Good evening everyone. It is uh Tuesday, April 7th, 5 o'clock. I'll call today's meeting of the Klay County Board of Commissioners to order. The first item on the agenda is an approval of the agenda. I am asking uh the board for an agenda addition and we will take up the
agenda addition after item 14 before the break. >> Move approval with the agenda with the addition. >> We have a motion offered to approve the agenda with the addition from Commissioner Campbell. Second. >> Second offered from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion?
>> Further discussion? Further discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. The agenda carries. Citizens to be heard. Are there any citizens in the audience wishing to address the board on the any item not on
the agenda? I do have one. Char. Would you like to come to the microphone? I brought some information. >> Okay. If you if if you want to hand it to Sarah, Sarah can hand it to us. Char, uh you have three minutes to address the
board. Make sure that you identify yourself, your address as well, and then direct any comments to me, please. So, uh, my name is Charlotte Tui. Um, I I live in rural Clay County and I run a business in, uh, just outside of Holly
City Limits. Um, a pet boarding daycare grooming facility. And um it's come to my attention because people ask a lot that there is there isn't anything currently happening with
the stray animals in our county. Um I included in the handouts an animal control policy that used to be honored by the Clay County law enforcement. However, that isn't happening anymore.
Um there is there isn't a plan. Current finders are telling me that they're being told you can leave it where you found it. You can um and let it fend for itself. You can take it to a shelter anywhere that will accept it or you can keep it. And
of course leaving a pet outdoors, especially in our winters, it'll likely starve to death, freeze, or get attacked by predators or hit by a car. It's totally inhumane. Um, our state laws dictate otherwise. They say that all
animals are entitled to basic food, water, and shelter, and suggestions to leave it where you found it or put it back out um are are basically going against our state laws. Keeping a lost pet, well, that's also illegal. It's
called theft of property, and it's completely unfair to a family who's searching for their lost pets. Um, most shelters, and I know this from personal experience, will not accept an animal that is a stray until it's been
through an impound system because that's how they establish that there isn't a legal owner looking for it. So, it keeps them out of trouble. And that puts Klay County finders of stray animals in a rock and a hard place because it's
inhumane to do something else with it, but you can't legally turn it over to a shelter because they won't take it and it's really not legal to keep it. So, what are they supposed to do? Um, I this last week, April 1st, I was involved in
a situation where a German wire-haired pointer was, it had been watched, observed for weeks as a stray, and finally a good Samaritan was able to catch him. They tried to find a safe place for him to go. They wanted me to take it in, but I can't. It's not legal
for me to do that. And if I were to have taken it in and then found it a home, well, what if somebody's looking for it? The law enforcement representative that she spoke with that night more or less told her no one was going to help her because the dog was not in anyone's jurisdiction even though the dog was
most definitely in Klay County. He also told her Klay County did not renew their strayold contract and that there was no funding to take care of the stray pets. >> Sure. That is three minutes. So just Okay. >> Final comments. >> Okay. So um basically
I'm looking for a solution to the problem. So there's more information in the handouts and thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you for addressing the board. This was brought to our attention earlier. Um you and I had had a conversation a few weeks ago about this.
We have our administrator has talked with the sheriff's department about some um ongoing solutions because I think there was a business in Morehead that's changed and so there's a lot of um revolving parts about this. But um certainly we can follow up when we um hear back from the townships and the
sheriffs. Okay. Thank you. Any other citizens wishing to address the board? Any other citizens? >> Steve, have we've had online correspondence about the hearing later? Any online cons correspondence for this issue? >> Uh nothing other than to the public
hearing. Madam Chair, >> you first the next item on the agenda is the payment of bills and vouchers. Madam Chair, I move we approve payment payment of bills and vouchers. >> Second. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Ebinger, second from Commissioner Bearer to approve the payment of bills and
vouchers. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further discussion? >> All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. The bills carry. The minutes were presented from the March 24th, 2026 meeting.
>> I'll move to approve. We have a motion offered from Commissioner Kavanagh, a second from Commissioner Bear to approve the minutes as presented. Any further discussion? >> Any further discussion? >> Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I. >> Opposed? Same sign. The item carries. Item two today on the agenda is the request approval of resolution 2026-8 for the Klay County to act as the legal legal sponsor for the DNR funding for
the snowmobile trails. Good evening. >> Good evening. So yes, I represent Clay Trail Alliance. It consists of three snowmill clubs in the county. Uh the Angry Dragons out of Holly, Felton Ruff Riders out of Felton, and the Klay County Trailblazers based
out of basically Morehead and Glendon. So, we've had this working relationship for many years now and it's worked out really good and and I always like to give a update um when we do this uh just because sometimes we do get some
newer commissioners and whatnot. So, um we groom and maintain all the snowmill trails in Klay County, 180 miles and we serve, you know, pretty much all the communities and we are pretty much a self-funded entity. you know, not many
other groups can can do that. And so that's based off our registrations and the unrefunded gas tax refunds that we get that the DNR manages for us. So, and the request is, you know, the DNR has to have a a sponsor to get the grants to
the clubs. And so, we're asking for you guys to do that. Last year, of course, was an interesting year, another low snow year. And, um, got some slides up here, too. Um so in total we did only 7990 miles of grooming
and um so normally that's you know thousands of miles. So uh this was kind of the norm this year and this was after a snowfall. You know the beauty of the valley right? You get an inch of snow and some wind and our ditches are full and we can
groom. So um you know this was north of town and just but we had people out riding. I mean, the the entities, you know, the establishments around the area and people just commenting on Facebook were just like surprised how good it was, you know, even though it's solid
dirt in the field right next to you. So, we had some new trails out by Downer this year that we some club members from Holly found. So, some very nice scenic trails out that way. Um, yes, you can get stuck >> even with the machine by itself. Um and
then the other picture again is just another you know that's up by Sabin somewhere and you know where the the fields were a tough situation this year. You know this is uh 18 or that's up by on 34 I guess on the left pitcher and
some areas we can double groom it wide. So those tend to stay nice because they blow off. So nice picture there that again out by the downer area. This is up by hit doll and you can see that fields are our challenges obviously
that was pretty much the norm what you see in the right there for this year but so but yeah that's what we're doing for the county um basically and we would ask for your approval for that again >> thank you for the presentation Greg Commissioner Koff has
>> uh question of the 180 miles is it all continuous or is it loops here and there >> pretty much all loops now We've got one. >> We had a dead end trail going into Downer. I don't know if we're going to keep that one or not now because we we
adjusted the trail when it went from Barnesville to Holly. It just basically went up County 31 and zigzagged off the trail here and there. >> Yeah. >> Now we scooted over into downer and back and uh back to Holly then now. So we had one coming from north by the the landfill that would come almost straight
down. So we might take that one away now. I don't know. We'll see. So yeah. >> Thank you, >> Commissioner Campbell. Yeah, thanks Greg. Um the uh you mentioned that you had a couple of new trails by Downer. How do you incorporate new trails into your system?
>> Yep. So we go and map it out and then we look at the land owners if we need land owner permits or the township permits and then we go to the township meetings and meet with the board chairs and whatnot. >> Okay. So, >> but does your full mapping of your system have to be presented or or put
into DNR? Yes. Okay. >> Yep. We're supposed to do it, you know, by June 1st, but that doesn't always get done because sometimes we're still changing and like right now we've got, you know, Nature Conservancy is buying a bunch of land up by Felton between Felton and Yulan. So, we're still
working on that, but I they emailed Yes. Well, a couple days ago, I replied last night, they actually came to us and says, "Hey, we see you got a snowmill trail there and we want to keep your trail there." It's like, yes, that was that don't happen too often. So, well, we do, you know, I I certainly hear good
positive things about the work your clubs do when you have the ability to do it. >> Yes. >> With the snow. So, thank you for >> you're doing to provide for the snow. >> Yep. We run in some snafuss. I know um the townships have been trying to update what's really a township road maps,
right? So, we ran in snafu going across some property where, you know, bunch of people said yes, it's a road, bunch of people didn't. So there's some of that that we're still trying to mitigate, but >> any further discussion? >> Madam Chair, I would move resolution 2026-08.
>> A motion offered to approve the resolution 2026-08 from Commissioner Campbell, a second from Commissioner Bear. Thank you uh for maintaining these trails. It's quite a labor of love and uh some years it's really uh easier, if you will, and some years it's tricky. Uh as someone who
lives really uh close to a trail, it's great to see so many citizens and residents utilizing the trail system and um it's it's really an exciting part that we have to offer our citizens. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify
by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Carried. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Suppose you want me to sign that be so you don't have to say the whole meeting. Okay. Okay. Okay. Item three today is a request approval to appoint Jeff Winter
to the Klay County Planning Commission. We have Mr. Winter here uh alongside our planning and zoning director, Mr. Jacobson. Good evening. >> Good evening, Madam Chair and commissioners. And thank you for saying good evening because I almost came up
here and said good morning. >> You have young kids, so we would take it. >> Morning, evening, it's all the same, right? Um, I'm here uh today to bring forward a planning commission recommendation to appoint Mr. Jeff Winter to the Klay County Planning Commission. Uh, this uh recommendation
was made on March 17th at their meeting. Um, unanimous recommendation. Um, uh, Mr. Winter has been a lifelong Klay County resident living in rural Klay County and would fill one of our openings for a rural uh, residential representative. >> So, and he's here if you have any
questions or want to know more. >> Welcome. Um, thank you. >> Yeah. >> Do you have anything you want to say? We do have your sheet that shows uh your 18 years of experience. >> I'm excited. Um, really excited to do this. I was on the Mullen Township board
for 18 years. So, got off that now. But yeah, I live How did you ever get off? Right. >> Well, it was my term was up and someone else came in and they >> That's an accomplishment. >> I know. I get off that. >> Commissioner Campbell knows. Well, Commissioner Mayor as well.
>> Yeah. No, it was fun and did a lot of good things and it's fun working with the county and you guys helped us out a lot and yeah, >> well, I've served on the planning commission for a long time and it is really important to have that township's perspective. We really worked hard to make sure we have broad geographic
representation throughout the entire county and uh think that you would fit in quite well with that. I know Commissioner Bear was able to attend that meeting. I didn't know if you had any further dialogue. So yeah, Jeff didn't make that meeting, but I had I have one question when I sat on that board, I always asked one question. How
you know it's 12 12 meetings a year roughly. >> Yeah. >> And when you were on township, how many times did you miss meetings? Because it's very important to show up. >> Absolutely. Yes. And that's that's a concern of mine, too. Um I would have to say 11, you know, a good 90% of the
time. And you either sick or vacationing somewhere. >> Yeah. Because it's >> Yeah. No, I feel it's important. And if you're you're an elected official, you need to be there for the Yeah. >> We don't we don't have a problem making a quorum at the planning, but just >> No, no, I show up. That's the only
comment I have. >> No, that's a good comment. I totally agree. >> Yeah. >> And with that, Mr. Chair, Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve Jeff Winter to a three-year term on the planning commission. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Barry, a second from Commissioner Campbell in
the con cost impact uh component. Those were all budgeted, so there's no new uh dollars needing to advocate or allocate there. And then it would be the first of a three-year term. >> Correct. >> Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the
motion signify by saying I >> opposed. Same sign. Carried. >> Congratulations, Mr. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Item four this evening is a recognition a proclamation for child abuse prevention month which was which is
April 2026 Quinn. >> Good evening madam chair and commissioners. Thank you for having me tonight. Uh so yes I'm here requesting a proclamation. Just have a few words I'd like to say beforehand. Uh April is nationally recognized as child abuse
prevention month. Uh Klay County Social Services plays a critical role in responding to reports of malreatment and ensuring the safety and well-being of children in our community. So in 2025, social services completed 406 child protection and child welfare assessments and investigations involving families
and licensed facilities. In addition, we provided child protection and child welfare case management services to 110 families and supported 146 children in out of home placement through foster care and other settings. Behind each of these numbers though is a child, a family, and a situation that requires
careful assessment, professional judgment, and compassion. Child protection work is some of the most difficult work performed in public service in my opinion. Uh social workers are often called into famil family's lives at their lowest moment of crisis, trauma, and uncertainty. So, it's important to recognize these
professionals who carry out this work every day. Our child protection staff step into difficult and often heartbreaking situations with professionalism and courage. They're tasked with protecting children while navigating complex family dynamics, legal requirements, and intense public
scrutiny. Their work often happens quietly without recognition. Yet, it is essential to ensuring that vulnerable children in our community are safe and that families receive the support they need during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. Child protection workers are asked to make impossible decisions every day based on limited
information that most people will never have to face. and they carry the weight of those decisions long after the workday ends. But preventing child abuse can't be done by one agency alone. It requires strong partnerships across our community, including parents, schools, health care providers, law enforcement,
community organizations, faith communities, as well as friends, families, and neighbors. When families have access to resources, support networks, and early intervention, the likelihood of abuse and neglect can be reduced. Recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month provides an opportunity
to acknowledge the difficult work done every day to protect children and strengthen our community's commitment to ensuring that every child grows up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. And with that, I would request that approve the proclamation.
>> Thank you, Quinn. Uh before the board reads the proclamation, um I just want to say a huge um shout out of gratitude to all the the people that you just identified. I will say as someone who um sits in on
some meetings uh about the scope of work that our employees deal with, it is heartbreaking and it sticks with you and it's really hard to move on and see the bright lights. uh um passed it. I will
however say that your staff and the department and our partners that work with these children in terrible situations and even families provide that bright light and it really is um heartwarming to see how hard the team
works to really lift these kiddos into situations where they have a bright future. And I think that is why you've seen this board be so supportive around additional programming and support and partnerships to help address the needs throughout an entire continuum uh of the
the issues in which we're seeing. So commissioner >> Yes. I'm sorry commissioner. >> Yeah. I just want to want to share something with you and your staff. I ran a child abuse unit in my career and for
hardened police officers who have been detectives for years, it was one of the most difficult assignments you could give people. And when I came to Morehead, the officers, as you are very familiar with, the officers worked those cases had a lot to deal with because of
what they saw. And your staff and you and everybody that reaches out to help these kids. We can't thank you enough. It's It's not one of those things they're ever going to make TV movies, TV
or movies about, but it is. I worked homicides and I ran a unit to work these cases and I was missing working homicides when we had those kids. Had to work the cases on these kids. So, your people are doing their unsung heroes and
and I hope they know we appreciate them. >> Mr. H, you read the proclamation. >> All right. Whereas the children of Klay County are a vital part of our community and represent the future strength, health, and prosperity of our region and
ensuring their safety and well-being is a responsibility shared by all residents. Where's child abuse and neglect remain serious concerns that affect communities across the nation and the impacts of of abuse can have lasting
emotional, psychological, and physical consequences for children and families. Whereas effective prevention occurs when families, schools, health care providers, social service agencies, law enforcement, faith communities, and local organizations work together to
support children and strengthen families. Whereas prevention efforts focused on building protective factors within families, promoting positive childhood development and ensuring ensuring parents and caregivers have access to resources and support systems
that foster safe and stable homes. Whereas community awareness and engagement are essential to preventing child abuse and neglect and recognizing child abuse prevention month helps highlight the importance of the early
support, education, and collaboration in protecting children. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Klay County Board of Commissioners hereby proclaim the month of April 2026 as child abuse prevention month in Klay County and calls upon our residents, community
organizations, schools, faith groups, healthc care providers, and businesses to work together to promote the safety, well-being, and healthy development of children. >> Madam Chair, I would move the proclamation. A motion offered to move the proclamation from Commissioner Campbell, a second from Commissioner
Bear. Any further discussion? >> Keep up the good work. >> Thank you. >> Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> The proclamation carries.
