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God.

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We will call this meeting to order. Note
the presence of a quorum with all

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commissioners present. I would ask you
to please stand. Before the pledge, we

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would like to have a moment of silence
for the uh 343

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firefighters who lost their lives in the
tower. uh the first responders and all

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the victims of 9/11.

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Now, if you please join us in the
pledge.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to

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[clears throat] the republic for which
it stands, one nation under God,

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00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:03,590
indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all. [clears throat]

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» Thank you. And on Friday, uh, the Aken
Fire Department will have their

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customary display [clears throat]
of 343 flags, uh, denoting the number of

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firefighters who lost their lives in
911. Um, along with the aerial ladder

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truck and the flag.
Um,

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» and also happy anniversary, Dave.
>> Thank you. This is Dave Mkey's oney year

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anniversary.
>> Feels like 10 [laughter]

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» or zero. I I don't believe a year has
gone by so fast.

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[clears throat]
>> So, happy anniversary.

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» Well done.
>> First item then uh would be approval of

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the agenda.
>> Dave, anything?

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» Uh nothing to change on the agenda. Just
a note for uh those who are watching,

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the screens in the room are not working,
but the live stream is working. Okay.

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Uh, entertain a motion.
>> So move, chair.

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» Motion on the floor to set effect
approving the agenda by Commissioner

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Carney. Support.
>> Support.

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» Motion supported by Commissioner
Levesci. Any discussion?

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» All [snorts] in favor say I. I.
>> Oppose. Same sign. Motions carried.

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Agenda is hereby approved. On citizens
public comment. Are there any comments

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or requests from visitors this morning?
Yes, sir. If you could please state your

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name and uh where you live.
>> Sure. Absolutely. Good morning. Charlie

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Christensen, C H R I S Ten Sen
30535283rd

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in Glenn. Um, I know most of you. I'm
currently on the board of adjustment and

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on the planning commission. I'm here
today,

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unfortunately,
to hope you consider giving us a pay

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raise on the commissions that I sit on.
Currently, the board of adjustment makes

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$60 per meeting. The last two meetings
that we've had, we've started two hours

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early because there's just a lot of
requests for these boards. And as the

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board chairman of this particular
committee, I come in and meet with the

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county at least an hour and a half, two
hours. We spend a lot of time

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making very important decisions that at
first when I became a member never

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thought they were going to be this
important, but they are. Um, I believe

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it's been at least three or four years
since we got a $10 meeting raise. Uh, I

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currently am a supervisor on Glen
Township and we make $120 per meeting.

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That actually is sort of low when it
comes to a lot of townships in this

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county. There's many townships that are
making over $200 for a meeting and here

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I sit at the board of adjustment and the
planning commission making $60. I just

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think it's not fair. Now, will I quit or
resign? Absolutely not. Cuz I love those

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meetings. But I'm also looking for the
future that I know it's been very tough

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if some me to try to get some members to
sit on these boards. And again, I'm just

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looking for the future. I think and I
hope you consider at least raising the

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meetings. I would also like to see the
site visits raised. We currently get $10

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per site visit. And many times I'm way
up in Jacobson Hill City area and it

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takes me an hour to travel up there and
an hour just to get right back to where

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00:04:54,160 --> 00:05:03,919
I started just to see a site for $10. I
personally go and look at every site. I

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00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:10,880
feel like every board member should go
look at every site instead of relying on

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some GPS satellite. So, I like that. But
I think $10 is actually low, too. Yes,

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we do get compensated for mileage, but
everybody knows the price of gas and the

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price of oil and the price of tires and
the price of a car probably makes out of

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00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:31,840
a wash. So again, I hope you consider
it. I know money's tight. As a

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supervisor in Glenn Township, we always
try to watch our money, but again, I

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00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:41,919
hope you consider somehow putting some
type of raise for those meetings. I

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appreciate it and have a wonderful day.
>> Thank you for your input, Mr.

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Christensen.
>> Are there any other comments or requests

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00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:57,840
from visitors this morning?
>> Uh, third and last call for any citizens

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public comments or requests.
Hearing none, we will proceed to the

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consent agenda. And I would entertain a
motion.

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00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:09,680
» I'd make that motion, Mr. Chair. We have
a motion on the floor by Commissioner

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00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:11,280
Levisa approving the consent agenda. Is
there support?

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00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,960
» Second.
>> Motion supported by Commissioner

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00:06:12,639 --> 00:06:16,880
Westerland. Any discussion? Hearing
none. All in favor say I.

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» I.
>> Oppose. Same sign. Motions carried.

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Consent agenda is hereby approved. On
the land commissioner Dennis Thompson.

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Welcome DJ. Good morning.
>> Morning DJ.

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I just looked up at the screen. I've
done that a hundred times knowing it

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doesn't work.
All right. So, what we have uh in front

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00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:54,400
of us is a a request for con funds. Uh
and this actually is coming from the uh

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Aken Airport Commission. So, I had uh a
couple things that I put together. You

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00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:05,360
can see uh part of the packet is the
official ask uh that came in from the

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00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:10,880
airport commission requesting 51,000
uh4250

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00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:13,680
to satisfy a 2.5% local share
requirement for construction

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00:07:12,304 --> 00:07:16,000
[clears throat] of the new terminal
building.

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00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,919
» I know Commissioner Weedle, you are on
the airport commission. You understand

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00:07:17,599 --> 00:07:22,720
the
>> Yes. And John Williams.

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00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:27,120
» Yep. Yep. And John as well. So um and
then I put together just a memo. you

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00:07:24,639 --> 00:07:31,919
should have that as well. We've talked
about the con funds uh a couple

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00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:37,280
different times. I don't know if I ever
kind of did a summary or or put anything

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00:07:34,479 --> 00:07:43,680
together exactly on
uh how how they came about and exactly

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00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:49,520
where the funding is is coming from. But
uh of the funds that actually come in to

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00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:54,639
the con, they are actually split. So
third it's only 30% that goes into the

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00:07:52,800 --> 00:08:01,199
account that we are talking about here.
This the environmental trust or the uh

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county development fund uh which under
uh state statute is uh money is the

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00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:11,199
direction of the county board for
spending that and it states for the

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00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:15,759
rehabilitation and development of the
portion of the county within the

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00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:22,479
conservation area or within the con
area. So pretty loose uh definition of

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00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:28,639
of where that money can go to uh
development and and rehabilitation. So

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00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:33,599
but you can see that fund is 30%.
Uh in the past I gave a budget

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00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:38,000
presentation here I think in August and
talked about survey and GIS half of

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00:08:35,839 --> 00:08:44,159
their salary wages benefits come out of
the con. Uh we also use con dollars for

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00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:50,480
ditch work, beaver control, highway
department for uh resurfacing, annual

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00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:55,680
memberships in a couple of um a couple
of state boards or regional boards I

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00:08:52,720 --> 00:09:01,680
should say. Um equipment purchases,
culverts, you can see it's been used for

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00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:07,120
for a number of different things. Um
so right now and then I included in

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00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:13,839
there the 2027 budget.
So the county policy for a minimum

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00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:19,360
balance on the con account is 285,000.
Uh so right now current balance on there

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00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:26,880
is is right around 500,000. That's
what's going to be projected at the end

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00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:32,480
of 2026. So uh we did not have um a use
of fund balance budgeted for 2026.

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However, we have this request and then
we also had a request for work on the

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rabbi line ATV trail. So, that will put
in uh that will have um [snorts] this

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would I should say uh dip into that
overall fund balance. However, it's

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still going to be above what the what
the county board has set for policy as

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far as what that minimum balance is. So,
uh so you can see the request there. Uh

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just a little caution. Um
[clears throat]

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00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:11,760
this is certainly in the Conan area. It
certainly can be used. Uh dollars can be

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00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:17,360
used for this project. Um but just
knowing that uh you know it's not an

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00:10:14,399 --> 00:10:22,640
unlimited fund and eventually with
survey and GIS um there might have might

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00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:28,240
be some decisions that would need to be
made in the down the road with that.

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zone commissioners. [clears throat]
>> Mr. Chair, how much money did we get

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from the federal government for the
airport? It was $1.3 million

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and u the bids have come in. There are
local contractors involved,

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but one 1.3 million and that was a
direct uh no strings attached grant from

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the uh Federal Aviation Commission.
>> And how much is this tower going to

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cost?
>> Pardon?

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00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:08,640
» This is the the building.
>> The building

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00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:12,560
» uh it's I think 1.4 1.5.
total projects budget 1.986

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00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,680
700.
>> Yeah.

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00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:22,480
» Okay.
>> And the um the airport engineers etc.

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management have come up with some other
funds too.

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The the gap is um what is being
requested

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00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:35,120
uh in terms of con funds.
>> Sure.

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00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:39,839
» Uh Commissioner Carney.
>> Yeah. Question. They're asking for 51

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also in appropriations. Are they is the
Aken airport still asking for 60,000?

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00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:49,680
» Yes.
>> What is that funding [snorts] used for?

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» The general operations.
>> It's a joint powers with the city.

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00:11:52,240 --> 00:12:00,200
» Yeah.
>> The airport.

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00:11:55,839 --> 00:12:00,200
Twothirds county, one-third city.

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00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:07,058
» Mr.
Uh, Commissioner Westerman,

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00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:09,120
» is the city contributing to this also?
[clears throat]

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00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,800
» Do they have any grants? Do they have
any?

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00:12:09,519 --> 00:12:16,000
» Well, this is from the airport
commission. The city, uh, it's a one-/3,

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00:12:14,079 --> 00:12:21,040
two3 joint powers.
>> So, out of the 60, they pay what? 45.

141
00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:26,000
» Uh, I think 20.
>> Oh, 20.

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00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:30,000
» Would that be the correct math?
>> Oh, yeah. A third.

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00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:33,360
» 2/3 and one third. [laughter]
>> The county owns twothirds of the

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00:12:31,519 --> 00:12:36,959
airport. The city owns one/3.
>> So then the count the city's 30,000.

145
00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:43,160
» Yeah.
>> Because we're doing 60, it's 90. So,

146
00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,160
» right.

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00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:48,378
» And this is above and beyond the
appropriation. [clears throat]

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00:12:53,120 --> 00:13:00,240
» John, any comments?
>> I can speak if you want to.

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00:13:00,959 --> 00:13:07,399
Well, this it's up to you as member of
the airport commission and

150
00:13:09,839 --> 00:13:15,600
» you know this this project for this
terminal building. It's uh it's been a

151
00:13:13,839 --> 00:13:22,160
long time in the making. You know there
was a a new federal program out to pay

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00:13:18,639 --> 00:13:28,079
for uh such buildings at airports that
don't have them and we uh we applied. We

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00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:32,639
were rejected. Uh we were lucky this
last year to to be selected. Uh you

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00:13:31,279 --> 00:13:36,079
know, we don't we don't have a terminal
building. We lease space. We're one of

155
00:13:34,079 --> 00:13:40,399
the few federal airports that don't have
a terminal building. So,

156
00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:44,720
» and we least $2,000 a month.
>> We we just, you know, we I think

157
00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:48,639
everyone, including those that selected
this year's recipients, thought this was

158
00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:53,519
a really good project to finally, you
know, let Aken Airport have a have its

159
00:13:51,279 --> 00:13:57,760
own departure building for pilots.
It's an important thing for pilots to

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00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:01,440
have that space to be able to, you know,
use. We think it's going to increase

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00:13:59,839 --> 00:14:05,680
utilization of the airport. Hopefully,
we'll increase our fuel sales overall. I

162
00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:10,160
mean, we think it's just a really good
economic development thing for the

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00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:14,639
community. The, you know, the the one
thing uh about it is that there was

164
00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:19,839
always a local match that went with it
and the airport commission struggles,

165
00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:23,440
you know, to make ends meet every year.
Uh, you know, there just isn't a lot of

166
00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:27,279
extra money there. and the expenses are
going up all the time. We have an FBO

167
00:14:25,279 --> 00:14:32,399
that we pay. We have a lot of costs that
we pay. Uh so, you know, we're we're

168
00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:36,160
just barely scraping by every year. That
was the one thing that we didn't know,

169
00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:39,680
you know, if we did get this grant, how
we were going to pay the the local cost

170
00:14:38,399 --> 00:14:44,240
of it because we knew there was going to
be a local cost to it. Um at one time,

171
00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:49,040
we thought that local cost was maybe
going to only be around 30,000, but it's

172
00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:53,680
significantly more than that. So, you
know, I think the the brainstorming of

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00:14:51,279 --> 00:14:58,399
additional resources to fund the local
portion was that, you know, the it was

174
00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:02,639
talked about that the airport is within
the county development area. This this

175
00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:07,199
seems like a perfect project uh for
those funds to, you know, rehabilitate

176
00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:11,279
and develop the Kcon area. It just
seemed like a perfect fit to to do that.

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00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:14,639
So, I think, you know, that's where the
that's where the request came from and I

178
00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:20,839
think it's it's unanimous request from
the airport commission.

179
00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,839
» Thank you, John. Thank you.

180
00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:29,320
» I don't have anything further,
>> commissioners. Uh

181
00:15:29,519 --> 00:15:35,800
uh direction is requested. Obviously,
I'm in favor of it.

182
00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:45,440
And one of one of the big
things when when North Air come in uh

183
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:52,079
and they have to land at the airport,
there's a gap from the time

184
00:15:47,839 --> 00:15:58,079
They u take their crew to the hospital
um and they do what they do at the

185
00:15:54,560 --> 00:16:03,199
hospital and then bring the patient back
to the airport be it a fixed wind or a

186
00:16:01,519 --> 00:16:08,800
helicopter
>> and this gives their pilot a place to to

187
00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:14,480
go and there will be avionic equipment
in there uh weather equipment etc.

188
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:18,399
» I do have one more question. Yeah. If
you do get the funding as approved

189
00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:22,720
today, do the does the commission have a
plan of preventing maintenance and how

190
00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:28,240
to maintain that? They'll have the funds
and the resources to to maintain.

191
00:16:24,639 --> 00:16:31,440
» Oh, absolutely. I mean, it's not a real
big deal. We're maintaining

192
00:16:30,399 --> 00:16:37,600
» a rental unit.
>> A rental unit. Now, this will this will

193
00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:40,839
save the airport commission about $2,000
a month.

194
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:47,401
» All right, Mr. Chair, can't you just
purchase that building with that money?

195
00:16:45,839 --> 00:16:50,480
» No,
[clears throat] this was a special new

196
00:16:49,199 --> 00:16:55,120
terminal grant.
>> Yeah.

197
00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:59,160
» A subdivision of the FAA, Minnesota,
North Dakota.

198
00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,160
» Okay.

199
00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:09,439
» And again, the agenda request is not
necessarily for an official motion, but

200
00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:15,199
just u direction, right, DJ?
>> Yep. Yep. And then whatever direction

201
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:18,959
the the board wants to take with it, uh,
I would come back then with with an

202
00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:22,880
official
>> Mhm.

203
00:17:21,199 --> 00:17:27,199
» an official request.
>> Yeah. An official request. Yep. Yep.

204
00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:33,360
Official agenda request on on the
transfer and the approval of it.

205
00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:37,679
» Chair, so you're saying the con fund can
handle this and still maintain.

206
00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:43,679
» Yeah, that's what he said.
>> Okay. Thank you. I have no no problem

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supporting it as long as the airport
commission has a plan

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00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:54,000
to
>> spend the money wisely.

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00:17:51,039 --> 00:18:00,960
» Well, it's pretty much laid out. It will
be put towards the terminal building,

210
00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:06,400
» right? Has the state
the state I believe John uh MDOT

211
00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:14,039
aeronautics have made a contribution to
this as well? Yeah, Mr. Chair, it the

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00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:14,039
state share is $53,42.50.

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00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,720
» Thank you.

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00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,760
» I'm good also.
>> Okay,

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00:18:21,919 --> 00:18:27,360
» I'm good. That's I think it's a good use
of compound.

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00:18:24,799 --> 00:18:32,240
» Okay, I guess we have a consensus.
>> Okay, perfect. I will uh bring it to the

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00:18:29,679 --> 00:18:37,200
next county board meeting then with uh
uh for official passage and as well as

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00:18:34,559 --> 00:18:40,160
the transfer then a resolution for
transferring that.

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00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:45,440
» Okay, great. And the timing of which
ties in with the uh the uh budget.

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00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,520
» Yep.
>> And I think

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» they're looking for these funds I'm
assuming for 2026,

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00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:56,160
» correct?
>> Well, [snorts] I

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00:18:54,080 --> 00:19:00,559
believe it'd be 2026. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Now. Yep. Okay.

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00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:04,160
» So, and it'll hopefully it'll help bring
in some economic development. I mean,

225
00:19:03,039 --> 00:19:10,080
that's
>> we really need something going on here.

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00:19:07,679 --> 00:19:16,320
» Well, so the the use of the airport,
sorry. Um, when it comes to say the

227
00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:18,799
Talon project, what's going to be more
utilized? McGregor airport or Aken

228
00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:22,640
airport?
>> It depends on the type of aircraft.

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00:19:20,799 --> 00:19:24,799
» So, we can handle bigger aircraft at the
Aken airport than McGregor. Is that what

230
00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,400
we got?
>> We can handle jet. Yeah. Okay.

231
00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,720
» All right.
>> Yeah. Just depend on the aircraft type

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00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:34,640
coming in.
>> And are I know Commissioner Sample had

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00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:38,240
brought it up before. Are we planning on
transferring some funding back to the

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00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:42,480
McGregor airport that we took for the
Aken airport at that one time?

235
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:45,280
» It'll have to be discussed. Yeah.
>> Just kind of tie it all together here.

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00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:49,440
All right.
>> And I think that particular thing would

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00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:54,320
fall under the appropriation discussion.
>> Okay. Right.

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00:19:51,919 --> 00:20:00,080
» D. Perfect. I'm good. Yep. And
Commissioner Levisca had asked for just

239
00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:04,880
a short update on the ATV trail. Um we
were out there with uh the contractor

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00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:08,799
Bigwolf Site Works here on Friday. Did a
walk through with the engineers.

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00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:14,080
Everything is coming along nicely.
They're starting the work on the county

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00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:19,039
uh 2 highway 2 project as far as that
shoulder build uh for the ATV trail

243
00:20:16,559 --> 00:20:23,840
there. The grubbing and everything is
done. The trail corridor is in. They've

244
00:20:21,039 --> 00:20:28,000
done uh they had a turf establishment
that they've already done. You can see

245
00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:35,120
grasses are coming up on that trail
already. So, uh roughly 2600 ft 2,800 ft

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00:20:32,799 --> 00:20:41,679
of wooden boardwalks to be installed by
the land department.

