WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=B8VNNRNNUxY

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: B8VNNRNNUxY):
- 00:00:02: Meeting Called to Order; Consent Agenda Approved
- 00:01:07: Staff Report Introduction; Welcoming New Public Health Supervisor
- 00:04:14: Food Access Update; Resource Availability & Presentation Overview
- 00:05:07: Current Food Access Resources In Cook County
- 00:12:45: Data Regarding Food Access Resources; Pop-Up Food Shelf
- 00:15:26: Cook County Food Access Council; Mission & Collaboration
- 00:18:40: Food Shelf Transformation to SuperShelf Model
- 00:27:14: Summer Food Distribution Adjustments; Transportation Needs
- 00:29:11: Arrowhead Transit Food Shelf Route; Local Food Distribution
- 00:30:18: Legislative Bills Related to Food Access; Local Farming
- 00:34:52: Funding Sources, Donations, & Fundraising For Food Shelf
- 00:39:13: Community Gardens Expansion; Community Support Model
- 00:42:29: Hub Pop-Up Pantry; Challenges and Key Questions
- 00:44:46: Food Insecurity Data Collection; Focus Groups; Timeline
- 00:50:05: Produce Prescription Program; Data Collection Clarification
- 00:53:05: Future Food Access Actions: Data Analysis, Communication
- 00:54:26: Food Shelf Space Needs and Potential Hub Location
- 01:00:16: Discussion on Senior Center as Community Resource
- 01:03:04: Presenters Thanked; Director's Report Begins
- 01:03:39: HR Updates; Birchbark Consulting Report Implementation
- 01:06:19: Mobile Crisis Response Provider Transition Proposal; First Call
- 01:09:54: Federal Program Integrity & Medicaid Funding Challenges
- 01:12:18: Fiscal Team Recognition; Year-End Financial Summary
- 01:14:15: Impact of State Legislative Issues on County Finances
- 01:17:18: Contracted Case Management; Medicaid & Workforce Implications
- 01:19:13: Mobile Crisis Response Discussion; Local Staffing Assurances
- 01:22:10: Prevention Coalition Meeting Conflict; Advisory Meetings
- 01:23:19: Out of Home Placement Plan Requirements; Budget Impact
- 01:24:38: Committee Reports; Active Living, AEOA, ARC, Childcare
- 01:27:10: Arrowhead Regional Corrections Report; Tribal Relations
- 01:32:24: ARC's 50th Anniversary; Probation Officer; Age of Delinquency
- 01:37:19: Childcare Solutions Committee; New EDA Director
- 01:41:31: Community Health Board: Tick-Borne Illness, Alpha-Gal Syndrome
- 01:46:25: Local Mental Health Advisory Council & Birchbark Report
- 01:48:04: Council on Aging; Food Shelf Funding & Budget Requests
- 01:49:13: Emergency Preparedness Committee; Prescribed Burns Updates
- 01:51:44: Mo: Telehealth Fundings & Access; Nico; Central Region
- 01:55:26: Food Access Council & Failed Grant; & Other Public Comments
- 01:55:50: Public Comments; Central Region Meeting Agenda; Local News
- 01:59:04: Prescription Drug Takeback Day
- 02:00:08: Meeting Adjourned


Part: 1

1
00:00:02.320 --> 00:00:18.080
Thank you. Uh, good morning everyone. I'd like to call this meeting of the Cook County Public Health and Human Services Board to order on this Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 at 8:31 a.m. First item is the approval of the

2
00:00:18.080 --> 00:00:34.800
consent agenda, which includes our meeting agenda, the minutes and financial report and abstracts and bills. any uh changes to our regular agenda or any items anyone would like to pull from the consent agenda? >> Commissioner Gamble. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I approve the

3
00:00:34.800 --> 00:00:50.800
consent agenda as presented and also would note that uh chair for the public health human service advisory committee. Frank is attending to family with health issues. So, he expresses his regrets. >> Okay. Thank you. So, that's a motion.

4
00:00:50.800 --> 00:01:07.200
>> Is there support? >> Support. >> Okay. Thank you. We have a motion for Commissioner Gamble, support from Commissioner Sullivan. Any further discussion? Hearing or seeing none. All those in favor? I >> I. Those opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. Moves us on to

5
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:24.080
our staff report and I'll pass it over to Grace who will pass it over to Christina. >> Well, I will. Before we start our staff report, I want to introduce you to our newest staff. Ai Sukwell joined our team on April 1st as the public health

6
00:01:24.080 --> 00:01:41.040
supervisor and he is starting off strong as co-presenting with Christina Matson who's our ship coordinator and Carol Stender who is a community member member of our food access council and also a board member at the Grand Marray food shelf. So before we start the

7
00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:56.880
presentation, I just want to take a moment to introduce Avi and uh welcome him to our department and to the community and um introduce him to you all as our board. >> So >> good morning. >> Good morning. >> Nice to meet all of you.

8
00:01:56.880 --> 00:02:13.280
>> You as well. You had a great interview on the radio. Thanks for doing that. >> Oh, thank you. It was fun. I got to meet their dog over there. That >> I mention that every time I talk about it. Oh, yeah. That's awesome. >> And also, you're you're still up at the

9
00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:28.400
Heights. >> Yes. Yes, I am. >> You moved in and he's staying. So, just how that connects with our housing issue. So, >> yes. Well, we we love it over there and my wife and I just unpacked our last box. >> Wow. Impressive.

10
00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:46.440
>> Really enjoying it there. Nice view and everything. >> Good. >> Welcome. Great. >> I think I think I moved maybe eight years ago and I still haven't unpacked everything. >> Good on you. you could just toss the boxes. >> Well, thanks for joining the team.

11
00:02:46.640 --> 00:03:02.159
>> Well, before we start the presentation, I also want to say part of the um part of the impetus for giving the food presentation today was as we wind down the pop-up pantry in the lobby to put that initiative into the context of food

12
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:17.519
access more generally in the community. And since planning this, we've also learned about the closure of Ruby's Pantry, which I believe makes the topic uh even more timely as it is something we're discussing in the Food Access Council. So, um without further ado, I'm

13
00:03:17.519 --> 00:03:35.200
going to turn it over to our presenters to get us started. Um and we'll take it from there. And I'm going to just I'm just going to start with handing out this um resource that we utilize with our community right now just for you to look at while we're presenting this is because the side we

14
00:03:35.200 --> 00:03:59.599
have for our resources is notensive >> but this is more of our >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Christina. They may need some updates. A lot of times updated is a new member, but this is what is most current that we're using

15
00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:14.879
right now. >> Connected gives you a microphone. Oh, >> so you can speak into the microphone presentation and we're going to have to sort of pass it around. >> Super. All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Well, thank you so much for having

16
00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:31.600
us. Uh, we are looking forward to giving you an a uh an update regarding food access. Um, the purpose of this presentation is to inform you folks, our board about the current resources and future ideas regarding food access in

17
00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:50.000
Cook County. Um, we'll go through current food access resources, coordination of efforts in Cook County around food access, uh, what things are improving regarding food access for our community, uh, how we're planning on expanding access to healthy

18
00:04:50.000 --> 00:05:07.600
foods, uh, key questions for future access efforts, uh, a data collection plan, and then next steps. And then I will hand things over to Christina. >> All right, we'll go to the next. Oh, did I do this myself? Oh, there we go. All right. So, looking at the slide here, we

19
00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:24.000
have our current food access resources. Um, so you have in front of you that guide that I that resource that we compiled. Also want to give some kudos to Erica. She helped a great deal with that resource and creating that. So, it was a definitely a team effort as is all

20
00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:39.840
of the food access collaboration efforts in this county are always a team effort. Um, so my position, just to reiterate, um, I'm the state health improvement partnership coordinator. And so my job is to create policy system and environmental change and I help bring partners together to improve health. And

21
00:05:39.840 --> 00:05:56.400
so, um, I just want to reiterate this is always a partnership effort. Um, and so I'm just here to present on behalf of all the partners that work together to do this. Um, and so we have the Grand Marray's food shelf and they ser they serve um, 120 households um, in March of

22
00:05:56.400 --> 00:06:11.919
2026. So you'll see that graph on the side. It shows the the access that's been how the food shelf has been utilized and we can see that the the rate of utilization has gone up quite a bit. Um and we don't foresee that really changing. Um we see that the need is

23
00:06:11.919 --> 00:06:26.880
going to be increasing. Um and look at WIC over 40 families participated in 2025. Um in 2025 you know SNAP average monthly numbers. um households are 121 persons

24
00:06:26.880 --> 00:06:43.199
209 this includes 140 adults and 69 children. Our backpack program which is a program where um children um kindergarten through high school can receive um food in their backpacks um once a week. In

25
00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:57.440
addition to that, they receive a voucher for $10 for vegetables that can be spent or produce that can be spent at u various locations throughout the county. Um and that program is utilized currently by 40 children or excuse me um

26
00:06:57.440 --> 00:07:14.000
yeah 40 children at ISD and 12 at GES. Um the hub which is our senior center located next to the co-op um has a dining option of approximately 30 meals per day and um what meals they don't I talked to Chris yesterday and she told

27
00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:31.120
me what meals they don't serve they end up packaging as frozen meals that people can take with them buy an additional meal and take with them and those are the meals that are also packed up and distributed um through meals on wheels and so daily 24 households are served D

28
00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:48.160
um daily um that was a that's a mistake on the slide said weekly daily. And so they have drivers that go out daily to a 5 mile radius of the county um excuse me of the city and deliver those meals. Um they are in need of drivers and it's

29
00:07:48.160 --> 00:08:05.039
about an hour commitment a day. Um, and if there is desire for a driver to go further than 5 miles, that that's kind of up to the discretion of the driver. But right now, the only expectation of a driver is to go the five mile radius of the town. And most of those meals are distributed to various apartment

30
00:08:05.039 --> 00:08:21.599
complexes and some private residences according to Chris. So, there's a need there. Um, we have our free and reduced lunch program. Um while yes, Minnesota all children get free lunches and breakfast, the free reduced lunch program is a federal program and so

31
00:08:21.599 --> 00:08:37.279
those who qualified still it still is a great indicator of of need. Um and 28.9% of school age children in Cook County qualify for free and reduced lunch in 2021 according to the children's defense fund. Um we have pop-up distributions.

32
00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:54.399
Um well the remember during November we had the government shutdown and so when SNAP was was um on hold during that time there was a great mutual aid effort throughout our county and some of those resulted from um the pop-up pantry that's um right now in in the courthouse

33
00:08:54.399 --> 00:09:11.839
was one of those mutual aid um pilots that happened. Um and it really did um illustrate um the need for greater accessibility for food access in our county because um a lot of feedback we received was that the ability to re to um access that popup during um business

34
00:09:11.839 --> 00:09:28.240
hours um was was really um um beneficial. Um so we have one at the courthouse. Um, we did try a survey, but most people didn't fill it out. But we can just through anecdotally watching the the um

35
00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:44.720
the volume of the pop-up pantry increase and decrease. Um, and the and the model was that people could come and donate and then people could come and um receive what they needed um anonymously without question, take what take home

36
00:09:44.720 --> 00:10:01.360
what they needed um and it seemed to be a really um popular model so far. But, you know, um filling that gap when the food shelf isn't open. Um the YMCA has a table either entry. Um and then I reached out to the hub when I was um

37
00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:16.240
talking to them about their current efforts. They are actually looking to in response to Ruby's Pantry um uh closing. Um this isn't publicized, you guys are the first to know. Um but they're looking to start a pop-up pantry there

38
00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:32.000
similar to the one at the courthouse. Um and so they're very um they're very open to working with empty bowls with um the food access council and um the food shelf and any other um volunteers who want to help with that

39
00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:48.399
effort. Um it sounds like they're they're open to um looking at seeing how um they can help fill those gaps um in a similar way to how the county um popup was. Um, and so in light of the one here suns setting, um, it's really great news

40
00:10:48.399 --> 00:11:05.040
to know that the hub will have something that I think will be filling that gap. Um, so that was really great news and so I'm happy to providing them some technical support and um, uh, and helping them get connected with the food access council to help support their efforts. um Second

41
00:11:05.040 --> 00:11:20.000
Harvest um Northern Lakes mobile food pantry. Um they serve 100 to 150 shares monthly. Uh and that is at the community center and then they go up to Grand Portage. Um and that food is they get a protein, you get what else?

