[0:00] 
[0:00] Commissioners meeting to order.
[0:02] All, please rise for the
Pledge of Allegiance.
[0:06] I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America,
[0:11] and to the Republic
for which it stands.
[0:14] One nation under
God, indivisible,
[0:18] with liberty and
justice for all.
[0:20] 
[0:25] Welcome, everyone.
[0:28] We'll start by
looking for a motion
[0:29] to approve the meeting agenda.
[0:33] I'll make that motion.
[0:34] Motion made by
Commissioner Severson.
[0:37] Is there a second.
[0:38] I'll second it.
[0:39] Second by Commissioner casa.
[0:41] Any discussion.
[0:44] Hearing none.
[0:45] All those in favor,
signify by saying Aye.
[0:47] Aye Opposed.
[0:49] Same sign.
[0:50] Meeting agenda
has been approved.
[0:54] Looking for a resolution
approving the consent agenda
[0:57] with the following approval
of minutes from the August
[1:00] 18, 2026 board meeting.
[1:03] Approval of minutes
and finding and order
[1:05] from the August 18, 2026
County ditch 55 public hearing.
[1:11] Approval of claims.
[1:13] Someone wished to
make that resolution
[1:16] all into the resolution entered
by Commissioner Eckstrom.
[1:19] Is there a second.
[1:20] I'll second it.
[1:21] Second by Commissioner Shaw.
[1:23] Any discussion.
[1:25] Hearing none.
[1:25] Will the clerk please call
the roll Mr. Stevenson.
[1:28] Yes Yes commissioner.
[1:31] Shaw? yes, Commissioner.
[1:32] Edwin yes, that is passed.
[1:36] Moving on.
[1:37] Report of board committees,
Commissioner Severson.
[1:40] Yes I had the convention
and Visitors Bureau meeting,
[1:43] and that was more informative.
[1:44] They didn't reach a quorum.
[1:46] So that is all I have.
[1:48] Thank you, Commissioner casa.
[1:51] I attended the board
training that we had.
[1:53] I really enjoyed that.
[1:54] I thought it was very helpful.
[1:57] Also had contract
negotiations and had
[2:01] a meeting with our administrator
and our extension agent.
[2:06] And then I had the
meeting yesterday.
[2:09] That's all.
[2:10] Thank you.
[2:11] Commissioner schoff.
[2:12] Yes I attended the
training session
[2:15] and I thought Dave
did a good job.
[2:17] I've known him for years.
[2:20] Thank you,
Commissioner Eckstrom.
[2:23] Yep same thing.
[2:24] Was able to partake
in the training
[2:25] session, which I always enjoyed
spending time with all of you.
[2:28] And I attended that
AMC lunch and learn.
[2:31] Just kind of a refresher
on how AMC comes up
[2:33] with their policy
platforms, considering we
[2:36] have the conference coming up.
[2:37] So thank you.
[2:40] And I too attended the
AMC board training,
[2:44] also met with the weekly.
[2:45] Our weekly meetings
with the administration,
[2:49] sat through some
union negotiations,
[2:53] and also had a meeting with the
Albert Lea housing authority
[2:58] and they're moving forward.
[3:00] Quite doing a good
job moving forward.
[3:04] Trying to get more
housing in Albert Lea.
[3:08] So moving on.
[3:09] Are there any persons wishing
to address the board concerning
[3:12] matters pertaining
to this agenda,
[3:14] as well as any other
matters of County concern.
[3:18] If so, please come
forward at this time.
[3:23] Seeing none, we'll move on.
[3:25] Report of various departments.
[3:27] Beginning with
report of probation.
[3:29] 
[3:42] Good morning commissioners.
[3:44] Good morning.
[3:44] Good morning.
[3:45] So I've got a few resolutions
for you to consider today.
[3:49] The first is to consider a
resolution to accept the grant
[3:53] for decision points for $1,500.
[3:59] Would someone like to
enter that resolution.
[4:02] I'll enter the resolution
entered by Commissioner Ekstrom.
[4:05] Is there a second.
[4:06] I'll second it.
[4:07] Second by Commissioner casa.
[4:09] Any discussion.
[4:10] Yes, Mr. Chair, I had
a number of questions.
[4:12] I had submitted them yesterday
just to give you the heads
[4:14] up about some of this.
[4:16] So just the decisions points
program, is that a new program
[4:20] or is it something that you guys
have been doing for a while.