>> Thank you, Quinn. >> Thanks, Quinn. >> Item five is the housing support program update. Quinn, you also have that. It's me. Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioners, I am just going to provide a a brief overview on our housing support program and kind of the
changes that we've made here. Um kind of excited about it. It's taken about two years to identify these things and put them in place. So, you're getting the culmination of about two years worth of work here today. So, um just an overview, what is housing support? Um I know you've heard me reference that
program a few different times over the past uh two years or so. Housing Support is a state-f funded program that provides a monthly payment to providers serving eligible individuals to assist with room and board costs uh with the goal of preventing homelessness and reducing more costly institutional
placements. So, in Klay County, this program serves adults with disabilities, uh adults with mental health needs, substance use disorders, and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. I want to be careful with the language. The payments for these room and board
costs go to providers, not to clients directly. Um, this is a core safety net program that allows people to live in the community um instead of living in those higher cost facilities or having unstable living conditions. uh our housing support providers in Klay
County. It's a range. It's a continuum of different types of providers um such as adult foster care, uh board and lodge facilities like the Lotus Center, uh supportive housing programs like Klay County H scattered sites as well as Bright Sky Apartments would be an example of that. Um and housing with
services establishments, those would be like assisted living facilities. Um all of which deliver housing, the actual shelter, the physical space that folks live in. and in some of these cases, additional supportive services to residents. So, we the county, we don't provide that actual physical
brickandmortar uh shelter, nor do we provide that housing case management. We oversee the system that ensures the providers are doing what they're supposed to do under the program. So, that means in practicality, we're entering into housing support agreements with these providers and screening the eligibility of each client on whether or
not they're eligible for housing support. uh quick snapshot in time as to what that looks like. Um currently we have two staff that manage this program. One is sitting at 239 on her case load and the other at 233. Um so it's important
it's not just the client eligibility. Um that also includes paying the providers updates to the wonderful outdated antiquated systems that we've been talking a lot about. Um and supporting our other teams like our family team, our long-term care team, and our adult team. oftent times there's program
crossover between the clients that are on housing support. Um so as this program has grown, the workload hasn't just increased in size, it's of course increased in complexity. They keep adding rules and caveats to the program. Um what it what we were asking staff to do over time was manage all the
providers, monitor the compliance of the program, handle the client eligibility, process the payments, and keep everything moving all at once as people went off the program and as people went on the program. So at a certain point it just becomes too much to do all of those things well. Um so we kind of recognized
this in 2024 and said hey we need to take a look at fixing this. Um so part of our work was just recognizing that's where we sit. Um and is there any sort of structural things that we can put in place to make that better. Um so from a big picture standpoint
nothing about the program was broken but we certainly recognized the need to improve it. um the work was being done, but most of that lived with the two staff. It was very structured to just the two of them. Um steps weren't consistent when there was turnover in that. Um wasn't always applied the same
way. There's room for interpretation in some of the programs and so when staff turned over, differences in the program happened and I don't like that. Um this did create a few challenges. Um inconsistency is is a problem in in programs. So depending on who's handling
the case or working with a different provider, a situation could be interpreted differently. Um secondly, that in my opinion, inconsistency creates risk. Um so I don't like risk either because these expectations were not clearly defined and up for interpretation. Um thirdly, it limited
our ability to really have a firm grasp on the growth and the scale of this program over time. Um so again towards 2024 sat down with the team that did this. they're the real content experts and said, "How can we kind of fix this and make it work?" Um, again, the good news is that even though it's taken us a
while to get a grip on it, we have um we've created uh kind of the penultimate housing support manual, we've taken all of this institutional knowledge and all the bulletin and program requirements and put it into a manual. Um, so rather than relying on just what was in our
staff's heads, we institutionalized the program. Um, so now we have clear checklists, we have clear definitions. So now not only do the providers know exactly what to expect, the clients know what to expect, our staff know what to expect. Um, it's it's codified. Um, we've added steps to make sure that
there is consistency. We're holding all providers to the exact same program standards. So again, the attitude was rather than just this is how we've always done it, let's get a clear and consistent easier path to follow. Um, a a good part about this is that we also
strengthen the accountability side of the program as well. We now have a consistent monitoring and compliance process. Um, before it was a little bit random and reactive. It was still being done, but it was being done by the two staff that were also juggling the case load. So, we were able to change up some
uh job duties and responsibilities within the unit and built in the ability to have someone do um in-person site visits every single year. So, we're going to have really consistent checks on the providers. They're going to physically go out to the locations where housing support is being provided. Um,
make sure everything lines up with what they're supposed to be delivering under the program. Um, we have a standardized checklist so every provider is being looked at the same. Um, again, fairness and consistency is important. Um, but it's not just about checking the box. It's about understanding what's actually happening for that client on the other
side. Um, so it's going to be an interactive process where we're actually going to be speaking to the client, speaking to the provider, making sure that everything matches up, that people are getting what they're eligible to get. Um, so at the end of the day, this really gives us a clear picture of how the program is actually operating on the
ground and across the county, and it helps make sure that we're maintaining quality and accountability for clients while still supporting our providers who are doing that work at the same time. Um, so again, why why this matters? Uh, to me, it's the three things listed right there. accountability, efficiency,
and better client outcomes um because we have these clearer expectations and stronger accountability with our providers. We have a better control over the program um and how it's managed and how it's growing. I mean, we're at the point where we have to really consider capping the amount of people that could go on housing support just because of
the uh capacity of the two staff that we have. We don't want to overextend them and then have eligibility issues or errors on administering the housing support program. Um, we tidied up kind of the enrollment period as well before a provider could come in and just say, "I want to be a brand new housing
support provider and we would process that." So, we've created an enrollment window where we can kind of organize every September. We're going to have people come in and do this. So, just kind of put some guardrails around the program to hopefully again get some bookends around what that looks like. Um, so it kind of shifts us from being
reactive to actually lead leading the way and having a defining defining purpose of this program. Um, with that, I'd yield for any questions that you have, but I just wanted to give you an update. >> Thank you for the update, Quinn. Any questions from the board?
>> Commissioner Ebinger? >> Yeah, Quinn. Um, this is addressing one of the stickiest issues we've got in the community, and that's homelessness. Uh, and then the other sticky issue we have in the state is fraud.
And I think on your own, you and your staff have gone forward to try and tackle both of these issues through this. And I hope the taxpayers know this is what they're paying for and the money is not being wasted. And it's because of the initiative of you and your people.
So thank you. Grateful for that. >> Any additional comments? >> Any comments? >> Gwen, thank you for the presentation. Certainly important information for us to have. I appreciate all of the additional uh
controls that we've added into that piece to make sure that we're utilizing dollars in the most um failsafe way, I guess. >> Thank you >> so much. >> Thanks, Win. >> Item six tonight is the request approval to apply for the composting grant through the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency. We have our solid waste manager, uh Corey Bang, with us this evening. Hello. Thank you, Madam Chair and commissioners. Um, I come for you this evening because we've been, as if you remember on my board update, we've been working with a small group from Morehead
that uh wants to partner with us in creating a compost program within the county. Um, we've reached out to several schools, colleges, uh, large facilities that produce compost and got some pretty good support from them. So, we would be looking at going forward with applying
for the grant. It's a $2 million cap on the grant with a 20% local match. So that would cost us $400,000 at that point. Uh if we were to get the whole amount, um we would be looking to set this compost facility up at the landfill. It would be on the closed portion of the landfill, so it wouldn't
take up any additional space or any future growth area or anything like that. Um it would tie in relatively easy to our our already um working le program. So it would meet the MPCA needs. Uh there are some fairly healthy
costs involved. Uh we would need some equipment, a grinder, a trauml, wind row, compost turner, etc. Um but those would all be applied for within the grants. So um we would look for approval to apply for the grant. It is actually due next Wednesday. So we've been
working and we're trying to finalize it right now, but we would like your approval to apply for that. >> Thank you, Corey. This has been a discussion item as you noted with the solid waste advisory committee. I do know Commissioner Campbell has some comments on this. >> Yeah, thank you. Um Corey, the
um when you apply for the grant, how much detail do you have to go into in terms of um the total request of 2 million? Do you do you kind of line item things on there? >> We're we're line iting um everything down to where it's going. The MPCA, you
know, has tenatively approved our plan. Um all the equipment we need, the totes we would need. um who would be responsible for it. Pretty much as detailed as we can be to make sure that they think the plan will go through and we'll >> Can we include in that application um the value of the land that we're going
to be using? >> Yes. >> I think that would be >> Yep. >> That's because that can be an inkind, >> right? The $400,000 can be either in kind or in monetary. So, >> um one other thing I'd like to say is that the uh grinder and trauml could be used for multiple things. >> Um we're looking at doing potentially a
uh shingles recycling. we could grind those shingles up and actually have a a usable product at the end. We would take all the metal out of it with with the equipment there. So, um the stuff we're applying for, the the equipment we're looking for would would have multiple purposes at the landfill. That's why we felt it was good to put it at the
landfill and not an outlying location because we can't get that equipment back and forth. >> Well, on our SWAT committee, we've talked about a grinder for quite some time. And I think >> they're not getting any cheaper >> and this I think this really helps justify it. Um >> but I you know I I think what we're
talking about here and you in your report you you said there's like 37% >> y >> of the waste that in municipalities is basically organic food products that >> right and that's we do a waste sort every year with with the same 100 houses
every year. Um and it it's pretty consistent that 35 to 37% organics. um every ton of that we take out is is lifespan we add to our landfill. So um because that material can be composted re reapplied somewhere else and not go into the landfill just to decompose. you
know, for for our people who might be listening, one of the one of the things to keep in mind here is that, you know, if we can help remove another 30% 7% of things that go to our landfill over and above what's been done now through our normal recycling process,
>> that the savings on that landfill um >> just just one just one cell alone, right, >> cost way more than $2 million to to construct. So >> the last quote I had for an acre cell is roughly $3 million just to put in an acre cell. So if we could extend that
life by a third, you know, that's that saves us a ton of money in the in the long run. So >> well, we're talking $400,000 that can go a long way to save a new cell. I think it's a good idea and I'm thank you for working on it.
>> Commissioner Kavanagh. Um yeah um really behind this um a couple of questions for the organic piece um that you're trying to for the compost. So do you feel if um to get
this operation going the 2.4 million's enough or will there be other grants you'll need to go after or >> it's enough to get us started. There will be additional grants if we decide to expand the program. Um, this is basically just to get us started with the largest producers. This wouldn't be
a door-to-d dooror program or nothing like that. >> I understand that. >> But yes, there would be in the future, and they've already informed us there will be more grants in the future. So, if we can get this up and running and and prove the concept, um, we would apply for more grants to expand the program in the future. >> And then, are you kind of modeling what
you want to do after some other place? >> Yes, we've been around. We went to Pope Douglas and they had a basically what they have is the state-of-the-art type facility. um we couldn't do that for $2.5 million. Um so we also went to Pope um Pulk County up north in Krookton and they have a similar program to what
we're looking at here. Um it's a wind row system. We can monitor the wind rows. Um it's basically self-contained. Once you put them in the winds, there's there's monitors and it goes right to a laptop or computer. >> And then the the um compost that it creates, where would that go or how
would that be sold or what would be the >> We would meet the PRFP on the compost. So it would be eligible for sale in the future to whoever would want it. You know, we would obviously reg or limit that to Klay County residents. Um we also have had support from Becker County who would like to potentially haul their material here and pay for
>> so there's a potential revenue source there too. >> Okay. And then last question with the grinder I think it's great. Mattresses, lumber, furniture, all those things you're talking about. So is that ground and then just put back in the right back
in the landfill to keep disintegrating or How does that work? >> Well, it depends what the item is. If it would be wood chips or tree branches, that kind of stuff, we would use it in the actual compost process because you have to have a certain amount of of yard waste and that kind of stuff. >> Uh if it's mattresses, we would take the
metal out of it. >> If it's furniture, we would take the metal out of it. Um anything like that. So, we could we increase our recycling of the metal as well. Um mattresses, as you know, when they go in the landfill don't they don't squish down. They just keep popping back up. >> Haven't we been taking those to deal?
>> The majority of them. Yep. We take probably 80% of them to DL, but the ones that are really um contaminated and that kind of stuff, we could grind and get the metal out of them. Plus, we would eliminate the the spring back on the mattress. So, >> thank you very much. >> Additional questions,
>> Madam Chair. I move that we approve the solid waste staff to apply for the composting grant through the MPCA in the amount of $2 million. >> A second. >> Motion offered to approve the request from Commissioner Campbell, a second from Commissioner Kavanagh. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further
discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Carried. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Item seven is the request approval of the final contract voucher for
SAP014-599-106. We have our county engineer Justin Sorum here. >> Yes. Good evening. So the first item I have is requesting approval of the final contract voucher for SAP14599106.
This was a bridge removal in Elwood Township. This one took quite a while from initial talk of the project actually getting removal. I think the project went really well and the final amount to be approved is $62,63510.
questions from the board. Madam >> Chair, I how did So when we the original bid was 127,000, what how what made it go down so much? >> Yep. So the biggest thing on this one was there was a lot less in bank bin than than was it initially calculated?
We were able to use some of the material on site and there was just a bust in the quantity and being a little bit long on it. >> Questions of the board? Madam chair, I'll make a motion to approve the final contract for vulture SAP014-599-016
in the amount of 62,63510. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Bear to approve. >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Ebinger. Further discussion. Further discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I. Sign. Carried. Item eight, the request approval to advertise for SP014-598-080. Justin, that's yours as well. >> Yes. So, this is approval to advertise that project. This is a bridge replacement project on County Road 51
just east of Barnesville. So, this is shown in our 5-year plan and it's a federal aid project utilizing bridges offsystem funding and it is a joint project with Wilin County. Beans that they have two bridge replacements. they are taking the lead through the state's
eyes. Um the proposed letting date would be May 6th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. This would be held at Wilin County. And then once that bid opening has taken place, I will bring that number forward for approval. >> Thank you, Justin. Additional questions
of Justin. I'll make a motion to uh approve the advertisement of SP 014598080 for the lighting date of May six. >> Motion offered to approve the request from Commissioner Kavanagh. >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any
further discussion? >> One question, Madam Chair. >> Commissioner, >> is this a bridge that's on the county line? Is that why? >> One mile north of the county line. But um usually on a federal aid application if you have a joint project you have a better chance of getting that funding.
