That last minute takes a long time. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. This morning we're going to talk about um some of the work that the EMS committee is continuing to do. We hope to come back periodically as as we
find out new information. Um but today uh we want to go more we want to make sure that the board has a a good solid understanding of um how EMS works in Grant County and and what the pilot project is um is providing our local EMS
program. But before we get into that, the last time we came and talked to the board, we talked about funding and you know, are we sure that everything we're doing is okay? We did reach out to Senator Rasmmanson's legal team and they did some research and some homework for
us and it it is okay to use levy funds to support local EMS more than just capital. Um, and I do have the information. I I sent it all out in the packet, but if you have more questions, feel free to stop by my office or talk to Bill or Dwight as they are on the EMS
committee. But um what we're you know thinking about doing or you know the work the brainstorming we're putting into how we can continue this higher level of care EMS in Grant County which once the pilot project is over is is a a
an appropriate way to use levy funds. There are other counties throughout Minnesota that use levy funds to support local EMS but there's not a standard practice. Everybody does it a little bit different. So, we just wanted to let the full board know that we did um do that extra research and know that that we are
okay with um uh having the the levy funds of $165,000 there. Currently to date, it's only been used for ambulances and Hoffman Ambulance is um been made aware that the funding is available for them. So, they are purchasing their new ambulance. So
really the concept for the 30 minutes we have this morning is to talk about uh how we the committee's got about looking at a contingency plan for the sprint paramedic program. And here are the five main goals or main roles of the full
board when we think about EMS and the work that that we're trying to do here. We want the full board to be aware of the higher level of care that we're offering through this pilot pro program. We want hopefully the board, you know, supports that. Um, obviously the board
would have the role in um helping decide a realistic amount of money to keep EMS an essential service in Grant County. Um, we want the board, you guys already have made the commitment to declaring EMS an essential service. We want to
keep that moving forward. Um, as well as that thriving, um, higher level of care that we get with the sprint paramedic program. Um, the board can trust our subject matter experts like Eric and Maya and other people that are in the
EMS field to to help us understand the details. We don't have to necessarily get in the weeds of how insurance works and all those kinds of things right now. We're just conceptual about how we want to move forward um when this pilot program sunsets. And then the main one,
the main ask of the full board is to network with other county commissioners in our neighboring counties and talk to them about the importance of um investing into local EMS. Um I think a lot of people are watching what we're doing here in Grand County and I think
talking about what we're doing and how we're doing it could be helpful to them. So in the packet for the work session there was that four four-page document. It was just kind of like a educational newsletter about EMS in Grant County.
Um, currently Grant County EMS services are subsidized by volunteers and we know that volunteers um are are getting harder to come by and the number is dwindling. So, not only do we have the concern of the legislative funding for
the pilot project sunsetting, we also know that when we look into the future, we might be looking in at a situation where we don't have as many volunteers to continue offering EMS services. So, there's a few definitions when we talk about EMS, we want to make sure the
full board understands. There's BLS, which is basic life support, and there's ALS, the advanced life support, and that's that higher level of care that's been mentioned. Um, a legal crew for an ambulance must be two. So, Maya, maybe
you want to talk about how how that in county. >> So, currently Hoffman is a BLS service, so they have to have an EMT and an EMR or two EMTs to make a a crew. Um, Ashb and Lake Region are both part-time ALS,
meaning if they have two EMTs, they can do BLS service, but if they have an EMT and a paramedic, now they can be an ALS. They have ALS capabilities. So, essentially, when those two people are together, if there's a paramedic involved, those
part-time ALS services now can do paramedic things on a rig versus not. Um, currently with the sprint medic program that sprint medic, they've changed some. So, so that's legally that's what you
have to have and you have to be on the roster, right? So, let's say you're all on a roster. You guys make up a team, we make up a team. I can't come on to your crew and make you a good crew if only one of you can show up. I can't come to your team and make a good crew for you because I'm not on your roster. Okay?
But with the sprint medic program, what they've done in the legislation of that is they have put um things in place to where that sprint medic now can make your crew good. So if only one of you can show up, that sprint medic can now
come to your crew and make you a good crew. Does that make sense? So in essence, they've kind of made that kind of being a a roaming member of everybody's service in the area. So that sprint meta can do that now. We've had
Eric kind of on that similar scale for many years and that's why it's worked so good because we've already done it here in Grant County. Well, what what he's had to do is become a member of Hoffman's crew and a member of Lake Region and a member of Ashby in order to
make those a good crew. if he was not a crew member for a Hoffman. Now, even if he shows up as a paramedic, he can't make a good crew. And if there's two EMTs there to make a good crew for
Hoffman, he can only do BLS worth cuz he's just helping that crew. That's how the legal ease of it goes. So, what we're trying to make it is so our paramedics can continue this forward
and be helping to make good crews in our services. So, anyway, long story longer, the ALS, part-time ALS is only good with an a paramedic that's on that crew. >> You still have to make a good crew for
everything. So, the sprint medic program kind of lets you skirt around the two people piece and that they can make that up. Now, if that sprint medic goes away and we're back to the normal, I can't just run over and be a part of Hoffman's crew unless I'm on their roster to help
make that whole. So, >> well, and another important piece to that is, you know, it takes two to make a crew. And if there isn't a paramedic, it's a BLS, >> right, >> crew. And they can only provide a certain >> level of care, right? So, we can't a BLS
crew is not going to be given any medications. There's not going to be any IVs um initiated. Um I think Ashb has a variance for some IV pieces, but like Lake Region does not have a variance for
IVs. So like if it's myself and another EMT, we can't put an IV in. We can't administer pain medication, we can't do several things that a paramedic can do right now. >> Yeah. So if Austin's in your primary
service area and you showed up as a AL and it being reverse or all of a sudden it's your crew and you have one available. So what happens there is there's an inter you can do an intercept. So that's different. So if I'm not a but if Eric shows up and
Hoffman has a full crew now he can intercept with that BLS a good BLS crew and he can be now a paramedic and do paramedic >> the higher level >> but if they don't have a full crew and
Eric shows up to that as a paramedic they can only be a BLS because they're a BLS service. So then it's not an intercept, it's actually making a crew and and there's a guy that can tell you exactly how it works. But um >> even if it's in the primary service area,
>> if it's in a if it's in our primary service area, we're likely going to go as as our ambulance is going to go and then we're all part of, you know, then we would have a crew of two, right? So that's we're just talking about maybe you can explain when you go down
to Hoffman, it's still a BLS. Oh, right. So, because their license is a lower level of care, um if they don't um have a crew, we cannot do the intercept legally. So, what needs to happen is
they need to have two people, which is difficult for them during the daytime hours, um before we can do a what's called intercept. Um then their life is not complete. So, we would have to bring Prairie Ridg's truck down there and a
crew from Ela Lake to make an ALS uh vehicle. Right now, they gave us a um I suppose like a a provisionary license with that sprint paramedic where that sprint
paramedic can now form a crew down in Hoffman. So, that's the issues that we're facing right now. So there's one other EMT there informed the crew. That was kind of what the sprint with the sprint medic. But if that once that goes away, it's likely going to go back to
the old law where we'll have to kind of put a name on something we don't >> and and that kind of brings us back to our our overall concept is eventually when this legislatively funded pilot project sunsets, we want to continue moving forward having the higher
probability of having that higher level of care on all of our calls. Otherwise, that could go away. Um the state legislation approves the sharing of resources through mutual aid. That's already happening. What's unique or what's working really good for Grant
County is historically before this pilot project, we had really good mutual aid um practices in place already. We're used to going on calls together all the time. So it does um it it helped us I think
have those strong relationships when this pilot project started and why why why we found so much successful so quickly. Um but I think it's important for the board to know that um every two years when an ambulance service gets an inspection they have to have updated
mutual aid agreements in place. So, Lake Region already um has mutual aid agreements in place with Ashb, Hoffman, North Ambulance, and Stevens County EMS. Ashb has mutual aid agreements with Lake Region, North Ambulance, and Ringal EMS.
