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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=Yiq_pZf0XEI

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Okay. So, we'll start with our first committee of the whole. >> Go ahead. >> All right. Good morning, commissioners. Uh, first thing I wanted to mention is that I believe we do have uh Brett, he's our local representative from the local office of the rural utility service as

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well as Monty and Kathy from New Vera online as well. Um and also just before we begin with this, I wanted to mention that this presentation itself is not um directly related to or or tied into the rural utility service or New Vera

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individually. This is related to Goodyu County, the residents of Goodyu County, the taxpayers of Goodyu County and the liability that could be associated with this program as a whole. Um we would have similar concerns with any broadband interro internet provider. It's not

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directly to tied to Numera in any means. Uh it would be with any company. Um so then moving along um I also add that Brett did u review the slides and then uh yesterday afternoon towards the end

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of the day we did get some um some updated information or some um clarifications that he would like to provide. So I'll add in some of that commentary here as as well. Um but overall the purpose of the meeting here is just to generally give an update to the board um related to this specific

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project um and the uh all the things that come along with it. Um so we had received notification in December um that we were officially awarded that funding. Um staff has spent a significant amount of time pursuing the project. Um it is a

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it's a large and complicated amount of paperwork that's associated with this. Specifically, there were 19 separate documents um to review and or task to complete related to this. Uh the grant agreement is complex, tied intertwined with several other agreements that are

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out there um legal agreements that we would have to file that we typically haven't filed in the past. Um and staff has identified some significant risks that come along with this project as a whole. So, the idea here is to bring the board up to speed on this. Um and then looking for consensus of should we

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continue down this path or not. Um and again just due to all the the items that were identified during this process and there's a lot of information on these slides. I know they're they're pretty wordy, but uh we felt it was important to to share all of this

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information associated with this. And I also um understand there's another committee whole after this. So we're going to try and move through the information pretty quickly. That way there can be time for questions as needed. Um so the current project status uh was

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you know the original application um it would have covered approximately 500 homes. Um since that time I'm sure you're aware prices in general have shot way up through the roof. Um and essentially the whole project area that

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was initially um awarded there was no way to get it done. So um the re rural utility service was able to work with new vera and goody county to descope the project meaning shrink the size while also still delivering on that project.

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Um so we have a map uh included on this slide if you can see um kind of the the peachish colored the solid colored area that's the current project area. Um

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and this is in the southeastern portion of the county. Um this is Belvadier Township and Good Hugh Township area. Um right along the Wabash County border. Um, and the original scope of the project was both that peachcoled share

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as well as there's a checkered share west of that generally and then a smaller area east of the southern block which is actually would have been in Wabasha County there as well. So, as I said, geographically

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about cut the area in half um to the most recent information that we had saw from the descoping information that was shared down to approximately 195 potential homes at this point. Um so that's this overall size of the project

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as of right now. the status of where we are internally moving the forward pro uh the project is we're currently sitting on paperwork that just needs to be completed worked through setting up a specific type of bank account with a specific legal agreement associated with

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that. So um it's essentially paperwork at this point to move it forward. Um but again we're bringing this forward to the board just to make sure everybody is on board with uh the project here as a whole. question. >> Yep.

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Is is who approves the the process of descoping it? I mean, we got a they got a grant now. They can't their costs can't we

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can't do that grant. We can't fulfill that. Is that what I understand? >> And then we have to descope it down to a smaller amount. >> Yes. the the descoping happened a couple of years ago and it was because the cost associated with um adding in all of

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these broadband assets essentially doubled >> over the span of just a couple years. >> So it's already been disoped down to a smaller amount. Okay, >> that's correct. Then um going into the grant a little bit more specifically the parties to the

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uh the actual contract that we have there's obviously Goodyu County we are the principal awardee. Uh there's New Ver Communications Incorporated which is the secondary awardee. So jointly together we're the co-awwardees uh per the the legal agreement. There's also the United States of America that is

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granting this to us and they're acting through the rural utility service which is um housed within the USDA. Um purpose of the grant obviously uh is principal awardee has been provided congressionally congressionally directed spending under the consolidated

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appropriations act 2022. Um under which our US can help fund this project this broadband infrastructure project for us. And the grant amount is $3.21 21 million. Then moving along, uh, as I stated,

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staff has identified, um, a numerous issues with this. Um, the grant contract explicitly identifies responsibilities and obligations listed on the following slides. uh the principal awardee that's us has sole responsibility for fulfilling these obligations. Noa

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communications is a co- co-awwardee so they also are responsible for certain things. However, as the principal awardee, it always falls back to us. If newa cannot or will not for whatever reason in the future fulfill obligations

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that they've agreed to, it ultimately will fall back on us as the primary awardee. That's important to understand. Um, uh, I I'll note on here, Brett also shared, um, you know, we we we go over this a little bit later. Um we did once

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we identified several of the issues, we worked jointly with New Vera to develop an agreement with them separate from the the actual contract, the grant agreement with the rural utility service to assign the liabilities to NEA. We worked