[4:24] This is a program we
have offered in the past.
[4:27] For adults.
[4:28] This would be a new
program for juveniles.
[4:30] And then is it a mandated
program or just something
[4:35] that is being added on.
[4:38] This is well this is there's
different levels of mandated.
[4:44] So the program itself
is not mandated.
[4:47] However, we are mandated
to provide cognitive skills
[4:52] trainings or programs.
[4:54] So this would be
mandated through that.
[4:56] And so we would be
able to serve clients.
[4:59] And so then so if this
segment is a newer program,
[5:04] was it part then of the
2026 budget or a line item
[5:08] in the 2026 budget, or is
it part of a different line
[5:11] item in the budget.
[5:12] I guess the reason
I'm asking, and I'm
[5:15] sorry to put you,
Sarah, on the hot spot
[5:17] on the first time
presenting to us as a board.
[5:20] So that's why I keep.
[5:21] That's OK.
[5:21] We'll jump right in.
[5:22] I'm looking at Steve
to try to take some
[5:24] of that pressure off of you.
[5:25] I appreciate that.
[5:27] And so I guess
what I'm getting at
[5:29] is at a time when we're looking
at significant budget challenges
[5:36] to add something.
[5:37] And even though I'm so
thrilled with the generosity
[5:41] of freeborn County
Community foundation,
[5:43] but at the same time, if
that grant isn't going
[5:47] to cover the entire
amount and we're adding
[5:49] something that those are.
[5:51] So that's where I
was kind of looking
[5:52] for more information into that.
[5:55] Mr. Chair, if I may.
[5:57] Sure so we have or the
probation department does
[6:01] have budgeted line
items for training
[6:04] and then for programmatic costs.
[6:07] And so Sarah said, cognitive
skills is a program
[6:11] that we've budgeted for.
[6:15] And so the ongoing
cost for this program
[6:20] pretty much would
just be staff time.
[6:22] And so we already have the
majority of the materials
[6:26] that are needed.
[6:27] Before I transitioned
upstairs, I
[6:29] was working with
the agent that was
[6:32] kind of spearheading this on.
[6:34] Are there ways that we can
laminate some of the materials
[6:38] so it can be reused and
making sure that we're being
[6:41] as cost effective as possible.
[6:44] This is one of the programs.
[6:46] Like Sarah said,
there's different levels
[6:48] of mandates in probation.
[6:50] There's stuff that's
specifically outlined in statute
[6:53] that we have to do
different reports
[6:56] for the court and different
type of supervision
[6:58] that we have to provide.
[6:59] There's other things that
are mandated through the 401
[7:06] statute talks about.
[7:08] It empowers the CSAC
committee to set policy
[7:11] at a statewide level
that all probation
[7:13] agencies have to follow.
[7:15] And so they have rolled
out policy in case planning
[7:20] as part of the case
planning policy.
[7:22] They talk about
agencies have to provide
[7:25] cognitive behavioral
intervention programming
[7:28] for individuals on supervision,
including juveniles
[7:32] and including juveniles.
[7:34] And so that would be,
everybody adult juvenile.
[7:40] And then we also
there's certain mandates
[7:42] that come from court orders.
[7:44] So if we're court ordered
to do certain things,
[7:47] then that becomes something
we have to abide by.
[7:49] And so there are
individuals that
[7:51] are court ordered to
cognitive skills programming.
[7:55] One of the primary
goals for this,
[7:58] and if you recall from
different work sessions
[8:01] since I've been here, I've
talked about or workshops.
[8:05] I've talked about the
need to transition
[8:07] from out-of-home placement
for juveniles in particular
[8:10] being our primary focus
or of our first point
[8:14] of response with the kid to
being kind of a last resort.
[8:18] And so making sure that
we're utilizing all services
[8:21] available in the
community before we're
[8:23] sending a kid out of home.
[8:26] Part of that, there's
a lot of reasons.
[8:28] And talking about the long term
impacts of sending a kid out
[8:33] of home can have significant
impacts on their ultimate
[8:37] recidivism down the
road as an adult.
[8:40] But if you look at it
solely from a numbers point,
[8:44] an out-of-home
placement you're looking
[8:46] at could be over $12,000 a month
to have a kid out of the home.
[8:50] Or we can Institute a program.
[8:54] That's relatively cheap
to hopefully avoid
[8:57] those out-of-home
placement costs.