So means Wilkin had two. We had one. We bundled it when we applied. >> Just like what we're doing with Georgetown Bridge and All right. >> Correct. >> Further discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. Same sign.
>> Carried. Item nine today is the approval of the mindot grant agreement 106119 or 1 1904 and resolution 2026-09. Justin, >> yes. So this is the L local road
improvement grant that we did receive for the CASA 12 and 52 roundabout project. So the LRIP grant was in the amount of 535,000 and as required by MDOT for local road improvement funds, a grant agreement and supporting resolution is required for
for this. And I did hand out sheet four which was just kind of a source of funds that is included in this grant agreement. Um, last week we did receive notice from the state of Minnesota that there was additional
federal money that could be applied to this project and we wouldn't have to turn in any state aid funds or anything. And that number changed a little bit between board packet being published in today. So the one that I handed out is correct. It doesn't change the actual
grant agreement by any. It's just the amount of federal is correct on the one that I handed out. So, it is a really good thing we received another over $600,000 in federal aid that we weren't expecting, >> which then in turn reduces the amount of state aid that we have to spend on the
project. >> Well, I just want to say that is really exciting. We are um one blown away to be able to access funds to uh work on a project that's been such a critical need. And then we've talked about uh to see we're able to access additional uh
federal funds. Uh really when we advertise and receive bids, approved things under estimate, we have additional federal funds coming in. Commissioner Campbell and I were part of a highway committee meeting where we talked about this and it's just fantastic. So great work. Um I know that
um Nathan Ganon helped kind of work through that too on on their part, but really exciting that we're able to complete a project with such great buyin from additional partners. >> Commissioner Kavanagh, >> only one only one question. What takes
four years? >> I'm just saying from 26 to 30. >> Oh, so they they like to so that's when the actual grant funds expire through the bonding bill. They like to just put that in there just in case there's any sort of contract related items because a
contract actually has to be final for us to receive all of the money. >> Okay. All right. That's fine. That answers it. Otherwise, it's September. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Wishes of the board. Madam Chair, I
would um move to approve MINDOT grant agreement 1061904 and resolution 2026-09. >> I'll second that. >> We have a motion offered from Commissioner Campbell, a second from Commissioner Bear. A clarifying question. Can we have a motion that
includes both or do they need to be separate? >> It can be the same. Okay. All right. Further questions of the board. >> Any other questions? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I >> oppose. Same sign carried.
Item 10, our request approval to bid for SAP 014626-033. >> Yes. So, we had a bid opening this morning at 9:00 a.m. This was for the last portion of the CASA 26 million overlay that goes from trunk highway 75 to the Red River. I did hand out an
abstract showing that we did receive six bids. Um, would you like me to read all six or just the low bid? I did read all six on a public meeting this morning. >> Do you do you mind just reading them all six right now? >> I can. So, the the engineers estimate
for the project, which I don't have on there, but it was 1.6 a little bit over 1.6 million. Um, the first bid we received was from Dunach Incorporated. Their bid was 1,948,75023. The next bid we received was from Knife
River Materials. Their bid was 1,737,15945. The next bid was from Mark San and Gravel Company. Their bid was 1,733,3725. Next bid was from Border States Paving Incorporated. Their bid was 1,681,6422.
The fifth bid was from Central Specialties Incorporated. Their bid was 1,463,94210. And then the apparent low bidder was RJ Zavil and Sons Incorporated. Their bid was 1,343,72045. >> I appreciate you doing that. Thank you.
We also talked about this at highway tracking this afternoon. This is another key corridor construction. Residents have been really patient on this. We've communicated with additional projects that are happening throughout the region. Grateful that we're able to get this one done.
>> Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the low bid in the amount of 1,343,72045 to Zavil and Suns. >> Second. >> Have a motion offered from Commissioner Bayer. Second from Commissioner Campbell for the low bid for SAP014-626-033.
Further discussion. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Same sign. That item also carries. Item 11 is a request approval
to issue a request for proposals for the roadway design services. Dustin. >> Yes. So this is requesting approval to issue an request for proposal or in short RFP. Um this was talked about throughout the 2026 budget cycle is
something that I included. Um this would be for the roadway design services of CASA 11 that would go from trunk highway 336 to Sabin. This project's currently on our 5-year plan for construction in 2028. And then just a little bit of background
on the road. It is currently the only paved cassaw that we have with 11t lanes with gravel shoulders. Um, this project is much needed and I think it'll be a really good process. >> Well, as someone who grew up uh hauling a trailer on that road, I can say that
what we have now is a lot better than what it was in the '9s. That was um white knuckle driving, but it still is far too narrow for the commodity that we see on that. I really appreciate that this is a project that we're looking at. Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to
approve the insurance insurance of RFP RFP of the roadway design. >> Second. >> We have a motion offered from Commissioner Barry, second from Commissioner Campbell. Further discussion. Further discussion. Further discussion. All those in favor of the motion signify
by saying I. >> I. >> Same sign. Carried. Item 12, the request approval for the dust control quotes. >> Yes. So, as you can see, we did receive one bid for calcium chloride from
Glacier Dust Control. I am recommending that we do move forward with this quote. Um, we did receive word today that one other person was planning to bid um that's on this abstract tenant lawn care, but they received their bid back
in the mail as undeliverable. So, we can't accept it, nor can we ask what the price was, but it is it's 5 cents higher than last year. So, I do think this is still within budget and a good thing. >> Thank you, Justin. Uh, is there not an
ability to submit this one online similar to how we >> No, it's just on paper, but most people just drop them off. Um, >> is that something that we think we should >> I mean, this has not happened a whole lot. No, >> I think this is probably the only time. But >> even when we used to when we switched
all electronic bidding for projects, it was just um more so just for the amount of paper that we were receiving and then people were turning them in 2 minutes before the board meeting. Um this one I can look into it. I don't
know that there'd be much of an advantage to going online just cuz the the contractors that would be bidding on it don't have the profile set up and I think it might be difficult >> questions of the board >> only oneoff
>> this a company you used before or no? >> Yep. Many different times are the ones who did it last year. >> Okay. Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the 2026 dust control quote from Glacier Dust Control in the amount of $183 a gallon.
>> Motion or a motion to approve the bid from Glacial Dust Control from Commissioner Bear. >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Campbell. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I. >> Oppose. Same sign carries. Item 13. Justin, is this a record? >> Yeah, it is. Steve had sent out an email about an hour before I started submitting things saying there was a gap between the
public meeting. So, I told him I would take care of that. >> Fantastic. Okay, let's get moving with the request approval of the yearly supply bids. >> Yes. So, this is yearly supply bid. So this covers corrugated metal c cover culverts furnishing batuminous asphalt
and then the rental of construction equipment. We do accept bids all bids and then that just kind of lets us if we need to go buy asphalt have a price for it. If we need to go buy a culvert have a price for it or if we need to rent some sort of equipment we also have that.
>> Madam chair I'll make a motion to approve the yearly supply bids as recommended in the packet. Motion offered to approve. >> Second >> and a second from Commissioner Campbell. I see in the action items recommended by the highway that also includes number
four, the gravel bids. Are you >> I have a separate item. >> Okay. So that is the items one through three. Is that identified in the motion? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Any further discussion? Any further discussion?
Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> Opposed. Same sign. That item carries. Let's talk gravel. >> Yes. So, we did open bids for our annual graveling on April 2nd. We did receive two bids and I am recommending the
approval of the bid from Turner Sand and Gravel for Townships 1 through 30. And this did fall well within our budget number. And we were expecting a little bit higher prices. So, we did cut back a little bit from what we had normally done, but still falls well within budget.
>> I'll make a motion to approve the gravel bid from Turner Stanley Gravel for Townships 1 through 30. >> Okay, we have a motion offered from Commissioner Kavanagh and a second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion?
Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I >> I oppose. Same sign. Car. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Justin. Thank you for your work. I I joke about the amount of items that you have on the agenda, but there's
an immense amount of work that comes uh to be able to get all of those on the in front of the board. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> We will go ahead and take our agenda addition, which is a request approval to uh for the rehire of the uh lieutenant emergency management position backfill
plan is if available. We do have the sheriff with us. Good evening. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, commissioners. Thank you for having me this evening. Uh we got an unexpected retirement uh notification from Lieutenant Tweeton indicating that uh his intent to retire from the sheriff's
office on May 8th. Uh Lieutenant Tweeten holds a very important uh role not only with the sheriff's office but also with Klay County being he is our emergency manager uh for the county. He also uh is our training coordinator within the sheriff's office, our quartermaster. He
takes care of our wellness program, our chaplain program, and uh currently the new cadet program as well. So, he wears a lot of different hats uh within the office. Um he has also held the role of uh a patrol deputy, juvenile investigator, patrol sergeant, and now
lieutenant. So, we do truly appreciate his work um and everything he has done for the county. He is not only a county and local uh asset, but he's also a regional and statewide asset as well. He's a very knowledgeable person as it comes as it pertains to emergency management. We wish him well in his
retirement. He uh has indicated that he's going to be more than willing to stay on at a variable hour role uh and help with maybe some courthouse shifts and things of that nature. Uh with that being said, um I am requesting to u uh
uh fill his position. Um we currently have a lieutenant uh posting for his position within the sheriff's office. When we were uh uh got this information last night, we we posted it right away knowing that uh this is going to be a quick turnaround because it would be nice to have somebody work with
Lieutenant Tweeton for a couple weeks because he is currently uh in the process of our county hazard mitigation plan. So, it will be nice to have somebody uh work with him for a few weeks. So, the posting uh will end end of the day on April 21st. Our intent is
to do interviews on April 23rd in the morning and then have that person named either later that day on Thursday and or Friday and then have that person start on the 25th where they will get two weeks uh with Lieutenant Tweeton uh to
be able to work with him um introduce him or introduce this person to various different uh people throughout the state and county and and things of that nature. Uh, as you can see from the wage calculator, it's a very, very slim savings um, with Lieutenant Tweetton's role and then putting somebody who would
be a sergeant into that role. It's a $45 savings. Um, but it is there. Further, we would have a sergeant position opening because the sergeant would be moving into a lieutenant role. We do have a current sergeants list available. We would take the next person off that
list. Um, and as you can see from that wage calculator, there is a little bit more of a savings of that with $5,82. And then from there, uh, that deputy is going to move into the sergeant position. So, I'm asking to fill a deputy position as well. And as you can
see from the wage calculator, that savings would be $6,95. And with that, I would yield to the board for any questions. >> Thank you, Sheriff. Thanks for the presentation. we were able to have this discussion at a PIT committee meeting earlier this afternoon. There's um
certainly we're really grateful for all of the folks who work for the county. Uh Gabe has worked with our county board extensively, particularly when we were talking about CARES Act and uh we've talked about disasters and how he coordinates with so many different partners and uh really are sad to see
him go, but really excited for what lies ahead with him. So, reluctantly, I'll support uh the presentation as presented, but uh it's been a pleasure to get to know uh Mr. Tweet. Yes. Uh Commissioner Campbell. >> Thank you. Yeah. I'd also like to just
comment on on Gabe and his years of service to Klay County. Uh he was really instrumental in helping draft and plan and repair our emergency plan that we have. He's a long time. Uh I think back
to the intense work that he did on the years when we had a lot of flooding that went on. Yep. >> And all the works with the townships and the coordination of everything and and the working with FEMA and all those other agencies that sometimes can be very difficult and Gabe did did a
tremendous job and we're certainly going to miss him. And I I will I will also um echo Commissioner Mojo that we did have a special PIC meeting this morning regarding this because of the urgency to fill that position and and the pick
committee certainly recommends uh going through this the hiring of the lieutenant uh emergency manner manager position as well as then backfilling the sergeant position as well as then backfilling a deputy position. So
that's, you know, that's what we talked about this morning and that's the recommendation before us today. >> Any questions for the sheriff? >> Yes, Commissioner Ebinger. >> Sheriff, is this going to be post or do you have a promotion list for lieutenant
and sergeant you'll be drawing from or is it going to be with people at those ranks at this time? >> We currently have the lieutenant position posted. Um that needs to be posted for 15 days per the union contract. So once that is uh once the 21st is up then we will interview on the
23rd. Um and then we currently have a sergeant's list. So we will pull from that sergeants list and then we do have to post for a deputy position. We don't have a list for a deputy position. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Wishes of the board. Madam Chair, I
would I would move the request to rehire the Lieutenant Emergency Manor position with the backfill plan as presented. >> Second. >> Motion offered from Commissioner Campbell, a second from Commissioner Bear. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further
discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Carried. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We do have a little bit of a break. I'd like to knock off some of our committee reports if that's okay. Commissioner Ebinger
scrambling. All right. First item on uh 24th March uh took part in a remote meeting concerning the u position we just talked
or involving the position we just talked about. Uh we are due to come up with a new hazard mitigation um plan and I have notes in here somewhere. Here we go.
uh we have to assess the challenges and initiate practices to mitigate them in this plan. Uh there's a hazard mitigation process looking at past issues that have occurred here. uh looking at funding. Basically, this was
just a preliminary start to the process and I think it's going to be it it just goes to emphasize what the pick uh meeting brought to us is that this position that really needs to be filled an expedited manner to address
not just this but a lot of the different issues that that uh Lieutenant Tweeton covered in the past. So that is a develop that's a job that'll be developed here on uh later that day. I attended the diversion financial
committee meeting. Uh just had general business approved bills for 1 point almost $1.3 million. There was a uh sales tax discussion. It is coming in. It's a little under what
it what was anticipated but up slightly from what we've had in the past. We discussed with you loan it is going to be uh we'll be drawing our first one down here uh shortly.
Uh on the uh 26. I attended a diversion authority me meeting had general business uh on it. We addressed some of the uh uh issues that are coming up
uh with uh m uh that we're shifting over into into maintaining and operations as soon as the building is done and that's coming quickly. We're looking at uh by the end of the year having most of the projects done.
Um again sex uh sales tax update. It's a little bit down from what was anticipated. Uh we voted on the executive director's increase salary increase and some govern governance policy issues were also addressed. Uh one of the things that
we've been discussing uh and we've had a little progress on were the property owners Ben Askenard Yes, >> husky guard. >> Uh the uh
that was addressed uh recent within this last week with the visit of uh the c army corps of engineers colonel that was in and it looks like things have been expedited on it. You may you the chair
may have additional information on that. I just uh made the notes >> when we got the information coming in. Um yeah, I'm not quite as organized as I usually am.