247
00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:46,480
We have uh probably about 2100 or 2200
of those feet have been installed

248
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:52,080
already. So, the boardwalks have been uh
there's just a couple shorter ones left.

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00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:57,760
Um I think there's an 80footer, a
30footer, and uh and another 100footer

250
00:20:55,520 --> 00:21:03,760
or two that are that are left in there.
So continuing on along with that, uh as

251
00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:08,480
we progressed with the bonding dollars,
looking at the the match and the match

252
00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:14,080
requirement that the county was required
to put up for uh for that, it was

253
00:21:10,799 --> 00:21:17,520
$150,000 for that match. So uh just
trying to tie some ends together with

254
00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:21,919
that and to get that all straightened
out. made some progress on that as far

255
00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:26,640
as where that match is coming from. A
combination of uh a couple different

256
00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:33,440
sources, possibly wetland credits that
the county had available um as well as

257
00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:36,559
staff time to construct the uh construct
the boardwalks. I know the highway

258
00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:42,240
department has time involved with it
with some of the trail clearing. Uh STS

259
00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:47,840
has has some time in there. So, uh, we
will be able to utilize the the inind

260
00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:51,919
for for the portion of the match. Uh,
otherwise, everything is coming in.

261
00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:56,559
It's, uh, under budget for the time
being, and I would expect it to stay

262
00:21:54,880 --> 00:22:03,120
that way. We're still looking at an
October 31st completion. As far as the

263
00:22:00,159 --> 00:22:08,080
contractor is concerned, when when their
work needs to be done, uh, the ATV

264
00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:13,600
season is officially closed. October
31st, the trails are closed. So, in all

265
00:22:10,559 --> 00:22:17,919
likelihood, it's going to be a a May uh
2027 kind of grand opening for that. So,

266
00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:21,600
» awesome. Thank you.
>> Yep. Mr. Chair, I got a question.

267
00:22:19,919 --> 00:22:26,000
Commissioner Sample
>> DJ,

268
00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:28,320
that grant we got from the from the
state.

269
00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:33,120
» Yep.
>> When does that end?

270
00:22:29,679 --> 00:22:36,000
» That's uh December 31st of this year.
>> We'll be done.

271
00:22:33,919 --> 00:22:40,039
» So, we'll be done two months early.
>> Yep. So, Okay.

272
00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,520
Good.
>> Thanks for that update.

273
00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:51,480
» Yes. Yep.
>> Commissioner Aisca, thank you for

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00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:51,480
bringing that to our attention.

275
00:22:52,159 --> 00:22:57,280
» On the economic development, Mark
Jeffers, welcome, Mark.

276
00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:03,360
» Morning, Mark.
>> Morning, Mr. Chair and commissioners.

277
00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:08,720
» I'm here this morning to request
approval to award two additional

278
00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:14,480
revitalization grants. um one for
Guidepoint Pharmacy and one for 210

279
00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:20,000
Fitness. Um in your packets, you see
what what each one of those um

280
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:25,039
businesses are doing. Uh doing some
aesthetics outside, doing some um really

281
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:30,240
good work on some signage, uh different
things like that. So, here again to

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00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:35,840
request approval by the board to award
these two grants moving forward.

283
00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:39,760
» Commissioners, you've heard the request.
I believe this was a unanimous

284
00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:41,520
recommendation from the county economic
development committee as well, right

285
00:23:41,120 --> 00:23:44,000
Mark?
>> That's correct, sir.

286
00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:47,679
» Approval.
>> A motion on the floor approving the

287
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,799
request by Commissioner Levesca.
Support.

288
00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:54,480
» Support.
>> And that motion is supported by

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00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:59,520
Commissioner Sample. Uh any discussion?
Hearing none. All in favor say I. I.

290
00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:03,039
» Oppose. Same sign. Motion's carried.
>> Grants are officially approved.

291
00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:08,159
» Thank you, sir. And the Aken Economic
Development Authority also uh made

292
00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:10,480
contributions to these businesses.
>> Yes. Yep. Correct. [snorts]

293
00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:14,960
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mark.

294
00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:18,320
On to County Engineer
John Wellie. Welcome, John.

295
00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:22,720
» Morning, John.
>> Sorry for the no screens.

296
00:24:20,559 --> 00:24:27,120
» Yeah, good morning. Thank you. Uh yeah,
I'll I guess I I wish I would have sent

297
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,120
the presentation.
>> Do you have Do you need We have

298
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,159
» with you.
>> Yeah. Oh, he's do everyone has a copy of

299
00:24:31,279 --> 00:24:35,559
it.
>> Okay, great.

300
00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:47,440
» We'll be flipping through a lot of pages
here. Um, just give a very brief

301
00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:52,559
overview of the highway department
budget, which as in other years, it

302
00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:57,360
contains three different uh components.
the operations budget, the capital

303
00:24:54,799 --> 00:25:04,559
equipment and facilities budget, and
then the capital infrastructure budget.

304
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:10,240
U I'll go into uh some detail on all of
those. The operations budget first. Um

305
00:25:07,679 --> 00:25:16,320
I'm looking at the the pie chart there
that shows the operations budget

306
00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:20,320
expenditures by work section. Uh with 20
excuse me, with 29 total employees in

307
00:25:18,559 --> 00:25:24,640
the department, 19 of those are in our
maintenance section. uh six are in the

308
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:30,480
engineering work section. The remaining
four are in administrative section. You

309
00:25:27,279 --> 00:25:36,080
can see the corresponding costs uh of
all of those sections. Obviously, the

310
00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:41,600
the road maintenance section is the
highest cost. Uh that area contains not

311
00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:48,799
only all of our costs for the employees,
but also all of our costs to maintain

312
00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:54,000
519 miles of county roads as well as 39
miles of unorganized township roads and

313
00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:59,760
uh then our entire ditch system
including the Mississippi River

314
00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:05,760
diversion channel. Uh on the next page,
you see another pie chart that shows the

315
00:26:02,159 --> 00:26:14,080
budget expenditures by expenditure type.
Uh so here you can see that payroll uh

316
00:26:09,039 --> 00:26:20,799
with 29 employees is 54% of our total uh
operations budget costs. Uh the the

317
00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:26,240
costs of those uh uh the cost of our our
payroll costs increased 5.4% from the

318
00:26:24,159 --> 00:26:34,240
2020 excuse me that's on the next page.
I'm getting ahead of myself. Um so the

319
00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:38,240
the payroll is 54% the supplies are 22%
supplies include everything from diesel

320
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:43,840
fuel gasoline equipment maintenance
parts uh gravel salt culvert signs posts

321
00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:48,559
asphalt materials shop supplies
basically any supplies that we need. Uh

322
00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:52,880
road maintenance services are about 20%
of our operations budget. Uh that

323
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:56,799
includes anything that we hire others to
do for road maintenance including

324
00:26:54,880 --> 00:27:01,039
calcium chloride application, pavement
marking application, uh the tuminous

325
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:04,799
crack sealing, patching, municipal
maintenance agreements that we pay to

326
00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:07,760
the cities to maintain the the routes,
the county routes in their

327
00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:11,919
municipalities. Uh we have a couple of
county line maintenance agreements with

328
00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:17,679
adjacent counties and then also beaver
control services that we pay to trappers

329
00:27:14,559 --> 00:27:22,159
to help control beaver. Uh and then you
can see the last two categories there,

330
00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:27,919
insurance and dues and utilities. Uh
they uh each account for about 2% of the

331
00:27:25,120 --> 00:27:33,760
total operations budget. So now on to
the next uh page where it shows that

332
00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:37,720
overall our operations uh costs are
increasing about 5.1%

333
00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:48,559
from 2026. Uh payroll costs increased
about 5.4% from the 2026 budget. Uh part

334
00:27:47,120 --> 00:27:52,880
of the reason that we were able to keep
that cost down is we only budgeted for

335
00:27:51,279 --> 00:27:57,679
97%
of our fully staffed payroll cost. Uh we

336
00:27:55,679 --> 00:28:03,200
have a 5-year average. We track our TW
our five-year average uh actual payroll

337
00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:11,760
cost to if we were fully staffed. And
our most recent five-year uh

338
00:28:07,120 --> 00:28:16,559
uh figure is 96 or excuse me 95.5%.
Again, that's actual payroll costs to if

339
00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:22,000
we were fully budgeted. So that's four
and a half percent less than 100. We So

340
00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:26,240
we discounted our payroll cost by 3% out
of the four and a half. We thought that

341
00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:31,600
was reasonable and prudent uh to do to
help reduce the cost.

342
00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:34,559
» So John, I got one question for you.
>> You got 29 employees now.

343
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:38,960
» Yes.
>> And you're figuring payroll at 97%

344
00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:43,279
» of fully staffed.
>> Of fully staffed. How many people do you

345
00:28:41,279 --> 00:28:48,000
have when you're fully staffed?
>> 29.

346
00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:54,080
» 29. We have 29 positions. One of the
reasons that our 5-year average is only

347
00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:58,240
at 95% is that we pretty much
continuously have an open engineering

348
00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:03,360
technician position, which we have had
for the last three years.

349
00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:07,880
» Yeah, right. Right now, we're one staff
short. We have 28 of 29 positions.

350
00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:18,240
So, moving on into the supplies uh uh
area, we had a 9.3% cost increase from

351
00:29:14,799 --> 00:29:23,279
our 2026 budget. Um basically all of the
supplies increased across the board with

352
00:29:20,399 --> 00:29:29,840
the way inflation and costs are going.
Uh fuel is one of our biggest supplies.

353
00:29:25,919 --> 00:29:35,840
Um this budget includes 91,000 gallons
of uh gasoline and diesel fuel that

354
00:29:32,799 --> 00:29:41,840
we've budgeted at $32 per gallon. And
that's a 5-year uh running average of

355
00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:46,720
our costs over the past 5 years. Last
year, the cost that we budgeted was 280.

356
00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:51,440
So, we're budgeting an extra 22 cents a
gallon for fuel. We'll talk more about

357
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:56,000
fuel later because the uh the immediate
impacts are much more drastic than that

358
00:29:53,679 --> 00:30:00,880
than those 5-year averages. But, uh
pretty much all of our supplies

359
00:29:57,679 --> 00:30:05,279
increased signs, salt, equipment repair.
The only supply cost that decreased was

360
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:10,880
culverts. And that's because culvert
costs are finally coming back down from

361
00:30:07,679 --> 00:30:13,919
their ridiculously high costs a few
years ago. So they're they're coming

362
00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:20,399
back down and that's showing a little
bit of a decrease cost from previously.

363
00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:25,919
Road maintenance and other services are
showing about a 6.8% cost increase from

364
00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:30,000
the 2026 budget. Uh nothing really
outstanding there, just increases across

365
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:36,240
the board.
uh insurance. This budget in this budget

366
00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:42,799
uh reflects a 5% estimated insurance
increase to MCIT for liability or comp

367
00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:47,360
insurance. Um we've recently been told
that our uh the highway department

368
00:30:45,679 --> 00:30:53,279
percentage increase for liability is
going to be 13% above last year and our

369
00:30:50,799 --> 00:30:59,600
work comp is going to be 29% above last
year. So, if if those uh if those

370
00:30:56,399 --> 00:31:05,360
projected increases actually happen, uh
we will be underbudgeted in insurance by

371
00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:08,880
about $22,000.
And then the last category, dues,

372
00:31:07,279 --> 00:31:15,799
utilities, other expenses. They just
increased the nominal 2.6% from the 2026

373
00:31:12,799 --> 00:31:15,799
budget.

374
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:24,960
So, now you should be looking at the uh
the annual average diesel gasoline cost

375
00:31:22,559 --> 00:31:30,480
graph. I We like to show this every year
as part of my presentation because uh

376
00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:38,080
really the entire highway department
budget goes as energy costs go. And uh

377
00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:43,519
you can see from this graph right now uh
the red and the green lines represent

378
00:31:41,279 --> 00:31:47,919
just our annual average cost per gallon
for gasoline and diesel fuel. And you

379
00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:52,559
can see at the end of 2025 we were in
pretty good shape or end of 2025 we were

380
00:31:51,120 --> 00:32:00,240
in good shape.
um with fuel costs and diesel costs

381
00:31:55,360 --> 00:32:06,000
around 260 to 270 a gallon. But 2026, uh
it's pretty much been a straight line

382
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:10,720
up. You can see from the blue line, the
the blue line represents our individual

383
00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:16,000
uh unit prices that we pay when we buy
tankers. We buy uh eight or nine tankers

384
00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:23,440
of diesel fuel every year. So the blue
line reflects our cost of each tanker.

385
00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:29,679
Uh, our most recent our most recent
tanker purchase was $4.24 a gallon. Now,

386
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:32,480
last year when I was here giving this
budget presentation, I told you that our

387
00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:38,159
most recent [cough]
diesel tanker purchase was 259 a gallon.

388
00:32:35,519 --> 00:32:44,480
So, that's an increase of $165
in one year. Um, I guess

389
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:52,159
trying to be positive, it's lower than
the high price we paid in June of 22,

390
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:57,279
which was $4.78 a gallon, but it's also
significantly higher than the 97 cents a

391
00:32:54,480 --> 00:33:02,159
gallon we paid just 24 months earlier in
2020.

392
00:32:58,399 --> 00:33:08,240
» So, fuel costs are once again having an
impact. And

393
00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:12,720
I I'm really concerned because uh I mean
we haven't seen the worst of fuel costs.

394
00:33:10,399 --> 00:33:17,600
It's going to get worse probably before
it gets better if you believe what the

395
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:22,240
experts say. Uh so turning then to our
operations budget revenue.

396
00:33:20,159 --> 00:33:28,159
Um so this graph just shows where our
revenue comes from for for our uh our

397
00:33:25,039 --> 00:33:33,919
operations budget. 54% of it or a little
over 3.4 4 million is from uh county

398
00:33:31,679 --> 00:33:40,720
state aid highway revenue. Most of this
comes to us through our uh annual

399
00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:44,960
aortionment of which 40% uh is for
maintenance. We can use it to maintain

400
00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:50,799
our county state aid highway system. Uh
the next biggest category is is levy

401
00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:56,559
revenue which this year we're asking for
1.9 a little over 1.9 million of levy

402
00:33:53,360 --> 00:34:01,200
revenue. So that represent 30% of our
operations cost. And then the remaining

403
00:33:59,039 --> 00:34:05,919
revenue is just what we call our local
non- levy revenue which is which amounts

404
00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:12,720
to about a million dollars close to 16%
of the total revenue. Uh that revenue is

405
00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:17,919
basically just revenue that we earn from
selling supplies and services to

406
00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:22,800
townships. We do engineering work for
townships for their projects. Uh, so

407
00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:27,440
this year we have $70,000 of
reimbursement for engineering work from

408
00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:31,760
Glenn and Melmo Townships for for work
we're doing on their projects. We also

409
00:34:29,599 --> 00:34:37,280
have $120,000
uh shown here of the county development

410
00:34:34,639 --> 00:34:42,159
funds that DJ was just talking about uh
to help offset the costs of aggregate

411
00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:44,240
surfacing that we're going to process
this coming year.

412
00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:47,839
» John,
>> yes.

413
00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:52,960
» I just have a question about do you do
you have to purchase dyed

414
00:34:50,240 --> 00:35:00,240
fuel and off-road or can you just use
dyed? I mean, there's a big difference.

415
00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:04,960
» So, when when we purchase fuel, uh we we
don't pay any taxes on it, right?

416
00:35:02,079 --> 00:35:08,880
» We track where that fuel goes. So, the
fuel that ends up being used by our

417
00:35:07,119 --> 00:35:11,920
trucks that are using the roads,
>> the onroad,

418
00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:16,400
» we we will end up paying the on-road
taxes or that fuel

419
00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:20,720
» for the fuel that goes into our off-road
equipment, our dozer, our loaders, our

420
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:25,680
backho,
>> we don't have to pay the the highway

421
00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:30,320
user taxes on that on on that.
>> Okay. So, you don't even purchase dyed.

422
00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:34,640
» I'm when you when you ask that question,
I'm trying to remember. I I guess I'm

423
00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:39,599
not sure if we if we purchase the dyed
or the undyed, but we I mean we

424
00:35:37,839 --> 00:35:43,839
» Yeah, there's on-road and off-road,
>> right? We I I'm pretty sure we pay we we

425
00:35:42,079 --> 00:35:48,480
purchase the on-road okay
>> fuel. We just don't pay the taxes and

426
00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:52,839
then we pay the taxes monthly after we
track the use.

427
00:35:49,839 --> 00:35:52,839
» Okay.

428
00:35:56,079 --> 00:36:03,359
So the next uh the next page then is
just a graph showing our annual county

429
00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:08,160
state aid highway aortionment. You can
see that luckily our our state aid

430
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:14,000
aortionment does continue to increase.
We're anticipating a 3.9% increase for

431
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:17,280
this coming year 2027.
>> John does that come out of the state gas

432
00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:21,920
tax?
>> The the gas tax is one of the components

433
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:28,320
of the highway user trust fund. The
other components are the uh the tab fees

434
00:36:26,079 --> 00:36:33,760
that you pay annually to renew your
vehicle [clears throat] license. Um also

435
00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:38,480
motor vehicle sales tax, a portion of
that goes goes into the highway user

436
00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:41,280
trust fund. But yeah, the fuel tax and
the license tab fees are are the two big

437
00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:45,480
ones.
>> Okay. Thank you.

438
00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,480
» Revenue.

439
00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:54,160
And you know I should mention on that um
two two two years ago they were there

440
00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:59,040
was a drastic increase to vehicle
license tab fees which resulted in you

441
00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:05,200
know some nice revenue increases for us
unfortunately. It also resulted in a lot

442
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:09,680
of really high tab fees for a lot of
people and it's become a political issue

443
00:37:07,599 --> 00:37:15,520
uh since then. So, this past year's
legislature, they did, I think, just for

444
00:37:12,079 --> 00:37:22,000
a one-year, just a one-year time frame,
they rolled back the tab fees uh to what

445
00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:25,359
they were previously, and they they
supplanted it with general fund dollars.

446
00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:28,640
So, the highway user trust fund would
take a hit, but it's going to be

447
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:33,200
interesting to see what happens going
forward with that. Um because we now

448
00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:38,320
with our with regard to our tab fees, we
are not only the highest in the region,

449
00:37:36,240 --> 00:37:41,359
we are significantly higher than any
other state in the region when it comes

450
00:37:39,599 --> 00:37:45,920
to tab fees. So I'm sure they will
continue to be a you know a hot topic at

451
00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:50,000
the legislature and whether whether
those increases and the revenue that

452
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:52,079
accompanies it is sustainable or not. I
guess we'll find out.