[8:59] And so the whole premise
of cognitive behavioral
[9:01] interventions is
that you're getting
[9:03] the individual to think
about how their thoughts
[9:06] impact their behaviors.
[9:07] And so if we can
change their thoughts,
[9:09] the hope is that we
can change behavior.
[9:11] The other piece is
probation departments
[9:14] are required every four years
to submit a comprehensive plan
[9:18] to the state.
[9:20] And then we have to do
two year updates for that.
[9:23] And so a big part
of those Comp plans
[9:25] is to report on outcome
measures and data.
[9:29] One of the data points that
the state looks specifically at
[9:32] is what cognitive
behavioral interventions are
[9:35] each probation agency
employing, and what are
[9:38] some of the outcomes for that.
[9:39] And so not abiding by and
not offering anything locally
[9:45] puts the subsidy at risk.
[9:47] And so there is the
cost of staff time.
[9:52] And that could be
group programming where
[9:55] we have groups of
juveniles meeting together
[9:57] going through the program.
[9:59] But then there's
also the ability
[10:01] for agents to implement
this in their one
[10:04] on one meetings with the clients
and do it individually, and so
[10:07] that staff time would already
be devoted to spending time
[10:10] with that kid.
[10:11] And so it's making
that more effective
[10:14] and more useful in the time
that they have with them.
[10:17] OK thank you I appreciate it.
[10:19] So to a certain extent, we're
already doing some of this.
[10:25] A lot of this.
[10:25] And this allows
us to get $1,500.
[10:29] Correct OK.
[10:31] Any other discussion.
[10:33] 
[10:35] Hearing none.
[10:36] Will the clerk call the roll.
[10:38] Yes Yes, Commissioner.
[10:42] Yes, that is passed.
[10:46] I would like you to
consider the resolution
[10:49] to accept grants for
coffee connections
[10:51] in the amount of $1,000.
[10:54] Would someone like to
enter that resolution.
[10:57] I like that.
[10:58] Entered by Commissioner schoff.
[10:59] Is there a second.
[11:01] I'll second.
[11:02] Second by Commissioner Severson.
[11:03] Any discussion.
[11:04] 
[11:07] Hearing none.
[11:08] Will the clerk
please call the roll.
[11:10] Yes Yes.
[11:14] Commissioner Edwin.
[11:15] Yes that is passed.
[11:18] Thank you.
[11:19] Next, I ask that you
consider resolution
[11:22] to backfill the position
of adult probation agent.
[11:27] Someone wish to enter
that resolution.
[11:29] 
[11:32] I'll enter this
resolution entered
[11:33] by Commissioner Severson.
[11:35] Is there a second.
[11:36] I'll second it.
[11:36] Second by Commissioner schoff.
[11:38] Any discussion.
[11:41] Hearing none.
[11:42] Will the clerk call the
roll Mr. yes Mr. yes.
[11:47] Yes, that is passed.
[11:50] Thank you.
[11:51] And finally, I ask that
you consider the resolution
[11:54] to appoint the director
of probation me
[11:57] to the freeborn County
Family service and children's
[12:01] mental Health Collaborative.
[12:04] Someone like to enter
that resolution.
[12:07] I'll enter that
resolution, Mr. Chair.
[12:08] Entered by Commissioner casa.
[12:10] Is there a second.
[12:11] I'll second.
[12:12] Second by Commissioner Ekstrom.
[12:14] Any discussion.
[12:17] Hearing none.
[12:18] Will the clerk
please call the roll.
[12:20] Yes Mr. eckstrom?
[12:22] Yes Mr. Shaw.
[12:24] Yes commissioner Evans.
[12:25] Yes that is passed.
[12:27] OK thank you.
[12:28] Thank you.
[12:29] Report of public health.
[12:31] 
[12:39] Good morning.
[12:39] Commissioners, I have one
item for your consideration
[12:41] this morning.
[12:44] So I'd like to ask you to
consider a resolution to approve
[12:47] the Medica MCO, MSI plus.
[12:51] Care coordination and/or
participation agreement.
[12:56] We currently are serving
clients through ucare, which
[13:00] is one of our medical
assistants programs,
[13:05] and ucare is going to
be going out of business
[13:08] and Medica is taking
over that portion.
[13:11] And so these are
existing clients
[13:13] that we're currently seeing.
[13:14] So it's not a new program, it's
just a replacement of a program.
[13:20] I've negotiated a fee with them.
