WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 2
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=d6rx4YtAFWs
Video-2: youtube.com/watch?v=BBMSH0ASP_c

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: d6rx4YtAFWs):
- 00:00:00: Meeting Commences: Agenda Approval, Bills, and Vouchers
- 00:36:04: National Treatment Court Month Proclamation Recognition Begins
- 00:47:58: Roundabout Project: MDOT Funding Amendment Approval Request
- 00:50:45: Adult Mental Health Local Advisory Council Annual Report
- 01:02:45: WIC Program Staffing: Registered Dietician Position Consideration
- 01:11:52: Public Health: Request Approval To Hire Lead RN
- 01:14:30: Staffing Realignment: Financial Services Eligibility Worker Proposal
- 01:34:02: Committee Reports: EDC, Emergency Communications, and More

Part 2 (Video ID: BBMSH0ASP_c):
- 00:48:27: Meeting called to order; Agenda & Minutes Approval
- 00:50:26: Open Forum: Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
- 00:50:43: Public Hearing Opened: Westland Excavating Interim Use Permit
- 00:51:51: Staff Presentation: Westland Excavating Gravel Mine Details
- 00:55:20: Commissioner Question: Haulers Avoiding Road Issues
- 00:55:58: Comprehensive Plan Alignment: Mining and Rural Character
- 00:57:33: Commissioner Question: Mine Location Relative to Issues
- 00:58:39: Commissioner Question: Township Road Maintenance Inquiries
- 00:59:32: Commissioner Question: Number of Companies, Coordination
- 01:00:04: Commissioner Question: Road Enforcement and Accountability
- 01:01:29: Applicant Presentation: Westland Excavating Rationale
- 01:02:25: Commissioner Question: Maintenance and Material Types
- 01:03:05: Open Forum: Public Comment on Westland Application
- 01:03:45: Public Hearing Closed: Findings of Fact Discussion
- 01:05:23: Private Property Encroachment: Signage and Mitigation
- 01:06:44: Findings of Fact: Utilities, Pollution Control, and Burden
- 01:09:13: Comprehensive Plan Consistency & Permit Conditions
- 01:10:49: Commissioner Question: Reclamation Bond, DNR, and Wetlands
- 01:12:21: Final Permit Condition Review, Reclamation Cost Sufficiency
- 01:13:16: Condition Eight Adjustment: Conforming With Other Permits
- 01:15:36: Motion to Approve Permit: Including Specific Dates/Hours
- 01:16:45: New Business Introduction: Discussion of Data Centers
- 01:17:10: Staff Presentation: Data Centers - History and Impact
- 01:19:59: Data Center Functionality: Power, Cooling, and Security
- 01:22:46: Scale and Demand Growth in the Data Center Industry
- 01:24:12: Siting and Incentives: Key Factors for Data Centers
- 01:26:22: Local Impacts of Data Centers: Power, Water, and Noise
- 01:31:31: Data Center Case Studies: Loudon, Prince William, Iowa
- 01:36:18: Data Center Case Studies: Dallas, Memphis, Becker
- 01:39:31: Ordinance Recommendations: Planning and Information Needs
- 01:42:12: Minnesota Data Centers: Local Government Regulation
- 01:43:33: Stearns County Preservation Districts: Guiding Development
- 01:45:59: Questions to consider with new data centers
- 01:47:25: Discussion: Cooling systems and potential for pollution
- 01:49:20: Commissioner Feedback: Further Data Center Research Needed
- 01:51:03: How To Address Data Center Projects Early On
- 01:53:04: Matt to continue Data Center monitoring.
- 01:55:19: Large Scale Solar: Setbacks and Screening Discussions
- 01:56:39: Discussion: Power and Ordinance Limits for Solar Farms
- 01:58:16: Solar comment standardization and Township involvement
- 02:01:22: PUC Process Discussion
- 02:03:09: Solar Discussion Concluded; Adjournment Motion


Part: 1

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--------- Hello, good morning. It is 8:30. I'll go ahead and call today's meeting of the Klay County Board of Commissioners to order. Our first item on the agenda today is an approval of the agenda. >> Move to approve. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Campbell to approve the agenda. >> Second.

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>> Second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? Discussion. Discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Carries. Citizens to be heard today. Are there any uh individuals in the audience wishing to

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address the county board on any item that is not on the agenda? Any citizens wishing to be heard? We had any requests for online? >> We have not, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. The next item on the agenda today is the

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approval of the payment of bills and vouchers. >> I move to approve the payment of bills and vouchers. >> We have a motion offered from Commissioner Krabangh to approve the payment of bills and vouchers. >> Second. >> A second from Commissioner Campbell. Any further discussion?

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Discussion. Discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign carried. Uh item two today is a recognition for a

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proclamation for National Treatment Court Month. I'm going to do the minutes first because I I just got so excited that so many people came in here. We do have minutes, I'm sorry, in the packet from May 5th, May 11th, and the workg groupoup session May 21st.

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>> Move to approve. Motion offered from Commissioner Campbell to approve the minutes as presented. Second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? Discussion. Discussion.

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All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Same sign. Carried. Now we can get to item number two today, which is a recognition, a proclamation for National Treatment Court Month. We have Judge Rosenfeld, Judge Liser with us today. I

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don't see Crystal. Anyone else joining you up there? >> Um, it'll be us too, but then we have members of all of the treatment. >> Great. And I won't go through and do all the introductions, but member members of

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the DWI team. >> Okay. Fantastic. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Morning. Um, good morning chair and commissioners. Thank you for allowing us a few moments today as we recognize May

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as National Treatment Court Month. As one of the judges who has the opportunity to preside over treatment court, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand the profound impact that these programs have on individuals, families, and our communities. What makes

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treatment court unique is that they bring together judges, probation agents, law enforcement, treatment professionals attorneys social services, community services to work collaboratively towards long-term recovery and public safety. Treatment

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courts reduce recidivism, improve recovery outcomes, reunite families, increase employment, and save taxpayer dollars by reducing repeated incarceration and crisis system involvement. I often say the treatment court is one of the most meaningful

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things our justice system can do because it combines accountability with the opportunity for transformation. This month gives us the opportunity to recognize the incredible professionals who make this work possible. Our treatment providers, probation agents,

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attorneys, coordinators, law enforcement partners, peer support specialists, community organizations. Their dedication changes lives every single day. So today, we are respectfully requesting that the county commission join communities across

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Minnesota and the nation in recognizing National Treatment Court Month by issuing a proclamation acknowledging the important work of treatment courts and the positive impact that they have on our county. Judge Liser, anything you wish to add? >> I would just say that, you know,

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assuming this passes your body here today and that you're on board with this, we just really appreciate the support from the county. We have had tremendous outpouring of support in our treatment courts this year uh publicly, privately from unexpected corners of the

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community and uh it's just really reflective of the community's dedication to trying new and effective and proven strategies to reduce recidivism in our community. So we're just really fortunate to be able to do this kind of work in this community and with your all support. And I also just wish to add

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that if this passes then one week from today we will be doing an official u recognition of the proclamation as well as an announcement of the official alumni group for all Klay County treatment courts and we are currently

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recruiting a number of our alumni to be a part of that alumni group. We have a leader for that alumni group and we think that that is really going to just continue to build on the success of these programs. When and where will that be? >> So, it will be on Tuesday, one week from

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today at 3:30. We are still deciding on location, but we will update you as soon as we've decided that we should have a decision by the end of today. >> Thank you. >> Any questions regarding the presentation? Commissioner Ebinger? >> Yeah, I just like to make an

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observation. Uh I've been uh witness to the the productivity of treatment courts through most my career as a as a a police officer. It's a 40-year career both here and in other jurisdictions.

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The Morehead Police Department supported with with diverting funds from our seized assets uh funds for years while I was chief. And as uh with that investment came a an

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engagement by some of my detectives and certainly by the administration and making sure that we were involved in something productive. My experience is the people that go through the treatment courts work harder.

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uh they're more committed and they do more towards towards uh paying back society, paying back their families, and giving themselves a future than just incarcerating somebody or just putting somebody on probation. They have that

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there's more of a commitment to it. And I'm grateful we've got these programs. It is part of my portfolio. Uh I'm working with the with the state of Minnesota as a representative for AMC with our treatment courts. And I just want the public to be assured that they

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are a valuable resource in getting getting people who have made mistakes and sometimes very difficult uh people to work with and turn around, but when they commit to it, they get back out and they're benefiting the community, their families, and themselves. So, I

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appreciate what the staff here and what the the judges are doing and keep up the good work. Thank you. >> Thank you. Additional questions? Not sure I could articulate better than Commissioner Ebinger. We also see significant value uh in the lives of the people that you work with for this.

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Thank you. >> Anything else? >> All right. Shall we read the proclamation? >> Whereas addiction and mental illness touch the lives of families across Klay County and the traditional justice

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system, acting alone too often cannot break that cycle. And whereas treatment court brings together judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and treatment providers to offer a different path. One built on accountability, ev evidence-based treatment, and genuine

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support for recovery. hand. Whereas Klay County is proud to operate three treatment courts, one adult drug treatment court, a veterans treatment court, and DWI court, serving individuals and families who are working hard every day to reclaim their lives.

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And >> whereas participants in treatment courts are held to rigorous standards, appearing regularly before the court, submitting to testing, and engaging in the hard work of treatment. And when they rise, we rise with them. And

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>> whereas research consistently shows that treatment courts reduce substance use, lower recidivism, strengthens families, and saves taxpayer dollars, producing better outcomes than incarceration alone. And whereas every person who has

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completed the Klay County Treatment Court is proof that recovery is possible and that the justice system at its best can be a doorway to a better life. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Klay County Board of Commissioners hereby proclaim May 2026 as treatment court

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month in Klay County, Minnesota, and call upon our community to recognize the courage that it takes to choose recovery. Madam Chair. >> Yeah. To honor those walking that road and to

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celebrate the truth that when we invest in people, they can and do change. >> Madam Chair, I move the proclamation. >> Second. >> Have a motion offered from Commissioner Campbell to move the proclamation and a

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second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? Commissioner Campbell. I just want to also um in addition to Commissioner Ebinger's comments um this is this has been something that our board has supported for a number of

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years and it's proven year in and year out to be very effective. Uh when when when we look at um the ability to keep um offenders from reoffending, uh the people real have to realize the

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significant cost of having them in our system that this is a far better way. Now granted, it's not successful in every case, right? But but the the evidence that we have shows that the percentage

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is high in res in reducing recidivism. So um I'm happy to support this. Uh the drug court was the first one and then we've moved into a couple of others and it seems to me that they're all they have all been very successful and I want to congratulate

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um our judges and those that have been working on this. Um, there may have been some hiccups along the way, but it's I think it still is a remarkable program and I I proudly support the proclamation. Thank you.

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>> Any further comments? >> Yeah, I couldn't go without saying something. Um, thank you uh from the bottom of my heart. I've been around recovery for decades and watching people

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go through the process and um uh you mentioned recidivism. Yeah, this is how it works and uh it's not easy just turn an addiction off and it takes time and uh it takes coaching,

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mentorships and all the things that you offer through your program. So I too am very very very happy that you've split this into three areas. I think the more the better and we're going to be a we are a better community because of it. So

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thank you. >> Any further discussion? Commissioner C. >> I just want to add one one thing. We we're always invited to the graduations of this and I was able to attend graduations early on. However, later on,

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I end up being on another board that um did not allow me to be at these graduations, which typically are held on a Wednesday. But I I do want to say that um the graduations I've been at, and I remember Commissioner Gross when he was

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here, I think one of his best favorite things that he did as a commissioner was attended those graduations from these programs. And um so maybe now I I'm probably not going to be a commissioner much longer, but

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>> we will keep you on the invite list. >> There you go. And my Wednesday and my Wednesdays will be freer. >> Wonderful. >> And our and the DWI courts will be on Fridays. Commissioner Cam. >> Well, I'm at the lake Fridays.

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>> I'll be happy to come. Thank you. >> We'd love to have you. >> Any further discussion? All those in favor of the proclamation signify by saying I. I >> opposed. Same sign. Carried. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you all as well.

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>> Thank you. >> We'll move to item three, the request approval of the amendment to Mandot for agreement 1061904. Good morning. >> Morning. >> Um, yes. So, the amendment to this MandOt agreement, this is for the

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roundabout project. So, basically what this is is MDOT was able to appropriate an additional $293,478 in federal funding. So, that'll thus reduce our local share on the project. questions.

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>> I hate to pass this one up. >> Well, I I'll say we continue to be happy at how your department and others look to additional ways and grant opportunities to reduce our local share on these vitally needed pieces. Um,

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again, this is uh a no-brainer savings, I guess. >> Go ahead, Commissioner Ebinger. Yeah, I just want to point out something, Justin. I have never had the kind of response, and my district's all in Morehead, but people use this

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intersection a lot, and everybody hates it. And I've never had the kind of response, people stopping me on the street, in a grocery store, two people coming up to me in a restaurant here two weeks ago. I've never had the kind of response. This there, people are excited

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about this. and for you and your your staff to bring it in with as much assistance as as this needed project uh is getting. Really grateful for it. >> It's very good to hear. Thank you,

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>> Madam Chair. I move to approve the amendment to men. Contract 1061904. >> We have a motion offered from Commissioner Campbell. >> Second. >> A second from Commissioner Ebinger. Further discussion.