Also attended the diversion authority. Oh, I covered the finance meeting on the 27th. Had a greater Fargo Morehead EDC meeting. I attended uh the chair was also there. um had general business, had bylaw updates,
uh board and leadership uh nominations, and uh they address some of the stuff from the working groups that are coming in. I'm going to tie this into a meeting I had with Joe Raso, the executive director of the
EDC on the 6th. Uh there are some changes that are occurring with Klay County and our relationship with the EDC. the new governance issues that have been passed have one representative from on the on the executive committee have one
representative from Minnesota and one from uh North Dakota. Cass County is now representing Fargo and West Fargo as one entity. So, it's going to be a Cass County position on North Dakota side. We we are there. We
have a board member in this case myself and Morehead has Deb White commission or council member. Morehead contributes about $15,000 more a year to the U EDC
and the the decision was made that if both parties are interested, the one that contributes the highest amount will be the executive member. So, the uh Council Member White's going to take that position. I met with Joe uh Monday
to discuss issues because I've been an executive member and we set the meeting prior to this change in uh in positions and we had a long talk about what the EDC can do to be of more value to
the Minnesota side. And I won't go into any great details on that, but it was a long an hour and 20 minute discussion. I think uh we clarified some things. I expressed what our needs were and what's the differences in certain in the
services that uh Minnesota side requires and uh I wish council member White uh good luck working with the executive council and we'll see where if any changes come and developments over the next few months.
>> I appreciate Can I if I might I did have an opportunity to meet with council member White yesterday in regards to a followup from the meeting. uh she requested that between uh yourself and I and then her other EDA liaison uh Mr. Larson and Mr. Molly, we have a
discussion before the budget process to make sure that uh Minnesota's interests are top of mind and we're able to advocate uh with one one voice. >> I really appreciate that. I think I was candid uh with Miss Razo on
issues that I think Minnesota needs. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Moving on, on the 30th had a meeting with our county administrator, myself,
oh gee, well, a number of people from staff meeting with Kim Savage on recorders office, the annual compliance meeting. As usual, Miss Savage Joe was very well prepared and pointed out a number of issues. This is where we
determine what funding can be directed to our um technology fund and our uh compliance fund from the from the funds that she gathers providing the services she does. It'll
be presented to the whole commission here in total. But uh it is very reasonable and responsible numbers that she presented to us. It' be something that we all get a chance to review. But it was good report, good meeting.
Uh later that day, I attended the opening of the new Morehead Library uh for supporters and and for for partners in in that. and I'm president of the Lake Agassy Regional Library
Board. It is a great facility and I took advantage of the opportunity since we have our dancing sky area agency on aging meeting the quarterly here in Morehead in June and reserved their meeting room there and they got so
excited. I've I heard from the executive director of the agency on aging and she's got a couple of programs that she wants to present in the library in the coming months. So, it's going to be a great facility for a lot of different entities here in the community. It's
good to see it open. Uh on the second, I intended the SECB or state emergency communication board legislative committee. Uh we had general discussions on the uh some of the legislation that's
pending and where we are going with uh a number of a number of different legislative issues and then uh again have my meeting with uh Joe Raso on the sixth and that completes my report. >> Thank you Commissioner Evinger.
Commissioner Kavanagh. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, on March 24th, I had my historical cultural society finance committee meeting. Um, the numbers for the the uh group uh
looks very good. Uh, even though our admissions are down a little bit, memberships um are steady right now and uh the gift shop is doing very well. So the uh the budget is well in hand. Um we um also
have our final plan in place starting this month to start our new endowments uh for long-term um uh savings and uh interest income that comes from that for over the period of our long-term needs.
Uh the next day we did have our u our monthly board meeting. Uh the new thing there, we've had our exe de executive director in place now for about nine months. Uh we're seeing new eyes on things. Uh and um um just trying to see
how we can look at um elevating uh the um society even to a higher level uh than it's been. We've started uh working with a contracting consulting group called Tellwell Story Consulting and um
the ideas for new strategies to increase memberships, admissions, and donations. Um hoping it'll take the HCS to a new new and higher level. Uh also on the 25th I had our uh PRTF
and nonsecure facility strategy meeting with the lobbyists. Um main thing was uh putting a plan together which we've already started reconnecting with the legislators of the counties that have been in support of what we're doing.
Also uh reaching out once again to leadership of both parties. um they're back to work and it's a short period of time and we want to make sure uh we're at their top of of their minds as they move into the bonding bill over the next
few weeks. On April 1st, uh I attended it was I was invited to a meeting that followed the Morhead Kur Kurdish uh friendship proclamation which was done a few years ago. um well attended over at
MSUM. Just a few comments about this group there uh between Morehead and and um working Dhaka. Uh they've come with some uh um exchange ideas involving the education
uh possible trade uh agriculture trades and um it was just really a really warm heartfelt meaning of a new relationship that I think appears that it will continue at some for some time and um
continue along and just the fact that Morehead We have 3,500 people of the Morhead population is Kurdish and that's about 8% just so people know it's quite a community that's growing uh here. On
this on the 2nd uh I had our children's mental health LA meeting well well attended. That group keeps getting bigger and bigger and uh just the networking that goes on between our health care providers and our social
service uh department is uh just fantastic. Um mainly we uh main discussion was that of creating small scholarships for summer camps mainly for kids with the highest needs trying to fill those gaps during um you know when
school isn't in in sess isn't in session and then also uh working with the a group of kids over in um uh M high they've been putting gadgets together robot with their robotics machines.
Really cool. And anyway, they they came in and showed what they were doing and we're going to start using some of that uh with our promotions and um uh within our group and then also when we're part of events on the on the 6th on Monday, I
had more city planning and zoning. There really two uh main items with that and that was a um a new uh uh sign going up at Mstate Community and Technical College that was approved, a new display LED display sign
and then also a vacation of property for a replatting of a um in the subdivision of Prairie Parkway second edition. Both of those were approved. That's my report. Thank you, Commissioner Kraban. I appreciate that. I will go ahead and call a break now until our public
hearing at 6:30 so that we can get it set up for the the hearing. Thank you. >> Okay, it is 6:30. I'll call the board of commissioners back to our meeting. We are set for this public hearing that was advertised as a public hearing to in
regards to draft ordinances a discussion for the shotgun only rifle restricted deer hunting zones in Klay County. It is 6:30. >> Madam chair, I move to open the public hearing. >> We have a motion offered from Commissioner Campbell to open the public hearing, a second from Commissioner
Barer. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I >> oppose. Same sign. We're in open hearing. Mr. Larson. >> Uh good evening, Madam Chair,
commissioners. Uh uh thank you to our citizens here that are here for the public hearing. Uh we are here just to provide just briefly here a little bit of oversight for the evening. Again, the open hearing has the hearing has been opened by the board and our first slide
is we're going to talk a little bit about the repeal of the state statute. uh what authority the new new uh statute provided. We're going to talk about the three different options uh that the board will consider uh moving forward
with. The board will then have the opportunity to have uh discussions along with uh what what I envision having conversation during our slides. Uh we'll also then have a citizen uh comment period. Uh once that is completed, we will close the public hearing and the
board will then uh have a additional discussion at that point. Uh so so a little bit of background reason why we're here. In 2025, the state legislature repealed Minnesota statute 97b.318
uh effective January 1st of this year. As you can see in the slide uh the the map to to the side that was our our previous uh zones. We had again a shotgun zone in the green area. Uh and uh and in the yellow side uh from 34
interstate 34 to US, excuse me, the interstate to state highway 34 to state highway 32 uh to the east was uh our rifled zone. Minnesota statute uh the Minnesota statute 97b.031
uh mandated through statute that the state would be would allow rifle use throughout the state of Minnesota. Uh they did have a caveat in subdivision 7 which states that county county authority to limit firearms for deer hunting. A board, a county board of a
county located in the shotgun zone under Minnesota statute 2024, section 97B.318 may adopt an ordinance after notice in a public hearing to limit the type of firearms that may be used to hunt deer within the county. Subsequent ordinance
may be adopted under this subdivision only after additional notice and public hearing are effective are effective until repealed or modified by the ordinance. Uh and again the the statute any statute changes uh the the deadline
for that would be May 5th for adoption notification so the DNR can get that into the hunting book for the year. Um this board had a public uh work session county work session on February 3rd uh
where we uh had an update on much of the information that we're talking about uh this evening. Subsequently, in work sessions, decisions can't be made. And so, this board determined that it wanted to have bring this to uh to an agenda the following week, which at that time
uh this board determined that they wanted input from the public, and so that warranted a public public hearing. Uh and the date was set for this evening. Uh so, as we talked, there's three different options that we were we discussed uh as part of our work session
and then board meeting. Again, the statute dictates that if this board were to take no action uh to this uh at the end of this public hearing discussion, uh the entirety of Klay County would allow for the use of rifles for deer hunting starting in the 2026 season.
There would be no ordinance needed because it is already in statute. Option two, uh the ordinance that's in your packet, uh addresses whe if the county were to go to shotgun only. Again, the highlighted areas dictate uh
section 1.1 uh the shotgun area for the purpose of the ordinance would be defined as the entire territory the boundaries within Klay County in the state of Minnesota. Option three uh would be a would be a carveout enforcement area. Uh one of the
things that we discussed again we already had a carveout essentially uh in our our previous uh previous plan. Uh but we had a carveout where we had a discussion about the potential of splitting uh the county at state highway
9. Uh rifles could be utilized to the east of state highway 9. Uh and rifles would not be allowed to be used remain a shotgun zone to the west in the in the green section. uh just to to provide some comparison uh from from our 2025
season to what was discussed. Uh this is our two different options. Ordinance three again breaks it breaks it out into uh into the specific area. One of the things that our board talked
about uh during that uh during the work session and our board meeting uh was a concern uh with enforcement from from the DNR uh the sheriff reached out uh to uh to the representatives from the DNR uh and specifically stated that they
would they would enforce uh a carveout uh but specifically requested in the letter uh that they would prefer that any ordinance that we have dictate uh that we to request their continued enforcement in Klay County.
Uh again, this is this letter is in from the enforcement uh division of the DNR. Uh it's included in your packet. Uh the main po portion of uh what I just addressed uh here is letter from the DNR, division of enforce enforcement uh
requests that uh that we include in there in a clause in the ordinance giving conservation officers uh the authority to enforce the the new ordinance. Again, it does say if a county is silent on whether they want the DNR to enforce the ordinance, uh they will enforce it until indicated
otherwise. Uh it's been the the position of the board uh and also in conversation with the sheriff that we would be requesting as part of our ordinance uh that the DNR continue to enforce any car votes. >> Mr. Larson, can you explain briefly for the audience? Part of the discussion
that we had at the work session was uh minimal uh or a lineup of whatever decision the county board were to make if it were, you know, as simplistic as a line instead of random carve outs around public versus private or uh bodies of
water. Making sure that it was a clear and consistent line for enforcement. Yeah, I think that you know with the what what is important from from the sheriff's department, the DNR is having a a a clear line uh for that enforcement
piece. Uh I think that in our discussions that that this board had uh was is we we have uh from a from a county perspective uh we have some uh two different pretty different areas. we have much more of the flat land on the west side of the county and more hills
and trees uh on the uh on the east side of the county and that uh US excuse me Minnesota State Highway 9 is kind of where where that break kind of happens and so that's that's why was brought
forward uh with state highway And so that I would I would yield for any questions or additional questions from the board. >> Uh before we open up to public comment, any questions clarifying questions on the presentation from any member of the board?
>> Any member? Okay. >> Sheriff, do you have anything to add? >> Uh no, I don't. I think was covered very well by uh by County Administrator Larson. >> Attorney Melton, do you have anything to add? >> No. Thank you, Madam Chair.
>> Thank you. One, I just want to uh extend gratitude to all of you for your active participation in this issue. It's clearly something that's very important to all the people that have made it a a fact of coming tonight. We've had almost
40 folks submit public comment online. All of us spend a lot of time at the capital advocating for the needs of Klay County. And I think it's important when this item was passed at the legislature, not one county was offered the opportunity to testify on it. Uh I I'm a
big person that um thinks local control is very important. And so making sure that our residents have the opportunity to advocate for the needs as they see. uh which is why we're excited that all of you came to uh provide testimony
tonight. Uh we will go into the open comment opportunity here. All of the items that we received online through the comment form will be added into the public record. Uh we won't go through and add all of those or name all of those, read them off, but they will be
part of the minute packet. Those of you who wish to address the board will be provided three minutes to offer your perspective and we really um have uh talked a lot about how important it is to hear from you. So we do really want to hear what your perspective is and and
help us to make this decision if a decision is made at the board. Uh all comments will be directed towards the board. It's not going to be a back and forth to other members of the public. Uh so uh just utilize your three minutes, state who you are. Uh we do need you to
identify your address and then proceed with your testimony. Uh we're going to do uh just draw a short straw and someone's going to go first. I'm going to call on uh Nick Olsard, a Curts Township resident. He has to go to a CW elevator meeting later, but uh Mr.
Olsgard, you will be provided three minutes and there is going to be a timer and you can proceed. Identify yourself and your address, please. >> Good evening. My name is Nick Olsgard. I live at 115494th Street South, Minnesota in Klay County. Uh, I'm in support of
allowing rifles for hunting. Doesn't mean you can't use your shotgun. Uh, the original shotgun only wasn't to create safety. It was to create it was created decades ago for the population control. Today, we're dealing with the opposite problem.
Uh we have a strong deer population that not only impacts plenty of car accidents, but you do have a little bit of crop loss here and there. This isn't just about hunting issue. It's a public safety and economic issue. Rifles
provide better accuracy, which leads to a more ethical harvest and fewer wounded animals. In open farmland like we have here, hunters have a clear line of sight for their target and beyond it, which allows
a safe and responsible use. That's what deer safety or hunter safety was for. The state of Minnesota has already approved of rifles statewide in 2026. That tells us this is a wellstudied and supported change. Counties still have
the ability to step in if there are real problems, but there seems to be no clear evidence in Clear Clay County of additional restrictions. This is about modernizing our approving, trusting, responsible hunters and better manage our deer population for the safety of
our roads, farms, and community. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Holgard. Any questions? All right. >> Thank you. >> Who wants to go next? Good evening. Thank you for hosting
this. My name is Joel Hildebrand. I live at 2895315th Avenue North in Eglund Township. And I am strongly in favor of option one. Uh eliminating the
shotgun zone would be um a good thing. I think for law enforcement wise because there is it it's carved out in ways that don't make sense. Um the myth or the
talk that shotguns are safer that is um I believe that's a total myth. Um, I have uh lived in areas that are more densely populated than Klay County, Minnesota, which allowed
rifles there. There were there simply were no safety issues issues. Um, as the previous person stated, rifles are more accurate. It leads to or should lead to can lead to a a more humane harvest.
