All right. Well, >> morning. >> We do have Commissioner Meyer via Zoom today. So, we will have to do independent roll calls uh for each and every motion. Uh so, we will start off with the uh public comment section. We
give our uh individuals two minutes to speak uh through a timer. So, at this point, we'll call first role for public comment. Is there any public comment? people who are online would let >> Heidi is checking that. Heidi, is there anyone online?
>> Does the Wi-Fi work with that scenario? You said there's no Wi-Fi here, but we do have it there. >> Spot which allows us to do the Zoom. >> Y this is open to anybody online. We'll call a second time. Is there any public comment? >> I would like to speak, please.
>> Perfect. Please state your name and address. >> Steven Batsion. B as in boy. A D. C as in cat. IO NG 125 Center Street, Winona, Minnesota 55987. >> Perfect. Thank you, Stephen. The floor
is yours. >> Thank you. Uh I am appearing uh on behalf or not on behalf, but as a concerned uh person in the county. Uh I am an attorney practicing uh mainly in a lot of real estate transactions. Uh I
know we are under a ransomware attack for the Winona County. uh what I've what my concerns are and other concerns that I've had expressed to me by other people in the industry is the lack of communication from the county as far as
what's being done. As far as I know, the only thing we have received from the county uh was the press release I believe on January 26 notifying us of the ransomware attack. What we're looking for as far as what I'm looking for and I think the rest of
the people in the community are looking for is some more communication about when this might be rectified or what steps are being taken to uh maybe make some accommodations for uh closings in this in the county. Uh I know from my
own practice and from practices of other people that we have not received any kind of indication of when this system might be up or if there would be an alternate way so we could either record documents or make searches so we can go ahead with closings. I know closings
have been delayed. Uh closings have been put off and we are just kind of working in a vacuum right now trying to see if there can be a workaround or at least let us know, hey, this is going to take a little bit longer, but we're working on it. Uh I think what we're finding is
with the lack of communication from the county is that we just don't know and we would like some kind of uh not assurance but some kind of idea what's being done and what kind of timetable we are looking at. >> All righty. Thank you. Thank you Steve.
>> Okay. Is there any other public comments? We'll call that the second one online or in house. Third and final time. Is there any other public comments? Hearing none.
Motion to close public comment section. We'll move or actually we don't need that. We can just move on. >> Uh chair, Mr. Chair, can we I know we don't usually respond to public comment, but since >> somebody >> Marine could perhaps give a >> Well, and I I' Yeah, I'd like to throw something in there, too. I was going to do it after we moved on, but
>> Well, we since he's he might still be on. Is it possible to give a couple a short I'm sorry, I know I didn't ask ahead of time, a short summary of where we are with the ransomware attack. >> And I just before that, I just want to chime in that I actually received some correspondence back and forth. I was on vacation last week, but even down in
Mexico, I had a few people reach out. I had some other attorneys with the same frustrations. Um, so could is there anything we could there anything on that? >> Okay. Um, commissioners, so where we're at is we are rebuilding the system uh
and trying to recover what information we can. Um, that process takes time and that's really where we're at. Um there's nothing more to share as to a timeline because we don't have a clear picture of
exactly what damage is there and what's totally recoverable and what's not. Um we do plan to have a closed session with the county board. We're going to be seeking uh time frames that you're available for late this week or early next week so that you can have a meeting
with excuse me the um MCIT attorney and the representatives who are helping us >> is there so one of the questions that you know Steve brought up and some other people is there what's the workaround is there can we what can we I think more
than anything people are just saying okay we get that this has happened what can we do and is there a way in the next two three four days you know some maybe by the end of the week we can have a workaround put into place that we can send it I'm I'm sure that we have
recorded I'm going to say lawyers and title companies because it is a thing that we could send that out and say hey guys this is the procedure which we want you to follow until the old procedure puts back into place >> is there a possibility we could do that >> I believe that yes we can is it going to
be perfect >> I think they're just looking for create additional work and it will create perhaps some confusion um because in essence we're going back to an paper way of doing a lot of the work. Not that it can't be um but part of the issue is
that we have not had um the auditor treasurer present to have those conversations and that's a critical part of the overall flow. >> Um it's my understanding that Miss Wilbright will be back tomorrow. I don't know what time tomorrow, but um I'll get
with uh Mr. Bameick and Miss Wilbright and we'll get a communication out. >> I think and this is just from what I understand, I think just some sort of I think everybody can appreciate it's not going to be a perfect system, but I think there's just nobody really knows what to do. Even just a even if the
guideline isn't perfect, it's at least better than sitting, you know, and even even if it does create a paper trail, I think everybody can expect some sort of a delay. I think they just want to understand what the delay is. And the other thing too is with with Miss Wilbrite being gone, obviously that adds
fuel to the fire. Um, with with the paper trail, at least it's documented and we have it. It's physically in our hands and we can say, "Yeah, you're number five on the stack. You know, I'm just loose terms here." >> Mr. chair. >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Um,
>> early on we were provided the phrase we can't say anything because this is an ongoing criminal investigation and that's still true. That is true. >> And so that's why we are hampered about saying anything. But to um uh Mr. uh Bad
Badkong um believe me uh counties have insurance and counties have professionals working in the cyber industry every day and it's it's a crazy world. Uh but we are working on it. We're not not doing anything. We're doing everything we can, but it does
take time and it it's a a complicated with many multi-pieces and and such, but that phrase it is an ongoing criminal investigation. So, we are somewhat hampered at sharing, but uh we should be able to work something out. >> And I I was kind of in the same I I
didn't have a whole lot to say other than I I just referred to and go back and said, "Hey, I'm sure we're working on some sort of procedures." So, okay, perfect. Um, we closed the public comment section, so we'll move on to item three, which is approval of county board minutes. Uh, 31 through33. County
board close session and county board. >> I'll move to approve items 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. >> I'll second that. >> Motion uh motioned uh by Commissioner Vagley and second by uh um
>> No, I lost my page here. >> Commissioner, >> no. But no, I'm actually trying to get back to my page here. Somehow it just moved on its own. Seconded by Commissioner Olsson. All those in favor to signify by saying I. >> We have to roll call it. >> Oh, sorry. We got to roll call this. So,
let's start here. Commissioner Bagley. >> I. >> Commissioner Olsson. >> I. >> Commissioner Ward. >> I. >> Commissioner Meyer >> I. >> And Commissioner votes I. >> All right. Motion approves unanimously. We'll move on to page four or number four. 41. The extension. Acknowledge
your seat of approved committee minutes. 41 through43 extension health and human services and land records. >> Move to acknowledge 4.1 4.2 4.3. >> Second. >> All right, we got a motion by Commissioner Ward, second by Commissioner Olsen to approve items
four. All those in favor? Oh, roll call again. Sorry. Commissioner, you got to get used to that. Commissioner Begley. >> Hi, >> Commissioner Olsson. >> I. >> Commissioner Ward, >> I. >> Commissioner Meyer, >> I. >> Commissioner Nelson's I also approves unanimously. Uh, number five, consent,
comments, and approval of agenda. Commissioner Vagley, actually, >> Mr. Church, >> Mr. Church, do you Are you sitting in for >> Yeah. >> Any comments for you? >> Any comments or items later on? >> No. >> Uh, >> sorry. No,
>> your honor. >> Just like school. >> Thank you. Yeah. >> Nothing. >> Yeah, Commissioner Olson. >> Nothing for me. >> Mr. Ward, >> uh, just a a comment at the end, please. Commissioner Meyer, >> nothing for me. Thank you.
>> And I just have a comment at the end also. All right. >> Oh, sorry. Yeah, >> sorry. >> Um, I would ask that 7.1 be uh tabled into a future meeting. Uh, the
investigator is unable to attend today. We'll reschedu. >> All right. So with 71 >> tabled we can still approve. >> I'll move to approve the amended agenda with item 7.1 tabled.
>> Second. >> All right. So we have a motion by commissioner vagley, second by commissioner to approve the consent business. >> Approve the agenda first. >> The agenda on the consent business and uh
yes. Okay. Item five here. All right, I have to go around the room again. Commissioner Baggley. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Olson. >> Hi. >> Mr. Ward. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meyer. >> Hi. >> Mr. Aling. >> All right. Uh, consent business. Could you read that in, please?
>> 6.1. Approve HHS advisory committee recommendation regarding committee appointments. 6.2. Approve renewal of purchase of service and business associate agreements with Hayawa Valley Mental Health Center for Mental Health Services. 6.3 Approved contract for
building elevator inspections and repairs. 6.4 Approved 2026 solid waste collection transportation and facility licenses. 6.5 Approve purchase of replacement paging repeater. And 6.6
confirm payment of dispersements. >> All right. I'll move to approve the consent items. >> Second. >> Second. Third. >> Motion by Commissioner Vegley. Second by Commissioner Ward to approve the consent items. Uh Commissioner Vegley
>> I. >> Commissioner Olson >> I. >> Commissioner Ward. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Meyer >> I. >> Commissioner votes I also. Motion approved. All right. We are on to general business. 7.1 was tabled. So we're going to move on to 7.2. to
receive presentation from Minnesota Department of Agriculture on proposed spongy moth management. >> Good morning, Mr. Chair and commissioners. Thank you so much for allowing me to to come today to present. Uh my name is Kimberly Taling Kramers. I'm with the Minnesota Department of
Agriculture and I oversee the spongy moth uh management program at the Department of Agriculture. And our goal today is to come and share a little bit about our program. uh what we do to keep this invasive forest pest out of the state of Minnesota. Um how is it
impacting the county of Winona here directly um and and some work that we're hoping to propose to do uh in the management of this summer uh to kind of slow the spread of this pest and I do believe I have to say next for my slides. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Uh next slide please. And you can go to
the next one after this too please. >> So what is spongy moth? Um, spongy moth was formerly known as gypsy moth and I know um we I believe my colleague, one of my staff members was in front of the board just last year uh talking about spongy moth. So hopefully I can jump
through a few of these slides, I will you know we can take questions at the end if you so desire, but because I was just our team was just here last year, I'll go through this relatively quickly in regards to the biology of the insect. It is a forest pest uh that is defoliating. Uh it's a a widespread
defoliator eating uh uh trees of 300 species of trees. And you can continue to next slide. Um it's been in the United States for a very long time. Next slide. It will feed on 300 species of trees. But down in southeast Minnesota, the biggest trees of concern are oak.
It's it's a it's a it loves oak. It's like one of the favorite trees that it will feed on. Uh causes widespread defoliation. In 2023, the state of Wisconsin alone had over 400,000 acres of defoliation. just under 400,000 acres. So, it was pretty uh a damaging
pest just to the to stay to the east of us. Go next slide. It is also can can be a human health concern and a human nuisance. As you can imagine, millions of caterpillars in their backyards during times where people want to recreate and enjoy the beautiful outdoors of Minnesota can
offer. Uh you can have thousands and thousands of caterpillars. It can also cause some human health impacts when you have outbreaks during very high outbreak levels. Uh the caterpillars have very long uh air hairs and they can break off and kind of float into the air. So people with sensitivities, asthmatic conditions may have some sensitivities
during that time. Uh if you handle those caterpillars, you can have allergic reactions because of those. Uh they're kind of like little barbs uh that they go into your skin a little bit and some uh some folks can have sensitivities that it is a federally regulated plant pest. So, it is a pest that if we do not
manage uh into the state of Minnesota, then regulations are are impacted onto us in regards to uh quarantines. Very similar to what you may have been experienced with emerald ashbor. Uh spongy moth was the most damaging forest pest in the United States until emerald ashbor came into play. Uh now it's kind
of the second. It it fell down the line, but it's still a very damaging pest. Next slide. Uh currently spongy moth is not established in the state of Minnesota other than Cook and Lake County which is a two harbors to Grand Marray but everything in blue is where spongy moth is currently established. It's one/ird
its geographical range. It is we are protecting it from moving into twothirds of the rest of the United States where these populations can and will become established. Next slide. Minnesota's program um and the reason for this slow movement. It's been in the United States for over a hundred years.