[13:22] It's not as much
as what ucare pays,
[13:25] but we feel that it's going to
be pretty cost effective to be
[13:30] able to continue the program
effectively and cover
[13:33] our administration costs.
[13:36] If we do this is not a mandated
program, but it's that we do.
[13:43] But it's a mandated program
that is provided to the clients.
[13:46] And so if we don't
do this program,
[13:48] they will contract with another
organization that will not
[13:51] be a local organization,
and our clients will
[13:54] likely not appreciate that.
[13:55] To have someone that does
not know our local resources
[13:58] and doesn't have our
faces that they already we
[14:06] have 117 clients that are
going to be transferring over,
[14:11] and it would be
effective October 1.
[14:15] Again, they are all
current clients.
[14:18] 19 of them are nursing
home residents and members.
[14:22] 32 of them are elderly waiver
participants and 66 of them
[14:29] are community well members.
[14:33] There is two staff working
in this program area,
[14:35] and so if we didn't
continue with this,
[14:38] we would likely lose
those two staff.
[14:40] 
[14:44] This is not.
[14:45] And I got these questions
from Nikki Eckstrom.
[14:47] She was great to
send them to me.
[14:49] So I'm addressing them now.
[14:50] And if I miss any
questions, please, please
[14:52] make sure and ask me.
[14:54] As far as we state,
and federal regulations
[14:57] won't be affecting any
of the changes that
[15:00] won't be affecting this at all.
[15:02] So for this, I asked
for you to consider
[15:06] approving this participation
agreement with Medica.
[15:11] Would someone like to
enter that resolution.
[15:15] I'll enter that.
[15:16] Entered by
Commissioner Severson.
[15:17] Is there a second.
[15:19] I'll second.
[15:20] Second by Commissioner schoff.
[15:22] Any discussion.
[15:23] Just I appreciate sue again.
[15:25] I tried to give her
questions ahead of time.
[15:26] So because I had a lot of them.
[15:28] So thanks thank you for
rattling all those off
[15:30] and I appreciate it.
[15:32] Appreciate that.
[15:33] Any other discussion.
[15:36] Will the clerk please call
the roll Mr. Stevenson.
[15:38] Yes Mr. Yes Mr. Shaw? yes.
[15:42] Commissioner yes, that is past.
[15:44] Thank you very much.
[15:45] Have a great week.
[15:47] Report of auditor.
[15:49] Treasurer good morning,
commissioners administration.
[15:56] I have two items for you.
[15:58] The first one is a mouthful.
[16:01] It is a resolution
approving the cancellation
[16:04] and setting aside of an
erroneous certificate
[16:06] of forfeiture.
[16:08] So there was a vacant
land parcel that went
[16:12] up for tax forfeiture in 2026.
[16:15] And in doing our history, our
fact finding, our due diligence,
[16:18] we found a deed from 1978 that
was not properly transferred.
[16:25] And this parcel should have
gone to the state of Minnesota.
[16:29] So it should never have
had any taxes on it.
[16:33] So this resolution
removes the forfeiture
[16:37] and also removes the taxes
that should never have been
[16:40] on there in the first place.
[16:43] Would someone like to
enter that resolution.
[16:47] I'll enter the resolution
entered by Commissioner Ekstrom.
[16:50] Is there a second.
[16:53] I'll second it.
[16:53] Second by Commissioner casa.
[16:55] Any discussion.
[16:57] I have questions about this.
[16:59] So 1978.
[17:01] Yeah so has somebody
if it was supposed
[17:04] to have gone to the state who
was paying the taxes from 1978
[17:08] up until the last five
years when it triggered.
[17:13] It was exempt up until 22.
[17:16] And for reasons we
don't understand.
[17:18] Then there were taxes
put on the exempt,
[17:20] I think somebody because
we have so many parcels.
[17:23] A lot of times we
don't look at them
[17:24] until they come across our desk
and somehow or other, this one
[17:27] came across someone's desk.
[17:28] They realized it was
in a individual's name
[17:32] and there was no reason
for it to be exempt.
[17:34] They took the exempt
status off of it.
[17:36] So then it started
accruing taxes.
[17:38] 
[17:41] I have no idea.
[17:42] It was 1978.
[17:45] OK yeah.
[17:46] All we can do is fix
it going forward.
[17:47] OK And I did.
[17:49] Look, I mean, so for anybody
who hears us, it was like $5.
[17:53] Yeah, it wasn't
a lot. $5 and $6.