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jointly with New Vera on that project and they were receptive to that. We got to the point where both parties um agreed to it without actually signing it. Uh but per the actual contract with R US they need to see and approve any

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other agreements. Um so we forwarded that to them. Rural Utility Service said no you can't do this. You cannot assign these liabilities to them. So we were in agreement with New Vera on this generally. Um and then Brett from uh the

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Rural Utility Service did send us a separate type of an agreement and operating agreement that could be beneficial for us. However, the main concern that we have with this agreement is the assumption uh the ownership of the assets and then the liabilities

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associated with those for the long term the 20 years. And in that separate agreement, there is no there's no possibility to shift any of those liabilities to NOVA contract contractually. And were those things not spelled out in

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the original grant? Uh was it was it basically changed or or not? >> So we received the actual grant agreement that would have been in December of 2025 that had all the the specifics on it, the nuts and bolts of

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you know all all the specific requirements that must be met. >> But the application when we made the application we didn't understand that this was going to be the reality. I don't know at the time if the county

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fully understood that application or the ramifications of that. I guess I can't speak to that. >> Um >> so they weren't changed. I think you're saying they were they they were there from the beginning. >> We don't know if they were there from the beginning. Um this came up very

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quick and they wanted shovel ready projects back in 2020 or 2021. >> Um that was about 5 years ago. We asked our providers who could step to the plate. New Vera did step to the plate. Um I I don't think we had any idea

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>> uh that if for some reason they they went away as a company that we'd have to provide broadband services as a county. >> We would somehow own the um infrastructure of this project. >> Yeah. We were we were kind of a conduit, I think, in trying to help

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>> trying to help people get broadband services and and they were willing enough to step to the plate and have been a great partner. >> Thank you. >> And just kind of to piggyback on that, I don't

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when this came out, as you said, it was we want shovel ready projects, get your application in, blah blah blah. I don't think all of this was written by the time they came in with that idea to get the money out. They didn't have all

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the contract language in place at that time because they didn't have contracts ready to go out the next day. >> No. And they also the federal government wasn't sure on which department was even going to coordinate the grant process. So, >> this is really it's really they've wrote

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the rules or they're flying the plane and now they're writing the flight plan. And the flight plan is totally different than what >> any other grant we would have seen ahead of this looked like. >> And and the flight plan may have changed

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in terms of the ideas from when it it may have. I'm not saying it did, but it may have. >> It really it really I mean it it looks just like the snowmobile grand stuff. It's like, yeah, you're you're not really going to be

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responsible, but you know, if it all falls apart, you're responsible. And it's like that's what it feels like, and it doesn't feel good. But >> well, it's not the expertise of anyone in the county to have that uh um

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responsibility. >> Correct. But by the same token, could NEA have applied for this on their own without the county? It had to come through the county. >> That's correct. Yes. >> So now they're what they're trying to do

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is make us be responsible for a private entities work. >> Yeah. The federal government cannot grant money directly to private companies, right? >> Um legally, and that's a good thing

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generally. >> Yeah. No, I don't I don't disagree with So there's there's a lot of hoops tied to this money and that's that's what we're trying to trying to explain through this. >> Um >> uh moving along here. So the um so as

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the principal awardee as I said new vera secondary awardee they have responsibility to an extent. Uh ultimately it falls back on us um but uh at the end of the day responsible for the construction and operation of the utility. Uh the lines must deliver at

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least 100 uh megabytes per second to every premises in the service area if um requested by those customers. Uh it must be operated through the end of the composite economic life which is 20 years and then we must own and solely be

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liable for the assets and operation of the utility. Um again as secondary awardee No Vera can be a joint owner. Um but that really muddies waters with things in as well. And and what does that actually mean for us? Um at the end

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of the day, we must own them and the liability falls back to us. Um we must provide the Royal Utility Service evidence that the project's being constructed in accordance with the timeline uh and obtain written approval of the R US for any changes to report.

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that be network design, construction, buildout, timeline, delivery of service, um and obviously Noa, uh being in the space that can that can provide assistance with that. Uh moving along additional responsibilities there's the annual reporting of existing network service

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improvements um facility upgrades estimated number of end users who are currently using or forecasted to use newer upgraded infrastructure progress towards fulfilling the objectives um speed and average price of the most subscribed tier of the broadband service

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offerings. average price annual map annual map reporting um and you know there's a anyway we we have to update the the map for them as well um with this a comment from Brett is that as the internet service provider it's assumed

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that newer communications would maintain that data for reporting um again that assumption it's it's assumed it's not written in the that the contract that they not need to do this um close our report needs to be included. Accomp accomplishments of the

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project, description of the problems, delays, adverse conditions that have occurred, description how the funds were spent against the original general budget submitted to the rural utility service. Final buildout map on the mapping tool. Um, this one on their um

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actual uh reporting portal, we can delegate some of these duties out to NEA or to the contractor that will actually do that construction. Um, as I said, New Vera has been has been good to work with. Um, again, but ultimately it does