42
00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:35.440
>> A protein, a dairy and um as much produce as they are able to uh give out that month. It it varies. >> Yeah. And it's and it's it's loosely income based. It's an on your honor. you you say you're within a certain um

43
00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:53.040
they're not really checking um you go up it's free um and it's and it's a pretty high quality um distribution. Um so it's a nice it's a really great asset we have in our community. Um and then the Brewies Pantry closed and so that provided an average of 110 shares in the

44
00:11:53.040 --> 00:12:10.160
winter and 180 shares in the summer and that was on open to anybody wasn't need-based. It was about $25 a share and there were plenty of also um vouchers for free shares if people needed it. No one was turned away if they wanted a share of Ruby's Pantry. So um so that

45
00:12:10.160 --> 00:12:27.600
has been closed. I think it's a completely that program is over. I don't believe that any area has Ruby's Pantry anymore. It's not just uh us and Grammaray. So, um, so that's just and then you have in front of you that that resource document that we utilize to hand out to, um, those families that

46
00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:45.040
are, um, coming into the county. It's also distributed in the community centers and the the the clinic and all other areas around the county. Um, so um, take a look at that. If there's anything you see that we are missing or that maybe needs to be corrected, please don't hesitate to reach out. It's a it's

47
00:12:45.040 --> 00:13:00.800
a document that is definitely dynamic and we continue to update it as needed. Um, Christina, >> yeah. >> Do you have the datas for the years before or is it just this year that on your the screen just switched? Do you have the data for previous years?

48
00:13:00.800 --> 00:13:15.519
>> On which one? >> On the food access resources, but you have the statistics to the left. Do you have other years? >> Um, which years are you looking for? >> Well, it looks like we have 2024 and 2025 and then 2025 and 2026.

49
00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:31.760
>> So, anything before that? I mean, we can look at the um every annually the the food shelf. They they do a um a statewide survey and so and also the food shelf itself will be hands out surveys. So I can we can talk to the food shelf and find out what the

50
00:13:31.760 --> 00:13:47.040
previous years were if that if that data would be would be um helpful. Um, I know based on the year-over-year data, um, statewide that they have found the percentage of use has gone up um, considerably postco. >> Has the population in Cook County

51
00:13:47.040 --> 00:14:03.360
increased that significantly? >> No, >> but the data has still gone up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, no problem. I see what you're saying is has have we had an increase of population that would cystically like look at Yeah. I don't believe we have had a statistically significant increase

52
00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:21.279
of people moving to Cook County that would would Yeah, I see what you're saying. No, no, >> thank you. >> Yeah, de um just a clarification. So, we I thought we were not suspending the uh popup food um food shelf here in the

53
00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:37.920
county, but or in the courthouse, but we're keeping it or not keeping it or are we having we is this on too? I don't know. Yes, >> I'll talk loud. So, um, the popup is still out in that lobby right now, but I would like to

54
00:14:37.920 --> 00:14:54.240
sunset the popup and help transition the food between the food shelf and the hub's new popup. Um, so it is still there right now. >> Okay. Someone asked me and they said they heard it's gone and I said, >> "Well, we yeah, we are planning to

55
00:14:54.240 --> 00:15:10.959
sunset it, but we haven't sunseted it as of today." >> Okay. Well, the person was very relieved to hear that was still going to be in this location. >> Okay. >> So, >> one thing we could look at doing is making sure there's signage where the popup has been that indicates where you

56
00:15:10.959 --> 00:15:26.560
can go to the YMCA to the hub >> to the food shelf so that if someone comes and the popup isn't there, that is right there on Yeah, I think that's a good idea. and um the the hub plans to um start publicizing theirs May 1st. And

57
00:15:26.560 --> 00:15:44.079
so we're working on that transition plan um with sunsetting ours and then helping support the hub. Okay. Um so the Cook County Food Access Council um started um in 2023 and then

58
00:15:44.079 --> 00:16:00.639
moved under the the um the county as a county le um council in 2025. Prior to that though, or was it 2020? >> 2024. >> 2024. Thank you. My years are all coming together here. Um and so during that we

59
00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:17.040
did some some asset mapping at the beginning. And so what you're looking at there is um some of the asset mapping that we did initially in 2024. Um, so looking at I mean I don't know if we want to go granularly here, but just to have this

60
00:16:17.040 --> 00:16:33.360
as a resource for you to know this is some of the work that we've been doing with our with our um with our collabor collaborators um within looking at the federal, state, northeast Minnesota, Cook County um and then looking at all the different ways of like local program

61
00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:52.399
systems, food sovereignty, retailers. So just looking at how comprehensive a food access system can be and the ways that we've been looking at it comprehensively um coordination efforts. So I did mention before our Cook County Food Access Council um it's been meeting

62
00:16:52.399 --> 00:17:08.079
since 2023 and moved under the county uh in 2024. And our mission is um the Cook County Food Access Council brings together partners to strengthen people's ability to grow, access, and prepare food through educational programs, local services, and advocating for systems

63
00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:23.120
level changes that reduce hunger and food insecurity. And our vision is we envision a resilient food system um where everyone in Cook County has regular access to healthy food. and we meet the first Wednesday of each month

64
00:17:23.120 --> 00:17:38.880
from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at Cook County Higher Education via Zoom and via Zoom. So, um we do currently have nine board me council members um and it's a very well attended um uh council and we have

65
00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:53.840
collaboration. These are all the partners that are part of that um that council. We have a Grand Race food shelf, the community volunteers, University of Minnesota Extension, County Police Center, Southeast Mountain Clinic, Grand Portage, well former Ruby's Pantry, but a lot of Ruby's

66
00:17:53.840 --> 00:18:09.919
pantry people are in. There's lots of hands in lots of different cookie jars. I feel like cookie jar is a good metaphor for food. Um, and so, uh, Clear View General Store and, uh, and and so forth. Um it's a really collaborative project um and council I mean and um

67
00:18:09.919 --> 00:18:25.440
we're really working to break down silos to ensure that everyone in the county is communicating with each other so that we can have um collaborative efforts and to make sure we are we are when we're actions taken everybody knows what everybody's doing and so that we are being reiterative or if there are things that are that are happening in various

68
00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:40.400
parts of the county. We all know know what everyone's doing. we can work together to collaborate and create effective and efficient um uh solutions um and work together to create those solutions. And one of those has been what's involved. So I'm going to hand

69
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:59.440
this over to Carol to talk about one of the collaborative things that has happened. Hi, I'm Carol Stender. Um I am a actual very recent board member of the food shelf and my uh participation came about

70
00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:16.559
due to the food access council. Um, I attended a couple of meetings and one of the meetings early last fall, we had a presenter from University of Minnesota Extension who gave us the outline and the impetus to take a look at our

71
00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:32.080
current food shelf and to see if we would be willing to move to what they create, what the university extension created, which is the super shelf model. And I kind of got a kick out of the

72
00:19:32.080 --> 00:19:48.080
super shelf. I started thinking super target, you know, supermarket, you know, what what is that? Um anyway, coincidentally, about a month or two later, our food access council met in

73
00:19:48.080 --> 00:20:03.280
the lower level of the UCC church where the food shelf was is. And I took a look at that and I thought we can do better. And so I started thinking getting

74
00:20:03.280 --> 00:20:20.480
involved and the difference between what we were doing and what the super shelf is basically is before uh clients would come in, they'd fill out this short form, name, address,

75
00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:36.240
verifying that they qualified for the income levels here. and they were given a container of food and some vouchers and we said, "Well, see you." And that

76
00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:52.799
was it. So, you're a person coming in there, you take your box, you take your vouchers, the end. And the trouble was that they didn't have any choice. You know, what was in the box is what they got. And sometimes they would leave some

77
00:20:52.799 --> 00:21:09.200
things there or they would leave some things in the grocery store drop off places or here and there. SuperShelf turns that into a grocery store type atmosphere. Now they come in, they fill out their

78
00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:28.159
form and we have produce laid out so that everybody has an opportunity to take some fresh food and from week to week even. And then we have grocery carts and they can go through the food

79
00:21:28.159 --> 00:21:44.320
shelf to the different categories, pick out what they need, what they can use. There are certain limits on some things, but for the most part, it's pretty open and nobody is in there saying, "Oh, you took too much of that." Or there's none

80
00:21:44.320 --> 00:22:00.799
of that. And in this whole transition, the food shelf board decided that they needed to amend their mission statement because they had been operating strictly as an emergency food shelf. That's how it originated.

81
00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:15.360
and moving into this model clearly we had moved beyond that and in fact the population had moved beyond that we are to a point now where the food shelf provides a very significant part of

82
00:22:15.360 --> 00:22:31.760
people's monthly food needs and we're we're happy to do that and happy to be able to provide good food and we're looking further to find good food. One of the things that we've done in that

83
00:22:31.760 --> 00:22:46.240
category, as you can see by our slide, we have, we're very proud of it, a brand new freezer, display freezer, and in the works, we will get a refrigeration unit that matches that to put right next to

84
00:22:46.240 --> 00:23:04.080
it. So that people it it it really does look like a grocery store. Now, we have the little shopping carts, the same ones you see at Johnson's. And I think people really feel empowered to select their own food for their own needs and not

85
00:23:04.080 --> 00:23:20.400
just take what's given to them. Our new uh mission statement says, "We are committed to serve with dignity and respect those in our area who are in need due to financial difficulties or emergency circumstances

86
00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:36.320
by providing them with nutritious food and other resources. And I like this mission statement particularly because it starts out talking about dignity and respect for the people who come in. We understand

87
00:23:36.320 --> 00:23:54.000
that, you know, there's a certain amount of stigma attached to not having enough money to provide food for your family. And we really want people to understand that we don't feel any differently about them

88
00:23:54.000 --> 00:24:09.440
than we would anybody else coming in a grocery store. And um we're limited in space. I was a able to get six more feet from the bike guy in the lower level down

89
00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:27.279
there. But um at at least it gives us enough enough room. So you can take your grocery start cart and make a turn. Um the other thing that we're doing just recently is we uh talked with the Johnson's and co-op and asked if we

90
00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:42.799
could order food through their suppliers and so that we can access more fresh produce. And they both agreed and they also agreed to do it at cost. So that's a

91
00:24:42.799 --> 00:25:01.039
huge benefit to us and to our clients that they can get fresh food. Often the stuff we get from Second Harvest Northland is kind of on the edge. Same sort of things we we got at Rubies. Um my husband was the site director, Phil

92
00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:16.480
Grave, and I was the volunteer coordinator for Rubies. And so I feel right now I have a cadre of volunteers that I can call on. There's many here in Cook County that were regulars and

93
00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:33.520
there's also many that come in the summer that live in the rec park and they would come to Rubies. So, we do have some resources here to draw upon. What I'd like to do is uh increase our volunteer our trained

94
00:25:33.520 --> 00:25:51.600
volunteer base so that we could be open more hours. Um, right now our hours are somewhat limited. Uh, 3 to 5 on Mondays and then the first Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30. I would like to extend at least

95
00:25:51.600 --> 00:26:07.279
one of the Mondays into the evening till 7:00 on Mondays. I'd also like to do a Saturday morning opening for a couple hours on Saturday. And now I think with

96
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:23.440
the increased number of volunteers that are floating around out there who I have their email addresses, I can I can call upon more volunteers and we'll train them so that we can get open more hours. Uh we also are

97
00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:40.159
collaborating with um uh Northwood what's it >> food project. >> What? >> The Northwoods food project. >> Yes, the Northwoods food project. the folks locally that are growing things. And um we have purchased things from the

98
00:26:40.159 --> 00:26:56.480
um uh the Thursday farmers market at the end of the their market. If they have leftover, we will go and purchase things from them. But we're also involved there. They have recently presented a

99
00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:14.159
grant that would give them uh give us money to buy food from them and then have that locally grown produce in the uh food shelf which would be really quite lovely. >> Crystal, >> will you be changing how this works

100
00:27:14.159 --> 00:27:29.760
during the summer because we will have people that are not from the county. We um we have quite a few of the uh foreign students that come in the summertime and at until we switched

101
00:27:29.760 --> 00:27:46.640
gears. Um they did not get as as much in vouchers as other people. And there were several of us on the board that thought that wasn't right. And so as of

102
00:27:46.640 --> 00:28:04.559
I think November, we changed our policies so that the the students that are here temporarily are treated just like anybody else that lives in Cook County so that they get the same amount in vouchers and the same dignity and

103
00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:22.559
respect at the food shelf as anybody else. Their issue is u primarily is transportation. So, um I know that uh Blue Fin occasionally will bring a van and uh the workers from Lootson this

104
00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:39.520
winter, they all were crammed into somebody's Jeep Cherokee and it was it was kind of a you know a cops in the uh clowns in the little vehicle with food coming out of

105
00:28:39.520 --> 00:28:55.600
everywhere and people were walking. My goodness, this winter, uh, we gave rides actually some of our volunteers at the end of the shift would give rides to the students that didn't have any transportation and were living down by

106
00:28:55.600 --> 00:29:11.840
IGA and uh, so transportation continues to be an issue and and that would be throughout the county throughout all of the food access. That's an issue. Commissioner Starley, >> the um I would I want to add though that

107
00:29:11.840 --> 00:29:27.760
that um Arrowhead Transit has um has created um time for they they will if you call ahead, they have a route now for those who live within the area to to um get picked up and dropped off at the food shelf on Mondays. >> Is this Arrowhead Transit?