And Hoffman has mutual aid agreements with North Ambulance, Steven County EMS, and Lake Region EMS. So, we we have those mutual aid agreements in place already, which helps make this process more seamless here in Grant County because we're we're so used to to
working together all the time. Um the positive impacts about from this, you know, regarding the sprint paramedic program is it helps us fill a crew during those daytime hours when we have communities where a lot of people don't work in our communities. They travel to
other communities to work and come back. It's those daytime hours where sometimes we can struggle to fill a crew. And one of the positive impacts from the Sprint paramedic program, it's allowed us to fill those crews on a more regular basis. Um, and again, that Sprint
paramedic program brings that ALS service, that higher level of care to the Grant County residents, people that are visiting here, and our our neighboring mutual aid partners. um in the future if if things you know if the
pilot project sunsets and things don't go as we hope they're going to go some of the negative impacts if this type of service goes away is crews might not be field um or local EMS might not be able to respond to the call so they'll have
to reach out to a further away crew to come and then we're going to have longer wait times and I think um historically there was always this idea that if we got in a pickle like that, we would reach out to the bigger ambulance crews around us in our surrounding areas and they would come and help us. What we're
finding in current Dave is that they're so short staffed that they are calling us and we are going and mutilating and helping them. >> Um, and maybe you guys want to talk about that one call that you had to >> the north right now. There's some issues
up in Ottertale County. Um and then to the to the west over in um Wheaton area um Leaton is uh kind of like where we're at with Hoffman is really low numbers um struggling during daytime hours. Um they
do have a hospital based over um in Wheaton. So some of the nursing staff uh are utilized as well, but up in uh up in Ottertale um the their staffing is fluctuates a lot. Um, and if we get on
the the the down low of their um of their employment, they're struggling to get ambulances because they have transfers to go to Fargo continually out of they do about 40 a month um out of Fergus Falls. So they they pulls a lot
of their resources out of the area. Um, so Maya and I were a little while back we were on our way home from a transfer in Fargo and they called Ashb to assist them north of Fergus Falls. So they're pushing 35, you know, it was at least 35 miles if not more to get up there.
Luckily, we were just right uh by little skelly station up there and we just popped in and helped them out. But um those resources are dwindling as well. We did a we did a mutual aid for North Memorial just the other morning with our sprint paramedic Jade Grant over there because North was out on uh too many
calls at one time. Um we're seeing more and more of that with our super busy crews like Alec and Fergus Morris is fully staffed but they don't have as many calls so they don't they're not away from their base as much. So, they're doing okay, but um the big ones
are Alec and Ferguson are are struggling because the call volumes in all of our areas are continuing to go up. Um so, the resources, you can't afford to put more resources on, so you're just going to try to do it with what you have. And that's failing miserably in our community.
>> I get a question, Mr. Chair. Um, who makes the determination of the dispatch whether it be an BLS or an ALS? Who makes that determination? >> Well, it's not a determination. It's it's do we have the resources or not? So, it it know if we have the resources,
we're going to use them. Um, right now, if you have a full-time AM or ALS service, you have to send the paramedic first on the first call. You can't delegate. That's the the law that we want changed. Um, right now since we're part-time, we can kind of manage
differently. So, if it's a nursing home call, I'll send that ELS crew out and we'll hold back. But that's that's my decision, the staff's decision. It's not really dispatch thing. Okay. >> Um, so that's that's one avenue. >> What was the other question? >> Oh, we're still, and I'm presuming this
isn't more of a question, it's just a statement. We're still only one victim per ambulance. Correct. Well, I mean, I've transported, you know, three people, four people in one truck, but that that that is it depends on how the patients are. You know, you can only
have one person that's cotted. Um, and then you can do you can put another one that's laying prone um or supine on the the bench seat. Um, but then you can have a couple people sitting up if they're blocking wounded or whatever. But that's really we don't really like
to do that because that takes away from the the critical patient, right? >> You know, the other night when we were down south of here, we had a three vehicle accident and I transported two. >> Okay. >> So, so but a lot of times on when you got multi-cars
probably two ambulances >> should be should be two at minimum. Um, you know, the nice thing is to get as much information as we can to know how many patients there are and then send one per patient. >> You got to kind of do a triage and
figure out then you know in route triage kind of a thing. Correct. >> Right. >> Okay. >> So, thank you. >> Talk about all these transfers like to Fargo. >> Yeah. >> Does it work at all to have the transfer originate in Fargo or are they too busy there?
>> They're too busy too. They're can't they're down probably four or five trucks themselves. Um they can't hire enough people. Also, when when you're trying to transfer out now, you'd have to wait an extra hour and a half for them to drive down to pick up and then
bring back. Does that make sense, too? So, the amount of time sitting in a in a So, what we we like to talk about is um out of hospital time, decrease out of hospital time is a huge thing. Um that's where lives are lost. and then decrease
um time in small facilities. So um the best care is at larger facilities. We're a tertiary uh um hospital where um we limited in in resources and expertise. So getting them out of this hospital quickly is probably our number one and
it's the best thing for the patient. So um transporting them with the closest appropriate ambulance is the best for most patients. >> So um I think we're going to move on to the next thing. That's okay. >> Well, before we move on, so what is
preventing us from having all EMTs, EMRs on every roster in the county? >> Um, logistically, um, so he basic if you have one EMT sitting
at the ambulance in El Blake waiting to go to a call in Herman, >> right? >> And there's three EMRs in Herman. >> Yep. Can they go and bring one of those EMRs back with them? >> They can, but the problem is they have to be on our roster, >> right? That's the thing. Is there a state law that needs to be changed
preventing them? Is it just internal control that need to be adjusted? >> Well, so now if you now if you jump on Ashby's roster, you have to adhere to all their policies, procedures, their education standards. Now we got to now you jump on to Elakes. now you got to do
the same education and then some to stay on their roster. Um, you know, there's just a lot of redundancies. Um, and and that's one thing that we're looking at trying to change is on the fire side as well is to um if you make it to one
person's training that covers each other, right? So that's those are some of those questions that we're having. Um, >> is there legislation that prevents that though? Like >> there is. So that I think to maybe where you were going at if there's legislation out there, if we know what that
legislation is, that's something that we can bring to up the the chain here to say this is this is what we need looked at. This is what we need change. So we it's not so complicated for volunteers. >> I'm not going to say Lake Region's an issue. Obviously, they're my employer,
but the when they look at volunteers, it's much easier to be on Ashby's roster and and Hoffman's roster because they don't have the the corporation rules like Lake Region does. So, when you go when you move people to to our hospital
now, you have a a ton more standards that that are need to be met. So, education standards um and it and it causes more work before we have to do that for Lake Region. We don't have to do that for the other two. Right. So now
you have to comply with all those aren't computer classes that you guys complain about here. Right. Those those are required at Lake Region but not at Ashby or >> so that's more training and >> public private. >> Right. Right. >> Defining land. >> Right.
>> Well, what I'm getting at though is if we're going to provide money and we've identified we're going to have a staffing problem, we need to find ways. And I'm not asking you to go to that necessarily to go and get a state law change that needs to. >> We've got associations we're members of
that can help do that. >> But then let's not go and we're we're willing to push that, but then let's not get the law changed and then only to discover, well, we've got a hang up here we can't get over. Well, and the other piece that they do, and we kind of go back and forth about this one, too, is
they want you to be on a call within 90 days, like at least one every 90 days, right? >> Well, if you have that EMR that's in Herman and they're not available for two calls that you go down there for this month and they miss next month, well, now they've gone past their 90 days and
now they region policy is they get removed from the roster. So that's part of the >> So it's because you have you have so many different departments and and it's needed in many areas. Um so you have a bunch of nurses that are casual. If they
don't work, they're they're not going to stay sharp. So even with EMTs, it's it's hard to it's hard to say it's okay for your group to not have to do it and then hold everybody else responsible. So, it's it's a little tricky with Lake Region, but um there's there's
potentially ways that we can make that work. But, I think the easiest thing is is to try to figure out other ways in our community to make that work, like changing some laws and things like that because we're never going to get away from potentially different corporations
and different rules there. But, >> well, when a state changes a law, it's got to fit the state as a whole, >> right? I get it. But we're not the only ones having these problems. The whole state did. So, I think it's easier to to say, "Hey, we need to make a law change
for our responders because it's getting to be it's gonna hold us back from advancing." >> I don't even know what it was. >> That's a key. >> We just kind of want to talk a little bit about some of the brainstorming we've done as a community about what a
contingency plan would look like. So when the legislative funding um does sunset >> not great somebody online is not muted. Can everyone please check their computers and mute?