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fall back on us. If they cannot if something happens, if they don't get that information to us on time, it falls back on us. >> Lucas, >> yes. >> Um, one, two, three, four. The quarterly financial statements and reports that are due, we we would do things like that

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with other federal grants, would we not? So, um, we are not required to provide, um, quarterly GAP-based financial statements. They I would say there probably isn't any county in Minnesota that actually does that. Um, I I'm not

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quite sure why this is a requirement in here. It just doesn't apply to counties in general, at least not counties in Minnesota. there is a significant amount of workload that goes into preparing these statements essentially putting together our audit report that um you know we're still working through it

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right now our year end is December 31st and the way government accounting works um the complexities associated with it we finish you know mid to end of June and we have that report out by June 30th um so we're talking about doing that

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essentially the same amount of work on a quarterly basis It's not feasible. >> Thank you. >> Um, yes, and I apologize I, uh, I skipped a slide here. Teresa was kind enough to point that out to me. Uh, additionally, uh, you know,

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the rural utility, uh, service form 481, um, uh, you know, we have to report that. Um that's in law. We need to do that as the awardee. Um providing the supporting documentation in accordance with the

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reconnect program construction procedures. Coorde can help with that. Um as the actual primary uh awardee, we request the grants. They come to us. We need to verify the paperwork, make sure that things are happening, and then we

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pass those funds along. Um, and then if for some reason any of the expenditures associated with the program are disallowed by the federal government, then we would be liable to replace to repay those expenditure payments plus interest acrewed on those.

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Um, and the way it works is, you know, they could in theory disallow those immediately on the spot and there wouldn't be any interest or it could be a year from now and there could be acred interest associated with that. Just

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because um we've submitted that documentation doesn't mean that it couldn't be disallowed at some point in the future. That piece right there looks extremely like it's written to ensure that they have the ability to

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claw back dollars. That's the way that's written. I mean the number of customers taking broadband service. So, if we say we're going to be able to serve 195 and only 95 sign up and the other 100 don't, they paid for

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infrastructure for 195 and only 95 took advantage of it. They may look to claw back the other percentage of the dollars because you're not serving the number of people you said you were going to serve. I don't >> that's I'm not saying that that's

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exactly the way it is, >> but I could read between the lines that that's how they would interpret that. >> Yeah, I don't know that that would happen. We um the customers would need

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um they would need to be able to get the service if they requested it, >> right? >> So, it would be required to be available to that approximately 195 households. Um but yes those customers they might they might not want it. They may choose not to get it. Um

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>> but it says the number of customers taking broadband service not the number of customers available to access it which is totally two two totally different numbers. So, if that's

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directly out of their contract, customers taking broadband service, then I'm more leaning towards they're going to try to claw back money if you don't get that many people to sign on. >> That's that's the way I'm that's the way I'm interpreting that. I could be

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totally wrong. bigger problem is it appears that there's considerable financial risk to the county and it's uh putting us in charge of a utility in a sense that we aren't experts on on doing

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>> and in an essence puts us in competition with private sector that's always done that service. >> Yes. So, in response to that comment that Brad just made, um, from the information we received from Brett yesterday, per his statement is that as long as it

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is offered to those households, there's no issue with it, even if they don't take it. >> But of course, you'd want to see that in writing. >> That would you wouldn't make much more sense. You can't I mean, no grant can guarantee that people are going to sign

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up. Yeah, I understand that. I >> But you don't want 20 years of liability based on I don't mean I think the person wasn't truthful, but you'd want it to be clearly spelled out. So we it was clear we understood it the same way. >> And the delivery of broadband over the

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next 20 years will change. Absolutely. >> It will not be always this. >> It will be something else. So then do you have to, you know, if there are no customers taking it, how could NEA upkeep that infrastructure? How could we

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upkeep that infrastructure if there's a different way to receive broadband? I mean, that's the real Yeah, I I don't mean to, you know, douse this. It's a good It was

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It looked like a really good avenue when we got it in the beginning. This is really throwing a whole different light on it. >> Well, the whole thing happened so slowly and um I think if we had understood that this was the situation from the

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beginning, we probably would have chosen not to apply. >> Yeah. Yeah. Lucas, when do we have to have a response back? >> Uh, currently, uh, we have a deadline. Uh,

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it's towards the end of this month. I know Nick would know that specifically. He's been working with, um, Brett on on, um, coordinating things, but, um, they've been very willing to get extensions. Like, we're currently on a one-mon, uh, extension on a deadline.

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Um, so, uh, and I think Brett is online here and so if we wanted to ask for another 30-day extension, something like my assumption is we probably could get that, but uh, we could certainly ask him if he's available. >> They've said that they'd give us more time and the current deadline is 6:21, so June 21st.

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>> Thank you. >> So, what I was wondering is whether or not there was time for us to truly reach out to all our representatives and see whether or not is there any appeal process? Have you already tried that? Um

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>> the contract that we have uh the rural utility service is inflexible with the contract itself. It was drafted by their attorneys at uh in with in within Washington DC. We've asked if we could change certain pieces of it. Um and

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Brett has reached out to Washington DC and they have come back and said no. They've written the contract in accordance with the law and it is what it is. >> All right. Is there someone up there that was going to speak?