It has to do with the female moth cannot fly. She simply has too large of a body and she can't move. So her wings she can't get off the ground. So she does not fly. So that's why this this movement of this pest is so incredibly slow over 150 years and it's only in onethird its geographical range in the
United States. And it has to do with how it mo naturally moves. The only way this insect can naturally move is through ballooning in the air as a very tiny little instar caterpillar. It'll put a silken thread down into the air and it'll blow westward and that's the only way this population kind of pushes
forward. However, humans are really great at what we do. We move a lot of products very quickly. So, firewood, uh, home, we just talking about real estate and people moving properties, uh, from one area to the next. And the infested region is just across the the river from
us, um, to Wisconsin. Next slide. You can go to the next slide. This is just showing some of the artificial movement. Um, Minnesota is very fortunate to be part of a national program called slow the spread. This is a US Forest Service program that's initiated. Uh Minnesota is a partner
with 10 partner states along the leading edge of this uh pest. It's the it's the largest integrated pest barrier zone concept in the entire world. Um largest in the United States and the largest that utilizes integrated pest management using pherommones to kind of slow this this spread of this pest. And I'll talk
a little bit about that. Next slide. So everything that we do in the state of Minnesota is done all the way through these 10 states. We survey the same, we treat the same, we we uh all the all the tools that we utilize are utilized uh similarly across each one of our states. Uh you can look geographically.
Everything that's happening in Minnesota is happening in West Virginia, Virginia, um North Carolina, Ohio, etc. Uh this program has been in existence for over 20 years and we've been fortunate to be a part of the program reducing spread by over 60%. So the economics of this program is basically a cost of 3 to one
to citizens. um most years we've been able to reduce the spread by over 70%. So it's incredibly successful program in the last 25 years. Next slide. So how do we do this is I'm going to jump to the next slide. This is just showing the advancement into the state of Minnesota over time. Uh we able we're able to
manage this uh pest by taking advantage of this is the most research pest in the United States today. We know a lot about the biology how we manage how this how we can detect uh extremely low levels for this pest. And so we utilize the biology of the insect. It goes through one cycle per year and currently they're
in the egg mass form. 500 to,000 little caterpillars and each one of those single ink masses. Uh they're overwintering. They will come out as caterpillars at when they'll do their damaging stage. Um where we try to to look for management in this current project is we're going to target the male moth just when they come out as
moths. They're not feeding at that time. The only purpose in life at that point is to mate. And so we're going to be targeting that. That's also the stage we target for our surveys. So we set next slide uh to monitor for these uh pest we set over 20,000 early detection traps across the state of Minnesota. Most of
those are targeted on the eastern half of Minnesota uh where that population is moving in. We place these traps in early June and we remove them by for sure by October in the northern part of the state. In this area we have these all removed by September. This gives us an indication of that population movement
into areas and now we look for isolated population. So this mo this population is moving like a forest fire. As it moves westward, we're trying to stomp out the sparks that are getting way out in advance of that that population before they coales and grow and move westward. Next slide.
So how do we do management? You can go ahead to the next slide. our management program uh in 2026 and this is uh across the United States that entire front of that barrier zone concept we have over 300,000 acres that are being proposed for management along
that front to slow the management 152,000 of those is in the state of Minnesota so we have a lot at risk here at the state of Minnesota uh a lot of work being done in our particular state 35 uh areas across Minnesota nine counties uh target it it overlaps 13
different cities and there are many of the counties that are impacted with our proposed project from the department of agriculture in partnership with US Forest Service uh across Minnesota. Next slide. >> Should we save questions till the end for sure? >> Sure. Oh, you can any >> Heidi, can we go back one slide?
>> Um why not Houston County? Um >> that's a great question. Uh Mr. Chairman, uh uh chairman, um the reason for that it has to do with the spread, not so we manage in the advancing front and we have managed in Houston County. It's starting to be once it we move
westward we focus on the way on the items way to the west. It also has a lot to do with budgets uh reductions in budgets. Uh Minnesota had to reduce a lot of our acres. So we looking where the highest risk is and anything to the west takes precedent over against the edge. Lacrosse County that is against uh
uh the Houston County actually is quarantined as of last year. So populations were incredibly high just to the the other side of the river. So that population is really pushing in. So, this is where we're kind of holding it now at this line. Will we move back into Houston County? Potentially. And have we
worked in Houston County in the past? Yes, we have. Um, so it's just moving westward and we're staying on that leading edge. >> So, Wisconsin has leaked into Houston County. >> Correct. >> That's okay. If I could. Um, so but why Okay, so proposed areas, which is good, and I understand you're trying to put
the fire out before it gets here. Um, but Cook and Lake County, if they were in dark blue, what what kind of management are we doing there? >> So, have they already destroyed it and moved on? >> That's a great question. Uh, Mr. Chairman, Council Member Ward, uh, the
how spongy mouth moves once it moves into Minnesota, the Department of Agricultures responsibility for spongy mouth management is to eradicate, keep it out of our state or slow it from coming advancing into the state of Minnesota. Once it gets past a point where we can't slow that population, it becomes established in an area, then
that falls under regulation, then we quarantine an area um and then we restrict, we slow the artificial movement of that pest through human assistant movement. So, the Department of Agricultur's role in Lake and Cook County is uh working with industry on setting up compliance agreements to be able to move their products out of those
areas. Similar to like an emerald ashbor or quarantine where uh anything that's regulated has to go under compliance or certification or treatment before it can be moved out. Um then the populations become local level uh kind of management at that point. Once we move through,
this is why we keep it out as long as possible because now it goes to local management. So when there's outbreaks that happen in those areas that are quarantined or behind the front, it's left up to either county governments, local uh townships, um lakeshore associations to try to suppress or keep
those populations at bay. Um and that's where that l that >> when you say quarantine, does that mean the movement of wood product >> under um Mr. Chairman, council member Ward, the quarantine for the spongy moth program um limits and I don't have all
the regulated articles, but mostly wood products. So it would be um it would be logs, chips, bark, a lot of and outdoor and actually it goes into outdoor household articles. So during household moves, we encourage residents to do like inspections of their products before they move them west, you know, to a new
area of outside the quarantine area, but it really targets um wood products. Um spongy moth lays their egg mass on pretty much anything outdoors like they don't infest it into like an emerald ashbor burrows under the wood and it's with the wood. Spongy Moth, the female, is looking for a sheltered location in
which to lay that egg mass. So, she will lay it on. We find um for example, uh anything outdoors, picnic tables, grills, trailers, boat trailers. So, you can imagine because the front is so close to us, you can just go to a cabin in Wisconsin, leave your boat, uh sit out in the fall kind of when they're
laying that egg mass, and bring it back the spring to your house to now use it at your place here in Minnesota. And we do see that artificial movement happening more frequently when you're close to that edge. And those are the things that we're trying to encourage people to inspect for, look for, remove
before they're moving those types of products. >> Question. Anything else? >> Well, yet one last then what's doing? They seem to be a threat. >> So Wisconsin has a similar program that we do even though we are working along that edge. They are still working. So just on the other side of Winona,
there's actually a proposed block like literally across the river from us. They are working as well. Um I what I had in the previous slides way before that was kind of the spread. So it pushes back into Wisconsin. So they're still a part of that national program, but um to the east of them where the populations are outbreak and I mentioned in 2023 they
had massive outbreaks um they will get so their department of natural resources has done some um uh suppression programs where they do the similar kind of management that we're doing in the front to suppress populations to knock them down. Um but that's local it's established. Um the other things that
they do the once this pest kind of gets established in area there's two s caterpillar sicknesses. I'll say it's a virus and a fungal disease that impacts caterpillars when they had at those outbreak levels. So the hope is that that that fungal and pathogen disease kind of moves in with the population if
we can slow it down. So the crashes will happen more quickly um during those outbreaks. So that is also established into the Wisconsin area. So they're able to see those crashes happening because those diseases kind of kick in. Wonderful. >> Couple couple questions. Everybody else,
the heat and cold tolerance of these, are they are they subject to either way? >> Um, yes. I will say they are they have a heat tolerance and a cold tolerance on both ends. Unfortunately, it's not to the cold. It's it's a - 20 uh Celsius
degrees for an extended period of time. And that's in inside that the eggs, you got to imagine, are kind of buffered and they're protected and they're under the snow level. So there's been great research in the state of Minnesota that shows uh that indicated, you know, at one point we wondered if they'd be established in northern Minnesota or
actually survive. Um there was great research put out by the University of Minnesota that actually indicated that yes, they can survive. Does does cold actually cause mortality? Absolutely. On the and so this year, this winter, I'm crossing my fingers, this cold with low
snow is going to be an impactor and we're hopeful that it will knock the population down, but it will never eradicate it enough. cold alone won't be a deter uh a control. >> So with that that and usually that's the case for having a good cold hard freeze you know every once in a while because
it does see that in crops we see that a lot of things. >> So what about you know being -20 Celsius is cold but it's not cold cold. Um what about Canada? I mean are they using a passport to get in or >> Yeah. So Canada so Canada that is the
upper threshold. They see um they're not seeing a like north of like Thunder Bay, so north of Grand Marray. They're seeing some detections, but not to the level it seems like m seems like the United States is giving Canada our past. You know, they're moving northward versus them coming from the south.
>> They're staying in the heat range, >> but they are staying the populations are not seeing outbreak population. Now, the UP of M Michigan has seen outbreak population. So we never as a scientist never believed that the UP could ever get established populations to the level of outbreaks. Well, this pest seems to
surprise us each and every year, you know, the more we learn about it. So as it moves into new areas. So yeah, so cold will help. It's a great thing. So even though we as people and humans hate cold, it's really good to keep some pest in control. Uh next slide.
So, how do we uh the proposed areas for um the county of Winona? We have 34,000 acres just over 34,000 acres being proposed at five locations. Uh we name them by kind of uh so it encompasses on the entire city of Winona and Good View.