Thank you. Um so again these are just discussions. This the committee doesn't have a solid plan but these are just some of the things we've talked about. um because we know we've been um having that $165,000 out of levby funds set aside and we're now you know Hoffman is
going to be buying an ambulance. One of the things we talked about moving forward as we if we continue to put this money aside, these levy funds aside, um in the future, 10 years down the road, you know, if one of our local ambulances has to dissolve because they don't have
the staff, does it make sense to look at a first rate of refusal within Grant County, the three services we have? So, if somebody does have um have to dissolve that, the equipment that's been
purchased is offered to the other Grand County agencies first. Um we've talked a little bit about that and again, nothing's hammered out, no details. These are just conceptual ideas or things we've thought about, things we need to, you know, talk more about and
come up with better plans. So we we did have that discussion is somehow having some sort of agreement amongst the Grant County entities for that first right or refusal option um so that equipment um would stay with Grant
County um by utilizing the county levy dollars to build our own local sprint paramedic program or to have that contingency plan for when the legislative funding does sunset. Um, we need that to ensure EMS agencies have safe and reliable ambulances and
equipment and re, you know, have it's been determined already that buying ambulances would be on a rotating schedule. But we also want to, you know, we we talk every time we meet, we talk a lot about that higher level of care because we have documented um data where that
higher level of care has saved lives and made a big difference on calls, even some recent calls. Amaya, maybe you can share that. >> Yeah. So, a recent call we had um gentleman was having a cardiac issue. Um
a BLS crew can put on the 12 lead system and get a picture, but I can't look at the print out and say, "Oh, I know what's going on here." Well, we happened that day had the sprint medic was on. Um he took the snapshot. He looked and he
said, "Oh, this is happening in the lower right part of the heart and I shouldn't do X, Y, and Z items to this patient because that's really bad for that person." Where I would have said, "Oh, his blood pressure is up at this level. I should give him some nitro
because he's having a heart attack." That's what the EMT would have done. In this case, the paramedic said, "I'm not going to give him nitro because this is on the right side of the heart and it's on the bottom end of the heart and that's going to tank his blood pressure and it's probably going to kill him."
And that was a piece that I would have never known because I don't have that level of education or care. And so at the end of that call, we talked about the fact that he, you know, changed leads around, which I would never. I would place leads where I've been told to place leads and I would take a
picture that way. He took one lead and put it on the opposite side of the body and took a different picture of the heart and he was able to essentially in my opinion or he saved that general life because or just an EMT a BLS crew probably would have given him
nitro for a heart attack and he it wouldn't good for him. So anyway, >> this is another situation where that sprint medic with the extra knowledge probably saved the man's life because of that fact. >> And you know, now that we've had this
higher level of care on all, you know, on a lot of our calls, it really would be a disservice to take that away from the constituents of Grant County. Um, we are, you know, I've talked to Eric a lot about the the importance of tracking the
volume call, the type of calls, how many times paramedics help make up a crew. So, we can start building that data to really show um with the statistics, the benefit of this uh program and why we feel it's very important to have this
contingency plan. Um, the current levy amount we all know is $165,000 annually. Um the concept again and we don't have all the details ironed out but the concept is um with that funding to use $100,000 to go towards those
capital purchases that rotating schedule for ambulances and then $65,000 for contracted services. And again, there's more work to be done to kind of hammer out those details, but um the big picture, the conceptual idea of what the committee is working on, we wanted to
make sure that you know we shared that with you guys. um as well as the public h about about the plans or the thoughts we have moving forward, how we can use those levy funds. And you know, really today again, it's a lot about the education of what's
currently happening and why it's we're having success with the sprint paramedic plan here in Grant County. So, >> Mr. Sheriff, if I may, I'd like to go back to the if an entity were to shut down the ambulance, I think we should say that if Grant County is paying 40% of an
ambulance, they own 40% of it. So, if that is sold, say it's sold from Hoffman to Ashley, Grant County, we're not worried about it. Just move forward. But if it's sold to another entity, we can say, well, no, we want our 40% of that sale price,
>> right? I think I think we would want all of that. I think we want >> Well, I think if we did I mean an ambulance what 250,000. >> Oh, it's closer to 400. Yeah. >> Okay. So 400 and if we're putting a 100red into it >> Yeah. Well, whatever. >> We're not going to say we're going to get all of that, but I mean
>> Yeah. But at this point, like in 300 into it, right? >> Okay. So then we're 75, >> right? Just so just so I mean so that 100,000 wasn't just pulled out of the air like the the idea was that Hoffman would be
on a 15-year rotation for that ambulance. Ash be a 15year and if you break the 400 up by 15 years you get about 26 to $30,000 each year you would have to put in. Right. Same with Kaufman. Lake Region is
on a 10ear because they do more transfers and so that vehicle gets more mileage. So that's more on a 10ear which is $40,000. So if you break that out over that time frame it comes to be about $100,000 each year would need to be allotted to stay on a 10 year and 15
year cycle for those. So it wasn't just pulled out of the air. >> So if it's okay if it's 100% then we own it and >> right and that would that's what we all want I think to to every entity to understand that this partnership is a partnership not
their gain. It's it's we're doing for our community. It's our equipment still. Obviously, they would we would because now you have to put it in their name, but you pay for it. >> We don't want to own it, >> right? Exact. You don't want to own it. But now, if you want to reallocate it to
a different ambulance service within our county, we want that. We want to keep those those vehicles um in our county and not let's say you know somebody comes and buys Hoffman ambulance a North Memorial we don't want them to get uh
all of our taxpayer dollars for those large equipment produces the concept but is it in writing somewhere >> well this well the public fund and this is the point is is this is all concept we're not even close to making any any
movements I think we're we're starting partner with uh we're going to start talks with uh our our uh directors up in Fergus that have a little bit more say than I do. Um and then we're going to start working on some of those areas. But this is more concept stuff. We have
to have plans in place uh for this money that we're spending, but um we'll be moving slowly. We have a couple years to get this done, but we just want everybody to know where we're at. >> Thank you guys for what you do. It's the two I'm going to call the meeting to order
the pledge. >> Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you guys.
Okay. >> All right. Approval of the agenda. There any additions to the agenda? I would like to add you got that addition sent out on Friday I believe recognation from the plan planning advisory committee add that under timing. >> Okay. Under what Troy
>> under reads the environmental services. >> Okay. All right. >> And I'll make a motion assuming there's no other conditions. >> Okay. >> I'll make a motion to approve with that one. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second. Uh any further discussion?
Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> Uh against. Motion carried. >> Okay. Approval of the minutes. Approve the minutes. Okay, we have a motion to approve the minutes. We have a second. I'll second.
Do we have a motion in a second? Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carried. Approval of the warrants. So under the
county a society for the building the wagner company is that like wer vote I got a question, Mr. Chair. Are we being built for overstate one call or is that just a association fee to bill us
now? >> Yep. It's just for So I have it set up to where anytime we get a locate call on any of our intersection lightings,
Parsons Electric, Parson's Electric is our consultant on that. Oh, so they get they are on my account, >> right? Get notified. So it's like a just a fee, >> an activity fee. Yeah. >> Okay.
It ain't their billing. You know what I mean? And that's the golfers, right? >> I don't have any more questions. Mr. Chair, I'll make the motion to pay the bills. >> Okay, we have a motion. We have a second. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second to pay the
bills. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I opposed. Motion carried. Okay. Grand county highway. Few things for you guys this morning.
So first is the highway 55 final contract payment. So I am looking for approval to pay this con contract final and certificate of final acceptance and the
board acknowledge that as well. >> Okay. Do we have a motion for the highway 55 final contract payment? >> I will make that motion. Mr. Chair, do we have a motion by Bill? Do we have a second? Also, second by Doyle. Okay. Now, that's
the final number out of the 1.3 that that state paid us to administer the project. Correct. Yep. >> Okay. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second to make this payment. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I.
>> I. I. >> Opposed? Motion carried. >> Okay. And the second thing I had is our 2026 traffic marking project. So I just sent that out for request for quotations and got two bids back, two quotes back.