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>> Maybe not. All right. >> Well, I Well, let's get through the rest of the presentation, >> please. Okay. The last item on this slide was that um uh we would need through this uh the year in which we actually recede in the money, we would

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need to have an annual single single audit. Um we do that annually anyway. So that's not that big of a deal for us because we receive enough federal funding every year that that is part of our annual ongoing audit procedures. this slide I covered

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and then this one goes into work that uh staff members have have completed during this process. So, um staff from several departments, including admin, attorney's office, finance, um have expended a significant amount of time, um reading through the contracts, agreements, all the paperwork, identifying issues,

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trying to develop solutions, um that were practical and made sense, uh to make this work for the county and for NEA. Um through that process, as I mentioned previously, we developed a separate contract and agreement with New Vera. um came to terms on that uh that

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both parties seemed um that they were acceptable shifting the liabilities and the ownership to New Vera because Goodyu County um you know we're not in the broadband business. So it doesn't make sense for us to hold those assets and that liability. New Vera was um okay

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with that to the point of not quite yet signing those documents as I had previously stated. We forwarded those along to the Royal Utilia service and at that point um they were read through those and um they said that we could not sign those. Um and we had asked for what

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specific sections of those as a means to okay, can we just modify this agreement to make it work for us? And it was stated that that that shifting of the asset ownership and the liability those were the biggest red flags for them. We could not do that. We're primary awardee. we must own them at the end of

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the day and we cannot shift those liabilities to the other party. Um Brett was as I stated Brett was uh willing to share an operating agreement that other entities have used in the past but um we

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cannot shift the the asset ownership and the the liabilities associated with that. So that's again why we wanted to bring this forward um and that's why we're here at this point. I'll also point out the the second

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bullet point on here. Um, you know, I I say on here staff developed a contract with Nun Vera to properly identify the roles ownership of assets created, etc. That's in our interpretation for of how this should have been in in the most

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proper way of vera is the the operator. they're the internet service provider. They should actually own those assets. Um, so that's why the word properly is in there. Brad obviously provided a comment stating that the grant agreement, the contract that we have with the federal government, it already

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does cover that, but we are identified at the as the individuals as the the entity that must own those assets. Uh, additionally, uh, as I previously stated, the contract, uh, with the federal government is inflexible and cannot be tailored to properly assign

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these responsibilities and obligations to the correct individual or organizations as coordees. Um, uh, Goody County's principal awardee as a contract is written, the county ultimately is responsible and liable for the assets and costs for the as, uh, for

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all aspects of the contract. Um, and this would create a significant liability for us. Uh, we have on this slide here for the next 20 to 25 years. The 20 years is the useful life as identified in the contract. I believe the next 5 years added on to that was due to timing restrictions. I think it's

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once we're awarded uh we have to fully expend and report on the construction within the next 5 years. I think where that's where that language came from. Ultimately, NEO Vera has made it clear that they would be able to get this con this uh project done within a year. So, you know, that time period would be 20

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years plus construction time of approximately year or less. Um, and then the last bullet point on there, as I stated, R US has provided an operating agreement that frankly I don't think um would cover our situation or

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and it doesn't address the liabilities that we've identified. >> Now, we have to wrap things up for this part pretty quick because of the Selco schedule, but I think Linda, your question was a good one about whether or not it would do any good to contact our congressional representatives. And I'm

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I'm not sure that it would, but it's a very >> I don't know if it would or not, but I certainly would be more than willing to try if we had that ability. I mean, Nova's been around for 120 years and they've got over 30,000

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customers and they have, it's my understanding they have a network. So if something happened with the section that we've got that network then for them would not work. Um

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but there's no reason to believe they wouldn't be a good faith actor in in uh >> yes I have much more faith in NEA than I do in USDA at the moment. >> Oh red letters. Um, I got Is is Brett

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available to ask answer a couple questions? >> Yeah, I'm on. Can you hear me? >> Okay. Yes. >> Okay, great. >> First first question, how many people how many of these contracts in Minnesota have you have been executed?

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Um, in Minnesota with applicants, I have um, looking at my list here, probably close to 20 of them. Specifically with congressionally directed spending, I have three of them. Uh, and I can say who they are. One is uh, Pine County.

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They were awarded along with you guys in uh, 2022. And then I also have Lassour County. Lassour County is in construction. Pine County is um, working towards construction. But all my other awardees are um ISPs that went through the normal application process.