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>> Do you need the amount added in the motion? >> Yeah. Yes, please. >> Miss Commissioner Campbell, does the amount reflect your motion? >> Yes, that's the um 293,478. >> Okay. Commissioner. Okay. Any further

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discussion? Discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Carried. Thank you. >> Item four today, the adult mental health

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local advisory council annual report. Bri Allison, good morning. Welcome to the board. Thank you, chair and commissioners. Uh, my name is Allison Walbeck and I'm co-chair of the Klay County Alison. >> Yeah, there you go. >> My name is Allison Walbeck and I'm

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co-chair of the Klay County Adult Mental Health Local Advisory Council and we are pleased to present our uh 2025 report. Um on behalf of the council, we appreciate the commitment and investment

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that Klay County Board of Commissioners has uh provided for us. with your support uh we've been able to um provide um sorry uh through the funding um you've

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provided we continue to provide ongoing education related to mental health and mental health services across the community. uh individuals with a lived experience of mental health conditions and family members of the LACE continue to receive

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stipens for participating in community projects such as um the Klay County Fair, um mental health um events across the community. Uh recently we did have a a table set up at the mental health in

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the park at uh oh, I cannot remember the name of that park. Yeah, the Viking ship park. Yes. Uh and we uh allow our members to have a greater understanding of the ongoing mental health needs of the larger

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community. Building a stronger foundation for mental wellness. So our group um you know really focuses on community integration and building relationships. Um but the World Health Organization defines mental health as

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the state of well-being in which the individual realizes his own abilities um can cope with the normal stressors of life um can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. Um

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while the 2025 report primarily highlights the strong community partnerships, collaborative efforts and accomplishments of the LAC in addressing the needs of adults living with mental illness in Klay County. We also recognize the importance of advancing policies

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policies, systems, and environments that promote mental health and well-being for residents to prevent or mitigate the impact of mental illness and support recovery. Uh last year uh we spent a great deal of our time in building relationships,

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reaching out to community agencies and spreading the word to individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions to join our meetings. Uh we the attendance at our meetings has increased twofold which in turn brings better discussions and dialogue about

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barriers and their impacts on clients, referral processes, weight lists, and ways to improve mental health services in the county. Um, at our annual 2025 meeting last July, we really tried to spread the word

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to get consumer or consumers and agencies just really tried to um make it a big event, you know, and um we saw existing members and many new faces um

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and they continue to come. And so that that was a huge win for us that the new agencies that attended our annual have continued to to join our monthly meetings now. Um very cool to see. Um we also on a monthly basis we continue to

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reach out to local agencies just to do um to present at our monthly meetings for new services or new resources that could help u individuals in any way. So, and and that's very, you know, even if I know somebody personally or, you know,

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that works at an agency, if if Paul knows somebody, you know, we all have our connections. So, we all try to do our part to bring people to our meetings. >> And then legislative changes and also the economy has significantly infected

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affected clients and service and the way services are provided. Some of those examples are medical assistant, medical assistance, uh transportation contracts have ended, uh the healthy food benefit and over-the-counter benefit have been

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cut, and co-pays for medications, even insulin not being covered for some individuals. All of these challenges make it even harder for individuals with a lived experience to meet their basic needs alongside the rising costs and inflation

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of everyday life. I do kind of want to touch base too when housing stabilization services ended in October of 2025, that put a really big strain on agencies to kind of get creative and how to utilize their existing staff members uh to still serve

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the people that they were serving with with mental health um services. Um, some agencies have expanded other services, even you know, Klay County Social Services adding an additional rule 79 case manager. Other agencies adding arms

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practitioners psychiatrists therapists, just trying to still serve those folks. Um, so other positives within the LACE in 2025, we ended up having two of our LACE members who joined the Bee House steering committee to represent Klay

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County. They've returned to our table to present items um discussed at these meetings. Our co-chair Allison here continues to serve on the state advisory council for mental health. And then um this year our council collectively

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agreed to use the funds received this in 2025 to purchase a billboard for mental health day mental health month in 2026 here in May. So you'll see two billboards uh one by the Dairy Queen in Morehead, one on Highway 10 that kind of

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rotates between a couple different um billboards promoting mental health in the area. Keep your eyes out. Uh overall, while 2025 did present challenges to agencies and individuals

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with a lived experience and family members supporting consumers with mental health, our local advisory council will continue to meet monthly advise and educate the county board of unmet needs of adults with mental illness. We will

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review and evaluate the continuum of services for adults with mental illness and provide public education and awareness about mental illness and promote mental health in Klay County. Sometimes we don't have all the answers,

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but we show the same compassion to help others who struggle. We will continue to do just this in 2026. Next in your board packet um is our current membership which needs board approval.

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>> Any questions from e to either Bri or Allison on the report? I know Commissioner Krabnoff is the co-chair as well. Commissioner, do you have anything to add? >> I do. >> Okay. First of all, a lot of thank you uh to both of you and person Leard in

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the back back there uh with our service or in our developmental services. Um I I want to make note that uh you heard that Allison for a number of years has uh not

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only been our chair but also has been um serving on the state advisory council of mental health bringing back a lot of the advocacy that happens down with legislature and throughout the uh year giving guidance to uh DHS.

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Um the other part and we see the membership list here that we're uh going to uh make a motion on. Uh you can see there's 30 names on here. And the one thing that is a little unique about this

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group, we have uh other um I think there are seven here and sometimes more uh do show up uh as consu um consumers. is a name we um have put to that and they

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come and and they're in real life situations and they they share that and I think that gives a better perspective to all the providers and and having a dialogue with each much like our children's adult our children's mental

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health group LAC uh one common thing that happens in both those groups is by sharing ing these uh successes and challenges. They're hearing from each other. When there's a shortage, they're

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talking about a shortage. How can we refer to help cover each other to give the greatest opportunity possible uh through this group and uh collectively I mean it makes a difference. I see that. So I've been um really happy to be part

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of being a co-chair with you. We meet every month uh try to plan and for that next meeting and we hold these meetings uh the third Tuesday uh of the month at um at 3:00 and we certain uh certainly

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invite more providers to come be a part of our group as well as uh consumers that are um uh those uh living uh with mental health needs. So with that, um, I

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would like to make a motion, if I may, that we do, uh, approve the adult mental health lac membership list. >> Okay, >> we have a motion offered from Commissioner Kabnoff to approve the list. >> Second. >> A second from Commissioner Ebinger.

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Discussion. I just want to offer gratitude for the work uh in which your organization does. Having um a space for all the the different folks to come and talk about these issues is really valuable and it certainly shapes the dialogue that we're

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having in St. Paul. You mentioned legislation being um challenging and uh an opportunity for some changes there. So, uh thank you for having that discussion. Um, some of you might not know, uh, Allison served on our mental health advisory committee when we talked

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about adding that component into our new correctional facility, and it was, uh, really groundbreaking, but also, um, we've heard from staff throughout the years, uh, how beneficial that has been there to make sure we're taking that component in. Thank you for your work there. Thank you for your work on this

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committee and certainly at the state as well. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Same sign carried. Thank you. Thank you.

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Item five today is the request approval to consider adding a6 Wick registered dietician position. Jessica, are you waiting on Sue or is it just you today? >> She was coming. out there.

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>> We can start. >> Morning, Jessica. >> Good morning, Madam Chair and commissioners. Uh, I am here today to request consideration to add a6 registered dietitionian in the WIC program. Over the past several years,

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the program has uh consistently maintained a case load exceeding 1,400 client visits per month, which has Oh, come on. >> Sorry, Sue. >> That's um which we we're feeling it's

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not sustainable under our current staffing structure. Uh at present the WICK program is staffed by three full-time employees, two variable hour registered dieticians, and a six administrative assistant. The full-time

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team includes our WIC director, Sue Olsen, one registered dietician, and one nutrition specialist. The two variable hours staff um are both registered dietician. one consistently is working eight hours a week while the other fills

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in intermittently as she is able when we have a need. Uh, additionally, we recently lost a variable hour registered dietician who resigned um with her last stay being May 7th, which kind of triggered uh this need to consider

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looking at um our staffing structure. Uh dieticians in the wick program are responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments, developing care plans, providing nutrition education and counseling to pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children. They also

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manage quite a bit of documentation due to the federal requirements, issue benefits, coordinate referrals, and collaborate with um other referral sources and community partners to ensure compliance with state and federal uh program requirements. Uh as I mentioned,

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WICK is a federally funded funded and mandated program which is administered through the state of Minnesota and then delivered through local public health agencies. As a participating agency, the county must meet all federal and state

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program requirements. Uh, in 2025, Klay County averaged 1,488 WICK appointments per month. By comparison, Becker County averaged 635 appointments per month with two FTEEs.

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Uh, Becker County is also in the process of requesting an additional variable hour staff um to support their program. Um, also to compare to Ottertale County, they averaged 1,181 appointments per month and they um

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currently staff 3.25 FTEES. So, uh, based on comparison by appointments per month, uh, our county's workload is approximately 56% higher than Beckers and 377% higher than Ottertales.

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Uh due to the volume and um limited staffing, um our wick director frequently works more than 40 hours per week to meet client needs and ensure regulatory compliance, particularly during staff absences.

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Approval of this position would reduce case load pressure, improve program sustainability, and allow leadership to dedicate more essential management and supervisory responsibilities while um still maintaining high client quality care.

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Um the position would be classified at grade 17. Um and we're requesting a 6 uh so 24 hours per week um after much consideration. um that was kind of the number Sue felt um would give enough

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coverage to reduce her direct client work um while still maintaining the quality care that our clients have come to expect. So um we've also received approval to fund 50% of this position through the CDC infrastructure grant. Uh

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so that is a federal grant that um supports public health workforce capacity and is currently available through December 31st of 2027. Um as a result half the cost of the salary and benefits would be covered for the

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remainder of 2026 and all of 2027. And so, um, it's uncertain if this grant will be renewed beyond 2027, but if it is, we would continue to utilize that funding to support this position. Uh, since this position is not currently

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budgeted, the net annual impact to the public health budget for 2026 would be $12,94 after accounting for grant funding. Um although WIC does generate program revenue, the client need is currently

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being met through um um full-time staff working in excess of 40 hours and then through variable hour support. So we don't anticipate additional revenue. Um however um we still feel that this would be um a

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highly very much needed support for the program. Um uh also in 2026, public health um lost an administrative assistant position. Um so that loss

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resulted in a budget savings of $24,452. So our hope is that we can use some of that savings to cover the cost of the this position for the remainder of 2026. And then just finally, uh we did bring this before pick last week and received

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approval to bring to full board. And with that, I'll yield for any questions. Thank you for the presentation, Jessica. Questions? It was uh discussed at uh pick last week. We did uh talk about understanding

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that uh we are in some challenging times as we frame uh what a budget looks like. did feel because because of the earlier reduction in um in cost because of that other position and given this was a point 6 felt like we could uh make this

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work. Um but what I'll say is um it was very clear that um the require the what we had available for staffing was not um not adequate. uh when we have individuals that have not taken vacation

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days for years because of the inability to cover what is needed, I the onus is on this board to make sure we adjust that. And appreciate that you came forward with not a full-time piece at at at this um moment so that we can continue to evaluate where the staffing

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needs truly lie. >> Yes, Commissioner Koff. >> Yeah, I'll just make a a quick comment. Um I certainly strongly support the work you do and the fact that um the efficiency of your work and still have

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worked beyond uh uh strongly shows the need. Um I'm not going to get caught up on not uh how money not already planned for66 can't be added when we see such a pre pressing

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need. So with that, you'll have my support. >> Additional board discussion. Commissioner Campbell. >> Yeah, as Commissioner Mojo mentioned, this was brought before pick. Um, and I I really find that in 2026, if we approve this, it really it really is

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pretty much budget neutral. When you consider the other savings that we've had, uh, when we look at these client numbers, my only wish is that the client numbers would go down. And I, you know, I just, I just wish we could do more in that regard to help help reduce the need

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of that program. Um, but in the meantime, it's it's uh a necessity. >> Yeah. >> And um so I I fully support the motion or the um the request and I, as a matter of fact, Madam Chair, I would move to approve the 6 Wick registered dietitian

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position with back pill if there is needed. >> Second. A motion offered from Commissioner Campbell. A second from Commissioner Ebinger. Commissioner Ebinger, did you have further com? Any further discussion? Discussion. All those in favor of the

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motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Car. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you, Jessica. >> Item six today is a request approval of to hire RN lead at grade 19, step eight.