Um other cities impacted is Elba, uh Stockton and Minowiska. Uh >> Minneapolis, I apologize. Um are impacted. uh we are communicating and having uh the similar meetings that we have in front of the county commissioners with city councils as well
that may be impacted as well. We were just in the city of good view last even uh last night as well. Uh next site and we'll talk a little bit next slide we'll talk a little bit about what we are proposing for management. Um for management uh we are working to propose a mating disruption. It is a synthetic
female sex attractant of the female moth and we utilize a product called splat gypsy moth organic. So, it's specialized um pheromone lure application technology is what splat stands for and it's not GMO. That is actually the old name of Gypsy Moth organic. It's an EPA
certified organic product. It's non-toxic, biodegradable and made of foodgrade products and it's very species specific. So unlike other uh products that we can use in front of the board last year we talked about BTK Bexylisterensis kstaki which is a biological which is a wonderful project
uh product that we can utilize in higher density populations but because these >> Can I stop you right there? What does that do? >> BTK. >> Yeah, >> BTK is uh it's a biological insecticide used to impact alpepodoprine. So moth
and butterfly caterpillars uh that feed on foliage. It is a product that most people a lot of people will use in their gardens up to the date of harvest on like for cabbage looper. Um so that is another product uh that was one in Prairie Island. Uh we were proposing last year over Prairie Island, but due
to federal funding, we had to cancel that project at a last minute's notice. Um because that funds didn't come through. Um that was because of high density. So we use that in extremely high dense populations. Um it's a great product. It's biodegradable. It's organic in nature as well, but it does
have a slight non-target impact of some local laps, but they recolonize. This particular product is incredibly species specific. So, what I mean by that, it will only impact male spongy moss alone. Um, what I have in front of me, and I know that I apologize that people online
can't really see, but it's a tiny little vial um that's got splat product in it. And this product will be about this is about 2 and a half acres of application. So it's an incredibly low dose that gets applied. It is applied. Next slide. It is applied through aerily and there's
a small little droplet um on it is a mix of different droplets because it's kind of like a toothpaste in formulation. It's a compressible liquid which is really kind of interesting. Um but similar to what's waxy based product made out of chapstick in a sense but into a formulation that's a little
flowable uh for toothpaste. Um we apply that by aircraft. It it will be throughout the canopy. Males come out, we disperse it before male moths emerge from their biology. They can't find females in which to mate and they die before mating occurs. So it's actually we don't kill anything. We simply
disrupt their mating cycle. Next slide. The start of the public process. We want to make sure that all citizens are informed about our project. Uh it's incredibly important that we get the information out. We partner with cities and county governments to help us share the information to all citizens. Uh we
will have public meetings. We have set those two public meetings ready. We'll have a virtual one for southeast Minnesota and we will have a local one here uh at the city chambers in uh the city of Winona for citizens to come in. We'll also have other public meetings across southeast Minnesota and Steuartville in Rochester in Austin,
Minnesota for folks to attend. We do legal uh notices and legal blurs uh press releases as well. Uh we'll be pushing out uh email notifications. uh citizens can actually sign up for direct email and text notifications so that they can get information about both our
public meeting as well as the operation when we get close to it. So they will know exactly when our aircraft is planning to be in the air. And that's the one thing I did not tell you mention is that this is targeted for uh late June, early August time frame is when the targeted application will be a
single application that will take multiple days. uh with 130,000 acres across southeast Minnesota, it's going to be a probably a 5 to 7 day project uh over time. Um but how citizen can also get in. We have a report of pass. Next slide. And we also inform um a locka or
loia, excuse me, our local leaders. Um but this is again um what they can see when they go online. They can go online. They can click on their individual blocks to see is their property within those blocks, outside the blocks, where do they reside as residents, are they impacted with this proposal? And by
putting in their street address, they can also uh sign up, you can see sign up on the little blue blocks that's showing, they can sign up for those text and email notifications. Next slide. Um, and then the other thing, because this is a federally funded project, we don't know 100% certainty. We do not
have the federal funds at the Department of Agriculture at this point, but we are hopeful. It's been 25 years and we've been very successful. Um, we did get federal funding last year, but it just came late, past the biological window to do that application for the little caterpillars. We don't anticipate that
this one will be that delayed. Um, and we're hopeful that we will continue to get that federal funding, but if we do not, um, this project would be cancelled or delayed until and then it would cause some significant impacts to our spread rates over time. But we do do an environmental assessment that is species
specific and down to the local level looking for threatened and endangered species, historical site impacts, etc. Even though we don't anticipate any with this product being a pheromone, we still that's a requirement to make sure that we are uh not impacting anything that may be at risk. Um with that, that's the
next slide and that's the end of my kind of presentation. I will take any additional questions that you may have. >> Mr. Sure. >> Uh question. You have uh in your little brochure on the one fold out, you know, it says spongy moth hitchhiking on a picnic table. So if you if a citizen sees some of these little things, what's
the best way to just squish them and put them in a bag or what do you what do you do? How do you >> That's a wonderful uh Mr. Chair chairman uh a chairman award. Um what uh what we would encourage citizens to do is that if they find something they recognize as
spongy moth to crawl or arrest the pest the report a past uh a telephone the hotline that's in that brochure too. So report a pest. So contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. We don't want you necessarily to remove it if it's an egg mass and it's it's not moving. Now if it's a caterpillar or a moth obviously you want to capture it and put
it in a jar. Uh but we want to identify it because we want to know exactly where these populations are. where we're finding these in incredibly low levels. It is highly unlikely that a citizen will actually see a lot of these life stages in these areas in which we're managing. But if they do or even outside, we want to know about that. Um
so it's incredibly important that they report it. Um so don't just squish it and throw it away, do report it at this point. That's that's very important. >> Okay. >> Question and a comment. Anybody else? Nope. >> No. >> Okay. Um, and you'll be spraying over
residential properties. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And I can, you know, being in the a industry, we're used to seeing planes fire out, but as soon as you start putting up trees in your house and people are going to have questions, I anticipate the phone ringing because a lot of these are going to be in a lot of those are in my district and people are
going to be saying, "Hey, what's this guy?" Because we do a lot of we do custom hiring, right? Um, is there a way because obviously we're not going to be able to, you know, answer and ward off every phone call, but is there a way we could do something on the website to
kind of be a little proactive about this? >> I think they contact they >> and that way it's a link to what she put up there. >> That way they know what they can do. I I that way we don't have to remember. we can just say hey so and make it maybe
somewhere towards the front right away because this is going to happen here in 4 months. >> Yeah. So Mr. uh chairman the you are very correct. It is a definitely when we are the int you know when we're treating urban centers we do get a lot of
citizens concerns. Um and that's and that's our goal is to make sure citizens are aware and they have ability to go to where the information are. So we're doing two things to help with that. We do as our our public information officer puts together an actual kit for your county. So we will give you a kit that
has uh information to be put on your website with imagery. We have uh pre-made or drafted like Twitter, Facebook, um we have a uh opportunity if you have a newsletter, we give you that text as well because the media the the targeted audiences are slightly
different. We will give that kit to your county folks to put that on their website. The other main thing that we do that's incredibly important is that each one of you will be put on a list serve in which we notify you only of key things. So we put all county commissioners, city council members, um
main uh administrators on a special email list serve. So we will notify you before we notify your citizens. So before a postcard goes out, before a press release goes out, you will get that notification in advance with how to direct uh citizens to the proper sites
to get information in event in the in the start of the operation before we put aircraft in the air. You will be notified approximately the dates we're going to start. You'll be notified the night prior, the morning of, and when we're out of the area and complete it so you can immediately have that information readily available for your
citizens. Uh that's going to be critical. We're going to try to encourage citizens to get in that text and email. The biggest complaint we get when we have aircraft, these are low-flying aircraft. They're going to be about 100 ft above treetops. So, citizens will see them. They are going to be low flying. They're going to be loud and you are um citizens can go
about their normal duties. We often see that in a large communities. We worked in, you know, in the Twin Cities areas in Duth, uh Chicagoland, Cleveland, Ohio. You know, I can go through some very large communities in which we've done this projects. The biggest complaint is they'll look up, they will not see any product being dispensed from
the aircraft because it's at such an incredibly low rate. It does not appear to that anything is coming out of this aircraft yet there's a low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of a of a community. And so that's the other thing we want to encourage. We also work with your 911 dispatch so your your emergency management will be aware. So when they
do get the 911 calls, they can assure citizens this is normal, this is okay, this is a planned project. >> And most of those areas are in my district. >> Yeah. >> Um just a quick question. Um, so are you putting up the little tents? >> We are. We are still doing the survey. Um, that is an annual survey over 20,000
and we are actually in the process of hiring right now. So I would encourage if you have any citizens who are interested in a summer kind of position, the department of agriculture go to the career Minnesota career website. We are hiring for these summer seasonal positions. So they are will be out setting those traps across the county
approximately almost approximately a mile depending on D. We have a grid. It's a generalized grid. the whole county will be covered. >> The entire county will be covered with these these small uh traps >> and I know in the past they have come to my residence. I'm a rural resident and I highly encourage um and I think they did
they have a car that maybe has a decal on it and that they have some kind of identification because when a stranger pulls up in my house and then they start trumping around my my infrastructure of my electrical because they put it in a tree near my electric I'm going what is
this person doing? So for their protection and your protection, make sure they have a bright colored vest or t-shirt or something identifying who they are. Um and a lot of times they don't even they time they don't even knock on the door. They just kind of put the tent up and leave and then again as
a rural resident you wonder what who is here. Um so just for their own safety reiterate that. >> Thank you. >> Anything else commission? >> No. Um, did I miss it? You don't have a date.
You said late June to early August. So, you don't you don't know yet. >> Um, Mr. Chair, uh, Commissioner of Vogle. The actual timing on the operation is late June, early July. So, within a time about 2 to 3 week time frame um, it will be targeted before
July 4th unless we get like delays in federal funding and we have to push that a little tight to the biological window, but within those few weeks. President I'm asking is just our media partners if we could let them know they can help us spread the word etc. >> That is Thank you. That is wonderful. If we can get media TV press releases if
they're interested in coming to the airport to get footage we've done that before uh to get on morning newscast uh the morning of operations that's been very helpful uh because citizens then see it like it's on the news. Okay, we know this is happening and it's normal. >> Is it possible like a two week how how
far out can you predict when you'll be in the area? Is it two weeks out, one week out? >> We will know approximately, excuse me, Mr. Chair, uh, Commissioner Walle. Um, we will know um about a week and a half out. So, we will give the county um
we'll give you notice at that point. We'll also reach out to the media at that point as well. We'll send a press release and ask them if they want to do any type of interviews. We encourage that uh to come out and be a part of the project to showcase that. particularly when we work in these urban cities, we
definitely want it on at the local TV stations like um it doesn't always, you know, it depends on what's current, you know, what is the news story that day and and is is spongy moth a news, you know, worthy kind of uh pest. >> Um a school board member a number of
years ago asked if we could somehow um erily dispense Redland. Can we add things to what you're >> I think they could put campaign brochures in This is helping with the students in terms of their focus just
for that >> jobs. Um is that putting that is that a full summer job or is it just a very short condensed time frame for jobs if we got any youth that >> that's a great um Mr. Chair uh Commissioner Ward the job announcement and you have to be a high school
graduate and or uh so there are some uh requirements but it is a summer short-term uh employment. We've had to reduce the actual employment window a little bit due to just um uh funding things, but it is starts um end of May, >> uh middle to end of May. They'll get
their training. They'll be out in June. They'll they'll have a nice break in July to do their family activities and then they'll come back in August to remove and hopefully before uh the Labor Day down in this area. It's typically before Labor Day. So, Memorial Day to Labor Day with a very nice kind of three
to four week at least break in the middle to do family things. Okay. Any else? Many escal put a quarter in the jar for saying their name wrong. >> I think I I probably filled that jar up. I apologize immensely.
>> Thank you very much. Great. Thank you. >> Yeah, great presentation. >> Yeah, >> I uh doesn't have anything on that. I I really foresee that raising some eyebrows. >> So, it's going to be >> years ago and really it didn't it wasn't too bad. >> No, no, no. I think I think it's going
to just be where it's at is very subject to you too. So 100%. >> All right, we will move on to 7.3. Discuss approve appointment of additional member county extension committee page 98.
Any discussion? >> Looks like we have permission, Mr. Chair. >> Yep. >> It looks like permission. We have permission to add a a citizen. And again, being that we've got good quality citizen applying, I I think we definitely should add them. So, I would
move to add um Nicole >> Chalet. I'll second that. >> Yeah, I apologize for the name to the extent she >> order in the jar. All right, we have a motion by
Commissioner V or sorry, Commissioner Warren, second by Commissioner Vagley to get my page back here to appoint Mrs. Shal, I believe is how you say that. >> Order. >> There it is. Something wrong with the contact. >> We got ourselves a happy meal here. Um
to the uh county extension committee. Uh we have to take roll call uh for this. Commissioner Begley. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Olsson. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Ward. >> Hi. Commissioner Meyer >> I. >> And Commissioner Elsing votes I. So motion approved. All right. 74 set
public hearing for shotgun zone repeal for February 24th, 2026. Any discussion on that? >> Thank you. >> Thank you for >> Thank you. That was great. >> One question uh for Mr. >> So this is more than just our normal
public comment. Is it a public hearing before the public comment? Well, whichever direction you want to go there. You could do your public comment first and then go into a public hearing. >> Yeah, >> I'm fine either way what you think works best.