Um, hunting zones currently as they are, they they can be confusing and uh well, you may you may have people inadvertently be hunting across
the county road um with the the wrong firearm. Uh whereas the county boundaries are very generally very well marked and everybody understands where they are. Uh folks that still want to hunt with their
shotguns that have invested and really like that firearm for hunting can still do that. Um I would uh again strongly recommend or hope that you guys choose option one and thank you.
>> Thank you Mr. Hold next. >> There's a lot of people that have a lot to say, so feel free to just filter through uh after the testifier finishes. >> I still got three minutes, right? >> You do? Yeah. >> It won't be that long. Uh thank you for
having us tonight. My name is Jason Hicks. I live at 113 250th Street North in Goose Prairie Township. I have been hunting in Klay County since 1982 with the exception of 1989, 1990, and 2003 when I was in the army and
overseas. Other than that, perfect attendance. Um, I have a lot of experience firing rifle and in high-owered competition. There is no such thing as a magic rifle that fires forever as far as you can see. It's not possible. Gravity takes
effect. Ballistics come into play. All the elements that we deal with come into play when firing a rifle at long distance. I am in favor of option one because I can hunt a coyote anywhere in Klay County with any firearm I see fit. Day
or night, think little tiny coyote, three-foot deer, there's a difference. That being said, rifles are not magic. They don't just shoot as far as you can see. Very very common myth. The average white tail
deer is three foot roughly at the shoulder. Think at 300 yards with their 306 that bullet's going to drop about 20 in. Think of that. You're aiming center mass 20 in. Go past that, it drops even more.
Again, very much in favor of option one. I have um hunted with shotgun extensively and I can tell you that I've lobbed a lot more slugs than I ever would with a rifle ever. Shotguns are by no means any safer than any rifle out
there. Also, you think about with kids hunting and the recoil of a shotgun. I don't know how many people hunt, but shotguns kick much more than rifles. We can encourage the youth to become more active if they have a caliber rifle that they can handle. So, there's that to add
as well. So, thank you for your time and uh that'll be it. >> Thank you, Mr. Hicks. Mr. Larson, just clarification really quick. Uh that's been referenced twice, option one and the map in our packet does not necessarily have option one, two, or
three. The option one as referenced, my understanding would be the do nothing to follow what the state state legislature did last year. >> That's correct, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. Hi, Jerry Buttonoff. Uh, one 0049 140th Avenue South Barnes of
Minnesota. Um, I don't agree with the proceeding guys that spoke. Uh, I've got a a pasture with a half a half section of state ground right on the east side of me. I've seen 15 to 20 guys in there
occasionally all over on 320 acres of ground. Um we used to have deer stands on the line. I've moved them off because it's crazy. I mean these guys get up. It's all flat and it's east of downer but it's still in flat country. There's a
little rolling ridge. The deer, they sit on my fence line and the deer come up over this little rolling ridge and there's two houses straight to the west and there's one house to the north and I am totally surprised they haven't gotten shotgun slugs in them. But you give a
give a guy a rifle and it's going to go a lot farther than that shotgun. And I I don't believe most of these people know how to really hunt. I mean, there's some guys that can hunt, but there's guys out there that I've talked to that I walked up to them and they've said they've taken shots at sounds.
They've taken shots. I watch them shoot a running deer with a shotgun at 250, 300 yards. And just because you give a a hunter a rifle instead of a shotgun doesn't turn them into an ethical hunter. There's no way. I mean, I strongly urge you to leave it the same
or at least when you get out by Rollog, there's some hills to stop the bullets. You know, they might still be shooting over, but they might not they might be ethical enough to shoot down. Thanks for your time. >> Thank you, Mr. Buttonhoff. >> Good evening. I'm Brian Winter and uh my
address is 1483428th Avenue South Glendon, Minnesota. And I live uh east of Highway 9. And I am in favor of option two. Sort of the if it's not broke, don't fix it. We've had shotgun season here for probably since
there was a modern-day deer season to be honest. So, it's been the way it has been. And there are certainly accidents sometimes, but there, you know, not that frequently. And this county, even though it's obviously you got to go a little bit further east
of Highway 9 and it's still pretty flat and then it gets hilly, but it's not forested like the primary rifle zone in this state. And I just think because of the distance that rifles will carry, and there's an awful lot of farms and homes
and dwellings, and I definitely am in favor of of option two, just keep the county the way it was. Um, and another issue is if you drive around during deer season, you will see really a lot of deer take refuge out in the wide open fields because they know they're safe
from the roads that you people can't sneak out in a crop field and I see deer laying out there and standing out there watching the trucks go by all the time. If it's rifle, you can shoot them from the road ditch. Well, if you got permission technically,
but I think that the the the incidence of shooting, you know, from road ditches is going to go up. I mean, I think it's going to become an issue. So, um, and then I guess my last point would be we really don't need to be more effective at killing deer in Klay County. We're
restricted by the DNR and have been for 10 years or more to getting a dough permit to hunt the gun season. And I think if you just make it, rifles are certainly more effective because of their long range. And if you make it a rifle season, more deer will get killed.
There will be less opportunity to get dough permits in the future, which I think is helpful for, you know, youth and younger people to have the opportunity to take, you know, any deer. So that's uh that's my comments, but I'm definitely uh favor of option two.
>> Thank you, Mr. Winter. Kendall Nichols, uh, 1511 Sunset Boulevard, Holly, Minnesota. But, uh, our land is west of UAN. And under option two, uh, the slug zone would be Highway Nine
and east. If you left it the same, the shotgun slug would go uh boundary would go to the road going through Yulan. And I would really prefer that in the fact that uh we've got stands that sit 400
yards from the back of our house on a neighbor's property. Uh there's a ridge that runs in between those stands in our house. Uh, and unfortunately I have been one that has uh sat there and heard the whistle of a
uh rifle go off and and see the dirt come up beside me a quarter mile away. And I that's not a fun situation to be in. Uh you never saw a kid dug down a dead furrow so quick in your life. So I
and our land is on the level. It is not hilly around us and we are surrounded by uh public hunting land and uh my brother's house is right across the road from public hunting land and even he
found a slug in the back of his car one year. So I I've got some real concerns. Uh we if it if it goes rifle, we'll we'll adapt. We'll get our stands up higher, but I would prefer it to stay
slug as it was in the past. And that's not an option that you have in your packet at this time. But I'd like to say thank you to the commissioners for taking the time to hear the public comments. Madam Chair, >> thank you, Mr. Nichols. Mr. Commissioner Campbell. >> Yeah. Can I just get clarification from
Steve on these options again? So option one is basically what uh the state has put forward with their legislation which would be all rifle and I I'm I'm I'm hearing some are talking about option
two and that's remaining the same and so that basically dividing line would be more like highway 32. Is that correct? >> Is that is that what option two is that we're talking about here? >> That's what it sounds like. So M. >> And then option three, option three would be county road 9 would be the
dividing line. Is that >> correct? So if you look at the packet that we received, if you look at page 102, which is uh what it was before the legislature enacted the change, I'm hearing that is what people are referencing as option two, >> right?
>> And then behind it is the nine split proposal. That would be option three. the option one would be >> just want to make sure that when everybody talks about option one, two, and three that those are the those are what you're talking about. So because
option two and option three both have a split. It's just that the split is in a different location. >> And my understanding is Mr. Nichols was talking about how it was last season before the legislative change. Correct.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you for that. I just want to make sure that we're all on the same page when you're describing what you want here. So, >> yes, Commissioner Kavanagh has a question. >> Well, let's do clarity here, too. Uh, Mr. Winner, I understood you to say
number nine. Is that correct? >> You were talk. Would you like it on nine or 32? The line? >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Okay. So maybe for some some of us that
are illustrationally challenged, I'll reference myself. Let's let's for the future not say option one, two, and three. Let's say uh last season, which was the 32 split. Let's say uh no change, which means all rifle. And that's maybe reference the nine or an
additional option that you proposed just so we all are understanding each other. Who would like to go next? >> Good evening. >> Hi, my name is Tony Frank. I live at the 3242 Highway 9 South Glendon. Um I'm we live
in the mountains edition right along Highway 9. Um I my preference would be to leave it as is. If you are going to split it, I think Highway 9 is the wrong
the wrong road to split it on. Um I saw in the KVL KVL whatever report they talked about uh they did they did a study and they said west of nine was denser population um did not support
rifle whereas it was the opposite on the east side of nine not as dense a population and the topography is going to support in my mind that's completely ass backwards. If you've been out there, you go west of nine, it's all large
farms, large sections of Yeah, it's all flat. Sure, there's no hills, but it's large sections of of farmland. You get out there with a rifle, um you're not going to run into the issues that you are on the east side of Nine. Anybody
who has been on the east side of nine, which is where my family has hunted for 40 years, um it's flat up until you get towards the Holly area. I would say if you're going to if you're if you're dead set on splitting it, either go leave it
at 32 because right now our zone 269 at Highway 32 to the east of that is is Rifle. So pull it up maybe to highway 31 which is the Silver Lake road that comes out of out of Holly because then you're starting to get into the Hill Country.
But from Highway 9 going east if you have been out there it's denser population because you have tons of small um developments, tons of of families that just have single house dwellings. But the main thing is is it's
they're all surrounded by public hunting land, uh, water foul land and public deer hunting land. So, you have these small sections of public land surrounding all of all of these homesteads. Um, you're wait, it's just an accident
that's going to h, you know, it's waiting to happen if you let them use rifle. Now, I've heard the argument that, well, a rifle is safer, you have a scope, blah, blah, blah. Okay. If you hunt with a shotgun, anybody that's hunted with a shotgun knows you've got
to be within probably a hundred yards. You you're talking open sights. The slug is not going to carry. When you're in when you're in hunting in a land like that where you've got pockets of hunting land surrounded by houses, it's it's much safer than somebody that's sitting
out there with a rifle. Now, okay, you got a scope, but to me, it's it all comes down to safety. I don't want to take my family, my grandkids out sitting where we sit, where we're surrounded by dozens of hunters that are hunting in
public land that's flat because we're not in the Hill Country yet. We're not over in that rollog area. Um, and they start blaming away with guns that are the argument. The argument holds if no hunter ever missed, but they're going to
miss and those rifle those rifled shells are going to carry what I'm not a rifle guy, three, four, 500 yards. When you're talking about a you have a collection, a lot of hunters in one area. You've got lots of little homes or homes in these
areas surrounded by all this public land. Those shells got to go somewhere. >> Thank you, Mr. Frank. Okay, we appreciate your testimony. I do want to offer clarification that uh the stories that ran yesterday chose to only access part of the packet options. They are uh
they were not the fact or nor the decision of this board. They were simply a starting point. So, I do appreciate the clarification on that. >> Good evening. Um John Brighton. I live in 1282 230th Avenue, Wil County. I am a Wilton County Commissioner. I'm your
boarding. We made the decision last month. I do not envy you guys for having to make this decision because it's tough. We did stay with the shotgun zone just like it was before and it's we went
by basically the majority of the people that what they wanted and the majority in my district wanted to keep the shotgun. The comment that I've not heard from this group yet and maybe it'll come up later. North Dakota hunters. And I've heard it that when you when you
let North Dakota hunters in like they can do now, they pay $185 to get a license to come and shoot a deer. They don't own shotguns from what I understand. I'm not a hunter. I care less. I mean, I'm concerned for my my citizens and whatnot, but I don't care
about the hunting part of it. But keep in mind that if you start letting rifles in, the hunters from North Dakota that can't get a deer over there will now come over here and shoot them for, you know, off the road, let's say. But I mean, it's it's easier for them to shoot
shoot a deer over Minnesota side for the money. They're not going to go out and buy a shotgun just just do that. But I just say good luck to you guys and and uh like I say there there is of the count. I just got email today. There's six counties that have stayed shotgun
only. There's 33 that have made decision to go rifle and there's 22 that undecided and then there's there's 87 counties. So, there's still 20ome to go yet. So, it'll be interesting to see how you do it. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Brighton. I think it's also important to note that not everyone had shotgun zones either.
So, I uh before the change was made. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Who's next? Hello, sir. >> I'm Lucas Walstrom, 1704 51st Avenue North, Morhead.
I'm in favor of option one. If you actually look at the DNR incident reports, you will see that Klay County with shotguns has had more incidents than most other counties. Now, I understand people's concerns. I
understand that a rifle does travel further, but a modern-day rifled slug barrel with a saboted slug, a lot of people feel that they can shoot those 250, 300 yards, which is probably not. It should probably be closer to 150 to 200 to be ethical, but people have that
mentality. People feel like they can throw that slug further than it should be. And I I feel that a lot of people's conversations here today actually revert back to the ethical and training. When you have a young hunter, you can bet
your bottom dollar that when my daughter's out there, I'm going to tell her, "You can't shoot that direction. There's a house. You can bet your bottom dollar that we know where each other are on our land." I understand that there's state land concerns. However, those people need to be
responsible and ethical hunters. Okay, that's not a gun issue. It's not. Regardless of how you may feel or where you may stand, that's not a gun issue. Kendall is my uncle.
Okay. I sympathize or empathize with his situation. I had a slug fly over my head when I was in a wildlife as well. Okay. His happened to be rifle. Mine happened to be slug. I happened to know who was doing the
shooting. After that, a large conversation was had and skills were taught and it never happened again. So when you talk about rifle, I think people are more likely people should be more likely to be
careful due to the fact that they have the mentality the slug doesn't go that far. Most of the incidents have actually been self-inflicted, but the areas with rifle have less incidents.
Now, does that have a bearing on current situation? No. And also keep in mind that by St. Cloud, which is also heavily populated, his rifle as well. So, I'm in favor of option one.
>> Thank you, Mr. Walstrom. Good evening. >> Hello, my name is Hunter Olsen. I live at 309 Joseph Street in Holly, Minnesota. I am not in favor of switching over to rifle. Just for the sheer fact, as Mr.
Brighten stated earlier, we will have a large influx of North Dakota hunters. And currently, by Minnesota DNR guidelines, there is no lottery system for out of state hunters. There is no restrictions of any sort. And you give
them the option for a rifle, they're going to come in waves. I strongly don't agree with that. And just for the geography of Klay County, yes, there's a lot of open fields. Yes, you have a long line of sight, but there's still a lot of areas where people hunt near towns.