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have Andrew and Troy with us today. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Madam Chair, commissioners. Um, yes, today we are bringing forward a request to approve uh starting a lead RN on uh step eight. Um,

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we went to pick last week and um happy to be sitting here today. So requesting this position. >> Thank you Troy. We did talk about this at pick as noted a fairly long

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conversation on this. I really do feel like um uh given the the challenges that we have had over the years with um RNs because of the health uh hospitals that are in the region. uh felt like this is

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a a offer that um we're really excited about and could really benefit uh the services in Klay County and it was pushed forward unanimously. Commissioner Campbell. Yeah, you know, this is this is one of those areas when

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it comes to the hiring of RNs and in this case a lead RN. Our our market conditions here have really made it difficult for us to be able to move these people into a

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position like this at step one. And so quite on quite often in this particular case, we have had to move up on that step line to um just to have somebody

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have the interest to come here and work. So that might be saying a little bit about our grid too, but that's that could be for another day. But but um yeah, again, our pick committee fully supports um this

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hiring this lead. >> Unless there's other discussion, I'll make a motion to approve the hiring of DR and lead at grade 19, step eight. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Krabanov, a second from Commissioner Ebinger.

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Any further discussion? >> Discussion. Discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I >> I same sign. Granted. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you both. >> Item seven today request approval for

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the strategic staffing realignment proposal financial services eligibility worker. >> Good morning Quinn. >> Morning madam chair commissioners. Okay. Yes, I am here to request a

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strategic staffing realignment, which I'll go over in just a second. There's quite a bit of detail to it, so please feel free to jump in if you have any questions at any time. Um, I'm proposing to make this staffing realignment to help strengthen our financial services team. Um, the impacts of the big

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beautiful bill are coming. Uh, October 1st to 26 and January 1st to 27 is when we're going to see a lot of these, but they'll continue after that as well. Um, as you've as you've heard us talk about it, our our casework becomes more complicated over time due to these policy changes, administrative

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requirements being added, our case loads continue to grow, and also, as you know, our technology systems have not kept pace with the work that we're being asked to complete. I do anticipate that these pressures are going to continue to increase as the big beautiful bills provisions uh continue to roll out.

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we have an opportunity with two retirements that have that have occurred and that are occurring in social services um to really take a look at how we structure our workforce. So rather than simply replacing those positions as they exist today and proposing to strategically shift some of those

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staffing resources into our financial services division through onboarding two brand new eligibility worker positions. Uh it's kind of a two-part proposal. So, the first part of this proposal involves the retirement of our longest tenur licenser uh who has been with Klay

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County since January 4th of 1993 who retired on Friday. Uh following their retirement, I am proposing to hold that licensing position vacant rather than refill it. Uh this is not a new idea to be honest. Um Jessica's left, but prior to Jessica uh transitioning to her role

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as public health director, we had ongoing conversations around all the divisions within social services of where we could improve efficiencies, restructure work where it makes sense, and identify potential long-term cost savings without sacrificing our service delivery. Two major ideas came out of

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those conversations between Jessica and myself. The first was actually the min choices SNBC change uh that social services completed with public health. And the second was this possibility of restructuring um and redistributing the licensing duties uh within the remaining

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workforce if a licenser chose to retire rather than automatically refilling it or considering other options like layoffs or outsourcing licensing services. We did create a restructuring and workload redistribution plan with the remaining licensing staff if this were

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to be approved. Uh this plan includes reassignment of different types of licensing duties. Uh cross trainining to provide backup coverage for those duties. Uh redistributing our provider outreach and recruitment uh events that we attend and re-evaluating membership

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and different committee participations um that we participate in. Uh, I would not be proposing this change if I believed it would create an unacceptable risk to our providers, to our standards, or to client safety. Uh, the licensing team was included in these preliminary

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conversations about what this plan would look like while Jessica was still in the department. And now with Mary taking over her spot, Mary and myself have met with the licensers as well. And this restructuring plan was built directly from the feedback and concerns that we all talked about with the licensers. Um, I do intend to actively monitor what

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those workload impacts would look like into the future, our provider responsiveness, and how our staff are doing with this change, and I would return with recommendations if this is a huge failure. Um, I don't think that's the case, but I'm always open to being wrong. The second part of this proposal

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involves the replacement of another long-standing staff member um, who has been with the county since April 8th, 2002. Um, they currently are an eligibility worker within our family team. uh that position would continue to be filled immediately due to the operational need. However, uh that

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person is at the top of the pay scale and we expect the the replacement to come in at grade 14 step one. So there'll be some cost savings going from the top of the pay scale to the bottom. So those two retirements together create this opportunity to strategically reinvest these staffing resources into

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financial services by adding the two new eligibility workers. Um the dollars and cents of this the licensing position the annual wages and benefits is $130,90. Um however there's some payouts and uh early retirement incentives. So the 2026

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savings after the payouts for the licensing position is $32,410. But in 2027 uh the uh structural savings will be $130,90. the eligibility worker position. Um,

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with the, uh, early retirement incentive and the payouts that come with that retirement, it's actually an increase cost in 2026 of $8,595. However, the ongoing structural savings in 2027 would be $15,571

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going from the top of the grid to step one. So, the total 2026 savings is $23,815. Uh however, the combined structural savings beginning in 2027 would be 145,661. So by adding two new eligibility worker

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positions, the total gross cost of those positions at grade 14 step one with benefits is $158,685. However, those positions get 50% FFP through the state and federal reimbursement. So the local levy impact

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uh cuts that in half down to $79,343. So rather than hiring both positions immediately, this this proposal, it's only one proposal this time. I did bring this to pick and I've tweaked the numbers a little bit. So there's one proposal that I'm bringing forth today. Uh I would stagger the hiring of these two new eligibility workers to

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effectively make this budget neutral in 2026. Um, so I would onboard I would immediately fill the retiring eligibility workers position. Now the first new eligibility worker would be brought on August 1st and the second eligibility worker would be staggered

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for a November 1st start date. Um, so from a fiscal standpoint again to to recap that our 26 savings is 23,815. The estimated expenditures for bringing on a new eligibility worker in August for the remainder of the year is 16,530.

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And that second eligibility worker from November to the end of the year is $6,612 for a net favorable impact of 2026 for $673 to the good. Um so operationally this approach allows us to proactively build that staffing

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capacity for the big beautiful bill um and still have uh no impact on 2026's budget to so again to summarize all of this after the retirement related payouts and transition costs are paid out in 2027. I anticipate ongoing annual

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savings of 145,661 by holding the licensing position vacant and refilling that retiring eligibility worker position at grade 14 step one rather than the top of the grid. The annual cost of the two new eligibility workers is 158,000 less the FFP which

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brings the uh levy impact to 79,343. So, I'd be taking some of that 145,000 in savings, applying it to the levy impact to still have a positive net position for 2027's budget of $66,317. A lot of information. I threw at you, a

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lot of numbers. So, uh, let me know if you have any questions. >> Thanks for walking that through, Quinn. Commissioner Campbell, >> thank you. Um, yeah, this we had a quite a long discussion on this at at pick and I u

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one of the questions that I didn't ask and I think you touched on a little bit this morning but um with the um leaving of the licensing position vacant. Uh are we comfortable and confident in

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um the case loads of the remaining um licensers and are are is that going to become a challenge? >> Um that's obviously my biggest concern with this is what that looks like. We have communicated with the licensers. Uh

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we kind of be moving uh CRS, CFRS and all FRS's um to one and then leaving all family child carees to another. Uh whereas right now we have one of our licensers that kind of has a split makeup. We'd be streamlining those and then those two licensers would provide backup coverage. Based on the math, it's

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about 11 11.4 visits per month for the family childare licenser. Um we believe that this is doable. Um that is what I would be actively monitoring. Our licensers were pretty transparent with me that um because of the timelines of those uh check-ins and when they need to do their licensing activities. It's not

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going to be a year worth of checking. It's going to be closer to two or three years to see if this is a successful plan or not. But that said, it is very much on my rad. >> And then and then you have a a third one that deals with the foster families. Is that >> we we have four? Yes, we have four licensers. Um so we have a

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non-relative foster care licenser and then a relative foster care lenser. >> And are those able to um you talked about being able to crossrain and that type of thing. So all of our licensers are they do they have the ability to for example go and do an

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inspection regardless of >> um so what we do is we'd have the uh family child care and then the CRS CFRS FRS cross trainin for one another's case load and then our foster homes are already cross trainined they would continue to do so and then some of the

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outreach and recruitment activities would shift from family childcare licensing to our uh foster care licensers >> and you mentioned two of these people uh and I think they both qualified for the early incentive um and I'm I'm going to

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quote your two words u this allowed you to improve efficiencies >> did so to me the having the ability to have that incentive program is doing what it's supposed to do so uh and with that I also want to state that um

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Quinn when when we talked about this in pick Uh originally there was the the way it was designed there would have been a a slight little negative cost to 2026. >> Correct. >> And uh Quinn was willing we asked that if if he could try to make that budget

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neutral for 2026 and I am thankful that you're bringing that back and I think by the staggering of those positions as you've talked about today I think that um certainly makes that doable and

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leaves no negative impact to our 2026 budget. So, I think that's a good move and I I really appreciate, you know, and I and you you even mentioned Jessica before be working on this. I think this is a good strategy

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provided that we're not putting extra demands on our current staff. And I think you've done a really nice job in in how you're handling this. Thank you. Mr. Having.

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>> Yeah. I u looking at this, it's pretty impressive. Uh if you didn't have a track record since you've come on board um of of coming up with good ideas and making them work, I'd be skeptical.

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And I want to assure you of something. As long as you're willing to do this, there's an there's an element of risk. If in in what I'm sure is going to be a well monitored transition, you see problems,

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feel free to come back and tell us what you need, put the wheels back on. that is, you know, we're asking our employees to stick their neck out and rearrange things and break that lethargic expenditure money that happens sometimes because that's the way we've always done

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it. You're doing a real good job of listening to that and of coming through with with uh good response. I think we need to be uh aware that the element of risk is there and if it doesn't work uh I trust you'll retool it and come back

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with something that that will I appreciate it. Having said that I I would like to uh make sure I get this right. Uh motion to approve leaving the licensed licensing position vacant, refilling the retiring

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eligibility worker position, and reallocating the savings to hire two new eligibility workers with the approved timeline. >> That motion covered. >> And does this need backfill? >> I would request backfill just in case.

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Yes, >> with back fill as well. >> Second the motion. >> Second from Commissioner Campbell. Commissioner Campbell or Kavanagh. echo what Dave just said. I echo exactly what Dave just said. Uh

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do you have a question on the standard timeline? So if we go back to the eligibility worker, how do you cover that for the the two months or three months? >> We would cover the uh the retiring eligibility worker would be replaced

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immediately. We'd start that onboarding process immediately. But for the two new workers, we would stagger. There'd be there'd be three people that would be hired total with this proposal. One to replace the retiring and then two brand new ones. >> Okay. >> Okay.

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>> We we have lead workers that when there are leaves or FMLAs or or vacancies that occur, we have lead workers that can step in temporarily to help take some of the case load. It's not ideal, but it works. >> Yeah. And I think for multiple reasons,

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you know, it is good. And maybe it goes back to the day we had the retreat, the manager's retreat. We talked about that cross trainining if you will to um cover our bases in in a lot of different ways. Okay. Thanks.

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>> Anything else? clear. I also want to comment that I I really do appreciate when we look at staffing strategically, there are some savings without compromising quality in the work that we're doing in the um in the

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systems that we're double-checking. I I really do appreciate your ability to see if this could work with making some substantial savings. I believe uh and uh certainly the board really does uh look at that favorably and we appreciate

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that. Any further discussion? >> All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I >> I >> opposed. Same sign carried. Thank you so much. >> All right, we are scheduled for a brief break. Okay, we are back. We will go ahead with

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number nine, committee reports. Commissioner Ebinger. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Last week on uh Tuesday the 12th uh we all attended the EDC EDA quarterly discussion

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um covered a number of items uh that I I won't go too deeply into into the minutia but uh uh solid waste demolition landfill updates u

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discussion of compiling all the economic development programs available in Klay County on our website. Had a nice presentation on the Spark Center in the new Morehead Library. Um and again uh there was discussion on um

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collaboration with other entities here within the community. It's just a good these these have turned into really good meetings and it helps collaborate some of the efforts that we've got particularly on this side of the river to uh advance the economic development

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of our communities. later that day um participated in a discussion again collaborative involving the Greater Farger Morehead EDC with the Minnesota partners on uh on some issues that were

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of interest. on uh Wednesday the 13th attended Northwest Emergency Communication Board meeting as quick as I can find my notes on that. Okay. Uh

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pretty much regular business on the old business section. uh new business. We had uh a couple of general items on approval for talk groups and interoperability. Uh one that I found kind of interesting

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is that we've got, as everybody knows, we've for years now had uh the Red River Regional Dispatch Center on uh Armor, the Minnesota Backbone System. I went up when I first came here as

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police chief with North Dakota Air Guard in one of their helicopters. They were assisting the regional drug task force on a police operation and found it really good. They were very effective and it helped avoid some problems. Uh we

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approved the North Dakota Air Guard at our last meeting for an interoperability use of the Armor Air S armor uh communication system. Uh they have three helicopters that work with our regional drug task forces and they now are able

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to communicate directly with uh the armor uh systems. We voted that and passed that which was I think good for the the entire system here. Um on Thursday I attended the beyond the

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yellow ribbon meeting. We had our general business discussions. Uh I will say uh Kurt Cannon came back. He had been on one of the honor flights uh assisting with the veterans who were going out on that. And that honor flight

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su uh system is really impressive what it does for our mostly right now it's Vietnam and Gulf War vets. the uh World War II and Korean vets uh pretty much have all been and and they're an age where they're not traveling. One of the

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discussions was that in at least within next couple of years, uh Gulf War vets, the more recent ones are probably going to get some eligibility. Um and that that concludes my my meetings.