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>> And you and they have signed a contract that similar to what we're looking at and took that responsibility. >> Yes. >> Interesting. How about any cities or was it available to cities? >> No. typ typically the cities are

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probably if I can speak nationwide are recipients of congressionally directed spending just because they're not your typical broadband provider. >> Thank you. >> Anything else before? >> If I can chime in on one particular

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matter on the disallowance. You guys had the discussion uh related to the disallowance. The whole purpose of that is more for our field accountant when they um look at the project costs from an accounting perspective. Really what they're looking for is is ineligible

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costs. It might be operating expenses where um you know we don't see everything on the front end when we advance funding. Um it might be look you know a disallowance is typically operating expenses because that's typically explicitly stated in the regulation that that's an an ineligible cost. Or let's say you guys buy a fire

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truck. Well, obviously it's not broadband. That's going to be a disallowance. But if we are putting in fiber in the ground or any type of broadband equipment, routers, Wi-Fi, whatever, that's an allowable expense and we will be with

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you guys on the front end um in our contracts, um reviewing all that stuff. So, disallowances are very, very rare to be honest with you. On a $5 billion portfolio, it's pretty minor. And and honestly, it's something that we don't like having

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on or in the program, but it does happen from time to time because it just happens. You always have a few bad apples, right? >> Well, and just my quick math and whether it's

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100% accurate or not, $3.21 21 million grant that in effect would ensure service to 195 people means that it's 16,000 almost

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16,500 per um user and we're asking Goodyu County to assure that for those 195 people the rest of the county is willing to kick in

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to be a $16,000 That's the That's the realization and it's really hard and I and I know Monty, you're on here and you you have been with NEA have been far and away the best partner we've ever had to work on this

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stuff. This one really just there's too many um questions about how um much liability the county's got to take on this one. That's that's my gut reaction

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>> with respect to the 195. >> We're not concerned about 195 connections. It could be five. You have a successful project if you provided broadband. It's the customer's choice as to whether they want to connect. So, we're not looking at holding you on the

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hook for$195. Like I said, it could be five drops, five connections on this $3.2 million network. It's the customer's choice as to whether they want to connect or not. If everyone says no and but five people do, you provided the availability of broadband internet.

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That's the objective of the program. >> I I think we'd have a problem with five. >> Yeah, I would just a point of clarification, Commissioner. Um, new vera is also putting in another $1.1 million into that $3.2 million figure.

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>> Even more. >> Yeah. And we've already sunk well over $100,000 into engineering and environmental impact surveys as everybody knows about. But yeah, so we've we've actually quite put quite a bit and will continue to also put money into this.

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>> So, do you guys want to continue this discussion after the Sco presentation? >> All right. Yeah, we can. >> All right. So, we'll pause this discussion. >> We'll have Selco do their presentation and then we'll finish this discussion

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up. Is that fair? >> Um well, we have the um uh >> yeah, >> but there's people who are here for the board meeting. It doesn't matter to me. Which do you think is better to do?

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>> I think it' be All right. So, >> all right. That's fine. I So, we'll um uh recess this meeting. We'll go on to Selco and we'll reconvene this after uh the end of the board meeting.

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>> We will email out, but my guess is it's about 9:45 when we'll reconvene this part of the meeting. But now we'll move on to Selco. >> Thank you. >> Well, thank thank you everyone for your patience while um we get the

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presentation pulled up. Um, or if you've got a paper copy, you can look at that, too. Okay, >> excuse me. I've got a copy on my computer. Can I share? Oh, there you go. Never mind. >> Oh, there we go.

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>> All right. Okay. Well, um, thank you, uh, everyone for allowing us to, uh, present today about the, uh, I guess the status of Goodwill County Libraries in 2025 and what we were up to. Uh, my name is Dan

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Brower. I am the library director at Redwing Public Library. We also have James from Zimroda, Brigita from Lake City. Uh, Rachel is online. I didn't see Nicole yet. Rachel's from Pine Island Van Horn. Um, Nicole is the director of

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Canon Falls. and Christa Ross, the executive director of Celco, is also online. Um, so I'm going to talk about what libraries did in 2025. Uh, next slide, please. All right. Uh, total visits in 2025, a quarter of a

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million people visited all of our libraries, all six of us. Um, Kenyan, Pine Islands, Ambro, Redwing, Lake City, and Cannon Falls. Um, next slide. Um, we haven't shown this before. This is new. This is a map. This is a distribution of

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all of the users in Good Hugh County um by uh library. So, I know that it's uh it's a little small on the screen, but hopefully the colors are um defined enough that you can tell. You can see um the the red is Red Wing. Uh well, the

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purpleish is Zroda, blue is Kenyon, as you can see on the legend. So, it's pretty um it's pretty spread out. Um there are a lot of places where uh there's overlap but of course like in the northwest corner those are almost

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entirely cannon falls. So uh this is a different way to look at the data. I mean we can say oh yeah we served this many county users but I think that visualizing it this way it uh brings it into a different perspective. We really are serving everywhere in the county

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which is good. Uh next slide. All right. Um, our circulation. So, uh, physical circulation, um, we had about 400,000 and of that about 25% of it was to

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county users. Uh, we also have the breakdown, uh, by library. And it comes out to be, uh, 1,347 items circulated every day in the county. Um it does not include Sundays

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because none of us are open on Sundays. Um so 6 days a week we're doing 1347 and that is a 17% increase from 2024 which is pretty great. Sorry.