[17:54] It's a random strip that is
like the left side of a ditch.
[17:58] Yeah yep.
[17:59] It's maybe $20 max.
[18:02] Yeah it was just
the fact, though,
[18:04] that I was just curious
to know if somebody
[18:05] had been paying taxes since
1978 and shouldn't have been so.
[18:09] Nope no taxes at
all until somebody
[18:11] realized, hey, that shouldn't
be exempt and fixed it.
[18:15] OK thank you.
[18:18] Any other discussion.
[18:21] Will the clerk please call
the roll Mr. Stevenson.
[18:23] Yes Mr. Yes Mr. Yes Mr.
Shaw yes Mr. Edwards.
[18:28] Yes that is passed.
[18:29] Thank you very much.
[18:30] The next one, nice and easy.
[18:32] It is the latest rendition of
banks doing business, which
[18:36] is the resolution that
authorizes certain people
[18:40] to sign on to bank accounts.
[18:41] We are adding Mr. Steven
Rick, our new CFO,
[18:46] to the bank accounts,
as he should be.
[18:49] Anyway, so I would like
to enter that resolution.
[18:52] I'll enter that
resolution, Mr. Chair.
[18:54] Entered by Commissioner casa.
[18:56] Is there a second.
[18:58] I'll second.
[18:58] Second by Commissioner Severson.
[19:00] Any discussion.
[19:03] Hearing none.
[19:04] Will the clerk call
the roll Mr. Stevenson.
[19:06] Yes Yes but abstaining
for Arcadian bank,
[19:12] Commissioner Shaw.
[19:13] Yes Mr. Edwards.
[19:14] Yes, that is passed.
[19:16] Thank you.
[19:17] Thank you.
[19:18] Report of Public Works.
[19:20] 
[19:28] Good morning, Mr. Chair.
[19:29] Good morning.
[19:29] Commissioners I have two
items for your consideration
[19:31] this morning, each
involving final payments
[19:33] and close out on
construction contracts.
[19:36] The first is a resolution
to approve final payment
[19:39] for County project.
[19:40] 026002 that involve
the maintenance
[19:44] of traffic markings on various
roads in freeborn County.
[19:47] Sir Lancelot LLC of
Edina, Minnesota,
[19:50] completed the project at a total
project cost of $180,139.73.
[19:58] The resolution
authorizes final payment
[19:59] in the amount of $169,580.38.
[20:06] I would like to enter
that resolution.
[20:07] I'll enter that entered
by Commissioner Severson.
[20:10] Is there a second by
Commissioner schoff any
[20:14] discussion Mr. Chair,
it was 180,000, and it
[20:19] says it was a budgeted project.
[20:20] So did we go over
budget on this.
[20:23] It says 180.
[20:24] Was the total cost
budgeted project 169.
[20:28] No So our total
budget for pavement
[20:31] striping this year was 240,000.
[20:34] I think that item is labeled as
impact to budget or something.
[20:40] So this actual item is a
budgeted expense of that amount,
[20:45] but it is under the total
budgeted amount for the work.
[20:48] I do also want to point out this
contract was smaller this year
[20:54] than it typically is because we
participated in a district six
[20:59] federal striping job that
allowed a 90/10 split federal
[21:04] money 90% our money
10% for, I'm going
[21:08] to say approximately 30 miles of
freeborn County Road striping.
[21:11] And that saved us some money
on this contract this year.
[21:15] Next year it'll revert
to the normal amount,
[21:18] but a smaller overall budgeted
amount for pavement marking.
[21:22] So thank you.
[21:23] Yep any other discussion.
[21:27] Will the clerk call the roll.
[21:29] Yes Yes, Mr. Yes Mr. Edward.
[21:34] Yes that is passed.
[21:35] Best and the second resolution
is to approve final payment
[21:38] for County project
026004 that involved
[21:42] the furnishing and application
of magnesium chloride
[21:45] for base stabilization.
[21:47] Freeborn County co-op
oil of Albert Lea,
[21:49] Minnesota, completed
the project at a total
[21:51] project cost of $125,388.75.
[21:56] The resolution
authorizes final payment
[21:58] in the amount of $13,130.81.
[22:03] So I would like to
enter that resolution.
[22:05] I'll enter that
resolution Mr. Chair,
[22:07] entered by Commissioner casa.
[22:08] Is there a second.
[22:09] I'll second.