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>> Thank you, Commissioner Evinger. Commissioner Kavanagh. Thank you, Madam Chair. I too was on the uh Tuesday the 12th um part of the uh county EDC EDA uh quarterly discussion. Um I'll just make

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a little comment. It's always not only it's just energizing I should say when we have four communities as I here so I point them all out. We so we had Dworth uh we had Barnesville, Holly and

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Morehead in that discussion and to hear all four of them of the the activity that they have going on in their community is just really energizing Highland, you know, and and u you know and Dorth the opening of uh over in the

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rail district, the community center groundbreaking all that going on and other subdevelopments starting over there. Barnesville apartment buildings going up, a new subdivision starting there. Um their campground expanding

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over to Holly, a new land development area on both the south and the and the east side of town and um just hear all that. and then uh uh city of Morehead with the opening of uh downtown and then the potential economic driver of

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potentially a staff complex out uh outside of town here. So anyway, I just enjoy those meetings, hear their update. uh good to hear their updates and and then again as we're involved uh with

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them uh when next legislative session comes or those type of things we as we communicate with each other it's uh it's good when we can go down and uh speak as a collective voice for the whole county. So with that um the really good meeting.

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Uh the next day on Wednesday the 13th I had the Clay Cast Food Cascade Food Commission uh held over at Metro Cog. Uh well attended uh probably 30 people there and there were a couple top

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topics. The main presenter was city of West Farro. Their parks department and their forester uh talked about um city orchards. Um uh West Fargo has uh 13 of them that they talked about varying

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sizes. uh how they use some for education uh other just to fill green spaces and provide uh uh good uh produce uh for just the community at large to uh go and pick and part of a neighborhood

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gathering place. Uh we had lengthy discussion about that. So that was the main um um main essence of that meeting. And then also I I almost forgot Boulevard Gardens. That was the

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other part. Uh mostly pollinators what you see most time and they are live in Morehead Fargo and not quite sure about West Fargo but anyway the the use and then making sure to get your permits

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there is no fee whether Morehead or Fargo. It's just a matter of understanding what the uh parameters are for if you're choosing to do that. Um on Thursday I had the KSWC CD monthly

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meeting. Uh we went through uh their share cost shares for cover crops. They had three items. Uh they had uh um let's see four four different fuel wind breaks uh that came through. The uh tree

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plantings are pretty much over. uh maybe with a little rain here, they'll even grow a little better, but it's nice soaking rain. Uh but they I'll get final numbers next month, but they're they're in that neighborhood of around 20,000 trees that they planted. Um they also um

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which uh Ezra talks about many times up at the u uh uh wild rice uh we have these um one watershed one uh plan uh funds and Klay County now has or for the

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Buffalo red received another uh $42,000 that they already have new projects underway that they'll use those monies up over two years. So, um yeah, really active. I think that was the main part

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of that meeting. uh other than discussion of information and programs that they were doing um both Wednesday uh uh the 13th and on Friday we also had our um what will

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probably the um be toward the last now of our um uh nonsecure facility strategy meetings and set up for legislature. Um, I will tell you that I'm totally

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exhausted from this weekend um, mentally and uh, uh, I know that three of us here were watching the capital investments committee as they went through their bonding bills. Uh, bigger wins for our area. Uh, definitely. Um, I I let

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someone else talk more specific to their area, but having to do with the diversion and uh, having to do with what's central water district and some money toward the uh non-juveninal center. So with that and being an active

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participant um down in St. Paul um um behind uh a very active uh commissioner Mojo. Uh I just I I really do I I I think I want to say this uh in public

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and it just I'm so proud of our board. Every part of it, every person here corrections, mental health, uh the diversion, um you know, we all had an active part in this along the way and I I I just

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like how our conver conversations continually went. Um, I got to just I can't say enough about staff, you know, whether out of West Central Regional Juvenile Center or Social Services. Um,

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you know, they're all engaged. Um, our representatives, Rep. Keeler, Rep. Joy, Senator Coupoop, we're always engaging, always available, and uh, you know, authors of our bills that we're going through on the on the nonsecure. Just a

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huge thank you to the 29 counties that wrote letters of support, the 11 tribes for their support through the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, and the dozens of legislators that we personally met.

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um just get to know these people and and the work they uh um uh that they do and and um the heartfelt interest they they see for all these things that we're trying to advocate for. Little shout out

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to the Chamber of Commerce, uh the Association of Minnesota Counties. Um we're having some uh further discussions, Senator Clolobachar and Senator Smith and then also uh a real

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huge thank you uh for this year and the ability to work with lobbyist team of Winthrop and Weinstein um Tom Hansen and Haley Cobb uh brought us into places of discussion that we just want to wouldn't have ever been otherwise. So anyway,

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that's a big thank you list, but there were a lot of people involved, a lot of hours spent, and I think Klay County did very well. >> So that's my report. >> Thank you, Commissioner Kavanagh. Commissioner Campbell. >> Thank you.

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On Tuesday, May 12th, we had a a um quickly developed pick meeting. uh all of the items that we had on the on that agenda were discussed today either in on consent or with the presentations that were here and recommendations that were

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here today and um so that all of those have been taken care of that afternoon um we had the um EDC EDA meeting. I think it was a a good meeting.

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And and as as I sat there um through that meeting, it it kind of reminded me of the old days of our Klay County Intergovernmental >> Retreat Committee and how we uh back in

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back in those days we had a combination of working together with um public, private and agencies like the chamber and the you know small business administration and those types of things

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and finding ways to uh collaborate on making Klay County better. uh you know and the reason I was thinking that because there's been some uh discussion recently about the intergovernmental committee and its

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viability and I I strongly um disagree with those who think it doesn't serve a purpose and uh and I you know uh as I've stated u my time on this board is is going to be coming to a close but I

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would encourage um this board to oftentimes I don't like to go back in things. It's always better to go forward but in this particular case to um use exactly like the dialogue that we had at

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that ED EDA meeting to maybe refocus some of that committee's work efforts. Now, that was designed to be with school districts, our

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our cities to collaborate on ways where we maybe don't see duplication of services and all those types of things. And over the years, I think we've done what we can in that area. Um, anytime that you start talking about reducing duplication of

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services unfortunately um, people protect their turf. It's just a it's just a natural deal that everybody protects their turf. And um so I think I think moving forward I think that would be an excellent

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opportunity to maybe um look at ways where we can continue to grow the economic aspect of Klay County. And you know, so I I think part of what we were did that day was having those

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dialogues and to maybe bring home builders together with business community and how we plan and how we arrange our where our developments go. All those things are just critical and I think it would be

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good on our part to maybe uh seeing as how there are some who maybe question that committee moving forward, maybe we should regenerate those efforts in that regard and I think it would be serve the county well.

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Then on May 13th, I also um attended the Red River Regional Dispatch Center budget and finance committee meeting. That was an interesting meeting to say the least. Um, the 2026 year-to- date budget review went well. There was no surprises there.

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Our our building project is just about done now, and it's coming under budget, which is great. uh when you start talking about the 2027 budget, there were four different proposals there and there were some potentially some significant

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uh changes in that budget that um quite frankly under our stressful budget times that we're dealing with uh could be a real strain. Um, and I I know um Amanda, our director

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there, she's she's speaking on behalf of uh of dispatch. And I I think what I'm you know, where I'm going here, what I'm talking about here is um you know, right now there's they're looking for the potential for six new

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positions in 2027. um and whether they're all filled and some of them might be she does have a really good idea in switching to some of the new positions where they'd be what

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she called uh call takeon only positions. So it, you know, they're they'll be the ones who would take the first calls. I think there's a a move to maybe have three to four of those uh at once. Um there's a technology position that's a

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standalone or in addition to Brian's work that's he's been doing there. He's kind of overwhelmed with what he does there. So that's certainly is one but but I mean we we're talking about numbers here that on the low end maybe a 8 n% increase all the way up to 20ome

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percent increases in in staffing. And that's uh that's a significant portion of that budget. So, there's more to come and I I asked that this go before the executive committee because it hadn't been presented to them yet. Commissioner Campbell, I was part of a dialogue last

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week in Anoka County because they're dealing with some of the same increases that we all are statewide implementing a AI component on the non-emer I mean the non uber critical calls and it would be

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fascinating to see one where that pilot is um located if that would be some area you could just follow along um understanding that when there calls that do come in. Obviously, folks need an individual, but to see if there's

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savings there. >> I think that's a good point. I and and I know um Commissioner Erbing or maybe between the two of us, I think maybe we can have those dialogue, but I just wanted to point out um these four scenarios

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um that were talked about here. Um the first one would see an increase for Klay County over 2026 in the amount of $45,000. The uh second one proposal would be an

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increase to Klay County of $92,000. Uh the third one proposal would be an increase of $68,000. And then the fourth one would be a increase of 52,000. Um, and that and that one that's the

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lowest percentage at 8.3%. And that's the lowest one that they and I and I you know and I I'm thankful for um our finance director from the city of Mid was there too and also raised some some real concerns about where we're at right now and in our budgeting process

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and and and also um council member Ryan Nelson who serves as the board chair. He was also on the budget committee and and he you know he did ask some really um good questions too that we whatever we need to do we need to make sure that we're not uh interfering or harming with

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the purpose of that agency and that's to for the public safety of everybody. But there's going to be some serious dialogue and then when we start talking about you know this proposals of our small cities uh that's you know and how how that

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contract might shape out that's going to be a significant impact on all of our Klay County taxpayers. So I did it's more to come in that but it was a an awful lot of dialogue that went on there. Um

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just give me one second here. And then um on the 13th I also attended then the uh Morhead public service wellhead protection for um Morheads wellhead protection and this was the second meeting. Uh it

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went it went well. There was a lot of different discussions. Uh we had people from Glendon Township there and others and u the presentation was very well. The Minnesota Department of Health was there talking about the quality of waters and

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making sure and and to you know a lot of the map. It was a lot of discussion about the mapping and how the aquifer footprint may have changed since the last time we did this in 2013 and you know how how is the aquifer regenerating? Uh what other sources of

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um um I think ultimately what everybody would like to see is a reduction if possible in groundwater use and finding alternative uses of of water to make sure that groundwater is is protected and safe for times of severe drought. Uh

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so you know so we had a lot of good conversations and I I really want to compliment more at public service and and those people that were there. They're really um they're really on top of this and doing a nice job and I I'm thankful that they're um doing what

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they're doing. Then on Thursday, May 14th, I attended the Lakes Country Service Cooperative meeting. Um, I think probably the thing that's most interesting uh most interesting uh to

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Klay County and maybe and Morehead is uh Lakes Country Service is working closely with Morhead public schools and Brandon right now. And it looks like we're going to be able to we're getting close to establishing a center here in in Morehead.