>> Scheduled at 6:00 after 6:00, correct? Go ahead. >> Um, question. I know in Houston County I set up for this, we had probably over 100 people. Um, is this a venue that's going to handle I we anticipate that
much want to take tickets at the do >> I say we have in we can set it out out in open area but again it's not really ideal. We can see if we can find another >> option but we're pretty limited on
space. >> I would I would >> I would say let's just hold it here. Um, no idea how many people, you know, will show up or anything. Uh, we will have the Zoom available if they want to just zoom in and have something set up out here and people just, you know, will
know >> people can share their views online. We we heard one comment today. So, that is working that that's back online, right? >> We have a hot spot that's allowing us to do this. Yes. So, I would move to uh hold set the public hearing for our
February 24th uh 2026 uh during the regular county board meeting uh as first item on the agenda. >> All right. Any discussion? So, this first then of the normal public comment. I'm fine. comment would come first
because if according to what commissioner just said do the public comment and and advise people that we're going to hold the >> shotgun rifle discussion next >> in two minutes. >> Well, that was my I was just going to
open it up for discussion before we we uh move. But that was my thought process also was are we going to put a >> time frame on the entire hearing and also a time frame on any presentation
um >> you know >> past we've done we've done a twominut and I think uh >> overall >> and we've asked people if you're repeating the same uh info and you know um to try and condense what they have to
be time sensitive I would say give each speaker two up to two minutes. >> We're going to put a cap on the entire meeting though of the hearing. >> If they I feel if they drive in and show up, we should hear it. >> Another option is that you can allow
them to submit written information consideration as well. >> So really the motion stands just no time frames. Um >> two minute per speaker. >> Two minute per speaker >> with with no uh set for the total public hearing.
>> Okay. So, we had a motion by you, second by Olsen. Are you okay with that with the two-minute proposal? >> All right. So, hearing that, Commissioner Meyer, did you hear all that? >> Yep, I sure did. It's all fine with me. >> Excellent. All right. So, uh, roll call. Commissioner Vaggley.
>> Hi. >> Commissioner Olsson, >> hi. >> Commissioner Ward, >> I. >> Commissioner Meyer, >> I. >> And Commissioner Elsing votes I. So, motion passes. All right. So, community uh committee reports, communication, Mr. you didn't
have anything else commissioner work. >> Yeah. Um just a reminder, uh we're starting the election cycle in townships and there's and and they vary. The filings for township officers, there are supervisors, there's clerks, um annual meetings come in early March. So, if
you're in a township, uh you know, uh consider uh stepping up and being a leader in your township. Um, it's the first series of elections going on this year. And attend your township meeting. That's that's very local local. That's that's
the road you usually drive on first in a township. So, it's very important to be active and participate. >> All right. I do have just just one thing. Um, Administrator Holy, maybe this can go back. I was anticipating a road and bridge community meeting today. I was on
vacation last week in Mexico. So, um I got back and started going through emails and I see we canceled it. So, just something um I've had a few people ask about the bridge going out on 26 by Ela and um the way the road signs are
put up. There's one at the corner of 114 and 26 saying road closed. Now, I expect you know where that's at, but it does kind of make it perceive that uh there's pork plants. there's a business on that road that that potentially could be closed or you couldn't get to that. I do understand why they do that because
there's a cut across. It's kind of a cut across road to get down through the valley. But, you know, maybe something we could do and we could even offer this up to pork compliance. Maybe they could provide a sign or something because this isn't going to be an extended period, six months, seven months. Um that, you know, maybe they could provide a sign
that we could say road is open to pork compliance or something like that. >> Great idea. Um, and just to help our rural businesses out. So maybe if we could make a mention and somebody could get a hold of them and just say, "Commissioner Aling brought this up." So we'll do. >> Thank you. >> They're allowed to put up a sign. >> Yeah, exactly. And you know what? They
furnish it. I'm sure they would have something they could put up to help with that. And also just for traffic. >> A lot of traffic in the spring. >> Exactly. And that's coming up and that's going to be done that could hurt them. >> Um, so >> yeah. Um, that was uh, I guess the one thing that I had I was going to mention
the voting side too, but you covered that. So, all right. Uh, anything else? Administrator Holy, >> Miss Church, >> good. >> I'll move to adjourn. >> Second. >> Motion by Commissioner Baggley, second by Commissioner Olsson to adjourn. Roll call. Commissioner Baggley.
>> I. >> Mr. Olsson. >> I. >> Commissioner Ward. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Meyer. >> I. >> Mr. Alson, go vote. I meetings adjourned. All right. Should we take a few minute break and we'll get on to the board orbody want to start running to the board? >> Could we take just a quick break? >> We'll take a >> So we have
all the community board uh received presentation of presentation of Minnesota extended services produced through responsibility law and discuss possible impacts on county recycling program. Ross, thank you. >> Good morning.
>> Morning. Um we are starting into the um kind of the implementation phase for Minnesota's extended producer responsibility law. Uh officially it's called the waste reduction and cost or waste and cost reduction act. Um Heidi
if I could get the next slide. Uh the purpose of it is to reduce unnecessary unrecyclable or problematic packaging. Uh there's many many states that are implementing these. uh the with the advent of e-commerce, it's
increasing the amount of recycling entering the the waist stream and the cost for managing that is falling to units of government uh to encourage um more responsible um choices in packaging. They're they're
passing along both the cost and the responsibility to to ensure that the packaging materials you used are um more conducive to recyclability, reuse um and then and then reduction as
well. Uh and then it will also change who is paying for the recycling program. I the last purpose of it is to expand the availability of recycling to areas that aren't currently being serviced
very well. Could I get the next slide? It covers all packaging packaging components and paper sold or distributed in Minnesota. Um there are exceptions for some items um um formula containers. Uh some of the the additional materials
I provided in the board packet goes into full detail as far as what the ex exceptions are. Uh so there are exceptions. Those probably will change over time as new things are determined. Um and there are some businessto business exceptions where um because of
the type of product involved there really is no ability to to um make the material recyclable material. Could I get the next slide please? Um
all producers uh who are uh operating in Minnesota are going to be required to join a a producer responsibility organization. The one that is in m that has been chosen for Minnesota is circular action alliance uh goes by CAA.
Uh >> go ahead. >> Question Ross. So what's a producer? A producer is um any manufacturer um or business that produces. Uh so if
you're you're a e-commerce uh business, if you're any any business that is engaged in shipping a material out, >> how are they determined? >> It's defined under state law. If you in
the more detailed components, um, some of the more detailed handouts I provided in the board packet, it kind of gets into the more nuts and bolts of it. Um, but essentially it's the idea is I mean, it's pretty extensive. They're working
through the details now. It's it's very early. It's still very early in the process. Um, I've got another um there's another um board meeting tomorrow. There's a there's a state board that is working out the details with the um the
producer responsibility organization uh as and the committee has been appointed by the state as well as the state um the uh state agency reps and they're working through all of these details. So, do you know is it a
voluntary sign up a mandatory? Who who's the >> it is mandatory? Uh >> how do you know if you you got to go on and do your own guilty until proven yourself innocent or the other way around here? I mean, I'm just trying to figure out like how are they going to go around be like, well, you but not you.
You do a little but you know, >> that's what I'm trying to figure out. >> Some states have uh small business exemptions. I have not seen that in the state. Uh, I need to complete going through the legislation in a little more detail to make sure. Um, so far I've not
heard of any exemptions as far as size uh in Minnesota, but there are some states that that uh that do exempt small business. >> I'm just thinking is it but it's manufacturerbased not you know so for example if I had
Erica's crafts here and she receives a bunch of product in from pick a state, pick a country, right? It could be China, could be Taiwan, could be Germany, could be Americanmade. She gets packaging in. This is what I'm trying to figure out. She gets packaging in and
now she gets punished because of how they decided to ship it, putting her at a disadvantage to she got a new cost. Now she's got to deal with shipping that back out or selling it to somebody else. That's I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. >> And those are some of the details that
we're waiting out waiting to find out. So they're they're in a sense because it's a producer responsibility organization, they in theory are in contact with larger entities. Uh if you've noticed with some of your packaging already, you've noticed that
the styrofoam noodles have gone away. You've noticed that uh there's a lot more of the uh brown paper as as padding. Um, so that there it's it's already happening because there are quite a number of states that already have these laws.
>> Well, I guess I guess what I was leading alluding to that question is, and I'm just I don't expect you know at all, Ross. I just wondered if you had the highlights. Is this geared towards companies that are home, their home is Minnesota, and they are packaging
products here in Minnesota that they've manufactured and sent out? or is it the little gift store over here that's trying to stay in line that's buying things in and now they have to pay this fee because of how it's received in. So is it manufactured based based in
Minnesota or is it retailbased both going >> it's retailbased so it would be the the people wanting to ship into Minnesota. So if you're if you got a small business in theory it should be coming to them in the form that is compliant with state
law. So, and if not, they pay a tax on it. >> Uh, by 2032, technically any non-recyclable, non-reusable, non-compostable material is banned >> unless there's exemption. >> You go to the grocery store and when
they ask small business, you're not a small business because >> Yeah. Because I mean, what little small business is going to be able to have any sort of like say over how something comes in? Now, you take a Walmart, a Target, these massive corporations, they're going to have dictation as to
what happens. This is just another business killer. >> I think, well, I think it's going to be operating at a level that is not going to be as invasive to small business. Uh, but again, we're we're waiting for a lot of details.
Okay. Um so within the law there are service providers that need to register with the state. We are a service provider and we have registered uh as part of that um the producer organization and the state will
establish the state will establish the goals uh as far as recyclability and then uh the service providers in the state work with the producer organization to meet those goals. Uh currently we have a uh each county uh is
each greater Minnesota county is required to reach a 35% recycling rate uh by 2030. Um and you know we've been we've been in excess of that for quite some time. Um metro counties have a higher recycling
rate that they've had to meet. So these will be adjusted from time to time as what what they are trying to do is they're trying to reduce the trend for landfilling. Um despite all the recycling, the amount of material going to landfills is increasing
substantially. Uh we've had some waste to energy facilities that have shut down in the state. Uh the state wants to get away from waste to energy. Um the counties continue to push back on that. Uh there is a place for waste energy. Um, but they are not popular with the
public. Um, so it's kind of a a balance. >> The permitting is is so restrictive. We've got a we've got a few counties that have that and that's part of MCIT car's insurance for them and it's getting harder and harder even to insure them because of some of the the
potentials. >> Yeah, it's this stuff. Well, we send it to don't we send ours to Iowa or Wisconsin? >> Oh, a a lot of it. We most of our most of the county's waste either goes to Seven Mile Creek Landfill in outside of
Oaklair or it goes to Central Disposal in Lake Mills, Iowa. So that's where the vast majority of our our MSW is going. >> You wonder why uh Senator Miller retired. He's probably got to figure this all out.
>> Could I get the next slide, please, Heidi? he'd be a good one to have come explain from a business perspective. >> So just some of the timelines that are involved here, the needs, we're in the needs assessment phase. So that is supposed to be completed by the end of
the year um by the end of 2028. The structure is supposed to be in place and with implementation of the plan beginning in 2029. um full implementation is going to come
into effect on January 1st, 2032. And that is where unless unless there is an exemption in law um eliminate, you know, all packaging, paper products, nonrefillable, reusable, recyclable, com
or compostable is is banned in the state. So over the next few years they're going to be working out all these details. I'm sure additional exemptions will come up. Um >> ban meaning you can't sell it or you
can't buy >> means that the manufacturers cannot cannot ship their products in a m in a in a container or produce a material that is not recycled. >> This is not a county level. This is state level. And this is national >> the Amazon of the world. This is this is national.
>> We need to be careful about that. This is designed for the Amazon of the world. Mhm. >> Right. >> How's it impact the code? >> Okay. Could we go to the next slide, please? >> There's going to be a lot of unknowns. So, uh that is um we're hearing more,
but the last meeting that I attended, uh there was a still quite a bit of confusion. uh the producer organization is requesting information that they are not allowed to have because it is proprietary for business and the state is letting them know that no, you're not
going to get that information. So, there's a lot of details that we're still waiting to to see what is coming forth. >> Maybe I'm misunderstanding this. Is this just for shipping companies? Like when somebody puts something together? I I in my head
>> I I have >> I think you're looking at something more along the lines of Kimberly Clark and a lot of these large corporations that are when they are in producing their products uh in the manufacturing phase looking at
what materials are we using for sanitary reasons there's going to it's not like we're going to eliminate all trash there's I can't imagine that >> example I go to Bernard's I buy a ceiling fan the Hunter fans are made in the United States, right? So, I buy a 100 I buy all Hunter fans because
they're made in the United States. All right. I know every time I buy one, it's in styrofoam, >> right? Okay. For that to come. So, this is my question. I'm not This isn't on you. I'm just trying to figure this out. So, that is made in I forget where they're made in. I think it's Tennessee.