108
00:29:27.760 --> 00:29:45.840
>> Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to just jump in there. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. >> Um as far as distribution, the food carts that are in the grocery stores, does that go to the food shelf? >> Yes. >> Okay. Excuse me. And then also

109
00:29:45.840 --> 00:30:04.480
um the um distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables. Does that come from any of our local stores? >> Not right now. >> That is what we're hoping to We're working on that. Um, Ann Heg is a a

110
00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:18.960
member of our board and she's taken that on as her mission. >> Okay. >> Great work. Thank you for what you do. >> Sure, >> Commissioner Campbell. >> Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for the information. Thank you for the

111
00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:34.399
energy too that you lend to uh looking at things and and uh creating new ways to make it more um user friendly. Uh we talk about this at our extension meetings. We talk about at the community

112
00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:50.640
center meetings. Um there are um four bills that I know of that are on the legislative floor uh this session all having to do with food access. And um uh

113
00:30:50.640 --> 00:31:06.480
to Crystal's question as to the demand I I think it because we have various sources that have been used if we see the same people at each source or if we see you know various people that means we have a distribution in our population

114
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:21.120
accessing food through different channels then that that's harder to track that as as to need. But in uh uh Association of Minnesota County's uh legislative update yesterday, they referenced that the increased demand

115
00:31:21.120 --> 00:31:37.039
food shelf demand remains high with one in nine motans experiencing food insecurity. I I think if we look at our numbers and it's difficult like I say because of the diversity of options but um just

116
00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:53.760
looking whether the demand exists or not uh 10 12 years ago when we were exploring the possibility of bringing Ruby's pantry up here the question that was raised in some of our meetings was is there really a need and I said is there really a need look around and see what's happening with the food shelf and

117
00:31:53.760 --> 00:32:11.440
things and um but over the time we've seen that when we talk about food access, it's like if I can use the analogy if you take your children to the grocery store with you, their their cart would be completely different than your cart.

118
00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:27.679
And uh so when we talk about food, it is it is also food education relative to what is actually providing nutritious food that helps you not just substance that you eat. uh because what we need and and this is much of the discussion

119
00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:42.480
when it comes to f fresh fruits and vegetables and trying to cultivate that in the uh bills that are before the house and the senate in this legislative session. Uh there is a bill that is prepared meals funding and it's a

120
00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:58.000
proposal for $1 million in one-time funding for a prepared meals grant program to serve 750,000 meals annually to populations not covered by federal programs. There's another bill agricultural support. It

121
00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:14.320
proposes over 18 million in 2026 for agricultural growth and um a 1 million annually for buying milk for food shelves. There's a bill local food purchasing which establishes grants to

122
00:33:14.320 --> 00:33:31.360
procure food from local farmers for distribution and food uh with priority to unrepresented farmers. Uh this is an area where we would like to see and encourage more realizing the the need and the benefit that farming provides.

123
00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:47.200
Uh we know what our growing season is like. We know what our soil is like. But I think the ingenuity and the things that we see when we have farmers markets, you will find there's a significant trend in the population shifting to farmers markets because they realize that this is the food that keeps

124
00:33:47.200 --> 00:34:04.159
them well. And then the other is the uh rural food access and that's the uh continued advocacy for grocery investment option act to support small independent grocery stores in rural high needs areas. So basically when we look

125
00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:20.159
at the efforts that you are investing yourself in, we're looking at this your previous slide that says how do we coordinate with various agencies that provide these things. Our awareness of that and our resourcefulness in that

126
00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:36.800
area helps us to be able to do a better job of what we do locally. So we certainly as as commissioners and I think this is true uh especially in our area that um uh we want to advocate for these things that are partnering and

127
00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:52.879
provide resource for us. >> Um I wanted to mention that I really appreciate you bringing up those grants. Um so the food access council also has a subcommittee which is a a grant working committee and we meet as needed to discuss um various grants that come forward to ensure that we are looking at

128
00:34:52.879 --> 00:35:08.720
those collaboratively. So we're not we're working not again like cuz so we're not all competing for um the same pots of money and if there's ways we can come together and collaborate to um have like um joint um uh grant applications or looking at um which nonprofits

129
00:35:08.720 --> 00:35:24.640
locally are the best candidates. Um, for example, um, there was recently a grant through the Mard Foundation, and it looked at um, how to increase food access for um, BIPO communities, indigenous communities, rural communities, and we we reached out to

130
00:35:24.640 --> 00:35:41.200
um, Vital North, which is a um, a um, nonprofit in the area that's working on food access. And we also reached out to um, Grand Portage. And um and in those collaborations um the Grand Portage um the we talked to Jared Sweder and a couple other people from Portage and

131
00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:58.240
they decided to um to apply for that themselves. Um and we and we offered, you know, to pro provide um letters of support and any collaboration that we could do to help support their application to help support food sovereignty and food access and food system development up in Grand Portage. And so, you know, we're we're actively

132
00:35:58.240 --> 00:36:13.760
looking at those grants and ways that they can be applied to our area, looking at who are the best candidates to apply and who has the capacity to to write the grant and manage the grants. Um, so yes, I really appreciate you bringing that up because those are definitely things on our on our in our purview and our and

133
00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:29.280
under the front burners of what we do. Um, is often we have a line item most most of our meetings just talking about grants and ways that we can we can um utilize those dollars most effectively in our area. So that's one of the one of the um benefits of having the food access council for sure.

134
00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:46.640
>> Mr. Mr. Chair, as a followup, I just was one of the questions that I had is your funding sources um how that breaks out uh when you're making purchase in different things or if there's inind, but I I think the public would be interested in knowing um how are you

135
00:36:46.640 --> 00:37:02.160
funded. >> Um that was one of the revelations that I had when I joined the uh board. I Gwen and Bill Lent you may know have been running that food shelf for 20 plus

136
00:37:02.160 --> 00:37:18.640
years and bless them because they have done just a spectacular job. And so I um I interviewed uh Gwen for information and I said you know what do you do for fundraising and she said uh nothing. And

137
00:37:18.640 --> 00:37:36.160
I went, "Really? I I've never been part of a group like that that didn't do any fun or didn't have active fundraising." And people just give them money. >> That's where it comes from. >> Um, you know, they they I think finally

138
00:37:36.160 --> 00:37:51.920
this year, maybe for the first time, they filled out the little application for the empty bowls grant. U before they they didn't they said, "Gee, we really don't need it." And I thought, well, I'll find a way way to use $5,000. Thank

139
00:37:51.920 --> 00:38:08.000
you very much. Um, but it it is it's donations. Um, there are reg there are some people that, you know, just give regularly and it comes in and we financially we're

140
00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:23.280
doing fine. We had enough money to put in the extra electricity we needed for our new display uh refrigeration freezer models. We had the money for the shopping carts and we have money to buy produce.

141
00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:40.640
So, right now um we're doing very well with what we what we get just uh I don't know it it just comes in the door. I mean, I've never, like I said, I've never been part of a a nonprofit group that can just sit back and say thank

142
00:38:40.640 --> 00:38:56.800
you, thank you, thank you, and not go out and, you know, beat the bushes for for money. >> So, yeah, >> yeah, I just want to say that the purpose of the bikes that are there are for the foreign students, >> right? >> And mostly given out in the summer, but

143
00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:13.599
if you see someone that is walking, hook them up. you know, >> this was in the winter. >> Oh, they Yeah, they I've they probably could even use them sometimes, at least like right now for sure. So, >> right. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Yeah, Mr. Sterling.

144
00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:29.200
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the great things is the expansion of the community gardens. >> So, at the UN at the extension office, they've had theirs for many years. We're in our third year at Birch Grove School for the community gardens. And when they were going to be first established, it

145
00:39:29.200 --> 00:39:44.480
was like, how many should we do? Maybe a dozen. No, do two dozen plots because it's going to grow. >> Yeah. >> And it's uh and it is growing. Good. >> There's a few empty spots left. >> Yeah. >> Commissioner G.

146
00:39:44.480 --> 00:40:00.640
>> Yeah. I appreciate the discussion. Um, I think it is another example of the community that that comes together to support things that that individuals believe in. Uh, we've seen it in other uh

147
00:40:00.640 --> 00:40:16.160
established organizations within our community that when need exists that those that have the means contribute to that. And I think that that model is a model that um uh is important to affirm

148
00:40:16.160 --> 00:40:31.680
and highlight. Years ago, in my first term, we had the chamber come and request funding to be able to beautify Grammaray by painting, you know, fishes on gas tanks and different things like that. The idea is a good idea, but I

149
00:40:31.680 --> 00:40:47.200
don't think we can make it part of the levy when it puts a burden on the people uh many of them that we're trying to help. But if the community believes in that, we give our resources to those things we believe in. And if that funds

150
00:40:47.200 --> 00:41:02.640
those efforts in our community is beneficial, that is a model that we need to highlight and affirm because it it doesn't become a burden to others just because we have something that we are passionate about. So I think we need to

151
00:41:02.640 --> 00:41:19.040
weigh things in that context and it's again it's it's testimony to the people that um as you say many nonforprofits are looking for funding any mechanism just to keep their doors open and it's evidence of the people that are

152
00:41:19.040 --> 00:41:38.720
empathetic and caring and give their resources to something that has value for our community. Thank you, Carol, for everything you've done, keeping keeping moving this forward. It's been really really great to see and gratifying to see.

153
00:41:38.720 --> 00:41:53.359
>> Thank you for all the work. And I know it's it's it's you and so many others on that board that have joined the board and really helped to bring this forward. >> Um, >> it's been a group effort. Absolutely. And just the key word of dignity with so much dignity and so much collaboration

154
00:41:53.359 --> 00:42:09.280
it's been and dignity for those who attend and dignity for everyone who's been running it and just so much respect um for all the work that's been done and all the work that will continue to be done in the future to help evolve and grow the food shelf to better meet the needs to continue to meet the needs of

155
00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:29.119
our community. So just thank you. Um sorry, I just wanted to give you a little thought there. Um it's been really great to see. Um so yeah, so moving forward with our presentation too. Um, I also wanted to mention too with um the pop-up locations, um, the

156
00:42:29.119 --> 00:42:46.160
hub says um, unlike the pop-up location here at the county, the hub has refrigeration and freezer space already available to utilize for providing some fresh options for a pop-up pantry, which were some of the things I know that were brought up um, in regards to the pop-up pantry here that were some gaps. So, um

157
00:42:46.160 --> 00:43:02.640
it was refreshing and really wonderful to hear um when I was talking to the director of the hub yesterday that they are looking at dedicating space and um you know if they have enough support and um um enough um uh you know there's demand and support you know they're

158
00:43:02.640 --> 00:43:18.560
they're looking at you know if there's options for expansion or if there's just options for greater collaboration with the hub. So um I'm really really um it's a really promising um partnership to keep exploring and looking at. So, um, and I think it's part of how they saw what happened at the courthouse and how

159
00:43:18.560 --> 00:43:34.880
they thought that could be emulated there. So, I just think it's a really great great that, you know, we try something, we take a risk, we do something here, another community partner goes, I could do that and now it's it's expanding to a place that I think can can really um create some some

160
00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:52.160
options for filling those gaps. So, I'm just really excited to see that happening as a partnership coordinator. Um so questions I think um expanding access like you said some of the the the challenges are staffing, volunteer support, transportation. So we continue

161
00:43:52.160 --> 00:44:08.560
to look at those challenges. Um we look forward to key questions. Um I don't know if we want to move here or there. We're going to kind of musical chair this uh this microphone around. Um can you guys hear me okay without the microphone? I'm getting over a little bit of respiratory so I just want to

162
00:44:08.560 --> 00:44:24.400
make sure I'm projecting well. Um so who are we reaching reaching well? Who is still not being reached? Are there geographic or access barriers? And what gaps exist beyond food availability? It's not just it's not just insecurity,

163
00:44:24.400 --> 00:44:45.800
it's also accessibility. And so those both those factors come together. And um so those are things that we are continuing to ask. And so we're going to be doing that in a data collection plan which I will hand over. Just one second.