One was from Sir Linesot and the other was from Camco. So it's my recommendation we awarded to Sir Linesot for the $7,23.13. >> Okay. Okay. Do we have a motion? >> So move, Mr. Chair. >> Second.
>> We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? >> I >> I motion carries. And the last thing I have is for our honey 52 bridge replacement project we
have this summer. we have to hire a consultant to do the construction inspection for bridge inspection portion of it. Um, and we got I got two quotes back, one from Interstate Engineering and one from Houston. And it's my recommendation that
we award that contract to Interstate Engineering. So their price was 95,000 for the construction engineer or construction inspection and then they will sub out the uh materials testing to
Brown Intertech for 22,387. So 95,000 plus the 22 387 >> the lowest of the two >> Y Houston was at 12.4,000.
>> Okay. Do we have a motion? >> Second. >> No asking for Okay, kind of hurt. I'll make that motion. We have a motion. Do we have a second a member of the hybrid committee? I will motion effective.
Any further discussion on the bot hearing? None. I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I. I. Motion carried guys. Okay. you >> fell. So what I have before you is
resolution. So as you know for the last about year and a half year here we've been making those updates to the solid waste system. You know trying to simplify some things. We're trying to make it a little more fair across the board. We're trying to make so everybody kind of pays for their fair share.
along those lines kind of the way you know I went on those routes it was kind of the wild west for a while and now we've gone to these carts but as we've talked when we did the budgets or anything else that costs we're now we're assessing doesn't necessarily cover completely the cost to actually do all the work for those routes so it doesn't
resolution is we're not going to start adding folks onto this route because now we're just compounding that our cost not covering it plus we've talked before about going in 28 to some different routes, you know, but we're not quite there yet. We got to finish dialing in
all the little details and some stuff in and some stuff with you guys and the cities, but this is kind of our bridge between the two till we get to that time and we don't want to start somebody so say next year, right? You'd start somebody on the route and then 6 months later or 3 months later tell them, hey,
now you got to do something different than what we're telling them now. So, we're trying to avoid a lot of confusion. We're not going to add anyone to the mandatory routes where we would collect it from the taxes. >> Correct. >> If someone builds in somewhere that is on a mandatory route, they're going to
have to go directly to Engle Britson's and get their canister. We're not going to add them because we would put it on their taxes for 27, but then it goes to Engle Britz anyway in 28. So, it's just it's going to create confusion that isn't needed. Right.
>> So, where do these community dumpsters fall into play? like the one on the east side of the lake and you got you got >> some type of process there. So there >> there's a couple different ways to do it. It just depends how we want to do it get that far. One of them is each individual person who uses a dumpster or
so since for this whole subdivision all of them get an individual bill or there's options to leave just those on the taxes or there's ways or anger two bills just the lake association or there's there's a couple different options they do in different counties. We just kind of see which one's going to
fit for us. But this wouldn't impact any of that stuff. The doctors will still be there. They'll still use them. They'll be >> Okay. So, what do we need here? We need a motion to accept that resolution. >> Yep. And so, I drafted it, Justin reviewed it, the solid base reviewed it,
and so we made a couple of changes here and there to help all that. So, >> I'll make a motion for GCR 2026303-2. >> I'll second that. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Uh, any further discussion?
Hearing none, I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I opposed. Motion carried. >> And the second thing is what Troy had brought up. We had a member of our planning advisory commission who's also a member of our board of adjustment. He is moving back down to be with his family. So he's not going to be in Grant
County no more. So now we need a different rep from Troy's district. So we'll have to go through the accepting his resation and then opening it back up for to be a part of that. So I believe that's what Troy is looking for now. Right, Troy? >> Well, I want to make a motion to start with to accept Pat Fellow Strand's
resignation. We got to do that first. >> Okay. So do we have a second? >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion on that hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carried.
>> Then I will make a motion to in the future upon receiving a resignation the environmental service director and coordinator can start advertising to fill that position. So we don't have to wait for a we don't have to wait once we
have the resignation like we do with any internal position. We can just start filling it. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Do we have a motion and a second? Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call the question.
All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carried. >> Thank you. >> How are you? Good. Thank you. Okay. So, I was just going to give you guys
kind of a quick uh summary of kind of how the different wershed plans in Grant County are working right now um and functioning and financials and stuff like that and project priorities and stuff. So um on the sheet there on the top cover kind of gives you a summary of
the three wersheds that we're part of the Palm Beach Bo and Chipwa. Kind of shows a little bit of a breakdown of of where we're at financially uh with each of the offices as well as the area um based off of the funding that's
allocated every by annual every two years. Um down on the bottom there, it just shows a summary of how much has been received for each of those wersheds or will be received in the near future. Um
I just want to kind of show you those numbers a little bit. Um some of the main priorities uh along with your packet there is just a priority. It's a packet for each of the water sheds and it lists all the different priorities. Um most of them
are referring to groundwater uh soil reosion, stream bank, uh shoreline restorations, soil health, wildlife habitat, etc. Um they're fairly similar across
the board, but each wershed has a separate priority zone. So when we do our applications or when we get our people who are interested in doing stuff, we have to um score each applicant and uh priority is the one is one of the big items. So where you're located in the waterhed
helps determine if you get funded or not in there. Also the Bombi Ter River, we just finished the midpoint evaluation. So there's a copy of that evaluation there. it uh basically shows how we're going. We're about we're halfway through
the 10-year grant cycle. Uh so then um Bowser does a midpoint evaluation and we kind of show us some of the numbers in there and how we're doing overall. Um probably we're doing fairly
well. Some of them are exceeded already exceeded our 10 year plan. Some are halfway, some are a little bit less, but for the most part, it's going along pretty smoothly. So, that this was just completed in the last couple months. Um,
so again, just wanted to share that with you guys. Some information there for you to read through or if you have specific questions. Now, uh, also in the back there is the boys of Sue one. Uh, we just reached the midpoint on that one. We just started that process. Uh we're actually having a
meeting um next the next Boise Sue policy meeting is next Thursday to start the or to review the initial findings I guess of that. So we're just early in the stages there. But then attached here is Boise Sue's annual plan update for
the wershed. Uh it just again shows you all the different projects uh the different grants the money. Um, yeah. So, again, I just wanted to review uh it asked if if people got specific questions or want to know anything
specifically, surely ask now or come down and talk to me later, whatever works for you guys. on the front page there. You can see that, you know, between all the watershed clans in Grant County, we brought about $1.5 million for projects
in this county. Um, ranging from said basins to soil health to shoreline restorations to well ceilings, a whole gate practices. So right. >> Yes. >> Talk a little bit about what's our
challenges say get the money spent or the projects completed. What do you see in your vision or what in the past because there's quite a bit of money. >> Yep. Um the the biggest I wouldn't call the biggest hurdle but you know there
there's a lot of money but those those monies don't go very far per county. No. And you can see where Palm Beach and we started out at 717,000. Now we're at a little over a million dollars, but that's over six counties. Uh so, you know, it doesn't go that far.
Um so that's probably the biggest hurdle. I mean, we usually have enough applicants, enough interest for stuff for all the wersheds. Uh the chipo, we just got that passed here real recently. Uh we haven't got a whole lot of projects going on down there quite yet. um just because we focused kind of more
on the palm care and boys sue because that's where the funding was available. >> Um so each one of these wersheds do um operate a little bit differently. Um each one you know some of them each county gets a
certain alligation for project projects and um and technical assistance stuff. Some of them have a big pot. It's kind of first come first serve as long as it meets a threshold in funds. So, um I guess I would say the biggest one is
just the funding. I mean, we've been spending most of the money um before it's expired. Um the other thing is probably just designs, getting our engineering designs back and stuff. District has a TSA engineer we work with
and we just brought this on board a couple years ago and it's working very well. Of course, there's always a backlog. So, uh, it's getting those designs done and preliminary designs and final designs completed so we can get projects done. So, >> well, Mr. Chair, I got a question that
1.5 94. Yeah. How much of that went into the the red pass last year? >> It shows a 25 1.5. >> Yeah. How much did I win in the red band?