Wherever they're made in. And they ship it into Minnesota. They can no longer ship their fan into Minnesota because it has styrofoam in it. So, does that mean Menards can't sell it? I'll take it out of the small business, go to a big business, but it's American business. So now Hunter, if they want to do business
in Minnesota, has to refigure out how to ship their fan. And the same thing could hold true if I walk down here to the Haste Hardware, locally owned, right? And he anything he wants to put on his shelf down there, made in the USA, not made in the USA, it can't come into our
state unless it meets packaging regulation. Correct. >> Correct. I still go back to that's going to kill the small business because if they've got any >> state by state >> state by state >> state by state >> it is it is state by state but there there there are there um there is the
extended producer in um um extended producer institute that shows you you can go on there and there's there's a whole list of what states have what producer responsibility legislation and and it's throughout the us. Some have
widespread >> laws. Others have more restrictive laws where it's, you know, a bottle bill is a producer responsibility law. >> Not against getting rid of the waste. I just try to figure out that's not very much time to >> Well, essenti I mean the technology is
here. So, if you uh you know, I just bought a a heater and instead of being in styrofoam, you know, garage heater, um it came in essentially the uh same material that you're using for um it's
molded to the product. Uh like an egg carton provides the cushioning, provides the protection, it's molded to that product. Um >> egg cartons aren't recyclable. >> Yes, they are. styrofoam ones up. >> Not the styrofoam ones.
>> Yeah. So, >> the cardboard ones, you know, >> I just I look at it and say that it's just >> and just can't come without, >> right? And then and the next the next steps will be driving technology for those areas. you know, if um creating
creating the impetus to find new ways of doing things and letting business do what it does best, which is innovate, find the the best cost solution to meet a requirement uh and make it recyclable.
I could see at a federal level that that would work a little easier because now anything that's imported into the United States or manufactured in the United States would have to meet this compliant. But you can't tell me that somebody's going to say, "Well, we sell, you know, $50 million to Minnesota, but
we sell, you know, sell $5 million Minnesota and we sell, you know, $300 million to rest United States. We're not going to change our packaging ways. are just going to say, "Well, sorry, Minnesota. We can't sell you." That's that's one of the fears that I see happening is that
they'll get segregated out if everybody isn't in compliance. And that's You see where my head's going with this? >> I see where you're going. >> I can see the Amazon side. That's easy, right? Because, okay, somebody orders something off from Amazon. How Amazon decides to put it into the box and what they use to package that up to get it to
you. Absolutely. That's simple, right? But the manufacturing side, that's the tough side that I could see that hurting businesses. >> But you said there's many other states that are already >> Yes. Yes. they're >> right. >> So we're kind of It says right here Maine, Oregon, Colorado, and California
in 2020. Minnesota became >> Washington state is also passed. They have a very similar similar law to Minnesota and they're just in the development phase. >> Again, I'm not against any of this. I'm just looking at it saying, >> but why are they exempting all the drug companies? I mean, think how many drugs
are shipped around >> exempt a lot of drug stuff. >> Yeah. I mean, a lot of it is if there's a senary issue, th those those items may see exemptions, but a lot of those um are already working. You know, we've got
the plastic, we've got >> this is all state level or national in terms of the county. What what the impact is, it might mean a change. Those blue bins might cost them and the line item addition to our property tax that might change. Right. >> There is. Well, and we'll get to that
here next. So, there's going to be a change that it looks like there's going to be a change there as well. Um, so they're talking about increasing increasing the availability of composting, which has been a problem for a long time simply because the amount of
materials in the waist stream. Um it's not we we've studied trying to do composting a number of different times. We just can't come up with a formula that works. Uh with with the legislation, it may actually as as
compostable materials become um more larger part of the waist stream. We may find uh that not only are we're able to, but we may be required to um to engage in some some composting.
>> They want us to do that here county by county. >> I would say it'd be more regionally. They they've been encouraged >> counties get together. Yeah, they've been encouraging regional operations uh for quite some time uh over individual county bycounty
operations >> cost all this and composting is not hard actually believe it or not any >> do you want to live next to a big compost site? >> No. And that's so the segregation of compost obviously is is you know production type stuff. But so they're so
they're going to have to have a processing center to separate this. the consumer will pay. >> They always do in one fashion or another. So, >> so the tax added >> is something that's going to be added to
the incoming or outgoing side of any business that's buying stuff, >> right? So the other part of this the this law it requires the producer organization to fund at least
90% of the cost of recycling. >> Say that again. >> The producer organization is going to be required to reimburse service providers at least 90% of the cost of recycling operations. So
we have registered as so currently we we are paying for our our recycling through our parcel charge and our um our hauler search charge. That's going to you know assuming that nothing changes down the road here. That
is going to change. We're going to be reimbursed 90% of our recycling program costs >> from the state >> from the producer organization >> from the producer. But that's a nonprofit. They're a nonprofit, but they're going to be funded by the manufacturers. So that's
>> many nonprofits. We will give you the money back. >> This this will be similar to what what we're already doing with household hazardous waste and the painare law. So, you're going to um currently when when the paint care law went into effect, all of our latex
and oilbased architectural paint um we when we ship that out to through our hazardous waste hauler, we are we invoice paint care. They send us a check. Uh and so that includes all of
our supplies. uh and then we receive a a stipen for for some of our time for for doing that. So, it's going to change how we're how it's paid for. Ultimately, yes, it's it just becomes a a cost, but instead of
replicating it or handling it at a county bycounty level, it's going to expand that and in theory create some waste reduction that is currently currently there's no reason to do.
So now this is all starting and our we're in the last year of a recycling contract. So um so we've got a lot of things that are up in the air. Um so we're came to
you to try to get to talk just let you know about this and get a kind of an idea of what is the interest in the board. >> What are our choices? Give us choices. >> You have two choices. current current recycling contract provides for a five-year extension. In theory, in the
in five years, we will know all about this and it'll either sink or swim. Uh it'll fall apart, it'll get extended, but um this in theory will get us to the point an extension would get us to the point where things become more known to
us. Um, our current contract provides for being able to change. So, if the state changes some things on us, we will be able to change our contract, add components. We're not locked in. >> Um, our current contract, the only
escalator. Um, we have we have the base contract and then each year the annual cost is adjusted and it's tied to the consumer price index urban. So for 2026 it was 2.7%. >> The other choice
>> the other choice is we send it out back out for bids. >> We're all on fire just like >> Yeah. So the the other option is you just put it back out for bids. We go out for requests for proposals, requests for qualifications >> annually at 3%. So in five years I mean
15%. It's it's a known versus uh in talking with some of the solid waste planners, they said if you can extend um at the state, >> my recommendation would probably be to extend because you're it's known.
>> Um we don't end up with any surprises. >> What do we pay per household? I'm sorry. What's each household? We're that's on the >> current. Well, currently each residential collection is just under $5 per site per month. >> Residential
>> per residential >> $5. >> So total we're just over we also have the multifamily accounts which utilize some dumpsters. Uh we have some commercial accounts that are also paying in. Um so all set when everything is
said and done, we're just over a million in our contract costs. But a private home is about $60. Residential city resident is $60 >> a year. >> Different for rural residents, but Right. >> No. >> No. Same. >> No. >> No. >> Perfect.
>> So, um, so we've provided all of our contract lists, um, collection lists with the they the state already has that information. They're using that to determine the needs assessment. Um, so this is all in process. We we just have
to decide what we're going to do. So if we're if we if you do want if there is a desire to put this back out for bid, then we need to get started. Unfortunately, all my contracts and RFPs are tied behind. >> Are is our current locker
willing to accept the 3%? >> At this point, they've indicated they were open to an extension. >> Oh, okay. Because I rised >> you want, >> Mr. Chair. just just to just an idea just to kind of
>> Mr. Chair, >> Commissioner Meyer, >> thank you. Um Ross, do you see it sounds to me like your recommendation is to extend the current contract. Is there any advantage to the second option which is going out for bids?
The idea would be that um that by going out there there are some new solid waste haulers that have moved into the area that you could get a reduced cost. Under the terms of our current contract, we allow no fuel search charges. No,
there's no flexible charging. Your your your only increases are tied to the CPIU. I think we negotiated that in 2016 at a much more stable part time in in our economy. I just don't see us getting
that this time. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you, Commissioner Meyer. Is I'm just going to throw this out here, but what happens if we just took current contract and we shelled it? I I I change garbage services all the time because
they're always willing to compete. And what the last one was too expensive, this one did. and they come back miraculously all of a sudden they get cheap now right is there any benefit to saying here's our demands I got a post office coming up for contract just lay it out and say this is what it takes to
stay in my building take it or leave it and could we do that with very minimal work we can basically expose our current contract send it to these other companies and say do better and if not so be it >> and I gohead
>> that's somebody that I actually recycle I don't think anywhere around my blocks recycle. I don't see them putting out bins. They're very particular on where you put the bin at what time it has to be out by. But I do because I like to recycle and you're going to be forced to
at some point with this program. If you go for another company, I need to find another bin. I need to figure out what to do with this bin. Now I have different rules I need to figure out. As just somebody that lives in this community, I I don't see people already doing it. And now you're going to make new rules for them to do. I think that's
also a risk. >> We've we've got about a 92% participation rate >> in the county. >> So, we've you not everybody goes out because it's an older community. Not everybody sets the recycling out every time. Uh but we've done we've we've done
surveys uh and and we're seeing over a 90% participation rate >> because like >> not not in my in or like literally I mean it's a bunch of rentals so maybe they I don't know but they do >> well those well if they don't cinema if they are they larger units or they individual
>> they're all houses I live in residential and I am the only one in my block that has >> rural rural Yeah. You can drive the road. Yeah. You see the >> we have carts assigned to properties. know which properties have what, how many carts. So, we track all of that information. >> Very good. Very good. You know, I mean,
I appreciate that. The one thing I would say is just like switching garbage services, they usually come around, pick them up, they come around, you mail out the schedule. I think we could overcome that. Part of the recycling deal too is even for us, we had kids, it was one thing, but with just two people and we actually have very few box goods
anymore. We don't eat anything and we, you know, we just it isn't >> it's less. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's less, but it's also how we're buying things. We just don't have very much for recycling anymore and because we don't buy box food, I guess. And so, a lot of is a lot of it. So, I think we're just seeing less recycling as a
whole, you know. So, >> uh, but I have a constituent that comp is very concerned that it it's an it's not a economical way to do things. The amount of stuff that actually gets recycled is
>> cost benefit, return on investment. He says you're you're >> you're doing good politics. >> It's feel good politics. I I can agree with on a dollar basis. >> Chuck the chuck the stuff in the blue bin and I'd drag that thing down the end of the >> up in the same hole. I just feel good
about it. But he says the amount of stuff that's getting recycled is >> Mr. Chair. Ross has been one of the things >> Mr. Chair. Oh, Commissioner Meyer, >> thank you so much. Um I when I was on the um parks and environment committee
and particularly when uh commissioner Jacob had first um become a commissioner uh I know that when Ann Morris at the time did a study and there are differences in terms of we have I don't know 20 or 30 solid waste haulers and so
each of those companies drives around so there's more of a cost because there's so much more used in gas, but because we have a single recycling hauler, there's a huge economy of scale. And so at that
time, in spite of the fact that the uh sales of the recycling were not making money as they once had, it still was far more economical to recycle than to throw things in the trash because trash collection was so much more expensive.
