WEBVTT

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

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: wnZtcFDKFkk):
- 00:05:10: Call to Order, Pledge, Agenda Approval, Consent Agenda
- 00:07:32: Public Hearing Introduction: Lake Andrew Improvement District
- 00:11:07: Public Comment: Randy Arheart on Lake Assessments
- 00:13:56: Public Comment: Clyde Tiffany on Voluntary Contributions
- 00:15:58: Public Comment: Mike Tevin - Weeds, Lake Owners, State Park
- 00:18:06: Public Comment: Jeff Bessland - Self Treatment, Exemptions
- 00:22:27: Public Comment: Dave Kelly - Lid Costs, DNR Management
- 00:25:10: Public Comment: John Lindstrom - Supports Board, Reasonable Solution
- 00:25:44: Public Comment: Lori Besseland - Self Treatment, State Park
- 00:29:35: Public Comment: Chad Sheldall - Spraying Effects, Property Taxes
- 00:33:12: Public Comment: Kate Jeru - Opposes Lid, Taxes, Committee
- 00:35:45: Public Comment: Jenna Calvin - Save and Protect Lakes
- 00:37:43: Public Comment: Josh Kavanaugh - Lid Ineffectiveness, Cost
- 00:41:14: Public Comment: Randy Allayben - Support Lid Proposal
- 00:46:08: Public Comment: Vera Weber - Fair Share, Powers Committee
- 00:48:14: Public Comment: Mary Harvey - Lid as Insurance Policy
- 00:51:14: Public Comment: (Name Omitted) - Supports Lid Project
- 00:53:33: Public Comment: Julie Clark - Against Lid Proposal
- 00:54:09: Public Comment: Chris Anderson - Supports the Lid
- 00:56:26: Public Comment: Greg Spir - Supports Lid, DNR
- 00:59:38: Public Comment: Sue Anderson - Fairness, Faith in Board
- 01:03:07: Public Comment: Karen Maidell - Funding, Spending
- 01:06:06: Public Comment: John Whmer - Not Benefitting, Weed Activity
- 01:08:00: Public Comment: Elizabeth Hunner - Cozy Cove, Southshore Drive
- 01:11:24: Public Comment: Mary Benson - Coordinated Effort
- 01:12:36: Public Comment: Tim Harvey - Future Treatment Funds
- 01:14:34: Public Comment: Tim Henson - Lid Cost, Ongoing Concerns
- 01:16:15: Closing Public Hearing, Documentation Deadline, Recess
- 01:30:17: Emergency Operation Plan Update from Ace Bonama
- 01:35:08: Candi County Extension Program Update: 4-H, Master Gardeners
- 01:53:23: Proclamation: Foster Care Appreciation Month - May 2026
- 02:01:51: Proclamation: Childcare Provider Appreciation Day - May 5th
- 02:07:20: Proclamations: Mental Health Month and Awareness Day in May
- 02:21:17: Final Payment Approval: Highway Safety Improvement Project
- 02:23:09: First Quarter Financial Report: Public Works, Human Services


Part: 1

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Well, good morning everyone and welcome to the uh board of commissioners meeting for Candyo High County for Tuesday, May 5th, 2026. Uh first order of business. Please stand for the pledgece to the flag

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of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. I want to thank everyone who's watching on YouTube today as well as uh uh we

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have a uh full plus house uh in the uh uh in the chamber this morning and uh want to thank everybody for being here. Uh first item is the uh approval of our agenda today. Is there a motion from the commissioner?

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>> So move Mr. Chair. >> Commissioner Mck moves. Is there a second? I'll second that. Mr. Chair. Commissioner Bergens. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All opposed. >> Motion passes. Thank you. The next item is our consent agenda which consists of

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uh relatively uh uh routine items uh including the approval of our April 21st, 2026 county board legal minutes, approval of the auditor's warrants and claims. Uh there is an item in here, Wilmer Aerial Spraying Inc. permission

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to spray for tent worm caterpillars and supplemental nutrition assistance program joint powers agreement amendment. Uh are there any items on the consent agenda that uh any commissioners would wish to pull for further

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discussion? All right. Then hearing none, then I would accept a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Mr. Chair, I'll move. >> Commissioner Dale Anderson moves. >> I'll second that, Mr. Chair. >> Commissioner Dwayne Anderson seconds. Any discussion?

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>> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> All opposed. That motion passes. It is uh time now for a public hearing uh that we have scheduled. And this is for consideration uh uh surrounding a

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establishing a Lake Andrew Lake improvement district. Uh be uh before we uh we will have public comment on this. Uh but first I would ask uh uh County Auditor Lisa Weiss to uh come up and uh

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introduce this topic uh uh uh for us and then uh once that's laid out uh there may be a couple of questions up here clarifying questions and then we'll uh uh talk about the process for conducting the uh public hearing. Lisa, good morning.

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>> Good morning. Lisa Whis, Candy County Auditor Treasurer. This morning, we're here for the public hearing on the petition to establish the Lake Andrew Lake Improvement District. The petition was received from the Lake Andrew Improvement Association. The petition meets the requirements of Minnesota

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Statute 103B.521 and the public hearing is scheduled for this morning. At this at the public hearing this morning, the board will hear public comments on the proposed petition to form the Lake Andrew Lake improvement district. However, no action will be

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taken today. The decision on forming the Lake Andrew Lake Improvement District will occur at the May 19th, 2026 county board meeting. If established, the county board may modify elements of the petition, including district boundaries, functions, financing, or organizational

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structure in accordance with the statute. The petition was included in the 47 uh board packet. Today's board packet includes the DNR advisory report on the formation of the Lake Andrew Lake Improvement District. The DNR found that the purpose and

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activities noted within the petition are eligible for lid creation under Minnesota rule 6115.950. They also noted that the boundaries are sufficient to address the activities that the lid is being proposed for and approve the boundaries identified in the

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petition. Written comments have been received. They have been forwarded to the board as they were received by administrator Baker. Um what the county did in determining that the petition met the criteria was to review the criteria in both the

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administrative rules and the statute. We ran a report of our uh system that is coded with Lake Andrew as the lake. We identified 165 parcels that were coded as having lake access. Of those 13 of

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them were DNR properties. Um there were 152 remaining properties and we had 85 signatures. We counted one signature per parcel. So if somebody owned three parcels and they signed it three times,

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we counted it three times. If they owned three parcels and they signed it once, we only counted it once. So one signature per parcel. There were 85 signatures, which is 55% of um the land owners on the lake that signed the

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petition. There was um signatures in the petition were verified against the GIS report um as to who the land owner was. Any questions from the board of me at this time?

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Okay. If not, when the board is ready, I would request that the chair open the public hearing for comments. >> Lisa, thank you so much. Uh and at this time, we will open the public uh hearing. Uh ground rules uh for this is of course uh we expect that everybody

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will uh conduct themselves uh cordially and appropriately. And uh uh when you come up to speak uh uh please state your name and your address for the record. And uh we will be limiting uh comments

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to 3 minutes each. Uh and uh if someone has covered a point uh ahead of you, if several people have uh maybe you don't need to do that again, but of course that'll be entirely up to you. So uh so

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with that uh we don't have a list correct anything else I need to uh okay well then uh who would like to go first >> don't be don't be bashful >> we'll we'll go one two and three and

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then we'll we'll we'll we'll see what the waterfall brings us after that good morning. >> Thank you. I'm Randy Arheart, 19345 West Andrew Road. I've been on the Lake Improvement

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Association since 2021 and part of that is we attend a lot of seminars. One of those I attended was one with Margaret Johnson from the Soil Water Conservation District and she talked to us about lids as we're

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chasing down all of our AIS situations. When I left that meeting, I was all rah rah rah. Let's get this done because this is the way to go. But then she sent us information and you see we have 55% people in favor

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information we got back from other lids. There's a number of people that don't like to see extra assessments, which I don't either. Um, I would much rather see the state pay for AIS through boating, fishing, whatever that is. Extra funds

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come from the state, but that won't happen overnight. So, I kind of backed off after seeing all the other lids have some challenges in this situation. Um, but after our second year of trying to get $50,000 worth of donations to

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handle this, thankfully we have a lot of residents that that will do well with this, but it was a struggle and now I'm back on board and I think the lid is the best way to share it under current situations, share that

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with all the owners. um we have to be pick a board that is going to be good stewards of our lake and good stewards of our funds. So thank you. >> Thank you. And

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uh yeah I I had pointed to you for second and then this gentleman will go third. >> Good morning. >> Good morning chairman and rest of the board. appreciate being here. My name is Clyde Tiffany. I live at 718 South

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Andrew Drive Northwest. And um I would echo what what Randy Arheart just shared. But a little bit of the background is I came on the lake uh association board in 2023, which was the first year when we really started to

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address Eurasian water mil foil on a on a fairly widespread basis. And as Randy alluded to, uh, we had costs of up to 50,000 or thereabouts. And so after doing that for two years and going

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around and getting voluntary, uh, contributions from uh, very generous people, we started g getting the sense that there was uh, fatigue from donors and there's fatigue from volunteers going around hat in hand. So we I I was

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in the same boat as Randy at at one time. I thought I I really don't want another layer. I don't want another level to deal with. And yet, it seems like that is the most fair and appropriate way to move forward if we're going to address these issues in the future. And um we don't know what's

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coming at us. And you you need to have somewhat uh some some amount of dollars to work with if you're going to deal with star stone wart. if you're going to deal with increased amounts of Eurasian water mil foil. Um I would love it that it would be taken care of by the DNR and

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by the state, but at this point it doesn't appear there's funds to do that. In fact, funding is is dropping and so I'm uh a proponent of this uh this measure. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yes, sir.

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And my name is Mike Tevin, 202 South Andrew Drive. Uh, I think the lake association board is doing a great job. Great people trying to get rid of weeds. At least 2/3 of the lake owners should approve this. I believe at least uh six

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of the eight board members have weeds that have been there for many years. Uh much of it's because of a culvert going into the lake from across the road where phosphorus fertilizer is coming into the lake making weed growth worse. 50 years

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ago I was about 14 years old at a friend's cottage. Many of the summers when I was 15 16 and the weeds were five times worse than what they are now. Why is it fair for a million-doll house to pay more than a $500,000 house?

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Uh why shouldn't the state park and public access users pay anything? Uh weeds are good for fish populations. Putting chemicals in the lake can't be good. What about carp, zebra muscles,

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other invasive species that have been around? Uh, some people have been doing weed control themselves for many years. The Lake Andrew Association used to treat for tent caterpillars. Now, is the county doing it? I don't know who's

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doing it. That used to be a big thing. Uh, farmers don't just do a part of a field to kill weeds. They kill the whole lake. The county is the winner when it has

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clean lakes and more tourism. Past measures have not worked to control the spread of invasive species. This should be a county item for the 20some lakes that are in the county. Thank you. >> Thank you.

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Hi, I'm Jeff Bessland. I live at 20261 West Andrew Road, right in the middle of Koma Beach. I also have a small cabin right next door, 20281. I've been on the lake in some shape or form since 1968.