[22:10] Second by Commissioner Severson.
[22:12] Any discussion.
[22:14] Will the clerk
please call the roll.
[22:16] Commissioner?
[22:17] yes, Commissioner.
[22:17] Casa yes Mr. yes
Mr. yes Mr. Edwards.
[22:21] Yes And while I
have you up here.
[22:24] Yes I'm somewhat in the but can
you give an update on bridge.
[22:29] We kind reached a
point where it doesn't
[22:31] seem to be nearing completion.
[22:34] Yeah, sure.
[22:35] So the bridge Avenue
project, Mr. Chair,
[22:39] that you're referencing was
a sealcoat project involving
[22:42] the application of
bituminous material,
[22:46] rocks or chips over the top
of that, and then a fog seal.
[22:50] There's two ways the
project can fail.
[22:53] One is stripping, where if
there's not enough oil applied
[22:56] to the road surface, the
rocks don't have the glue
[22:59] they need to hold in place.
[23:01] Stripping is the
worst case scenario.
[23:05] What we encountered is flushing,
which is when the oil, the rocks
[23:09] all lay down completely flat.
[23:11] And instead of 70% embedment,
they're 100% embedded.
[23:15] And that's what we encountered.
[23:17] It's the lesser of the two
evils, but still undesirable.
[23:20] So what you see in the wheel
paths is a smoother texture,
[23:24] because that oil is
forming some of the surface
[23:27] instead of just the rocks.
[23:29] My concern is that
in winter conditions,
[23:32] that smooth surface
will be more slippery
[23:34] than the aggregate
surface in the turn lanes
[23:36] and between the wheel paths.
[23:38] So I've ordered a friction
test to be completed.
[23:43] Luckily, we are still seeing
rock, so in those smooth areas,
[23:48] when you look down,
you're seeing rock.
[23:51] The bituminous will weather
away the bituminous extra oil
[23:54] and the rock that
we need is there,
[23:57] but it provides a different
visual appearance.
[24:00] So my goal is to compare
the friction results
[24:03] from an ordinary road, a new
road, a properly chipseal road,
[24:11] and then the failed portions.
[24:13] That work will hopefully
be done by MnDOT
[24:15] in the next week or two.
[24:17] The last work on the project
is to perform final pavement
[24:20] striping, and at this
point I. I have yet
[24:25] to determine whether
or not corrective work
[24:28] will fix the issue.
[24:31] The answer is not
providing more oil in rock,
[24:34] it will probably
make the issue worse.
[24:37] And so based on those
friction results,
[24:39] that's the last data point
that I need to make a decision.
[24:42] And then we will negotiate
with the contractor
[24:44] on any final steps.
[24:47] Would there also be
negotiation on payment.
[24:50] Then also the cost of the
project because of some
[24:54] of the issues that are ongoing.
[24:56] Yeah, I've scoured the
construction specification.
[25:00] We use the Minnesota
Department of Transportation
[25:05] standard construction
specifications
[25:07] on all our projects.
[25:08] There are monetary
adjustments allowed
[25:11] for certain parameters of
the materials being provided,
[25:14] being out of specification.
[25:17] That is not what
led to this failure.
[25:19] So at this point, I
don't know that there
[25:21] will be any financial.
[25:22] 
[25:25] Deductions that we're
contractually able to recoup,
[25:30] but that's only if I
believe the project
[25:32] will function as it
needs to suit our needs.
[25:36] So I'm still
exploring that, but I
[25:37] have not found a
provision that would
[25:39] allow us to withhold money.
[25:41] To date, no, no
payment has been made
[25:44] on the bridge Avenue project,
but that will come due soon.
[25:49] OK thank you.
[25:52] You're welcome.
[25:53] 
[25:56] Other items as
necessary at this time.
[26:00] Then we'll move on to
County Commissioner items.
[26:02] Commissioner Severson.
[26:04] Nothing at this time.
[26:05] Thank you, Commissioner casa.
[26:07] I would just remind people
that as we start school
[26:11] to drive slower look twice.
[26:15] Our children are more important
than how fast you get somewhere.
[26:18] So bikes, buses, walking.
[26:23] Be careful.
[26:25] All right.
[26:25] Thank you, Commissioner Schaaf.
[26:28] There is an email that went
out about the ditch hearing
[26:30] or potential ditch
hearing going on,
[26:33] and I think I would
request to have it at one
[26:38] of our County Board meetings.
