at that time I I considered it and visited with both u
ever from the township and Matt from the county prior to purchasing the property. Laid out a potential uh development plan that had 14 residential lots. after working with Jacob uh Dooer who's on
online from more engineering uh in order to fit both the old the existing township uh rules and the current county rules with the township rules not being updated yet. We ended up having to
reduce the number of lots that would be uh buildable lots to 11 lots. And uh and then also uh I mean that this is u there's a lot of work that went into designing these lots
so they be uh good good places to build and the township was able to grant us the 150 foot setback like Matt mentioned on two of the lots two of the five lakefront lots. So going from the bottom along the lake, it's 1 2 3 four and five. So on two and three, those
variances were granted. And uh so we're able to uh redraw the plan as it is today. And um I just got done working with uh the folks at more engineering to design the
road plan. Uh, and that was we didn't have a plan at the township yet because we weren't sure how they were going to approve it and where where all where it was all going to go and also where the wetlands got settled on. Uh, that happened fairly recently. So once we got
all that information down pat, then we finished the road design on Friday and I'll be going back to the township to make an agreement on that current road design. And I wanted to firm up the firm up what I what my expectations of building the road were and make sure that met their expectations before
signing the road agreement with them. And uh so my kids are all looking forward to potentially having a spot to build out there someday. And really the intent would be if you look on the bottom of the the map, lot one goes with
lot 11 across. So my oldest boy would be on the lakefront and have a back back lot adjoining, not adjoining, but kind of in the same line. My middle son Blake would have that one and the third middle one across. My daughter would have that lot and the one across from there. And
so the the outlot in the middle would be owned by us. Um either my wife and I until the kids get the lots and then it would be jointly owned by the kids after that. So it' be connected to all their lots. And then the six six lots, excuse
me, five lots, excuse me, up on the north side would be sold to uh help pay for the de development costs. So that's kind of my intent. You have any questions for me at all?
I uh just had a comment. Um, looks like you've taken care of things that need to be taken care of uh from different agencies. I can't imagine trying to design something and comply with everything
that needs to be complied with. Looks like your team has done a great job. So, uh, looks like it's quite looks like it's doable. I mean, I I don't know why, uh, it wouldn't be. I guess as long Matt
everything is taken care of as as we understand right as it's designed right now >> for the design. Yeah. >> Right. For the design. So >> I think you did a good job to make it all happen. >> I think the one thing Mr. Chair and Mr. Sy that we'll just want to work closely
with the township and um um the the surveyor is just making sure that the road stays out of that um the wetlands and then that general flood plane as well. if they had >> going into the general flood plane
triggers a whole um series of um analyses that would need to happen um in terms of uh demonstrating um essentially no impacts or no rise um to neighboring properties.
>> If they had a concern, would that would they be coming back to us with a different plat design? No, I think this is probably the the best one that on paper looks like it avoids that. Just making sure that that happens in in reality. >> Mr. Chairman and Matt,
uh, so I did have the wetlands delineated, so there's pink flags along that wetlands there, and there'll be as part of the storm water plan, there'll be silt fence installed in there prior to moving any dirt along that corridor there, and we'll be staying out of that.
And I and then you know you said that you have have a you know kind of an agreement set and that you're you will be you're kind of under the gun. You got 120 days to get things if we approve to send this to the county
commission. You have you're kind of limited on your your road plan. >> Yeah. So >> to get it to the county commissioners. So, I submitted the the potential plan to Matt and Ever at the township on Friday, and so I've got the the road
plan drawn up, but we just haven't uh agreed on it and and got the road agreement signed yet. >> You're potentially just a township meeting away. >> Yep. Y >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Grabinoff. Did you have >> Well, mine was sort of a cute comment and but I'll make a compliment first.
Um, you know, I appreciate much like Dave was doing, uh, the amount of work you put into this. We've had other developments over time that, um, have met challenges before, too, similar with wetlands and all that. And I know it's
uh, not easy to do and you're being as efficient as possible and sensitive to the areas that we need to be. The my cute comment is that um I sell real estate and and when I sell a house, the kids get their own bedroom and it
figured out. >> Uhhuh. No comment on that. You already know the drill. >> Okay, >> Mr. Chair and Matt, this is being this is brought up does the to makes make it clear the 120 days is that for them to
receive an answer or is that for them to respond with some request? >> No, that's just um essentially for the final plat. So, no, they would >> But are we under the 120? Are they under
120? >> They are. They are in the county. >> I just want to make sure. >> Yeah. No, it's never been I'll just say in my time that's never been an issue. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Scott. Anybody else in the Anyone else have questions for Mr.
Manthy? Anybody else in the audience wish to speak for or against or online? Anyone in the audience? Okay, please come to the board and well, you know the drill. State your name again. >> My name is Jeff Julen. from the neighbor
to the south. Um, not 100% sure getting the road through the ismmith or whatever I'm saying is a great thing. Uh, I guess if you guys are okay with it, that's how that goes. And
my opinion would be it's his land. He's trying to do the right stuff. I guess I'm okay with that. >> That's it. >> Thank you. I guess my only concern is, you know, some of these rural areas with
roads not being is snow and hopefully that's not an issue. So, thank you for your comment. Okay, start all over again. Anybody else in the audience or online that wishes to speak for or against? Anyone in the audience or
online wish to speak for or against? Anyone in the audience or online wish to speak for or against? Hearing nothing. Look for a motion to close the public hearing. >> So moved. Second.