>> Um, I don't think any of that. >> Okay. >> Um, >> it went for Doran Creek, 12 mile, 5 mile. >> Okay. >> And some other ditch records, I guess. So, um, maybe some of the ditch work
maybe been might have been involved with that. I don't know all the details of of the boys sue funds but basically out of that you can see um boy sue
2026 there's nothing >> you're finally >> yeah I didn't put it down in there in the our 2026 so it's a bianual. So we have a 25 then we have we we're working on the 27 as we speak >> and then that money over there we
distribute or allocate so much money to each county and the boys sue district >> previously the district gets roughly 50% of the funds to go towards their projects and then the other 50%
estimated um goes towards the other districts for their projects itself. So in 2020 202 just for example 2025 there was 245,000
designated for ditch retrofits 560,000 for the Doran creek 12 mile and five mile um so Those are the funds that the the solar water >> drop the deliverables >> deliverables. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> And and again, you know, our we're still in the process about 500,000 is collected through the board of suland goes that way and then they create a budget and move forward and then some of it goes up to the red path. Not red path but red board >> and Linda sits on that board up there.
So a lot of times if they fit it into their budget down there then we get it back from the red board. Correct. And that process has been working. >> Yeah, as far as I know. I mean, uh, right now we're working with the red board on on soil health stuff. We got a grant through the North Dakota and
Minnesota for so health stuff. We're getting some funds through that process. Okay. >> Um, as far as how it works with the the or the soil wershed district and red I mean red basin, I don't know exactly
those details. a great question for the district or the voice district. >> I get the emails of the Red River um basin advisory board and Ron Staple sits on that and I used to sit on that and go up on those meetings and I thought it
conflicted with a few things that I had going on. So I >> I haven't been going but I've been getting emails and kind of catching up on what's going on there. >> Okay. >> And the emphasis was in the beginning, you know what I mean? that they weren't they were pretty tight lipped nor did they want to give up those funds that were collected locally here. M.
>> So it ended up it's a whole different world, >> right? >> No. >> So all right. Thank you. M is that right? We should we touch on a little bit? We just found out right after our last meeting that Sophia, our
administrator at Palm Deter is resigned and moving back towards their home. And there's I don't know if it's called politics or differences of opinion because some of us feel that potentially it's not a full-time position and we could share
with Chipoa and we're take it from there. >> Yeah. So yeah, basically Sophia has resigned. She her last day is next Friday, this Friday. Um so that position will probably be getting opened up again. Uh currently that position is
designated as the public care coordinator through the Stevens Low and Water Office. They hire them and then we reimburse them for through some of the grants. Um right now couple years back we went through this process because Chipoa just became a
watershed WBI eligible. We were going through that whole coordinator position there and we're talking about sharing a position between Chipua and Palmut because they were both kind of at that time vacant and then they ended up decided to go
separate. Um right now the pond is a full-time position to the Stevens County designate just to the wershed. Uh the chipa currently is a 7525%. So the pulp county hired that person. Uh
they do 75% watershed based stuff and 25% district stuff. Um the question brought up here is just when and it hasn't been discussed yet because we haven't had the TAC or we haven't had the JPB meetings yet on the terrace. So it's just kind of getting ahead of you
know where do we want to go from here? Do we want to hire a another full-time coordinator or is there a district that's willing to maybe pick up somebody 50% or 75% as coordinator, another 50% 25% for district time? Um those are just
some discussions that are going to have to play out. Um I don't know how it's going to end up yet. And again, it's it's just we just got word here last week or a week and a half ago or something. And um we haven't met as a group yet to discuss some of those
things. So just a FYI. >> So probably my question and maybe I should hold this but does this board feel that Brent on the TAC and myself representing the board that if there's going to be a vote
that that should come back to this group to weigh in on it or do we use our judgment and move forward with what we see or what's your thought on that R or Mr. Chair? I guess I guess I'd like to What have we
done in the past? >> Um I wasn't doing this role the last time these people were hired. So I can't tell you exactly how that work. Um I know there was just a lot of discussion both between the career tap and the JP
meetings and um group conversations going on between the chipo wershed and pond care for a while and giving each district's um opinion or vote type of deal on which way to go. Um at that time it was
kind of close. There was half of them wanted to do a share position, half of them wanted to do a a full-time position at both. Um the problem now I think is right now Chipo's got somebody hired and you know to change that position around
and they just getting started with their wershed now would be a lot on anybody over there and you know it's I don't think that's really too much of interest right now. Uh it's just whether the um omniuter can has enough workload I guess
for a full-time position or like I said possibly with the idea where maybe somebody wants to hire them and utilize their district funds for part of it part of that position and then plan funds for the other part. Um
the palm chair has been running now for five six years is pretty well in place. uh pretty well good organizational over there. I think everybody's on the board, good communication going on. So again, I I'm open to comments. I guess I don't
know where to take it. I mean, I think starts with the communication on meetings. Um the one thing I might add, I talked to Brent a little bit when he was on staff was the interim director.
at this point without him we don't think that within your office that you have the time. >> No. >> So we maybe touch on that. >> Okay. Yeah. So basically um yeah so the last time this happened before Sophia
was hired um Jared House was the administrative manager in our office and he filled in for that position as a part-time. So we were reimbured for his time he spent on that. Um, but at this point I'm not willing to u
volunteer or or speak up that Grant County is going to fill that niche right now just because we don't have enough staff. At that time we had, you know, Reed was still on board and Jeremy's on board and myself and and pretty
experienced staff. Um, now it's just me and Tim and Nicole and it just we're busy enough the way it is. So hopefully one of the other districts will maybe step up. Um I can't say who or what, but um
and right now everything is pretty well fine-tuned. So it's I don't think there's anything that huge going on that we can't I mean the biggest thing that right now is is we're part of the 27 grant. So we're working on that work plan and all that and we do all that as
a group anyways pretty well. So, um that's just the um coordinating of that is the biggest thing. So, again, um I don't know if it's going to become a big hurdle or anything. I think things are keep moving fairly smoothly. It's just kind of the whole process that
we're kind of starting over again that we were at a couple years ago. And to be honest, that position has been a kind of a revolving door about every two to three years. Um seems like that position goes. So just as you get somebody on board knowledgeable enough to really run
it then they >> steals Bowser steals them or the district steals them or or they want to move home. So it's that's just part of but >> Mr. Chair, I guess I Ken kind of asked a question about I don't think this board
would weigh in if you're retooling or hiring somebody else a position because we all sit on boards where we redefine positions and hire all the time. I think if the commitment were to change where you say, "Okay, well Grant County is going to put in $50,000 a year." That's
a different conversation than just redefining roles and hiring staff. That is >> so Troy in the past what has happened is there was hired either so it used to be where Palm Dair River had their own coordinator person was hired by that board but then the last time it was
hired through Stevens SOCD so they're their employee that's just being reimbured so the board helped interview with Stevens County when they did the interviewing but it was really up to Stevens County to hire but we just reimbured at the time so that's what I would assume we'll go another district
will either do that or some sort of mesh of aesthetics. >> Yeah. So the biggest difference right now from now what it was five six years ago was the JBB the joint powers board actually hired them and was hired through the joint powers board. Now instead in most the other district or
wershed they're doing this is the soil and water offices are just hiring the person full-time as a um service to the wersheds uh and then getting reimbured for that time. sold some sort of hybrid 2575 50 whatever the agreement ends up
being like just trying to make sure to keep track that that person is spending correct amounts of time per whatever discussion is >> it makes considerably more sense than employing one person and going through all the employ >> that's why they went that way instead of hiring through the watershed or through the river association they said well
this makes more sense >> they're the planning advisory anyway so that only makes sense >> right Mr. Mr. Chair, I got a question here. Um, do you normally get these these community grant program updates through like Avery Hilderbrand? Do you get them? >> I do not.
>> Okay. And it's, you know, as a supporter of environment natural resources trust fund. I want to share that the DNR submitted a required report for legislature about the how they plan to implement a new community grants program. If you know anything about that, >> I do not know.
>> Okay. Is that >> whether I receive something or not? I don't know. But I don't know. >> I sent it to Reed and Ruben environmental services. >> Okay. So, in regards to Kenny's question there, what's the board?
