Yeah. I mean, you know, they'll keep it on this side. It's only the I'll bring it to the I'll bring it to the I'll bring it to the I'll bring it to the for you. I told you to keep the plows, you know, like, in the West or in the West and the Far East. Or go everything in between there. I appreciate it. Yeah. Hey. Tell Jim that they did a nice job on County 2, those culverts underneath County 2 there near my place. They're so plugged plugged with trees and stuff that they went in there, and they really cleaned that out good. I there shouldn't be another tree coming into the anywhere into that area for for
a while. They did a nice job. Yeah. I got quiet. I do. It's really quiet. Oh, the air got set down. It's very strange. It's very cocky. Super excited for the pledge of allegiance. That's all. That's right. That's right. It's like the countdown waiting for the zero. Good moisture. Good moisture. Yep. Good moisture. Oh, yeah. Let's take it out before we 09:00, we'll call the meeting to order, and please join us for the pledge. I I was gonna tell you earlier, Jim, that Rodney usually forgets to turn down his radio when you said you went out. Roll call. All the commissioners are present today.
Our first item is to approve the agenda. Are there any changes or additions? There are no changes, board chair. I'll move. I'll second. We have a motion by Commissioner Wabi, seconded by Commissioner Springer to approve the agenda. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Those opposed? Motion carries. Next is staff updates. We only have one update, and I'll turn it over to the sheriff to recognize for a life saving award for mister Raleigh. Commissioners, I introduce Sarah and Bob here from Lake City Ambulance. They're here to present the life saving award that happened up at Lake City, and, she will tell you more about their work. Thank you for calling.
Good morning. Good morning, everybody. I just have a brief, presentation. Sarah, can you move the microphone so people can hear you? Absolutely. Because we're recording. Can you also introduce yourself, please? We have so many requirements. Is that better? Yeah. I'll I have a soft voice too, so I'll speak up. Yeah. We're recording. So So my name is Sarah Rybarczyk. I'm the ambulance director for Lake City, and my counterpart, Robert Benson is here also today. He's the assistant ambulance director. And we would like to, recognize an officer for his heroic efforts. Lake City Ambulance believes in the recognition of officers,
their actions, and outstanding efforts in service to the community and their fellow officers. In keeping with this belief, the city of Lake City and Lake City Ambulance recognizes deputy Eric Rowley for his outstanding efforts that occurred on 01/18/2025. On Saturday, January 18, at approximately 02:37PM, Lake City Ambulance, Lake City Police Department, and the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to a report of a patient having a seizure. Upon arrival, Lake City Police Department officer Aaron Foss found the patient pulseless and not breathing.
The ALS ambulance crew and officer Foss immediately started performing life saving efforts, and deputy Eric Rowley arrived to the scene and assisted the crew in the ongoing resuscitation, which resulted in the patient being successfully resuscitated on scene. Deputy Rowley assisted in packaging the patient for transport and managing the scene in a very effective manner. The patient, Diane Sherhammer, was eventually transported by helicopter to Saint Mary's Hospital in Rochester, survived the cardiac arrest, was released from the hospital a week later, and is in the process of making a full recovery.