164
00:44:46.400 --> 00:45:01.280
It's a little bit further away and when I'm not talking into the mic, it can be a bit of a problem. So um Oh, and also the mic's largely for the video stream. This online >> Yeah. Wonderful. Well, hopefully they

165
00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:18.319
can hear me. Okay. So um we have ship supported work uh where we partner with the food shelf to distribute surveys. Um we want to do some focus groups um with uh varied engagement tools and even one-on-one key informant interviews or

166
00:45:18.319 --> 00:45:34.160
just general uh informant interviews. Uh we want to focus on individuals who are currently utilizing services and um individuals who are not utilizing services but still experience food insecurity or access challenges. Uh we're hoping to collect data in the

167
00:45:34.160 --> 00:45:51.280
summer and then report back in the fall. And we're hoping to get two types of data. Um there are basically two types of data. There's quantitative data and qualitative data. So quantitative data are like the numbers and facts and figures that we kind of showed you

168
00:45:51.280 --> 00:46:05.839
>> on the first >> on the first slide with the cool charts and the all that stuff. Qualitative data is the story behind why that's happening. And oftent times when we are looking at things like food access and food insecurity, the best way to collect

169
00:46:05.839 --> 00:46:21.520
data is qualitative data. It's understanding what the barriers are, how the barriers are affecting them, what the disparities of health are. And so that's what we're hoping to uh gather with the focus groups or listening sessions as well as the one-on-one

170
00:46:21.520 --> 00:46:37.680
interviews and then using the surveys as our quantitative backbone. We also have a variety of other data resources regarding food access that we'll be using as well, including utilization for SNAP, wick, um, and food shelf numbers.

171
00:46:37.680 --> 00:46:54.079
>> How did you determine the timeline? Because it seems like summer and fall. I've noticed I've only been here for a year, but it seems like the population shifts. There's more people here during the summer and in the fall than they are during the winter. So, how' you pick the timeline? So

172
00:46:54.079 --> 00:47:10.079
I can hand this over to you but but for me when I think of data collection the best way to collect data is to have good rich numbers um for the quantitative side and for the qualitative side it's having enough people who are willing to interview from different walks of life.

173
00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:25.760
So as we know Cook County changes depending on the seasons. Uh so in in the summer, in the spring, we have a lot of folks who come in um for uh different work outside the county. We have uh a temporary migrant uh population who

174
00:47:25.760 --> 00:47:41.839
comes in and understanding the disparities of food access for that population as well as our general population will allow us to have a better understanding of food access overall. So we thought that summer would be a really great time to collect information. Not to mention, well, you

175
00:47:41.839 --> 00:47:57.359
know, it's probably a little bit easier for people to meet us and for us to meet them where they are when we can like drive on the roads quite easily. You know, just pop on down to where people are at. And uh you're also going to see an increase of numbers of people utilizing things like the food shelf and

176
00:47:57.359 --> 00:48:12.800
pop-up pantries during the summer. So, we'll have more access to um the numbers as well as their stories. I'm just curious if that would be actually a representative of the community since a lot of the summertime people aren't here during the rest of the season.

177
00:48:12.800 --> 00:48:28.400
>> So the do you Thanks. >> We could look at doing like a both end. So maybe we have some initial report backs in the fall and see if there's additional work that could be done in the winter months to paint a fuller picture. >> Yeah, thanks for saying that. And also

178
00:48:28.400 --> 00:48:44.640
some of the the qualitative and quant the qualitative data would be asking, you know, those questions. And so we can then delineate based on looking at the data when we're when we're um processing it, you know, who is a Cook County resident, who's coming in, you know, we can we can parse out Oops, sorry, my

179
00:48:44.640 --> 00:49:01.839
hands. Um we can parse that out. Um and so we can kind of create some more of that granular data. That would maybe be kind of what I think you're you're asking about. >> Could you include a question that says where do you live during the winter? >> Absolutely. Yeah, I think that would be I think that's pertinent and an important thing to to delineate. Um, and

180
00:49:01.839 --> 00:49:17.520
especially when we have different populations that we're serving at different times of the season, which I believe is a really important thing to ask because the needs of in the winter when when those those particular populations aren't here and then we have that surge of people, it's definitely

181
00:49:17.520 --> 00:49:33.520
going to impact, you know, how we um deliver service and the needs of those who are who are accessing for sure. So, it's a really good question to ask and and like to Grace's side there too. Um, you know, we're we're looking at just kind of being preliminary, creating some timelines and, you know, creating more

182
00:49:33.520 --> 00:49:49.520
longitudinal data is not necessarily out of the question. We just want to make sure we're we're being timely and looking at, you know, getting something to you guys and knowing when to expect it and to have some some time frames for this for this data collection. Um, but yeah, does that help answer your question? It does.

183
00:49:49.520 --> 00:50:05.440
>> Awesome. Thanks. Um, I also wanted to mention one thing I didn't mention earlier is one of the things with the Cook County um, Food Access Council and the Rosewoods Food Project and the um, the Sautong Clinic um, they are actually piloting a prescription um, produce program. So, they're going to start um,

184
00:50:05.440 --> 00:50:22.000
prescribing food to um, I believe they're going to have 10 pilot um, patients. um they're going to be receiving some CSA um my understanding is I'm not sure exactly how it's being implemented, but I know that there's going to be something with the farmers market and the and Sauti Mountain Clinic

185
00:50:22.000 --> 00:50:38.640
and providers and ensuring that we're doing the educational piece and the food piece and then following that up with some of those um indicators of health. I don't know which ones they're use utilizing if it's going to be I don't know which patient populations that they're utilizing. And I'm guessing it probably might be different lab markers

186
00:50:38.640 --> 00:50:54.400
they can use to to determine effectiveness. I'm not sure. That would be something to definitely follow up with with the Santi Clinic. I'm looking at how they're going to be um measuring success or measuring um impact, but um that um program is moving forward, which which is wonderful. So that's another

187
00:50:54.400 --> 00:51:08.559
thing I want to make sure you guys were aware of, too. Um >> Commissioner Gamble had a question. >> Yes, I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you there. >> Sure. >> Appreciate that. I I applaud your efforts to ask the quantitative side. Uh often times statistics are used to uh

188
00:51:08.559 --> 00:51:26.000
demonstrate worth but um the uh the quantitative side addresses the uh not just the number of people served but the real need that is being met and it informs decisions so that you realign once you really know your audience and

189
00:51:26.000 --> 00:51:41.760
need then you can position yourself to meet real need. It's similar to demographics. You can get demographics, but the psychoraphics are why people make the choices that they make. And uh so I I applaud the fact that that you're doing that because it it definitely

190
00:51:41.760 --> 00:51:57.680
means that we care enough to really understand not just to have the numbers that we show who we're serving. It's it's why this need is is important. So I applaud it. There's a lot of qualitative data effort going across when the ship

191
00:51:57.680 --> 00:52:13.599
coordinators, we work regionally and we communicate with each other and we share resources and so there has been in duth and um regional um food access efforts across the um the fivecount region that um my grant is is um applied to and so they've been utilizing what is like the

192
00:52:13.599 --> 00:52:29.680
100 cups of coffee and other varied engagement tools and so um we're not hoping to recreate the wheel but just um help to have that to utilize what the ser the engagement tools and um and evaluation tools that have been um utilized across the region and then also

193
00:52:29.680 --> 00:52:45.599
individualized them to Cook County, but also that's going to provide us an opportunity to provide some regional data as well. So, if we're asking some consistent questions across the region, we can then we can then extrap we can then utilize that data and and process it to um create some real great um rich

194
00:52:45.599 --> 00:53:05.119
data that's not just Cook County, but the the Arrowhead region itself, too. So, I'm part of that collaborative effort. Um we move on to the next slide. Yeah. >> There we go. So um we will continue to uh support current efforts. Um as

195
00:53:05.119 --> 00:53:21.680
Christina said, she'll provide some technical support um as well as um you know PHS is part of the food access council. You know we work very closely with our food access partners. Um we are going to then gather data and then we will do a data analysis and come back

196
00:53:21.680 --> 00:53:37.040
with a report um for you all um eventually. The goal is to do it by the by the fall. Um so collect the data in the summer, bring it back by the fall. If we feel like we need to do more uh data planning around getting a better or

197
00:53:37.040 --> 00:53:53.359
bigger picture of our um more local community, then we'll collect more data and then come back to you with a secondary report. Um, and then we'll bring the findings and future communications to you all. Communication is key when it comes to things like food access. So, uh, we're you haven't seen

198
00:53:53.359 --> 00:54:08.880
the last of us. We'll be back around with the same topic, uh, sooner rather than later. Um, and does anybody have any questions? Um, one thing I was hoping we could maybe just touch on, Carol, is you had

199
00:54:08.880 --> 00:54:26.400
brought up um at one of the food access council meetings just the um the potential space needs or or restrictions. And I just didn't know if you wanted to touch on that at all. What you >> We um we tried hard uh when we were

200
00:54:26.400 --> 00:54:43.200
considering moving to the SuperShelf model to get more room, more space. And like I said, I got six feet. But um we did go to the various churches and there wasn't anything available. Nothing

201
00:54:43.200 --> 00:55:01.040
available just yesterday with this news that the hub was willing to uh support the popup. They also mentioned that they have more space >> potential and this, you know, is not for

202
00:55:01.040 --> 00:55:16.800
publication yet. Although we are going over the airways um to we'll explore. Okay, let me say that we'll explore and see if the hub would be a good spot for the food shelf

203
00:55:16.800 --> 00:55:34.880
uh going forward. One of the things that hit me right off the bat was many of our clients at the food shelf are older folks and they may well be down at the hub anyway. So, you know, if you put it all together, that would be lovely. Um,

204
00:55:34.880 --> 00:55:52.160
there was a time I talked to um Kristen uh uh probably 6 months shortly after she started and asked her, you know, is the county featuring any any space? You know, they're doing law enforcement stuff now. You're talking about

205
00:55:52.160 --> 00:56:09.920
courthouse remodel, etc. and she talked about potentially the uh recycling center being decommissioned or put someplace else and that utilizing that building not only for the county. And she was

206
00:56:09.920 --> 00:56:25.839
talking about perhaps moving the health and human services folks over there and that we could have the food shelf there all in the same space. And I I would love to see all of those things

207
00:56:25.839 --> 00:56:41.359
together. Grand Portage has that all together. They have their uh social services in the same building where they have their food shelf and they also have clothing, you know, seasonal clothing and and whatnot there. And I think that

208
00:56:41.359 --> 00:56:56.640
would be a wonderful thing. Um, when I first joined the food access council, we were brainstorming and and my brainstorm was the golden dome. And the golden dome was having all your

209
00:56:56.640 --> 00:57:13.200
social services in one spot. So that it, you know, kind of one-stop shopping for the people that utilize those services. So there's, you know, there's always things moving around. Thank goodness. Um, change is change is fun.