Do we need anything here? >> I think what Troy was saying and be clear right now, if it feels like we need to or like you say, if there's going to be any big financial Yeah. Uh, so we can just leave it that way. That'll keep you I'll keep you both fit.
>> Okay. >> Well, then uh we're going to move on. You have anything else? >> Nope. That's all I got. And again, once if if or when you guys review that packet or if you want to or you have questions, my door is always open down at the office. So, >> thanks.
>> That was good. >> All right. actually. >> All right. The first thing I have is a resolution um for declaring a vacancy in the office of county sheriff and providing the appointment of this was
should have been done prior to the appointment but here we are. So looking for a motion to approve the resolution and then we would sign course. Do we have a motion? I'll make that, Mr. Chair, being I made the first one. Okay, we uh we have a motion. Do we have a
second? >> Okay, we have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call a question. All in favor say I. >> I opposed. Motion carried. >> All right. Uh, next is the table
discussion about vacation payout, bringing it back to the board for a decision on um paying out interim um sheriff Jennifer Bon's vacation if she's unappointed if we uh pay her out as an
elected or keep it where she can use vacation and sick um in the event that she would be elected and then however you want to do it. That's what I hear. >> Well, I guess my question to be how what
how does the sheriff feel about that? What what's your thoughts on that? >> I mean, that's I mean, I've been in your position now. It's when I retired, but I uh I got paid
down for my vacation, but I didn't get paid out for my sick time because I was a little bit short of 10 years. It's that's probably the same way, right? >> 10 years for sick. Yep. >> Yep. Yep. So, and uh but uh
so my understanding is that appointed it's allowable to acrew vacation and sick, but then you still have to use vacation and sick as You know what I mean? So you're not you got to be one or the other. You're either acrewing it, but then you're using it, or you're not.
>> Y. >> So really, I don't think it's this board's decision. I think it's your decision if you want to continue to acrew but then you got to track your time like you would have otherwise or you know like an appointed department head or if you want to be the more in
the elected where you're not acrewing anymore but then you're not they're not traveling and I I guess to me I don't know if this is the first time you heard that. I mean, do you want to wait two weeks? You're not losing anything if you wait two weeks for an answer to think about.
Is there >> Yeah. No, this is the first time that it's been I mean, I knew it was on the agenda, but it was your decision, >> right? We we're not meeting until later this week. The >> Yeah. >> So, I got a question, Mr. shares with
the the event which would be the election would be the determining factor assuming let's say she gets reelectctor or she doesn't she doesn't then we paid it out then
does she start over or and the other thing along the follow question does it make a difference on the time if let's say that this event happened with two and a half or 3 years from the election appointment. Is that is that material?
That's that's the kind of the two thoughts I've had. If it's the election that's the determining factor to me, then that should be the time that it happens. And like I say, I don't know the timing
if that's material or not. >> And I I don't know. I I'm guessing anyone else that was appointed sheriff or appointed a position they locked it you know it it >> in the past that's that is how it had
been handled >> what's that >> that it was paid out >> it would put them into that category now >> um but you know I think every situation is different there's nothing stating it has to be or Yeah.
So, the only one here for the previous case here was Bill and I, you know, that was paid out for for Troy. >> Yeah. Yeah. He he he was when he when he assumed that position. Yeah. That was
two years left of that term. >> And then when he came back as a deputy, he started acrewing. >> Yeah. But he from zero. >> Yeah. So I guess that's so precedence has been set. I don't know. I think we could go either
way the way it reads. But uh but yeah, that's what they've done. >> I think that's the only other time I'm sure I mean we've had appointments, but it was somebody that was currently employed by Grant C. So that was in 90.
What I think we do is we just wait and the sheriff will come back with a decision when she's made it. I mean that that's how I see it. I mean you >> we can go either way. You can do just let us know what you want to do. >> I'll just keep it. >> Okay. >> Okay. So then
>> keep it till next year. Yeah. >> Till the event. >> Yeah. Yeah. So am I hearing you right that we're leaving the decision to Dan or Or we need to based on recommendation.
>> Oh, we could make the decision based on recommendation because we got to make the decision, right? Or don't we have to do anything? >> I don't know. I just know I'm not I don't want to make >> Well, if we're going to if we're going to pay it out, we got to have something paying. I don't know. >> You leave it as is. The other part would
be the parody plan. But par plan, >> well, you wouldn't get parody if you're getting vacation and sick because that's >> right. Right. Right. So that's just the other piece that goes along with it. >> Nice point was that if the event is the election and if you're not elected,
should you operate in the terms of the elected committee? And my point would be probably no. You're appointed, stay appointed, and when you're elected, then you become the elected.
I just >> well that it no so it's going to be and I don't have any statute number to back this statement up but it's going to be completely different than when the treasurer who got it coming and went from elected to appointed because now
there's some board control over they were you could discipline and appointed sheriff and I can be corrected because like I said I don't I mean but we don't have you have to go and do this and you have to give that person you we can't go
and say you have to I mean this is >> it's appointed but it's not appointed like the other department had there's >> there's grounds there we don't want to get in even close to coming to so it's >> yeah and I'm not saying it relative to
yeah dayto-day operator that part I'm just wondering if if the election is the event then It's not mix I guess. >> All right. So, leave as is. >> That's what I say.
>> Okay. All right. So, then thank you. The next thing would just be an update on um the license bureau. So, um Mary has accepted the position um as director and so she will refill that role as of June 1st. Um and we are in speaking with Don
coming up with a timeline. um we'll be looking to advertise middle to end of March and then the timeline would be um having that month of May to train in the office for that um replacement for Mary and then um like I said Mary orders in
the role of June 1st. So just wanted to give you an update on that. um as the author was made after the recommenation for the board. So that is the timeline. I discussed that with Don as well. So we have a plan. Any
questions on that? >> All right. >> I I do have one question. >> Maybe I didn't hear you're correctly, but when when are they going to start the process to build that second edition up there? So when would that
>> we're going to start advertising middle to end of March and then the goal would be to have the person in there in May to start training um and talking with Don she had talked about that she would run the counter so that Mary could train the replacement >> on the computer and then have that
you're thinking that May 1 that person would be in there depend on it would depend on resignations. It would depend on all that, but we thought the month of May would be a good training month um to have that means it is a small area, but at least they'd have the that month to
train. So then um Mary can focus on that like Donna office to focus on front or the counter. >> So you're thinking, Mr. Chair, 30-day time frame. Is that what you're think? >> Hopefully we it gets that.
Mike, well there's there's some things lots of things in there, but uh yeah, I would I would think, you know, first of maybe good starting point. So, anybody else got any on that?
>> Okay. >> All right. >> Okay. Thanks, Ashley. >> Thank you. So, I'm here to talk about the city contracts. they returned them to me and so I'm just looking for you guys to adopt the contracts and and I don't need signatur
marks on um we have a big meeting coming up on Friday at the public safety committee and we'll talk more about the contracts then but we have come up together um and we have discussed that it would probably be be a good idea to have start having
an annual um city city mayor city clerk committee annually and so that is coming up in April. Um there we will discuss formulas, we'll discuss um procedures
um you know because a lot of cities are saying that it's kind of expensive. So um so we're just hearing them out trying to move forward together. I did I did read that in the paper a little bit about some of the cities saying that
those contracts are expensive and it kind of makes me think back to the origins of those contracts and maybe what their city budgets were before they contracted with the county. And uh you
know uh I think uh if you look at them that their budgets probably were more back in ' 89 when we went with Hoffman and in ' 91 when we went with Herman. I
think that their police budgets were a little bit more 40 what is it? 46,000. >> Um >> when you when you consider um I think 42 >> 42 42 >> Yeah.
>> Anyway, when you think about that what they get for that that 42,000 in them contracts, they get no equipment. They get no liability. they can they can say call the sheriff
when when there's complaints and so those contracts in my mind are very very good deal for those cities and so I get a little bit riled up a little I should say when I when I see that that they they don't understand the dispatching
the reports the record management the uh the equipment nowadays is just unbelievable Those contracts are a good deal for those town because let's face it, things happen where there's human beings, okay?