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All right. Library programs. Uh this is something that is um near and dear to my heart. I'm sure everyone else, but uh we provide uh programs to um people of all ages that are educational, enriching, entertaining. A lot of that is in summer

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reading, but we do that throughout the year. Um so in 2025, we had about 1,400 programs and we had almost 29,000 people attend those programs. Um you will see that we marked that there was a 12%

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decrease in programming. Um we had a um a software migration um that we really focused on in the spring and that is all good now. Um, but with that decrease in programs, we still had more people

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attend events at the library, which is a sign to me uh that of those programs that we uh didn't offer, they were strategic and we still offered the programs that people wanted to attend on um on subjects that they wanted to hear

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about. So, we still saw an increase about 1% from 2024 to 2025. So we were just talking about uh broadband and technology. Um so computer usage actually. Yes. Uh thank you. Um

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our computer usage um we have an average of 64 public computer sessions every day across good Hugh County libraries. Again there's the breakdown. Um and also we have we had uh pretty even on computer and Wi-Fi sessions. uh 19,000 of

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physical computer sessions and 21 on uh Wi-Fi. And on average, there were 58 Wi-Fi loginins each day at Good Hugh County. Now, this does include Sundays and evenings and the 1:00 a.m. night owls because we have it available 24/7,

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365. Um and um in the case of Redwing, we actually have some library lockers that are on the west side of town at the fire department. and we uh have now extended our Wi-Fi there. So, if you are going there to request an item and pick

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it up and it's like 2 am, you can have access to free Wi-Fi out at the fire station. So, that's a neat thing. All right, so talking about broadband, this map is from the FCC's broadband coverage

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map. And um from this uh sort uh kind of zoomed out view, you can see that um it looks like a lot of the county is covered between 80 and 100%. Except in that north part. Um so there are gaps between there. But what gets really

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interesting is when you zoom in just one tick. Next slide. There is a lot of places in Good Hugh County, even in the city of Redwing. I live in the city in the middle of the city of Redwing and I can barely get

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access. It's it's very tough. And I know the Bluffs have a lot to do with that, but there are a lot of places throughout our county that um people do not have access to um good internet. And so they use the libraries as their point of

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connection, whether it's to apply to college, apply for jobs, um fill out government forms, apply for different um benefits or um the property tax um things or honestly just file their

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taxes. Um if they're like me, I don't like using a preparer. I like to do it myself. So I definitely need that internet. Um, but I thought that this was a really interesting thing to uh bring to your attention because um our computer usage and our Wi-Fi

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usage is still up and it's still increasing and it's because of the access throughout the county and even in the city. that that kind of makes me think about what's going to happen come January 1 when people who are on SNAP or

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on Medicaid and need to do um need to prove that they're working or they're um doing volunteer work or whatever will need access to these kinds of services because for the

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most part some of them might not that might be the only connection they have to getting internet is at a library and they're going to have to do that to somehow stay eligible when they are eligible and if they don't get that

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paperwork or that stuff done timely that becomes a problem that I just thought of that when you were talking about access that is going to be an issue we're all going to hear about >> right because they don't exactly exactly

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One thing too come up to the microphone. >> People at home don't can't hear. >> Oh, people at home, I'm sure you're very interested in hearing this. um you know about five or six years ago we started to see our computer use decrease you know and as more people got

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connected and we thought there was a time when I thought that we were uh headed that direction but we've seen a bounce upward and I've been trying to figure it out and one of the things that we're hearing is most people now have ditched desktops or laptops if they had them and are strictly using their phone

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to be connected to the world. The problem is if you've ever tried to fill out a form on your phone, you know how frustrating it is and especially for people uh you know those of us in the room who are a little older, right? Uh we don't want to have to try and do a form on our phone. So, and those

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typically are the people who really need to fill out forms for, you know, various reasons. So, uh yeah, so we're seeing that. And then as people have gotten rid of printers as well, they're needing to print out things hard copy occasionally and libraries, you know, one of the few places where they can access those services. So,

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>> thank you. >> Uh, so yeah, we um we talked about uh circulation and we do circulate a lot more than books. You know, we keep saying we've been saying for years libraries are more than books. The thing is we're really really good at books, but we have all these amazing other

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things. And again, with the technology, I'm not sure why there's a weird break between those first two bullets, but it's fine. Um, so these are examples of some of the things we have. Um, we do have some Chromebooks because sometimes people can bring home uh want to not

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work at the library. Uh, and so they have a Chromebook and hotspot combo. Um, some interesting things on here. We have framed artwork at Redwing. Um, you can check that out for two months. Uh, we also have uh some Tony boxes. Redwing doesn't have those, but a couple of the

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other libraries do. And um I don't know if you've seen those, but they are um big cube speakers and they've got little uh figurines on them and you put it on there and it plays one or up to five, six stories. Um those have become very

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popular. Um it's kind of it's kind of like an audio book, but it's got a little character with it. So I like those. Um and then uh a lot of these were um made possible through partnerships like our draft check kits and our power check