210
00:57:13.200 --> 00:57:30.000
I say I'm old enough to say that now. >> I just want to reate the stuff with the hub is very binary and it would be we were looking at like even it being like a satellite too. Yeah. Yeah. Just but just very like just very just like oh you know if we have extra support but there's lots of potential for

211
00:57:30.000 --> 00:57:45.200
opportunity there. But I don't put the card for the horse >> that far into it. So, >> but it's really for for now though, they're really really excited about creating um a pop-up pantry there and um exploring um what how it could fit, how other options for food access could

212
00:57:45.200 --> 00:58:02.160
could um dovetail into what they're doing there already. >> Commissioner White, >> um since I sit on the hub board and I've been part of that energized conversation that they were having about Well, we've got room. Yeah, >> we've got room and it's it's uh they're

213
00:58:02.160 --> 00:58:19.520
getting a new refrigerator unit and I mean they're they're working on it and they've got >> um a grant writer on board and everything, but the enthusiasm for opening that space for more >> more options for the community to

214
00:58:19.520 --> 00:58:35.839
benefit the community is unbounded. So, I think it's uh and it would be a you can walk to the hub. You don't have to walk uphill to the hub, >> right? Maybe uphill home, but you know, and it's a very open, inviting space. So

215
00:58:35.839 --> 00:58:53.200
I think that would would >> I really I really like the idea of opening it, you know, it got couched as a senior center and to really open it up to the community as a as a community resource and not just for one specific

216
00:58:53.200 --> 00:59:09.119
population. I think that's a great and I think moving the popup to that space would encourage that sort of change in attitude about what this is, >> right? If you ever saw the people who hung out there, besides those that are getting

217
00:59:09.119 --> 00:59:27.359
their toenails clipped, um you wouldn't you wouldn't actually uh identify them as seniors or maybe they're seniors without having learned the rules of being older and wiser. So, um no, it is a very

218
00:59:27.359 --> 00:59:44.880
welcoming P place for all ages. Yeah. >> So, >> yeah, the hub was a great collaborator when um a couple summers ago when the for the food um this the the was it the summer food program with the schools, they were able to help transition over there to help provide and also want they

219
00:59:44.880 --> 00:59:59.760
um Chris wanted me to make sure to mention that the meals that they provide are not just limited to seniors. Anybody is welcome to preserve a meal and even if you Meals on Wheels is also expanded now beyond seniors. anybody who is needing access to meals on wheels or home, they can call and and um reserve

220
00:59:59.760 --> 01:00:16.319
the meals with the AEOA. So, I just want to make sure that you knew that you all knew that there it's not just for seniors or anybody is in need can call and and also can come get meals. So, um thank you so much for the time to Oh, sorry, Commissioner Gav question. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, appreciate

221
01:00:16.319 --> 01:00:33.599
the conversation. Uh what I would say is uh brainstorming is unbounded and the benefit of that is just uh we learn things that we would have never explored had we not taken away the fences that keep us from thinking outside of the box as they say. uh the realities that get

222
01:00:33.599 --> 01:00:51.119
applied once we've done that dreaming is uh just trying to be practical with what we have and uh but wouldn't want to discourage the the dreaming side of of looking at what could be the other thing I would I would say is that uh the

223
01:00:51.119 --> 01:01:06.640
senior center which became the hub uh and I sat on that board in my first term were always looking for ways so that there wasn't a stigma associated with the services that they prov provide and um we can do that by words and naming

224
01:01:06.640 --> 01:01:23.440
and branding, but when we do it by the services we deliver and the culture we create, that is where we see that that hoped for outcome. And certainly by providing services and things that introduce people uh to all of the

225
01:01:23.440 --> 01:01:40.799
services that the hub provides is is uh definitely a benefit. So, it's something that that they want and they've been working for years to try to create that different branding and that's why the hub but this certainly would be an opportunity and we as commissioners as

226
01:01:40.799 --> 01:01:56.000
we've explored facilities and our options there and our limited resources uh the creativity and the approach to that has been something that that we continue to explore how we can do this and do it well and do it as fiscally

227
01:01:56.000 --> 01:02:12.960
responsible decision fusion makers. So, >> um maybe pass it on if you would if they did a Mario Kart tournament monthly. >> That would bring in some different folks. I >> a what? >> Mario Kart,

228
01:02:12.960 --> 01:02:28.480
>> I guess. >> Oh, >> maybe we can get our sons on that. >> That's Yeah, >> join the board. >> I I be I believe that group is open to anything type thing. So, um the space is

229
01:02:28.480 --> 01:02:45.599
there, the uh the attitudes are right. So, uh um yeah, I think it's great. I know they do the Christmas program, the I forget the official name of it, but making certain that all of our uh

230
01:02:45.599 --> 01:03:04.960
residents, families uh have have uh an opportunity for sharing gifts with our community members and that is now at the hub. So going down to the other end of the spectrum too. So >> thank you.

231
01:03:04.960 --> 01:03:20.400
>> Thank you for the opportunity to present and um if there any questions don't hesitate to reach out to me or Carol or Avi. So thanks again. And then to reiterate that food access council is open to all and our next meeting or we hold our meetings the first Wednesday of

232
01:03:20.400 --> 01:03:39.599
each month from 1:30 to 3 at currently at the Cook County Higher Education or via Zoom. Um it's on our county website um for more information. >> Thank you. >> Thank you all for presenting. >> Yeah. >> All right. That moves us down to item

233
01:03:39.599 --> 01:03:56.000
four, the director's report. I'll hand it back to Grace. >> All right. All right. Well, I um thank again our wonderful presenters for providing some information on food access council uh food access efforts in the community.

234
01:03:56.000 --> 01:04:09.920
Thank you for being here this morning and for all the information. I'll move us into general departmental updates starting with HR updates. So as we began the meeting again welcoming Ai Sukwell as our new public health supervisor as

235
01:04:09.920 --> 01:04:26.319
of April 1st. We also this past month have accepted the resignation of Marina Fujimoto who's an adult mental health case manager with our department. Her last day will be at the end of May. We've reposted the adult mental health

236
01:04:26.319 --> 01:04:43.119
case manager position. We have started interviews and we are looking to fill two vacancies which are both in our current org chart for an adult mental health case manager role. So please help us to spread the word. Um

237
01:04:43.119 --> 01:04:58.960
that is all for HR updates. So, as promised, I will continue to provide updates on how we're working through recommendations from the Birchbark Consulting report that Megan Mo shared with the board at its last meeting this

238
01:04:58.960 --> 01:05:16.319
past month. Uh, Plumbmen Demitra, our fiscal supervisor, Olivia Bonander, who's our adult services supervisor and also acting uh um as our children family services supervisor. The three of us have come together and we've been working on a policy on time

239
01:05:16.319 --> 01:05:31.839
reporting expectations in SSIS which is the social service information system that for our social services staff. We have a policy draft which we expect to go into effect in July of this year. We

240
01:05:31.839 --> 01:05:48.240
introduced this policy to our social services staff, obtained their feedback, and between now and July are working with staff to provide them with training and supports so when the policy goes into effect, they will be ready to meet

241
01:05:48.240 --> 01:06:04.720
its expectations and those are related to the amount of time that's required to be in the SSIS system and the amount of that time in the system that's related directly to client services. So that is really our first focus in terms of

242
01:06:04.720 --> 01:06:19.520
implementing the recommendation from Megan Mo. Uh my next kind of category of updates is related to mobile crisis response. So uh in the past month we've received a

243
01:06:19.520 --> 01:06:36.880
proposal from first call for help to become the provider of record for mobile crisis response services in Cook County. What this would mean is that First Call for Help would hold the license to provide mobile crisis response services,

244
01:06:36.880 --> 01:06:54.799
which the state of Minnesota mandates across all counties. In this proposal, First Call for Help would directly employ local responders for both daytime and after hours response as the service must be available 24/7, 365.

245
01:06:54.799 --> 01:07:10.640
Currently, Cook County directly staffs this service, contracting Brightwater, formerly HDC, to provide after hours coverage. We currently have two grants with DHS to support mobile crisis response services.

246
01:07:10.640 --> 01:07:26.720
Under the proposal we received, these grants would transition to first call for help, uh, at least one of them would later in the year. And in future years, the mobile crisis response grant would go directly to First Call for Help

247
01:07:26.720 --> 01:07:43.520
rather than to Cook County. And First Call for Help would directly provide mobile crisis response services within the community. So First Call for Help is a community-based nonprofit in Grand Rapids. They have a 25 plus year history

248
01:07:43.520 --> 01:07:58.640
of successfully providing mobile crisis services in uh Itasca County and a portion of Aken County. They're also the regional call center for 988 across the Arrowhead region. They specialize in

249
01:07:58.640 --> 01:08:15.039
mobile crisis response services and have built a programmatic infrastructure to skillfully administer this service which includes the software, the policies and procedures, the staff training, all of that infrastructure is something they

250
01:08:15.039 --> 01:08:30.480
have in place. Um, under the proposal, they would work closely with us and PHS to ensure that the service remains locally staffed and embedded within Cook County.

251
01:08:30.480 --> 01:08:48.239
I'm inviting First Call for help to share details of their proposal and uh share more about themselves and their agency with our advisory councils at their May 5th meeting. That would be a joint meeting of our local mental health

252
01:08:48.239 --> 01:09:03.199
advisory council as well as our PHS advisory council. I want to make sure that our advisory councils have time to hear the full detail of the proposal, ask questions, provide feedback. I've

253
01:09:03.199 --> 01:09:21.600
also invited them to attend our May 19th PHS board meeting so that you all are able to hear directly from them what it is they would propose to take on. And you can also have the opportunity to ask questions and hear the full context

254
01:09:21.600 --> 01:09:39.040
before coming to a decision between now and then. If there are particular pieces of information that you feel like would be crucial to include, um, please reach out and let me know. I've set up uh regular meetings with First Call for

255
01:09:39.040 --> 01:09:54.640
Help and also the Arrowhead Behavioral Health Initiative um because I want to make sure that our local partners have all the information and ability to ask questions that they need to be able to make an informed

256
01:09:54.640 --> 01:10:12.080
decision. Uh and I'm hoping that at that May 19th meeting we feel the board feels ready to vote on the proposal. Um it's certainly up to you all but the reason for that timing is that um this would in if we

257
01:10:12.080 --> 01:10:28.880
move forward we will have to create a contract amendment with DHS and that could take some time. So, I don't want anyone to feel rushed, but I do want you to feel fully aware of what the um time considerations are for the decision, and

258
01:10:28.880 --> 01:10:43.360
I wanted to provide you with the level of detail that I have now as to what this might entail. So, um I'm going to give the rest of my report and then I'll offer the opportunity for the board to ask questions.

259
01:10:43.360 --> 01:10:59.920
um there on a state and federal level. Once again, I'm going to include in my written report the links to the DCYF program integrity federal funding tracker as well as the DHS program

260
01:10:59.920 --> 01:11:15.440
integrity fact check website because there continues to be a number of uh service services that are in federal litigation at the moment. There's nothing that has changed specifically

261
01:11:15.440 --> 01:11:32.159
with the exception that DHS did put out a media release last week that there continue to be challenges between the state of Minnesota and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services as uh the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, also known as CMS, continues

262
01:11:32.159 --> 01:11:47.920
to withhold federal payments for Medicaid in the state of Minnesota, which could have a potentially large impact. Um, so I'm linking to that media release as well as to those resources because this is a dynamic situation that

263
01:11:47.920 --> 01:12:03.040
involves a great level of detail. So I'm going to continue to sort of provide that highest level at this point. There's no change to service provision locally. However, these are things that I'm watching and I want you to be aware of where you can find uh accurate

264
01:12:03.040 --> 01:12:18.880
information if you'd like to watch those closely as well. Um, finally, I'm going to end on a very positive note for kudos for our staff. So, starting with um a preview of next meeting. So, Plummen, our fiscal

265
01:12:18.880 --> 01:12:36.239
supervisor, has completed our 2025 year-end financials and our May board meeting will start off with a presentation from him uh as to what those year-end financials look like. So, this is going to be a packed meeting. It will start with plowmen giving a year-end financial report and then move

266
01:12:36.239 --> 01:12:52.000
to first call for help uh outlining their proposal for mobile crisis response services. Um so the the summary of those urine financials is included in today's board packet. He will be going into great detail as to what that

267
01:12:52.000 --> 01:13:07.920
summary actually entails as you drill down deeper into the programs and services that our department provides. Um, also a big congratulations to the fiscal team for receiving the calendar year financial reporting award for 2025

268
01:13:07.920 --> 01:13:24.960
from DHS. And this is for perfect performance in submitting all required quarterly reports by their deadlines. So big kudos to Plowmen as well as Andy Deauour and Leah Leonard who are our fiscal team in their excellent

269
01:13:24.960 --> 01:13:42.159
performance throughout 2025. Um and then uh also congratulations to our economic assistance team for exceeding the state's threshold for timely reprocessing of SNAP and cash assistance applications. So there's a statewide