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Um that would uh probably reduce the need for us to be sending 20ome kids every day by bus to Fergus Falls and to bring them back to Morehead here. So I there's some really I think there's some

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really good opportunities there. And Jeremy Kovash, the executive director of Lakes Country Service Cooperative, is really on top of this, I think, and I give him a lot of credit uh for what he's doing in working with Brandon Lunick at the city or at the M public

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schools. Then on the 14th as well, we had a diversion authority planning committee meeting. Uh we had a some some talk on the potentials for the crop loss

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program, insurance program. There's some uh different options out there that we're looking at uh in terms of um do we take a certain amount of money and set aside that basically it it it

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almost sounds like an endowment almost where you put money aside and then and that can that can grow financially where that would that would earn more than what our annual premium would be as if we had to do it through on&m on on an

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annual basis. So, so I again there's more work being done on this uh from some people really thinking outside the box on ways to to do what's best for um for that project, its operations and

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maintenance and for the taxpayers. I really some good discussions there. Then there was some discussion about uh obviously in June there's an election in in Fargo and they will have a new mayor and our

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current under our current format. Um, Mayor Mahoney will will be done the end of June and based on our our bylaws, the new mayor of Morehead will step in to that position as chair and depending on

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who it might be, you might have somebody who's not had any experience uh or knowledge on on the diversion authority. Um so we had some discussions in that regard but uh and I think it was really we talked

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about myself for example and and dear uh you know I will no longer be on there. There's the potential that mayor Dardis will no longer be there from West Fargo. So there's going to be some some significant change owner over in people who have been there a while and and

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um the importance of our staff to reach out to and maybe start some early education to new people who might be finding themselves on those boards. That concludes my report. >> Thank you, Commissioner Campbell. Great

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updates. Last week I attended the pick committee meeting. It was well represented. Um you know I know this um I hate to make so many changes when uh Commissioner Bear's um out of town um but really felt that

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uh given the advice that this board has um given to our staff to to try to strategically look at at things really felt like we covered some great basis with the pick committee uh and the proposals and the dialogue that we had

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there. uh after that had the EDA EDC dialogue and really had a substantial amount of great discussion anywhere from uh what we're talking about with the organics grant through Klay County and how that can benefit the larger

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businesses and the school districts. really uh was encouraged to hear that we had all the school districts in Klay County except Holly. And only because Holly is in the middle of a big building campaign did they not decide to move forward. Not that they won't, but uh

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really shows that we're continuing to find savings through our coordination and collaboration. Um great updates from the cities on all of the um projects and developments that are going on within their communities. uh had an update from

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Dworth on uh the Resco and the community center uh groundbreings that have been covered. Talked a little bit about what the uh Highway 10 roundabout projections are looking like. Um talked about um

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some new senior living developments in a few of those areas um different cities. Uh Barnesville had a really great uh update on that senior housing project that we've talked with them all along on and how that will open up some

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additional space. Uh and then great updates um on existing spaces that ex uh are in Klay County for development. Great update from the city of Moreheads um downtown uh Morehead, Inc. on the

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economic development programs uh that are going on and their coordination with their public service utilities. Uh and um then we did have a little bit of a discussion on the casino update. There were no updates at that

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time. Since then, that executive um briefing has come out. We've not been provided more than just that three-page document yet. Correct. >> That's correct, Madam Chair. uh would like to and I know you're in internal meetings uh would like to have

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some some significant questions on how we came about the housing piece. Uh there were only 33 new homes identified with that project. um but 700 employees. And so what that tells me is they're exist they're probably banking on the

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existing workforce that uh is here already living in homes. And that will continue to uh be an issue as we um figure out how all of us staff the businesses that we have in town after that meeting. Uh and I do concur with

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what Commissioner Campbell said. These are the um the the meaty, if you will, topics that we need to continue to have all of our cities dialogues on. Um this framework for our small cities is really important, too. Uh the greater Fargo Morehead EDC meeting afterwards,

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Commissioner Ebinger and I met with um city manager Molly and Mayor Carlson uh and Steve on what our request in the past has been from the Greater Fargamore at EDC. what have been the ch tangibles that come have come out of that advocacy

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not only for Klay County but any city of uh Morehead or Minnesota side benefit um you know we have had a substantial decrease and what uh our contributions were there and we did shift and I to Commissioner Krabanov's point this

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board's focus was to really focus on St. Paul and triaging some of the cost fundate or cost mandates that were coming to us and how do we stimulate some investment and growth on the Minnesota side and to have almost $20 million in bonding dollars shows that uh

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that shift certainly paid substantial dividends for us. So more to come on that. I know that uh Commissioner C uh Ebinger has a meeting this week on what that funding looks like and we'll continue the dialogue moving forward. Over the past few days, I've had a

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substantial amount of flood mitigation strategy meetings uh with Commissioner Campbell and legislative planning u for the non-secure facility with Commissioner Kabangh. Uh we uh were all in prep for what the weekend would

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result in and was able to deliver the um stress relief sandbags to every member of the legislature from the diversion authority to continue the funding. Uh it was substantially less heavy than all of us um pitching all those sandbags for all of those years. But it must have uh

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been successful as they did allocate $10 million to the MCCGAPA to finish the Minnesota uh components that were uh are vitally needed to protect our citizens in operation. Not just folks inside the dam, but also on

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the other side of it. Uh I attended the AMC day at the Capitol 2.0 you know, uh, representing Klay County, making sure that we talked about the, um, strategy on minimizing those cost shifts to Klay County. We had fresh information from

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Quinn that the SNAP shift would be $2 million annually. Uh, as we figure out what our budget looks like, it's really hard when we're constantly getting uh, those shifts to us. So, uh, grateful for the opportunity to be there and attended

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the futures meeting on Thursday and Friday. We did talk about the human services redesign, how counties can continue to advocate for what that change looks like, had uh the legislative updates and talked about political polarization and political

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violence, how we work uh as nonpartisan uh individuals in this work statewide to continue to tone down the rhetoric as we continue to find solutions for all of us. uh because I um served on uh

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futures. Uh Klay County did not pay for that uh trip. Um yesterday I attended the Lakeland Mental Health Center uh board of directors. We did have substantial dialogue about what our deliverables are, access indicators, and

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as we move into a time when there's a little more openings in the staffing patterns because of vacations, how do we triage what that those losses look like? Um the Klay County facilities continue to be um quite sustaining for the entire agency actually. So appreciate that we

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have that availability uh in Klay County. And yesterday I attended the AMC legislative wrapup. We had all of the um government affairs uh folks updating on what the highlights from the session were. Uh what were the wins, what were

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the challenges. Um a major win. This entire board has been talking about modernization and how that could uh reduce our fraud exposure uh but also help with staff and um productivity. Uh

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there was a huge win $85 million individually as an earmark for that statewide. Really hopeful that will affect a lot of different program areas and really grateful for that. and then talked about bonding as Commissioner

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Krabanov talked about that was a big win statewide to have the 1.2 billion but particularly locally uh for us we'll need to have some discussions at a work group coming up about how we move forward what the decisions are there uh

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but really um speaks to the advocacy of this entire board. After that, I had the uh Minnesota rural counties county caucus meeting and uh same uh updates really as the AMC one only more focused on those of us in rural Minnesota. uh

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really the teams that we have at AMC, but also um Capitol Hill uh investment or Capitol Hill Associates with uh MRCC and then our lobbyist Winthrop saved Klay County a substantial amount of money in future legislative um

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challenges going forward. Uh, and I, you know, I too, um, I think it all takes us all a little bit of time to recap from the work, but, uh, really grateful to be on the legislative, uh, part of this board as part of my committee assignment. So, thank you for allowing

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me to go down there and advocate for Klay County's uh behalf. Uh I will tell you when you walk through the halls of the capital and have a legislator from Good Ho County say, "I really wish my county was doing what Klay County is doing to help mitigate the needs and

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challenges that we have." That really speaks to this uh regionalization of the entire issue. and um you know to say that we're not heartbroken that there's not more substantive uh money to deal with the children that

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uh whether we got $28 million or $1 million or nothing, Klay County will continue to uh serve those children uh in the best possible way. And it is a huge levy challenge. As it's been noted, um there are there's um individuals in

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which their care has uh exceeded a million dollars for finding what appropriate placement is. And uh those aren't challenges that cities have. Those aren't challenges that they need to finance, but uh counties are the ones that are u mitigating what that challenge is. And uh that concludes my

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reports. Commissioner Campbell. >> Yeah, I thank you, Mer. I I do have one additional thing. Yesterday afternoon, I I did um attend a virtual meeting along with um administrator Larson, a um a special meeting of the MCIT board. Uh

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and it was in regards to a Klay County facility. Um and you know that that facility we've had coverage with. Um there were there were some there was some discussion about certain things not

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being covered because it's a 24-hour facility. Uh so they had they had a special board meeting on that and um they came to a really good conclusion on behalf of Klay County and that is um you

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know they agreed with us the fact that we've felt we had the coverage all along and and so um what they're what they agreed what they agreed to and voted on was establishing a writer uh to the

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policy that clearly clearly delineates what that coverage is and that we do will have coverage and that we do have coverage and they actually um backdated it to um January 1st of 2025. So um so

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they voted they voted that in as well as um now there will be an additional premium for that and the a motion that was approved included a annual premium amount of $5,000 a year. So so that I

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mean that that was uh done in in board action. So it clarifies um any concern that we might have in regards to uh in coverage on that facility. So I'm thankful for the MCIT for uh the dialogue that they had and

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the conclusion that they came up with. So I just I I wanted the board to be aware that that I think we've gotten that resolved. So >> thank you, Commissioner Campbell. Steve, >> thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh last Tuesday, I participated in the pick meeting. Uh again, that's been well

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addressed. I just want to thank our department heads. Uh I think that the agenda strategic adjustment uh item that was on the board are things that we talk about in our management group on a routine basis. And so I was uh very pleased with the proposal and appreciate

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the board's willingness to to move forward with that. Uh participated in the EDC quarterly meeting uh that has been well covered. Uh also uh met with representatives from the city of Morehead. uh on the economic devel

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economic development discussion that was brought forward on the 13th. Participating in management, we discussed budget 2027 uh facilities update, an HR update, and IT update. Again, uh Klay County is going to be participating in the Klay County Fair

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again for the Klay County government days. It'll be Friday, July 10th. Again, uh we will be there from noon to 4. several of our departments uh along with the sheriff's department, highway department uh and many others. Uh 13th participated in the flood mitigation

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planning meeting uh that been well well covered again appreciative of the the funding that was received through the legislature on the 13th. Uh had the legislative planning meeting for the non-scared attention. It's been well well covered. uh and also

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met with that afternoon met with the representatives from city of Morehead, Dworth and the White Earth Nation uh on the executive summary receiving a very high level uh overview of that. Uh we hope to meet again here within the next month or so uh when they have additional

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information to share. Uh on the 14th I met with Dan Molly in a series of issues between the county and the city. Uh, one of those issues, um, commissioners, as if you recall, uh, couple weeks ago, I brought before you a request to, uh,

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look at a feasibility study with Klein McCarthy, uh, at the, uh, law enforcement center for future needs of either law either, um, law enforcement entities or, uh, if if the city of Morhead were to leave, uh, that we would

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need to potentially, uh, fill that space with other county business. uh in talking with Mr. Molly uh they wish to put a pause on that for right now. Uh and so we would not be not be bringing that bringing that forward. I have talked with the the our architect firm

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uh and to make that notification. Uh on the 14th we had a MAC legislative check-in that I participated in and also a nonsecured detention uh nonsecured detention planning meeting. I met with Darren on the 14th on an HR issue. Uh

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and then yesterday I had conversations with Mr. Summers uh from solutions uh in regards to uh the the legislative uh funding and uh discussed plans moving forward uh and also then participated in

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the in the meeting uh or listened to the meeting of MCIT that Commissioner Campbell has talked about. And with that um I would end my report. Thank you, Darren. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Most of all my

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um items have already been covered, so I won't bore you again with all of those. The big things that I've been working on was the uh data practices project. That's proving a little bit more difficult than I had anticipated. And um also I'm pleased to announce that

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Anna is back in the office as of yesterday. So, uh, I'm happy about that. So, I had a meeting with her yesterday and kind of got her up to speed on everything that's happened in the last 12 weeks. Other than that, that's the extent of my >> Madam Chair, if I could just thank thank

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Darren and Jesse and Melissa and Sarah uh for for stepping in. We did everybody took on a little bit more during the time that Anna was out. We're um appreciative of all the great work that they did and happy to have Anna back also. I don't think EMTT's excited that Anna's

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back. Sarah, anything else, board members? If not, we've covered all of the business for the day. Our next scheduled meeting is May 26th at 8:30. We are adjourned.

Part: 2

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It is 7 o'clock. We have a quorum. I'd like to call the meeting to order. Hopefully everybody had a chance to peruse the agenda for this evening. And if nobody has any additions or

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corrections, I'd look for a motion to approve the agenda as printed. >> Move for approval. Motion by Sebastian. >> I'll second the motion. >> Second by Jenny. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried.

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>> Approval of the minutes from last month, April 21st. Any I guess I'm not understanding. >> There's a typo on page three that I caught. >> Oh, that's a typo. Okay.

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>> Oh, Mr. Mr. Chair, it looks like there's a um repeated sentence. >> Yep. Okay. >> We need to strike. Yep. >> Okay. I have it. I missed that. >> Okay. We have a motion

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to approve by Laura. We have a second. >> Second. Seconded by Josh. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion is carried. Is there anyone in the audience or online that wishes to speak to something

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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? One more time. Is there anyone in the audience or online that wishes to speak to something that is not on the agenda?

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Hearing none, we'll move forward to the public hearings. Our first hearing for this evening is Westland Excavating request for an interim use permit. The applicant is requesting an interim use permit for a

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39.5 acre gravel mine on parcel 17.031.0100. the north half of the fractional section 31 and the northeast quarter quarter and the southeast quarter quarter section 31

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township 141 north range 45 township. Look for an motion to open the public hearing. >> So moved second by Ashley, >> seconded by Brad. All those in favor say

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I. >> I >> opposed. Motion is carried. Public hearing is open. Take it away, Matt. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, this is a request for an intermuse mining permit. Uh the applicant, Westland Excavating. The land owners are Philip and Jill

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Rogers. So, this is 137 acre parcel. It's about a half mile north of um Casaw 26. uh right now it is used as an for agriculture and then there is a little bit of mining that is occurring up on the north and that's been permitted

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under a separate permit in 2024. Uh the base zoning is egg general overlay zoning is resource protection aggregate and then special protection rivers and streams kind of just in the southeast corner here.