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kits. That was a partnership with Excel Energy. Um disc golf sets that was a a partnership with Redwing Rotary. And then um we also have state park passes uh which was a partnership through the Minnesota DNR. Um there's there's so

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much more than this. These are just ones that we kind of highlighted. Um I think it I think it cut off, but we've also got ukuleles if you want to learn how to play. Um so um the next slide. So yes,

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uh these are some of the other uh things that we do that are more than books and uh they're becoming less non-traditional and they really are just modern library services. James mentioned uh printing, copying. We do faxing, uh laminating at

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some of our locations, notaries, um food distribution, genealogy resources, language learning, um through um uh in inperson settings or through learning apps. We've also got meeting and study rooms that are available. Um it really

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is a lot going on. Um, and then, uh, over the past month or so, uh, we've had, uh, a campaign to ask people like why they love their library. Um, and we received some really incredible responses. Um, I put some up

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here. Um, there's a lot about, um, homeschool groups. Um, bringing people together for a common purpose. It gives us a chance to connect with people outside our usual circle. Uh, the library provides resources for the whole family. Um then a place to learn, a

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quiet place to work, a place to get away that is safe and free, internet access, literacy. They help people save money on books, DVDs, other things. That was one person. They use us for everything, which is incredible. We love the We love library champions.

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Um and then uh before um I wrap up, I do want to talk about um something that I have um tried to say the last couple of years is that uh America happens at the library. Uh specifically the public library and I have a great example of

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that. Um a few months ago we had uh a family come in. uh they were Hispanic and they needed to get a bunch of forms notorized for their um finalization of their uh naturalization papers. Uh it was a mother and a father. They came in with their son and their daughter. And

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while they were talking with one of our staff who was a notary public, um one of the kids was reading a book that they pulled off the shelf. The other one was uh playing with our trains. We've got trains at the library and it's very popular. So they were doing that and then um after that they got library

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cards for the whole family and then they checked out books and they brought them home and then they needed to get on the computer and print off more forms because as we know it seems like there's always another form. So this family they did everything they did so many things

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at the library um that that helped them get to that next step. Um and they've returned multiple times. they are big library users and it's that those are the kinds of stories that really um make me proud to be a librarian and those are

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the types of things that are happening all over the country but I mean importantly here in good Hugh County Minnesota. Um, so, um, >> if I could just say something about that. Um, especially during the recent

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issues in Minneapolis, um, we have found that our Hispanic neighbors have found the library to be a safe space. uh we now have two Spanish-speaking staff members and the relief on people's faces

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when they come in and they aren't afraid and they don't they know they don't have to be afraid is important and it's impactful and to be able to provide that feeling for the people in our community who are working hard and doing the best they can

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is really important and it it cannot be understated and and I believe this is something that happens on all of our communities. The libraries are safe for people and they trust us and that's that is a a responsibility that we take very

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seriously. >> Um so with that that is uh that is our presentation. Um, like I said, uh, Christa, Nicole, Rachel, they are also online, but, um, I now open it if any of you have any questions of, yeah, I I

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will try to answer them or maybe I'll toss it to James because I am still new. I'm here. I've been here for two and a half years, so I'll do my best. I >> I just want to start by thanking you guys for all you do, and you are important centers in the community. And if I think about Redwing and I'm not in

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the library that often, but it's also important for seniors. You know, they have a place to go. They have a place to read different newspapers. They have a place to see their friends. And um there aren't too many places that you can just walk into and hang out for an hour or

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two. Um and I I know historically uh folks who uh needed somewhere warm to be in the winter. I don't know if you guys are still seeing that, but libraries were safe places. And at least my experience was the Redwing Library found a way to be helpful to these folks and

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uh it was a good thing. So I do want to thank you for all that you do. >> Yes. Um we do still um see um unhoused folks or just uh people who are passing through and um we've worked with some other mutual aid organizations uh in the area. And we were able to provide uh

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what we call welcome packs. And it has uh a pair of gloves, a hat, um a small hygiene kit, um a scarf, uh and it also has um a list of resources for people from food to housing, transportation, etc. We also have um copy of the

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library's guidelines and how to apply for a card because you can get a library card. You don't you can't check anything out, but you can have a library card to access the internet. um without having a permanent address. Um and so we gave them the instructions on how to do that

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and so that's been very fruitful and I'm happy that we have been able to do that. >> Thank you. Go ahead, Linda. >> I just had a comment. Thank you very much, Dan. Um I'm on the Selco board and I am very very supportive of libraries

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for all the reasons that Dan has given. And I think when I came in and talked to you, one of the more impressive things that I remember was that even though they're um they did cut some programs while they were in the um switch over of

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software, but the um the use of the library still increased. So I mean it's very very clear that it is an essential service on so many levels. So thank you very much. And I think you also mentioned at one time the return on

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investment that for every dollar that was spent on the libraries, was it three? Something like that. >> It's it's actually more than that. Um and I mentioned this at the budget uh committee too. So yes, for every $1 of taxes that the library receives, we