453
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:55,839
» Mr. Chair,
>> yes, Commissioner Westerland.

454
00:37:54,079 --> 00:38:00,640
» Where does all the specialty money go
for licenses? you know, like the the

455
00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:05,119
black ones and the I mean, it it's an
extra cost

456
00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:08,560
for the, you know, the lady slipper and
all the Minnesota special.

457
00:38:07,119 --> 00:38:10,640
» Kathleen,
>> Kathleen [clears throat] Brian, our

458
00:38:09,599 --> 00:38:15,040
county auditor.
>> I can see her over there.

459
00:38:13,839 --> 00:38:18,400
» Thanks for chiming.
>> Yeah, I can answer that. I can't answer

460
00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:21,599
all of them, but like the blackout
plates that you mentioned, those that

461
00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:25,359
money goes into the general fund. I'm
not sure if that's going to highway or

462
00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:30,640
not, but I know that money goes to the
general fund. The other licenses go to

463
00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:35,200
specific funds. So like the state park
license plates that those funds go into

464
00:38:33,119 --> 00:38:40,000
the state park money. So some of those
specialty license do have specific funds

465
00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:45,119
that that money is going to not just
like general fund or highway funds.

466
00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:49,200
» Well, and the black ones are not cheap.
>> No,

467
00:38:46,079 --> 00:38:53,599
» I mean they're so and a lot of them are
I call the willy-nilly fund where we

468
00:38:51,839 --> 00:38:57,359
don't even know where that money goes.
>> Yeah. So the black ones I know are going

469
00:38:55,440 --> 00:39:01,839
into the general state general fund for
the state. The other ones are do have

470
00:38:59,599 --> 00:39:05,520
specific reasons that they are funding.
>> That's why I won't buy one. [laughter]

471
00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:08,400
» Thank you, Kathleen.
>> Does the bedroom?

472
00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:11,760
» Thank you. I'm glad [clears throat]
someone had the answer to that question.

473
00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:15,359
» Yes. Thank you, Kathleen.
>> Yeah.

474
00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:20,480
» Um so so moving on to our our total
operations revenue uh sheet here. Then

475
00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:24,960
we're showing the 6.4% that's on your
sheet is actually an air. It's 5.6% 6%

476
00:39:23,119 --> 00:39:30,560
increase in our total operations revenue
from 2026. Uh our state aid maintenance

477
00:39:29,359 --> 00:39:36,320
revenue, I already said that's
increasing 3.9% from 2026. Um county

478
00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:40,320
state aid highway construction revenue.
This is where we can use our

479
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:45,119
construction fund uh our construction
funds that come to us from our state aid

480
00:39:42,079 --> 00:39:48,800
allocation. The 60% component uh that
typically is used for construction. We

481
00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:55,040
can also use that to reimburse staff
engineering time. And so typically we

482
00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:57,920
budget between 200 and $300,000
based on the year based on how many

483
00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:01,280
reimburseable costs we think we're going
to have. Uh this year we think we're

484
00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:06,640
going to have more. So we increased that
to 300,000. So that's a $100,000

485
00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:13,680
increase from 2026. That helped reduce
the levy. Um non-local levy revenue. I

486
00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:17,359
already mentioned the $120,000 of uh
county development funds that we've

487
00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:21,839
asked for as well as the township
engineering reimbursement. So that

488
00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:27,760
leaves a local levy revenue increase of
6% from 2026 that we're asking for from

489
00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:32,079
the operations for the operations
budget. So with that, I'll I'll move on

490
00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:39,599
to capital equipment facility unless
there's any questions about operations.

491
00:40:35,839 --> 00:40:46,000
So capital equipment and facilities. Um
we're showing a total of $757,000

492
00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:52,079
in expenditures in this budget. That is
a 16% decrease from 2026. The reason for

493
00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:56,079
that decrease is you recall last year I
told you that we had two pieces of

494
00:40:53,599 --> 00:41:01,520
equipment that were uh giving us major
maintenance problems and we wanted them

495
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:06,640
out of our fleet. So we uh we replaced
we we included those two pieces of

496
00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:09,680
equipment that elevated our uh our
expenditures [clears throat]

497
00:41:07,359 --> 00:41:16,240
last year. So this year uh that's what's
resulting in the 16% decrease. We're

498
00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:23,040
kind of back now to a normal a normal
maintenance program for equipment.

499
00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:28,560
Facility improvements. 130,000 uh
130,000 of that 757 is for facility

500
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:35,200
improvements. We're continuing to budget
100,000 a year uh for what we're

501
00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:42,720
planning in 2028 to expand our Aken
shop. Um, we also are have included

502
00:41:39,359 --> 00:41:46,880
$30,000 for some lot resurfacing work in
McGregor.

503
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:50,800
Equipment replacements uh amount to
572,000

504
00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:55,520
of that 757,000.
But the interesting thing about that

505
00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:58,720
572,000 is we're not buying a single
piece of or we're not replacing a single

506
00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:04,319
piece of equipment [cough and laughter]
in 2027. It's all either paying back

507
00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:07,920
purchases that have already happened or
uh starting to budget for future

508
00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:15,599
purchases. So, you can see the amounts
there. Uh 336,000 of that is for our our

509
00:42:11,359 --> 00:42:20,480
2025 tandem truck purchase. Uh and
there's amounts there, 50,000 and 36,000

510
00:42:18,319 --> 00:42:24,800
for a couple of equipment purchases that
happened last year. Uh again, the

511
00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:30,240
purchases have already happened. The
money is just budgeted in multiple years

512
00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:35,359
to uh to soften the effect. Uh and then
we're starting to budget $150,000 for

513
00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:41,119
our next round of tandem truck purchases
in 2028. We are however adding a piece

514
00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:44,560
of equipment. U it wasn't too many years
ago. We have three belly dump trailers

515
00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:48,640
that we haul gravel with in the summer.
wasn't too many years ago, probably five

516
00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:52,480
or six, that we would take the dump
boxes off of three of our plow trucks,

517
00:42:50,720 --> 00:42:58,400
put on a fifth wheel hitch, and use them
to pull the belly dumps. Uh we started

518
00:42:55,839 --> 00:43:02,000
analyzing costs of doing that. And we
thought, you know, it's probably going

519
00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:07,520
to be better if we would just buy a used
high mileage truck chassis that we could

520
00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:11,119
end up hauling probably three yards more
in those belly dump trailers with

521
00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:16,000
because they're so much lighter than our
plow trucks. So, we did that. We did two

522
00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:20,160
of them and this is we're proposing to
do the third one. The payback on this

523
00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:24,880
$55,000 expenditure is probably as
little as five or six years just from

524
00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:28,240
increased efficiencies. So, it's
something that we wanted to do as soon

525
00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:35,520
as possible and we added that in to the
2027 budget.

526
00:43:30,720 --> 00:43:39,599
Uh in your in your attachments uh were
the the the complete five-year capital

527
00:43:37,599 --> 00:43:42,480
equipment and facility plan. I'm not
going to go over that, but you can see

528
00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:47,440
every piece of equipment and what's
planned for the next 5 years. If you add

529
00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:53,359
the totals of the equipment and the
facility plan, you'll see that uh again,

530
00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:59,599
this year we're at about 757,000.
In 2031, we're projected to be at

531
00:43:56,240 --> 00:44:04,079
85,000. That's that's good news. I guess
that's less than a percent and a half

532
00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:10,240
increase uh per year over those five
years. that, you know, if those numbers

533
00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:15,359
hold true, uh hopefully our uh increases
in capital uh equipment and facilities

534
00:44:12,640 --> 00:44:19,599
will be start starting to level out a
little bit. The chart on the or the

535
00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:24,560
graph on the next page, you can see how
those uh expenditures have increased

536
00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:30,880
over the years and you can also see by
the dotted lines how it's uh anticipated

537
00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:34,520
to start to level out. Hopefully
hopefully that happens.

538
00:44:37,015 --> 00:44:42,640
» [clears throat]
>> So then on to capital infrastructure

539
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:47,680
budget. Um
I didn't I did not uh give any

540
00:44:45,839 --> 00:44:51,760
information on our 5-year capital road
improvement plan. I'll be scheduling a

541
00:44:49,359 --> 00:44:56,800
separate board agenda item for that
probably in October. So I'm just going

542
00:44:54,240 --> 00:45:01,520
to very briefly go over this. Our 2027
expenditures for our capital

543
00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:07,680
infrastructure show 162,000 in
professional services, a little over 6.9

544
00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:12,560
million in contract payments. Uh 2027
revenue, you can see the revenue sources

545
00:45:09,599 --> 00:45:17,040
there. Uh everything from uh well I
should mention our local levy 740,000.

546
00:45:15,200 --> 00:45:25,280
We're not increasing that at all from
last year. Uh that's in part due to the

547
00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:28,880
action you took last year to uh change
the road designations on some of our

548
00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:33,839
routes. We saw some major improvements
coming up on some of our county roads

549
00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:37,440
and we made at least one of those routes
into a county state highway route. So

550
00:45:35,599 --> 00:45:42,000
that's now a county state aid highway
expenditure rather than a county road.

551
00:45:39,520 --> 00:45:47,440
So that, you know, that's that was a big
part of why we're able to uh, you know,

552
00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:52,079
hold that local levy for our for our
county road construction program level

553
00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:56,560
uh for now and and hopefully for the
foreseeable future, although we'll see

554
00:45:54,000 --> 00:46:00,720
what happens with costs. We have
$953,000

555
00:45:58,079 --> 00:46:05,280
of state park road accounts uh listed as
revenue. That's for a Malmo Township

556
00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:10,160
project that came up rather quickly and
we wasn't included in the 2026 budget.

557
00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:15,680
So, it's included in 2027 even though
the construction is happening this year.

558
00:46:12,240 --> 00:46:19,280
Uh we're showing about $229,000
in bond funds from the local bridge

559
00:46:17,359 --> 00:46:23,359
replacement program. So, once again, you
know, we're continuing to utilize uh

560
00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:28,400
that program through the through the
bonding bill at the legislature. [cough]

561
00:46:26,240 --> 00:46:31,920
And I'm not sure if I was trying to
think if I ever made the board aware of

562
00:46:30,079 --> 00:46:36,640
this, but this past year there was a
solicitation for local road improvement

563
00:46:33,920 --> 00:46:42,079
funds, which is also a bonding program
uh through the state. It's very

564
00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:47,839
competitive program. Probably less than
20% of the projects get funded. But we

565
00:46:45,119 --> 00:46:54,079
were fortunate enough to get a $1.5
million grant uh that was announced to

566
00:46:50,720 --> 00:46:58,640
us this past I think May for our work on
County Road 14 that we're planning for

567
00:46:55,920 --> 00:47:02,160
2027. So that's included in the budget
and the remaining three and a half

568
00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:06,640
million is just our regular state aid
construction funds. So total revenues

569
00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:11,280
and expenditures that we're showing in
our capital infrastructure budget are a

570
00:47:08,480 --> 00:47:16,837
little over $7 million.
So then on to the budget summary. Just

571
00:47:13,359 --> 00:47:18,857
to summarize all three budgets.
[clears throat]

572
00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:39,119
So on the on the top uh is list is our
our revenue which you can see just

573
00:47:36,079 --> 00:47:43,920
matches our expenditures. So, I'm just
going to talk about the expenditures.

574
00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:48,880
Uh, our operating expenditures, as I
said, are increasing 5.1%.

575
00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:52,640
Our capital equipment expenditures are
decreasing 16% and our capital

576
00:47:51,200 --> 00:47:59,800
infrastructure expenditures are
decreasing about 32%. So, a total of

577
00:47:56,800 --> 00:47:59,800
14,811497

578
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:09,440
uh is our 2027 proposed budget. Uh, and
again, that's an overall 17.4% 4%

579
00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:13,839
decrease primarily because of the
equipment, the capital equipment and

580
00:48:11,520 --> 00:48:19,040
capital infrastructure portions of the
budget. Again, the operating budget did

581
00:48:16,240 --> 00:48:25,440
increase by 5.1%.
And then if you look at the uh the chart

582
00:48:22,079 --> 00:48:30,960
showing the local levy revenue summary.
Uh so here uh the percentages aren't

583
00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:35,839
shown, but we're showing a 6% increase
in our operation. Local levy for

584
00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:40,559
equipment, it's an 8% increase. And as I
said for capital infrastructure, we're

585
00:48:37,839 --> 00:48:45,440
budgeting the same 740,000. So no
increase there. But what we're asking

586
00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:54,000
for then total local levy is just under
3.4 million, which is a 5 05% increase

587
00:48:50,559 --> 00:48:59,520
from last year. And then finally, just
this last sheet, I just like to show the

588
00:48:56,640 --> 00:49:03,920
historical uh perspective on our our
levy amounts because it, you know, it

589
00:49:01,280 --> 00:49:07,839
gives really a a reflection of our of
our overall financial situation in the

590
00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:13,119
highway department. You know, we have
our programs, we have our revenue

591
00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:17,680
sources that we can tap into, but at the
end, it's the local levy that makes up

592
00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:23,599
the difference. So you can see here uh
you know dating back to 2011 through

593
00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:28,880
2021 our local levy amounts were were
really stable. I mean very little

594
00:49:26,240 --> 00:49:32,640
increase during those years. But since
then I think we all remember what

595
00:49:30,640 --> 00:49:38,079
happened in 2020 and since then costs
have just uh gone through the roof on

596
00:49:35,599 --> 00:49:41,680
pretty much everything that we use. Uh
although not not all at the same time.

597
00:49:40,160 --> 00:49:45,200
That's what was kind of interesting that
some costs went through the roof

598
00:49:43,119 --> 00:49:49,280
initially and then went down. Others
went through the roof later and we're

599
00:49:47,599 --> 00:49:53,440
still waiting for them to come down. But
you can see that, you know, although

600
00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:59,280
we're proposing a 5.05% increase for
this year, that's a 34% increase over

601
00:49:56,640 --> 00:50:03,680
what we levied just 5 years ago. And,
you know, interestingly, only 37%

602
00:50:01,680 --> 00:50:09,040
increase over what we levied 10 years
ago. So, that just shows how this last

603
00:50:06,079 --> 00:50:17,400
five years have really been uh tough on
property tax levies. uh just trying to

604
00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:17,400
deliver the same services. Uh just

605
00:50:18,079 --> 00:50:22,800
» that's all I have unless there's any
other questions.

606
00:50:21,520 --> 00:50:29,359
» Commissioners,
>> uh John, for 26

607
00:50:28,755 --> 00:50:37,839
[cough]
we budgeted we budgeted 6.64 64 million

608
00:50:35,359 --> 00:50:44,839
operating
and then as of June 30th we're at 3

609
00:50:41,839 --> 00:50:44,839
million7,000.

610
00:50:46,079 --> 00:50:52,880
How are we looking? Are we going to come
in

611
00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:55,440
under budget over budget?
Pretty close. You see where I'm going

612
00:50:54,800 --> 00:51:00,800
with that?
>> I think we're going to come in under

613
00:50:57,200 --> 00:51:05,440
budget again. um just because of a
couple of things is that that vacant

614
00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:11,040
position that I talked about. I mean,
we're we're nine months into the year

615
00:51:08,640 --> 00:51:16,720
now and the position's been vacant and
will continue to be vacant. Um you know,

616
00:51:14,160 --> 00:51:20,720
there's I think everything else in the
operations budget, we've tried really

617
00:51:18,559 --> 00:51:25,680
hard to keep it close to budget and I I
guess I expect that the end of the year

618
00:51:22,079 --> 00:51:31,440
will be very close to that 6.6.
>> And Mr. Mr. Chair, I just want to

619
00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:36,400
compliment Mr. Welli here. Since I've
been a commissioner, he's one of the

620
00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:44,160
only department heads that I can walk in
and say, "Where are we at on the budget,

621
00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:50,559
on your budget?" And he's on top of it.
That's very impressive to a dumb country

622
00:51:47,200 --> 00:51:54,160
boy like me. Thank you.
>> Just one correction. My staff is on top

623
00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:56,559
of it.
>> Thank you.

624
00:51:55,040 --> 00:52:01,040
» Thanks, John. Thanks, John.
>> Good report. Thank you, John.

625
00:51:57,920 --> 00:52:06,800
» Thank you.
>> Your staff did an excellent job on 62,

626
00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:10,160
by the way.
>> Thank you.

627
00:52:08,559 --> 00:52:15,359
» There's three different types of
government county accounting.

628
00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:18,796
There's your general accounting like our
household

629
00:52:17,200 --> 00:52:20,960
budgets.
[clears throat]

630
00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:25,599
And then you have health and human
services. I mean, it's way out there.

631
00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:32,800
It's a specialty. and you've got road
and bridge. It's just a very unique

632
00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:36,400
thing the average person cannot
hardly comprehend.

633
00:52:34,079 --> 00:52:41,920
» Can I make one correction? You got
fourth, the sheriff's department and the

634
00:52:39,200 --> 00:52:43,920
jail. Their stuff is
>> with the doc.

635
00:52:43,359 --> 00:52:53,599
» Yeah,
>> that's a little bit complicated, too. Uh

636
00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:56,800
on to uh preliminary 2027 budget.
Kathleen Ryan, County Auditor. Welcome,

637
00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:59,280
Kathleen.
>> Okay.

638
00:52:57,200 --> 00:53:03,640
» And I believe everybody has the uh
handout.

639
00:53:00,400 --> 00:53:03,640
» Yes, sir.

640
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:15,040
» Um I'm going to recap the general fund
budget kind of a little bit for you

641
00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:18,000
guys. You had presentations from the
other departments, Health and Human

642
00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:22,559
Services,
um road and bridge, um land department.

643
00:53:21,200 --> 00:53:27,280
So, I'm just going to kind of recap
what's been going on in the general fund

644
00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:31,680
and then talk about the preliminary levy
and ask for direction as far as um how

645
00:53:29,839 --> 00:53:36,640
the board wants to set the preliminary
levy. We do need to set the preliminary

646
00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:40,672
levy at the next meeting in September.
This again will be setting the

647
00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:46,720
preliminary levy. It can go down, but it
[snorts] cannot go up.