And I've seen a lot of people take poor shots that they really shouldn't have taken. People got lucky, and if it was a rifle, they might not have. That round might have carried a little bit further. Now, I will agree that the new shotguns, if you invest in a good shotgun, I shoot
uh Sable rounds through a uh rifled barrel, and at at 200 yards, you have an 8 in drop. which is pretty impressive for a shotgun. Now, if you're shooting the old rifled slugs, yeah, that's they're not very good. They don't travel very far,
and frankly, a lot of North Dakota hunters, that's what they have. They're not willing to invest the be able to buy an actual decent shotgun for hunt deer hunting. So, that's all I have to say. I'm definitely not in favor of switching over to rifle at this time. Thank you,
>> Mr. Olsen. Hello. >> Hi. Thanks. My name is Tyler Lutkkey and I live at 7134 Street Holly, Minnesota. So, I want to start off with Minnesota do permits. So, right now Klay County has do permits issued through the
Minnesota DNR and they restrict those because the DPA is lower than what they think. Um, right now it's at like 5.6 and they want to get it up to six. Um, so there's not as many deer as we think there is according to them. Um, I'm on
email chains monthly with Minnesota DNR. I work with them daily. Um, so I see what they see. Um, I think there is more deer than that, but they don't. I would like to keep it in the shotgun if at all possible. Um, my biggest concern is like the others with the North Dakota
residents. Klay County has a ton of public land and with North Dakota's guys getting licenses once every four or five years to shoot a deer. They can come out, buy a license, come over and hunt in Klay County. Tons of options. Um,
people can say what they want about things, but I shoot a 20 gauge um, shotgun with a rifled barrel, I won't shoot past 200 yards. You give me a 65 Creedmoor, I you could shoot 400 yards. So, the biggest thing is is we're not
even meeting our DPAs by the DNR yet. We're going to allow people to shoot farther to harvest more deer possibly and bring in more people. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mr. Lekkey. >> Good evening. >> My name is Bryant Dere. I live at 1301
South View in Glendon. Um, not in favor of switching. Um, that gentleman back there brought brings up a real good point is is all of our land is not on deer hunting populated the same. Our public lands, their public
lands. That's where a lot of us have to go. Not not everybody has a good a good chunk of land they can go hunt with deer stands. There's times, Mr. But you said that potentially 20 people right next door.
That's true. They're all carrying some sort of gun. Um the North Dakota thing is also a a factor. Kids and the youth get the youth involved. We for sure they can come over here right now for five bucks, I believe.
Um and take a deer. Where are they hunting? They're hunting our public lands again. So, if we fill them with rifles, um, and there's a lot of it on the edge of once you get east of Highway 9, that's where a lot of our public land starts
getting into the Highway 32s. If you want to go hunt with a rifle, there's there's ample public land out there to go hunt also. Um, so, so you can still have the options. It's just a slippery slope with the volume of people that are coming out deer hunting weekends to hunt and and throwing them into a new rifle
game here. Um, could be bad, might not be. >> Thank you, Mr. Dere. >> Also, feel free to line up behind the testifiers if you don't want people to watch you walk up the entire time.
>> Good evening, Mr. Cava. >> Hi, Andy Cava. Barnesville, uh, 17892 180th Avenue South. Uh, and I sent in comments, but I guess what got me up here is probably I didn't realize you were talking about using Highway 9 as a
boundary, uh, which would bring the city of Barnesville into that rifle zone versus a shotgun. Um, that kind of scares me and I don't know if the city of Barnes is aware that that they were pulled into that if with that change or not. So, might be something you would want to talk to that city council about.
While I'm up here, the other thing that concerns me is this small plot land owners. I've got two guys that border my land. One's got five acres, one's got 10 acres. And on the 10acre piece last year, all of a sudden, they put three
guys in there. I had stands on my land that I wouldn't even let my kids and family go to because I it just too dangerous. And that that was with shotguns. So now you open that up to rifle and that generally scares me. Really scares me. So, and I have had a
shotgun slug land in front of me hunting years ago from well, it's on an 80, so quarter mile away. And if that would have been a rifle, that would have been my eyes instead of the ground in front of me. So, hopefully you'll leave it the way it was.
>> Thank you, Mr. Cava. >> Anyone else wish to address the board on the issues? Good evening. >> Good evening. Josh Nenegg, 122nd Street South Sable, Minnesota. Um, one factor I'd like to bring up that no one has, um, everyone's spoken to shotgun and
rifle, but there is a option called straight wall cartridges, which rather than shotgun would extend ranges from 15 100 to 150 out to 200 to 300. It's a very limited uh selection of cartridges, but it would be an option where maybe we
don't see 400 yards like the 65 Creedomor was noted by a previous speaker. Um, keeping it safer for some of these limited parcels. Iowa already does that um with all of their deer hunting since they are closer
and have a lot of the rural city mix, but it just should be noted that maybe straight wall cartridges should be looked at for something like this. I do like option three on the highway nine, but as previous people have spoken, there are concerns around that. So, just felt like straight wall cartridges should be mentioned. Thank you.
>> Thank you for that, >> Mr. Davis. >> Yes, sir. >> Ma'am, >> that's all right. >> Chair chairperson. >> I'll respond to anything. >> Chair person. Uh, thank you, commission. My name is Bill Davis. I live on 609 First Street Northeast in Dworth. And I got one big question. Is what you're
making deciding today. Is this forever >> or could you change this next year? >> Thank you for the question. Our understanding it is something that boards can revisit. >> Okay. Because you know I can't think of a good reason not to open it up. I don't
know where people hunt east of highway west of Highway 9 other than on the river. That's where I've hunted, you know, for since in the 60s for kind of on the river and they don't know what else is there. And I wouldn't I wouldn't use a rifle in the river anyway. That's
personally. But uh but if it you open for rifle all the way if it doesn't go good and I think um part of that would be maybe from the observations from the sheriff's department maybe revisit it and say whoa
this didn't work. We need to go back to shotgun zone or we need to cut it back. But I can't think of a good reason not to open it up to rifle because I don't know how many people hunt west of Highway 9. I don't know where they hunt because
it's all farmed. That's just that's that's it. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mr. Davis. >> Madam Chair, can I clarification based on the question just asked
in regards to how long this is for? I Isn't there language in there that states that this has to be reviewed in a year if we do something different than with the state? >> Correct. Well, I guess I would point out to anybody and everybody here, no law is forever. You have the ability to adjust
and and make adjustments to ordinances at any time that you create. You know, that that's part of being part of elected body. But with that said, this ordinance requires if you take action within one year, you would have to review it to look to see if you renew it again. So,
>> and then there would have to be another hearing. >> You would have correct and another public hearing. So, >> okay. Just just want to make sure we >> certainly follow that process. >> I think it's also important to note that in order to print maps and for their communication booklets, decisions would likely need to happen by the beginning
of May, the following year. additional comments. >> Hi, thanks for doing this. Anyway, uh Jim Sheridan, I live at 2704560th Avenue South,
uh Park Township, and I would like to see it stay the same as it is. Uh I'd like it to remain at 32. I know sometime in my past they DNR changed it and it lasted for a
couple of years I believe and I think if you want to see what happens to your deer herd with rifles in along the river go to North Dakota. I think if the board would look up and see how many licenses
they permit in Cass County, you would get an idea what the deer herd is on the other side of the river compared to our side. And that's about all I got. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Sheridan. Just so to clarify, you are in favor of keeping it as it was last year's hunting season.
Thank you. Additional comments. >> Good evening. >> I'm uh Nathan Shaw from Holly, Minnesota, 4700 190th Street North. I've hunted up uh east of Highway 9 in Klay County for all my life. I've
observed uh all kinds of hunting situations. One thing is people talk there's a lot of state land. There's a lot of hunters out there. Uh, shotguns go bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. They reload, it goes bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. Where are all those bullets going?
Would anybody rather have a chance of one bullet flying their direction or five or 10? Um, there's a lot of emotion I see with people here. Um, not wrapped up into facts. More emotion, there's fear. Um, our residents of Alexandria,
Minnesota scared of rifle. That's There's more people in Alexandria. that's a spread out town than here. We don't hear concerns of safety in those areas and those parts of the state. Um, I think that you all need to be considering facts instead of emotions. I
think that uh need to be sticking to some ground rules. I mean, the whole topic of flat land and hills, um, if a rifle travels farther and a deer is crested in a rolling terrain area south of, uh, uh, south central Minnesota, how that land
is, that bullet, when the deer's on the crest of a hill, has the opportunity to travel in flat land, it doesn't. That argument, I think, should not exist. The the reason for rifle and shotgun was with deer population and effectiveness that way. That was the idea back in the day. Um, it's up to the DNR to decide if
that was effective or not. It looks like they're thinking it maybe wasn't. Um, end of the day, uh, people here observing the number of deer, what their opinion is. My opinion is we have too many deer. I like to hunt. I like Everybody likes to be able to fish in a
lake that has tons of fish. Is is too many Is too many fish a bad problem? Yes, it can be. Is too many deer problem? Yes, it is. Um, I hit two deer last year on the road. I'm a very observant driver. They on Highway 10 and on 113 and McGra Road have to constantly
be on the watch. We We have tons of deer. I That's my opinion. That's what I've observed living in that area for uh 38 years. So, uh my opinion is to go with the state's decision. Uh I've observed a lot of people around me in the area that that that view that way.
And as we see the squeaky wheel gets the grease, I might not be seeing as many of those opinions, but um I've my in my experience, I've talked to a number of people who are favoring it. Uh they're back to facts and letting go of emotions
such as uh uh being scared and this and that. Think about the large cities and the rest of the parts of the state that don't have issues with safety. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Shaw. Good evening, Randy. >> Randy Shellac, uh 240 First Street
South, uh SA, Minnesota. Just a couple, uh quick statistics. Um national average, uh it's 93% of the first shot with a rifle is a kill shot and national average shotgun is only 60%.
So, you're going to have 40% of the deer running and now we're shooting at running deer, which is probably way way harder to do than than a standing deer. Um, another point of clarification with the
uh North Dakota and Minnesota population. North Dakota has a way different approach on licensing. So, I mean to compare the population in those two states doesn't really have any justification really. And as far as North Dakota people coming to Minnesota,
I believe east of 32 is still a rifle, correct? And so that 20 mile distance, is that going to bring that many more people in? I mean, you can still hunt rifle in Klay County. So, I mean, that's kind of a non-issue
as far as I'm concerned. Thank you guys for all you do and thank you for your time. >> So, Mr. Shallik, what do you what would you prefer? >> Uh, rifle >> legislation. Thank you. >> Additional comments. >> Good evening. My name is Abby Benson.
and I live at 3172 Highway 9 South, right outside of Glendon. I'm on the east side of Nine. Um, I'm not in favor of it being split on Nine. I want to keep it like it was last year. I mean, a lot of people addressed really good topics tonight. I think we could stay
here for hours and discuss it. Um, the one thing I did want to bring up that wasn't mentioned is the youth hunt at the Buffalo State Park. I don't know if anybody knows if that's still a thing nowadays. I'm assuming it is. I grew up doing the youth hunt. I think it was two years, Dad. Yeah. Best time of my life.
Best memories made. Good job. >> Um my argument would be if this becomes a rifle zone, is the DNR going to allow a rifle? >> The state park does a close down um hikers are still allowed to hike, walk, do whatever duties. They just have to
wear orange. So if the DNR claims if we make this a rifle zone and they say no for safety purposes, it has to be shotgun just for the state park youth hunt or if they ever open it up to an adult because they have in the past. I mean, I feel like that kind of right there just answers the question to leave
this area a shotgun zone. I guess that's one way maybe to look at it. I don't know. >> That's all I have. >> Thank you, Miss Benson. >> 17 389th Avenue South. David Hang. I live on the downer road. Um I am I one
thing I want to say is I don't know if you guys remember about 15 18 years ago there was a bullet that went into Grung Church in Roolog and landed in the pulpit not in Rolog Church in the other one. Well when the guy shot it with a rifle I'm sure he didn't think it was going to go into a into a church. Um so
that's one thing I think you got to think about um when you're when you want to put this all rifle. Um, I do not hunt. Um, but I got some really good um, hunting ground and I let everybody hunt. Um, but I I am totally against having a
rifle that close to my house where all my my cattle are. Um, I can sit in my yard and move over a little bit and I can see my neighbor 2 milesi away and they're in a tree. There's not a there's nothing. Um, and everybody says, "Well, you can we can shoot. You can it's a lot
more accurate." Well, that's fine. But what they said, when you get all these people come from North Dakota and all they're going to end up being is road hunters, because if you have a if you have a deer that's threequarters of a mile out of my section and they're going to stand on the end edge of the of the
ditch and they're going to start shooting. So, um, there's plenty of places when you go east you can go rifle, but I think it needs to be shotgun. Um, I mean, I'm to the point that if it would go rifle, I will I will um post all my land. I will not let
anybody in there. They can they could uh a bow hunt, but there there will be no no gun hunting. And I know there's been 15 20 deer taken out of my my thousand acres that I farm because I will not I will not have rifle on on my on my land. It's it's just too dangerous. I think
that's my personal opinion. So, >> thank you, Mr. Hang. >> Additional feedback. My name is Kenny Priglemire. Uh 3 3383 109th Avenue North Morehead. Um I'm for uh slug hunting. Um maybe I'm the only
one here. I I hunt in Twin Valley. I've been there for 30 some years and I actually got to watch the ramifications. So when they went from rifle to slug, everybody that was in the rifle area didn't hunt in the slug area because they didn't it was easier to hunt with rifles. So they came over to our area
and took out the all all the nicer deer and it didn't take long because DNR they don't regulate how many people hunt in each unit. So and I'm a big shed hunter. So if you imagine the year before uh it opened I found 39 sheds within a mile.
Next year I found 12. Next year I found two. So for me it's not really the safety thing. It's about the quality of the deer. It will go down and I promise you that because you look at 32, even if you move it to nine, all those guys are right all over there and they're waiting
to come over to that public h land to rifle hunt. Promise you that. And it'll go down. Quality will go down. So thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Brigelmire. >> Madam Chair, for for clarification if I can too. So, so under under the current asis,
it it does it allows shotguns with slugs, muzzle loaders, and handguns in uh under the current form format, right? >> Last year's format. >> Last year's last year's format. Not not what the states proposed. Yeah. Just So, there is the ability to use muzzle
loaders and >> and I think uh his testimony said he would like there to be a shotgun zone. Correct. Okay. Yeah, thank you. >> Any additional questions or comments rather?
>> Good evening. >> Thank you for having us. I'm Claire Anderson, 23009 28th Avenue North, Holly. Um, personally I don't have that much of a preference cuz where I hunt,
if I can take a shot as far as 100 yards, I like to be in the woods. I don't like sitting out in the corner somewhere uh waiting for one to run by. I like to I like to be in the woods. If I get a 100 yard shot, that'd be
amazing. So, I'm not too worried about that. However, I do have two questions. Now you gave us three options, correct? Is there a chance to amend that? Uh a person put forward
uh another option which was straight south of Holly. Correct. So can that be amended? Could that be added? That's one question. I hope you will answer. You don't have to answer it now. >> Okay.