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So, history on this parcel. Um, in 2023, there was an interim use permit that was granted for a 33 acre gravel pit that was never actually established. Uh, and then a 2024 interim use permit for a 39 acre gravel pit would on the north end of the property as well as the parcel to

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the north. And then there was a variance in 2025 to the road rightaway setback that would impact this parcel and then the parcel to the north as well. And so the request is for a 39 12 acre um mine with an associated processing.

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Uh they'd be accessed uh via 170th Street North uh to Count Cas or CASA 26 and west on Cassad 26. They're seeking hours of times of operation hours of operation of January through December, Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 8:00

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p.m. Uh would just have temporary sanitation facilities, no washing at all. Um all water would be contained on site. No dewatering is proposed and then fuel would be stored in the fuel trailer. Uh looking to extract and

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process rock and sand materials. Uh and then they do have reclamation as well. And so this is kind of the roughly the area where um they're looking to mine and then the hall route to the south.

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None of this is would be on prime farmland and it would be in an area that has a high gravel potential. And here's just some picture of the site.

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Some considerations. Um this would be if you look at 170th Street here. So this is Cassad 26. 170th Street goes north. This would be the fourth mine um on the site. There's a mine here, here, here, and then this fourth one would go here.

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There's also the county pit. One of the county pits is right here as well. Um, this road can be in pretty rough shape. Uh, just because there isn't really any maintenance on it. The county, we don't have a um we don't contract with the

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township to maintain this road. So, it's really up on the the operators to maintain it. Uh we do have consistent operating hours um 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. that we the US as a planning commission tried to apply. Uh there have been some comments from land owners on

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the on the hall road um and then just the fact that um people are or haulers are driving onto his property um to avoid some rough spots on the road.

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So looking at um maintenance as well and we went out there and looked at it and um kind of saw where that that was happening. So there's going to have to be some coordination with all the haulers and um pit operators on this road uh to make sure that

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>> I ask a question. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Matt. Are they when you re reference how the drivers are moving off of the actual roadway, are they going there then to the west in that bin site through that gravel? Is that what he's talking about?

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>> Yeah, that's my understanding. >> Yeah, specifically kind of along here. It's like not the greatest picture, but Yep. Uh so how this um proposal aligns with our comprehensive plan, we do have a goal to foster a balanced approach to aggregate resource

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extraction that is compatible with the natural resources and rural character of Klay County. Um it's an area that's already characterized by egg use and gravel. Um they have proposed incorporating dust control, storm water

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erosion control, progressive reclamation um which should reduce impacts to natural resources in the rural character of the area. Uh we also have a objective to avoid or mitigate against impacts to groundwater, surface water, native prairie, woodlands and wetlands for new

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or expanding mining op operations. Uh again they have indicated in the application um that they would be containing storm water on site avoiding off-site discharge, maintaining erosion control, reclaiming mined areas uh would be subject to any wetland review and

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storm water uh as well. Uh we require phase end reclamation plans and bonds to ensure mines are reclaimed as mining progresses. Uh so they're estimating about a thousand uh dollars per acre uh to return this to

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egg land once it's been mined. So looking at a $40,000 reclamation bond. Uh and then to consider the cumulative impacts of existing nearby mining operations for new and expanding operations on the environment, egglands, residential areas, and transportation

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infrastructure. Um I think really there's in this area there is some cumulative impacts that we're starting to see especially with the roads. So uh some coordination is going to be necessary. Um obviously it's maintaining this road is not in solely

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on the respons solely on the responsibility of Westland but would require some effort from the other operators as well. Any questions for me? So, this proposed

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mine permit would not be would be south of where they're driving on private property to go get around >> north. >> North. >> Yep. >> So, they would not be accessing that area at all. >> Well, they'd have to they'd have to

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drive. So this is roughly the property that in question um where the drivers might be using this bin site to kind of skirt some rough spots in the road. And the mine proposed mine would be here and then we've got

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a mine here, here, and here. >> Okay. I had it >> reverse >> turned around the other Okay. >> Yep. >> So they're all using the same road. they would be using less of the road than the other three mines. >> Um, but they're all going around that.

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>> Yep. >> Okay. And I guess my other question is why isn't Keen Township maintaining the road? >> I think just because it's um there's not really any residences on it, it

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essentially terminates or becomes a kind of a cart path um up here. So there's just really >> it's a goat trail. >> Yeah. Yep. So >> thank you. >> I you know when I went up there Oh, is

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it last week? Yeah. I've I've definitely seen that road in way worse shape than it was last week for sure. So there's definitely been some maintenance going on with it, but there are a couple soft spots. Well, there is on other, you know,

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township roads in my area. >> Yep. So, >> okay. Any other questions? >> How many other companies are there? I know there's three other pits. Is there three other companies then as well? >> Yes. >> So, coordination of maintenance would be

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>> Yep. >> difficult. >> A possible. >> They could split it up 25% for each. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, >> Mr. chair and Matt. Uh getting back to the uh condition of the road and going

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off the road, how if the township isn't proactive in taking care of it, which looks like they're not really doing that, how does the uh enforce if they don't if they can't work

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together? I mean is there any teeth in anything that uh it's not the best question to pose but how it's for their best interest to take care of it obviously uh when it doesn't

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happen what's the next logical step >> uh Mr. Chair and uh Mr. And it'd be through just con enforcement of conditions on the permit. And you know, all of these companies on their permit permits have a condition

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that they got to maintain the hall road. >> Does that come through uh complaints or physically going out there inspecting it? >> Typically that's complaint driven. Um just because of the number of permits out there. Uh um it's Yeah, I'd say it's typically

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it's complaint driven. Thank you. >> And that makes sense. And it get when it gets to be a point where it's too rough, um they'll take care of it because it'll that'll cost dollars, too. So, okay. Anyone?

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Okay. Hearing no other questions for Matt. Would you would the applicant care to talk about the project? If so, come up to the mic and state your name for the record. >> Hi, I'm Jeff with Westland Excavating.

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Um, we're looking to open up a pit there to get closer to town for logistic purposes. We have a whole bunch of sand we need to bring to the data center and Harwood this year yet. So, it would save us like

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12 miles around to work out of there, I guess. Um, you guys got any questions or anything? >> Have you talked with other permit holders that are using that Hall Road about coordination of maintenance or

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>> No, not yet, I guess. But I guess I'd make sure it was maintained from the highway to our pit anyway. >> And that makes sense. >> Gets tough on trucks to beat them down

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that stuff. That's for sure. Okay. Um, anyone else have any questions for Jeff? Go ahead. >> Thank you. Is the majority of the material just sand, fill? >> Yep. >> Uh I think when they've dug out there,

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there is some rockier parts, but it's mostly sand. Okay. Thank you. Um, I guess because of protocol need to ask if there's anybody in the audience or online that wishes to speak for or

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against. Is there anyone online or in the audience 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.

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So offered >> by Commissioner Mojo, second by Ashley. All those in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. Motion is carried. Public hearing is closed. Okay. We will go through the

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findings of fact. Um, the interimm use will not be injurous to the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of residents of Klay County. It's following the same

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criteria. I believe that anybody disagree with approving the first point. I would agree with the approval finding. >> Okay. Thank you. The interimm use will not be injurous to

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the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purpose already permitted. >> Not expected to be injurious uh as the surrounding area already contains aggregate extraction and permit conditions that are followed.

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>> Thank you. 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. >> I'd agree with that. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Chair.

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>> Yes. >> Uh can I also just have a add a caveat in item two? While I agree with the finding that the rest of the board is, I think we should talk about private property impacts only because the um the bin site is currently having some sort

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of, you know, usage on that private property. So, not sure if if that the county should put up a private property sign since it's not just this this company going forward, but I feel like we should at least acknowledge that uh

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travel route should not interfere with any private I don't know how we put that in there. Um, >> do you put it in there or just in the minutes note and then that we've talked

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about it and then if it is an issue with this company then we could go back to it. I don't know. >> Maybe put something in the conditions about the private property encroachment. >> Yeah. And Mr. Chair and Commissioner Mojo, we could maybe do that. Um, but it

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would only apply to this permit, >> right? Um, what might what we also could do is I could work with um the township um and the the companies that are using this hall road to maybe put up some signage. I think that

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>> and the signage would be to stay on the on the road and stay off private property. Um and no engine breaks uh just because of the number of um trucks that are >> Okay, then I'm fine with what >> we could do that. But we should probably

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note it in the minutes too. Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. 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. Um it's

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>> we agreed to that. I think we're on four now. >> It's doing exactly what's already going on there. Um, adequate measures have been or will be taken to provide utilities, access roads, drainage, off- streetet parking and loading spaces as required to this

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by this ordinance. Um, it really is uh not applicable. There's almost 40 acres. There's plenty of room to park your payloader and your fuel trailer. Adequate measures have been or will be taken to prevent or

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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 neighboring properties will result.

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Well, there is no neighbors. There won't be any need for signs. You may need lighting depending on what you're hauling, you know, depending on time of year. Should not be an issue or won't be an issue.

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The interimm use will not create an excessive burden on current or anticipated public infrastructure or services that serve or proposed to serve the area including but not limited to parks, schools, public safety services, roads, water supply, sanitary sewers,

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storm sewers, unless the county and the applicant establish a development agreement that determines how such impact will be resolved. Again, pretty much not applicable.

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The interimm use allowed by this ordinance in conformance with any specific use standards established in chapter 8 as may be applicable there. The interimm use is consistent with the goals and objectives of the

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Klay County comprehensive and transportation plan and any comprehensive plan of a township or city as may be applicable. This is definitely in line with plan that we've worked on the last couple

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years and um the township would have said something. So that is Good. Okay. Now, Matt, do you have Okay.

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Now, were the hours. So, Mr. Chair, these essentially are the conditions that were on the uh permit that was approved in 2023. um that mine was just never established. So, the only really modifications are

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the um the termination date. Uh the hours are the same. Um that's 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Hauling only on Saturday 7 to 2 and then the just the bond updating that

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information. >> Yes, Commissioner Mojo. Maybe more of a technical question. Understanding that it's a 39.5 acre pit, but with the reclamination bond being $40,000, does that then signal to DNR? Does DNR

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look at that and say, "Well, actually, is it a 40 acre and then triggers the EAW?" >> Um, >> or is it our practice to round I'm just trying to save you from an EAW at the DNR? >> I think the condition number seven will take care of that just because um it's

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the maximum is stated in there. Got it. Thank you. >> But could certainly change the the bond to 395 >> and this has been this property was in 23 andor in 21

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um soil and water whacka I mean has been looked at my understanding >> be looked at again. Okay. >> Or would it need to be looked at again? >> I don't think so. So that condition could be well we should probably keep that condition in just because of the wetlands um on the southeast part of the

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property. >> Okay. Yeah. You're >> okay. And it has an out if they have a urgent need to all. Does anybody on the board have any

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questions or comments about the 13 conditions? I guess my only qu is $1,000 an acre should be sufficient for the reclamation or how is that number?

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>> Sure, I would think so. Just because the um the property itself is is the terrain is level. there's not really any relief. Um, they're putting it back to egg production. Um, so I definitely think

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that's doable. >> Okay, >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Thank you. I just want to note that item number eight differs from what the applicant put in. I mean, we've got January through December, Monday through Saturday, 6 to 8. and

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just understanding that we're conforming with what other permits are. You're aware what the new hours are. >> Um, so Mr. Chair and Commissioner Mojo certainly open to we have done January to December before. So that's

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>> I'm not advocating for it. What I'm saying is in their application that's what they put, but because we are trying to streamline and make sure everything is within the same understanding that that's what this board typically preferences. >> Sure. that all four pits will be the same that are on

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I guess um does the applicant understand and acknowledge the 13 requirements or conditions up there and able to work with them. So this will be April to December then

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or can we do January for call in or >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, you certainly could. It would just be a contact. >> It would just be contacting me and letting me know. Um, essentially the there's this clause if you have to

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operate beyond these hours or dates then you could contact me and we could work that out. >> So we we we do that on a casebyase basis instead of givingbody a blanket >> came in last year this which are Yeah.

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Okay. That'll work. Thank you. >> So, Mr. Chair, you could just to make it more clear add uh stated dates and hours as opposed to just hours.

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>> Yep. And then you have the must contact. Yep. Not >> should or might or if you want to. Yeah. And they will. Okay. Hearing no further question, I uh

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look for a motion to either approve the permit with the 13 conditions and with the modification on on line eight. Um or deny the permit.

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>> I'll look to Oh, >> you go ahead. >> Okay. I'll look to uh approve the inter room use permit with the 13 conditions um as well as the addition of dates for number eight. >> I'll second that >> motion by Ashley, seconded by Brad. Any

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further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion is carried. Permit is approved. Thank you everyone. did that.