Miss Sherhammer was unable excuse me, was unable to make it to this meeting today, but wished to pass along her gratitude and appreciation to deputy Rowley. Deputy Rowley's quick response, recognition of the severity of the medical emergency, immediate actions, and assistance directly contributed in saving the life of miss Schurhammer. Lake City Ambulance recognizes deputy Eric Rohley for his heroic efforts with this life saving award and bestows upon him the department and the city's appreciation. And we have a plaque that we'd like to present. Hey, Eric. And if it's okay,
we'd like to get a picture. Yes. Yes. Picture. Do Do you wanna come up, Froggy? I'll take the picture. You let's get a picture first and then No. We'll we'll get one of the device. You think we don't need it yet? K. Do it for the paper. And I don't enjoy public speaking, so, please bear with me if that was the one. Officer Raleigh, you probably have a speech to give to Yeah. Not as good as that one. But no. I think, Aaron Voss, like Citi, he did a really good job. Along with the ambulance crew when they got there, and, did a lot of CPR work before I got there. And, like I said, they did a lot of the work,
but, I was just glad I could be there and help. Good deal. Thank you. Thank you. What's that? You want pictures with commission? No. That would be up to them. But, you could just send us those pictures. Okay. That's all. That's all. Absolutely. Alright. Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming over. I need you. Thanks, Katie. Do you have a administrator's update? No update. Okay. Then we'll move on. Any everybody sign up for the public forum, Katie? No. Okay. Our next item is our consent agenda, which consists of the minutes from March 4,
the claims, the per diems, the meal vouchers, and from the highway department, approve a cooperative agreement with the city of Minneapolis for a bridge replacement. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? We have a motion. I'll second that. We have a motion by Commissioner Powers, seconded by Commissioner Wabe to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed? Motion carries. Our next item is a discussion on the County Highway parking ordinance. Good morning, Diedrich. Good morning. Diedrich Flesch, Wabash County Engineer. We discussed the proposed parking ordinance at our highway committee,
meeting earlier this month, and it was decided to bring this as a discussion item to the board. And in seeking further opinion and guidance of of continuing to work towards adopting or not. There's, general parking restrictions that are in state statutes. And for the most part, we haven't we haven't had too many problems with people parking along roads, especially during winter weather. But it does happen infrequently, and we have in the past have a few occasions of of people,
long term parking, sometimes trailers within the highway right of way. So I I think this would work to prevent that and then also provide a enforcement mechanism, for for those violations when they do occur. How the ordinance is written would allow flexibility by the board to provide for areas of excluding, certain areas from from the parking ordinance and then also, allowing by resolution where the county board would like to have no parking or or
restricted or limited parking as well. It talks about signs that would be required. Is that right? There'd have to be signs added throughout the county then or would we just be this would be the ordinance. And since we have an ordinance, then it's assumed that the public because I mean, I'm just trying to figure out, is there a I mean, if we had to put signs up, but you're saying we don't? We we don't. If it's specific to a certain area, say, along one side of a street or or something like that,
then it it'd probably go well to deter people from parking there. But as far as, like, countywide for the length of time or or for snow snow removal, no no no signs would be needed for that. But you said we may need certain areas, and we would probably sign those for specific issues are arising frequently maybe. Or Right. I'm not against it. I'm just asking questions so that Yeah. There would be there would I I guess, depending on, you know, when those issues come up,
or where the board would decide that's necessary. Usually, that's based off of complaints or or problems with people. And then in there. This ordinance would then assist law enforcement in providing enforcement more so, kinda. Well, right. I I think it gives a better legal, standing. The the structure of the ordinance is that there are portions within the ordinance where it says that there must be signs and that is complying with, state statute on kind of, shared highway, rights of way and things where there'd be no parking allowed at all. But I I think more two point two and and two point three here,
if I remember correctly, are the the sections that are really the purpose for this, which is limiting the the leaving of a trailer for longer than a day or two or parking long term on the side of a highway. Not just that you be fine then. Right. Don't have an option of there's people parking on the county roads all over. Right. For the, you know, the grad party in June where it's not normally an issue and some people park on the highway, that's not a violation of a no parking zone unless signed. But if somebody is leaving a trailer there for more than twenty four hours, this allows an enforcement that wasn't allowable under the state ordinances and structure.
Not ordinances, statutes and structure. So that's kinda where this comes in is it kind of allows for for asking to have trailers and things moved at a more regular basis with the enforceability. And when we discussed it at the highway committee, I mean, it's it's good to have something on the books. How often will it be used or enforced? You know, probably not a lot, but it does happen. So Yeah. I believe we discussed, like, semi trailers being parked. Yeah. How would you move? Tulsa, I would imagine you get ticketed or if if they didn't move it,
you'd somebody would have to move it. Yes. We'd we'd have to get a towing company and have it have it moved. Yep. So It's very similar to the state. Right? You can't leave your vehicle parked for you start seeing them putting numbers on the back window with a marker and Right. Yeah. Get it towed after. Winona has a very similar ordinance. Winona County does, and I didn't look and see if Goodhue or Olmstead does, but I think it's I think it's pretty typical in the area. So will there need to be a public hearing on this then?