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Lake Andrew has always been a lake that contains a lot of weeds. Komao Beach and a few other areas of shoreline have become particularly weed infested in the summer when Milo showed up I don't know 8 10 years ago it got a lot of attention

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it brought weeds to everyone's attention on the lake however there's another one on the lake curly leaf pondweed that's been around since at least 1968 and I think that may be even a bigger nuisance than the uh than the mil foil right

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The curly leaf dies in June, blooms, and floats up and is matted all over the lake for the next two months. All those plants float to the top and end up in someone's shoreline. Lake

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Andrew has always been a shoreline maintenance lake. If you're looking for no maintenance lake, Lake Andrew is not it. In 2016, seven property owners along the Koma Beach shoreline

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found a licensed treatment company. It was Jacob Jacobson Environmental at the time. And since then, we have treated our own issue. It has worked well for us and has allowed us to enjoy our lakefront with a little less work. We

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still have weeds with many weeds growing all year and also floating into our shores, but it is now manageable. About four years ago, the weeds became a problem for several people on the main, let's call it the main lake. Lake association solicited funds from all

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lake shore owners. The participation was far less than 100%. In the succeeding years, the effort has become tougher and lake association has grown weary over the effort. Meanwhile, the Komao Beach Group had already been doing their own

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treatment for several years, taking care of their own lakefront on our own. The cost to me this year for my two properties is about $1,500. It's not cheap. We have been self-taxing oursel for 10 years.

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When the DNR granted the lake association and PLM, the new treatment company, a permit to treat, they limited the permit to a certain number of acres on the lake. The Komao Beach area that we were

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already treating on our own was included in the allowable acres. Yet, our area has never been included in the Alo Lake Association plan. Because of this precedent, we we believe

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if nothing else, we should be exempted from any and and any other property owners that may want to treat on their own from this proposed lid tax. I'm not sure that even all the property

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owners are aware that there is a self treatment option. If you look at the map, the vast majority of the weeds are in shallow water. well within property owners possible treatment areas. If you left these areas up to the indivi

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individuals, the areas out in the lake would be drastically reduced, eliminating the need for a $50,000 lead tax to all property owners and a minimum this should be studied and

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considered. We ex we are suggesting sir. >> Yes. Uh, I'm I'm at the end of the three minutes. If you can uh wrap it up in like 20 seconds. >> Well, I got quite a bit more. >> Quite a bit more.

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>> I understand. >> We're suggesting everyone treat their own. If they have an issue, PLM can look at the main basin and and go from there. Um, well, I guess I can wrap it up, but I've got quite a bit more. I'll maybe give

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the rest of it to somebody else. >> Understood. All right. Thank you. >> All right. Yes, sir. >> Hello, Dave Kelly. Uh, 1876013th Street Northeast, uh, in Lake Andrew. Thank you for the opportunity to come before you today and just share some

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thoughts. As you know, these types of weeds are invasive and there is no way to eliminate them. All you can do is control them. that is the only thing that you can do. Um I I really think it's important that we be clearly defined in what we're adopting with this

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lid proposal. Okay? Because a lot of people when the petition was going around, the $50,000 dollar amount was was what was thrown around. But as you guys know, a lid could last forever. It could be $50,000 a year. It could be $500,000. It could

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be a million dollars. We don't know what this looks like. And so I would ask um you know that cost there's four things that I would like to stress I guess is cost clarity. We need to know what this cost is going to be. The survey that that one in the proposal it says we're

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going to do a survey. We don't even know what that's going to cost. That could be $50,000. Okay. This is open-ended. As I mentioned, there's there's uncertainty for the property owners to know what the potential for significant long-term costs are going to be. Um let's see

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here. You know, the the other thought that comes to mind is the small committee and the way that it's structured. It even states in there that they can remove somebody for any purpose. Obviously, that would be for somebody that they want to remove from the committee if they are dissenting from the agreement.

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Uh, and again, I think it's been mentioned before, but there's a large portion of the lake that is managed by the DNR. And so I think that it's not equitable for a substantial amount of property owners to have to bear the cost when the DNR owns almost half of the

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lake. Where are they at the table? So I would ask given those concerns, I would ask that we if in this proposal or in what we're doing, we have to find limits or we have to find guard rails. Is it 50,000 one time? Is it 50,000 a year for 10 years? What is it? We don't know. And

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I would ask that there be some guardrails put into that place so that we know what the commitment will be. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh yes sir. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is John Lindstöm. I live at 1939 12th Street

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Northeast on Iber Beach in Lake Andrew. I'm just here to say that I support the work of the board. They've done extensible work on this issue and I believe it's a fair and equitable and and uh reasonable solution to providing

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a facility that would be uh uh designated and and designed to deal with with the AIS issues that come up on Lake Andrew. And I support the proposal. Thank you. >> Thank you.

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Yes. In the back and then here and here. You know who you are. Good morning. Thank you. My name is Lori Besseland, the second half of Jeff Bestund, and I have two properties on

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the lake. 20261 West Standard Road and 20281 West Andrew Road. So to continue on what he was saying is the plan of primary is the plan of primarily trust self treatment would respect everybody's wishes. There

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are many people who live on the lake that use it sparingly or not at all. There are other people on the lake that are fundamentally against the use of chemical treatments in the lake. With the lid tax, we are now forcing them to pay for something that they may be

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against or will not benefit from. A question could be asked, why not fold in Lake Andrew with the lake association treatment program? First, this would go against our previous statement of self treatment and respecting everybody's

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wishes. Beyond that, this would take much discussion and work for the lake association with PML and the GMO beach group. Our group is contracted with PLML for PLM for two treatments per summer.

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The first being in June and the second being in mid July. This is timed so that we can enjoy the lake during the summer months. PLM's contract with the lake association schedules their treatments in September

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and October. Our group doesn't feel a fall treatment would be beneficial for our situation. Now for the elephant in the room. The largest property on the lake is the state park, Sibly State Park, which we've talked about before. About a third

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of the lakes lid shore or the lake lakes shore. The lid proposal exempts them participating or receiving treatment along those shorelines. They won't pay. When you exempt a third of the lake from participation and treatment, the action

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ceases being a lake issue and becomes a personal issue. We expect the same courtesy exempt our area as we have already acted on our own. It would be our request that at minimum this process be slowed down for much further

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discussion and consideration. If that isn't an option, I respectfully request that our KOMO beach group be exempt from the lid tax by forcing us to pay the lid tax, our current program. It seems like we are being double taxed. I

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am veniently we are vehemently against the lid board. I don't believe my neighbors should be part of a board that decides to tax their neighbors and by how much. What happens when the $50,000 is not

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enough? When will enough ever be enough? What that should not be their jobs? Lastly, just a thought for the commissioners, the lake association and the proposed lid board. If you pass this proposed tax

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and all property owners who are all in the customer, you are all in the customer service business because of acreage limitations and inconsistent effectiveness. there would certainly be issues with something or everything

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related to this problem. And then if we could just get updated phone numbers that would be awesome. Thank you. >> Thank you. And this gentleman here and then over here.

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>> Do you have a way of submitting information? We brought some research um which speaks to the issues of spraying. I think there's a lot of research showing that uh >> Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Chad Sheldall. Address 2410

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West Andrew Road. My wife and I uh bought my aunt's house and uh we had to remodel it seven years ago. And I think part of this speaking up to what's been going on is part of the association problem with raising money is we've not

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been happy with the results cuz uh I mean I have great memories as you know from growing up you know Lake Andrew is a wonderful lake water quality when we moved seven years ago the water was clear but as soon as they did the

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spraying it became cloudy and we had been you know for our means you know been donating sizable money and we stopped cuz we don't like the results. It's cloudy. You can't uh uh you can't spearfish.

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Um I mean it used to be a joy. You sit on the boat and you can watch the fish swim around. So um want to submit some information. I think they're finding it even though you're having the newer chemicals are supposed to be less harmful, but they're finding research,

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it does settle out and it gets down into the the soils of the the lake. Um, I'm also uh getting back to it should be a voluntary thing. People should take care of their own uh invasive species as a

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management issue. There's no uh magic pill. uh the research is showing that uh manually removing the weeds is much more effective. We need to learn to live with the situation and not try to destroy things. Um

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I don't I don't think this is wise for the county to get involved in this in the sense you're are you taking on the liabilities down the road? Are these chemicals going to be harmful? We've seen what happened to Roundup when I remember when it came out and salesmen would drink Roundup. talk about how safe

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it is. Well, now you know Monsanto was losing billions of dollars in lawsuit. I mean, if you're if the county's putting their stamp of approval for anything the association does, are you opening yourselves up to liability? Also, we've been hammered with property taxes going up. Uh we're looking at retiring soon.

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We're not going to have the income we did. Uh you know, $200 may not seem much, but if you're already at the limit, this is, you know, this this adds up to people. And I think uh I just strenuously uh would say don't do this.

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I mean you really need to look into this a lot more. Uh and let's see. I think and then I think someone else spoke to where is this money going? We were initially told it was going to be spraying one or two years be done. If

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they're raising $55,000 a year, where's the money going? Uh are they going to be raising every year? I mean, this is out of your hands. uh where does this go? And $55,000 you you could easily pay to have people remove it mechanically or

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physically. Um where can I hand in our information? >> It's me. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. And yes, right there. >> Say that. >> Yeah. And just and before you start, uh

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if if anybody does have any uh information that they do wish to have as part of the record, uh to hand it in to administrator Baker. >> Uh I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Kate Jeru, 1878 13th Street Northeast.

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Um I agree with the three. >> I I'm sorry. I need you to speak up just a little bit more. A little louder. >> Oh. Um did you get my name and address? >> Yeah. Go ahead. Okay. Um, >> can she repeat it? >> Yes, please.

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>> 1878 Kate Jaru 1878013th Street Northeast. I agree or my husband and I agree with the previous three um speakers and we do oppose the laid. Um I think it's very

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unclear about what the money is going to be used for now and in the future. Obviously, we don't know what the future's going to bring. We are not in favor of chemically treating the lake. Um, and I think the idea of everyone caring for their own

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sections if that's what they want to do is a good idea. Um, then they can use the products they want or cut the weeds or whatever they choose to do. I'm not in favor of increasing the taxes. Our taxes are already way too high.