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provide around $4 like 87 on return in in services. So almost $5 for every $1. >> Excellent. Thank you. So, any other questions or comments? Go ahead. >> I have a comment and I the I really

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appreciate you with the the diagram that shows all your users around the county because I'd seen that when I was on Sco board, James had brought that in and showed it to us and and I think that really is I mean that looks like a

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shotgun hit it. It's like it doesn't matter where you are. People are using the libraries all over Goodyu County and it's the reason that the state set up the program to fund libraries to a certain extent from the greater part of

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the county. Um, granted that program or that distribution percentage, whatever you want to call it, formula that they came up with, they don't address it. it should be addressed to

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actually increase to affect uh what or to represent what's really happening with the cost of of operating libraries. Um the other piece I guess that I want to comment on is when we talk about

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wanting Goodyu County to grow and wanting residents to stay here, you know, and all of you all know my wife's a realtor. Um, those are the kinds of questions she gets. What's the school like? >> What amenities are in the in the in the

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city? Do they have a library? Do they have walking paths? Do they have bike paths? Do they have recreation? Do they have parks? Do they have this? Um, they don't ask, do they have an insurance agent? Do they have

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those are all things you get anywhere, but people want it in their community. And in Goodyu County, we have six communities with very vibrant libraries. And that is a big piece of what brings people

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um and people want in a community they move to. If we only had a library in Redwing and one other location, there are people that would have to travel 40 miles to and from a library to get that same service. And that shotgun approach

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we have that that shows would look very different if there weren't libraries like we have. And the cost of that is more because we have more libraries in Guju County. But the benefit as you've pointed out is 5 to one. So

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>> yeah. >> Um I think we need to think about that when we start when we finish up discussions on outside agencies. So thank you for the presentation. Excellent. Todd, did you have anything? >> All right. All right. Thank you for all

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you do. Um, you know, we did a a draft uh agreement for holding the funding study for one year, and I don't know if you guys have that or don't have that, but we'd like you to take a look at it and see if there's any issues with that. And then I didn't know when the next

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negotiation for continuing the contract was when that when that ended. It's basically >> you need to talk into a microphone. >> I see. Unless either side uh decides for whatever reason it's not acceptable.

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>> Sorry. >> Unless either side decides with a certain amount of notice that it's not acceptable. Is that correct? Okay. >> Yes. There's I think a 60-day notice determination otherwise. >> I see >> that it automatically renews every two years is the cycle right now. And it that's right now.

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>> Okay. Okay. So that's how this addendum is written which they they just got they just got it >> 2-year cycle really okay that's what I wanted to know. >> So the 2-year cycle would be covering 27 and 28. So 27 is a freeze and according to what we've written up 28 reverts back

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to the formula. >> I understand that. I understand that. >> I mean we took uh we were handed right before the meeting and this looks fine to me just from a read through. So, I mean, that's all just uh the current contract just says, you know, if we

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agree to something in writing, we can modify the terms and this does that pretty explicitly and >> clearly. So, >> um I guess the only question would be on the Good Hughes school thing, >> but >> yeah, and we need to do more research before we can just take that out. >> Yep. Okay.

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>> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else on your end or anything? I just have just one comment because we have a representative sitting here and here's the pot shot. >> This funding formula has been in place

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since I think 2011 and it's never been adjusted. I I would hope at some point that the legislature would take a look at that funding formula and maybe think about making some adjustments because um some

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people fall back on the point that well we're overfunding libraries compared to what our maintenance of effort has to be. And it it doesn't keep up. It just doesn't keep up. And we know that. The library people know that. The cities

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know that um it took a long time for an adjustment to be made to the regional library funding coming from the state. I mean, that was so outdated it was unreal. And this one's just as outdated.

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And I I hope that at some point um the legislature takes a look at that and actually thinks about maybe adjusting it. Thank you. If I could adjust that just briefly. Um I'm in Pine Island. We get funding from

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Good Hugh, Olmstead, and also Dodge County. And I really see a difference in the county priorities and the different counties that we serve. Um Good Hugh and Mstead are absolutely fantastic to work with. You guys seem to understand that it does cost more than that maintenance of effort. Um Dodge County,

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unfortunately, we have not gotten any kind of increase for Ken. Uh I think our last contract is from the 90s. So uh we do appreciate everything that you do with us and we look forward to working more with you um as we go forward here.

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>> Thank you. And this is really uh addressed to uh Mr. Allen too. So uh Goody County hasn't been approved yet, but we had a meeting with outside agencies and the county um is looking at freezing uh funding for next year. And

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that really comes from all the pushes on our budget that are uh uh you know we we can't have the levy be too high. So we have to figure out ways to cut it. And one of the things we did was not do our usual CPI increase or we'll see if

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that's how it plays out for the for libraries and other agencies. And that isn't something we want. you know, we want to continue to support all the good work that everybody does, but we also have to balance that with uh what what the levy ends up being. So, that's been

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a big challenge. Thank you. >> Thank you all for your time. We'll see you soon. >> Yep. >> Thanks very much. >> Thank you, >> chair. Let's just take two, three minutes before the next