>> Motion by Kurt, seconded by Brad. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Public hearing is closed. Um, thank you for all the leg work you did
before you came here. I appreciate that. >> So, this is going to be duplicate of the last hearing. So, we have we have three options. Mr. Sten, >> a question. I didn't catch what the last
speaker was referencing. Matt, could you explain? >> Concerned about the road. >> Can you draw on the map? >> Just the placement of the road here. >> Okay. Okay. >> Thank you.
Okay. So, it's, you know, like I said, it's the identical to the last one. We have three choices. We can recommend um, you know, approval to the to the
planning commission. We can recommend the planning commission approve this and we wave our right to review it again or we can recommend denial of the plat to the county board. >> Stiken.
>> Stiken will recommend the authorization of the final plat wave the right to review and recommend to the county board >> for approval. >> of approval. Yeah. >> Thank you. I'll second.
>> Second a motion by Dave to approve with option two. Second by Josh. Any further discussion or questions? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried.
That moves on to the county commission. Thank you everyone. >> Mr. Matt. Unfinished business. >> Uh, no unfinished business, Mr. Chair. Okay. How about new business? >> Uh, new business. Just want to say that
on um October 7th, um your recommendation for that text amendment um denial did go to the county board. Uh and the county board did um uh ultimately approve that that text
amendment. So just for your your own awareness on that um we'll see if anything comes to that um uh in the future. And then something else to to put on uh does anyone have any questions on that at all?
I'll just add Matt um how many parcels by the decision we made on the on the egg center or you know on the cannabis how many um just so they're aware how many other opportunities that creates in county.
>> Yeah. And it's um would create I mean it's roughly 20 parcels so 8% of the total parcels and I think that was one of your basis for for denial just a lot of those being green field development. Um um but yeah so about yeah 8% of the
the lots would meet that they would need a building and things like that. So, um, without a variance, yeah, I someone can always request a variance and that may or may not be granted, but
um, any other questions for me at all. >> I'll uh, please come up to I can't hear you. So, >> just one question. Uh, when would be the next board meeting then? It'd be the same that November 18th.
>> Okay. Thank you, >> Mr. Stiken. >> Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Chair and Matt, uh, not that we need to know everything about one time we got an update on diversion. Are we entitled to have someone come to us? And just people ask me about it and
I do listen to the commissioner's meetings and try to follow what's going on in city hall chambers for that. But it's hard to piece it all together sometimes. But we did have a presentation a year or two ago and I thought it was pretty neat and
we could ask questions and they were willing to answer. And is that a possibility? >> Yeah, absolutely. I can look I can check with I think in January we had that presentation from Eric Dods with the A2S um can check with him and then I could also check with um uh Chris Bakagard uh
to see if someone from the diversion authority would be willing and able to u provide just an update on that especially now as the construction phase of that is moving into to Klay County with the construction of the southern embankment. Um, also be maybe a good
time um at a less busy planning commission meeting to um look at that potential um dam safety and the zoning um just restricting the that development around on the um the dry side of the dam
just in case of a dam failure. That's that was a recommendation from the DNR too. So um that can be something that we could we could visit here um before the end of the year for sure. So, I will look into into that. That's a great great suggestion. Do >> do you have guidelines on that already
on the that dam on the >> Yeah, we do essentially have some guidelines on um basically the setback distance from the dam. Yep. >> Yeah, >> we've had a few hearings where Okay. >> buildings or >> different projects that we dealt with
that, but yeah, we need to do some >> need some more input on that. >> Sure. Yep. Um and then any other projects too that you would like to hear about? I know there's the um there's been a lot of public or a lot of
open houses on um the Maple River um Cailluna transmission line project um that might be potentially coming through Klay County. And so I don't know if anyone's had a chance. I' I've attended one of the open houses and it was very
informative. Um, and I know I think that once the um the the routing is is more firmed up, um, potentially might be looking at at they might be coming to the county board could potentially see if they could give
a a presentation of that project to our planning commission as well. >> Thank you. Any other? >> Yes. One more thing. Um, looks like Laura, you are you are up for uh
reappoint. Um, just realized that today. So, if that's something that you're interested in continuing, this would be your third term, I believe. Yes. So, if that that's something you're interested in, you don't have to answer
now, but if you're if you're willing to give it a another three years, um would look for a for a motion to recommend re reappoint. Okay. Please say yes.
Well, we appreciate it. >> You need a motion. >> Okay. You making a motion, Paul? >> No, I'll let someone else. >> I'll motion that Laura's appointed for another term. >> Okay. Motion by Josh. >> Second. seconded by Sebastian that we
ask the county commissioners to reappoint Laura to her third and sadly then final um term as a planning and zoning commissioner. Any discussion? >> All those in favor say I. >> I.
>> Opposed? Motion is carried. Thank you. Carry the ball water Paul. Okay. Hearing nothing else, look for a motion to adjurnn. So move >> motion by Laura, seconded by Brad. All
those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppos. Motion is carried. Hearing is closed. Thanks everyone.