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And um I think that a lot of people that signed this petition probably didn't know any of the information that came out in the folder that was that was offered at the county building because none of that information was

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available at the time that the petitions were going around. So, I'm thinking that there were probably many people that signed that didn't really understand how this was all going to pan out. And this pan of of five um people that were going to make all

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the decisions and and decide how much money everybody was going to have to pay um and pretty much dictate who was on that committee by reason of eliminating people that were um voted in that they

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aren't happy with. Um, I just think the whole thing is not a good idea. >> Okay, thank you so much. Uh, there was someone in the back. Yes, thank you for hearing us today. Jenna

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Calvin, 322 South Andrew Drive, Cano High County. Looked on the website this morning. Can Wilmer Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. This is what Kando High County brags about. Welcome to Candio High County, a

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convenient place to vacation and enjoy the many freshwater lakes. Someone said 20 lakes. I read on your website this morning. Over 360 lakes. Tagline where the lakes begin. Minnesota land of 10,000 lakes. We need

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to save and protect the lakes. I'm a Lake Andrew property and a homeowner for 30 years. Our family has had lake property in Kenya County for about 60 years. Someone needs to step up. We can all blame someone else. The DNR needs to

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do it. The farmers need to do it. Your neighbors can do theirs. I'm very proud of the Lake Andrew property owners who stepped up and did donate and raise $50,000 to treat our lake. We are teachers, nurses, farmers, small

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business owners. We aren't rich people from the cities. I believe this would be an equitable way to treat the lake and keep it the beauty that it is. Yes, I too think the county and state should do more. But the lake serves more than the

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residents. It serves all of Kenyu High County and beyond. I was at the Sibly State Park this weekend visiting with people from Wilmer out there camping for the weekend enjoying the lake. Do the right thing board. Approve the lid for

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Lake Andrew. Thank you. Thank you. Uh who else would like to speak? Yes, sir. >> Um uh thank you. Uh my name is Josh Kavanaaugh. I'm here as a property owner. 20398 West Andrew Road. Um I

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emailed county commissioner's letter yesterday, so I'll just read a portion of that letter here. Um I appreciate the intent behind the proposed lake improvement district for Lake Andrew. However, I do not support the lid as currently proposed due to significant concerns regarding its effectiveness,

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cost structure, and lack of a comprehensive management plan. Um I've worked professionally for over 20 years in Minnesota on lake and wetland habitat projects. Through that experience, I understand there's no simple solutions when addressing water quality, habitat,

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and recreational concerns. I also understand that the current lid proposal, focused largely on aquatic plant control, will not provide any meaningful long-term improvements to Lake Andrew. We need to re-evaluate this proposal and develop a comprehensive

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long-term plan to effectively protect and enhance the lake. Protecting Lake Andrew will require strategic science-based approach. At present, there is no comprehensive plan in place that addresses watershed level

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nutrient inputs, shoreline management, or coordination with upstream lakes such as Norway Lake, Games Lake, Swan, and Henchin. Without a broader approach, the proposed efforts will have no impact. A lid to spray weeds on Lake Andrew will

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provide no benefit and over time will only make conditions worse. The cost burden to Lake Andrew lakes shore owners will be disproportionately high due to the limited number of owners who will be taxed. So there's a small base when compared to other area weed

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control projects such as Nest Lake and Diamond Lake. Results of those ongoing projects have shown to be ineffective. These weed control projects have been in place for years with virtually no sign of improvement in water quality or lake

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habitat. An effective lid plan must be watershed based and must include all appropriate conservation tools. Weed control projects are expensive, ongoing, and largely ineffective. Without a watershed based approach and broadened

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scope of work, we won't achieve the overall goal of an improved and enhanced lake. Spraying weeds is not the solution. Over time, it'll only help displace the native vegetation that is critical to lake health. There's no easy button when it comes to lake management,

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and I believe the lake association needs to take a step back and develop a more comprehensive lake management plan and lid proposal before any action can be taken on this matter. I appreciate your consideration and I'm hoping we can all work together on a

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more strategic plan to protect Lake Andrew and other important Candy County lakes. And then with that letter too, I kind of went on to list some different questions and concerns I had, including the validity of the petition, concerns

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with lack of public engagement notification, concerns with cost structure, again, especially when compared to Diamond Lake and Nest Lake, and just the overall efficacy of the lid proposal. >> Okay. >> So, I thank you for your time.

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>> Yep. Uh, thank you so much. Who's next? Is that uh Randy? Go ahead. >> Good morning. My name is Randy Allayben. I live at 482 South Andrew Drive Northwest and I'm here today to uh

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support the lid proposal. As most of you know, uh, I've been actively involved in the lake association and in aquatic invasive species. In fact, I was on your task force at the

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county until you discontinued it right at the start of the year. uh and I was on that committee for 10 years working very hard to try and improve invasive species for the entire county. Uh

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since the task force has been dissolved, you also know that the uh support for aquatic invasive species which came in the form of grants has been discontinued. This is the last year that

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that will go on. So, your support is waning uh to control invasive species. Uh over the years, Lake Andrew has seen invasive species

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increase. When I moved on the lake in 2001, we didn't have mil foil. We didn't have zebra muscles. I believe curly leaf pondweed was there. So, uh there was a

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start and we've certainly seen that increase. These are the species that the task force is looking to control. We've also worked hard to include all property owners. I know there's a

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dispute that happened years ago with the Komo Beach area and the lake association. I can't honestly tell you uh all the details because I have no clue what those are, but I know that the current board and task force is working very

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hard to include those property owners and to uh do what we can if the lid is formed to help support their efforts. As you may also know, the lake association cannot treat

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areas of the property that owners have close in to shore. That's that's regulated by the DNR and we work very closely with the DNR. The DNR regulates how many area acres of a lake can be

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treated. So, uh, you know, it's not controlled by the the lake association or the property owners. It's controlled by the DNR. Uh, and we've worked very

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actively with them since uh, 2022, getting inspections every year and getting approval for the areas that we're treating. I know there's concerns about the state park.

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I would love to have the state park included in this and we're checking to see if there's any way that can be done. What I will tell you is that the state park did treat the areas in front of

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their um the park in 2025. In fact, they spent over $20,000 uh treating that area. So, they are doing something. It's just difficult to get the DNR to support this effort.

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Again, I I don't like doing this any better than uh than anybody else. I don't like paying for things that I firmly believe should be a state issue, maybe a county issue, but

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neither of those organizations, yourself included, are are seeing a way forward to uh to support that. Uh so uh another comment was made about the overall health and one quick second I'll wrap up. watershed. We are part of

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the Chipoa wershed as you're aware. Uh I think Commissioner Anderson, I think you're on that board. It's a nonfunctional watershed. Uh there's been some financial issues in the past and we would love to see that support continue.

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So again, in closing, uh just want to offer my support and and uh see this LA organization approved. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Yes.

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>> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Vera Weber. I live at 20161 West Andrew Road and I also wrote a letter previous to this. Uh I guess some of my main concerns are that in the lit

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proposal it talked about how their main concern was that they wanted uh everyone to pay their fair share but yet I don't feel that their proposal actually benefits everyone equally. Um, so that was one of my concerns is that we're all

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going to be paying for uh I also live along the Komao Beach, so I pay for my own uh weed control in front of my home. And so I guess I I support the idea that if you have a weed issue on your property, then you should be uh handling

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that. Um, another uh what I felt was too that um it's yet another tax. As you know, Kenny, Ohio County, a lot of our property taxes, some of some of them uh were raised

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significantly this year and now it's yet another tax that's being placed on us. And I also think about I guess another fear of mine is how farreaching are the con uh powers of this committee um in a few years you

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know will it only be for invasive weed species I don't know I know in the in the pro uh in the petition it talked about um related programs and projects does that mean if if in the future

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suddenly they decide that our are our property owned wells or septic systems are an issue with the lake. Can they assess us for uh adding that? Are they adding a tax author if if this is a tax authority with those types of powers?

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So, I guess I I just have a lot of questions about how farreaching is the powers of this committee going to be and I support the idea that we should each take care of our own. Thank you. >> Thank you.

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Anyone else? Yes. >> Good morning. My name is Mary Harvey. I live at 194. >> I need you to speak up just a little louder for the microphone. And for those of us who >> My name is Mary Harvey. I live at

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1942612th Street Northeast. Uh, I support the lid petition. Um, I consider it an insurance policy for the quality of our lake. Uh a few of the

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um concerns today are about the control of the lid board that would be um established and every property owner on the lake has

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the control of that lead board by their vote on who is appointed or voted into the board. Um, another thing that was mentioned was that the treatments in other lakes like

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Diamond and Nest Lake have not been successful, which is not true. Nest Lake has harvest harvested curly leaf pond weed for years. They don't have to do it anymore. They've managed that.

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If they would have for aformed their lid prior to having to harvest, they could have treated the curly pond weed with chemicals, which is an aspect of what we

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would like to do and help the Komo Beach area with what they pay. Now, if they were part of the lid, then their

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treatment could be taken care of by that lid portion. I also think um that if everyone pays their fair share, yes,

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some people don't use the lake, some people use it a lot, but if our lake is becomes so weedinfested that you can't put a boat on it, then your property

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value goes down. So, I c I consider it an an insurance policy for the future um cleanliness of our lake. Thank you.

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>> Thank you. Anyone else? Chair Gardner and Commissioner Gail Anderson, I just want to uh express my full support of the lid project. The lid project is

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>> Chair, we all know you, but you got to >> 322 South Ender Drive Northwest. Sorry about that. Yep. Thank you, Dwayne. Um I really appreciate all the work that you guys do. you've got a very tough job and uh when you have the public in front

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of you, I appreciate your open process. I was talking with some people on the way in on how you take your public testimony today, but you don't act on it until two weeks from now. So, we do appreciate that. Uh Commissioner Anderson and Commissioner Mdike, uh when this thought was first coming to

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fruition, I reached out to both of you and told you what we wanted to do and uh you guys were in agreement of bringing it to a public hearing. So, thank you for that the opportunity. A little history lesson um goes back to uh I used to be the chair of the uh Kate County

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Lakes Association and when a AIS was first coming around, my wife and I traveled across the state attending seminars and meetings to try to prevent the spread of zebra muscles and we were very successful for that for a considerable amount of time in Kyu County, but now we do have it here as

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well. Um, so then the IS committee was established and I was uh one of the people that worked very closely with with Larry Kleinall in establishing that uh uh AAS committee. And so my history of lake preservation across Candy County goes back quite some time. This is

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another tool in the toolbox for the uh people of Lake Andrew to be able to control the uh AIS within their watershed and within the within Lake Andrew. So, uh, I fully support this. I urge you to vote in favor of it and, uh,

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thank you for your work and, uh, we'll be back in two weeks. >> Thank you. >> I'm Julie Clark and my address is 920 South Andrew Drive, New London. And I am a property owner. And my concern, I'm very concerned about

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the chemicals being put in the lake, any kind of kind of chemical. Um I don't feel it's the answer. And at this time too, I'm also against the lid proposal um for financial and just um the whole

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structure of it. So thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Yes. >> Good morning. My name is Chris Anderson. I am uh my parents bought property at 980 South Andrew Drive Northeast. More

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than 50 years ago. That's the Lungstrom family. It is now property has been transferred to my brothers and I. 50 plus years ago, my parents bought this property and put a seasonal cabin on that because that's what people did in

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the 1970s. Now, Lake Andrew has become a an uh area where there are year-round homes, which is wonderful. We have four generations of Lungstöms making family memories on that lake, which has been a blessing for our family.