So, I'm not sure if those numbers are still true. Um, but I think that uh recycling has actually for the for the individual. Back then, we were paying $16 a parcel. Sounds like now we're down to more like $5 a parcel. So, I I think
it is probably a very economical method of collection. Um, and I will say that uh the assistant county attorney lives fairly close to me, but I'll tell you every single person on my block puts their recycle bin out. So, we do have a
pretty high rate of recycling. I I I hear you, Commissioner Meyer, but in my neighborhood, I still see multiple multiple trucks not doing the recycling, doing the garbage collection. So, we're >> Yeah. Right. not a lot of uh wasted. Um
yeah, but it's a competitive market. People can shoot pick and choose, >> but you want to move things along. You want feedback from the board. I'm I I'm comfortable with your recommendation to keep the existing contract. Maybe go around and do a sense of the body. >> I I uh I'm going to ask a couple, you
know, some of the people that are in the business and see if they contract with >> currently it's with harder quick clean up >> and they have been really good. the the best the the best thing that they bring to the table is they have
their own processing facility and they are willing to accept um materials for recycling that most companies would not even remotely consider. Uh >> much easier than it was in the past. >> Yeah, it's you're able to put your pots
and pans in your recycling container. You can put your toasters, toaster ovens. They're willing to they because they have their own their own processing facility, they they also continually circle their circulate their line and
are picking material down to higher levels. They can also rerun their plastics to make sure that their plastics are cleaner, which allows them to um have obtain better markets for the plastics. So there's a number of
different items that you know that provide that benefit that is we we've not seen anywhere else available. So that's that's mostly within the MURF. >> A side item is that many many years ago I remember going to
a facility in Lacrosse that was doing waste to burn and everything. I mean, maybe um if they would do a tour of some kind of parks and environment and maybe I mean I I'm oblivious to what they do and how they do it. >> The the there if you go to the county
website, the recycling homepage there there's a video. >> Oh, okay. >> That uh that we did prepare. >> Just look for the schedule when I'm supposed to >> Yep. We we have had a we we have done a couple of tours uh over the years. We can set up another one. >> Is it specific to Harters?
>> It is Harters. We went we we went there in u 2024 and uh took video and and um one of our our people assembled a video that kind of >> refer to my blue ben as the the memorial to Ann Morris.
>> Quick real quick question maybe we can wrap this up. So, um, my question is is I go back to looking at the current contract just for transparency, disclosure, accountability, literally saying, let's hand it out to five other people. I mean, it's click
it, click, here's what it is. It's public information, right? Contracts, public information. >> Yeah. >> And send it out and say, can anybody else beat this? And if somebody can, now we vet them out. Can you do what Harders does? First of all, it keeps Harters honest. Second of all, keeps the
taxpayers's dollar honest. If it isn't going to require nothing than more than 15 minutes of dragging the file over and the five people and off we go, at least we're saying, "Hey, harders and everybody else. We're keeping you in check." >> Yeah. I mean, it is a it is a
sealed bid process. So, it is it is a little more involved. Yes, we can retain the same the same parameters. um when you go back out for bid, there's no guarantee that the your current bid is going to be reproduced, they may take the opportunity to increase.
>> Well, before we go down that path, maybe just being that we've had the conversation, it's on our agenda, maybe we'll get some feedback from some local providers if they're interested, if they feel because you said it's $5, that's what the countyy's paying, but aren't isn't there a fee on our property tax?
the the the partial charge is is currently is currently $28. >> 28. Okay. Remember that went up >> for the year. >> And then there is a 13% solid waste search charge on trash bills and that
pays for all solid waste programs. HHW and um you know the state contributes 172,000 in score funding uh towards recycling. But um >> so without us having to make a decision today, I guess um Commissioner, if we
can just go around the room, get an idea um as to what we think we should do. So Commissioner Begley said keep it the way it is. Commissioner Olsen, I would Today's Recycling Day in our neighborhood and I saw a bunch of blue bins on the on the way to the meeting
this morning. I I I know the what your the risks of putting it out there. Um, so I would say a bird the hand. >> It's predictable. >> Commissioner Ward, >> I hope to hear from some other providers
if they're interested before we go through the whole RFP process. And I I like to if it's somebody local. Would you would is it something that you're asking staff to reach out to a few people or just >> No, I just think the word on the street and and I'll put off a few calls that I
know and just ask is it something that they would be interested in? >> Undecided, gather more information. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Commissioner Meyer. >> Um Mr. Dunsmore, if if we did a closed bid process that nullifies our ability to just extend the current contract.
um >> nullify it, but change. >> It doesn't nullify our ability if they were willing to to agree to the to an extension. Um the question is
I'm getting into some new areas. Not it's not how we've done it before. solid. >> I am uh I can I am willing to go along with just extending the current contract. >> Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Meyer. Um yeah, and I I'm I'm I could definitely
see the benefit in me doing tons of contracts of taking the sure thing, right? But because time is on our side, we don't take this decision right away. And also, as Commissioner Ward said, you know, obviously it's got to come to a meeting. We've got to approve that. So let's just let's see what happens in
between and if something spawns between now and then great if not I'd be willing to go along with extending it. >> I mean normally we would be starting the process right now. >> Uh because because we do have to go out there is a there there are the posting requirements for sealed bids. Uh and
then you have to provide >> uh time for if you've selected a new contractor to be able to be prepared to roll out the the operation in the new year. >> So if we if we don't hear from anybody
we could put a >> either way even if we said yes we can't do anything. We can't make a motion to go put seal bills out for two weeks. We can't do anything. So either way, it's going to wait two weeks and if something comes into play in the meantime, then March
>> March or whatever it's going to be. Yeah. >> End of March or first meeting in April. >> Two weeks enough time for you to gather. >> Yeah. It's just again, are we going to Is anybody interested? Do they want to go? >> This is really saying we're just trying to give you direction. So >> I'm I'm trying to give staff more clarity. >> That's what I'm trying to do here.
>> I think we can make a decision by AP the first meeting in April. >> How about two weeks from now? >> We have staff so they're not wondering. >> Don't think we should wait until the first meeting. Okay. So March today's well March the first meeting in March >> put it put it on the agenda and again is
there interest I have no idea but I think we should be able to allow people >> I mean you will you will see biders the the question is >> and they can contact you if they want any more high level I mean >> I I can't really rep I can't really represent anything. So what basically
it's here's what it is. Um and and you know we need to provide the proper legal notices uh and then go into the seal bid process >> and then if we don't like the bids the bids can be rejected
if the existing contractor is willing to to extend potentially I guess we would be able to need county attorney guidance on that. Uh but um >> so is is it okay to wait a month from now or is two weeks better for each
staff >> with with comp plan and everything else. I would like to get started on it sooner than later, but that that's fine. We'll just we'll go with beginning of March if that's okay with everybody. >> Put it on the next agenda meeting. >> Put it on the 24th. Is everybody okay
with that? >> I don't know if anybody's interested in pursuing it. >> Sounds good. Sher, did you hear that? We're going to put it on the 24th. Are you okay with that? Yeah. Thanks. >> All right. Any other discussion on this? Thank you, Ross, very much. Wonderful.
>> Don't shoot the message. >> Nope. >> Yep. They're getting shotgun approached. >> Speaking government. >> All right. So, that is the only thing on the committee of the board. So, we will move on to the working session. I'm going to run to the restroom quick.
>> These binders, do they stay marine or they go with it? >> Take them or leave them. either way >> won't get lost in the stack. It's a big one. >> Well, the expectation is that we'll use the forward and you'll have more
>> documents to put in there. >> Does attorney Sman have one? >> No. >> Okay. >> Doesn't participate in the >> Oh, yeah. You can stay if you want. I'm just letting you know. Oh, I was like, she she asked me to state for this, so I
just thought she would. >> No worries. >> Yeah, the information should be out on the website. >> Okay. >> Hey, Heidi, could you pull up that document, please? >> And this is not a close session? No,
this is open to the community, >> not for discussion for the public, but for the correct to Yeah. to discuss budget >> work session. Sure. Is it possible to make it a little bit bigger?
All right, let's start in the working session. What do we have? Administrator. >> Yes. >> Oh, sorry. I didn't even look up. Go ahead. to miss. >> That's all right. That's all right. Uh good morning everybody. Phil Sonnenberg, finance director, Winona County. Um so
what uh the intent here is to go over some of the work that's being done and also give a overview of some of the terms very high level things that um perhaps would be helpful for this group to hear, for community members to hear.
Um, so what we've done is put together a um overview of what IFS is. So IFS is a um ERP system, a general ledger system that we as the county use. It's
integrated financial systems and that is the primary work source for all of our budgeting, for our reporting, etc. So the whole county um you know general ledger system is alive in that. So
that's that when you hear the term IFS that's the world of which um our budget and reporting and processing exists in. Um so when we look at um the GL um we
have certain sources of revenues and types of expenditures. So when we look at what is on the screen, Heidi, if you could scroll down a little bit, we have revenue accounts and expense accounts, right? That's this pretty
pretty normal stuff. Um but when you look at some of the accounts and reportings in IFS that you're seeing that we publish for um board meetings, agendas, etc., you'll see the revenues are 5,000 series. um funds and then
you'll see expenses are 6,000 series. So um you know when the the biggest revenue source for us is 5,0001. So that's our property tax revenue or levy. So that's the fund we talk about um as the board
when you make decisions on providing the levy. Um so you can also see when you're looking at those reports other state or federal revenue streams and then you'll see um expenses. So if you look in
health and human services for example you'll see 6050 quite regularly and those are the types of expenses for human services. And then you'll also see um the largest items of expense being
our salaries and benefits for Winona County. Um and then the other series there um or range in the series are our operating expenses. Heidi, if you could scroll down, please. Again, if there's questions as we go
along, please ask. So if we look at um you know additional detail of how a GL code is structured within IFS you'll see that there's multiple segments and each one of those
segments have a representation as dictated there. So we have a fund a department program service and object. So fund is likely the most common term you'll hear us, oh this is a fund one item or this is a fund three item or a
fund five item, but fund one is um you know this is on the next page. So we don't need to go through everything but it is interesting to observe if you look at that full GL account. So I picked one that has a representation in each of
those segments so you can see what that actually means. So, it's fund five, health and human services. It's in social services, adult services, and this is a bill. This is a description for legal services um in the service and object code. So, if you're asking people
in HHS what this is, they're going to say, "Oh, that's adult legal services." But in our system, it's this, you know, five segment GL number that each one of um our departments are responsible for.
Um, so if you scroll down, Heidi, you'll just see a list of our county funds um that are in the system. And you know, most commonly the ones we're going to see um before you are going to be um the
1342 5, the ones that the levy attribute to. So um again, you can read through this um in this section. Then if you scroll down a little bit more, you'll see a
list of the programs and services that live underneath each fund. And if you can keep going, if you go back, do we do we >> do we really have five bonds still outstanding? >> This is a list. So it it may be inactive
>> closed. Okay. >> Well, this is just a list of all of our funds for transparency. Um, but yeah, there's there's >> they don't ever really close out of your books because they have to be there indefinitely. So once you make a trans, I know that's the way our stuff works. It's always there.
>> Yep. >> You might not see it or might even be inactive, but it always stays. >> Yep. >> Thank you, Josh. So, if you look down um a little further, Heidi, you'll see that um I've gone through and
listed all of the departments that live underneath each fund. So, to Josh's point, um these departments may have existed at one time, currently active, inactive, but they are listed. So, you'll see there's quite a plethora of
the activity in fund one that we talk about on a regular basis. Heidi, if you could just scroll down slowly. Yep. So, again, this is all in front of you um in the books that were put together and assembled for your review. Thank you, Heidi and Marine, for putting
that together. Um and I will let you review all of those at your leisure, but um these are the departments that exist within our fund structure here at Winona County. Heidi, if you could scroll um towards
the bottom of page seven, please where it shows levy use by fund, that would be appreciated. >> And this is for 2026. >> That is correct. >> 2026 figures. >> Yep. >> Yep. Looks like it. >> Okay. >> So, what you'll notice here is when we
look at the spend by fund, it's it's pretty simple in this outline, right? But it's it's really not that simple, right? We we a little bit further down, Heidi. Um bottom of page seven is what I'm looking for. Thank you.