648
00:53:43,760 --> 00:53:51,440
So, with that, um I believe you have
handouts. So again, um the budget

649
00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:55,920
committee met on August 24th. We
reviewed the budget adjustments to

650
00:53:53,280 --> 00:54:00,880
develop a um preliminary levy increase
recommendation for the overall board of

651
00:53:58,160 --> 00:54:04,960
commissioners. Um this presentation will
highlight key budget adjustments and

652
00:54:02,960 --> 00:54:09,280
provide an opportunity for board to
discuss um for discussion and direction

653
00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:13,920
as we move forward finalizing that
preliminary levy

654
00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:16,960
where we're sitting. So overall levy and
again this is including all departments.

655
00:54:15,599 --> 00:54:20,400
So, Roaden Bridge Health and Human
Services, not [clears throat] land

656
00:54:18,640 --> 00:54:28,800
department because land department is
not a levy department minus parks.

657
00:54:23,839 --> 00:54:35,359
Um, total revenue is 44,88,000.
Total expenditures $46,170.

658
00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:38,359
So, total levy we're requesting is
20,516,30.

659
00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:45,599
This is representing an 8.09%
increase.

660
00:54:43,760 --> 00:54:48,720
This did increase from the budget
committee. Those on the budget

661
00:54:46,880 --> 00:54:53,599
committee, I was stating something a
little bit lower. In the meantime, we

662
00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:57,119
did get updated um MCIT numbers. So,
those have been included in here.

663
00:54:55,440 --> 00:55:00,960
» Kathleen, how about health insurance?
What did that go up?

664
00:54:58,319 --> 00:55:03,680
» So, we are budgeting 15% for
>> We still don't know.

665
00:55:01,839 --> 00:55:08,240
» We do not know and we will not know
health insurance until end of October.

666
00:55:06,319 --> 00:55:12,960
» So, that's the hard thing with in health
insurance. We don't get that until far

667
00:55:10,720 --> 00:55:18,240
after the preliminary levy's been set,
>> but we haven't been raised for a couple

668
00:55:15,040 --> 00:55:24,559
years, have we?
>> Mr. Chair and Commissioner, um, so the

669
00:55:22,079 --> 00:55:30,000
indications that Bobby has been getting
is to expect a double-digit increase.

670
00:55:27,280 --> 00:55:33,359
So, we don't know the number, but we
have been advised that it's going to be

671
00:55:31,599 --> 00:55:39,119
a significant increase, which is why
there's 15% uh in the budget.

672
00:55:36,559 --> 00:55:45,359
» Okay. And again airing on the side of
caution as Kathleen indicated once a

673
00:55:42,880 --> 00:55:51,280
preliminary budget is established
officially it can go down but not up and

674
00:55:49,359 --> 00:55:53,839
I don't think we need to shortch change
ourselves

675
00:55:52,720 --> 00:55:58,240
» underestimating [clears throat]
what this insurance it it's got a

676
00:55:56,640 --> 00:56:03,359
dramatic effect. So,
>> and I believe last year, so two years

677
00:56:00,880 --> 00:56:09,839
ago, insurance went down from our
preliminary levy projection, but last

678
00:56:06,319 --> 00:56:14,559
year it actually increased. Um, and so
we had to kind of consider in some fund

679
00:56:12,160 --> 00:56:18,319
balance to cover that because it was
after the preliminary levy was set. And

680
00:56:16,559 --> 00:56:20,799
I don't remember what that increase was,
but I know it was more than what we had

681
00:56:20,079 --> 00:56:24,000
set in the le.
>> Okay.

682
00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:27,359
» I got a question, Mr. Chair.
>> Yes, sir. pipeline money.

683
00:56:26,389 --> 00:56:30,319
[clears throat]
>> When do we get that and how do we figure

684
00:56:29,280 --> 00:56:33,119
that in the budget?
>> So, we don't get pipeline money,

685
00:56:32,720 --> 00:56:38,400
» but [clears throat]
>> the pipeline increases our net tax

686
00:56:35,680 --> 00:56:44,240
capacity. So, they're figured into the
formula as far as when we are, you know,

687
00:56:41,520 --> 00:56:49,599
calculating taxes overall. They pay
taxes on their net tax capacity just

688
00:56:46,559 --> 00:56:56,480
like other taxpayers in the county. So
the the county, you know, sets our levy.

689
00:56:53,359 --> 00:57:00,960
That levy is allocated out per tax
calculation ac across all net tax

690
00:56:58,960 --> 00:57:05,599
capacities through the county. So the
pipeline pays their portion based on

691
00:57:03,520 --> 00:57:10,480
their net tax capacity of how that
pipeline is valued.

692
00:57:08,160 --> 00:57:14,400
» They don't they don't pay us $50
million. So they don't do that. They are

693
00:57:12,640 --> 00:57:17,520
taxed like any other
>> basically property tax income.

694
00:57:16,559 --> 00:57:23,760
» Correct.
>> Okay. Just I just wanted to Dave

695
00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:27,920
» just since um Commissioner Sample raised
the issue of pipeline [snorts]

696
00:57:25,760 --> 00:57:32,960
I think everyone is aware that Enbridge
is at in tax court with the state of

697
00:57:30,000 --> 00:57:36,960
Minnesota and these are state assessed
properties. So the state of Minnesota

698
00:57:34,720 --> 00:57:43,280
assigns the value off of which the tax
capacity is calculated. If, as happened

699
00:57:41,040 --> 00:57:47,920
several years ago, if there's a
significant adverse ruling from tax

700
00:57:45,680 --> 00:57:53,520
court, then that would actually be real
money that would be due back to the uh

701
00:57:51,680 --> 00:57:54,880
Enbridge in this case.
>> Scary.

702
00:57:54,160 --> 00:57:56,880
» Yeah.
>> And that comes from the state or from

703
00:57:56,480 --> 00:58:02,000
us?
>> No, it would.

704
00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:07,680
» It depends on what happens. it for it to
come from anyone other than the county

705
00:58:05,119 --> 00:58:11,440
and the other taxing jurisdictions would
require a state law change.

706
00:58:10,319 --> 00:58:16,400
» Okay.
>> So, last time the state covered it. This

707
00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:21,119
time is not necessarily the case.
>> No guarantees.

708
00:58:17,520 --> 00:58:25,200
» No guarantees and it can last a long
period of time. So, we're in an unknown

709
00:58:23,119 --> 00:58:30,000
situation right here and until
>> collecting interest if they do get a

710
00:58:26,640 --> 00:58:36,880
ruling in their favor.
Nice. Um, with the so part of this levy

711
00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:43,520
increase, the 8.09%
increase, we're also figuring in a

712
00:58:39,599 --> 00:58:48,720
general fund deficit of 1.3 million,
almost $1.4 million. So, we are using

713
00:58:46,480 --> 00:58:53,280
fund balance to then bring that down to
that $ 8.09%.

714
00:58:50,960 --> 00:59:01,920
» And [clears throat] then where are we at
with that 1.3? I think I asked you this

715
00:58:56,640 --> 00:59:06,640
the other day, Dave. We're at 47 48%.
>> Uh, Mr. Chair, Commissioner Sample, um,

716
00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:10,400
Kathleen has a slide coming up that
shows those and so if you can hold your

717
00:59:08,799 --> 00:59:13,440
question until she gets here, I think it
will become clear.

718
00:59:12,559 --> 00:59:16,799
» Mr. Chair,
>> yes, Commissioner [clears throat] Leisa,

719
00:59:14,799 --> 00:59:20,640
» with that budgeted deficit or planned
use of fund balance, that again is

720
00:59:18,559 --> 00:59:23,359
one-time expenditures, not ongoing
operation support,

721
00:59:21,760 --> 00:59:28,319
» right? So that's we're looking at
capital increases. Part of that is it

722
00:59:25,839 --> 00:59:32,559
which is a major contract that we're
paying and it will come up again in the

723
00:59:30,160 --> 00:59:37,440
future but it's not a yearly ongoing.
>> Thank you.

724
00:59:34,640 --> 00:59:44,559
» Um so of the proposed levy just to kind
of detail that down from for everyone.

725
00:59:40,640 --> 00:59:50,000
Um the general fund is 11.997
that's a 6.59%.

726
00:59:46,799 --> 00:59:56,839
Road and bridge is a 5.05%.
Um, Health and Human Services is at 4.4

727
00:59:52,880 --> 00:59:56,839
million. That's a 14.17%.

728
00:59:56,960 --> 01:00:08,319
Bond principal and interest is $73,952.
That's an increase of 13.4%.

729
01:00:05,520 --> 01:00:13,200
Um, we went through arbitrage and was
were evaluated a couple years ago and

730
01:00:11,119 --> 01:00:18,799
found out that our fund balance in the
bond fund was too high and we had to

731
01:00:16,079 --> 01:00:23,359
spend that down, which we did. So now
we're [clears throat] now we're just

732
01:00:21,040 --> 01:00:28,160
budgeting for our principal and interest
that we have to pay yearly. So that is

733
01:00:25,119 --> 01:00:33,599
where that increase is coming from. And
I think I brought this up at the budget

734
01:00:29,920 --> 01:00:42,000
committee. I was questioning
you know the bond payment is a fixed

735
01:00:38,480 --> 01:00:48,160
payment. uh there's no escrow unlike you
know our mortgages and but then using

736
01:00:45,520 --> 01:00:54,640
this financial arbitrage or as one of my
economic professors

737
01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:59,839
um financial leverage quote unquote we
were actually gaining we were paying

738
01:00:58,000 --> 01:01:04,160
what what's our bond payment we hit it
at a low rate

739
01:01:00,880 --> 01:01:09,280
» we have a very very low rate our bond
payment is low but also that then that

740
01:01:06,400 --> 01:01:14,319
yeah and our interest was a little
higher than our bond payment interest.

741
01:01:11,760 --> 01:01:18,400
So, um we can't benefit from that.
>> We can't That was one of my first

742
01:01:16,240 --> 01:01:24,480
questions when we went through the
bonding phase. Um can we use this

743
01:01:22,319 --> 01:01:31,200
financial leverage? You know, we're
paying 2%

744
01:01:26,720 --> 01:01:37,839
um on the bond. I'm just taking figures,
>> but we can make 3% with our investments.

745
01:01:35,440 --> 01:01:43,200
and Kirk Baser at the time, you can't do
that. That's the arbitrage. That's the

746
01:01:41,280 --> 01:01:46,742
That's the reason we have to pay it
back.

747
01:01:44,722 --> 01:01:46,742
[cough and snorts]

748
01:01:46,799 --> 01:01:54,559
» So though, and then parks is um we levy
$15,000 for parks. We have forever. I'm

749
01:01:53,040 --> 01:01:58,319
not quite sure where that number came
from, why it's set at 15,000, and we

750
01:01:56,880 --> 01:02:02,880
haven't increased it. Um that's
something that I want to investigate

751
01:01:59,839 --> 01:02:11,040
further, but currently for 2027, we are
holding at 15,000. Um, so that is an

752
01:02:07,680 --> 01:02:16,400
increase in levy of $1.5 million.
1,534985.

753
01:02:13,839 --> 01:02:21,839
So that's our 8.09%.
And again, that's with that deficit in

754
01:02:18,240 --> 01:02:29,480
the general fund. A majority of this is
um onetime capital, you know, the IT

755
01:02:24,880 --> 01:02:29,480
upgrade projects that we're looking at

756
01:02:29,520 --> 01:02:37,280
on to fund balance. So, um, looking at
our fund balance in the general fund,

757
01:02:35,359 --> 01:02:42,960
um, and this is updated. We haven't
offici we don't officially have our 2025

758
01:02:40,799 --> 01:02:47,200
audit finalized. They will be reporting
to the board in October, but we do have

759
01:02:45,119 --> 01:02:53,280
preliminary fund balance numbers. So, I
was able to update those. So, um, ending

760
01:02:51,040 --> 01:02:57,480
fund balance, unassigned fund balance
for the general fund is 10,743,595.

761
01:02:58,400 --> 01:03:09,760
Um if we go with the um
um option of spending or you know or

762
01:03:07,040 --> 01:03:18,000
spending 40 or keeping 40% of
operations, we still have 2.9 million

763
01:03:13,040 --> 01:03:24,640
almost $3 million um available to spend.
If we want to go with um only using or

764
01:03:21,599 --> 01:03:30,480
keeping 50% for operations of our fund
balance, then we have $1.2 2 million

765
01:03:28,720 --> 01:03:33,760
above and beyond that we are able to
spend. [snorts]

766
01:03:32,880 --> 01:03:36,079
» Mr. Chair,
>> yeah, it's Steve.

767
01:03:34,480 --> 01:03:41,200
» So, Kathleen, just to [clears throat]
make sure the arithmetic in my head is

768
01:03:38,000 --> 01:03:48,880
working, if we take that budget deficit
of $1.3 million on the previous page,

769
01:03:44,880 --> 01:03:56,240
that lines up with close to that $1.2
million. So if we spend the reserves as

770
01:03:52,559 --> 01:04:02,160
planned, we would be just under 15% or
50% but well above 40% of fund balance

771
01:03:59,920 --> 01:04:05,920
remaining. So well within the target
range that the board has set.

772
01:04:03,760 --> 01:04:11,440
» Correct. Thank you.
>> And that's a state recommendation,

773
01:04:08,000 --> 01:04:14,880
right? That we stay between 40 and 50%.
>> Correct. That is a office of the state

774
01:04:13,200 --> 01:04:16,240
auditor.
>> Yes.

775
01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:21,599
» Okay. Thank you.
>> And I do have road and bridge on there

776
01:04:18,240 --> 01:04:26,640
also. Um and Health and Human Services.
Health and [laughter] Human Services,

777
01:04:22,880 --> 01:04:31,359
you'll notice, is um low and under. Part
of that is because they are in the

778
01:04:28,640 --> 01:04:37,039
middle of their building project. Um it
is a $6 million project, $4 million

779
01:04:35,119 --> 01:04:42,240
coming out of their fund balance, $2
million to be repaid by the state

780
01:04:39,520 --> 01:04:47,039
bonding on that. But at the moment, um,
that is where they are sitting at at the

781
01:04:44,079 --> 01:04:51,720
end of 2025, holding the additional $2
million for the remainder of the

782
01:04:48,720 --> 01:04:51,720
project.

783
01:04:51,839 --> 01:04:56,160
» So, Mr. Chair,
>> yes, Commissioner Leisa,

784
01:04:54,160 --> 01:04:58,880
» they're showing below the 40% only until
that 2 million is paid back.

785
01:04:58,559 --> 01:05:02,640
» Yes.
>> And that'll be added to what they have.

786
01:05:00,559 --> 01:05:06,240
» The 2 million when we get that bonding,
that will be in. So, 2026 then it will

787
01:05:04,880 --> 01:05:10,640
kind of flush out because well, the
project will be finalized. will have the

788
01:05:08,079 --> 01:05:14,559
2 million bonding but we will also be
spending which we have held the 2

789
01:05:12,720 --> 01:05:16,640
million that that they have held and the
2 million that the general fund has held

790
01:05:16,240 --> 01:05:20,039
for that.
>> Okay. Thanks.

791
01:05:20,400 --> 01:05:26,960
» So
where is the

792
01:05:24,799 --> 01:05:31,039
2 million that's being held in the
general fund or

793
01:05:28,720 --> 01:05:36,000
» so? Health and human services has $2
million and the general fund has $2

794
01:05:33,280 --> 01:05:40,559
million reserve. We both do because it
was a total of $4 million out of fund

795
01:05:38,799 --> 01:05:43,520
balance overall.
>> Okay.

796
01:05:41,839 --> 01:05:48,480
» And Mr. Chair
>> and Kathleen, those do not show up on

797
01:05:46,559 --> 01:05:53,799
this chart because those are assigned
versus unassigned, right?

798
01:05:50,079 --> 01:05:53,799
» Correct. Yes.

799
01:05:57,839 --> 01:06:04,480
Um then this is a general fund
expenditure comparison is on the next

800
01:06:02,240 --> 01:06:10,880
slide just to go through the different
categories in the general fund. Um you

801
01:06:07,599 --> 01:06:18,400
will notice that the general government
um expenditures increased from 8.72

802
01:06:14,000 --> 01:06:23,520
million to 10.1 million. Public safety
um went down from 9.47 million to 9.41

803
01:06:22,240 --> 01:06:31,920
million.
The other areas um sanitation is four

804
01:06:28,720 --> 01:06:36,640
went up um slightly. Culture, recreation
is actually the library, historical

805
01:06:34,000 --> 01:06:42,160
society, airport, tourism and parks.
That's went down just a little bit. Um

806
01:06:39,520 --> 01:06:48,000
and then
we have conservation, natural resources,

807
01:06:45,280 --> 01:06:51,520
that's our egg society, our soil water
conservation district, and our

808
01:06:49,920 --> 01:06:56,319
extension.
um that went down slightly and then

809
01:06:53,680 --> 01:07:00,640
economic development um went up a little
bit. Just to explain the difference

810
01:06:58,400 --> 01:07:04,640
between general government and public
safety, why that shifted, we are

811
01:07:02,720 --> 01:07:10,799
shifting some of the ways that we budget
and pay expenditures. We're centralizing

812
01:07:07,039 --> 01:07:15,680
some items. One is insurance, one is our
facility maintenance, our utilities. So

813
01:07:13,599 --> 01:07:19,760
those expenditures are shifting out of
public safety and into general

814
01:07:17,280 --> 01:07:24,160
government just because they're shifting
into the central services area. So

815
01:07:22,319 --> 01:07:29,680
general government is paying for all
departments out of revenue fund is out

816
01:07:27,760 --> 01:07:34,559
of one line item so we can track that
better not splitting it all over. So

817
01:07:32,079 --> 01:07:39,119
that's the biggest change between those
two. It's not necessarily a really

818
01:07:36,640 --> 01:07:43,200
downturn in expenditures or anything.
basically just in the courthouse

819
01:07:42,319 --> 01:07:45,839
area
>> kind of yeah that's what you can see the

820
01:07:45,039 --> 01:07:49,839
revenue fund
>> roadenbridgeidge it's just

821
01:07:47,599 --> 01:07:53,760
» well the sheriff's department so jail
jail jail facility maintenance is

822
01:07:51,760 --> 01:07:56,480
shifted to the central
>> central services our general government

823
01:07:56,079 --> 01:08:00,079
okay
>> so that's why some of those expenditures

824
01:07:58,240 --> 01:08:04,799
are going down in public safety is
because those centralized expenditures

825
01:08:01,839 --> 01:08:09,200
are going into central services out of
the general fund public safety is part

826
01:08:07,119 --> 01:08:13,839
of the general revenue fund Yep.
>> But some of those expenditures are

827
01:08:11,440 --> 01:08:18,239
shifting to a different
centralized department area. Insurance

828
01:08:16,159 --> 01:08:23,199
is a big one. MCIT, that's a large
expenditures that we're pulling in

829
01:08:20,480 --> 01:08:26,799
centralizing. Workman's comp, it went up
32%

830
01:08:24,719 --> 01:08:28,960
this year. So that was a large increase
in insurance.