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The water quality is important for everybody's property value. If we don't have a clean lake, our values go down. I understand that nobody wants to pay more taxes. I don't either. We have a seasonal property. We don't live there

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year round. However, those five or six months in the in the summer and spring when we are there are the most important for our family in the whole year. So I I support the lid because it's very difficult for people to collect money on

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a continuing basis to treat the L the lake quality that we all benefit from. I realize there has to be a coordination between the water quality for um the lakeshed or the watershed area should be

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involved in this. It would be great if the Chipoa Lakeshed could could in uh advise and improve the treatments, give us some some kind of coordinated effort. But I think since the county and the

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state is not stepping forward to take care of the quality of Lake Andrew, then it's up to our citizens. And if the best way to to accomplish that is with a lid and everybody paying some kind of share, then that's what I think needs to be

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done in order to protect the lake. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Yes. >> Hi, I'm Greg Spir. I'm at um 822 South Andrew Drive Northwest

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and um I guess um I do support the uh the lid because I don't think we saw as bad as it could it could get. Um, I I' I've been on

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other lakes where your razor mil foil literally made it a mat where you couldn't motor through uh to get to to the shore without stopping and cleaning your motor off several times. Um, so I guess I

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appreciate the work the the association has done. Um, and I I can't imagine going around and trying to collect money for this because it's it's thankless work. Um, as far as the chemical impact um on the

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lake, I don't know what that's going to be, but I have to assume that DNR knows and permits uh a safe level of use on the lake. And um I guess I I uh originally was

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skeptical when the association started collecting money for this and at first I didn't I thought, "Oh my gosh, I'm an angller. It's going to impact my fishing." Um and is it going to work and is going to be wedi in front of my house and is it not going to get treated and am I going to

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have to treat it too? Um and I I you know I guess there's a lot of questions that aren't answered. Um but it uh some people propose that all lake shore owners treat in front of their property. Well, how much chemical is

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going to be thrown in the lake then versus versus um this? I don't know what's worse or better, but I do know that um in places where it was has not been treated and in places where previous to treatment, it was the the

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mat it it's from 0 to 15 ft of water and it almost looks like you could walk on it. So, what value is that? Um it's not real weedy in front of my house. Um, so I'm not super concerned about it, but

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it's very annoying to have those weeds drifting through. And that's how they spread. They don't spread by seeds. They move around and they rerout. And uh, it's almost a given that if we don't do something at some level, it's going to

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be that way all the way around the lake. And the sunken island's going to be solid mil foil like it it was a few years ago. Um, so I have to have faith in the DNR allowing the right amount of treatment in the right locations and I

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appreciate the board and the people that are um doing all the work to try to keep it under control. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Good morning. Thank you for this

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hearing. My name is Sue Anderson. I live at 19230 12th Street Northeast on Lake Andrew. Aren't we lucky to live on Lake Andrew? When we came up to um figure out where we wanted to cabin, we chose Lake

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Andrew. Even though Green Lake is we were from Redwood Falls originally and everybody in Redwood Falls, if you had a cabin on Green Lake, boy, you had made the the move. Then we found Lake Andrew thanks to some friends and what a secret

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little gem. In fact, don't tell anybody about Lake Andrew because we love it so much. I support this lid and and the reasons are what was just said by the previous two people,

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the fairness factor. Um, we can say, okay, well, if you want to treat, you should. And I have seen a neighbor stand on his dock and throw stuff in the water to treat the lake. And then when you kind of say, well, do you have a permit?

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Oh, no. I It'll be fine. I just need to get rid of the weeds. And so, like the previous presenter said, well, if everybody is just if we're told, okay, well, if you've got weeds treated and then it's a lot of work to get that permit, that takes a lot of coordination

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and you do have the DNR hopefully who's done the research and found out what chemicals are the best for the lake and what will be the least uh impact. That's more important than my than the neighbors standing on the dock saying, "Well, I don't like my weeds and I just

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bought this. I don't even know where he bought it." Um, I don't know if there's a black market for weed control, but I think that a coordinated effort to protect our little gem, our little secret is the most important thing we

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can do. There's research in this. We have seen the weeds go down once the the actions have been taken and we really appreciate that. We're getting our sweet little lake back. And the other thing is

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if we resort to okay well let's just go good faith. Let's just have you know it's our lake. We need to take care of it. The first year I think the collection went great. the second year. Well, I already gave last year and by

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the time you go to a third or fourth or fifth year, it's just going to keep going down. I was visiting with someone and I said, you know, it's a good insurance plan. We have insurance on our homes. If our home burns down, we've got nothing at the lake. You put up a tent or a camper, but it's not the same as

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having a home. So, it's an it's an insurance plan. His point was, well, it's not fair. A lot of people use the lake. Why don't they have to pay? I said, 'Well, how are you going to do that? Well, we'll just put a tin can by the where they put their boats in and we'll just hope they put some money in.

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And we all know that doesn't work either. So, a coordinated effort. And then the other thing is I think our board has just worked so hard on this and we have to have some faith in them. They're our neighbors. They're not doing this to get your money. They're doing

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this to protect our lake and that's what this is about. And so I am fully in support of this and I thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak? >> Yes.

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>> Good morning. I'm Karen Maidell at 1120 South Andrew Drive Northwest. Um I appreciate the work that has gone into this proposal and the shared goal of protecting Lake Andrew. I believe everyone here wants a healthy lake for

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current and future generations. However, I have serious concerns about how this district is being structured. Specifically, uh fairness and funding and accountability and spending. First, the proposed funding model is based on

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property value, meaning higher value homes pay more. I respectfully disagree with this approach. We have all equal access to the lake. Whether a home is valued at 200,000 or 2 million, each owner has the same opportunity

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opportunity to use and enjoy it. Because of that, cost should be shared equally among all lakefront property owners, not scaled based on the home value. A good comparison is an HOA. In most associations,

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residents pay the same dues for shared amenities like pools and landscaping because access is equal. The same principle should be applied here. Tying fees to property values creates uh inequity where there shouldn't be

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any. Second, I have concern about how funds will be used over time. This proposal sets up ongoing annual collections, but there are no clear safeguards to ensure funds are only collected and spent when truly necessary.

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What happens in years when treatment is minimal or not needed? Will assessments go down? Or will there be pressure to spend money simply because it exists? I'm concerned that having a guaranteed pool of money could lead to overt treatment, especially with chemicals,

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rather than discipline. needs-based approach. At a minimum, I would encourage equal cost per property, not valuebased, annual justification before collecting or spending funds, clear transparency

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around treatment decisions in chemical use, strong accountability so property owners understands how decisions are made. In closing, I support protecting Lake Andrew, but the structure needs to be fair, transparent, and responsible.

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Right now, I don't believe this proposal may this proposal meets that standard. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Anyone else? Yes, sir. >> Uh, my name is John Whmer. My address is

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1 19977 Andrew Road West. I am the property that has the reef in front of their place that goes out 200 feet into the lake and is approximately

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uh waist deep full of bull rush uh cattails. No bull rushes. Had this property since 1930. I don't see where I'm going to benefit uh the rest of the community.

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Why I should b not benefit when all the rest are. It depends on how they maintain their lake shore. I've got a neighbor right next door got a sandy beach and then he's got grass right down to the water's edge. And if you talk to

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this gentleman here, he'll tell you that's not how to maintain your property for good lakes shore uh lake quality. Right. >> Yeah. Am I right? >> I'm sorry. I'm going to I'm just going to ask you to address the uh >> I was uh in the landscape business for

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40 years and uh I don't disagree with trying to fix the lake but I don't think it's being treated fairly when actually I picked the lake shore 30 years uh 1930 my grandfather picked the lake shore

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because of duck hunting. He didn't care about water skating or what all this other stuff. So, but I can see a lot of people around the lake, too. And where there's activity, that's where you're going to have the weeds, turning up the

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the weeds and cutting them out. So, yeah, I'm kind of emotional about this issue because been on this property for a long time. I don't think I'm being treated fairly. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else?

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>> Yes. Hello, I am Elizabeth Hunner. My father was a road contractor and some of you probably have known him in the past. My father built

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the cabin on Cozy Cove. There's only five houses on Cozy Cove. the Bible camp. Then there's five cottages. We come in from County Road 40 where the

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new Tippy Tonka is being built. My father picked this lake because it was clean, but when the wind comes from the west or northwest, it's always coming over to the southshore.

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just the east shore. I mean, if you've noticed, everybody that's come up here today has lived on Southshore Drive, and they come in from County Road 40

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also. And there has been weeds. I have been fishing on this lake ever since I was eight years old. And now I am 80.

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And I oppose this because we a lot of people here work hard on our beach and it's called Cozy Cove. We take care of our weeds if there is

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early in the spring. I'm out there picking some out by the roots and bringing them in. and we haul them to the dump. And I can honestly say over all these years, the people that are complaining

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on the Southshore, which they have weeds, but they've always had weeds there. And if if um Cozy Cove, not Cozy Cove, Komao Beach wants to be treat their own. I think

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that's fair. I treat my own. I'm out there picking and we don't have on our beach cozy co

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five homes. We don't have weeds. Ma'am, >> she address us, please. >> Yeah. Would you just Yeah, just >> I'm opposed to this because I think people who have weeds should talk to the DNR and treat their own.

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>> Okay. >> Otherwise, I would like to be exempt from this cuz I don't have weeds. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yes. In the back. Good morning. My name is Mary Benson and

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I live at 876 Southwest Andrew Drive. I don't have any weeds in front of my house. In fact, we're very blessed that we can go swimming every day and it's great, but I do recognize that there are weeds and evasive species across the

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entire lake. And I get a little nervous about using chemicals, but if it's used one time in a coordinated effort, I think that's better than a bunch of people doing their own thing. How do we know

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how all these different chemicals and all these different treatments react in our water? I'd much rather see it be coordinated. And I think that the um lake association board has done a lot of research and come up with a really good

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plan working with the DNR to make it a coordinated effort. So I support the lid and um thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Yes, sir.

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Good morning and thanks for the availability for this uh meeting today. My name is Tim Harvey uh 1 19426 12th Street Northeast um in uh

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New London on Lake Andrew. Um, I want to speak in support of the lid. The so much of that has been said this morning uh rings true for all of us on the lake. Uh, none of us like higher

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taxes or to pay more for um these kinds of services, but I think I think we need to look to the future um and see what's coming down the road or as best we can. And I think the um lake board has tried

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to do that. Um when you don't have a coordinated effort to take a look at these problems that of the invasive species, then we are left to individual

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uh treatments or individual actions by property owners which um can be good for their individual property. But does it really handle the overall situation on the lake? Um, looking forward to the

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future, if you have some mechanism in place where you can battle that and have the funds to battle the new um things that are coming down the road, the new challenges for the lake, then at least you have something to uh stand on um to

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give treatment for that. So I again I support the the uh lid program for the lake and uh thank you for making the comments available. >> Thank you.

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Anyone else? >> Anyone else? A last and final call for anyone who >> Yes, sir. Hi, my name is Tim Henson. Uh, I have an have a cabin at uh 11:08 South Lake Andrew Drive Northeast. And I haven't

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really been updated on a lot of stuff through this on I have a lot of questions like what is it going to cost each homeowner? Is this going to be an ongoing thing every year? Is it going to go up every

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year? What if we don't need it? Are you guys going to be giving us a proposal for this, telling us what's going to happen, or who's going to do all this stuff? >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> The Lake Improvement District.

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>> Okay. They'll give us a letter on everything that's going to happen with this then. >> Correct. They have that proposal. Will they be mailing that to us then or >> I would look to your executive committee um for the lid.