Yeah. If it suits the board, then I proceed to go through the process of, of having a public hearing and And this is your recommendation? Yes. Forward. Do you have a a a is there a big problem with snowplowing and cars parked on the highways? There usually isn't. I know in, some cities, I think the city of Plainview, there's been a few instances within the city. Same with Lake City. Same with yeah. It's it's it's pretty rare, but it it does happen. Do we need a motion to move forward? No.
He'll bring it back. Yes. Okay. Okay. Thanks, Dietrich. Thanks, Dietrich. Thanks, Dietrich. Next, we're going to have a presentation on the aquatic invasive species. Morning. Morning. Morning, Cale. I'm gonna hand you this just so you can then hit the forward button. If it works. Yeah. If it works. Sure. I'm just sensitive people. Alright. So, this is just kinda just a update on what I have planned for the summer for the AIS program since I last spoke with you guys in the fall. So just kind of an update. So what I have upcoming this spring,
on March 28, I'm gonna be a guest speaker at the Lake City Elementary fifth grade. Their entire, fifth grade is about 90 students, so we're gonna meet in the cafeteria and have a little presentation and chat on, aquatic invasive species and how to prevent the spread. I also give the teachers the opportunity to provide, AIS related games and other educational materials if they'd like after the fact or as part of, the presentation. And then I will be providing the students, with their 20 inches, d nets so they can kinda explore water,
resources themselves. And then the teachers will be receiving, water test kits that they can use later down the road to get the kids out into the stream and test water quality, things like that. And then I'm implementing seven AIS tool cleaning stations. The DNR approved a one year trial, for the seven accesses, that I'll show later. If successful, they will be implemented permanently, with the DNR special use permit and renewed annually. Updating AIS signage, so the invasive species alert signage there,
shown. There's a few accesses that are missing some. They've either been washed away by flooding or vandalized or taken away. So I'm waiting for the DNR to provide me with some of those signs. They're currently low on supplies. So maybe later this spring, early summer, I'll be getting that from them to replace. And then expanding the bait handling awareness campaign, I'm adding three additional bait bins at, Pritchard, Weaver, and Petersen Lake Landings. Do people use those? Yeah.
So I have, five out right now. Depending on the location and how frequently the access is used, the usability varies. But overall, there has been pretty successful. Throw it back in the In the water. Correct. Yes. So it's illegal to dispose of, bait in the water. So it needs to be thrown away or properly trans yeah. Properly transported, with changing out the water, before you leave the landing with distilled water. So with the AIS tool cleaning stations, these are the tools that will be a part of the stations.