831
01:08:28,640 --> 01:08:35,412
Okay.
>> On the MCIT, kind of a peripheral

832
01:08:31,440 --> 01:08:40,560
question, Kathleen. Um is that
[clears throat] based on uh overall

833
01:08:38,080 --> 01:08:46,080
usage or
>> individual?

834
01:08:42,400 --> 01:08:50,719
» It's a based on usage. So each um
employee category,

835
01:08:48,560 --> 01:08:55,359
you know, um we have different employee
categories, ratings based on their

836
01:08:53,040 --> 01:08:59,600
positions and their jobs, which are
throughout the county. So, it's based on

837
01:08:57,520 --> 01:09:03,839
experience and usage, but it's also
based on payroll and expenditures and

838
01:09:02,080 --> 01:09:09,480
overall budget. So, it's kind of a
formula that they use.

839
01:09:05,440 --> 01:09:09,480
» Okay. Thanks for that clarification.

840
01:09:11,120 --> 01:09:16,839
» Um, so just so you know, insurance is
$214,511.

841
01:09:16,960 --> 01:09:26,000
Utilities is 150,000. So, those are some
of those expenditures that were

842
01:09:21,759 --> 01:09:31,359
centralized into general government.
Um, in revenue, just a note, revenue

843
01:09:29,359 --> 01:09:37,120
went down quite a bit. One of that is
because interest income was reduced by

844
01:09:33,679 --> 01:09:43,920
$200,000 from 2026.
And then also um are we have no in

845
01:09:41,199 --> 01:09:50,719
previous years we budgeted a payroll
contingency revenue offset in general

846
01:09:48,159 --> 01:09:55,520
central services general government. We
did not do that revenue offset this

847
01:09:52,799 --> 01:10:02,239
year. what we did to kind of have more
transparency and kind of show a

848
01:09:58,480 --> 01:10:08,080
reduction in um salary budget like John
does we did revenue fund we did salaries

849
01:10:06,080 --> 01:10:14,320
at 98%
instead of 100%. So we lowered salary

850
01:10:11,840 --> 01:10:18,800
expenditure line instead of doing a
revenue offset to really more clearly

851
01:10:16,880 --> 01:10:23,520
show that. So you're going to see that
in expenditures versus a revenue offset.

852
01:10:21,520 --> 01:10:28,880
So you're going to
revenues went down because of that

853
01:10:26,800 --> 01:10:32,159
if that makes sense.
>> Yep.

854
01:10:29,520 --> 01:10:35,600
» But I think and David and I spoke about
this. I think it's a better clearer

855
01:10:33,760 --> 01:10:41,120
representation of
>> that expenditure budget is that actually

856
01:10:39,040 --> 01:10:45,800
» budgeting a lower expenditure versus
having a revenue offset. Y

857
01:10:47,199 --> 01:10:53,679
» um so changes when I first came and did
the general fund um budget presentation

858
01:10:51,920 --> 01:10:59,600
to you. Here's some changes that have
come through. Um total revenue went down

859
01:10:57,040 --> 01:11:05,120
720,263
of that was the levy reduction of

860
01:11:02,239 --> 01:11:09,560
$665,000.
Expenditures went down 665,000.

861
01:11:09,920 --> 01:11:17,040
um and the f general fund deficit
increased 54,000.

862
01:11:14,560 --> 01:11:22,320
Some of the changes in that in those
changes um included MCIT. We have

863
01:11:19,920 --> 01:11:26,800
property and casualty is increasing
6.94%

864
01:11:24,080 --> 01:11:33,280
overall for the county. Workers
compensation is increasing 30.96%

865
01:11:30,400 --> 01:11:38,560
overall for the county.
salaries. Um, again, I just spoke about

866
01:11:36,480 --> 01:11:44,000
that is we're budgeting those line items
at 98%.

867
01:11:40,800 --> 01:11:51,679
Um, I did budget commissioner salaries
at a 3% increase versus the 7% increase

868
01:11:47,920 --> 01:11:54,719
as far as what other um employees are
being paid and we'll discuss that

869
01:11:53,120 --> 01:12:00,400
further
in a little bit in the future.

870
01:11:57,040 --> 01:12:04,400
And then um overall just salary view
review and adjustments. We went through

871
01:12:02,000 --> 01:12:08,800
and made sure that everything was um
entered correctly and we did have some

872
01:12:06,560 --> 01:12:13,360
adjustments between regular time and
overtime and stuff that shifted some of

873
01:12:10,800 --> 01:12:19,520
those expenditures.
The other things included in this is a

874
01:12:16,000 --> 01:12:25,600
zero increase for um so appropriations
overall a zero increase so no increase

875
01:12:22,640 --> 01:12:29,920
in appropriations excluding the MCIT
coverage

876
01:12:27,199 --> 01:12:35,040
um not funding support within reach
because it's not legally allowed and no

877
01:12:32,800 --> 01:12:40,960
new funding available for angels. So
those are some of the considerations in

878
01:12:37,040 --> 01:12:44,315
those changes that are noted up above.
So, Kathleen, I have a question about

879
01:12:42,719 --> 01:12:47,120
the workers compensation, why it
[clears throat] went up so high. Is that

880
01:12:45,600 --> 01:12:52,000
because of usage?
>> It's a combination of usage, but it's

881
01:12:49,520 --> 01:12:57,280
also because of salary increases and
expenditure increases because they base

882
01:12:54,080 --> 01:12:59,360
that that amount based on our our
payroll budget

883
01:12:58,080 --> 01:13:01,440
» because if something happened, that's
what you would have they would have to

884
01:13:00,480 --> 01:13:06,560
pay out.
>> Yep. So, it's part of their formula that

885
01:13:03,520 --> 01:13:12,239
they cover. So when we get a um
hopefully we'll get a dividend back or a

886
01:13:10,159 --> 01:13:17,280
repay back if things come in lower next
year. But they always you know bill us

887
01:13:14,320 --> 01:13:21,360
for the projection and then as actuals
come out and they balance out then later

888
01:13:19,199 --> 01:13:24,719
in the year in 2027 then they'll
determine if we have any funds that will

889
01:13:23,440 --> 01:13:31,040
come back to us.
>> So do they consider like that new FMLA

890
01:13:28,880 --> 01:13:34,560
charge that we get? They don't consider
that that they these few folks can use

891
01:13:32,880 --> 01:13:37,440
that if they had to because because it's
work comp.

892
01:13:35,199 --> 01:13:39,920
» Not as not as far as I'm aware. I have
not heard that.

893
01:13:38,239 --> 01:13:46,800
» Well, I mean we have to just pay and pay
and pay all this insurance and what's

894
01:13:43,120 --> 01:13:51,040
the return? Zero. I mean, well, it's not
zero, but

895
01:13:49,040 --> 01:13:54,480
I [clears throat] just asking.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I'm not sure. I have not

896
01:13:52,640 --> 01:13:58,239
heard that from MCIT. Okay.
>> It's what I've heard is their formulas,

897
01:13:56,239 --> 01:14:02,000
budget, payroll expenditures, and then
usage.

898
01:13:59,280 --> 01:14:05,760
» Yeah. And Mr. Chair, just for clarity,
so the workers comp is intended to

899
01:14:03,920 --> 01:14:06,880
compensate people who are injured on the
job.

900
01:14:06,000 --> 01:14:14,800
» On the job, correct?
>> And then the paid leave is to allow time

901
01:14:11,199 --> 01:14:19,199
off for a variety of eligible uses,
illness, injury, care for others. And so

902
01:14:17,280 --> 01:14:22,400
they're two separate programs.
>> Yep. And I and I get that. I'm just

903
01:14:21,199 --> 01:14:26,480
wondering if there's
>> the expense to pay.

904
01:14:24,640 --> 01:14:31,199
» There's a there's a common payer.
>> Yeah, absolutely.

905
01:14:29,120 --> 01:14:38,480
the taxpayers.
>> So, I have some levy increase scenarios.

906
01:14:34,000 --> 01:14:41,280
Um, again, we're currently at 8.09%.
That's where we're currently sitting

907
01:14:39,840 --> 01:14:45,199
with the adjustments that have been
made. I just wanted to put some numbers

908
01:14:43,520 --> 01:14:52,800
in front of you so you can have an idea
of of what other adjustments would be

909
01:14:49,520 --> 01:15:00,320
needed. So, if if the board would wanted
to go with a 7% um preliminary increase,

910
01:14:56,960 --> 01:15:05,360
we would need to reduce another 206,000
out of the budget. If we wanted to try

911
01:15:02,800 --> 01:15:10,640
to go with a 5% increase, we'd have to
reduce another 585,000,

912
01:15:07,920 --> 01:15:15,280
almost 586,000.
And if we wanted to go with a 3% that

913
01:15:13,199 --> 01:15:19,440
that would we'd be looking at almost
966,000

914
01:15:16,880 --> 01:15:24,719
in reduction in dollars in order to get
those levy increase percentages.

915
01:15:22,827 --> 01:15:29,920
[snorts]
So do we know any forecast about some of

916
01:15:28,640 --> 01:15:34,880
the expenses that we're going to have
for [clears throat] 2027? I mean, do we

917
01:15:32,159 --> 01:15:39,280
know any 2027 numbers through Health and
Human Services or the new huge costs

918
01:15:37,360 --> 01:15:44,719
they're talking about with the
>> So, Carly and Sarah have I believe those

919
01:15:42,080 --> 01:15:51,440
figured into their budget, which is in
this and I know Sarah says um and what

920
01:15:47,679 --> 01:15:57,520
I've heard Sarah state is 2027 they're
managing 2028 is making her nervous.

921
01:15:54,560 --> 01:16:01,280
» Yeah. So, and I'm I don't think they
really know what that projection looks

922
01:15:59,440 --> 01:16:04,000
like yet because it's still a moving
floor.

923
01:16:02,560 --> 01:16:08,719
» That's what you get when you kick the
can down the road.

924
01:16:06,719 --> 01:16:13,360
» That's right. [laughter]
>> And just to follow up on the health and

925
01:16:11,040 --> 01:16:20,159
human services discussion, we know there
is more work required by those staff.

926
01:16:18,000 --> 01:16:26,800
Sarah did not request any additional
staff in her 2027 budget. And so, um,

927
01:16:24,000 --> 01:16:30,640
it's still just, you know, pointing that
out. There are many counties that you're

928
01:16:28,480 --> 01:16:35,520
aware of that have added or are planning
to add staff in 2027 to help for that

929
01:16:33,440 --> 01:16:41,199
additional work. We have chosen not to
do that because the levy already is, you

930
01:16:38,560 --> 01:16:46,239
know, projected to be extremely high,
>> but that's why it's going to get worse

931
01:16:42,880 --> 01:16:50,560
in 28 29. I mean, so
>> is that really a good idea? I mean,

932
01:16:48,080 --> 01:16:56,640
should we not
>> plan ahead? plan ahead and get one or

933
01:16:52,719 --> 01:16:59,199
two more people now. I mean, I don't
know. I mean,

934
01:16:57,600 --> 01:17:03,600
» we also have I mean,
>> you know, we have major elections coming

935
01:17:01,760 --> 01:17:06,719
up, both federal and state, and we still
have a year of

936
01:17:04,960 --> 01:17:09,760
» of
policy that can be shifted one way or

937
01:17:08,880 --> 01:17:12,640
the other.
>> So,

938
01:17:10,159 --> 01:17:15,840
» a lot of unknowns.
Well, I'm just saying,

939
01:17:15,040 --> 01:17:21,760
» Kathleen.
>> So, I'm gonna I'm gonna finish up my two

940
01:17:20,080 --> 01:17:24,880
last slides and then I'm going to
discuss what I'm looking for from the

941
01:17:23,679 --> 01:17:29,679
board. Okay.
>> So, the budget committee's

942
01:17:26,640 --> 01:17:34,159
recommendations for the 2027 preliminary
levy.

943
01:17:31,280 --> 01:17:39,520
So, our key recommendations are to
maintain the appropriations at the 2026

944
01:17:36,880 --> 01:17:44,960
funding levels. This would mean there is
zero increase excluding the MCIT

945
01:17:43,040 --> 01:17:50,400
increase because we do fund insurance
for the egg society and for the

946
01:17:47,120 --> 01:17:55,199
historical society. Not funding support
within reach. It's not elig eligible for

947
01:17:52,719 --> 01:17:59,360
county funding under court current
statute.

948
01:17:56,800 --> 01:18:03,600
No capacity for additional funding for
angels.

949
01:18:01,440 --> 01:18:08,080
um limiting the commissioner salary
increase to 3%

950
01:18:06,400 --> 01:18:13,360
which would then with those
recommendations the resulting

951
01:18:09,760 --> 01:18:20,640
preliminary levy is 8.09
um in 8.09% 09% increase. Um, now that

952
01:18:18,800 --> 01:18:26,480
may go down. Again, we're still looking
at things and reviewing things, but we

953
01:18:23,440 --> 01:18:30,480
can increase it. Some things I wanted to
just have in your mind before we have

954
01:18:28,320 --> 01:18:35,679
final discussions for future
considerations

955
01:18:32,560 --> 01:18:42,000
is um, you know, other areas that we
have to be continuing to review. Um, DJ

956
01:18:40,080 --> 01:18:48,159
presented the con just a little bit
earlier before this meeting. There is

957
01:18:44,560 --> 01:18:54,159
concern um currently con does fund half
of the survey department.

958
01:18:50,400 --> 01:18:59,120
Um if the fund balance in con does get
too low and is not able to fund that

959
01:18:56,560 --> 01:19:06,400
survey or half a survey department that
may need to be brought on to um levy if

960
01:19:03,679 --> 01:19:12,000
there's not another funding source. Um
that half a survey is about I think

961
01:19:09,840 --> 01:19:15,840
$27,000
that comes out of Conan. 28,000. So I

962
01:19:15,040 --> 01:19:18,640
just just
>> And that's for that department only.

963
01:19:17,760 --> 01:19:21,120
» Yes.
>> And how many employees are in that

964
01:19:20,400 --> 01:19:22,480
department?
>> Three.

965
01:19:21,840 --> 01:19:30,120
» Three. Okay.
>> So that's Dan GIS and then Randy and

966
01:19:27,120 --> 01:19:30,120
David.

967
01:19:30,719 --> 01:19:38,080
» Um our Long Lake deficit.
We've had many discussions on that, but

968
01:19:36,480 --> 01:19:42,864
that's something to consider in the
future is ho how, you know, we're going

969
01:19:40,000 --> 01:19:45,920
to manage that deficit in Long Lake.
[snorts]

970
01:19:43,520 --> 01:19:49,920
Um, parks deficit, the parks fund is
currently in a deficit. We are getting

971
01:19:47,920 --> 01:19:54,960
some grant dollars in, but there's been
expenditures out of the parks department

972
01:19:52,640 --> 01:19:59,360
that has not been fully funded by grants
and the parks um fund is currently in a

973
01:19:57,360 --> 01:20:04,239
deficit also.
And then ongoing um facilities and

974
01:20:01,760 --> 01:20:08,159
maintenance. You know, the thought of
like John is budgeting extra funds just

975
01:20:06,719 --> 01:20:12,159
to be [snorts] prepared for future
maintenance and facilities. We're

976
01:20:10,375 --> 01:20:16,320
[clears throat] budgeting to have that
capital kind of coming out of fund

977
01:20:13,840 --> 01:20:20,800
balance. But I think we need to be aware
that um we will have future facility

978
01:20:19,040 --> 01:20:26,159
needs too that we'll want to think about
in the future. So just to have those

979
01:20:23,600 --> 01:20:32,239
pieces on mind.
So, what I'm looking for today is three

980
01:20:30,000 --> 01:20:36,960
things.
I'm hoping for a,

981
01:20:35,040 --> 01:20:42,320
you know, direction on where you'd want
the preliminary levy increase to be,

982
01:20:40,560 --> 01:20:46,640
what that percentage look like looks
like or dollar amount. I would like a

983
01:20:44,719 --> 01:20:50,400
decision on appropriations, how we're
going to handle those. We had a

984
01:20:48,080 --> 01:20:54,560
discussion on those a couple um weeks
ago. And like I say, we have a budget

985
01:20:52,800 --> 01:20:59,679
committee recommendation that's part of
this levy increase that I'm presenting

986
01:20:56,880 --> 01:21:03,360
today. And then also a decision on how
we want to move forward with the

987
01:21:00,880 --> 01:21:06,320
commissioner salaries.
>> Kathleen, regarding the commissioner

988
01:21:05,440 --> 01:21:12,000
salaries.
>> Yes. Historically,

989
01:21:08,719 --> 01:21:18,960
um the initial under the preliminary
levy has been a number commensurate with

990
01:21:15,040 --> 01:21:25,440
that of the adjustments and increases to
staff. Uh that's always been reduced.

991
01:21:22,880 --> 01:21:31,520
Under the dire circumstances of this
year, again for direction,

992
01:21:29,360 --> 01:21:35,360
I would propose that uh the
commissioners take a 0%

993
01:21:34,400 --> 01:21:39,400
increase.
>> Support I support.

994
01:21:40,080 --> 01:21:44,480
» We need to lead by example.
>> We do.

995
01:21:43,040 --> 01:21:46,080
» But it doesn't work that way. You have
unions.

996
01:21:45,280 --> 01:21:51,360
» Mhm.
>> And if our insurance goes up, I mean,

997
01:21:49,040 --> 01:21:55,040
I'm just saying I
you know, retirement is right around the

998
01:21:53,199 --> 01:22:00,440
corner for me. So, it could happen any
day.

999
01:21:56,000 --> 01:22:00,440
» I just I I feel that

1000
01:22:01,679 --> 01:22:08,560
» I think we need to set an example. Well,
I totally understand.

1001
01:22:06,080 --> 01:22:13,120
» We have we have set examples our whole
time and it doesn't matter. You have

1002
01:22:10,400 --> 01:22:18,000
unions, they have contracts. We don't
have a choice in that.

1003
01:22:15,520 --> 01:22:21,679
I mean, we really don't.
So, I mean, if we did a three-year

1004
01:22:19,600 --> 01:22:27,120
contract, you know, the first year was
5% for them, then it was 7%. I mean, it

1005
01:22:24,639 --> 01:22:32,239
was 7% for a lot of people this this
round, and we can't change that.