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Okay. Um, unfinished business. Anything on your list, Matt? >> Uh, nothing for me, Mr. Chair. And then on the new business, you have some information on

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data centers. >> Yes, correct. Um I know uh earlier this year uh there's been some requests from uh planning commissioners if we have a light agenda to uh spend some time um talking about some upand cominging or

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hot button um land use um issues, developments, things like that. Um and data centers seems like that's a timely thing to talk about. Um, and so I thought I'd just give a kind of a brief presentation that I that I put together

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on just data centers, what they are, history of them, um, some Minnesota relevant uh, information as well. So with that, get going into the wacky world of data centers. So, I want to go over just um

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how the how data centers um kind of the history of of data centers and how they would this type of development would impact potentially counties uh planning land use. Uh have some um case studies as well from around the United States.

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So, I know we've started hearing about data centers a lot more in the news um just with uh AI and crypto. And there certainly are data centers that are dedicated solely to those two uses. Um but really they've kind of been around since the 1940s.

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um looking at just early mainframes, uh huge computers, uh NASA being a big um kind of early adopter of of what would be a data center. Um and then moving into the the 1980s and the 90s,

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we'd start to see server rooms. So these are actually data centers that are housed just onsite um in businesses uh just really banking, finance, um universities, military uh and then in

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the 2000s and the 2010s with the just the internet uh and then the cloud, you know, everything on everything is on the cloud. We don't have anything backed up on floppy discs or CDROMs anymore. your all your photos go to the cloud and um

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that all has to be stored somewhere physically. And so data centers have actually these larger data centers have been around for quite a while um in the early 2000s and the 2010s uh especially in in California

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um and Virginia uh and then uh the Pacific Northwest as well. And then into the 2020s we have um moving to software as services uh AI streaming uh just really an increased

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increased demand uh for these data centers. And so what are they used for? Um essentially everything that runs digitally is running through a data center. So, your 911, um, GIS

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records elections emergency communications, uh, baking, payroll, customer data, uh, medical records, imaging, uh, your everyday internet that you use for email, photos, streaming, all of that,

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cloud services, and also AI and analytics as well. Um most data centers are basically storing information that we all use. Uh there are different types of data centers. The

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there's kind of four main types. Um first being an enterprise data center and that's typically owned and run on campus or on site by a one specific entity or company. Uh there's edge or modular. So those are a lot smaller

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facilities you might see like um uh like a crypto mining um center could be like a convex like shipping container essentially. Um so they're a lot more smaller scale. Uh

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collocation is where a company might build a data center facility and then rent out like servers space to a bunch of different companies. Uh, and then there's hypers scale. And so these are huge, huge campuses. They're typically

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like your Google, uh, Meta, um, Microsoft, um, doing all of their, um, cloud computing, things like that, uh, on these giant, uh, campuses.

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Those are those are the biggest ones. So really it's all comes down to um five things with a data center. Um it's essentially computers stored in servers uh that need power. They need a network

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to interact with the world. Uh they get very hot so they need cooling. Uh and then safety and security. So thinking of like fires um restricting access uh things like that. uh in the building is servers, uh their power equipment, cooling systems, and then fiber

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connections. They're actually making some data centers now where they're called like uh dark dark or zero light centers where they don't even have any people in them just because they can just be run completely autonomous.

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Uh so again, we got the word data centers, but it can mean a lot of different things. So scale is really important. Um you can have a smaller facility that's on like a 1 to 10 megawatt uh one of the collocation are going to be a little more midsize and then your hypers scale are going to be

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100 plus 200 250 megawws. So these um typically the hypers scale ones will need their own uh substation um their own transmission uh cooling and all of that.

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And so looking at just nationally the demand is is growing really really fast. So um just looking at as a share of of US electricity consumed overall in 2014 it was just under 2% of all um

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electricity consumed in the United States was used by data centers. Uh in 2023 4.4%. I think now we're up to we're actually up to about five and a half% um in in 2025 and projected to get up potentially

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to 12% of all um electricity consumed in the United States would be consumed by data centers. And so this is kind of where the growth is really um centered on or where it's happening uh in the United States. Um, Virginia is really

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the data center hot spot just because um of uh it's essentially there's cheap power, there's a lot of fiber connections, there's a lot of proximity to um key users um really close to the

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undersea cables that basically um send you know the internet make the internet global. Uh Texas is another big big space just because they have a lot of good tax incentives and tax breaks uh for data centers. Uh cheap land, cheap

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electricity. Um same with Arizona, low electricity rates as well. Uh and then like in the Pacific Northwest, you have a lot of um uh you have the cool dry climate and you have a lot of dedicated power, hydro power to to power these

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things. And so sighting um really depends on four things. Electricity availability, uh access to water for cooling. Uh though not every data center, as we'll

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get into needs water for cooling. There are some that don't use any water at all. Um and they use fans. They use a lot of electricity. Um your fiber network. So, um you want to be close to

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um good fiber optic infrastructure and then zoning and incentives. So, a lot of um um jurisdictions or municipalities, they have incentives for for data centers. Georgia is becoming a really big spot for data centers because they

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have laws specifically um that make it very attractive to locate there. Uh in Minnesota, I think we have a sales tax exemption for some data center equipment, which is an

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incentive as well. So even though we use data centers or we rely on them, we depend on them for our kind of digital life, um they do have very real local impacts. Um and so

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one of the these are some questions that you know as a county should consider um with with data center sighting in terms of a power source. So where um these data centers get their power, a

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lot of it is from natural gas, uh renewables make up some nuclear, coal, uh hydro power as well. Um but really natural gas is kind of the the big one. Uh in terms of water use, um or it

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really depends on how they're cooling um the servers. So there's I mentioned dry air cooling. uh doesn't really use a lot of water, but it does um generate a lot of noise with fans and a lot of electricity. There's evaporative cooling

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um that uses a lot a lot of water. Um then there's liquid cooling. So I think the one in in Harwood is using this this liquid cooling um so they don't have to use as much water uh as a like an evaporative cooling um

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data center would use. Noise is a is a big issue um as well. Uh there's a lot of different sources of of noise once these are up and running. Um and what's really tricky about um the noise from data centers is it is often

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falls under the um decibel thresholds for noise pollution um rules. And so it could be operating um at a certain decel level that doesn't trigger any noise pollution rule violations, but it could still be very

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very annoying and detrimental to um folks who might live nearby. So that's a very important thing to consider. Um noise being one of the biggest kind of complaints um and and the water issues as well. And then in terms of water and

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electricity demand. Um so I think the the two things to pay attention to here would be like the facility size or three things. Facility size um the home equivalent of electricity used and then just the amount of water that these facilities can use um per day

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and per year. So, if you're looking at like a 250 megawatt facility, that's equivalent to about 200,000 homes um in power that's being used and 1.23 1.32 gallon million gallons per day of water

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being used if they're doing the evaporative cooling. Um so, these can have really big impacts uh in terms of water consumption and power usage. some benefits. Um,

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local benefits to data centers. Uh, obviously you got a new tax base from buildings and equipment. Um, lots of construction, so jobs, things like that generated. Uh, a lot of times these companies will pay for utility, road,

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broadband improvements. um there's not as much demand um for other types of services with these just because they don't bring a whole lot of people. Um and again, there's some local agreements with with roads um providing

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grants, workforce workforce support, and things of that nature, some incentives. Uh and then also with the potential benefits, there's also costs and risks. Um power capacity. So utility upgrades being expensive rate impacts

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um you've probably heard about the um utility in Nevada in Lake Tahoe um that has decided that they are going to um cut 75,000 households off of their

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um power supply and redirect that power to data centers in Nevada. And so they'll have to find a new basically utility. Um so that's a kind of an extreme impact. Um

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water demand, noise and light. Um air emissions with some of these just with their backup generators. Uh and then a land use fit. I mean these are large industrial facilities. Uh typically they

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occur um outside of towns. Um and then the jobs as well. So typically depending on the size, they're really not as m once construction winds down um the number of jobs created uh permanent jobs created is not as big as as you might

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think. So looking at some uh different areas in the United States that have dealt with um with data centers. Uh just going to go through through a few spots. Um starting

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in um Lowden County, Virginia. So this is an area um it's called Data Center Alley. It's in Northern V Virginia. Um it's basically 70% of the internet traffic in the entire world passes

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through this county and they have um I think they have something like 250 data centers in the county um with a uh capacity of six gaww. So that's how much energy is being

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consumed by these um you know it's it's been good for their tax base uh infrastructure investment um but it's pretty saturated there's visual impacts transmission needs uh there is some push back that's happening as well

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um this is an example of where you have a data center growth that's happening and it almost becomes like a magnet for more and more development. So, they've kind of this is kind of a an

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example of a mature area for data centers just because they've been um you know it's been a major land use for for several years, decades even. um and they're in that mature stage right now

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where they might be of hitting their their limit in Prince William County. Um there was a data center that was proposed. So this is kind of a rendering of that data center uh right next to uh

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the Manassus National Battlefield Park. And so this was actually approved. the county did reszone the property uh but they didn't provide the proper public notice um so that went through the courts and it got all the way to the state supreme

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court and that zoning was invalidated essentially because they did not follow proper public notice procedure. Um there's a lot of push back um just because and the push back is um based on

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rural character um historic viewsheds just the proximity to this um to this park as well this historic site. Um and so this might still happen. It's still considered active. Uh but for now um

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just with that public it's it's a good example of why you need to have a good defensible record um for if your decisions are ever challenged. Uh West De Mo Iowa uh Microsoft has been operating several data centers there

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since I think like I want to say the 90s. Um and it's kind of been a uh this would be more of maybe a positive case study. Um although there are more data centers planned um

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and they've had some unexpected essentially uses or increased uses of water um where you know one month in uh July almost 12 million gallons of water was was used.

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Um the city and Microsoft are now working together. Actually I think Microsoft has paid for a lot of um utility upgrades. um and uh for for the city. Um but it's when it gets really hot, that's when they really it these

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data centers really start using their water. So they might not use a whole lot the rest of the year, but that one month can really um of extreme temperatures can can cause very excessive water use. So that's one thing that it's really

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important um when asking about water is because that's of that sudden demand um for water, it can have an impact on other users of that water as well. If you know you can't just make 11.5 million gallons of water out of out of nothing. So if it's not there um

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someone's not going to be able to use it. uh in the Dallas, Oregon. Um Google's been there since 2006. Um just because again they've it's kind of got the trifecta of um cheap land, reliable

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power, um fiber capacity. Um this was an interesting case because um there wasn't a lot of opposition to this um until people started asking questions again about water. Uh the there was a

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newspaper uh in the Dells that was going to report on water usage uh by Google on one of their their data centers and the city actually stepped in and sued the paper on behalf of Google. So the city and Google were kind of in a partnership

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here. They sued um the paper that that was eventually that lawsuit was eventually dropped um just because Um, Google said, "Well, our water usage isn't really a trade secret anymore." So,

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now we know that they use like something like 500 million gallons of water in one year, which was like I think ended up being about 40% of the entire town's um water consumption.

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Uh the XAI facility in Memphis, Tennessee is probably one that's gotten I don't know if anyone's heard about that. Um this essentially powers the Grock um chatbot and it got it got a lot of press essentially because

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um they didn't have a dedicated they didn't have the transmission, they didn't have the power for the facility. So, they brought in um these diesel and natural gas turbines, generators, and they've just been running those 247.