>> I'm I'm giving you orders. I'm sorry. Sorry. It's okay. >> And the second one is how is the decision going to be made? It's going to go from here. It's going to go somewhere. And who's going to decide what that decision is? How is it
going to be done? >> You have a minute 40 left. Would you like to say anything else? And then I can answer your questions. >> I'm done. I'm done. I'm good. >> Well, thank you for that. The uh short answer to your first question is that yes, there is an ability to be creative
to create an ordinance if uh the testimony that we hear convinces this board uh that that's something that would make sense. So what was proposed is not set in stone. Uh just knowing that DNR would prefer us to create some
sort of plan if we create a plan that seems to make uh simplistic uh geographic sense. It's kind of ironic that DNR weighed neutral on this. If any of you have worked with DNR in the past, they don't typically weigh neutral on things. So, that was your first
question. The second question is who makes the decision? Ultimately, uh the legislature uh gave the responsibility to county boards to make decisions that made the most sense for their counties. And so this board will uh if we decide to make
a decision, we need to make a decision by that is it June or uh May 5th. Uh so this board will take the uh testimony and the information that we received during this public comment opportunity hearing, the comments that we uh
received online, and then we will wrestle with what makes the most sense based on what the residents told us. So, it's um a heavy burden for us, but something that we uh really wanted to make sure we had as much insight from community
residents as possible. And uh based on um uh some sort of feedback I've had uh with our administrator, we as a whole board have not uh had any comments uh as a full board on this. Uh my understanding is that we will likely take a decision in
an upcoming meeting. I have to be at the state capital to provide testimony on another bill next Tuesday. And so my understanding is a decision will likely happen in two weeks. >> Does that answer your question? So, uh, as noted, DNR did say that a
decision needs to be made by May 5th. And so whatever this board uh decides to do, understanding uh that a decision needs to be made by May 5th for this upcoming hunting season, there is, as noted earlier, the opportunity to
revisit the issue uh in later years. >> Yes, you're welcome. Additional comments, >> any additional testimony? Caleb Nine, 122nd Street South, Saving
Minnesota. Um, I'm in favor of the line at nine or just all rifle. Uh, the one question I did have is if you were to amend it in the future from what you decide now, what would that take? Would it be a public comment or would it just
be you guys deciding? >> Public hearing? >> M. Yep. M. Would you like to speak, Commissioner Campbell? Yeah, it's our understanding to once we make the decision to change it, it's reviewed in a year and it would still require a public hearing then to change that.
>> Okay. >> Right. Am I correct, Brian, on that? >> Correct. But it wouldn't so like if the public's not happy with the decision that's made, would it take public input to review that decision or is that decision just going to get
reviewed year no matter what? >> That's a really great question. uh we're elected by all of you and I feel like we're quite responsive to the concerns of the community. If we have a number of folks coming up to us uh providing
comments that maybe there was something we missed during this first process, if we're hearing from the sheriff's department that there's some major gaps or communication with DNR, however that may be, it can be brought back to discuss. >> All right. Thank you all.
>> Thank you for your time. Yes, >> I think you did have a minute left on yours. So, >> I'm Tyler again. So, the question I got is we kind of agree on a lot of the same things. You know, rifles can shoot farther, they're more accurate, might
bring in more people to the area, different things and whatnot. My question is is so the Minnesota DNR right now and the wildlife manager for the area has given us dough permits and only allowed so much because they feel like the deer population isn't as high
as their goals allowed. So if we can shoot farther, we're going to possibly have more people. Yeah, you're going to have more accuracy, but more deer are going to be killed. So my thought is is why is this even a thing that's even being talked about when they're not even meeting their management goals because
they're allowing rifles which will more than likely increase the harvest and they're not even getting to the harvest they want now the way it is. >> So thank you thank you for the statement. I might call it a statement. Um we have the same concern that a lot of decisions are happening in St. Paul
that those of us in the western side of the state have substantial concerns about. So I appreciate the comments and certainly we will communicate to our uh partners or colleagues in the cities on issues around >> additional feedback. >> Good evening Dana Dabbert 420 Main
Avenue West Barnesville. Uh I'm here uh to speak one statement maybe a question. I haven't really figured out how I'm going to word it. The one thing that somebody nobody's asked in this room is is how does this affect Mark Empting and his deputies? Um
to give you a little background is if I'm I'm not mistaken, this was originally an author of the bill was Kent or Rob Coopek. Uh it failed and then he came back as a co-author and the reason it was uh left up to the to the counties was because of two senators
senators in the southern half. >> Correct. In my personal opinion, it shouldn't be a county's burden to bear. Um because one, for staffing, and two, that's why we have the DNR in place. And as a firearm safety instructor or one of the fun the major core fundamental of
firearm safety is know your target and what is beyond. Uh we teach children as low as little as 11 years old. Uh we sponsor as a as an MDHA member. Uh we sponsor the youth hunt at the Buffalo River State Park. Uh I don't know where she if she left. Uh I believe if I'm not
mistaken also if if that was a concern for the safety as everybody keeps saying tonight, I believe that decision for the Buffalo River State Park is for shotgun or rifles left up to Brian Nelson if I'm not mistaken. But that'd be a question for him or the DNR. Uh the biggest thing is uh and my concern is the impact on
the sheriff's department. This is why we have the DNR. Is it going to during rifle season, shotgun season, deer season, whatever you call it, are are they going to be equipped? Are they going to be able to handle the calls or concerns, if you will, more so
than and then take away from other calls or concerns that are on a daily basis. Thanks, Madam Chair. >> Thank you for the comment, uh, Mr. Dabbert. Commissioner Campbell. >> Yeah, thank you for that u question. And it's something that we did talk about
that we had some concern over on how this would impact our sheriff's department in terms of policing. And one of the things that we wanted to make sure of within these options that we have that the policing force would remain as it is today and be the
responsibility of the DNR and not the Klay County Sheriff's Department. So I, you know, so I think it's our intention at least in in making any decision that we want to make sure we have clarity on that issue in terms of the policing of
it because we don't want that to fall on our deputies. That doesn't mean now that um the sheriff's department might get a call that they have to go out to and they certainly would respond to that. >> Correct. >> Right. As it is now. So, so I I think in terms of our early discussions on this
uh before we went to this, it's a concern we all had as board members and so I so I think we we hope to address that before decisions made. >> Sheriff, if you want to add anything to that. >> I was just going to say thank you also for pointing that out and the sheriff
can comment afterwards. Part of the reason that Sheriff Empty is sitting at the front table is that we have been really deliberate to make sure that he is involved in all of these discussions. Uh we really he's the chief public safety officer. I I'm a county
commissioner. That's not my department. It is to make sure that he is equipped with the tools in which he needs to provide safety to the highest level to our residents. and and we we certainly fall back on some of your perspectives and res um and and uh really do respect
what your perspective is on that and it's important. Mark, do you have something to say? >> Yeah, I I do appreciate the question from Dana. Um just for clarification, when this first came forward, uh we were told that um the DNR would assist if it
was either rifle or stayed the same. That's the only way they were going to assist. We were told that if there was a carveout that they were not going to assist because um we have 87 different counties and they didn't want to try and teach their cos 87 different um ordinances.
There was a letter that was brought up by a senator that was brought to my attention. I reached out to one of the captains of the DNR to ask him about this letter and he uh did clarify that they would assist even if there was a carveout. The one thing that they wanted
is they wanted a defined line, just a defined line, not not zigzagging throughout the entire county, just a defined line. And that way they would assist in that manner. And for us, it would be um just essentially business as
usual with uh whatever option is chosen. >> Thank you, Sheriff. Additional comments from the public. Can we Yeah, you'll have to come up here and just make it brief, Jerry, because I do know there are some people that want
to speak. >> Yeah, I know several of you were at the Klay County Association Township Officers meetings. There was a a call for a show of hands on whether it was supported or not supported. I believe there was three people that supported
opening up to rifles. the rest for the most part we're all against changing the laws at all and this is r basically your rural people you know that's all I have to say >> thank you Mr. Rottenhoff additional
comments. >> Good evening. Thank you for Can you hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> A little different over here. Bob Veter. Um 572 246 Street South in Holly. Just three quick comments. Um I guess four. My son had the time of his life at the
Buffalo River Hunt. Um it is pretty close quarters. I believe no matter what happens here that should stay shotgun. I assume that'll be a logical decision made locally. Um, but to my points, uh, there are more populous areas that are just as flat or
flatter than here that are rifle zones. They're they're perfectly safe. The, uh, shotgun zones originally established in the 1940s to manage the deer, the original intent of deer management, why it was established, are are no longer
they were less accurate. And with the uh deer populations rebounding and shotgun technology advancing, the the shotgun zone has really become outdated. The DNR can manage the bag limits and how many deer we can take. Um from what I
understand and pulled off the website, uh from a safety and wildlife management perspective, the DNR does not have concerns about the elimination of a shotgun zone. Strictly from a safety perspective. And I uh I concur with
that. I'm for moving it to a rifle. Uh and glad to hear if it goes sideways, we review it in a year and we're back here again and and having a good debate. So, thank you. better. Additional comments. >> Hello.
>> Good evening. I'm Dylan Gerald. Um, am I allowed to talk if I'm in Fargo? >> All right. Uh, 4630 uh 33rd Avenue South Fargo, North Dakota. horrible at public speaking. Um, grew up in Klay County my whole life.
Um, 24 years, 23 years up until recent. Um, I'd love to see it stay or love to see it go to rifle. Um, I don't know. One one thing I haven't heard anybody talk about is ammo
shortages. Do you guys remember few years ago when couldn't find slugs and everybody was going for either 12 gauge, 20 gauge or 410 or 16. You got four options. That's it.
Rifles. Gosh, I don't even know. There's so many different rifle cartridges you can buy now. But even those were short at the time, but you could find them. But I guess I would like to see it that way. And uh that's all I got to say for now. So thank you.
>> I appreciate it. Thank you. Additional comments? Anyone wishing to address the board? Are there anyone else that would wish to address the board on any item? All right. So, um, we if there's nobody else that would wish to talk, we we
certainly allow you that option if you'd like to, um, once we close the public hearing, that will be it will be your last opportunity to go on record about this specifically. So, just make sure if there's anything, you know, speak now or forever or hold your peace until we reevaluate something if we need to
re-evaluate. >> Commissioner Campbell. Madam Chair, and I I I do want to bring this up, having been around for a while and uh being a Oakport Township Supervisor, some of you may re may recall that we had a rotten
gun club just north of Morehead. And and um that rotten gun club basically was shut down because of safety uh because of um complaints about even traveling on Highway 75. and and I remember there
were some cars that might have been hit by stray bullets. So So a safety issue is big. I'm not saying that that's going to be going to determine how I vote on this, but if if it was enough to shut down a rotten gun club who had a decent
burm behind them, I I think we do have to take into consideration safety issues in populated areas. Um, so I I'm going to certainly have that on my mind when I make up my decision on this. But I I do
want to uh thank all of you for coming and every every one of you made a a good reasonable argument for your position and um this goes back to my sewer and water days in Oakport Township. It was like 5050 and you had to make a difficult decision and so you pretty
much ticked off half of the population based on on what you did. So, but anyway, that's just wanted to bring that up in in terms of Rod and Gun Club and their decision to have to move and close that that rifle range.
>> Also want to thank those of you that showed up. I I know it can be intimidating uh to maybe partake in a process in which you're not familiar with. Uh but um from the bottom of our hearts, we are truly grateful for uh all of your perspectives and the ability to have all of you. Uh, I know time is
precious and I know it's uh sometimes not great to attend a long meeting after a workday. So, thank you for for showing up and and offering that insight. >> Board questions or comments? M >> Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to close the public hearing.
>> Second >> to close the public hearing from Commissioner Bear, a second from Commissioner Ebinger. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? Further discussion >> make sure all the written comments are
>> all those in favor of the motion signify by saying I >> opposed same sign carried discussion >> madam chair I I would >> I would suggest that we um review the comments made today as well
as the written comments and have a more detailed convers conversation at our meeting uh the date uh two weeks from today at our board meeting to have it as an agenda item to review the different options and u
ultimately make a decision in time uh for the May 5th deadline that motion >> I I would >> I think it's we're still in discussion but >> yeah I mean that was just my >> oh okay >> well I certainly can with
Y >> anyone have any additional discussion that they want to have at this point? Well, the date of that meeting would be April 21st. uh those uh members of the public that would wish to observe that certainly
you're welcome to attend meetings we do have virtual options uh so if you'd like to watch uh that way you can uh do that as well >> any other discussion >> yeah madam chair I'd just like to point out that uh when we decided to have this
hearing we purposely held this hearing in the evening to allow more people to be able to attend the meeting that we're going to have on the 24th first will 21st will be a Tuesday morning a regular scheduled meeting that we will have. Um you're welcome to come here to listen to
the dialogue the board may have and you're also as the chair mentioned would be able to view that virtually online. Um but in terms of the uh public hearing that record is now closed. So,
>> any additional comments? >> All right. Well, we do still have some items remaining from our uh regular scheduled meeting that we had before. All of you are welcome to stay for that if you would like, but um just uh as the room clears out, huge gratitude. Um this
was an amazing respectful conversation and I um I really appreciate that we can sit in rooms and have those discussions. So thank you. >> Thank you everybody. >> Can we take just a two-minut break while the room >> Yep. >> Yep.
>> the meeting back to order. We do have uh committee reports remaining and administrator update discussions. Commissioner Campbell, you're next on the list. All right, I have to go back to I had one meeting before uh back on March 17th and that was a lands meeting
with the lands chair and myself as vice chair and and um staff regarding the diversion authority regarding u the need to establish a debris removal and restoration subcommittee that's
required under the um JPA or or the agreement with people in southern Richland and Wil W Richland and Wilin counties.
And so in that establishment, what we determined um that there'd be one member from a recommended by the Mor Clay County Joint Powers Authority, one member by the um Land Management, no, excuse me, one
member from the MCC or the Cass County Joint Water Resource District and then three members from the um land management and part of those had to be technical people. Uh and then
so then on the um April 2nd then we did have an MCC JAPA meeting and one of the topics that we had was to establish who would be the MCCJPA member that would serve on that committee and and we felt that um it would be appropriate for that to be
Commissioner Mojo. Most of the things that could potentially happen would fall within her areas down there. So the MCCJPA did move to recommend or to appoint Commissioner Moso Mojo to that committee and that's pretty much is a
committee that's established when when an event occurs in the in terms of if there's issues regarding cleanup at that same MCC JAPA meeting. Then we we did have a reimbursement for an
access installment and uh we had some contracting actions and then we approved an administrative platting and affidavit for parcel splits in the area in this southern embankment area in Klay County.