1006
01:22:30,719 --> 01:22:36,639
So, we have to pay that. Where that
leading by example comes in for me is

1007
01:22:34,000 --> 01:22:41,840
when when we're sitting here saying that
>> some of the other things that we

1008
01:22:38,400 --> 01:22:45,679
typically do allocate funding for
>> and and seeing what what's coming in the

1009
01:22:43,840 --> 01:22:48,800
future. I think it's just setting a
precedent that

1010
01:22:47,520 --> 01:22:56,400
» we're taking the hit along with
everybody tighten up on

1011
01:22:53,199 --> 01:23:00,000
» maybe but we have we have I mean the
land department is not a levy. I mean,

1012
01:22:58,719 --> 01:23:05,040
we don't even have to have a land
department, but we need that and I

1013
01:23:01,920 --> 01:23:12,639
understand that. But it's just I don't
know. I I'm fine with whatever you guys

1014
01:23:08,239 --> 01:23:17,440
want to do. I just I'm saying that
>> we do set examples.

1015
01:23:15,360 --> 01:23:22,960
You know,
>> your point is very boldly.

1016
01:23:20,239 --> 01:23:28,320
» I don't want to be too bold and say that
some departments don't. I mean, because

1017
01:23:25,600 --> 01:23:31,920
they can't. It's unionized. You know, we
have too many unions in this county for

1018
01:23:30,239 --> 01:23:35,440
one thing. I believe I probably
shouldn't say that out loud, right?

1019
01:23:33,427 --> 01:23:38,000
[laughter] Dave's like, "Oh, no."
>> Well, I think Kathleen's [clears throat]

1020
01:23:36,719 --> 01:23:42,560
looking for direction.
>> I'm I'm fine with that. Zero's fine.

1021
01:23:40,000 --> 01:23:46,239
» Like I said, that's my recommendation.
>> But when my health insurance Yes. What

1022
01:23:44,639 --> 01:23:49,920
would HR do? Thank you.
>> And I'll bring a resolution for you guys

1023
01:23:48,000 --> 01:23:54,320
to vote on. I just like to have
direction ahead of time so we I'll have

1024
01:23:52,239 --> 01:23:58,400
a prepared resolution.
>> If there's changes to that, we can. But

1025
01:23:56,719 --> 01:24:03,199
that kind of gives us direction as far
as a future or additional additional

1026
01:24:01,679 --> 01:24:05,520
budget adjustments too going.
>> But in terms of the direction you're

1027
01:24:04,560 --> 01:24:14,000
seeking,
>> it appears we have a consensus of a 0%.

1028
01:24:10,560 --> 01:24:18,080
» And again, uh the official resolution is
not talked in terms of percent,

1029
01:24:16,639 --> 01:24:21,679
» but bottom line
>> for the preliminary levy, it's a

1030
01:24:19,440 --> 01:24:24,639
preliminary, it's a dollar a, but it's
based on a

1031
01:24:22,639 --> 01:24:27,600
» right. Yeah. I mean, everything equates
to a percent, but

1032
01:24:26,560 --> 01:24:33,040
» yeah,
>> we like I'd like to bring one item up,

1033
01:24:29,360 --> 01:24:37,920
too. Out of state travel. Um, due to the
situations that we're looking at, I

1034
01:24:35,199 --> 01:24:43,040
would request that out of state travel
for the next year, uh, be there be no

1035
01:24:42,000 --> 01:24:44,560
out of state travel
>> for commissioners.

1036
01:24:43,840 --> 01:24:49,600
» For commissioners,
>> correct? Yeah, I'd be with that as well.

1037
01:24:46,719 --> 01:24:56,560
» Yep. I agree.
>> I know it's not a lot, but

1038
01:24:52,000 --> 01:24:59,760
» it helps. $,000. You look at that per
$30,000 saving.

1039
01:24:58,320 --> 01:25:03,360
» And there's also that matter of
principle involved.

1040
01:25:00,639 --> 01:25:07,120
» Absolutely.
>> I can review that with Dave. I don't

1041
01:25:05,520 --> 01:25:09,600
David I don't remember what's in the
budget, but we can look at it.

1042
01:25:08,639 --> 01:25:13,120
» Yeah.
>> We want to make sure you have all the

1043
01:25:10,880 --> 01:25:18,639
information that we've been thinking in
our heads of how we can cut back. Also,

1044
01:25:15,920 --> 01:25:23,199
» I appreciate that. Thank you.
Um the next piece is appropriations.

1045
01:25:21,520 --> 01:25:28,480
Like I say, budget committee's
recommendation is to hold zeros on all

1046
01:25:26,159 --> 01:25:35,280
appropriation requests. That does
include um no funding for support within

1047
01:25:32,320 --> 01:25:40,400
reach. It is not um allowed under our
current statute. So that was reduced to

1048
01:25:37,520 --> 01:25:47,120
zero. That savings in the budget offsets
the increase in MCI in MCIT insurance

1049
01:25:44,800 --> 01:25:52,639
for the egg society and the historical
society. um their overall

1050
01:25:50,719 --> 01:25:58,639
non-inurance
requests were held at a 0%

1051
01:25:56,000 --> 01:26:03,120
» also um
um not angels. So angels would not be

1052
01:26:00,639 --> 01:26:07,159
funded also. Their request was new this
year. They were at a z6

1053
01:26:07,440 --> 01:26:18,000
and then um
care would be held at the $55,000

1054
01:26:15,199 --> 01:26:23,280
that they were at for 2026. So, those
are some of the preliminary um

1055
01:26:21,280 --> 01:26:27,280
discussions that we've had a previous
meeting. Again, the budget committee

1056
01:26:25,440 --> 01:26:30,880
recommended
holding as I just stated.

1057
01:26:29,120 --> 01:26:34,800
» Uh uh, Commissioner Carney,
>> are we going to have another discussion

1058
01:26:33,040 --> 01:26:37,800
on appropriations before we make a
decision?

1059
01:26:38,080 --> 01:26:43,600
» This is just for clarification for me.
>> Well, in terms of the appropriation, if

1060
01:26:42,880 --> 01:26:48,159
I may.
>> Sure. Um,

1061
01:26:45,920 --> 01:26:50,880
what Kathleen is seeking is that bottom
line

1062
01:26:49,280 --> 01:26:57,600
» so we can still make changes.
>> You can split it. I I would like to see

1063
01:26:54,000 --> 01:27:02,840
it split 50/50 between Angels and Care.
When you look at both their packets,

1064
01:26:59,840 --> 01:27:02,840
they

1065
01:27:03,440 --> 01:27:12,320
Angels has been doing it for years just
off their fundraising.

1066
01:27:08,560 --> 01:27:16,800
And I would like to see when I look at
the charges

1067
01:27:14,320 --> 01:27:23,040
that that
be split 5050.

1068
01:27:20,800 --> 01:27:28,880
I should probably remind Brett that
Angels has quite a few employees that we

1069
01:27:25,920 --> 01:27:35,125
hire. We don't have a lot of volunteers.
We have some. We're also have we have a

1070
01:27:32,080 --> 01:27:40,400
a a traveling unit for, you
[clears throat] know, non-emergency. Um,

1071
01:27:37,440 --> 01:27:46,239
and it's all over the place.
>> I get that. But I also look at the

1072
01:27:42,560 --> 01:27:50,159
charges that still goes back to the
people and the taxpayers

1073
01:27:48,639 --> 01:27:56,400
and
care still makes money off of that.

1074
01:27:53,760 --> 01:28:02,080
Angels don't.
So, as a just my recommendation,

1075
01:27:59,440 --> 01:28:07,360
» as a point of clarification, Dave, chime
in, too. What Kathleen needs for

1076
01:28:04,719 --> 01:28:09,840
direction is that bottom line.
>> Um

1077
01:28:07,920 --> 01:28:13,360
» so we will have a discussion later on
then

1078
01:28:10,320 --> 01:28:18,080
» in terms of if you want to
>> but for budgeting purposes for the

1079
01:28:15,840 --> 01:28:21,520
preliminary what's the bottom line
expenditure Dave?

1080
01:28:19,280 --> 01:28:27,280
» Yeah and and thank you. So, I just want
to back up a little bit.

1081
01:28:24,400 --> 01:28:31,760
A moment ago, I think you said angels
when you meant care. And most people

1082
01:28:29,440 --> 01:28:35,679
probably heard care because they they
know that was your intent, but I just

1083
01:28:33,440 --> 01:28:39,600
wanted to make sure that everyone was
understanding your intentions.

1084
01:28:37,120 --> 01:28:45,679
» That's what I thank you for that
official clarification. And then with

1085
01:28:41,920 --> 01:28:50,719
regard to yes leaving the meeting today
most helpful for Kathleen and me is to

1086
01:28:48,719 --> 01:28:55,600
have the bottom line number that you're
comfortable with and then I would rely

1087
01:28:53,120 --> 01:29:00,320
on you to decide how you would like to
have further conversation.

1088
01:28:58,000 --> 01:29:04,400
» Thank you. We would structure that
however you would want.

1089
01:29:01,520 --> 01:29:09,280
» Thank you. Well, like every other thing
that we recommend, I would go with the

1090
01:29:06,800 --> 01:29:12,960
recommendation of the of the budget
committee. That's how it was set. That's

1091
01:29:11,760 --> 01:29:16,960
how it's written in my pack,
>> which again to reiterate is% zero

1092
01:29:16,239 --> 01:29:19,199
change.
>> Zero change

1093
01:29:17,920 --> 01:29:22,719
» in [clears throat] appropriations.
>> Yes.

1094
01:29:19,679 --> 01:29:26,320
» Okay. I should note that zero I didn't
point that out. Also, the other item

1095
01:29:24,880 --> 01:29:30,239
that we had discussion on in
appropriations, which would have been an

1096
01:29:28,239 --> 01:29:34,560
increase but is not an increase, is the
$30,000

1097
01:29:32,000 --> 01:29:39,120
um for soil and water conference or
50,000. Sorry, my eyes are now.

1098
01:29:37,360 --> 01:29:42,960
» Did you include that or did not include?
>> Did not include it. So, they were held

1099
01:29:40,800 --> 01:29:47,360
at a zero increase also.
>> Yeah. And so they're they're

1100
01:29:44,639 --> 01:29:51,520
» $50,000. They had requested a $50,000
increase, right? They were held at zero

1101
01:29:49,199 --> 01:29:56,560
also. and leaving their amount at that
$81,549.

1102
01:29:54,239 --> 01:30:02,239
» Right. Okay.
>> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. And

1103
01:29:59,280 --> 01:30:07,280
then um we can look at having further
discussions um on how that wants to move

1104
01:30:05,679 --> 01:30:11,120
forward with appropriations.
>> Thank you.

1105
01:30:08,080 --> 01:30:18,280
» Um so with that then the third decision
is the the levy amount. Currently that

1106
01:30:13,920 --> 01:30:18,280
dollar amount is TW 20,516,030.

1107
01:30:18,400 --> 01:30:27,199
Again, that represents a 8.09%
increase. Um, just looking for some

1108
01:30:24,880 --> 01:30:32,239
direction as far as what you guys would
like to see when I come back to the next

1109
01:30:29,520 --> 01:30:35,520
board meeting to set that amount.
>> M Mr. Chair,

1110
01:30:33,679 --> 01:30:39,639
» uh, Commissioner Sample,
>> if we went to 45%.

1111
01:30:40,480 --> 01:30:49,440
» In our general fund,
splitting the difference,

1112
01:30:45,679 --> 01:30:54,960
what would that set our levy at?
Well, I mean, I'm just saying if we're

1113
01:30:52,080 --> 01:31:01,360
looking at setting a preliminary, we
can't go above,

1114
01:30:56,719 --> 01:31:04,760
» right? But in very simplistic terms, 1%
is $200,000.

1115
01:31:05,360 --> 01:31:14,199
So, for every $200,000,
it's 1%.

1116
01:31:11,199 --> 01:31:14,199
roughly

1117
01:31:16,719 --> 01:31:23,800
if we're looking at a 20 million
proposed levy.

1118
01:31:24,400 --> 01:31:29,199
» I'm looking at something here.
[laughter]

1119
01:31:26,320 --> 01:31:34,560
» Yeah. So, I mean, I guess the the if I
understand Commissioner Sample's

1120
01:31:30,960 --> 01:31:39,199
question or his his direction is he's
proposing and asking for some

1121
01:31:36,080 --> 01:31:43,600
calculations of spending more fund
reserves to fund the operating. And so,

1122
01:31:42,480 --> 01:31:47,199
right now the levy
>> to lower the levy.

1123
01:31:44,719 --> 01:31:53,199
» Levy. Yep. And so, right now, we have
structured it so that we're using

1124
01:31:49,600 --> 01:31:58,400
» reserves to pay for one-time capital
expenses, not operations. knowing that

1125
01:31:56,159 --> 01:32:04,560
some capital expenses you end up having
to repurchase or update, right? Um and

1126
01:32:02,239 --> 01:32:10,480
so we could do that if that's the
direction of the board. I think the

1127
01:32:07,199 --> 01:32:15,679
caveat with that is um Kathleen had a
slide that talked about some of the

1128
01:32:13,600 --> 01:32:26,239
future budget considerations,
>> right? We have the park and Long Lake

1129
01:32:21,520 --> 01:32:33,440
that both have significant deficits that
we just want to be very thoughtful of

1130
01:32:30,159 --> 01:32:37,520
spending more of our reserves and
spending it more quickly in a way that's

1131
01:32:35,760 --> 01:32:42,800
unsustainable.
Right? So, if we're if we're concerned

1132
01:32:39,679 --> 01:32:48,080
about 2028, and I know you've heard from
um Sarah in particular about being

1133
01:32:45,760 --> 01:32:53,600
concerned about 2028,
more spending of reserves in 2027 is

1134
01:32:51,440 --> 01:32:56,880
going to make 2028 that much harder.
Right,

1135
01:32:54,880 --> 01:33:00,560
» Mr. Chair? Commissioner Leisa,
>> kind of going along with what David

1136
01:32:58,400 --> 01:33:05,920
said, I'd be
real hesitant about spending more fund

1137
01:33:03,840 --> 01:33:08,000
balance on operations because in our
tenure here, we've gotten away from

1138
01:33:07,280 --> 01:33:12,239
that,
>> which in conversations with former

1139
01:33:10,080 --> 01:33:15,920
commissioner Nimi was the direction the
board was pushing towards was getting

1140
01:33:13,920 --> 01:33:20,159
away from getting using fund balance for
operations. Now, we've achieved that

1141
01:33:17,840 --> 01:33:25,520
with work from previous boards. We've
we've gotten there. So, I would hate to

1142
01:33:22,880 --> 01:33:28,080
go back to to funding operations because
again that goes back to kicking the can

1143
01:33:27,040 --> 01:33:31,600
down the road as you say,
>> but in a couple years you're gonna have

1144
01:33:30,239 --> 01:33:37,360
a double digit increase.
>> I get it. But I think the discussions

1145
01:33:33,440 --> 01:33:42,960
need to be had Long Lake Parks
Department. How are we going to bring

1146
01:33:40,159 --> 01:33:48,400
them
where they're not coming to the board

1147
01:33:45,679 --> 01:33:52,719
with big deficits? You know, when we
first came on the board, they three

1148
01:33:50,960 --> 01:33:59,360
years ago,
they had a big deficit that we made up

1149
01:33:56,560 --> 01:34:05,760
and they and and we we we've kicked the
can down the road for a long time with

1150
01:34:02,080 --> 01:34:11,520
Long Lake because nobody wants to have
the discussion on hurting kids. That's

1151
01:34:09,199 --> 01:34:17,679
the first thing and that's the last
thing. But the residents of Aken County

1152
01:34:15,040 --> 01:34:25,120
are not responsible
for the education of everybody. We have

1153
01:34:22,080 --> 01:34:30,480
they have to come under control. The
parks department since we've been on

1154
01:34:27,040 --> 01:34:33,199
this board, we've raised camping fees
twice

1155
01:34:32,080 --> 01:34:38,480
» and we'll do again.
>> And we'll do again. And I mean, I'm just

1156
01:34:35,920 --> 01:34:45,120
saying that I bring this up because I
want the serious discussion of

1157
01:34:43,280 --> 01:34:50,000
What do we do? We talk about, well, we
got deficits from Long Lake coming. We

1158
01:34:47,760 --> 01:34:57,280
have deficits from the park department
coming. How long do we go before we say,

1159
01:34:53,679 --> 01:35:02,320
"Hang on, the taxpayer out here. They
got to watch their their budget." And I

1160
01:35:00,239 --> 01:35:07,040
mean, I'm bringing it up because I think
this is the conversations that we get

1161
01:35:05,040 --> 01:35:11,920
paid to have.
>> So, that's my comment.

1162
01:35:09,520 --> 01:35:20,159
Very [snorts] good point, Commissioner.
Uh Dave Kathleen, with regard to law and

1163
01:35:17,360 --> 01:35:26,880
the uh deficit
in layman's terms, how does that affect

1164
01:35:23,040 --> 01:35:33,600
our general cash flow? How does that
affect the levy, the fund balance

1165
01:35:31,120 --> 01:35:39,360
» for 2027
for the budget that you have been

1166
01:35:35,600 --> 01:35:44,880
discussing? it would have no impact
because there is not general levy money

1167
01:35:41,920 --> 01:35:48,639
going either to Long Lake or with the
exception of the $15,000 to parks to

1168
01:35:47,679 --> 01:35:54,159
parks. Okay?
>> And so you could solve those solve both

1169
01:35:51,760 --> 01:35:57,840
of those funds. I don't know how you do
it, but for for fun, let's say you solve

1170
01:35:57,199 --> 01:36:03,040
them,
>> you'd still be at an 8.09%

1171
01:36:00,800 --> 01:36:06,560
levy increase
unless you do something with the

1172
01:36:04,480 --> 01:36:08,880
operating budget.
Notwithstanding the long lake

1173
01:36:08,159 --> 01:36:13,679
conversation.
>> Yeah. So, a 100 100% agreement with

1174
01:36:11,920 --> 01:36:17,440
Commissioner Sample that yes, that's
what you guys get paid the the big bucks

1175
01:36:15,840 --> 01:36:23,120
for, even though there might not be an
increase next year. Um, that's a that's

1176
01:36:20,400 --> 01:36:27,679
a hard that that's a discussion that
isn't going to help you come up with a

1177
01:36:25,520 --> 01:36:32,239
preliminary levy that that we're hopeful
we'll get some direction on for the next

1178
01:36:29,520 --> 01:36:36,880
county board meeting.
>> And Commissioner Sample, I'm glad you

1179
01:36:33,840 --> 01:36:43,520
brought that up. It's very bold
bold conversation and this again is part

1180
01:36:40,320 --> 01:36:49,920
of the longer range plan. Um if you
recall [snorts] our um long range plan

1181
01:36:46,639 --> 01:36:51,280
that we had the uh Bill Brendell, is
that his name?