There you go. Um so when we um provide to the board for approval the spend of levy these are the funds where it ultimately resides and where our budget and IFS system are
looking. So that's the that's where it all lands and then of course you can go down into department and program and so forth but this is the summary level of where the levy exists. >> A quick question Bill. So This morning
we just approved the sheriff finding some repeater. It was coming out of the capital improvement >> that was budgeted. So you got a 349 985. So do you have a balance sheet when that that then that purchase comes off of there? How do how do we know when we
max out those funds? >> So we're we're actually using reserve for some of our capital um p well for most of it except for this 349. So yes, there's a comprehensive list of items that each um fund has approved by this
group and we are monitoring that and then as it becomes >> you have a red line on that that account when it gets critically close. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. And >> Mr. Chair. >> Yeah. Go Commissioner Meyer. >> Thank you. Um, Phil
um I when I talk when I I use the um the portal that's on our website frequently when I'm doing presentations and um so this number for health and human services the 9 million 9 and a half million does that include all of the
staff or are the employee hours in general county operations? >> No, they're all together. Fund five is is inclusive of all of their headcount NFTTE. >> But this is just from the levy. This doesn't like road bridges is only 1.9 million.
>> Correct. >> Not including the state reimbursement >> because that's why it said 28 million. >> Yeah. So if you I mean it is important to read the the note here at the bottom that you know we do have other revenue sources that are not attributable to this list. This is strictly levy. The
single there are single road projects that cost 1.9 >> correct total budget like 89 >> that says we'd be broke pretty fast. >> The intent of this was to help the community as well as the board to see where are we spending levy. >> Y
>> that that was the intent of this picture here. >> Yeah. Because our overall budget is 82 million. >> Yeah. 82 million. Yeah. >> Would it? >> Right. And the overall HHS budget's more like 22 million. >> That is correct. Y >> yeah. Okay.
>> So, we probably should have a if we could add that to a grid. >> Here, here's something that I think might be useful. I'm just And maybe not. I would want to know if I had different funding sources and I had them broke
down into those six c five categories. I would want to know levy versus the percentage of outside funding. >> Yep. That's what these spreadsheets are represent. >> But can we >> put it in a can we >> can we have it right here like next to that?
>> I don't know. I don't see going to that. >> I do. And it so it again um we will get to this but in the back of that packet is multiple multiple tabs by each one of these funds which represent um an
organization if you will of what is spent um via revenue sources by levy and via revenue sources by other. So yes it is compiled but no it is not easy to show in these terms >> but I mean if we know that road and
bridge is say road I'm just going to pick a number roaden bridge is 10 million okay and so casaw is covering eight of that and we cover 1 point we cover the two >> yep >> so we could just put eight and two >> yep and it's in there in that packet it's in there
>> I just thought it'd be nice to have it >> right there so we go oh look at that 80% is outside funding 20% % I don't care. It could just throw it all in the bucket. I don't care what it is. Just to be able to show, and I think this could be very useful to taxpayers, myself
included, to say, "Hey, locally, we are only collecting 20% of the funds needed to do this. The other 80%'s come from the state or federal, whatever that is." That is the perfect diagram to put it into layman's terms to say your portion of this paid through the county only
covers so much of that. I think that is a powerful thing to put on a website. >> Needs another column. >> Just one column there. It' be like other. I don't care. Just call it other. >> Federal. >> Yep. >> But you see where I'm going with that without having to dig into the details. >> If we didn't separate it out by all the
various sources. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Other that that >> And I still want to separate it out. I'm just saying >> two columns, >> plain English, easier easy to read here, >> right? And the total at the bottom needs to be the 82 million. >> Yes. Correct. So you're going to have 28 million. is called 30 million and the
other side's going to say 50 million. >> And you just had two columns and that is something that I think the average person could look at and be >> yep. Perfect. >> And I like that idea for a number of reasons for what you just said. And it just it we can make a shorter version for the general public
>> in plain English. No offense to accountants. We do speak a different language sometimes. >> You need you need to do the detail. >> Yeah. But in terms of remember deer mila from the city council. >> Yeah. theater wanted we they be to be called theater charts. They turn all this stuff into plain English and pie
charts like one page. I like what that suggestion is because that does make intuitive sense without having a 16digit code or whatever. >> Exactly. >> I don't want to like it broke down but that is something the general public would really understand. >> Yes.
>> Heard. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> This this is very good. I I appreciate all >> the detail because I'm a numbers nerd. This is this is my I love this world, you know, but you I always have to think back. How can other people understand it, you know? >> Absolutely. Diving into it.
>> Um yeah. So if we um I I guess you know that's an overview. These are kind of you know a highlights if you will or a guidelines if you will. Um Heidi if you could go to page eight please. So this is um what we have been working
on um and what we are working on um and what I as your finance director am asking from the department heads and their supervisors to compile and Josh to your question what is all the stuff on the back of your packet. This this is the work that's being done. So we're
asking um which items in folks's budgets are required by statute and then what are the revenue and expenses in those areas. Um, and then what what level are we reaching? And also, um, we're we're examining and continuing to examine the
things that I think have had conversational topics in the past in regards to efficiencies, revenues, and expense management. So, all of that has continually been part of the conversation um to I mean reduce expense and expand on revenue. I think that's
always the goal. So if you scroll down a little bit um we get into the um talking see Todd um these are discussion topics for opportunities to um for this body to
discuss in minimizing our future levy. These are not recommendations. I just want to be clear in that that these are not recommendations. These are talking points if you will. So there's several um programs and items listed um that
subtotal a million dollars. And then if you go to page nine, it also includes um a listing of the outside agency funding um that is also approved along with the budget annually. And
I guess um if we could just go down to page 10, Heidi um this is what we're doing um as far as next steps to obtain our timeline which is below. So um you know for example today we're having additional department
head meetings to refine and combine efforts to get better in this process which we're examining. Um you know and and some of those considerations are so if we look at finance right what is our cost per unit? What should our
measurement of unit cost be? Should it be journal entries? Should it be checks paid? Should it be um checks cash? Should it be tax dollars processed? So all of these things um it's not an exact science and it's particular to each area of operation. So we're trying to get
better at that. Um but that's what's going on now. Um and you can see our timeline um before you which we talked about at the last meeting as well. Um and I I will stop talking now >> if if I may elaborate a little bit.
>> Um so if you look at the next tab, it's the agency funding 2026 overall spreadsheet which gives you 2022 through 2026 funding. The the reason that we put this in here is because it
has the quick reference of the GL code of where you'll find that. So I I've heard at a number of meetings, well, where is that in the budget? So the intent was a quick reference for you, nothing more. Um so then we also
included the um full budget report which is your next tab and this is from December because we're not able to get a more current report at this time. Um but again the logic is for you to start reviewing
um you know each section each department and hopefully the tools that we've provided are helpful. And then the next tab is where we have all of the departments who compiled the inventory of mandates, core functions, and other
services. And again, this is the best snapshot that we can provide for you right now. But we are still actively working with all the leadership teams to get that per that cost per service or per program. And so what our hope is is
that the board members will have some time to go through and look at which ones are mandated, which ones are not mandated, which areas would you like more information? Uh send uh Phil and I an email so that we can start working on
those in addition to continuing to work on the cost per service or per program. um because you're all going to have different inquiries and so the more that we know in advance we can start working on that and be ready for the next meeting. Um this is a work in progress.
It's not perfect. It's not complete yet but we are making great strides given our our restrictions. >> Okay, quick question. >> Um I'm just I just flipped it open. I'm on page 263 and 264 and I I have a lot of people
ask well you know we say our people is what's the biggest part of our budget. So, I'm looking right there and it just So, you got salaries permanent. You got one code, but then on the flip page, um, you got salaries permanent. It's a different code. Shouldn't that or is the
is the 6103 the key that it's the same? Because like people say, and I've asked this before, what is our total salary? And you know, and I I I suppose I could go through and add these all up, but >> no, we've provided reports uh in the past. So is the 6103 the last four
digits that's the commonality. >> Yes. >> Not knowing all those >> that is your your object. >> Okay. All right. So if I ask for a report on 6103s you could run a report and it would tally all those >> regular w >> wages. Okay. Yeah. All right. So the N
number is the the key because you did say in the that I think maybe Commissioner Meyer asked that those codes the salary like health and human services it's all the wages are in that number too. Okay >> as we break it all out. All right. Thank you
>> Mr. Chair. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um this is for administrator Holy. Um how close to being complete is that inventory? I mean it would you say it might get 20% more entries or is it
pretty much done? >> I would say and Phil feel feel free to chime in. I would project that we we maybe have about 30% of the data. Um I
would anticipate that we should receive I I'm hoping like at another 40% before our next meeting. We're pushing pretty hard. Um and and the reason is because it's essential that the board has time to digest all of the criteria, the
measurements, the metrics, and determine what direction do you want us to go. Um >> so it's it isn't even halfway done at this point. I I you know, I say that because I didn't see any big surprises in there. Things that I didn't know would not be potential targets because
they're not mandated. Correct. >> So yeah. Okay. Um, >> great. >> I I would say that I feel that the materials you do have are highly useful even at this um at this time and place
because it is even though you don't have a cost per service, you have an idea of what each area is doing and what is mandated and not mandated. and you know departments aren't going to voluntarily say I don't think we should be doing
this or I do think we should be doing that. So that that really is for the commissioners to understand and for our public to understand that the items within those back sheets although very detailed are very important in regards
to decisions that will meaningfully impact the budget. So, Phil, thank you for that. My question would be, as I look at any particular department, am I assured that the total is in fact
accurate? It's not just however far we got in the inventory. >> Um, I would say that the only one that we need to refine is the health and human services. The total on that um needs to be refined a little bit. The
rest of them should tie out to that 28 million levy. um total. >> So yes, dollar dollar dollars are accurate, but I would say with exception to the health and human services, which I need to work on a little bit. >> Sure. But it's not as if there's major
pieces of functionality services that we provide that are not didn't yet make it to the sheets. >> No. Monetarily speaking, no, Chris. >> Super. Thanks. Yeah, the the leadership team did a really good job at getting all the functions and services listed and
whether they're mandated or not mandated. That is pretty thorough. It it's getting the metrics is the part that we haven't achieved. >> Yeah. And this was a great start to that process though. I mean just first of all just really understanding like even that
first page just okay here's the 80,000 foot here's what we pay for here's what you're paying for over here either way you just have a smaller piece of the pie right and and then to get it start breaking down to these subsection really is nice now am I going to just flip the
page open and I'm going to pick well I don't want to go to funds so let's go let's go to expenses um got to be in here somewhere but pick a line item in It doesn't really matter. Am I going to be able to go and scrutinize what mileage was for a particular department
at $24,000 without sitting down and saying, "Well, did you take the fastest route?" You see where I'm going with this? It's going to be difficult. And I don't think that's the idea of this. I think the bigger idea to me is and and you alluded to this um Phil was, you know, how do we encourage
department heads and subsidiaries to be fiscally responsible to not just spend within a budget because the dollars happen to be there. One of the disadvantages of the government is that I can bonus people to come out better than our budgets. So I can encourage
them to not spend all the money by saying, "Hey, the more frugal you are, I'll give you a portion of that." And it's a little bit of the pay for performance that Commission awards been talking about. But what this begins to do is for us to realize where some of these bigger dollar amounts are being
spent and then how can we capitalize on I'm going to say improving the dynamics of how that money is spent in those areas. However, I'm the advocate of always saying this isn't going to happen by $100,000. It's going to happen by $2,
$5, $100, $1,000, $20. That's typically how we tend to see see improvements. So, this is the beginning of to me of something to start helping first of all understand how you guys do it. So, thank you very much. And the goal I have being
involved with this is to try to help the fiscal responsibility and somehow figure out how to encourage that throughout the ST. >> So our goal is to have as complete of data for you at the next meeting. If we
have it in time, we'll get it out earlier so you have time to digest and evaluate that. Um, is there anything that the commissioners would like us to work on for the next working session? And I mean, this is really for you.