They happen a lot more in where there's people than there is in Lawrence Township. There's not a lot of people out there. You don't go too many calls. So, you know, that that's that's I was just reading that in the paper, you know, in order to talk about maybe
cutting their from two hours a day to one, you know, it's just a good deal for them. Now, the hours that they're supposed to get per year or what how many hours are there? You
know, two a day. So, it's what 700 some whatever. But the total hours are they are they still supplied with the total hours that you actually work? >> No, they are. Y >> so you know like uh like in Ela Lake for
instance on that homicide, how many hours were there? >> I mean it's it's and and report writing and these events happen in these towns and and there's expenses there where >> that we're not charging. No, that that
they >> they just don't see them because you can't show everything, I guess, you know, because there's a lot going on. >> But anyway, that's that's my uh thought on that with uh with that. >> So, I think at this the annual meeting
um uh I think there'll be more communication of, you know, what what are they wanting more of? What are they, you know, we can tell what we're doing. Um, and I'm also meeting with the city councils on a more regular basis. So,
>> yeah, because because you know it's it's in all fairness the city councils look people chain and the first thing they look like why aren't paying that because they're not they're not uh you know it's just new to them. So,
>> but I think the education meeting with them but uh but those are good deals. >> Yeah. Y won't you think, Mr. Chair, that this I don't know if it's a good comparison, but let's look at the EMS. Let's say we lend you $165,000
to service the people on in EMS. But now, if you're sitting on a local city council, you're trying to decide what your le's going to be and decide how you're going to make your own budget work. They have at this point, they have a say. Now, I agree with you 100%. These
are good deals, but we also got to see what these men and women are sitting on these count local councils they're kind of going through. And >> I think that's the big deal. The other question I have is on item 6A, you reference the city rates for the subsequent year utilizing the formula
attached here as exhibit A. I don't see exhibit A. >> Oh, okay. And I'll be named the professional >> with that. So the the cities were provided with exhibit A. We'll just have to that is after that is the formula that we have that this board has
approved. That's all exhibit A is. So can you send me that? >> Yep. Yep. Yep. >> And then the other piece is and I maybe that's just the amount may be payable when each year shall be paid quarterly. Let's see. I
mean, it's it may and shall there's a little bit of double. >> I think per our contract it says that it has to be quarterly. >> Yeah. And it's going to be build quarterly. So that's that is what we agreed on. >> Yep. Yep. And so the sheriff's office
are sending out or send out the invoices quarterly. >> So are there any cities that aren't going to go with the contract? >> Norcross. >> So >> yeah. Yep. Northwest did not um elect and I think I'd have to go back to past
years, but I think they were only with us for two or three years. It was very shortlived. >> Well, they haven't in the past either. >> No, we just brought them on like within the last three years. >> It was just a couple years. Yeah. Okay. >> So,
>> Mr. Chair, I got a little tidbit that doesn't seem to get talked about, but it's a big ticket item for the cities. Okay. When these guys do not have police departments anymore, the League of Minnesota cities, you know, as far as their umbrella policy for their
insurance is significantly less, okay? Being we covered it through MCITS, right? So that is never talked about. All right? And it if they look back to just see what those premium costs were when they had a police department and
now they do not, that's huge. and I struggle to try to get a number out of, you know, certain people. So, you know what I mean? It's that's something that should be looked at is a cost savings and I will say that again and again and
again. Yeah, that liability that's a big thing huge for for the you know, we will bring that up on April 8th. I'll make a motion to approve the the law enforcement city contracts and that's for Hoffman, Herman, Wendell,
Ashby, Elite, and Barrett. >> Yep. Six. >> I'll second it, Mr. Chair. >> We have a motion and a second. Uh, any further discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. Oppos. Motion carries.
>> Thank you, Sheriff. Can I have your assignment? >> Is it just one, Jen? Because he sign each one. >> Okay. Okay. I'll just take one of my I have Oh, here. That's okay. Nope. I just didn't know if it was different.
>> Yeah, but each each conj is different. Yeah, I'm not going to make it today. >> I got to be in St. Paul by 4:30 for Minnesota County. So, >> it takes an hour and a half to get from here to there.
>> I'd like to It's about two and a half by >> I have to I'm going to go we hours of the morning. I only stay one night with your head down there. >> Not to say we got a coordinator. She's
going to tell she's going to tell the story and we're just going to nod her head. get in trouble. >> Thank you. Stay safe out there. >> Oops. >> Okay. Yeah. >> All right. In your packet, the first
thing that I shared with you was um information about our old gig funds. um White and I had a meeting with Horizon Public Health and kind of just went over um the process about how the funding comes to Grant County and how it's um
given back out to our communities. And so I put together that one-page little cheat sheet and I'm just going to briefly go over it so anybody um from the public that might watch would have an understanding. Um so the settlement amounts the goal is to reduce substance
abuse in our county and our communities. Um settlement amounts given to the counties is based on a formula using how many prescriptions were issued in the county. Um Horizon Public Health does not hold those funds. The funds are the counties and the count county holds
those. Um Horizon provides a staff person to act as a liaison to help ensure that the county is using the funds appropriately. So um a part of that that process we have an advisory council. The advisory
council meets three to four times a year and the purpose of that opioid advisory council is to help gather information, discuss the needs of the county and promote the availability of the funds to to our communities and organizations.
And then there's also an opioid task force. And that task force members are appointed by the county board. And this is the group that goes through the applications when they come in um and then makes th that recommendation to the board. But ultimately it is the board
who has the authority to approve the applications. Horizon doesn't have any authority. >> I hate to cut you off there but this board has delegated that committee 5,000 or less can approve those. >> Okay. So, it's applications that are
recommended are 5,000 or over that advisory board can approve those under 5,000. >> Okay, good to know. I did not I wasn't aware of that. So, Horizon doesn't have the authority to approve or deny applications. And I think there was it's not unique to Grant
County. It happened in all five of the counties they served last year when they um handed out all the grant awards. It was kind of a learning year. Um, and a lot of questions were coming back to Horizon about the grant applications and and they can't answer them. It it's the task force um or the applicants
themselves. Um, so to kind of help that process or add to the process this next year um we discussed and Dwight correct me if I'm wrong, but we discussed bringing the applications after they get vetted through the task force. it'll be those ones over 5,000 um to a work
session before bringing them to the board to have the board approve them just so we can have more discussion about them if there is questions. >> And Dwight and I when we were visiting with Horizon Public Health felt like that would be a good a good um uh
helpful solution to maybe taking some of the confusion out of out of the process. Um, I also want to make sure that the board knows that an RFP, a request for proposals or applications is announced. Um, and each of the counties that Horizon serves on our websites,
Facebook, um, the same process, you know, Horizon Public Health does all that, too, to help get the word out there. Grand County looks to be receiving additional funds in June of this year for approximately $18,49.19. Um, and with what we have, um,
currently, we'll have approximately $38,380.91 to allocate in 2026 because if the funds don't get used, they stay with the county and they just get added to the next to the next one. Um, in the packet there is also an
additional uh kind of like a newsletter uh front back page that Horizon put together that showed um you know more of the breakdown of the financial piece of the settlements and and how they work. And so we just thought it would be important after um Dwight and I met with
Horizon to kind of just refresh our memory about the process and how it works. And then also um one of the applications that were approved last year from Vivv um they have Vivv as a business has cut a
whole department and that department was responsible for the roll out and implementation of the project they got the grant funding for. So um they no longer want the grant funding. We had not um dispersed any money to them. So,
um, it it's as simple as the board uh approving the termination agreement for the VV opioid grant application that was included in your packet. Hopefully, you had an opportunity to look that over. I did have Justin um look at the agreement
as well. every county in Horizon's 5count area had a grant application with VV and they're all they're all terminating them because the the project is no longer um available because they cut that department. So I would be
looking to the board for a motion to approve the termination agreement for the VB opioid grant application. >> So do we have a motion? We have a second. >> Do we have a motion? A second. Uh, any further discussion?