1182
01:36:50,639 --> 01:36:57,760
» Y
>> strategic plan. This we had a meeting of

1183
01:36:54,719 --> 01:37:05,920
and by itself self uh addressing Long
Lake Conervation Center and it needs to

1184
01:37:01,920 --> 01:37:11,440
be addressed. Our
citizens are getting older. Our schools

1185
01:37:08,880 --> 01:37:17,119
are failing.
I mean, it's like we got to sit up here

1186
01:37:14,400 --> 01:37:25,287
and we got to make tough decisions.
>> I I would support with 8.9 setting that

1187
01:37:22,080 --> 01:37:28,320
as long as we can have the serious talks
[snorts]

1188
01:37:25,920 --> 01:37:34,400
of getting it down. And I think that's
what the goal is here today is to set

1189
01:37:31,440 --> 01:37:39,920
the preliminary in supporting the budget
committee at 8 8.09. And it wouldn't we

1190
01:37:38,159 --> 01:37:42,960
wouldn't actually be setting it today.
You're just kind of giving me

1191
01:37:40,960 --> 01:37:47,280
directions. I'm going to prepare all the
official documents for the next board

1192
01:37:44,960 --> 01:37:51,280
meeting, but I want to have those ready
so they're ready for you guys to

1193
01:37:48,960 --> 01:37:56,840
actually vote on at the next meeting.
>> Before I call in Commissioner Carney,

1194
01:37:53,440 --> 01:37:56,840
that 8.0976

1195
01:37:57,280 --> 01:38:04,400
Does that include the decreases albeit
not that much?

1196
01:38:02,480 --> 01:38:09,119
» So yeah, it would not include the
commissioners because current currently

1197
01:38:06,400 --> 01:38:13,119
the commissioners are budgeted at uh 3%.
So that would be an additional

1198
01:38:10,800 --> 01:38:19,280
reduction. We do have some information
from health and human services they have

1199
01:38:15,119 --> 01:38:23,040
about 25,000 that would be reduced. Um
however there might be a little bit of

1200
01:38:21,119 --> 01:38:28,880
increases. There's been some salary
changes adjustments in some departments

1201
01:38:25,679 --> 01:38:31,840
that would have to be figured in, but
those are the biggest things that

1202
01:38:30,800 --> 01:38:34,880
haven't been included.
>> Okay. And Commissioner Carney,

1203
01:38:33,280 --> 01:38:39,280
» yeah, one last question. I'm still
concerned about the insurance that we

1204
01:38:37,119 --> 01:38:44,000
don't know what the increase may be.
We're you're projecting 15%. Right now,

1205
01:38:42,560 --> 01:38:49,280
correct me if I'm wrong. We were hit
last over the last couple years with

1206
01:38:46,000 --> 01:38:55,840
insurance issues that could drive it
even higher than that 15%.

1207
01:38:52,400 --> 01:39:00,800
Are we is that 8.9
increase going to be able to cover if we

1208
01:38:59,040 --> 01:39:05,520
set it at that and we come back with a
20% increase from insurance? You you see

1209
01:39:04,239 --> 01:39:12,880
what I'm saying?
>> Very valid point. So, do we want to set

1210
01:39:08,639 --> 01:39:16,960
your your levy at 9%. Or whatever to
maybe p cover that increase because if

1211
01:39:15,440 --> 01:39:21,119
it doesn't come in, then of course we
can lower. But I'm concerned with

1212
01:39:19,040 --> 01:39:23,760
because because I know we were hit twice
twice or three times with insurance,

1213
01:39:23,119 --> 01:39:27,440
right?
>> Actually, just once

1214
01:39:25,600 --> 01:39:32,000
» because we did have a we actually had a
reduction.

1215
01:39:28,800 --> 01:39:39,520
» Um we do have some funds in reserves. Um
even after 2026 there should be some

1216
01:39:35,679 --> 01:39:43,119
funds res remaining in in reserves that
would be able to offset that which is

1217
01:39:42,000 --> 01:39:48,159
not
>> is separate from the unassigned

1218
01:39:45,679 --> 01:39:52,719
» right. So it wouldn't come out of
general

1219
01:39:50,480 --> 01:39:55,840
until we use that up.
>> I just want to make sure in case

1220
01:39:54,880 --> 01:39:59,600
something you bet.
>> Yeah. No, it's a good point. But in my

1221
01:39:57,920 --> 01:40:02,880
mind, I think we still do have some of
the funding that we set aside

1222
01:40:01,280 --> 01:40:07,520
specifically for insurance reasons.
>> That's not part of the general fund when

1223
01:40:05,199 --> 01:40:11,280
we talk about general fund.
>> Okay.

1224
01:40:08,320 --> 01:40:16,960
» I'm I'm just wondering if we should just
stick with the 8.9% until you've figured

1225
01:40:15,199 --> 01:40:22,480
out all of our salaries and all the
other, you know, maybe put 20% insurance

1226
01:40:20,320 --> 01:40:28,034
in that instead of 15.
>> Kathy, roughly what what would that be?

1227
01:40:25,600 --> 01:40:32,159
What is the insurance? 300,000
[laughter]

1228
01:40:28,800 --> 01:40:34,239
roughly roughly roughly
>> you know what I don't have that

1229
01:40:33,520 --> 01:40:37,520
» more than that
>> about it was just a question it was a

1230
01:40:36,000 --> 01:40:43,280
thought that I had
>> but I I think the bottom line what uh

1231
01:40:40,480 --> 01:40:51,119
Lori said
would that 8.09 09 accommodate a 20%

1232
01:40:47,040 --> 01:40:57,119
increase in in insurance.
>> And how much do we have set aside?

1233
01:40:54,080 --> 01:41:00,719
» Um we have about 200,000 set aside. We
have a planned use of about half of that

1234
01:40:59,119 --> 01:41:01,360
for 2026.
>> Yeah.

1235
01:41:01,040 --> 01:41:05,199
» Um
>> you have 100,000.

1236
01:41:02,560 --> 01:41:08,000
» So approximately 100,000
>> which is

1237
01:41:05,840 --> 01:41:12,800
» which should cover a 20% if we
>> half a% we're hit.

1238
01:41:09,280 --> 01:41:16,760
» That's what it would be. Yeah.
What's your thoughts on that?

1239
01:41:19,125 --> 01:41:21,145
[snorts]

1240
01:41:22,560 --> 01:41:33,760
» It's hard.
>> I would I would not be uncomfortable

1241
01:41:30,080 --> 01:41:37,280
not speculating higher than the 15% or
let me let me put that in the positive.

1242
01:41:35,440 --> 01:41:42,719
I would be comfortable just speculating
at the 15%. Right.

1243
01:41:39,040 --> 01:41:46,639
» Okay. I'll make the motion that we
>> really aren't in order today.

1244
01:41:44,400 --> 01:41:49,280
» Okay. But but we got to agree on the
preliminary budget, right?

1245
01:41:48,239 --> 01:41:54,400
» A consensus.
>> A consensus. I would support eight the

1246
01:41:52,080 --> 01:41:56,639
8.09
>> commissioners.

1247
01:41:55,119 --> 01:42:01,920
» Yep. Good with that. Yes.
>> Uh based on the administrator's input

1248
01:41:59,440 --> 01:42:03,440
here and Kathleen's direction,
>> I I would agree.

1249
01:42:03,119 --> 01:42:07,199
» Okay.
>> So the 8.09 with the the couple

1250
01:42:05,520 --> 01:42:11,520
reductions and we vote that next.
>> There'll be some minute And that's what

1251
01:42:09,679 --> 01:42:18,239
commissioner currently talking about
cutting the uh and commissioner the

1252
01:42:15,760 --> 01:42:22,840
Vista supporting the no travel
>> for one year out of state.

1253
01:42:19,840 --> 01:42:22,840
» Y

1254
01:42:22,880 --> 01:42:27,920
» well thank you I appreciate that. So
>> you got what you need Kathy?

1255
01:42:25,920 --> 01:42:32,639
» Yeah I'll make some adjustments and then
be back. David,

1256
01:42:29,760 --> 01:42:37,920
» before we end the conversation, we need
to know if you want more discussion

1257
01:42:35,119 --> 01:42:40,320
about the appropriations and what format
you want that in.

1258
01:42:39,040 --> 01:42:42,239
» No, I
>> commissioners

1259
01:42:41,199 --> 01:42:48,560
» get to death.
>> I would like to see more discussion on

1260
01:42:46,159 --> 01:42:51,679
the appropriations
>> in terms of splitting.

1261
01:42:49,920 --> 01:42:55,280
» It wouldn't be discussion on increasing.
It would be a discussion on

1262
01:42:53,280 --> 01:42:59,280
» structure. Structure. There you go. So
at the next board meeting, I'm going to

1263
01:42:57,520 --> 01:43:02,000
bring the
>> preliminary levy

1264
01:43:00,400 --> 01:43:04,880
» current what they are.
>> Sure.

1265
01:43:02,400 --> 01:43:06,960
» And then the board can have discussions
as far as

1266
01:43:06,320 --> 01:43:12,400
» the appropriate
>> how they want to handle that for the

1267
01:43:09,119 --> 01:43:18,639
» and and I would even say that given that
the bottom line has a consensus that

1268
01:43:16,000 --> 01:43:21,360
discussion could probably wait until
>> the final final

1269
01:43:19,760 --> 01:43:24,480
» later. We we wouldn't have
>> not final

1270
01:43:23,199 --> 01:43:28,639
» like maybe November.
>> We don't we don't need to convolute it

1271
01:43:26,320 --> 01:43:32,320
with the preliminary levy, right?
>> We we could but there isn't an urgency

1272
01:43:30,639 --> 01:43:36,880
as long as there's a consensus on the
bottom line total appropriation. Then

1273
01:43:35,440 --> 01:43:40,080
then we can do all the budget
calculating necessary.

1274
01:43:38,239 --> 01:43:45,199
» Okay. But I just want to be sure that
everybody is comfortable with how you

1275
01:43:42,719 --> 01:43:51,920
want to proceed with discussing or
considering or not considering how you

1276
01:43:47,360 --> 01:43:54,320
would make any splits within that total.
>> Yeah, I suppose you want it done before

1277
01:43:53,440 --> 01:43:58,560
the final.
>> It just makes it easier to have some of

1278
01:43:56,560 --> 01:44:01,440
that stuff set before we get to the
final final.

1279
01:43:59,520 --> 01:44:04,440
» So that could be the first meeting in
October.

1280
01:44:08,639 --> 01:44:11,760
Thank you.
>> I appreciate it. Thank you.

1281
01:44:10,480 --> 01:44:14,719
» Good job, Kathleen. Thank you,
>> Kathleen.

1282
01:44:12,639 --> 01:44:19,480
» And thank you for your leadership on the
budget committee, too.

1283
01:44:16,159 --> 01:44:19,480
» You're welcome.

1284
01:44:22,480 --> 01:44:29,199
» On to County Administrator
Dave Mickey.

1285
01:44:26,480 --> 01:44:37,199
» Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the
board. We ha we are members of the Aken

1286
01:44:33,280 --> 01:44:40,867
Itasa Cuching Community Health Board.
and Commissioner Westerland is our

1287
01:44:39,440 --> 01:44:46,159
commissioner representative and Lynn
[clears throat] Jacobs is our citizen

1288
01:44:43,040 --> 01:44:53,520
representative. That board has a little
bit of a nuance on their quorum. So like

1289
01:44:49,679 --> 01:44:57,520
most boards, 50% plus one is a quorum.
So four of seven members. They also have

1290
01:44:56,080 --> 01:45:03,360
a requirement that there be a
representative from each county. So they

1291
01:45:00,480 --> 01:45:07,600
could have a quorum based on four of
seven and without any Aken County

1292
01:45:06,000 --> 01:45:12,400
representative not be able to conduct
any business. And so that is going to be

1293
01:45:09,280 --> 01:45:16,719
the case on Thursday when they meet. And
so we are requesting for the appointment

1294
01:45:14,639 --> 01:45:22,719
of an alternate which is allowed under
the joint powers and commissioner Carney

1295
01:45:19,440 --> 01:45:26,800
has volunteered uh to to accept that
appointment if offered and so I would

1296
01:45:24,480 --> 01:45:30,639
present that for your consideration
>> commissioners and thank you for

1297
01:45:28,480 --> 01:45:32,719
volunteering. Commissioner Carney, I
would support that.

1298
01:45:31,840 --> 01:45:36,719
» I'll second.
>> Okay. Motion on the floor to set effect.

1299
01:45:34,719 --> 01:45:39,679
Commissioner Sample supported
Commissioner Westerland.

1300
01:45:38,320 --> 01:45:43,760
» Any Michael?
>> Yes. Thanks very much.

1301
01:45:41,840 --> 01:45:45,840
» Any further discussion?
>> Not. All in favor say I.

1302
01:45:45,520 --> 01:45:50,520
» I.
>> Oppose. Same. Sign. That motion carries.

1303
01:45:52,159 --> 01:45:58,960
» All right. If I may continue.
>> Yes, sir. Um, so despite the fact that

1304
01:45:57,440 --> 01:46:04,080
you're not getting paid more, we're
still asking you to do more. And so at

1305
01:46:02,000 --> 01:46:07,520
the last county board meeting, the uh
Arrowhead Trans there was some

1306
01:46:05,360 --> 01:46:12,159
conversation with Arrowhead Transit and
a desire to have a meeting with them.

1307
01:46:09,520 --> 01:46:17,040
And so uh I did follow up with them and
Mark Jeffers and after a conversation

1308
01:46:15,119 --> 01:46:21,440
with them, they proposed we have a
community meeting and get some

1309
01:46:18,800 --> 01:46:25,920
stakeholders together. And so as part of
that stakeholder group, we would like at

1310
01:46:23,040 --> 01:46:30,639
least one or perhaps two commissioners.
And commissioners uh Westerland and

1311
01:46:28,560 --> 01:46:33,920
Carney have indicated to me that they'd
be interested in that.

1312
01:46:31,920 --> 01:46:37,800
» I'm also interested in that.
>> Then I'll step back.

1313
01:46:38,080 --> 01:46:44,960
» Mr. Sample and Westerland.
>> That's fine.

1314
01:46:42,320 --> 01:46:47,199
» And again, you're just seeking direction
here.

1315
01:46:45,360 --> 01:46:52,080
» Yep.
>> So is everybody comfortable? Do you want

1316
01:46:48,960 --> 01:46:55,119
to be an alternate, Michael? [laughter]
>> Good call.

1317
01:46:52,639 --> 01:46:58,320
» Well, I'm just saying
October is kind of a

1318
01:46:56,480 --> 01:47:01,760
» Well, how that can't harm anything.
>> Yeah. No. And if you want if you wanted

1319
01:46:59,840 --> 01:47:06,960
to to express it as a motion, that
certainly is fine that there be uh

1320
01:47:04,239 --> 01:47:08,960
Commissioner Sample and Westerland as a
primary and Commissioner Carney as the

1321
01:47:08,400 --> 01:47:11,520
alternate.
>> I think a motion would probably be

1322
01:47:10,480 --> 01:47:15,760
appropriate.
>> Yeah, because I mean I'm on planning and

1323
01:47:13,760 --> 01:47:19,119
zoning and I'm on
>> the EAW.

1324
01:47:17,679 --> 01:47:21,440
I don't even know if I'm supposed to do
that because I don't Okay, but anyway.

1325
01:47:20,960 --> 01:47:25,040
Yeah,
>> make that motion then. Commissioner

1326
01:47:22,800 --> 01:47:27,360
Sample and Westerland as members of the
meeting with Commissioner Carney as an

1327
01:47:26,480 --> 01:47:31,040
alternate.
>> Okay, good clarification. Motion on the

1328
01:47:29,520 --> 01:47:32,320
floor to set effect by Commissioner
Levisa.

1329
01:47:31,760 --> 01:47:36,639
» I'll support.
>> And that motion is supported by

1330
01:47:34,080 --> 01:47:41,199
Commissioner Carney. Any further
comments, questions, discussion?

1331
01:47:39,119 --> 01:47:45,679
» Could I put a plug in for the AMC
District One meeting?

1332
01:47:43,440 --> 01:47:50,000
» We got to vote for this first.
>> Yeah. No plugs yet.

1333
01:47:47,760 --> 01:47:56,520
» Further discussion.
>> If not, all in favor say I. I.

1334
01:47:52,159 --> 01:47:56,520
» Oppose. Same sign. The motion prevails.

1335
01:47:57,520 --> 01:48:03,040
» Okay, Dave. All right. Never assume an
outcome.

1336
01:48:01,360 --> 01:48:07,440
» That's why you get paid to big buddy,
brother.

1337
01:48:04,880 --> 01:48:12,000
» Aken County is the host for the AMC
District 1 meeting. The District 1

1338
01:48:09,119 --> 01:48:17,760
meeting is October 15th and that will be
held at the Minnesota National Golf

1339
01:48:14,320 --> 01:48:24,639
Club. There is a pre-event
the night before. We are planning dinner

1340
01:48:20,480 --> 01:48:29,119
at the fireside out in McGregor at 6 PM.
We have the room reserved. So, if you're

1341
01:48:26,880 --> 01:48:35,520
able to make dinner at 6 pm, you're
welcome to join that. And then after the

1342
01:48:32,560 --> 01:48:41,600
district meeting on the 15th, uh,
Commissioner Sample has invited everyone

1343
01:48:38,159 --> 01:48:47,679
over to the Forgotten Heroes Range and,
um, resort to have a tour, learn what

1344
01:48:45,600 --> 01:48:52,719
they do, and then also have for those
interested an opportunity to shoot. And

1345
01:48:50,239 --> 01:48:56,000
so, uh, I would encourage everyone to
attend that if they're able.

1346
01:48:54,239 --> 01:48:59,199
» Great. And thanks, Commissioner Sample.
>> So, fireside is the evening of the 14th

1347
01:48:58,159 --> 01:49:02,239
or the 15th.
>> 14th. I'd just like to make one

1348
01:49:02,215 --> 01:49:08,440
» [clears throat]
>> uh correction, not resort, retreat,

1349
01:49:05,440 --> 01:49:08,440
» retreat,

1350
01:49:08,480 --> 01:49:16,400
» dinner, [clears throat]
>> and one coming out on the website

1351
01:49:13,360 --> 01:49:18,080
because I had Paul from St. Louis County
and

1352
01:49:17,440 --> 01:49:21,040
» a few people.
>> Yep. I'll I'll follow up with AMC to see

1353
01:49:20,320 --> 01:49:25,760
when they're gonna
>> to get it out because it's it's a month.