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>> Okay, that's just my concern. >> This is this isn't anything we're bringing forward. >> Okay. >> This is this is a local effort by your neighbors. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah, >> you bet. Thank you. Anyone

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else that wishes to speak before the board? We'll give uh we'll give one last opportunity. This is your last chance. All right. Then seeing and hearing no one else that wishes to speak before the board, uh we will close the public

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hearing. Uh if you did have uh supporting documentation as we mentioned earlier uh that you wanted as part of the record uh uh please have that in by end of business today for the uh uh w with the administrator's office. So we will close the public hearing and our

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next uh actions will be taking place uh at our following uh county board meeting in two weeks. Uh I want to thank everyone who came here today to let us know uh where they stand on this uh on this important issue and uh uh we uh uh

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we will be making a decision like I said in two weeks. So with that uh unless anyone up here has anything they wish to uh add as part of process uh otherwise we would take a 10-minute recess. Commissioner B.

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>> Thank you Mr. Chair. I'd just really like to add too that as a commissioner you can contact us individually as well. Uh but ideally if went to administrator that way electronically when you got some papers and research like that to get out to us.

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>> I I I forgot to ask did you have other uh yes >> communications that uh were needed to be part of this? >> No. >> Okay. >> I should have asked that before. All right, then we will uh we will recess for 10 minutes.

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Thank you everybody. The Candy Ohio County Board of Commissioners is back in session. At this time, we'll hear from uh emergency management director Ace Bonama. Uh Ace has an update for us in regards to the emergency operation plan. Ace, good morning.

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>> Good morning. Ace Bonama, your emergency management director. John Gilbertson, my deputy director with me as well. Part of our job at emergency management is having an emergency operation plan known as an EOP. This plan serves as a framework for dealing with uh how we work together during times of disaster.

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Our emergency operation plan goes through changes and is reviewed every year. One year reviewed by HSCM, Minnesota Homeland Security Emergency Management. One year it's reviewed by neighboring emergency manager. One year it's reviewed by a regional review committee. And one year it's reviewed by

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the county board. which is why I'm here today. We're seeking your acknowledgement that we're bringing the EOP before you. And due to the file size and confidential information such as personal phone numbers, the EOP was not included in your packet, we instead will be getting you an individual copy of the

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EOP on a jump drive for you to review and return. If there are members of the media or public that are interested in the emergency operation plan or talking disasters in general, we're they're welcome to stop by our office and hopefully we can answer any questions they have. So, unless you want me to

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dive into the nearly 500page document, which John and I are ready for today, if you want, um, I'll just uh open up for general questions and comments. >> Uh, any uh any questions for Ace? And thank you for not going through all 500.

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>> I thought all those people were here to talk EOP this morning. I was excited. >> I am. I I am because I was I I was thinking about this when I saw this on the agenda. I know that we had some training from as a board uh from HSCM uh

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here a few years ago and uh uh I understand there's talk maybe of uh maybe a tabletop exercise or something next year. >> Yeah, whenever you're ready, whatever time you you allow us. Um we've been busy talking to different departments about things like cyber security

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emergencies and doing a lot with school preparedness and so whenever you're ready, let us know. I would I I I would suspect that next year would be would be a good time for us to do something like that. >> Sounds great. >> Commissioner B.

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>> Yeah. Would you clarify a little bit more about the jump jump uh drive that it'd be available for us? I recall this coming up once before and I saw the jump drive right now without seeing all that information or looking at it. How do you have any questions? But

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>> right and so basically Melissa after the meeting today we'll get each of you board members a jump drive you can review it at at your leisure um it's a living document so there's always changes going on so if you see something that we need to tweak or something let us know and when we bring those changes

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back um it's kind of on this four-year rotation that um I think the last signature page was in 2022 so it's time to refresh those signatures make sure everybody remembers it blows the dust off of it. Hopefully, it's something that we never use, but unfortunately, we

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do deal with disasters once in a while, so it's it's good to have this framework. >> Thank you. And last time I was chair, that that's when this happened then, too. So, thank you, >> Commissioner Dwayne Anderson. >> Thanks, Asa. You do a great job. I just want to say that, but I did have one

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question. I don't know, maybe this is something that we just talk off on the side, but uh the weather radar issue, are you where is that at? We are still uh our application is in with the LCCMR. Um we have been busy talking as a matter

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of fact I have a meeting with a senator coming up trying to encourage people to um let the LCCMR know that our project merits going forward. So we're working on those proposals. Um as far as the bill in front of the legislature, we're not very hopeful that anything's going

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to happen this year. So we're kind of hanging everything on that LCCMR. It's a little different for us because I look at it from public safety and obviously with Ryan Ericson's death and stuff. It's like that's the key issue with the LCCMR. We're looking at it from an

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environmental issue. Um, but the floods that we suffered last year is a prime example of how this radar could have benefited us and how it it uh it serves more than just public safety. Um, we're talking about um grass fires that are being able to be detected by some of

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these radars. So, um, important stuff. Right now, we're hoping that the LCCMR approves our project. We won't know until June if that, uh, is moving on. So, >> thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions for the director?

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>> All right, Ace, thank you so much for the update. Appreciate it. >> All right. At this time, we'll receive a program update uh in regards to Candi County Extension. Uh and uh come on up. Good morning.

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>> Good morning. Uh thank you for allowing us to meet with you today. I'm Trish Sheen. I'm the regional director that works with Candy Ohio County Extension. I'm just going to highlight a couple things and then I'm going to turn it over to uh Beth and Kylie. Um they're your local educators who are doing um

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the boots on the ground work. Uh so first of all um I just want to highlight the Minnesota 87 project. Um some of you may have seen this at your um association association of Minnesota counties meeting. Uh but this is a um a communications project that we have

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worked on that's really highlighting what is happening in extension. We know that 4 happens here in Candyo High County and we know that master gardeners and are happening here as well. I point at Kylie because she leads the master gardeners and both of them are working 4. Um but we have many other things that

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are happening throughout the county and across the state. Um the highlight of the the main article is about the um clean energy resource team that worked with the city of New London to um implement solar power uh within that community. Um on the back side it also

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talks about our um employees, the number of youth. These guys are reaching um over 700 youth in this county uh which is absolutely amazing. U they have we have 27 different partnerships both um partnerships that Beth and Kylie have but also partnerships that other

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regional educators and some of our um state faculty have as well. Um this group highlight or this piece highlights our master gardeners and the work that they're doing. Uh we have some financial capability education that's happening um within our um courts systems. Um, we

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have an egg ambassador in this county with a 4- egg ambassador. And, um, we also talk a little bit about the master naturalist, which is the next thing that I, uh, just want to share with you is that we do have a master naturalist program. Um, similar to the master

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gardener program in that it is a volunteer type organization where we train the individuals and they give back um, by hours of service. Um so in Candy Ohio County in 2025 we um had 485

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service hours given by um 14 volunteers in this county. Um so Master Naturalist is also a program that is fostering that understanding and appreciation and stewardship of our environment and our natural resources. Um, so these

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individuals are are working um with our lakes, with our um grasslands, um things along those lines. And we actually have 12 master naturalists from Candy Ohio County. 14 individuals gave service. So

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some from other counties worked in Candy Ohio County, but we actually have 12 that live in this county. Um, so that is a piece that we can share an email and I can leave some of the 87 project with um Melissa and Kelsey so that they can have them as well. But now I want to sh um

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let Beth and Kylie talk about what's happening here in the county related to 4 and master gardeners. >> Mair, uh, Commissioner, >> before Michigan leaves the podium, I have a question. Master gardeners versus, uh, ma master naturalists about

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how many in each? I I just want to in my mind see the comparison. >> So we have 12 master naturalists and I'm going to turn it to Kylie to tell me how many master gardeners you have over 20. >> Yeah, there's about 25. >> Thank you guys. Go ahead. >> All right, Kylie. Good morning.

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>> All right. Good morning. As Trish mentioned, my name is Kylie Shared and I'm one of the extension educators here in Candyohigh County and I oversee the master gardener program as well as half of 4 in Candy Ohio. Um, a little bit about 4. There's four different ways

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that youth can participate in the program. Half of it is opt in um on their own choosing and the other half is through partnerships that we have throughout the county and you'll see that on your handout that we have here as well. Um, but I did just want to

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highlight that the opt-in portion of 4 is really important because it helps build character skills for kids as well as career readiness and um just being able to work in the community is something really important that 4 does. So a lot of kids here in Candy Yohigh,

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we are pretty grateful for our program that we have and we have clubs and youth that are participating in their township in their town and throughout the county. So, it's pretty it's a pretty good uh program that we have here in Candy, Ohio. I'll turn it over to Beth and she

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can talk some statistics for you. Yes. So, like Kylie mentioned, the opt-in option, that's what we call our traditional community clubs. Um, so we have 11 community clubs throughout the county. These are our volunteer-led clubs. Within those, we have 194 youth

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currently enrolled. Our number should be going up in a couple days here once our annual IDs are due. Um but within those 53% of those youth are grades six and up. Um so there are older youth there. The youth that we're looking for or looking to for leadership um and those

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types of skills. Out of the 194 youth, 23 of those are seniors and 36 of those are firsttime members. Um so that's some exciting facts to look at. Um and then within our sitebased clubs, so these are the clubs that Kylie and I go to. We partner with schools. We partner with lo

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local organizations and we go to them. We are serving 289 youth so far this year. So 45% of that is from the Wilmer community and 32% of that is from the BBE community. Um but we're serving a lot of kids within the county, but a few

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that come um from outside the county as well with our homeschool group. Um and then Kylie's also teaching at Lakeland Elementary with the second graders there as well. So, we also just wanted to highlight some of the things that we have coming up this summer. Um, as you know, summer

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is our very busy season in 4 world. Uh, there's something all of the time. So, we have our typical showcases with a county fair, horse show, dog show. Um, then we also have a bunch of day camps that we're excited for this summer to bring project learning to some of our

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youth. And then we have educational events. We are going to be trying to do an egg tour this summer um just with different businesses in Candyohigh to kind of promote that career readiness for youth and we have our afterchool clubs which is the third type of club

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that Candyohigh has where we do um different programming in the summer. So we will be doing that up at New London Spicer for their PALS program and then at the YMCA here as well. Do we have questions on the 4 side

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before I switch to master gardener? >> Uh first of all, thank you for uh for your presentation and uh a question came to my mind as uh as you were talking about some of the programming. Uh you know, you can you can live in any one of our cities, but we are still decidedly

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rural people. uh and we have a lot of folks that uh uh have uh far different backgrounds uh than what you would think of maybe as a more traditional uh 4 participant. Uh can you speak to any uh programming uh that you have or is maybe

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being considered uh that might uh involve underserved or uh uh non-traditional youth and communities? >> Absolutely. So, one of the ways that we work with that in Candyohigh is by going into school systems. Um, and so that is

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with our sitebased programs that we do. And so, I've been working with Lakeland for the last three years and teaching youth about agriculture in the schools just because the Wilmer school district here, they are a little bit less rural than some of our other schools are. So,

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um, I teach a program called Grow a Pizza where we talk about how plants are grown for our sauce, how animals are made into our meat. Um, wheat is grown for our crust and dairy, we use that for our cheese. So, that's a program that

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I've been doing with Lakeland and I'm hoping to expand that throughout some of the other elementary schools here. Um, and then some of the other programming, Beth does some with community education if you want to talk about that. >> Yeah. So I kind of focus with community education. So the afterchool portion of