So and then on um this morning we had a highway tracking committee meeting. Most of the items that we talked about this morning, Justin brought forward today. We did we also did have a conversation regarding a letter that I had received
from Lance Ericson, a resident in uh North Morehead, which was the old Oakport Township area, but it's it's part that's been annexed and his concerns about uh incidents that are happening on um
County Road One that's south of Wall Street that goes down to the old Broadway bridge. So, we reviewed that. We shared that letter uh letter with uh the sheriff and um they're also going to then maybe talk
with uh the watershed district because we're not sure if they watershed district still has that property or if it's been turned over to Morehead. So, that's that'll be an ongoing deal. And then we also had the pick meeting today regarding the sheriff's uh issue uh
replacing Gabe. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you, M. Commissioner Campbell, Commissioner Bear. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. On March 30th, I had a West Central Regional Water District meeting up in H Hallstead where we discussed our upcoming hearing that
is April 17th at 1:30 at the courthouse here in Klay County. So, a lot of the discussion was around that. We also got some good news for the project itself itself. We got a 100% grant funded by USDA for a line to run from Climax down
to Neilville. So, it'll be 100% paid for through the USDA grant. So, that's good news. And then we also got confirmation of a gr an 80% grant for H Hallstead from uh Minnesota PFA to bring the line
from the river to H Hallstead. So, hopefully So, that's the good news with that. Yeah. So, just everybody's aware, April 17th, we'll be having that final hearing with the judge at 1:30 at the Klay County Courthouse.
>> Commissioner Kabanov, >> you're good. >> On the judge, um, is the USDA is that something that may continue? >> That that may continue. Maybe not at 100%. >> Yeah, >> but yeah, it may continue. >> Okay. Thank you. And then after that
meeting, we also toured the H Hallstead water plant and went over to the Hillsboro Hillsboro water plant to just a tour those two facilities. And then on April 2nd, I had a Klay County Intergovernmental Committee where
we had a recap of the IGR, the 2026 IGR, and then we also discussed the purpose of the meeting and the meeting schedule. Maybe I'll let Steve dive into that one a little bit more. And uh we also talked about topics for
the next IGR. So I'll let Steve talk a little bit more on that one. And then the next day I went Oh, hang on. Then that night, no Wednesday night, I missed it right
there. But first, I went to the well Morehead wellhead protection plan meeting. Plan meeting number one where we had an uh discussion uh discussion of what we plan what what
they plan on doing throughout the update of the wellhead protection plan. So, it was just an introduction meeting. So, going forward, we're going to meet roughly every other month on going through their plan and redoing their plan.
Then on that would be April what was yesterday 5th. I had wild rice watershed citizens advisory committee meeting where we discussed the west wild rice
county owned land the the wild rice wershed district lands and then we also discussed about how how you petition into the wild rice water district and had discussion on that is a very very good discussion at that
meeting and we give couple recommendations to the group to move forward. Then yesterday I went down to St. Paul because I testified this morning on a
Senate File 4457 bill with uh Senator Mark Johnson. He's the author of that bill. The bill is for drinking water regionalization planning and assistance with grants. So, it would help the West Central Regional Water District get grant money to build that
out, per se, through the towns when they sign up for it. So, I was testifying for that this morning at uh about 10:00 this morning. That is all my committee reports, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Commissioner Bear. Thank you for also going down to St. Paul. It's
important to be there to provide our insight and thank you for being willing to do that, >> Madam Chair. >> Yes, Commissioner. I'd like I'd like to thank uh Commissioner Bear for doing that and and he must have been pretty persuasive because it it did get voted out out of that committee 100% vote to
move into the capital investment group for the next set of hearings. So well done for your first time test testifying. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I do have a few weeks of meetings, so I'll abbreviate it. Uh March 17th, I had an AMC board of
directors meeting to discuss legislative components. On March 19th, I had outreach from Matt Hilgart um from AMC to talk about legislative outreach uh with Senator Johnson and Senator Rasman, particularly Rasmuson rather for uh
issues regarding modernization components. Uh that's a priority for a lot of us. On March 25th, I met with the lobbyists on our strategy as we moved into the second half of the season or session. March 26th, I attended the flood mitigation workg group with the city of Morehead, the Buffalo Red
Wershed District, and the Chamber of Commerce. Uh throughout that time, I worked with two land owners that have been experience or experienced a event negatively related to the uh project components on
the SE4 and five. they did have a June related loss. So, making sure we're working with DA leadership and the Army Corps. I do appreciate that there seems to be some movement now on working with those uh folks. March 27th, the non-security
juvenile detention PRTF dialogue. I attended the Greater Fargo Morehead EDC as noted by Commissioner Ebinger. On April 1st, I attended the global intelligence update uh Minnesota State University Morehead in regards to the friendship city between uh Morehead and
Zacho, Kurdistan. On April 2nd, I was invited by Senator Coopek to attend a round table. Senator Port was supposed to attend uh but was unable to during do due to the upcoming weather. Uh a really good roundt with uh other community
partners. Uh Quinn from the social services department was there to provide some of our insight. It was not a partisan insight uh but it was uh really how we are responding and what the effects of some of the federal and state decisions are to us locally. I attended
the MCC JPA uh meeting. I do appreciate being uh appointed to that board. I think it's really important that we have local obviously I'm not the technical choice uh but uh local representation as we deal with those issues as they come up.
Uh, April 3d, I had a followup with uh, Faia from the Immigrant Development Center, Jihon from the uh, event that we had on April 1st, and then Mayor Carlson from Morehead, attended the non-secure
detention PRTF discussion and then had a meeting with Commissioner Tony Grinberg from Cass County on items of mutual interest. that afternoon attended the flood working group as we finalized some of our uh messaging to the uh to our
representatives in St. Paul. Had an opportunity to meet with council member White as noted about the chamber and EDC allocation of funds. Yesterday I attended the MRCC meeting really important dialogue about uh where is this session going and what can get done
if anything can get done. So more to be seen on that. attended the Metrocog executive committee meeting in which we talked about um because of the so much of their funds are um tied to federal highway and when the um when they were in a shutdown
it really caused some disruption in what the office was able to do. So talked about letters that went out to each agency about a small um amount of money extra than from the budget that would be asked to build up a small operating reserve uh so that payroll can continue.
Obviously when there's uh shutdowns, projects are paused and so we get creative about funding. But that was one item of note there. I attended the pick committee meeting and the highway committee meeting as presented on and met with our administrator on this
evening's hearing. That concludes my reports and I know I said it earlier but I am really really proud uh that we were able to fill a room and everyone was able to offer their perspective. We were able to offer the opportunity to do online public comments. That's something we've not uh had the uh done before and
I think it was a really great option for folks. That concludes my reports. Steve Thank you, Madam Chair. On 24th, I participated in the hazard mitigation meeting which has been covered by Commissioner Ever. Uh met with uh that afternoon with Darren and Quinn on performance issue in within his
department. On the 25th, wrapped up and submitted the congressional uh spending application for for the nonsecured detention PRTF uh to Congresswoman Smith and Globishar. also submitted additional
paperwork uh for the PRTF funding to DHS. Um uh the 25th had a annual evaluation with Mr. Robinson and 25th we had the county legislative planning meeting which has been discussed. Uh on the 26th we had
also had a meeting with Troy and discussed uh some of the outcomes of the 2020 uh detox budget. I think we'll have more more discussion on that in the near future in a positive fashion. Uh 26 participated in the flood mitigation
work group which has been covered uh and also met with Darren uh about the cadet program uh and some pay grid questions. uh on the 27th participated in the non-secured juvenile uh facility PRTF. Um on the 30th uh participated in the
West Central Regional Water District Board meeting has been covered by Commissioner Bayer, Commissioner Campbell. Um and participated in the recorder's annual update. Commissioner Eber commented on that. I think that uh it's important to to note that uh her
compliance fund contributes about about a quarter of a percent to our levy on an annual basis. And so um continuing to to provide funding next year for tax system maintenance, remonumentation program, uh GIS and also software maintenance on those programs related to to land
records. Uh we uh on the 30th we continue with our MPCA uh settlement. Uh we had a meeting with Klay County personnel led by Patrick Hollister and we heard updates from Forest Steinhoff and Christy Leashesky on the purchases
at city of Morehead and their timelines for their projects. On the 31st participated or plan for public uh hearing this evening also met with Quinn. Uh I provided an update on the localist local homeless prevention aid
uh and the partnership between CAPLP and and Morehead School. On uh the 31st, we I met with a vendor health care or Champion Health and looking at additional cafeteria possibilities here at the county uh that
are separate, not with our current current providers. Wouldn't wouldn't uh have any issue with that. Uh the first met with the strive for excellent. Again, we're working on tightening up the agenda for the intra governmental retreat that's going to be held at the
law enforcement center on the 24th. Uh the the second participating MCCJPA meeting uh the third non-scured attention ledge meeting. Uh out of that meeting, one of the things that was suggested uh was to address uh reach out to our counties uh who have signed
resolutions uh to kind of make an effort uh for them to reach out to their legislators, encourage them to to look at the bonding and also uh also potentially sign on to the bills. uh worked a lot on that over the last three
days. Uh found out that if you put secure in your in your title of your email that it encrypts it so nobody can get into it. So spent today rescending some of those emails. Um so that was not so great. Um but hope to wrap that up
tomorrow. Uh highway tracking and pick. Uh I did participate in intergovernmental retreat. Uh, one of the items, uh, one of the items that, uh, Commissioner Bayer highlighted is there's concern by some of the participants, uh, uh, what what benefit
that we're receiving from that program, uh, or from that meeting. Right now, we meet six times a year. Uh we take turns with the with the city of Morehead uh Dworth um Dworth schools um >> Morehead uh Morhead Morhead schools and
and so we take turns uh taking responsibility one for the meeting organization and then two also for the planning of the IGR uh uh and it was suggested by several of the entities there uh that they're extremely busy in what they're doing. uh
they're concerned with the amount of time that it takes uh to organize both the meetings and the intergovernmental retreat. Uh and having said that, they suggested that the county should take over uh uh alltime uh planning and also
then planning meetings and then also planning for the IGR. Um Mr. bear and I said that again that wasn't something that we um we would have the authority to to say we would have to bring that uh to this board for
their feedback. Uh I did share uh we we talked as we have in the past to the benefits of of the of the meeting uh the intention of the meeting both uh for for shared discussion also for our our taxpayers and understanding if there's
things that we can do internally to to not bring things forward on the same year that that will impact the overall levies uh that that to do that. And so again, that isn't new information that that we've talked about that it's been a steady voice from our commissioners. Uh
and so as we left the meeting, I guess the the intent was that they they laid it uh at our feet uh to to continue that. They did suggest potentially um cutting any meetings that we do have to an October an October November and then
post post intergovernmental retreat. >> So Mr. Larson, I I think my colleague to my left might have some comments on this, but I might jump into it really quick here. Here's my um my concern with some of the comments. We are in a time
in which we are facing um historic pressures in regards to how much the needs of our communities costs. uh and what a great opportunity to find out how we can partner with our uh member entities and municipalities, how we can
share services, how we can help provide the best possible services to our community at the least amount of cost. And when I'm seeing lots of partnerships throughout uh the count the different counties and states uh falling apart, I
think now is the time in which you lean into partnerships to address all of the needs that I uh mentioned. I've served on that group before uh because of scheduling it was tricky. Um and it's disappointing to me personally to hear uh some of the
feedback because there is such value in what topics are covered there. It's it's not a committee that sole purpose is to plan the intergovernmental retreat. It's to really have critical conversations and then out of those critical conversations that's that's the meat of
the retreat period. And so, uh, I was in a meeting with council member White last week and we were talking about 15th Avenue. And in that comment, she talked about the city of Dworth, the city of Morehead, Klay County, the township. And while the township's not at that meeting, what a great opportunity to get
into the meat of the concerns that we have uh, a meeting like that. Um I'm not a person that thinks we should have meetings just to have meetings, but um certainly the value of that committee in particularly um is pretty high on uh in
my thought as to how we should prioritize. And then the final piece I have, when we years ago went to ask the citizens of our county to support our sales tax for our new law enforcement center and correctional facility, we had had planning committees uh uh leading up
to that in which we sat down with our partners and said, "Okay, here are the needs that the county has that we can't go without addressing." we were facing shutdown from the state and in that the school district was talking about the need to go for a referendum for a new high school and the city of Morehead was
talking about other needs. I know you were with the city, working for the city at that point. And we we frameworked the the asks that we were going to be making to our community around each other so that we weren't overburdening them with
what those asks were going to be. And um if there can be any perspective offered from u just one of the commissioners, um I really really hope that uh the work of that group can be salvaged. >> Commissioner Campbell. Yeah, I I'd like
to I don't age myself anymore, but um this is this is uh this is actually my 35th year of being involved with the intergovernmental committee. I spent 11 years on there as uh a member of the Oakport Township Board and now my 24th
year here. And over all those years, there's been an awful lot of collaboration amongst all the government entities. And I I don't think that something should be done just because it's been in existence. I think it's been in existence for 50ome years. Um
but I agree with Commissioner Mojo. I you know if we have a couple of entities that don't see value in it, uh then maybe this board does need to reook at how we want to um how we want to have
that and what our you know redefine what our goals would be. I think it's very important that we continue it. Um, and maybe, Madame Chair, just to speed this up, this might be something that you might want to include in a um, ad hoc or
session. >> Yeah. >> Got it. >> To further evaluate this and maybe come up with some recommendations how it can be done. And I I finally I do want to add into this that that many years ago when this was this w was occurred, the
chamber actually hosted the intergovernmental retreat on our behalf. And it really it really brought county government and business together to have some discussions. And when I start seeing businesses maybe
leaving our county right now and all that type of thing, maybe maybe this can be an avenue that we can go back to some of that discussion and maybe include some people in some of these that we haven't done in a while. Um, so I I think that's that's worthy of some
discussions uh moving forward and I'll leave it up to the board chair to determine how how to have that meeting. So >> any further comments on that committee particularly you know I know that's part of part of your update but um certainly
as mentioned you can't speak for the entire board at that committee but I do know that you have one or two meetings left before the summer break and so maybe just as an opportunity to provide that insight I do agree we should have those as part of a work group.
And I and I would note uh Council Member White was very very supportive in continuing uh and also uh was very concerned with just having the county be the sole um organiz organ host of of of any continued meetings. I I will say
there is a substantial amount of planning and Sarah does a lot of the work on that when Klay County hosts and so I think it's on each entity to make sure that they're encouraging participation throughout their organizations. Uh we have made sure that
um because we want our department heads to be responsive to the needs in the county. Uh we've had a lot of department heads that take part in that and so the optics may seem that it's really Clay County heavy but I think that's how we um serve our residents in the the best
possible way. >> Yes, Commissioner Kavanagh. >> Just very quick. I just have to say I think it'd be a huge loss not to have it. Uh the three years I was active with it. I I mean that's where you heard the
current issues for that year that we were talking about into the fall that set up for the meeting to bring our legislators in so we could cover for each other to elevate each other and I
it'd be a loss. It'd be a big loss. >> That concludes my report. >> Mr. Melton. >> Uh Sarah, I do Commissioner Campbell, >> I I had I had one other meeting that I forgot to talk about and that was the
between the chamber and the diversion authority and the division uh diversion funding discussions that we had on April 3rd. That uh I just want to make sure I got that on the record. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. Well,
seeing as we have no further business, we've um we've discussed a lot. Our next board meeting will be April 14th at 8:30. We are adjourned.