>> Um, >> what one thing um I know that we have when you're looking at mandated services, and I know it's talked about in here, the the level of service service delivery. >> Yes. Um how do you
how do you quantify that you know are we exceptional service delivery therefore it costs us more to provide that service but we don't want to lower our standards. So although by lowering our standards we could save substantial
amount of money until we get push back from the public and then they say you know you guys are are failing us. So, >> so that's a really good question and I wish uh Jill was here. She says it very very nicely. Um she is having one-on-one
conversations with her leadership team about how do we define quality service? How do we how do we define that? What what measurements are we using? So that is happening amongst our leadership. Um, but it's a slow process
because it's really in the eye of the beholder. >> 100%. Yeah. >> But aren't some of those things? We have that we've approve it every year that the matrix from the state that we do some things and I don't know if it gets down into like answering calls or so
much time we plow the roads and >> Oh, you're talking there's that measurement >> performance measurements. Yeah, we sign up for that every year, but I don't know that it gets down into >> doesn't get to the level that but some of it >> some of it does. One thing that I would
like to see and this does not I would like it a little maybe a I don't know how detailed I guess because I don't I don't know exactly what I'm asking but I'd like to see a 10-year average a 10-year layout like so from 2016 to 20
26 not not taking every one of these into account like here we have 24 25 and the 26 we're kind of saying hey here's where it was here's where we are here's where it's going right I get that um but even when we look at page
what page was it with that breakdown that I said uh page seven the simplified description levy use by fund I don't know if I want it as simplistic as those five and maybe there's a way to break it into a few more categories but
it would be nice to see that 10ear laid out where where have we been is the trend in this fund where's the leaps and the bounds Even if you just took maybe just to start, we took these five scenarios and we just did a 10 year run out on them and one piece of paper just one sheet
that just has 10 years of that because I don't see that in here. >> You follow what I'm asking? >> I do. I'm trying to understand how that would be of value. And the reason is because there are so many unique things that happened over the period of time that would impact why
those things happen. So without understanding the why behind it, I'm I'm just trying to understand what is it that we're trying to gain from that. >> I think it's just to be to to understand how fast things have gone up. And you can see trends. You can see the COVID
trends. You can see cost expenses. You can even see it when you get different boards that have chose to be very very reserved. And then sometimes there's a there's a bubble that happens after that. We talk about that all the time, right? you're penny rich, pound poor,
right? >> Pound foolish. >> There you go. So, and and there is truth to some of that at times and and we can correlate back and I'm not this isn't meant to pick on any prior commissioners because I hope they find out thousand mistakes that I've done wrong in my life
and somebody can improve on it. But at the end of the day, we can say, "Hey, we knew at this time we had this situation. Here's how it affected." Or, "Hey, here's a COVID bubble. Where were things at? Where are they going? What's the trend? How fast are they going up? I think we're going to see it in our our
health and human services. Very, very steep. That's an impact based on what's been pushed down to us by law through mandate that we can go back and say, "Hey, look at what our state representatives have pushed on to us. Here's the trend when it started." You
know, it it to me it helps me understand more than just where we're at. I need to see where we were to kind of understand where we're at. Okay. >> And I think it'd be very simple just a tenure. It's got to be a click a click on the I know we can run a 10ear report.
>> Well, right now we can. >> Well, yeah, but yeah. I'm not saying like, hey, Tuesday at four o'clock, could you get that? I'm just saying that would be something in here that we as a running it could almost be at the very front every year you produce this. If I get hit by a bus, I you know, for every
year at the beginning of this summer, I would imagine the first few pages say here's our five big capital. Here's the expenditures. We're now into 2027. Here's the column. >> Yep. >> We kick it up. >> We actually had that in multiple working sessions. It was part of the letter
where I compared last year's to this year's. >> Correct. And if we could have that 10 year running, it I think 10 years is a great number to work with. >> I don't know who's >> I remember the um when we had the synthetic drug epidemic and then and
then we had a spike in out of home placements. Um, so when you look back at 10 years, you're going to see a bubble. Um, and then there would have to be why. Um, so there's so many anomalies like
that that have happened um that it might not be a true trend. It might be a a bump and a bump and >> but it's still the path and how you get somewhere. You know, we're constantly I'm constantly reviewing what we've done in the past and like, hey, why did it
happen? Where's it going to go? Is it going to happen again? How do we plan for it? You know, especially in my world where, well, no different than this where you can wake up one day and you come back from vacation and find out, hey, by surprise, we just spent $100,000 in repairs, right? Well, that hurts for
the month of January a lot, you know. So, and we're going to note that, say, what happened? Why did it happen? You know, >> uh I like the idea of going backwards. Um especially if we could also through I don't want to add more to what we're asking the staff but in terms of maybe
through Micah or AMC like compared to other counties because it's good to know what's happening to us like how much is it in line with and without again if it's doable and if it's not if we if we go back five years go back 10 years get friends be good to compare other county but if that becomes too much work then
let's let's drop that another area which I think you already do it anyways is just like the areas of concern like Greg mentioned I actually uses as out of home placements like what are the areas that are like what are the red flags >> drivers? >> Yeah. What are the areas of concern?
>> I would reiterate what are our most expensive pro what costs us the most and where the trend is there and you're right we had a we had an outcry out of home placement. I haven't heard peep out of out of home placement the last couple years. I mean are we steady? Are we
increasing? We had a cry for child care uh you know uh daycare centers. I don't know where that population is. I mean I haven't heard anybody um >> there's still a there's still >> there's a need there's still definitely a daycare >> right but did we fulfill it somehow or where we going with that? I mean I I
>> if not today but for future >> yes and then um now this the front tab information is really important but that wasn't in our packet right >> it wasn't because we weren't. >> Okay. So, can we make this this 10
pages? Yeah. On the web so people can look at it. That I think that's what they're >> This is This is good. I really This is great, guys. It's a good start. I really appreciate it. Yeah, >> Mr. Chair. >> Yeah, Commissioner Meyer. >> Thank you. Um I had three points, so
let's see if I can remember all of them. Um this is really for Miss Holty. Um so, restorative justice. Uh, I know that we have had conversations in the past about potentially being able to get some reimbursement for the services that they
provide and I'm wondering if we know when we might get an update on that. Um the second is I know that you had shared with me from one of the other organizations
um for HHS directors um the percentage of uh the HHS budget that needed to be covered by the levy and that that varies from county to county and that we were going to explore uh for those counties
who have a lower rate than we do meaning they're managing to maximize their state revenue. Uh that we would maybe start a project of trying to figure out um what that might involve. So I'm wondering if we're anywhere near
being able to get uh on that project or when we might, you know, when we might be able to. Um, the third thing is that I've had a couple of constituents uh complain about the length of time
that it takes uh for when they call for services and when they get the assessment. And I would love to find out a little bit more about that and what it would take to reduce that and how our waiting
time compares with other counties. Is that commission? Is that it, Commissioner? That's three. >> Yeah, those were the three things. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um, so Restorative Justice, um, >> Jill has met with Department of Corrections, uh, Renee Patterson and
Renee Rumpsa. Um they are reviewing the potential for uh utilizing targeted case management uh in conjunction with the juveniles that are being uh assisted in restorative justice. Uh they have not
worked through all the details of how we might be able to have that work through the the merit system. So health and human services systems um but I know that they're meeting. I can ask Jill. Um, Monday I meet with her again. Um,
the percentage of luggy I'm actually looking at how are we doing at Winona County compared to other similarsized counties in all of the funds. um you know just to get an idea how how are
other counties minimizing the use of levy versus how much we're using of levy to do these programs and services and I'm meeting with each of the various departments on that. So, as far as a timeline, um I
know that Jill reached out to two counties and she's actually going to be talking at the Health and Human Services director's meeting coming up in March. Um so, I can again ask her for some timeline on that. Um but I know that she
is looking into it. And then as far as the call for services on the assessment timeline, I haven't looked at how we compare with other counties yet on that, but Jill is working with her team to see how can we
streamline, how can we um improve that lag time. Part of it is staffing, but also we need to evaluate how much of the services do we need to do versus we're doing. So because we have historically
gone the extra mile to help the community, but we're at a point of where we need to evaluate again at what level are we providing the services. So that's what she's currently doing on that. >> And can I I don't know if I could
>> go ahead. Yeah, we'll let you. But like I mean I just I just want everybody to remember and I I understand you see the numbers in front of you but like first of all you want to pay your your employees decent so you get decent workers. If you cut if you cut like say say you cut a program like restorative
justice either that has to roll on to somebody else or the ramifications are they don't get those programs those juveniles don't. So then you're end up with bigger problems later like you don't have a diversion. So then we end up with the court system. We don't you
know I'm just I'm I'm just as we like it's not all about numbers. It's about like there is like if you cover sort of justice because they won't do the they can't do it over there >> then you have to bring it over here. >> It's the classic CFO COO combatant in
business where the CFO wants to run things one way and the CFO says hey you don't understand. And then you have the national sales manager that says, "Hey, you it's the correlation of what builds a company or board or anything." Here's my here's my comeback to that. I haven't been on the board that long, but
oftentimes what what I kind of see and what part of this is to me is to dive a little deeper than just the outside agencies because if we look at the the the amount of money that the outside agencies are in reflection to our budget is a very small bit. And honestly, what
we're going to do in that little bit of a column is a fraction of the fraction. And so the idea of this isn't necessarily to go attack outside agencies. Yes, we need to understand what that is because they are still a portion of the budget, but it's really to get into more of the nuts and bolts
that we can say, okay, as a collective board, here's some other ideas. Here's some things that we've come up with. Here are we really see a lot being spent here. Can we put some focus on that outside of the outside agencies and and really have a better understanding of
what's in there? And to me, that's just my personal take on those is to go look at the other $82 million sitting there rather than just this two whether than five or whatever it is. So equally pick on everybody. How about that?
>> I just think efficiencies to be had in every department. And how do you find >> I've got a a a lady that's head of Sterns County. That's St. Cloud. So they're big. And she said they use, you know, just for answering phones, you know, because time is money. Even in
government, time is money. The people answering the phones for the human service things. I mean, they used an AI uh through Google that cost him about I think she said about 600 bucks. And the amount of time it saved just answering the phone and getting the
people to the right department. AI did that versus a person and then the people were more, you know, efficient, effective, spent more time doing their job versus answering the phone. There's little things that can be done in government >> and that's the idea is looking at this saying, "Oh, wow. We spent a lot of
money. Here's a thought process." Or bringing it out to other constituents that say, "Hey, we've got this issue." There always seems to be somebody that wants to give me feedback about something. >> I mean, I mean, that's we all know that. We experience it, right? So, and and
some sometimes it's really good. >> So, >> but it's it's all about return on investment. Are we getting the best return our on our investment? And that's hard to quantify. Sometimes >> we're on the right path. So, are we going to how often are we going to do these work sessions? >> Every meeting.
>> Okay. Good. I think it's essential for us to have a direction by the end of March. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Especially going to be smaller and focused. So, because we since this is on us five, we would tendency to keep on talking. We could turn this into a two-hour work session. something we can be focused. >> Yes. >> Give us a couple pages to look at work
through. >> Yep. And that's our hope. >> And we can take these. Correct. >> You can take those with you. >> I like that. Great work. >> All right. >> So, we don't need a motion to adjurnn, but any other discussion? Commissioner Meyer, do you have anything? >> No. Thanks a lot, guys. I appreciate all
the effort that's going into this process, and I really do believe it'll um give us some more transparent information to make decisions on. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you everybody very much. >> Josh, thanks for staying home. You sound
terrible. >> Oh yeah, son. I took it. the