270
01:13:42.159 --> 01:13:56.960
benchmark and they have exceeded uh that level for their performance on processing applications in a timely manner. So we have fantastic staff in PHS and it's always wonderful to get kudos directly from the state for their

271
01:13:56.960 --> 01:14:15.440
good work. So kudos to them. Um and with that I am going to open it up for questions. >> Commissioner Campbell. >> Thank you Mr. Chair. Thank you for the report and um I would say in um noting

272
01:14:15.440 --> 01:14:31.440
the kudos that um uh it's significant that that recognition came at a time when the pieces were moving so much. So to be able to accomplish that with the extra backpacks you were carrying and uh

273
01:14:31.440 --> 01:14:47.520
that's it it uh underscores even more the uh the achievement in in view of that. Um I would say that also relative to the things that affect us financially. Um in the discussion

274
01:14:47.520 --> 01:15:05.760
yesterday AMC le leg legislative update there were two areas uh and I had a brief conversation with plowman this morning uh just on how this is represented in our financials under the state reference to behavior behavior health funding costs and that is

275
01:15:05.760 --> 01:15:23.199
something that um in the discussion yesterday and the updates that the increase could affect counties by up to 50% in in that particular area. I think when we when we go to the May uh discussions on budget uh that when we

276
01:15:23.199 --> 01:15:39.840
look at the trends and we see the things that that are shifting that we can control and the things that are shifting that we can't control that the narrative that informs that financial discussion to anticipate that will be really

277
01:15:39.840 --> 01:15:54.159
beneficial. And if things stayed the same, then it makes a little easier for us to be able to, you know, support recommendations based upon our trends and what we're witnessing when things change in how we play the game, so to

278
01:15:54.159 --> 01:16:12.080
speak. Uh it's it's an adjustment that that sometimes can be very impactful on our budget overall. Uh the other thing that affects us in my understanding is that the governor has proposed phasing out contracted case management for human

279
01:16:12.080 --> 01:16:29.440
services by the by July 1st, 2031. That's 5 years out and there's a lot of change that could happen in between that. But the plan would burden crash uh cashstrap counties with new expenses while limiting access to specialized services some local governments aren't

280
01:16:29.440 --> 01:16:46.159
equipped to provide. The Minnesota Council on Disability has expressed concern regarding these changes, citing current county staffing shortages and the need to ensure continuity of continued care for those receiving services. So, this would be one of those

281
01:16:46.159 --> 01:17:01.199
issues that if they're talking about it, we don't want to assume things will continue as they have continued when it's been a resource for us. And that's why we as commissioners and as region and as AMC need to advocate based upon

282
01:17:01.199 --> 01:17:18.320
the realities and how that would impact us. So just an observation um >> specific to the contracted case management. We do not contract out our case management within Cook County. We have the staff locally providing the service. it would be

283
01:17:18.320 --> 01:17:34.960
>> and that's that's great and and it it um what I'm not aware of in in some of those areas I know we we've talked about some things where we're using outside resources and how that links actually to how we do things and that that's good

284
01:17:34.960 --> 01:17:50.719
that because that's a protective thing for us that some of this thing won't affect us because of the fact that we do that internally. So that's I appreciate you making us aware of that at least me. Yeah, I'm happy to answer any questions as they come up and if I don't, we can

285
01:17:50.719 --> 01:18:07.280
we can get to the bottom of it. >> Yeah, Commissioner Stley, >> thank you. A question and a comment. Um, all across the country in NAL, we have been discussing what the implications are of the Medicaid situation, especially when it falls back onto the

286
01:18:07.280 --> 01:18:24.000
counties to say you're eligible to work, get a job, keeping track of all that. So between now and our May engagement with Niko, we're all going to come together to maybe support each other with some possibilities of what one state is doing and another state is doing. So we'll

287
01:18:24.000 --> 01:18:41.120
collaborate and hopefully come together on the implications of how that's going to affect um public health. The second is um what was the date again is we're going to all talk about the mobile crisis response with the first. >> So we have our advisory councils. We'll

288
01:18:41.120 --> 01:18:57.520
be talking about it there on May 5th and then at the next PHS board meeting in May. So that'll be on May 19th. >> Okay. >> And for May 5th, we have uh Commissioner White and Commissioner Gamble on our local advisory councils. There would be

289
01:18:57.520 --> 01:19:13.600
room. Wait, no, that would break Cor. Well, if um if there is interest in participating in that May 5th meeting, we could see about noticing it as a public meeting so that more could >> maybe just in case we should do that so there's lots of >> I'll start going down that path. >> Yeah. Thank you.

290
01:19:13.600 --> 01:19:30.800
>> And the time on that again is >> oh >> May 5th >> is it 2:30? >> Okay. >> 1:30. >> 1 to 2:30. >> And there will be a virtual option. They're going to be joining us virtually for that, but they will be here in person on the 19th.

291
01:19:30.800 --> 01:19:46.640
>> Thank you. >> Are there any immediate questions we should ask or any, you know, knee-jerk reactions or thoughts just to give a heads up to Grace? She can regarding that potential transition.

292
01:19:46.640 --> 01:20:02.239
My I spoke with Grace earlier and my I think um one of the things I just wanted to make sure was there was somebody here locally providing it. it's the supervision and the license and so that was answered and I didn't know if there was anything else people had concerns

293
01:20:02.239 --> 01:20:19.520
about or um what I liked about the concept and you know devil's maybe in the details but uh is just that expertise and that experience um they're built for it you know um so that gave me a lot of hope there >> one of the things that I found really

294
01:20:19.520 --> 01:20:35.440
compelling is that they also looked at other places in the state that are in some ways similar to Cook County and that they of uh they they're rural and remote and they have people living in you know all all areas of the county but

295
01:20:35.440 --> 01:20:52.719
not in a high density way. So they looked at um Lake of the Woods and Clearwater counties as counties that do have um functional successful mobile crisis um teams and how those teams do their work. So I feel like that

296
01:20:52.719 --> 01:21:08.159
familiarity with how the service is provided in more rural parts of the state is a real benefit. >> Um and they did really emphasize to me that it would remain locally based. Um that they would be here. The plan is for

297
01:21:08.159 --> 01:21:24.480
them to come if all if all if all of this moves forward. The plan would be for them to spend a solid week here really meeting with our partners and um trying to get to all four corners of the county to because we would need people

298
01:21:24.480 --> 01:21:40.400
in all four corners of the county who are interested in training in to be responders regardless of you know whether that stays with us or goes with them. It's just that they have this is their specialty. This is what they know and do well. So, I think that would be a

299
01:21:40.400 --> 01:21:56.880
huge benefit to explore the relationship. >> Oh, Commissioner >> and um maybe could we get a reminder about the May 5th just a for that >> and then also is it on Zoom?

300
01:21:56.880 --> 01:22:10.960
>> Will it be in public? >> It's on a it's on a team's link. It's it's a hybrid meeting. So, we're going to have space upstairs in the PHS conference room, but then there's also a link to join remotely. Thanks. >> Commissioner White,

301
01:22:10.960 --> 01:22:26.880
>> Grace, that um that you're saying 1:30 on the 5th of May. >> 1 to 230. Um there's a prevention coalition meeting that they'll have to >> Yeah. Yeah. I >> have to choose.

302
01:22:26.880 --> 01:22:44.560
>> So I want to hear about people coming. >> Okay. Yeah. That's unfortunate. I think there's really no perfect option here. So, but yeah, it's unfortunate that there's that overlap. >> All right. >> And I would like to add that the combined advisories committees

303
01:22:44.560 --> 01:22:59.600
>> was that just last week. >> I really liked that. I got a lot more out of the discussions than when it's just mental health adult mental health advisory. So, thank you. I hope >> Thank you for that feedback

304
01:22:59.600 --> 01:23:19.120
>> or continues. Oh, Commissioner Campbell. >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, another thing that was brought up at the AMC legislative update was the out of home placement plan requirements. And, um, looking at the u financial that's

305
01:23:19.120 --> 01:23:34.800
included in our packet here year to date to March, it it looks like we're on target for what we budgeted here. Um, we're at 20% of of budget. um the discussion uh as it relates the

306
01:23:34.800 --> 01:23:50.159
reason I'm bringing up when we're looking at child care issues and that was something we were going to focus on in our community leadership meeting next >> um that u this uh house file that has been presented is to modify to include

307
01:23:50.159 --> 01:24:05.760
early childhood education child care programs for children in foster care who have not yet reached the age of compulsory school attendance. So how that affects us in looking at at dollars and a program and administration and

308
01:24:05.760 --> 01:24:20.800
looking at our out of home placements which in the past if these two are connected is that that's one of those things in a small county just a couple families and it's it's huge on how it impacts us. So

309
01:24:20.800 --> 01:24:38.639
>> that is huge that is a one of our more unpredictable expenses. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. All right. Uh if nothing else, we're going on to items for board action. That's item five. There's nothing there. So, we can move on to our committee

310
01:24:38.639 --> 01:24:56.239
reports at item six. Uh we'll start right at the top with the active living steering committee. Commissioner White, >> it was cancelled. It did not happen. >> Any report from AOA? >> Yes, I had that right here.

311
01:24:56.239 --> 01:25:11.760
Um the big thing was that that's Jenny's now. Um there was a retirement and rec award recognition for Scott. >> Oh yeah. >> Um long history of community action

312
01:25:11.760 --> 01:25:28.880
programming and and well respected. So, um that was the big thing and then got into it and then as happens the uh I was zooming in and the uh

313
01:25:28.880 --> 01:25:45.679
it disappeared. >> Oh, >> like where are you? And um I tried to try they were all busy of course having a meeting so I couldn't >> get back in. So, um, >> is the will do you know as the new

314
01:25:45.679 --> 01:26:01.199
director will you be coming up here and >> I don't know >> saying hey okay >> I think that >> I don't think I've met before >> that was um it was a discussion or a statement early on >> okay >> so

315
01:26:01.199 --> 01:26:18.080
>> okay thank you uh aha >> aer health alliance joint powers um they just continue to uh hold a good bottom line. They have the facilities uh yellow

316
01:26:18.080 --> 01:26:35.440
leaf for kids and kids and young young adults who have uh needs for uh they have needs for for mental health and or addiction and uh

317
01:26:35.440 --> 01:26:53.679
a pretty upbeat facility there. I mean, I talked to some of the kids as they were that were there and uh though there though the conversations were guarded, it seemed like they liked this place which is very good.

318
01:26:53.679 --> 01:27:10.560
>> Thank you. Um ARC Commissioner Gamble. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um at our recent meeting we last Friday uh we had um focused on having discussions with our local

319
01:27:10.560 --> 01:27:25.840
tribes. The Fondelac band uh from near Duth at Grand Portage of course in our county and the boy forte which are near that Chipoa tribe is near international falls. um much of our discussion and it

320
01:27:25.840 --> 01:27:41.679
was a very good discussion. In addition to the tribes being there, we also had um Wendy Sprite who's the tribal relations director with Minnesota Minnesota Department of Corrections. Um in the discussion, it was expected that

321
01:27:41.679 --> 01:27:56.560
um trying to cultivate healthy relationships and relationships that are sub substantial in what they're able to accomplish other than just for appearance's sake. It was expressed that um this can be accomplish accomplished

322
01:27:56.560 --> 01:28:12.719
and these are comments coming from uh representative of the tribes. We're reminding people to have open minds and open hearts when we come to these discussions. Respect for tribal sovereignty and continuing continuing open dialogue between tribes and the

323
01:28:12.719 --> 01:28:27.679
association of Minnesota counties. Um, I would say the discussion, uh, and we've had a few of these, and I think Commissioner Wright maybe was, uh, on the board as the additional representative from our county in in 2025.

324
01:28:27.679 --> 01:28:46.480
Um, that, uh, we are seeing a coming together, more of a comfortable uh, dialogue that takes place as as opposed to plotting and positioning. It's it just a lot of people there's vulnerability in the discussion and um

325
01:28:46.480 --> 01:29:02.880
uh when uh Wendy had mentioned about open hearts and and open minds um uh I appreciated the fact she identified those two things because I think when you realize somebody's heart is toward you, you tend to open your mind. Mhm.