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And so, they're running into some some air permitting issues. Essentially, they built too fast. Um they got all their approvals. Um and then temporary generation, power generation

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became permanent power generation. and that ended up causing noise um emissions and and other issues as well. And then in Becker, Minnesota, um there

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was a uh proposal from um Google for a data center by the SHCO power plant. um quickly turned from a local issue to a

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PUC issue um just because the proposal was to use 250 diesel backup generators. So similar to the XAI data center in uh Memphis um but the PUC didn't like that idea. Um, and so that is on currently on

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hold now and I think Google says they're not really looking at developing there at this time. But that's where um a project was approved locally and then the state stepped in and said um no actually this is under our jurisdiction

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because of the amount of power that's going to be generated there. Um and so that killed that project. So essentially kind of what this shows is um I think it's really important if if a data center is being proposed in

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Klay County to have some good um clear expectations of where it can be located, what are some standards um and what information um does the project proposer need to

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provide? uh because a lot of these um projects are um there's not a lot of information that's provided up front. Um and so if we ever consider adding this to our ordinance, I think that's probably one of the most important things we can do is make a list of of

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information and data that is required as part of the application. Um just so you know exactly what the project is and what its impacts might be. And in Minnesota, we uh at the county

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level um do have the essentially the authority to um review and and make approvals on on things like data centers at this time. Um there could be some energy review. So if there's for example

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a data center that's going to generate their own energy um either through solar, wind or whatever um if it exceeds a certain size then that would be a a PU the energy component would um

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but as far as the data center is concerned that's still something that's under local jurisdiction. Uh there could potentially be some environmental review um options as well. Uh although there really isn't anything in our

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environmental um Minnesota environmental protection act for data centers at this point. And then again with water um and air emissions um uh more almost it's almost a certainty

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that any large data center would require um a water appropriations permit from the DNR and potentially an air emissions permit from the state as well. And so in in Minnesota I know that

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there's been 10 data centers planned. I think maybe one has been built so far down in the Rosemont area. Um most of them uh these projects have have been killed to some extent or they're just

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not happening. Um but in Cass County, they recently just added data centers as a conditional use to their commercial districts. So they um essentially defined a data center and then they just added it to their use table but they

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don't have any standards or anything like that um for um like application requirements, setbacks, anything like that. They just added they just added it as a conditional use. Um, in Nobles County, there was a Donomo Power. They

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recently tried to do a text amendment to allow data centers as a conditional use in their agricultural district and that was um denied by their county board. >> I was actually going to um highlight something if I might on the Nobles

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County piece. I know that was a 950 acre project that Nobles County had hundreds of people providing insight. And one of the pieces that uh commissioners in Nobles County said was helpful to that and I'm not sure if it

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would, but the egg preservation district that the majority of the acres, you know, 70% of Nobles County is in the egg preservation district. And so that was the the helpful piece to the text amendment conversation. What what are you hearing about counties adding those

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types of provisions into what um overlays, if you will, as we deal with these larger scale projects potentially down the road? I haven't really heard much from other counties, especially with with data data

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centers, but um you know, Sterns County does have some preservation districts um that seem to work well with with guiding certain types of development. Um and that's something that I could definitely look at. >> Yeah, I think it might be helpful to look into that and see how that works. I

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know when you know even in the prior uh hearing we talked about prime farmland and making sure that that's something that we continue to keep top of mind but if having a preservation district gave more teeth to something like that I would be interested in researching

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further So just some um what we can regulate in terms of of of um data centers is really looking at land use impacts. So if we ever wanted to consider an amendment uh for data centers to for our land

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development code um really we'd want to define what the use is um decide which districts would be appropriate for a data center. um definitely require CUP set measurable standards and then also an important thing would be to plan for

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expansion because it seems like with a lot of these data centers it's not just like a one especially the the co-location and the hypers scale it's not just a oneanddone thing um they're already before the the last building is built they're already planning for the

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ne for the next one and in a lot of those um regions of the of the US that have seen a lot of data center development that I've just highlighted. Um that's the the trend with each of them is they just keep expanding. Um and

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so looking at setbacks and screening, noise limits, water use reporting, um generator limits, road and utility costs, and then phased expansion I think is is all um very important. Also considering um

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different sizes too. Um some something like we do with like feed lots is we have different setbacks depending on the size. Um um could have definitely have something um size related to to our standards as well.

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And so really, you know, what we need to be considered is power, cooling, um local impacts to nearest residences, um project expansions, uh who's paying for utility upgrades, um

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what is that peak water demand, um what kind of backup generation, uh and what happens uh after after construction. Um those are these those are all these are all questions that as a county we we need to consider. Um and then just to

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finally as just as a takeaway data data centers are essential um infrastructure to our lives you know if you have a phone if you have a computer you are using a data if you use the internet you are using a data center. Um there are

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benefits. Um but all the costs are borne locally. Um and if we were to develop an ordinance or amend our ordinance for data centers, um I think it would put us in a good position. Um so we're being

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proactive and not reactive. That's all I got. Any questions? Yeah, I have on the I have you know some experience with cooling and water and glycol and evaporation you know different just and

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I realize that the like the west de mo I believe that's river water. So how is that is that water treated at all? I mean where the hell do they go with 13 million gallons of water? Does it it it it if it if it doesn't come out of a river, it's coming out of

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an aquifer, is it just getting dumped into a wastewater treatment plant and then it's gone? That's um in West De Moines, that's some of the upgrades that the they had to make to their we made to their um water treatment and their

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wastewater treatment plant was to handle that amount of water um that was coming into it. And so that was an an instance where um Microsoft paid for those upgrades

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>> because I worked worked and lived in areas where there were power plants on the river and you know paper mills and the thing where the you know and then it's the water is >> 7 8 10 12 degrees warmer than the water

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going you know in and that created another I just can't >> Yeah. And that's that's another interesting thing about some of these larger data centers is studies have shown that the like the ambient temperature for like a half mile around

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them is warmer on average like can be up to 16 degrees warmer. >> So the one so if the one in hardwood if they use you know a glycol system that heat still has to go >> still has to go somewhere. >> Those plates has to go somewhere.

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>> Yeah. >> Darn. Thank you. That's a a needful and scary presentation. So, >> Mr. Chair and Matt, I do not understand how that what how

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they used how they're used, how many they need. Apparently, they need a lot more. Um, I would just think that if you could keep working on researching other states, other counties, other cities. I know a lot of counties in North Dakota are going through this problem right now

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with u non-disclosure agreements. Um the governor says don't sign them as was his suggestion. But um they had huge setbacks and the courts determined those were not legal uh to have like 10 or 20

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mile setbacks and things. So it's going to take a lot of work on your part your guys's part to even initiate this. Um, and one guy was joking about I imagine they'll never really they'll keep refurbishing the equipment that's in

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there. He was telling me that when they fail to be used any longer, uh, his joke he said it'd be a good hog barn or a turkey barn. Um, I know it's here to stay obviously

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and just need to be because my boy has done a lot of filming at the one in Enderland and they got lots of problems down there. Um, lots of problems. Uh, and you hear about it on the radio quite often, too. So, keep working at it. Keep getting

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information. Uh, talk to your fellow planning people. And I don't know, you need to be proactive is no doubt about it. So, working at it. >> Just a kind of a general question. When these things do come to a community,

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where do they start? Do they start by reaching out to commissioners? Do they reach out to you? Like how do we know if uh Google or or Meta or whoever is considering building a data center in our county? >> Yeah, that's a good question. I think it could um take a variety of paths. Um,

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I'll just say that I've fielded one inquiry for Klay County so far. Um, but I know that in other communities, um, it'll start with like elected officials, um, or administration.

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Um, so it really really could take, um, variety of paths for how that that starts. I would say the majority of the time Matt has been uh the point of contact and then he is telling us what he's hearing.

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>> I didn't know about the data center until just now though. >> Okay. And then you hear so much you don't have any idea really anymore how much is you know truthale

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or enderlin you know if you choose to you can hear or read about it daily something new going on >> y >> yeah uh and the one in you know one up by Harwood that certainly was contentious because ARwood did it and

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then Fargo wanted it and got some lawsuits and >> and then they permitted it without letting us know that we had a road project. I mean there are unintended consequences. We had 26 scheduled to be repaired and you heard them talk about

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the amount of material that's going out and so how do you with those states having separate um paths of who needs to be informed? There are challenges to um interstate commerce. >> Yeah. And it's not just two different

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counties, it's two different states. It's not like us and Becker where we, you know, putting stuff through each other's counties daily. >> Um and you know, that's why, you know, the the prior applicant was here tonight was because of

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the Harwood project. Yep. It's >> been on similar scale or even bigger than the Sanford project from a decade ago or however long. >> Or the Amazon or >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. Amazon or um the Castleton ethanol

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plants. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um does anybody else have any questions or more questions or comments for Matt? Thank you. Yeah, Mr. Chair, this is something that I can just continue to kind of monitor

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um at the state and and county level. Um I know there's some potential things in the works in terms of developing like a model data center ordinance um looking at um some changes for environmental review and and things of

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that nature. So also happy to just and you know I'll keep in in communication and um you know um if we ever get to a point where we're feel ready to to draft an

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ordinance for for data centers um something I can be ready to do >> and I've had some conversations with people have approached me about whatifs in Klay County. So, we definitely it needs to be and you and you know we've talked a few times and we definitely

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need to do some research and be at least thinking about it proactively. It's necessary. >> Okay. Um, anything else to bring up this evening? >> I'd like to bring up one one item. Um it's something I think many of you may

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have been contacted about already. Um yeah, Joel obviously has um the over 50 megawatt solar I don't want to call them farms, I want to call them infrastructures, but that potentially could be on our horizon. Um

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had many many many residents calling, stopping by, had a lot of conversations with them. um worried about the the setbacks, worried about um any screenings that we could potentially have. You know, we're not we're not fighting this. You know, they're coming prop if they're coming, they're coming,

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but um as Matt has said, we have stuff on feed uh feed lots. We have the setbacks. We have, you know, um restrictions on on these other projects. And I think it would be it would be a good idea to I don't know if we can put this on the agenda for next month to talk about this to have a discussion

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about potentially adding some you know at at our Klay County level some setbacks some screening. Um but I know there's a lot of folks that would probably like to come and attend that meeting. So I don't know how that would work. >> So Mr. Chair and um Commissioner Hang,

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would this be in addition to the setbacks and screening requirements that we already have in our ordinance for solar? >> So those are under 50 megawatts. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> So these will be for over 50 megawatt.

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>> I will just say that if we do put anything specifically for over 50 megawatt that will be comp that will be preempted by the public utilities commission. We just do not have the ability to regulate anything over 50 megawatts. So if we we could put it in

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our ordinance, but it will not do anything. It we we can't enforce it because it's outside of our jurisdiction. What we could do is is essentially

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um provide a conduit for comments that could go to the public utilities commission um when they

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receive an application for a project and when they have public meetings and hearings about it. Um, that's something that we could do. Um, but I've talked to our county attorney about this as well and it's very clear that we cannot

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regulate anything over 50 megawatts even if we had something in our ordinance. >> We you did say that they're pretty receptive to anything that we would have in our ordinance. >> Um, my understanding is that is that they would they can cons they would consider it. Yes.

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>> Which may be worth looking at it. >> Yep. Yep. And it's something we could definitely put on the agenda for discussion. >> Just Yeah. >> Yep. >> Wanted to put that plug in there. So, >> yep. >> One of the things that Matt and I have talked to specifically about that is,

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you know, have that perhaps making the comments as this group might have more weight. >> Please use your microphone. that that having a recommendation from the Klay County Planning Commission might have a

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little, you know, maybe have a little bit more weight if we say, well, you know, we'd like, but yeah, we've I don't know that if everybody got phone calls, but I'm I know that I'm pretty sure all of us did.

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So, and but thanks for bringing it up. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And one thing I will say, Mr. chair about our ordinance is that um there is some discretion that we that US planning commissioners have in the solar ordinance for um additional setbacks or

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um screening or aggro voltaics prime farmland things like that. Um and so if we do re if there if and when there is an application that's submitted um to the the public utilities commission, we as a planning commission can take a look

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at that and we could maybe even look at it like as if we were looking at um a solar project that would come before you and um look at at at planning commission recommendations for screening setbacks and things like that that you as a

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planning commission would put on a project >> if that make does that does that make sense? Yep. Okay, >> Mr. share. >> I think to that piece as well and you know obviously um I really appreciate

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that we're talking about this because similar to the conversation earlier about making sure we have standardized um additional component conditions for um setbacks and and and the like. I think it's important that we name it that there could potentially be something significantly larger. I do

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think there is a challenge um now that we know some of the uh proposal if that would look um you know hold up in court similar to what that other county is dealing with. But I think it's really important and we've talked to the townships about helping them even name

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ordinances in their own township ordinances. That's that's a an a first step that I think is really important. And then I would like us to think if we can't control it but we still need to provide comment in some capacity if these go to the PUC what is that

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standardized comment if you will um if we do have an ability to ask for additional uh conditions to be added in for screening or um access roads those components um you know you

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can't can't get it if you don't ask for it but I think it's important that Um, you know, there are challenges that I think we can work through by providing those comments. >> And, um, Mr. Chair and commissioners, one thing that I'm happy to do too is,

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um, put together a kind of presentation on the PUC process as well. Um, that's something I can certainly put together at some point. doesn't have to be next month, but maybe even closer to when we

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might expect to be when an application might be submit might be submitted just so we're in a good position to react to it and provide um substantive comments. >> I'm seeing some yes, we would like that

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to happen sometime in the third quarter. >> Mr. chair and Matt along with Commissioner Mojo's comments. Does maybe you wouldn't know this, but does the PUC have standardized, you

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know, you mentioned setbacks and uh screening to name two. is are they really are they consistent in all of their requirements like what she Ashley was talking about or are they

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kind of all over the board on depending on where it's at? >> I think it's depend it's location dependent. Um, one thing I can do is I can check with um there's a couple other counties that have had these larger scale utility scale solar um projects

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and I can look and see what their process was like and what um the PUC ended up doing for permit conditions in terms of setbacks and things like that. I >> think that'd be helpful to get a base idea on what sure >> where they start at.

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Okay, thank you for the question, Ashley, and starting the conversation. Hearing nothing else. Um, I will look for a motion to adjourn, but just note that

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June is special, so it's the fourth Tuesday and not the third. June 23rd. Hearing no further discussion, look for a motion to adjurnn. >> So move. >> Second. >> Motion by Brad, seconded by Ashley. All

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those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion is carried. Meeting is adjourned. Thanks everyone.