If not, I'll call the question. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carried. >> All right. Also in your packet, there are two um safety security policies that um are courthouse courthouse security
committee worked on um to include court staff as well as um Maya, our safety director. The two in front of you today are the access of county facilities policy and the hours of entry for county employees policy. Um I would like to
note that on the access one, the access to county facilities on page two, there is a a statement in there that will be removed. And I kept it in there because I wanted to make sure I didn't forget to um make sure I I made the sure the board
was aware. Um, historically there was a buzzer at the back door of the courthouse and dispatch was inside the courthouse. So if somebody came to work after work hours, they could buzz and get in. That um buzzer went away when the sheriff's office moved across to the back parking
lot. So um not that it happens a lot, but if somebody comes after hours, you know, for them to get into the building, they need to use their fob. And if they forget their fob, um, you know, there was discussion about, well, what happens
then? And to be consistent across the board, um, because there other other facilities that Grand County have, uh, that h, you know, Grant County facilities, um, if staff don't have their FOB to get in, they have to go back home and get their fob. Dispatch is
no longer going to have that ability. I mean, and fuss if we have a dispatcher that is unaware of, you know, if it's a employee or not. It just there's lots of discussions about um how this would work. And it is a change because in the past there was the convenience of having
dispatch in the courthouse. Now, it's just going to be that the ownership will be on any employee that wants to get into a county facility will have to use their own fob. If in the event um they're like me and they forgot it, they have to turn around, drive all the way home to get it to get back in. and it is an inconvenience, but it's just what the
group as a whole decided was the best. So, when I'm asking for approval on the access to county facilities policy, just note that that statement on the back page under the exception will be removed. Good.
And then the hours of entry um policy that just talks about um who has access and when. Um I don't need to go over that. I'm sure you guys read that, but we're looking um for approval on that one as well. And then at next at the next meeting um I'll be bringing forth
some other security and safety policies, but because um their response um plans to some of the processes and procedures we have in place. Um Justin provided me with the statute that will allow for a close session for the full board to discuss and approve those policies just
because we don't want to um bring potential harm for some of those procedures getting out to the public. Um so uh there'll be a couple more I think three more coming at the next board meeting uh for our close session.
>> Okay, Mr. Mr. Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the access of county facilities policy with the removal of that line and the hours of entry for county employees. Okay, do we have a second? >> Second. Okay, we have a motion, a
second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> Against. Motion carried. >> Thank you. Um the last thing that I have is uh John Kapan's term is up on the boy
wershed um district board and uh we have a policy in place that when um a term is up that we advertise in the paper and there is a short one-page application and then a short narrative that needs to be provided by any
applicants that would like to fill that appointment. Um, and Mr. Kapan is aware of that and he's already filled out his application and and has supplied that in his narrative to me. So, I do have that, but it will be in the paper for the next two weeks and then um we'll bring those applications back to the board for for
approval. So, it's just more of anformational thing that that is in the process. All I have Okay. All right. Then we'll uh we'll go on to uh the word committee
updates uh budget and finance committee. So we've started working on that policy for entities that request funding allocations from the county. One of the discussions in there is
who would potentially be exempt because you could look at it like Western Prairie is requesting an allocation. Well, the five of us sit on that board. We don't need to have a budget and narrative submitted to us, right? So, they're looking at
who's going to need to do that, who's exempt. And one of the things we talked about I believe with joint powers entities that there's a board member sitting on making a decision is potentially be the ones that are exempt. We started talking about long-term
because we're in longterm you know the courthouse is paid for now but that was done 14 years ago. So at some point heat pumps are going to have I mean we got to start planning on maintenance for even this building is now we've been in here eight years. So
those are the things we started talking about or we're talking about uh Troy uh you know with when you're talking about other agencies presenting a budget to us I wonder if we shouldn't get a list of who needs to and who doesn't.
>> We're that's that will come with the recommendation from the because then we can give them a fair warning too. >> Yep. The idea would be if once we can get the a board approved policy that would send a letter out to to the people. >> All right. Sounds good. Yeah. We're not going to we're not going to blind. We'll
do them all ahead of time. Yeah. >> I think the other thing that is important is if the request if there's a significant change. >> For instance, let's say the historical society has always asked for $10,000. I don't know what they asked for the
humane society, but obviously uh H asked for $100,000 more than they needed and we were okay with it. So, and one of Jim Stannis's point was that he didn't know what we wanted and
if we're going to get asked the question that he what he's going to present then that better decide decided on now because I don't want to go through the same thing we did with that organization
in the future. So what was talked about was if you have a budget that clearly shows, you know, one single budget and the county aotment goes in there and it's clear to do, okay, you maybe don't need a narrative. But if you have multiple budgets and they're going into
part of it is break down your request by this much is going into this program for this. So in that scenario, it's more of a narrative and we can lay out a guide rather than just saying give us a budget. Well, yes, but I know the word
precedents come up and we clearly gave him $200,000 and the precedence was that he didn't need it based on the facts. So, let's make sure that's not precedent. >> Yeah, I I haven't drafted it yet, but once it's drafted, it'll go to the
committee for review and then the committee will bring it to the board. And it's going to be fluid, right, until we till we since it's new um until we get something that everybody feels good about. And then um so that that's kind of a priority thing right now because
they want to get that letter out um by the beginning of May to everybody. So >> so Mr. Chair, if I can add echo to what Gina was saying, they you got to give those guys time. You know what I mean? So you're talking June, July, and August, you know, have all those facts
and all those board reports and everything done before preliminary in the middle of September. Okay. Okay. uh EMS committee. I think we covered that today. >> Oh, we forgot the building committee. >> Oh, building committee. Sorry about
that. By the bill. So, we are moving forward with flooring projects in the license bureau and the reporters office. And we also are working on some security
mitigation plans for second. So for the courts for the courthouse. >> Okay. All right. So we'll skip the s committee p personnel committee. We met with
ls law enforcement and discuss one of the things we agreed on in the last contract the plan proposal to provide a deputy with their last sidearm. So there is as we got into it, there was more to
it than what we had initially thought. So we're working through that process. Okay. Highway committee bill. Well, I don't have a heck of a lot other than, you know, the last report that we've made out and we're moving forward
with projects and taking bids as you see. Um, public safety committee. We're meeting on Friday. Okay. Solid waste committee. >> We kind of had to update on the
resolution and I don't know what else we thought about. Um Breed and I met and we're working on some public education, some outreach to put on our county website and um Facebook about solid waste and recycling
um just to help keep the public informed strategic planning committee. So, the county newsletter we've talked about before that's got put on that agenda. Uh, enhancing public engagement and it
are things that will be going end of the month we're meeting, I believe. Okay. And we'll have the three members invited, right? >> Y. Okay. Horizon Public Health. Well, uh,
I sat in on a interview process couple weeks ago, uh, to hire a new new new new director and, uh, so that that that decision's been made, but it'll be on next Monday, I think, that that'll
come to the public. >> Yeah. So, I will say this though that we interviewed four people and it was it was the toughest interview uh process that I've been to as far as quality people. They were all good, all four of
them. So, yeah. Okay. So, let's see. Uh Western Prairie. >> So, there was a proposed rent agreement that last week we kind of revamped again. So, I'm not sure if that's going
to be presented to the full Western Prairie board this Friday or not. It may be, it may not, just depending on how it can get through get back through everybody to the board. So, one of the one of them in there was
going to more of an indirect cost reporting for services rather than because everybody was doing it a little bit different. So, that was kind of the the thought of standardizing. how everybody's doing it, right? With the three counting,
>> right? So, it would be how things were paid for here versus there, it would be the same throughout all of them. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So, and that revenue, Mr. Chair, I got a couple things here. Um, so that revenue change that you're talking about there,
um, and and our director has brought that up about revenue going into capital for improvements and things like that. Is that what you're talking about? Trey, so it is addressed in the
the rental agreement that there will be money potentially made available for it. And yes, you would so let's say that it was $10,000 is what was going into a a capital building fund. The reason why
you would just have the county put it in there, you run it through Western Prairie is because then you get your financial match from the >> the federal government and then it goes in there and there's more of a paper trail to say, okay, well that needs to be spent
on this building. It limits. Now there the discussion was also that the counties just allocated and keep it sitting there and then when it's used it gets built. So that's not anything that's been decided that's in that agreement to be looked at. There's
there's different ways of doing it and it's okay as well. I feel like on that note then uh we're going to uh recess this board until 1:00. We have our whole township meeting and then at some point
after that meeting then we could adjourn from there. Is that how we do it? >> Yeah. Okay. All right. So, we we'll be recessed then until 1:00. Thank you. Troy, >> your head down, are you?