326
01:29:02.880 --> 01:29:18.880
>> I mean, when you when you don't feel that's the case, it's hard to be open-minded because you're always questioning what's motive. And uh so it was it was a very good discussion. Um the um

327
01:29:18.880 --> 01:29:36.320
one thing that we've seen and it was talked about was the fact that in 2024 we brought a tribal assistant probation officer up at Grand Bordage and he's been doing a great job and the comps that are coming back from members of the tribe that are able to you know beat

328
01:29:36.320 --> 01:29:52.400
with one of their own. it it's uh Bobby referenced, you know, examples of that and he was there um the representative to to speak to that issue. Um also uh on that note with probation

329
01:29:52.400 --> 01:30:09.679
officers, there's an interview scheduled this Friday uh for the Graham Ray's open position in the probation officer and public health and Graham Portage will sit in on that interview process. And uh another topic that was discussed was the legislation

330
01:30:09.679 --> 01:30:27.360
um change regarding age of delinquency and that was brought up yesterday in the AMC conversation as well. um they're proposing that we would change that from 10, age 10 to age 13.

331
01:30:27.360 --> 01:30:42.239
if that I mean there's a lot of issues if you if you look at the statistical things we talked about being informed through monitoring and understanding our experience that if you look that at um

332
01:30:42.239 --> 01:30:58.159
violent offenders who are under age 13 by moving it up to age 13 you would be including a number of individuals that in our experience have committed significant um offenses which we do not

333
01:30:58.159 --> 01:31:15.760
want to change it because what happens should we go to the higher age that um those who commit offenses as needing they would need child protection services rather than being deemed delinquent and so that would have a lot

334
01:31:15.760 --> 01:31:33.760
of uh change that we'd have to look at. If in fact this legislation were to move forward, then ARC is proposing that uh there would be carveouts in the language to protect uh when there are incidences of offenders under age 13 that would

335
01:31:33.760 --> 01:31:48.960
still need to be treated as delinquents and not through child protection services. So remains to be seen. Uh the number of points that were brought up, it it is something that is not a certainty. Originally, it was

336
01:31:48.960 --> 01:32:07.520
scheduled to be enacted um in um a by August of uh 2026 to take effect that language, but uh at this point it's it's still being debated. And the last thing is that it's ARC's 50th anniversary of the joint

337
01:32:07.520 --> 01:32:24.719
powers agreement uh between the the counties in the Arrowhead region. So 50 years ago, we committed to work together on this. And as I said many times, uh, Airhead Regional Corrections is is the model for how we deal when people make decisions that aren't the best

338
01:32:24.719 --> 01:32:43.840
decisions. And um and um there's consequences for those decisions that if we come alongside with the evidence of heart in trying to help people and affirm their value and change their behavior, ARC does an excellent job.

339
01:32:43.840 --> 01:33:01.120
>> Thank you, Commissioner White. Uh, and I would like to add from the uh, probation officer up in Grand Portage as he pointed out is that he sees his uh, what do you charges or his the

340
01:33:01.120 --> 01:33:16.000
people he works with, he sees them everywhere. And as he's pointed out, just because I'm seeing you at this baseball game doesn't mean we are meeting. But so I still expect that you will be be there and I think he is also

341
01:33:16.000 --> 01:33:34.400
providing a real social link for many many of the his clients that uh it's a it's a deliberate social link that they didn't have otherwise. So >> it's another I think it's going to be another awardwinning

342
01:33:34.400 --> 01:33:49.120
exercise that people should turn and look to. Um could I'm sorry I maybe missed it. Commissioner Gamble. Could could you remind um me the motivation for the age change?

343
01:33:49.120 --> 01:34:05.920
>> Well, here's what um I know it's not for sure thing, but just >> Yeah. You know what what spawned this initially? If if we have a a date that it's supposed to be enacted, which um is

344
01:34:05.920 --> 01:34:21.120
uh August of this year, then obviously it was something that was discussed and then moved on and then there's been some cons concern about what happens. I think after the fact maybe we saw it through

345
01:34:21.120 --> 01:34:38.000
one lens and then decided no, we need to re rethink this. And certainly um ARC is uh is concerned about this. The key details regarding the proposed policy lang change language change include

346
01:34:38.000 --> 01:34:54.639
elimination of age increase. The propose bills remove previous statutory language to set that set to take effect on August 1st of 2026 which would have classified children under 13 who commit offenses as needing child protection services rather being

347
01:34:54.639 --> 01:35:12.000
deemed uh delinquent. Retaining current standards, the legislation keeps 10 years of age at the minimum age of delinquency Minnesota, allowing for the prosecution of serious offenses for children 10 and under are shift in focus. While initial proposals aimed to

348
01:35:12.000 --> 01:35:28.800
raise the age to 13 to keep young children out of detention, updated discussions focus on the adequacy of the current system. In other words, maybe it's working. We don't need to change it. and the implementation concerns regarding the complexity and fiscal

349
01:35:28.800 --> 01:35:45.280
impact of changing the age to 13 led to proposed delays ensuring the justice system retains oversight. So again, I think there's things that have come up. What again began this discussion at some point way

350
01:35:45.280 --> 01:36:02.000
back when I'm I don't know how way back when is but if implementation was August 1st >> we just looked at something that said we'd maybe change this and it would be implemented in 2031. So >> u but you can see that there it's there's a lot of discussion that

351
01:36:02.000 --> 01:36:18.560
questions and if in fact at arc in our discussion it were to become law August 1st 2026 that we would change that age from 10 to 13 then a is advocating as well as macak

352
01:36:18.560 --> 01:36:34.480
>> um that they would carve out language to make sure that we aren't having violent offenses >> considered to go to child protection services. >> Yeah, I was just it was yeah I I think I've I have heard discussions about it

353
01:36:34.480 --> 01:36:50.800
and my understanding was the reason for the change was because >> they're still kids like to 13, you know, >> um even if there is a violent offense. And so the type of treatment or just

354
01:36:50.800 --> 01:37:06.000
where their brain is developed and that sort of thing, it's it still is very much a kid. Um, and so I was just like, well, why not do it? But it sounds like it's a money thing, right? like if child protection

355
01:37:06.000 --> 01:37:22.000
>> well I I I think um I mean looking at it from all perspectives that the financial the implementation administration uh you you look at what's good about

356
01:37:22.000 --> 01:37:37.199
this and what's potentially challenging about this the risks that we take in making this change in legislation I I would argue argue or counter that they're still kids and our present day culture, a child isn't the child that

357
01:37:37.199 --> 01:37:53.760
used to exist when we were kids or when I was a kid. Um, and so there's a lot of things that uh we see of influences with the access to media and everything else and the the themes that a lot of

358
01:37:53.760 --> 01:38:09.600
entertainment are taking that have made kids no longer the kids that that we see. And a lot of that is is how the family manages that and many of our our

359
01:38:09.600 --> 01:38:26.320
homes and families are fractured too which is another vulnerability. So I I think when we look at this both of the where is a child at their psychological ability to be able to assimilate and process things that this is why we don't

360
01:38:26.320 --> 01:38:43.920
uh combine kids with adult offenders. Uh we're not trying to put them in an environment where influence you know because their vulnerability and their youth. But looking at this and all of the components, I would hate to say that this is something that is driven

361
01:38:43.920 --> 01:38:59.119
financially when we don't underand the human component. But >> so >> yeah, that that's just the what I heard as the the greatest impact of changing

362
01:38:59.119 --> 01:39:16.639
or not changing is just that. Yeah. Is that so I don't know, but I'm I'm no expert on it. And and what I would say just speaking generically any time that you propose a change what's the rationale that supports that and what's

363
01:39:16.639 --> 01:39:32.639
the risk potential risk and sometimes um because of prominence that gets placed or priority on a certain aspect of something. We see that as defining our direction as opposed to an honest

364
01:39:32.639 --> 01:39:50.400
evaluation of the big picture that says >> well I mean we heard a comment this morning earlier about change is fun but changing the opposite of that is is change sometimes comes back to bite you >> if you haven't made real informed

365
01:39:50.400 --> 01:40:10.800
decisions. >> Thank you. Childcare Solutions Subcommittee any meeting? >> I I haven't heard anything about that. I don't know how often. >> So, um the childcare solutions subcommittee was a group that Nancy Deming was leading while she was here as the childcare coordinator and since her

366
01:40:10.800 --> 01:40:26.320
resignation, the group has not restarted. I am aware of the community leadership team meeting in May and I am planning to attend that and I have had some um kind of initial one-on-one conversations with providers about

367
01:40:26.320 --> 01:40:42.000
coming up with some kind of like a a summer summit to just discuss child care and sort of get a shared sense of a shared assessment of where things are at with child care in the community. So, at this point, we don't have the group

368
01:40:42.000 --> 01:40:59.119
active. However, I'm hoping that in the summer we can regroup and figure out what our path forward looks like. So, more to come, but that's where the group stands right now. We just don't have staffing to run it. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. >> Um, >> is it should we I would like it on our

369
01:40:59.119 --> 01:41:14.000
committee report. >> I I would like to keep it there because I'm hoping that we can re-engage. Uh it's just it's just paused at the moment. So that's great. That's the update. >> Um on on this topic, uh I met with our

370
01:41:14.000 --> 01:41:31.520
new EDA director and he has a particular interest in child care and so I'm going to be inviting him to the leadership meeting and then hopefully >> I look forward to meeting him as well. >> Yeah, pretty exciting. >> Uh community health board. Yes, we met. And um

371
01:41:31.520 --> 01:41:49.840
let's see. Uh the the kind of the hot um doctor topic this time was on tickborn illness. And I'm not going to remember the name of the lone star ticks disease. It's like gagal. What's that first? >> Alpha gal.

372
01:41:49.840 --> 01:42:04.560
>> The first alpha gal. >> Alpha gal. Okay. Alpha. Alpha gal. Yeah. And uh it was very very interesting. um showed a map of where there are confirmed cases, where there are

373
01:42:04.560 --> 01:42:22.639
suspicion of cases and our the Arrowhead region has a very high suspicion of cases, but um and I know of I have an acquaintance friend who has a confirmed case. Um, but the thing I learned from that presentation is you can heal from

374
01:42:22.639 --> 01:42:39.440
it. Uh, as long as you don't eat red meat or mamon meat for >> um 5 years or something like that then and it's just a very strange like with most allergic reactions it happens uh

375
01:42:39.440 --> 01:42:55.600
maybe instantly or within 2 hours. uh with this it's you eat mamalian meat and then after six hours you'll start to and so has to get into your bloodstream and that's where the reaction takes place.

376
01:42:55.600 --> 01:43:11.520
So it was it was pretty fascinating also scary but u but yeah it was it was >> and you're not making this up. >> No no it's for reals. >> It's true. uh mostly in the south. I thought I've heard of it mostly in the southwest, but the map really showed

377
01:43:11.520 --> 01:43:29.199
Arkansas, Missouri, um as kind of the the hot spot. So >> maybe there's a connection with armadillos. >> One never knows. >> Maybe they're moving north >> if it's in that south. Yeah. >> And they are moving north. >> They are moving north. >> Yes. And we're not talking about

378
01:43:29.199 --> 01:43:45.280
armadillos. They might be too, but the lonear tick is >> contrary to public perception. And armadillos aren't born dead along the road. >> Yeah. Yes, >> they carry it. >> But yeah, that was um that was that was

379
01:43:45.280 --> 01:43:59.840
interesting. And uh just always appreciate the the doctor's um reports there. And um he's always open for any curiosities we might have. So, if anyone's curious about something, yes. >> Is there any um

380
01:43:59.840 --> 01:44:15.199
outward sign, you know, like a red spot or something that you've been bitten by this particular tick or do you have to eat a hamburger to know that? >> I think Yeah. And the testing is also

381
01:44:15.199 --> 01:44:30.000
uh well, I don't know. I can't remember. Uh I don't think it's a special rash. Yeah, it's just that your symptoms I think lead to that suspicion and then the diagnosis eventually. So, and he also said

382
01:44:30.000 --> 01:44:47.119
>> um you can have this antibbody in you and not ever show signs or ever come down with the syndrome. Um so, it's just a pretty mysterious um thing and it but it's gaining a lot of attention. And

383
01:44:47.119 --> 01:45:04.159
there's a lot of doctors uh either seeing more of it or being more suspicious of it throughout the country. And so it's an upand cominging disease. Yeah. >> And so do dogs are they susceptible? Just curious. I mean, is it another

384
01:45:04.159 --> 01:45:22.000
vaccination for the animals? >> That part I don't know. No, he didn't get into that, I don't think. >> Wow. >> The dog aspect. but did show an image of just the life cycle of ticks. And this lonear tick I believed had an additional

385
01:45:22.000 --> 01:45:37.440
opportunity or life cycle within the year or in the seasons. And so it's >> Yeah, it's a little bit it's next level. Um, yes, please. Oh, >> yeah. Dogs don't get it because they have the enzyme in their body already

386
01:45:37.440 --> 01:45:52.960
that breaks things down, so they're immune to it. pharmaceutical company or anyone who wanted to do research on how to cure alcohol syndrome will want to do it. They probably try to find out what produces them in certain animals and try

387
01:45:52.960 --> 01:46:09.520
to replicate that on human scale. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Aby was there and was introduced to the community health board and Grace was there uh as our as our public health uh liaison at the time.