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it. Um I've been bringing in some STEM robotics um for the youth to see a little bit out outside the agriculture and livestock world. Um and then we also have been working with our the local Dream Technical Academy. Um and so they are also a community club. Um and so

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helping get those youth uh showing them different things that are different possibilities for them to do as well. >> Yeah. because I think of uh a lot of our newer uh residents uh uh they come from predominantly rural uh background so it

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seems seems a natural fit. U any other uh Commissioner Dale Anderson >> I just want to say thank you guys very much for what you've done. I think it's pretty amazing to watch how the enrollment has gone up in Kenyui County. The big thing I want to have maybe you touch on a little more is, you know, we

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talk a lot about agriculture, but I think you guys have done a lot of work and I think there's a lot of potential there and a lot of different things that we can do that aren't agriculture. And I if you guys want to touch on that a little bit about different programs or different projects that you guys have started or are looking at for people

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that that don't have an egg background. I think that's kind of cool. >> Yeah, I can touch base on this a little bit. So we have an ambassador program in Candyohigh which is not a requirement to have an agriculture background at all. And so with the ambassador program, we

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have our base level which is our club and then they can take that a step further and be involved as an ambassador on the county level or even the state level. This year we do have two a ambassadors as Trish had mentioned. Um but in Candy Yohigh we have 14 ambassadors from throughout the county

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and we come together monthly and we do different leadership events. We do different projects. We talk about how we want to promote 4 in the county. Um it's a it's a big leadership opportunity for

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our youth here. And then I guess aside from agriculture, one of the things I'm very excited for this summer is our crafts and fine arts camp that we're going to be doing in my three years that I've been here. We have not necessarily led a crafts and fine arts day camp yet.

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Um, but if you look at your handout here, crafts and fine arts is actually our big one of our biggest projects here in Candy, Ohio, you'll see that exhibited a lot at the fair. And so with that, I'm going to be doing um art around the world. And so we're going to do a different art project from each uh

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continent. So I'm pretty excited for that one. Yeah. And then something that I um were almost hit year two with it is that we started or revamped our shooting sports and wildlife program. Um so this is for the youth to learn the safety safety and basics of shooting sports, but also

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wildlife. Um how to do animal tracking, um those types of things. So within with less than two years, we have um 30 youth that have joined just the archery side of the program. This year I'm looking to expand in shotgun, rifle, pistol, and

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some ATV training as well. >> Thank you. Uh Commissioner Dwayne Anderson, >> I got just one question. Maybe I missed it. What is WOW Day? >> So WOW Day, um we are honestly still trying to figure out what WOW officially

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means. Um but it's our performing arts day. Um where it's four different things that are going on that day. So performing arts, so youth can come and do um piano pieces, dance um pieces. Um and then it's our public presentations, so youth come and do speeches or

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demonstrations. Our fashion review day, so youth um can uh thrift an outfit, create an outfit, and they'll walk down a runway with that. Um and then our foods review where youth will create a meal um and present that as well. >> Thank you, Commissioner Rimduk.

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>> Yeah, thank you. Yeah, it seems like um a lot of years ago when I was in 4 and and it was different then what it is today. Uh for sure pretty much all farm animals in those days and projects. Um, but you you wonder about the relevancy

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of 4 over the years. And I think one of the biggest testaments to the uh relevancy of 4 is the $35 million that's going to get spent on the 4H building at the Minnesota State Fair. And uh I've in my 71 years, I've probably been to 60

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state fairs and will continue to go and that's always one of my favorite stops. >> Absolutely. I think the 4 building um is a testament to the longstanding um growth and development that 4 provides for young people. It's and I

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think what they're looking at for the future of that 4 building is to be more than just what happens at state fair, but it's um those opportunities that we can provide education, leadership development, communication development, all of those key life skills that young people need um will be able to things

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will be able to happen there during the those summer months. Um, it will not be a building that's heated all year round. Um, because I guess there's some structural things that happen when you do that. Um, but it will definitely be used throughout the May to October because we also use it for state shows

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and dog show is held there and it's very active building. So, >> all right. Any last questions? >> Uh, Commissioner, >> sure. I'm weigh in too. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I have to say extension does such a great job of collaboration too

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with all the other organizations in our community and I noticed the afterchool programs that New London uh schools PALS program and the YMCA program and you kind of touched on that but can you elaborate a little bit more on the YMCA since I'm very interested in the YMCA as

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well? Yeah. So, with the YMCA, um that's a local, um summer program that's going on for youth, um I think kindergarten through sixth grade or so. Um so, we go in once a month or once a week. Um and

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we kind of teach them just a little bit of everything. So, one day we'll go in and we'll be bringing some animals. The next day we'll go in and be doing some STEM activities. Um so, just giving them different opportunities to learn different things. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, anything else that you

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wish to >> Yes, I'll do a really, really quick master gardener report. I promise. >> Perfect. >> Okay. So, the master gardener program, we have seven different priorities for a master gardener. And so, every year in Candyohigh, we've been trying to highlight one of those priorities to

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kind of see how we want to focus on that and do different projects in the community. Last year we focused on clean water and we had a display at the fairgrounds and we had done different water projects. We worked with soil and water conservation for that. And this

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year we are going to be focusing on local food, which is perfect because Candy Ohigh actually was just featured in the state master gardener report for our project that we have been doing for several years with hope for our city where we have master gardeners grow

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tomatoes, peppers, and basil and then we give those away at Hope for our city and that is actually happening next week. Um so if you would like to come and see what that's all about, I invite you over there on Wednesday. Um, but it's a really great project where we hand out

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many plants to try to grow local food in our county. And so that is what we decided to highlight this year. So when you visit us at the county fair, we'll be having a display on local food as well. And then master gardeners are also going to be doing different educational

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opportunities in the summer on growing your own vegetables and maintaining your own community gardens. Um, we will be doing a collaboration with 4 and doing a vegetable day camp. Um, and then there's multiple library programs that we have going on as well. So, if you take a look

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here, I did want to highlight some of our people that have been here for quite some time. So, our year awards, we have a 25 year here in Candy, Ohio this year, and that was Bonnie Swenson, and a 10-year, which was Inest De Jesus. And

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our awards, um, Becky West hit 3,000 hours this year. So, we have very dedicated volunteers in Candy Ohio and Daryl Anderson hit 1,000 hours as well. Um, we have two interns this year as well. And so, we're growing the program

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every year in Candy, Ohio, too. Um, one of the things that we were very excited for this year was we were trying to do a garden event with the entire community and that was actually last week. We held that here um in the building downstairs

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and we called that the garden gathering. And we had a speaker from the university come down and present on plant propagation. And we also had a a secondary speaker come from the Reamer area and they talked about local food

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and growing community gardens. And so we had a pretty good attendance for attempting this at our first our first try out. And so we're looking forward to doing that year after year. Now questions. >> Outstanding.

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>> I have one thing after listening to you guys. If anybody's bored this summer, they should come talk to you guys. They can have a lot of things to do. So, >> absolutely. >> All right. Well, thank you so much for uh coming uh and seeing us here today

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and uh keep up the good work. Thank you so much. And yeah, it sounds like an exciting summer coming up. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks again. >> Right. At this time, uh we have three different proclamations uh that we want

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to uh uh highlight here uh today. Uh the first would be uh foster care appreciation month. Uh and uh come on up. >> Thank you. Good morning. Robin Striker, Children's Services Supervisor. Um, I

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supervise our children's mental health unit, um, child foster care licensing, daycare licensing, and our truency unit. Um, before I get started with the proclamation, Leanne, um, is here and she'll share a little information about child about foster care.

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>> Yes, good morning. >> Good morning. >> Hello. So I'm the child foster care licenser for Kanduway County and what some statistics from this last year. So January through the current, we have had 28 children in our foster care setting.

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So either a relative home or a non-relative home. This excludes like um residential placements, drug treatment, things of that nature. currently are we are down and I've said this a year or two ago when we spoke last but we are down in our non-relative

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homes. We only have six homes that will take non-relative children. Um the biggest reason being because we have a major push from the state to place with relatives. So 99% of the homes I

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license are relative homes or people that have significant relationships to that family. Um we have so the six traditional homes and I have one in application currently. We have five relative homes and five in

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application. We've closed out quite a bit due to transfer of custodies, adoptions, things of that nature. Um but what we are needing currently right now is respit care providers and emergency

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placements um placement homes. So for respbit we utilize that significantly um for to kind of ensure that like caregivers that we are working with get a break when needed and

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the kids get a break from their caregivers. all those things um to essentially reduce residential placements that cost the county a lot of dollars and um to

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like I said give the breaks to the kids. We need the emergency placements. So let's say there's a drug bust and we have to go out right now. We have zero idea who family members are and we have to place those children with a caregiver

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immediately while in the interim we are working on looking for family members to um care for those children. So currently we just started Tammy and I have just started to recruit or try some

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recruiting and we have been doing coffee with candy where we are going to local coffee shops and sitting around for like two hours. We're um in hopes to have people come who are interested in either the daycare program or the foster care

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program and we can answer questions they may have um and hopefully get some people interested in that. And lastly, we May is foster care appreciation month. And so to show our families um

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appreciation, we are giving them gift cards to Papa Murphy's. And hopefully this summer we can do a um appreciation meal at Rockn Robins at one of those events. We tried that last year. It got rained out. So hopefully better luck

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this year um to where we can just gather and people can come together who are in the same boat. >> And if anyone uh is thinking about making themselves available for for those uh uh uh

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needs that you just identified? uh how would they uh how would they get in touch with uh >> they can call our agency and they we have our lines for Tammy through the daycare provider and myself for the foster care licensing we've been giving out at our coffee for candy we have

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little brochures that explain our program a little with our contact information on that as well >> okay thank you >> so do you have a number like how many kids are in foster care right now in the county or >> I don't know right now but from January

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to today or yesterday when I did the numbers it was 28. >> Um I think it's gone down a little bit. We have reunified with some family members or some transfers of custody and adoptions have occurred in the last couple months. Um we are down

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significantly which is a good thing I think um in our numbers because when I was doing the ongoing child protection work and doing the work we had a lot of a lot of cases and so I hope it's a growing trend but I also

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hope that safety is there for children. So >> I think it's down significantly from when I first got on the board about six years ago five six years ago. Mhm. >> Yeah, it was um it was a lot of work back then. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> All right. Go ahead.

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>> All right. So, I will read the proclamation. Um National Foster Care Month May 2026. Whereas the family serving as the primary source of love, identity, self-esteem, and support is the very foundation of our communities

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and our state. And whereas in Candyo High County, there are children and youth in foster care being provided with a safe, secure, and stable home along with the compassion and nurture of a foster family. And whereas the Kandohigh County has many dedicated traditional

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and relative foster families who give generously of themselves to provide nurturing, safety, guidance, hope, and love for children and families in need. And whereas foster, kinship, and adoptive families who open their homes

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and hearts to support children whose families are in crisis play a vital role in helping children and families heal and reconnect, thereby launching young people into successful adulthood. And whereas there are numerous individuals and public and private organizations who

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work to increase public awareness of the needs of children in and leaving foster care as well as enduring and valuable contribution of foster parents. Therefore, the Kandandy County Board does hereby proclaim May 2026 as foster

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care month in Kandio County and urge all citizens to volunteer their talents and energies on behalf of children in foster care, foster parents, and the child welfare professional staff working with them during this month and throughout the year.