They're gonna be on a sign pole with the sign that I created there, and then they'll have little eyelets for the tools to hang on. So we got the Aqua Weed Stick, grabber, a drain plug wrench, and a brush. And they'll be located at Clear Lake, Maple Springs, pictured West Newton, Wilcox, Zumbro at Ponderosa, and then Zumbro Falls. So this year with phase one with these seven, it's approximately $1,500 for the purchase of design materials and tools. And the next year, we're proposing six at
both US Fish and Wildlife and local accesses. So three will be at US Fish and Wildlife service accesses and three at local. US Fish and Wildlife service is already on board. They're just needing a special use permit application, next year when that time comes. So and it it offers a more accessible and less pricey option compared to our CD three stations. So these will be out, twenty four seven, seven days a week, three sixty five. So we're not, gonna take them off the landings if they're approved like we do our CD three
stations that are only usually out, May to October. So if there's fishermen out earlier when we have nice weather, there, is an option for them to have tools to clean off their boat. Other things I have in the works, we got I'm working with eighth grade, teacher at Plainfield Elementary Millville to set up a date to come visit his classroom. Waiting on the outcome of my MDA grant, for the Purple Blue Strife biological control I presented on, last fall. I like I mentioned before, I've also budgeted to use the AIS funds to complete the project if we don't
get the grant. So I'm looking to do that project no matter what. And then I'll be working on updating public water and stream access photos and inventory our easement signs on the streams. This was last done, 2020 for the public water accesses and then 2021 for the stream. So just kinda getting a a gauge on what needs to be updated in in those areas and updated photos so we have reference on what's been happening. And then looking ahead, kind of same as last year,
a lot of outreach and public engagement events. So I'm looking to collaborate with Lake City PD for their Fishing on the Fuzz this year, donate goodie bags for the kids with AIS prevention items, and possibly do a table, there again. It wasn't real popular last year, but if just being there and being with the kids, helping them fish, is an option, then I'll be a part of that as well. And then fishing on the refuge at the National Eagle Center. The photo there is my setup from last year, and I'll be looking to do something similar and then possibly including a coloring contest
where they can win a tackle box. And then I'm hoping to do, the river boat days parade with the CD three station if I can get I don't know if there's approval that I have to get to take the CD three off the landing and have it towed through the parade, but I'll work that out, if need be. And then I'll be sending out some invitations, to some stakeholders to be, asked to be on the AIS committee. We're looking always looking for new members to offer insight and opinions. And then I'm hoping to find a way to drive more people to use the
CD3 stations and the AIS tool cleaning stations that I'm implementing. Wildlife forever has some outreach and partnering ideas, that I've been working with. So we'll see, if I can add some ads to our Facebook page or things like that. And then finally, creating a AIS activity book to hand out at these school and events. When they're finished, they can return and get a prize, fishing lure bobbers, things like that. So I'm always looking for opportunities to get out in the public and engage.
So it's kind of an ongoing thing. If something pops up, I'll I'll see if I can get in and talk about AIS prevention. That's pretty much all I got for now. Missus, any questions? Mm-mm. Not only does she do a great job on our AIS, she also helps out with our solid waste side of it, even some of our building permits and also just some of our general zoning. So, Kayla, really appreciate the work you do with us. Thanks. So Appreciate it. You Let's do it. Can I send you the keyboard backwards? Oh, yes. Thank you. Next, we have, commissioner reports. Commissioner Springer, do you wanna start? Sure.
I have nothing to report. Commissioner Watkins? The only thing I have was the other committee following our last board meeting. And we did discuss the parking ordinance, which was presented today. And we met at the Plainview shop just kinda to see the, we're gonna start meeting at different shops to see the equipment, the facilities, and I give Dietrich and Jim a lot of credit. They, get a lot of mileage out of the dollars we give them. So, doing a good job there. That's all I got. Mister Wavy? The only meeting I had is I attended the annual township meeting on the eleventh
for Greenfield Township. And let me tell you, that was a full house. The one of the topics on the agenda was funding the local ambulance service, and it drew a lot of people. So, what's the general feeling out there? Because I know that they're not the only one asking. I mean, I I think a lot of the communities are. So is there opposition to it, or what is the you're just people there trying to find out information? I there wasn't much opposition to it at that meeting. You know, they all agree that the ambulance service is needed,
and I think the ones that were in opposition weren't exactly fighting that they need to fund it, but just wanted to question their process for how they came up with the numbers. So and I did talk to the director of Lake City before, and they're doing the same thing in, in Lake City. Other than Lake City, what did she tell me? 20% is rural, and the rest is pretty much all in I've had contracts in place for years and years and years. They said they stopped townships. Yeah. She said they stopped it a few years ago and restarted it again,
I don't know, a year or two ago. So, yeah. I mean, what's your alternative? You know? Well, I don't I don't quite understand. So years ago when I joined the ambulance thirty nine years ago, there was what the townships in our area paid in a certain to be considered a supporting township. And at that time, if and I don't remember what the how much they paid, but it would be so let's just say the township I live in Oakwood was a supporting township. If there was a call in there, the bill was half the money then because it was kind of a
but I don't know when that went away or why it ever went away or whatever, but I know our fire departments have been have, but there was never a decrease in the bill. It was just you paid in for fire service. So I guess I just don't under I just don't ever remember why it ever went away or so I and now they're just trying to revive it. So I guess and I'm not here to and, you know, I'm not here to say one way or the other. The townships can certainly decide to their own, and us that are on the cruise,
we're gonna go go regardless. You know? So I will just say that, I know the ambulance services are very expensive to operate, maintain. Plainview was in the unfortunate situation that let their ambulance go to be covered by mail, and the service at the city of Plainview and the surrounding areas received by Mayo has not been good. When Mayo needs an ambulance, they take it, and the community is left with no ambulance. So I, support the local services.