388
01:46:09.520 --> 01:46:25.360
Yeah. Yeah. Fill in. So, and did the introduction. So, >> um let's see here. Uh local advisory council for mental health, right? >> Well, we met um and we met here in

389
01:46:25.360 --> 01:46:42.159
person and also online. So, I don't know was that the combination group? Okay. So, we're experimenting with I guess having >> both groups come together instead of separate meetings. I thought it was great. really nice to be able to for

390
01:46:42.159 --> 01:46:59.840
people who live close by like me to come in person and people who don't can didn't have to and I thought it was very good. Um we did talk about you know future meetings and we met Avi which was great and

391
01:46:59.840 --> 01:47:16.000
I don't know we had a presentation from Birchburg I think did we? So >> do you want to say any more about that? just it was a similar presentation to what I gave at the all staff meeting. So it was a chance for the advisory councils to know what to go over what

392
01:47:16.000 --> 01:47:31.760
was in the report from Megan Mo and Birchbark Consulting. >> Good. Yeah, we hadn't met for a little while. So I thought it was really a good update to get back on track kind of. And so

393
01:47:31.760 --> 01:47:48.560
>> when when I was first commissioner story probably was aware of this too. the two advisory councils were together and then I thought there was uh legislation that required them to be separate, but Grace is going to look into that and just see because it sounds like it was a really

394
01:47:48.560 --> 01:48:04.719
nice dynamic having both groups together. It makes a lot of sense and we're such a small community and yeah, very much a lot of overlap. So, yeah. >> Saves time for administrators who are don't have to be in two meetings. So, >> well, thank you, uh, Council on Aging,

395
01:48:04.719 --> 01:48:23.679
Commissioner White. Well, food shelf enthusiasm, a lot of grant opportunities out there and we have uh a person who's pursuing those. So, oh, and then of course, I will bring this up, the discussion of

396
01:48:23.679 --> 01:48:41.440
the board really wouldn't mind being a line item in the county's budget. So they wouldn't have to stress out all the time about uh how are we going to buy the new I mean they did get grant funding to buy a new refrigerator. So I

397
01:48:41.440 --> 01:48:56.320
mean this is nickel and dimeming. Um and they do have they have three different CDs so they have money in the bank but they're not they're they're on the edge that way. So uh and the number of people that

398
01:48:56.320 --> 01:49:13.679
continue to come in for services offered uh is just ever increasing. So >> thank you. >> So there's that. >> I think we'll probably be talking more about that. Um >> I told them we would >> Yeah.

399
01:49:13.679 --> 01:49:30.400
>> and how that how that might work or look impacts uh emergency preparedness committee. Commissioner Sullivan. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, as mentioned last month, we did have um an opportunity to have a tabletop exercise

400
01:49:30.400 --> 01:49:48.400
about a winter storm and a subsequent power outage. And so we had our afteraction review. And then we had Seth Spencer from the University of Minnesota Extension come and talk about the Northland Climate Resilience Collaborative. And actually um for our

401
01:49:48.400 --> 01:50:04.639
community, there is a focus on climate resiliency this evening at Studio 21. I believe it's at 4:30. There's a meal served and they're looking at uh collecting stories and information about how climate changes have impacted those

402
01:50:04.639 --> 01:50:20.159
people in Cook County. Um the US Forest Service provided an update. They have a number of prescribed burns that are coming up. So, um, Fiddle Creek, um, which is a the Gunflint Trail about a little over 10 miles. That's going to be

403
01:50:20.159 --> 01:50:38.159
695 acres. It follows along the South Brule Road. There is another one that is near a Devil Track Lake campground and the boat access on Devil Track and that's a smaller portion that will be burned. That's 81 acres. Sunfish Lake,

404
01:50:38.159 --> 01:50:55.119
775 acres, which is up by Greenwood Lake. Uh and then over on the west end uh Kowishi which is almost 2,000 acres and that's 18 miles north of Tafty along the Sawill Trail. And then another section along the Sawill which is about

405
01:50:55.119 --> 01:51:13.440
500 acres um that's 15 miles up. And then on Thursday of this week, the US Forest Service will be doing their spring uh Gunflint Trail Ranger District meeting. It will be at the shop center from 3:00 to 5:30, kind of an openhouse

406
01:51:13.440 --> 01:51:29.520
style. So, we would encourage people to come uh there, particularly people in district 4. And then for Commissioner Stoley on the West End, uh the Tafty um or West End um meeting is going to be in Isabella and it will be from 6:00 to

407
01:51:29.520 --> 01:51:44.719
8:00 p.m. at their community center. And that's all I have. >> Thank you, Mo. Commissioner Sterling, you spoke to that a little bit already. >> Um, yes, about the Medicaid. Um, then also um good discussion on increasing

408
01:51:44.719 --> 01:52:02.560
fundings for teleaalth as we probably have all experienced maybe some teleaalth with um physicians in Duth, how great it is not to have travel for two and three and four hours. So hopefully we can work on that. So in February when Niko had their um

409
01:52:02.560 --> 01:52:18.400
conference in Washington DC, that was one of the things that they um spoke to the senators about. >> Thank you. Uh Northeast Office of Job Training, Commissioner Gamble, anything? No. Okay.

410
01:52:18.400 --> 01:52:34.159
uh Northshore collaborative we were not able to have a quorum so we had to reschedule um public health and human services advisory council it' be Frank Crystal do you want to give a report or commissioner gamble >> I don't have a report

411
01:52:34.159 --> 01:52:50.960
>> okay Crystal did uh did attend um remotely during that meeting and as already has been mentioned it was a combined meeting and I I too felt that it was uh beneficial very much an overlap in things and I think the

412
01:52:50.960 --> 01:53:07.920
awareness is is beneficial if there is some statutory requirement that that requires that they have to be independent but uh uh Grace had mentioned that we would the next three meetings including the one we just met that we would use this as an opportunity

413
01:53:07.920 --> 01:53:23.679
to see I suggested that if we look at what our mission statements are independently to see how overlapped or if in fact our our purpose is a shared purpose, then it would seem to make sense. But that's something that could

414
01:53:23.679 --> 01:53:39.280
be evaluated. But I I think anything that contributes to a better understanding and awareness with similar things would be beneficial. Uh, one thing I would I'd mention after the presentation on the uh, birch bark

415
01:53:39.280 --> 01:53:56.560
report that we were privy to is that um, uh, Grace reviewing the report's recommendation with staff for restructuring the department's leadership to ensure that they continue to build strong systems of support as well as accountability for the

416
01:53:56.560 --> 01:54:12.960
department's operations. I I mentioned in the meeting that um given this report, the journey that we were on in the in the temporary um interimm director to where we are today that this

417
01:54:12.960 --> 01:54:29.760
really is a case model that we can learn much from. And if you just want to take all of the things that were done and how we approached them and how we didn't allow the emotion or the confusion or the stress that comes with that, but

418
01:54:29.760 --> 01:54:46.080
this is this has been something that uh uh you know the feedback that comes when the news gets out there and the alarm uh that is associated with hearing things. Um there needs to be the story that is

419
01:54:46.080 --> 01:55:02.480
told in the county's response to that and how this is has definitely been something that we can learn from that can be applied very very thoughtful um disciplined process that has led us

420
01:55:02.480 --> 01:55:19.599
to uh aligning a department with leadership that I think is going to definitely show um the value of this process. The other thing we were introduced to the thrive together which is Cook County's online committee resource guide. I think that'll be a

421
01:55:19.599 --> 01:55:35.119
very positive thing for those that have access uh to online. Uh they go on and it just here's the resources making that available. So that's something we'll be hearing more about. And then um Cecilia

422
01:55:35.119 --> 01:55:50.080
Bloomchrist from Sawtooth Mountain Clinic uh clinic. There was an update on the council's uh joint efforts between the clinic and Norshore Hospital to improve the patient experience and coordination of care for individuals seeking mental health support in the

423
01:55:50.080 --> 01:56:06.239
emergency department. So, um we learned much about um informing decisions in the food access this morning and and this is another example of listening and coming back with a response that's going to

424
01:56:06.239 --> 01:56:23.119
make it um say to people that have real need that that we hear you and we're trying to make things accessible. And then um it was noted also noted that the behavioral health team is now fully staffed and new team members have been

425
01:56:23.119 --> 01:56:38.880
successfully on boarded and are integrating well. Sounds like kids are playing well. So that's good. That's it. Thank you. Uh food access council. I mentioned at our last meeting that I missed that one because I was in the labor management

426
01:56:38.880 --> 01:56:55.520
committee. Um, and I also man mentioned I was applying for a grant and uh I failed to get the deadline. So, uh, I've never actually been more disappointed in myself than >> than that moment, but I've recovered and

427
01:56:55.520 --> 01:57:11.199
you know, life goes on and we'll pivot or whatever. But just wanted to give an update there. And for the good of the order, I just wanted to share a seagull pooped on my head for the first time since I was a kid. >> So, that was pretty >> I shared that experience. That was just yesterday right after a sauna. Y

428
01:57:11.199 --> 01:57:26.639
>> well that has certainly enhanced my quality of life. Thank you. >> Y looking for >> stand around talking. That's what I get. >> Hope there's not a disease for that too. >> Yep. >> Think of that. >> Uh

429
01:57:26.639 --> 01:57:42.080
oh. Also, Commissioner Gall. Yes, please. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's interesting. We watched a movie last night that's a a movie that has a enterprise, a young man that wanted to become somebody that produced movies and filmed and they had a sequence in the high school there

430
01:57:42.080 --> 01:57:57.599
where he was asked to shoot their party on the beach and seagulls were a big part of that. Yeah. Um I was just going to mention that uh I think commissioners have received this the National Association of Counties Central Region meeting

431
01:57:57.599 --> 01:58:15.119
agenda which is today actually from 1 to two. The topics they're going to be addressing will be rural energy um focus on the economic development of community engagement and safety surrounding nuclear battery energy storage system technologies. FEMA report, an update on

432
01:58:15.119 --> 01:58:32.239
the FEMA review council, including its recent extension of the latest developments surrounding the FEMA act and broader federal disaster reform efforts. And lastly, new county explorer profiles. This is an energy generation and consumption. It provides key energy

433
01:58:32.239 --> 01:58:48.639
statistics for every county in America, such as annual electricity consumption, residential electricity costs, energy generation jobs, and the amount of installed capacity for coal, natural gas, nuclear, solar, and wind. Those are

434
01:58:48.639 --> 01:59:04.000
the three topics on the agenda should we use to choose to get online. So, >> thank you. >> Anybody else? Commissioner Salt, >> very quickly. Um, it is National

435
01:59:04.000 --> 01:59:19.360
Prescription Drug Takeback Day. Um, it started yesterday, Monday, April 20th, and through Friday, May 1, community members can pick up free medication deactivation bags at the library and also here at the courthouse. And then

436
01:59:19.360 --> 01:59:35.520
year round there is disposal um, which is available at the law enforcement center. So, just a >> Thank you for mentioning that. >> Yeah. >> Where do we pick them up at from here? >> Mhm. I thought right out front. >> All right. >> You said takeback, not kickback. >> Takeback. Purpose is to prevent

437
01:59:35.520 --> 02:00:08.639
accidental ingestion, misuse, and overdose. >> The library has them, too. >> Thank you. >> All right. Well, with that, we are adjourned. >> Thank you all. Got to scramble the potatoes. >> Oh, you're welcome.

438
02:00:08.639 --> 02:00:12.199
>> Yeah, we do it.