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>> Thank you. uh and uh uh appreciate uh uh all the work that's uh that's going into uh uh into serving these populations. Is there a motion from the board to uh move the proclamation? >> Mr. Chair, I moved.

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>> Thank you. Is there a second? >> I'll second that, Mr. Chair. We have a motion and a second uh to uh declare uh this uh May foster care appreciation month. Uh is there any discussion?

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>> Commissioner B. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just really just want to say, you know, thank you to all the people that have been doing this and what a need there is out there and it's really an important part of our backbone of our county services that we provide. So, it's a

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It's a big job and then not always a lot of rewards to it and it's a very important thing that they can provide to help people out. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> All right. Uh, all in favor of the pro

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proclamation signify by saying I. I. >> All opposed. That motion passes. Thank you. >> Thank you. Now we'll have Tammy come up and talk about um childc care provider appreciation. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Good morning. Um, my name is Tammy Debbas. I am the licensing social

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worker for family child care. So, the inhome family. Um, currently we have 70 homes that are licensed to provide family child care. I have six that are in application, meaning they're working on becoming licensed. Um, as Leanne

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mentioned, uh, we have been going to, um, some coffee houses and meeting with people to do our coffee with Candy and, um, it's been great meeting the public out there and answering questions that they might have regarding foster care

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licensing or becoming a family childcare provider. Um I I am also collaborate with um UKAP and the Candy Ohio County E economic development committee for support um for our daycare providers within the county um providing trainings

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um getting them hooked up with grants that might be available and any mentorship programs for new providers and they also um help with the appreciation events that we do for our family childcare providers in the county. Uh I also invite providers to

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quarterly meetings. Um I'm required to keep them updated with any legislative changes or um changes to the rules that might affect them and also I use those meetings to connect them with resources to help them with their business. So >> thank you.

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>> Uh are there any questions? Uh I I'm I'm guessing that our inhome numbers uh uh for child care slots are way down again. Uh they maybe moved up a little bit for a while. There were some

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pretty strong efforts over at KCED to uh help move that along. Uh and overall I would imagine that we're still down quite a bit of uh in terms of not being able to fill the need correct >> uh for child care slots in Candy Ohio

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County. Do we know where we stand on that at the moment? As far as those overall numbers, I don't have that, but I know we are there's been um some retirements, some providers that have had to take a leave because of some illnesses, and then some that have moved

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out of the county um so I wouldn't be able to continue with their license. But um you know usually I've been historically able to replace those with new applicants. But um it's been the application process at least for Candy Ohio County has been better than some of

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our outline neighbor partners where I actually have applicants and and they do not currently. So >> I know I know when we first started really uh working on this uh uh in a concentrated manner we were somewhere in

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the neighborhood of short 900 child care seats. Uh we went through all these efforts and we saw some nice things happen and the next report came out we were down >> 1300. >> Uh and so it's uh it's a tough it's a tough thing. It's a tough business if

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you can uh you you have to scale it in order for it to really be a truly viable business. Uh homebased has to uh uh go by a lot of the same rules that uh center-based uh uh child care does. So, uh, it's it's

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it's discouraging in a lot of different ways, but, uh, really just want to hold up and, uh, in appreciation everybody who everybody who works in child care. This is again, uh, tough work and

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necessary work. Anyone else? That's it. >> All right. U, >> well, thank you. >> Thank yep. Thank you so much. And >> and I'll read the proclamation. >> We'll do the proclamation. Absolutely. >> This is for childcare provider appreciation day for May 5th, 2026.

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Whereas our future depends on the quality of the early childhood experiences provided to young children today and highquality early childhood services represent a valuable commitment to our children's future. And whereas Candio County child care providers are

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serving children so family members may accept or maintain employment. Whereas the contribution of child care providers to our children's future is worthy of the highest respect. And whereas by calling attention to the importance of highquality child care services for all

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children and families in Kandohigh County, we hope to improve the availability of such services. And whereas Kandohigh County encourages parents to take May 5th, 2026 to show their child care providers how much they appreciate them. Now therefore, the

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Candy County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim May 5th, 2026 as Childcare Appreciation Day and urge all citizens to join in acknowledging Kandy Countyy's childcare providers for their invaluable contributions made to the children and families of Kandu High

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County. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to move the proclamation? >> So move, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you. And a second. >> I'll second that. We have a motion and a second to uh declare uh today, May 5th,

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uh as child care provider appreciation day in Candyo High County. Uh any comments, questions, discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. >> That motion passes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

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>> So, next is um mental health month for May. Um I want to just kind of introduce I do have my children's mental health workers here um in seated down and um we are missing one of them but um

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I just want to share some numbers um and all the great work that our workers have been doing. But in 2025 we've had a total of um 127 children's mental health cases. 98 of them opened for case management and 29 were assessed but for

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some reason or other they ended up closing. Um and so far in 2026 we have a total number of 77 children's mental health cases opened. 61 of them did open for for children's mental

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health or were opened maybe you know from the previous year. Um and so 16 of them are being assessed with four of those closing. Um another thing I just kind of wanted to highlight is um we are doing we

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partnered up with um mile um miles for mentors to do a kids fun run at the at the Stinger Stadium on May 30th. And um so we have an a fun evening um ready for

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our kids there. Um we also it's not just for kids, it's for adults as well. We plan to invite vendors there to be able to share the community resources that that there are for both adults and children. Um and so that we're looking

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forward to that fun event. I think you guys all have the flyer in your materials. Any questions about mental health before I read the proclamations? >> Well, >> okay.

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Be ready. All all laughter aside, this is this is really uh even during and even coming out of CO and with everything that's happening in the world, uh uh mental

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health concerns are just simply rampant. uh and I don't think you can find a family that isn't touched uh by uh uh someone uh affected by someone who is uh suffering in some way, shape or form uh

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uh with their with their mental health. And so uh first of all appreciate everything that all of you uh do and yes these are uh proclamations that are uh appropriate and and frankly necessary. Anyone else?

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All right. All right. Go ahead. >> So, the first proclamation is for mental health month 2026. Whereas mental health is essential to everyone's overall health and well-being. And whereas all people experience times of difficulty and stress in their lives, and whereas

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prevention is an effective way to reduce the burden of mental health conditions. And whereas there is strong research that compassion, companionship, humor, spirituality, religion, recreation, social connections, and work life balance can

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help people protect their health and well-being. And whereas mental health conditions are real and prevalent in our nation. And whereas with effective treatment, those individuals with mental health and other chronic health conditions can recover and lead full productive lives. And whereas each

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business, school, government, agency, healthc care provider, organization, and citizens share the burden of mental health problems and has the responsibility a responsibility to promote mental wellness and support prevention efforts. Now therefore, the Kandandy County Board does hereby

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proclaim May 2026 as mental health month in Kandui County and to call upon the citizens government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools in Kandui County to recommmit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the

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steps our citizens can take to prevent protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions. Thank you. Uh, and is there a motion to move the proclamation? Mr. Chair, I so

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move. >> Thank you. And a second. >> I'll second it. >> We have a motion and a second. Discussion. >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> All opposed. >> That proclamation passes. And you have one more for us.

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>> Yes. The Children's Mental Health Awareness Day for May 5th, 2026. Whereas addressing the complex mental health needs of children, youth, and families today is fundamental to the future of Candyo High County. Whereas the need for comprehensive, coordinated

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mental health services for children, youth, young adults, and families places upon our community a critical responsibility. Whereas it is appropriate that a day should be set apart each year for the direction of our thoughts towards our children's mental

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health and well-being. Whereas each child, youth, and young adult with mental health or substance use disorders requires a unique approach, a collaborative framework has proven effective in addressing the mental health needs of these individuals and their families within our community. Now

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therefore, the Kandandy County Board does hereby proclaim May 5th, 2026 to be Candy County Children's Mental Health Awareness Day and urge all our citizens and all agencies and organizations interested in meeting every ch child's

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mental health needs to unite on that day in the observance of such as will acquaint the people of Kanduhigh County with the fundamental necessity of a year-round program for children, youth, and young adults with mental health or substance use disorders and their families.

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>> Thank you. Uh is there a motion to move the proclamation? >> So move, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you. And the chair will second. Oh, >> go ahead. You chair will second. Uh any discussion, comments? Uh not just this day, but every day. I

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mean, dog on it. Our kids mean everything. And you know when some of us grow up in challenging situations, uh you you may have wished for some help

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and uh some guidance along the way uh to deal with some of the things that you know one one tends to deal with. So, uh I'm glad that those resources are out there for folks to access today. Uh and

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uh uh our our our kids are our future. So, uh let's do everything we can, not just as workers, but uh uh but as citizens to be able to uh uh uh help our kids uh get through this thing called

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life. So, >> uh, Commissioner Burke, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, both, uh, this proclamation and the one for, uh, just mental health month for adult mental health as well. I, I serve on several joint powers boards on behalf of KUI

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County Board and uh, these mental health boards really feel strongly about this proclamation and they even talked about this as well. And so this is really an important need as uh uh M chairman Gardner mentioned. So uh thank you for

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bringing this forward. I appreciate this on behalf of all those other organizations as well. >> Thank you. >> All those in favor of the proclamation say I. I. >> All opposed. >> That motion passes. Uh we are going to take a brief five minute recess uh and

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uh uh we'll be uh we'll be right back. So, we're going It t are you ready? Hey, >> the Candy County Board of Commissioners is back from recess and we have Mel Odin, our public works director, uh with a final payment and acceptance for us to

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uh >> That's correct, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Um in front of you is a um final payment request for the highway safety improvement project we did last year. It was the LED stop signs. We put

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up 23 stop signs and and some two sets of rumbles that added to what the state had done on on the state highways. Um this was the first time that we had done a safety improvement. Normally our safety improvement work is edgeline striping. Um but anyway, with all that

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being said, the project was let in June of last year. They started on July 25 and they finished on July 30th. So, kind of a quick $50,000 project. And um what this final payment entails is the 1%

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final retaining. So, all the paperwork is complete. It's my recommendation to accept the project and authorized final payment to Safety Signs LLC out of Lakeville in the amount of $529.90. >> Thank you. Is there a motion?

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>> Mr. Chair, I move >> and a second. I'll second that. >> Thank you. And discussion, comments, >> Commissioner Anderson. >> Um, well, I just want to thank Mel for for doing this. A lot of these signs went up in my district and and I'm not

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saying it's going to eliminate accidents, but um I think it's a it's something that the constituents wanted and were pretty adamant that that they thought they should have. So, I'm glad we were able to to do this. >> Thank you.