1354
01:49:23,760 --> 01:49:33,360
So, and then where's everybody staying?
That's what he was mostly. There are a

1355
01:49:28,000 --> 01:49:36,560
room block at the Motel in McGregor.
>> That nicely refurbished one or redone

1356
01:49:35,280 --> 01:49:39,760
one that looks nice. I haven't been in
there, but it looks nice.

1357
01:49:37,600 --> 01:49:44,239
» Nice. McGregor's getting
>> How many does it

1358
01:49:41,520 --> 01:49:46,400
» hold? How many does it hold?
>> It's a full size.

1359
01:49:45,760 --> 01:49:48,800
» Yeah, it's
>> so like

1360
01:49:47,119 --> 01:49:51,040
» two, three stories.
>> 60.

1361
01:49:49,360 --> 01:49:53,520
» Yeah, probably at least 60 rooms.
>> Yeah, [snorts]

1362
01:49:51,440 --> 01:49:57,040
» that Yeah, I knew I knew it was It's
been a long time since I've been there.

1363
01:49:55,360 --> 01:49:58,560
And that's not really the peak of their
season either. So,

1364
01:49:58,159 --> 01:50:02,719
» right.
>> No,

1365
01:50:00,480 --> 01:50:06,040
» if you've got blocked rooms for they
should be good.

1366
01:50:06,480 --> 01:50:13,560
» Thank you.
>> Anything else, David? Again, happy

1367
01:50:09,520 --> 01:50:13,560
anniversary. Many more

1368
01:50:14,480 --> 01:50:21,199
on to board of commissioners committee
updates. Uh, go clockwise today if

1369
01:50:19,679 --> 01:50:28,280
that's all right. To start with
Commissioner Carney.

1370
01:50:23,440 --> 01:50:28,280
Not too much to update. Um,

1371
01:50:28,400 --> 01:50:36,400
I do have a funeral to go tomorrow. I
don't know if you guys know him or aware

1372
01:50:33,760 --> 01:50:41,440
of him. Dick Brener passed away. Uh,
he's Carlton County longtime

1373
01:50:38,639 --> 01:50:45,199
commissioner, retired two years. Uh, I
was had the privilege of working with

1374
01:50:42,800 --> 01:50:49,679
him for two years on the ACA board. What
a wonderful gentleman. But I will go to

1375
01:50:46,880 --> 01:50:55,520
the funeral tomorrow uh, evening for
that. Um, the rest of my meetings are uh

1376
01:50:53,440 --> 01:51:00,000
next the next week, [snorts] but I will
be at the fall policy conference on the

1377
01:50:58,000 --> 01:51:05,679
15th. I will be traveling Sunday,
Monday, and Tuesday into DC for my work

1378
01:51:02,880 --> 01:51:08,239
stuff. Um, but if anything comes up, I'm
I'm available by phone. That's all I

1379
01:51:07,600 --> 01:51:15,119
have.
>> Thanks, Commissioner. Mr. Zample

1380
01:51:11,440 --> 01:51:18,360
» had a uh conference call with the core
of engineers

1381
01:51:18,560 --> 01:51:26,400
and the president of the Big Sandy Lake
Association.

1382
01:51:23,040 --> 01:51:32,159
And the core will be doing the majority
of their correspondence in the future

1383
01:51:29,600 --> 01:51:38,560
through emails.
And I've requested that Congressman

1384
01:51:34,560 --> 01:51:42,639
Stabber's district director be included
in them. And

1385
01:51:41,040 --> 01:51:48,960
you know, I didn't think our
administrator had enough on his plate.

1386
01:51:45,599 --> 01:51:55,679
So I requested that too, only cuz I love
you, Dave. Happy anniversary.

1387
01:51:51,760 --> 01:52:01,840
And uh that's kind of been the big
extent of my meeting. Wild race days

1388
01:51:58,639 --> 01:52:07,840
went great. I would like to mention that
one of our oldest

1389
01:52:04,159 --> 01:52:14,320
and most decorated veterans
in uh the county, let alone McGregor

1390
01:52:12,239 --> 01:52:20,719
Johnny Kak
um had a bad fall and he's in critical

1391
01:52:19,119 --> 01:52:27,040
condition.
So, uh, I as a commissioner would like

1392
01:52:23,840 --> 01:52:32,480
to send my prayers out to the family.
And that's a tough generation. 93 years

1393
01:52:30,000 --> 01:52:34,960
old, Korean War vet,
>> highly decorated.

1394
01:52:33,760 --> 01:52:40,400
» Yep.
>> And that's the extent of mine. Thank

1395
01:52:38,239 --> 01:52:43,119
you.
The one I would have had, we didn't

1396
01:52:42,159 --> 01:52:46,440
have. So,
>> you're good.

1397
01:52:46,560 --> 01:52:57,520
Um, ATV committee I had uh you heard
DJ's update. Not much more on that.

1398
01:52:53,920 --> 01:53:01,440
People are very excited and I try not to
say anything because they are going out

1399
01:52:59,360 --> 01:53:04,320
there and it's like it's not open yet
people. You'd have to wait till next

1400
01:53:03,440 --> 01:53:09,040
year.
>> No way. We're going on it. We paid for

1401
01:53:06,800 --> 01:53:15,679
this. Blah blah blah.
Um, and then I had uh Northern Counties,

1402
01:53:12,880 --> 01:53:22,080
um, is it coalition? Is that what it is?
>> I won't be there for that.

1403
01:53:18,639 --> 01:53:27,920
» I'm just an HR nightmare. Um, John Agar
was there and he kind of went through

1404
01:53:24,719 --> 01:53:35,199
who's running with who and
uh on our maps of people uh, senators,

1405
01:53:33,360 --> 01:53:42,159
representatives,
uh, nothing federal. Um,

1406
01:53:39,040 --> 01:53:47,599
we also talked about a priority on these
landfills and what I don't know there's

1407
01:53:45,760 --> 01:53:52,880
some new rules coming out and there's
new

1408
01:53:49,119 --> 01:53:56,000
uh liner issues and I mean it's just a
mess. So, we're going to I think we're

1409
01:53:54,239 --> 01:54:01,840
going to work on that. And also Paul
McDonald from

1410
01:53:58,159 --> 01:54:08,239
uh Duth uh well not Duth but St. Louis
County and Lake County.

1411
01:54:05,040 --> 01:54:14,159
We were still talking about the extra
lakeshore property taxes that we really

1412
01:54:11,520 --> 01:54:20,560
need to fight for the pilt. Um yeah, for
the pilt we need um you know I'm sure

1413
01:54:17,360 --> 01:54:22,880
Aken County is not
uh

1414
01:54:20,880 --> 01:54:28,320
» it' be a great resource for Aken County.
>> I know it and Clarissa was there from

1415
01:54:26,080 --> 01:54:33,440
the DNR which was great to see. We
hadn't seen anybody from the DNR for

1416
01:54:30,159 --> 01:54:38,320
quite a while. Um, yeah. I mean, it was
just kind of a We haven't had a meeting

1417
01:54:36,320 --> 01:54:42,960
for a while, so we're trying to catch up
and get stuff going on. If you look at

1418
01:54:41,040 --> 01:54:50,159
the We have a new logo now. I should
have sent it out. I

1419
01:54:45,920 --> 01:54:56,080
It's It's actually really nice. Um,
otherwise, I think that's all I had and

1420
01:54:52,239 --> 01:54:57,760
I have way too much going on. So,
>> is what it is.

1421
01:54:56,880 --> 01:55:04,800
» Thank you, Lori.
>> Yeah. Um we had the uh Aken Municipal

1422
01:55:01,520 --> 01:55:09,679
Airport Commission meeting. Uh the
highlight of that was the u awarding of

1423
01:55:07,119 --> 01:55:13,440
the bids for the uh new terminal
building

1424
01:55:11,119 --> 01:55:18,719
» and uh we had each health and human
service advisory committee.

1425
01:55:15,440 --> 01:55:25,199
» It was a very interesting meeting. Uh
David Minky was there and commissioner

1426
01:55:20,639 --> 01:55:32,159
Carney. Um, it was basically all on food
food shelves, the necessity of it. Um, a

1427
01:55:29,679 --> 01:55:38,000
dissection, the breakdown of who does
what. We had about four different four

1428
01:55:35,040 --> 01:55:47,199
or five different uh presenters
um regarding um food shelves

1429
01:55:42,639 --> 01:55:55,520
uh loaves and fishes. The community meal
which was uh terminated but now uh

1430
01:55:51,040 --> 01:55:59,599
Pastor Sarah is leading this um will be
resumed.

1431
01:55:57,599 --> 01:56:02,400
» So it was a very very interesting
meeting. Commissioner Carney, anything

1432
01:56:01,760 --> 01:56:05,520
you want to
>> No, that it was a great meeting. No,

1433
01:56:04,159 --> 01:56:09,679
that's great.
>> And I mean, this is a revitalized

1434
01:56:08,159 --> 01:56:16,400
committee.
>> We've got we've got full representation

1435
01:56:13,520 --> 01:56:18,239
and a full house.
>> People are attending,

1436
01:56:17,599 --> 01:56:24,000
» eager,
>> taking a very active interest. Um,

1437
01:56:21,760 --> 01:56:29,280
that's about all I've got. I did get a
call from the new Aken superintendent

1438
01:56:26,960 --> 01:56:34,880
uh Mary Mourin and her and I will be
meeting later this week. I think it's

1439
01:56:32,000 --> 01:56:42,080
either tomorrow or I it's Thursday
sometime and uh she was very very uh

1440
01:56:39,199 --> 01:56:48,239
receptive to just getting to know the
public and getting to know the

1441
01:56:43,760 --> 01:56:52,239
community. So um other than that,
Commissioner Carney,

1442
01:56:49,199 --> 01:56:55,119
» I do have one followup. I apologize. Um
the Elm Island site visit went very

1443
01:56:54,719 --> 01:56:59,920
well.
>> Yeah, we um we three three of us were

1444
01:56:57,679 --> 01:57:04,159
here with administrator. Thank you uh
Mr. Administrator for your guidance

1445
01:57:01,760 --> 01:57:10,880
during that meeting. It did get a little
tense at at a certain couple times, but

1446
01:57:07,679 --> 01:57:17,599
then also I attended the board of the
BOA um and the board of adjustment

1447
01:57:14,480 --> 01:57:23,920
approved the variance.
This is going to be very contentious.

1448
01:57:20,000 --> 01:57:26,320
So, at the planning commission, um,
>> when is that meeting?

1449
01:57:24,800 --> 01:57:30,320
» We already know the planning commission
is on the 21st. Uh, at

1450
01:57:29,440 --> 01:57:32,480
» at Huh?
>> Aren't you going to be gone?

1451
01:57:31,199 --> 01:57:35,760
» No, I'm going to be here.
>> Oh.

1452
01:57:32,880 --> 01:57:44,000
» Um,
representation.

1453
01:57:37,440 --> 01:57:49,440
Um, we'll be in full force. Um, so there
there's going to be a lot of conditions

1454
01:57:46,960 --> 01:57:53,440
with this. We're taking it. I want you
to understand the board, the planning

1455
01:57:51,199 --> 01:58:00,000
commission board is taking this very
very um seriously. Oh yeah. Um because

1456
01:57:57,440 --> 01:58:04,719
we have Commissioner Weston's district,
there's a lot of people that are against

1457
01:58:02,480 --> 01:58:09,280
this just like they were the other ones
against of the uh the other when it came

1458
01:58:07,920 --> 01:58:14,080
in. So um
>> and and yet them people come now and

1459
01:58:11,440 --> 01:58:17,440
have coffee at Gun Lake.
>> Yes.

1460
01:58:14,800 --> 01:58:22,960
» On the weekends. um just just have it in
your your windshield that this is coming

1461
01:58:19,760 --> 01:58:25,840
down the pipe. Um so I think a good
decision and

1462
01:58:23,840 --> 01:58:31,520
» I think it's important too that you guys
really really watch the wording,

1463
01:58:28,239 --> 01:58:37,360
» you know, of your conditions because
>> I think that's getting to be

1464
01:58:34,560 --> 01:58:40,639
» Yeah, I think I think that that
>> switch it around and

1465
01:58:39,199 --> 01:58:44,880
» I don't I don't want to give how many,
but there's a lot of conditions that are

1466
01:58:43,199 --> 01:58:50,400
going to be addressed. So, well, there's
a lot of conditions,

1467
01:58:45,599 --> 01:58:53,040
» but the variance was approved. Um, so,
>> but I thought I'd give you guys a brief

1468
01:58:51,840 --> 01:58:58,000
on that. Thank you.
>> That sounds good.

1469
01:58:53,920 --> 01:59:02,800
» Mr. Chair, anything on AIS since Brian
is gone?

1470
01:58:59,199 --> 01:59:09,119
» Uh, a good point. Brian Roulette, who
was uh uh kind of heading up the AIS

1471
01:59:07,280 --> 01:59:16,000
from SWCD,
has u moved on. Uh he's no longer with

1472
01:59:13,520 --> 01:59:20,719
the Aken County SWCD
and I have not heard I've got a call in

1473
01:59:19,360 --> 01:59:24,960
uh who's going to
>> Is he the state guy?

1474
01:59:22,080 --> 01:59:28,880
» No, he's a staff at S SWCD.
>> Oh,

1475
01:59:26,320 --> 01:59:33,760
» but they always assign somebody to
spearhead the AIS.

1476
01:59:31,599 --> 01:59:39,440
» That's the second one in the year.
>> Yes, that's right.

1477
01:59:37,360 --> 01:59:46,960
What's going to happen? Actually, the
active season of AIS is over uh as of

1478
01:59:43,040 --> 01:59:53,360
yesterday, actually. And uh I'll talk to
Janet to make sure that we have an

1479
01:59:49,760 --> 01:59:55,679
upcoming meeting sometime just to get
see where the fund balances are.

1480
01:59:55,280 --> 02:00:00,639
» Yeah,
>> we know that uh at least they're going

1481
01:59:57,520 --> 02:00:07,280
to be cut in half uh for the coming
year. We've been getting roughly 270,000

1482
02:00:04,880 --> 02:00:10,880
a year. That'll be [snorts] cut back to
what 135

1483
02:00:09,599 --> 02:00:15,760
130 in that uh
>> and I know 40,000 was coming out to the

1484
02:00:13,840 --> 02:00:18,000
sheriff's budget for
>> Yeah.

1485
02:00:16,239 --> 02:00:23,679
» to help with that and you know
>> to offset the sheriff's levy.

1486
02:00:20,000 --> 02:00:27,280
» Yeah. So I just have concerns there.
>> Yeah.

1487
02:00:25,440 --> 02:00:31,840
» Good point.
So that's uh kind of a work in progress,

1488
02:00:30,000 --> 02:00:36,080
I guess. But thanks for bringing that
up.

1489
02:00:33,440 --> 02:00:43,119
Um, other than that, I just again want
to remind everybody that uh, Friday is

1490
02:00:38,480 --> 02:00:44,480
911 that uh, we keep honoring and
remembering that

1491
02:00:43,920 --> 02:00:49,040
» absolutely
>> those who lost their lives and the Aken

1492
02:00:47,119 --> 02:00:53,119
Fire Department will have a display out
here that's uh,

1493
02:00:51,679 --> 02:00:58,800
» well, I guess this is your year
anniversary, so you probably saw it last

1494
02:00:54,960 --> 02:01:01,119
year. It's a quite an impressive uh,
display.

1495
02:01:00,400 --> 02:01:05,280
So,
>> how about is anybody going to the

1496
02:01:02,880 --> 02:01:08,000
apartment tour? Is that what that is?
>> I will be I'll be going to that.

1497
02:01:07,360 --> 02:01:09,679
» And that's
>> have it on my schedule.

1498
02:01:08,880 --> 02:01:11,040
» Wednesday or Thursday?
>> That's Wednesday.

1499
02:01:10,480 --> 02:01:13,520
» Thursday.
>> Or Thursday, excuse me.

1500
02:01:12,080 --> 02:01:15,440
» Thursday the 10th.
>> Okay.

1501
02:01:14,000 --> 02:01:21,040
» Thursday the 10th. Yeah. [snorts] At
2:00.

1502
02:01:17,119 --> 02:01:25,280
» And I have your public health 10 to 12.
>> Anything else?

1503
02:01:22,080 --> 02:01:31,280
» Just Forgotten Heroes has come compete
with your elected officials. We get

1504
02:01:28,000 --> 02:01:37,920
about 21. I think we had 21 last year.
State senators and reps. It's a good

1505
02:01:33,760 --> 02:01:40,719
chance to come out and talk to them.
>> We need all the lobbying we can get.

1506
02:01:39,840 --> 02:01:45,520
» The 19th.
>> The 19th. Okay.

1507
02:01:43,599 --> 02:01:48,560
» When's the water When's the uh
daughter's wedding, Lori?

1508
02:01:46,880 --> 02:01:53,520
» Saturday.
>> So, it's the following Saturday. If you

1509
02:01:50,800 --> 02:01:57,199
need to come take some frustration out,
I welcome you to come on out. We got

1510
02:01:56,400 --> 02:02:00,400
lots of
>> better than going to the nut house. So,

1511
02:01:59,040 --> 02:02:03,440
because there is
>> for you, they've got a Thompson machine

1512
02:02:02,960 --> 02:02:06,560
gun.
>> Yeah, they do.

1513
02:02:05,119 --> 02:02:09,040
» Is there a motion to adjurnn?
>> Uh, salute.

1514
02:02:07,360 --> 02:02:12,080
» Uh, motion in the floor to adjurnn.
Commissioner Carney

1515
02:02:10,400 --> 02:02:15,360
» supported. Commissioner Westerland. All
in favor say I.

1516
02:02:13,440 --> 02:02:18,080
» Oppose. Same sign. Motion's carried.
This meeting stands adjourned. Thank you

1517
02:02:17,199 --> 02:02:20,400
everyone.
>> Thank you, Jean.

1518
02:02:19,760 --> 02:02:24,719
» Thanks, Jean.
>> It's on China blue.

1519
02:02:21,679 --> 02:02:32,520
» Okay. Russian
>> after this whole thing.

1520
02:02:28,159 --> 02:02:32,520
» Have a take or take care of travel.