Yeah. And then the other thing the huge thing is, let's face it. Medicare keeps cutting. Yeah. You know, they only get about 40% of the call Medicare pays. All of these companies are that way. Yeah. So that's all I have. Mister Powers? I did a meeting with Bob on the fourth at the highway department, I guess, in Plainview. Jim talked about, some of the money that they tried to save, you know, just just on their own. They they were saving money. They talked about some fenders, I believe. It was on some wheel loaders. They were $5,000 and have a little plastic fender on the back,
so they were gonna bend something up and put a rubber mud flap there. And and they use, their facility was kinda interesting because they aren't using any pumps to fill the chemicals they put in to put on the roads in the winter. They're just using gravity. They just raised it up. Diedrich spoke a little bit about, asked a question about plowing, how much money they saved. And he said they've so far, he figured they cut off probably 22,000 miles on the trucks. That might change tomorrow, but as of now, it's they saved a lot of money just not using the trucks.
So Won't have to approve another truck. They were thinking maybe they'd bail Skip a year. We've had that discussion. Maybe skip a year because trucks aren't getting wore out. Granted, the trucks are used more than anything they got, but they're saving a lot of mileage this winter. So, seen where they're gonna put the blacktop and they wanna put the blacktop around the building. They showed us that. It was interesting. Good meeting. That's all I got. I attended a Great River Rail Commission meeting. It's just mostly updates which there really isn't any except for,
the new service, the Borealis, reached a hundred thousand riders in October, which was five months being in service. So it was a great addition. I also attended an emergency medical service meeting. We had electional officers. I was elected the vice chair, I was elected the vice chair. And we approved Donna, you correct me if I get this wrong. We approved purchasing, software called Handheavy, which provides it will be on, in the ambulance services and on phones. It's a a tool that people who go out on a call say someone's having
a stroke, they it's a software that provides information on what's the next step or what process do you use to to assist the patient. I got that right? K. So, with with this purchase, we will get 270 licenses. So we, EMS, will be giving them out to first responders to in our territory to the well, to ambulance services to have in the trucks and then to, the volunteers and or employees to have on their phones to access. So with 270 licenses,
they think we can pretty much cover every service or volunteer in our service area. Nice. And I also attended a workforce development meeting. They have, implemented several youth programs, with higher enrollment than expected, which is good. A lot of these programs help youth to gain work experience along with building job skills. And then, the staff is working with quite a few people who have been affected by either layoffs or closures of businesses. If anyone's interested, I have a list of all of them in Southeast Minnesota that they're working with.
And then I also attended the human services advisory board. We went through a lot of that in our meeting this morning, but we also had discussions centered around potential impacts on both state and federal funding that may be decreased and added on to the county side of the equation. So having to absorb some of those costs that the federal states aren't gonna be willing to fund any longer. And that's all I had. Anyone have any board concerns? Hearing none, then we unless Michael has anything else.
I do not. Is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second. We have a motion and a second to adjourn. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed? Motion carries.