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Uh, and I would uh I would second that. Anyone else? >> All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> All opposed. That motion passes. Thank you. Uh, and now we're going to receive

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the first quarter uh financial report. Administrator Baker is going to uh present. Good morning. >> Good morning. Kelsey Baker, Kandandy County Administrator. Um before you today, you have the financial reports for um the public works fund, the

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highway fund, our human services fund, and then our general fund. Um overall, the county's financial position remains strong. Uh revenues are coming in as expected. Expenditures are within budget. We're having some inflation. Um however, our fund balances remain

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healthy and are still within policy. At this point in the year, we're not seeing any major concerns. Um, we'll continue to monitor the inflation, state funding, and any capital needs that we that come up throughout the year. Um, I do have

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Paul Bacher, our highway accountant, here to answer any specific questions to public works, and then Caroline Khan, our human service, health and human services director, Carol Tulliffson, couldn't make it today. Um, but are there any specific questions you have regarding these reports? Um

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but in speaking with Karen Anderson and Lisa Whis, our finance staff, we are nothing stuck out to us as being a major concern. We're right on track. Um as discussed with the board, these financially these financial reports will

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be um provided to you quarterly along with the budget work sessions. >> Any questions for Administrator Baker at this time? I'll just go ahead. >> Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I I I

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guess you answered my question basically when you said nothing really. No surprises or anything so far. Okay. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Yep. I will. Paul, if you want to come up here. >> Sure. >> Please.

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>> Paul Walker, public works accountant. I just went through this and go, okay, to me it all looks good, but if I was you guys, I go, one number jumps out at me. It's under the equipment and shop

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down under supplies. We spent 100,000 out of 177 already. And you go, oh, that's that's kind of a tough one. Um, for me knowing things, it's it's abs and

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flows. So I dug out everything and we spent on that account and I will bring up just three. We bought Okay, this account we have our inventory coming out of there. We have

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parts going coming out of there and we have repairs all these things. So we bought a supply of cutting edges for 38,000. We bought snow wheels for 5,300.

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And then we had an engine repair on uh unit 39 or $7,200 just for parts. That's $50,000. Three items. Nothing that I was concerned about, but it's there. I'm

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okay with it. I want you guys to be okay with it, too. >> So, any other questions? >> I have one question then on that. What are you said? Snow wheels. >> Yeah. On on the um plows. >> Okay. >> To keep them >> from hitting into the road.

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>> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Caroline. Good morning. >> Good morning. Well, now since Paul went, I Carol's going to be downstairs doing the exact same thing. So, our accountants think like uh Caroline Khan, health and human services director.

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Carol has also thought the same way as Paul and said, "If I was you, what would I be thinking?" And she pulled out the same exact line, our expenditures, and why would that be at 44% when we're at 25% of the year? Um, so same same actions. It's and uh pulled out. We do a

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lot of prepayment of some of our our our services such as caseworks and our EVA phone system has been put into that line. So you'll see a lot of uh things front-loaded at the beginning of the year that we won't see as additional expenses later on in the year. So things may look a little skewed at the

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beginning of our f of our calendar year um that will not continue to elevate. So we will um anticipate those leveling out later on in the year. So those would be the later portion. And then uh

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Commissioner Anderson, you will see the one thing we we thought that we would pull out just kind of a little nugget of our expense areas each time. Uh earlier you had asked a little bit about auto home placements. Um we did pull out that as just one of our areas of expenses. Um

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so just to highlight we do um on a monthly basis do a pretty in-depth uh out of home placement report. At the top you will see the actual number of kids in out of home placement. Uh what Leanne was reflecting was kids in a in a

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homebased setting. Kids in out of home placements can be in in places that are other than family foster care settings, which is reflected in the various line items below. So the top you'll see 40 and then the bottom you'll see 43. The reason we um separate those things out

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in that other section is because kids might change placements throughout the month. And we really wanted an opportunity to reflect what that cadence of work looked like from a staffing standpoint as well as a financial standpoint because where kids are throughout the month does change our

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financial position and our ability to recoup um costs associated with placements based off of the type of placement. So this is something that myself as well as the supervisors receive on a monthly basis.

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Um I do share with administrator Baker on a regular um cadence as well just to kind of keep track of what are we budgeting for and where are we coming in at from what we're budgeting um as a projected amount. So just wanted to

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share that just so we're able to kind of see those trends and they are trending on a on a downward um motion. So >> that's kind of what I wanted to uh ask about is that the trend in this area is

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uh is to come in under budget uh by a not insignificant uh amount. Uh and it kind of leads me to maybe what should be a more it could be specific but also more generalized question. What are the headwinds uh that

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uh that we may be facing in this and uh other areas? uh things that we as a board uh should know about now, excuse me, and what we should be bringing up uh prior to the legislature

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journey. >> Are you asking related to MAFPA CWDA or to could you clarify your your question from it? I mean, I mean, you can speak specifically to this uh uh placement item. Uh but uh I'm also asking the more

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general question uh in that you know uh we know that there are a lot of different uh issues being highlighted like SNAP and so on and so forth. uh you know what are we uh what are the concern areas that we need to be really hitting

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in these next couple of weeks especially at the state level uh before we uh uh before the legislature adjourns. Well, I think if I may step in, please um about the out of home placement, I can answer that one to a general answer.

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Um if Caroline wants your second question is more related to like uh legislative issues and I think that you could answer that, but I don't know if we want to get in the weeds on that when it wasn't on the agenda. >> I don't want to throw there's there's been a lot on there. I we could spend

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another hour just on that. It could be depressing enough without >> but I think the out of home placement there's many components to where we have gotten the numbers to where where they are right now. Um you can't place anybody at fault where numbers have been. You you'll see lots of times out

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of home placements and Shane Baker County attorney can attest to this as well. You'll see numbers eb and flow throughout years. And I think sometimes that really is focused to the overall circle of the justice center within community corrections, our um law

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enforcement, our county attorney staff and our social work, our human services staff that can all work together in their communication and how we are doing this and the collaboration. I think that is the systemic issue that can really help and make movement within our out of

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home placement. But we can't control what people do either. So that number can uh elevate very quickly and that is completely out of our control. It's the work and the preventive preventative work that we try do and I think can give

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kudos to Caroline and her team and what they're trying to do um to see these numbers decrease has been that preventative work and how can we help these families get where they need to be instead of pulling everything away from them. And so we're we're trying to get

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alongside these families and walk with them and help them get to where they they are. I think Caroline has always said this best and I use this in my my life too is not everybody's an A parent. I think I've said this at board meetings lots of times good parents are C parents, right? Get an average. Um and

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so we we're trying to walk alongside these families and I think um a lot of that is the kudos to our staff within those four departments that are working with these families and helping them where they need to be. Commissioner Bur. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I just really like to comment this is a really a very

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positive and and well-laidout first uh quarter report. And I appreciate that. And also I appreciate greatly the uh anticipating our questions on a few things. Uh it saves us kind of, you know, either bring them up now or bring them up to you individually. And I appreciate that very much. And also

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what's really a big value of this, this is kind of leading into our budget for next year budget session. So we'll be kind of looking at these even further in depth at that point is my understanding. So this is kind of a first step now as a board >> working on our next year's budget as well.

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>> So thank you. >> Yep. And then when we'll get we'll do those budget work sessions, you'll see year end how we closed out 2025. You'll see where we're at year to date for 2026. We'll go through any of the legislative issues that have changed throughout that and then hopefully we'll

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have a smooth 2027 budget process. >> Yeah. >> And and I'll withdraw my question on the headwinds and we can take we can take answers offline on that. So, Mr. Chair, >> Commissioner, >> uh thank you, Mr. Yes. Uh by the first meeting in next month, we should know a lot more,

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>> right? Hopefully. Yeah. >> Hopefully. Or a lot less, but then we know it'll be unknown for another year. Exactly. Yes. >> About the only thing we know for sure is that there's not going to be a special session because it's an election year and everybody going to be out campaigning. >> Yep.

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>> Exactly. >> Uh anyone else? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Very good. Thank you so much. All right. Uh we are towards the end of our uh meeting here. Uh are there uh any administrative updates uh that you wish

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to bring? No. Okay. Um, no appointments. Uh, otherwise we'd have seen something there. Calendar and committee reports. If members could just uh bring forward uh one thing that uh they'd like to

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highlight. Uh I think that would be uh I think that would be appropriate uh that happened over the last several weeks that if you have anything commissioner actually I'd really like to highlight and there's three of us

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commissioners were able to attend the nuts and bolts training by AMC and I I left that feeling really uh very pleased about that training. one of the best trainings I I felt we had there and even at my stage as a commissioner it was very helpful to understand uh what uh

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different pieces of it I didn't wasn't even aware of you know and going uh like for the tour of the capital without an agenda that for going there you looked at things a lot differently and uh we found out a lot more information about how things work that we did not know

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that I thought um so it was an excellent training and it was a great chance to network too with some of the other county commissioners of both new commissioners and experienced commissioners. So that was well time spent those three days. So that took up almost one week of the two

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weeks. So thank you. Thank you. uh and I would just second uh second you on that. And I thought especially the uh Friday morning session uh uh was was maybe the uh most valuable uh you know hearing

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about hearing about from from different types of folks who are involved in the process who aren't necessarily even elected officials >> uh was uh uh was was helpful. Uh, and I thought that uh uh being able to hear

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from the uh uh clerk of the house uh I thought was maybe a huge highlight. Uh someone who is a nonpartisan uh making sure that the business of government happens uh and it uh and it

481
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happens in a logical and meaningful manner uh was uh frankly inspiring. Uh, Commissioner Mck, did you >> Well, it was the same thing I would have reported on, but I would be remiss if I didn't thank the chair for allowing me to be at open mic the day after we made

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the shotgun rifle decision. >> Okay, >> that was that was that was not intentional. You were already on the docket for uh for kind of what I hope is our annual uh roads and uh transportation report. But uh

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>> speaking of that and and so I I do also want to tag on what was interesting. Uh I ran into Commissioner Jeepson from Monoka yesterday at our >> monthly Mandot uh rules committee meeting and we were

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both struck by the mix of the crowd. I mean there was there was commissioners that we've not seen at leadership before and maybe legislative conference and so there was u and then people like myself who've got more than 12 years of

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experience um you know we got a lot out of that and so it was it was very productive and I appreciated EMC putting that on. Uh, one of the thing that we've the only thing I'd bring up is that we continue to work uh, we had a was it yesterday

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in the last two weeks we've had two team meet teams meetings with uh, staff from um, uh, Congresswoman Fishbach's office and uh, Senator Smith's office and our application for community directed spending for the water tower projects

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continues to move forward. still has a couple of hurdles, not not really hurdles, but steps that have to take place in order for it to come to fruition. But, uh, so far we're on a good track on that. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, anyone else

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have anything they wish to bring forward, Commissioner Burke? >> Um, no, just a thought what we were just talking about. Maybe Commissioner Amdeck would want to be on Mike after the next meeting too when we talk after we decide about Lake Andrew. Another

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difficult situation. >> We'll we'll we'll work on on that. >> Yeah. >> Um >> All right. Uh any uh just a couple of items uh following our board meeting next uh uh next time on the 19th, there

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is a uh community corrections work session. Uh and of course at that meeting we'll have another public hearing that uh uh I think will be a little more routine uh which will be the Calhoun Lake public hearing. Um

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so we'll uh we'll be doing that. Uh I can't think of anything else uh from my end of things. Last call for anything from the board. All right. Well then we will adjourn the uh meeting this meeting of the Kandai County Board of

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Commissioners. Thank you everybody.