[26:40] I think if it was something
that people can't show up,
[26:46] there's always written comments.
[26:47] I mean, you pick a
time during the day
[26:49] and there might be a
time during the day
[26:51] that people won't be able
to show up in the afternoon
[26:54] or at night or
whatever, but I think
[26:58] the people that have
been involved in this
[27:02] will show up no matter
what time or date.
[27:04] Now, with the date being said,
it was proposed mid October
[27:09] I think might want to consider
that because of farm work.
[27:16] So we might want to put
that later in the season
[27:20] because some people might be
in the fields and that's it.
[27:26] All right.
[27:26] Thank you for that
Commissioner Ekstrom.
[27:30] Yeah just the only comments
I have there's a lot
[27:32] of press about proposed levies.
[27:35] Star Tribune has a lot of
articles about the burdens
[27:40] that counties are facing.
[27:41] So we're not the
only ones as we know.
[27:43] But before we approve
our preliminary,
[27:48] just have a lot of
communicating to do, I think,
[27:50] with our constituents.
[27:52] I appreciate our
County administrator
[27:55] handling the data request.
[27:56] When we did the moratorium on
the data centers renewed that.
[28:00] So I know the media
had reached out to me.
[28:02] I'm assuming that they probably
sent us all the exact same email
[28:05] or phone calls.
[28:06] So I appreciate Melanie grabbing
the bull by the horns on that
[28:11] and issuing that data requests.
[28:16] Is this something.
[28:18] And I know I've brought
this up in the past.
[28:20] Is that something where
the County board can learn
[28:25] how many hours of staff time and
just kind of a refresher on how
[28:30] many hours of staff
time this is taking
[28:33] and a breakdown or
these data requests,
[28:36] all primarily coming
from one person,
[28:39] are the data requests coming
primarily focusing on the jail
[28:42] or just so the board has
an idea on the expense that
[28:47] is going into this.
[28:49] Because I think this also might
be a talking point up at the AMC
[28:53] and then dealing with this one
benefit of the new software
[28:56] that the County got.
[28:57] And so we're able to actually
track not only the requests and
[29:00] where they're coming and
the type of requests,
[29:02] but actually able to track
the ones that are taking
[29:06] more staff time to compile.
[29:08] We are able to track that.
[29:09] And so we can see what is
the impact to the County
[29:13] for all of these requests.
[29:15] And so we don't have
a lot of data in there
[29:19] right now because it is
a relatively new program.
[29:21] But, we do have a
pretty decent sample
[29:25] size just from the short time
that we have been using it.
[29:29] Because when did that
software go into effect.
[29:32] Do when we started using that.
[29:35] That was this summer.
[29:36] Oh, so real recently.
[29:37] So it's relatively recent.
[29:39] Yeah OK.
[29:41] And then just two
other quick items.
[29:46] We had expressed our interest
in sharing a letter of support
[29:49] to get that blazing,
blazing star trail done.
[29:52] And the city of Albert Lea.
[29:54] Cathy Malachowsky is
working on that letter
[29:56] and has sent a few drafts.
[29:58] And so that will be coming
before us at some point.
[30:02] And then the last thing I
just want to express support
[30:06] for our County administrator who
isn't here today, and Sue Yost,
[30:11] because I know it is miserable
to be constantly bashed
[30:14] in the newspaper by
a particular citizen,
[30:17] and especially when they
take information and twist it
[30:24] and don't give the full story.
[30:25] And so I just want our staff
to know that I do support you.
[30:30] I know you have a
lot on your shoulders
[30:33] in dealing with
your departments.
[30:35] And of course, the
administrator is not here,
[30:38] but it's a lot of
work to run a County.
[30:41] It's a lot of work
to run a department,
[30:43] a lot of legal requirements.
[30:44] And so I just I
appreciate what you do.
[30:47] And I am sorry that I mean,
obviously I've been the target
[30:51] also in the newspaper,
but our administrator
[30:55] and our public health director
in particular constantly.
[30:58] And frankly, I
find it despicable.
[31:01] And so I just want
you to know that
[31:03] and I want all the
public who listens
[31:04] to our meetings to know that.
[31:05] I think it is
absolutely despicable
[31:08] how you are constantly
called out in the newspaper.
[31:11] So anyway, that's it.
[31:13] I'll end on that.
[31:14] So thank you for what you do.
[31:15] All right.
[31:16] Just a couple things.
[31:17] I wasn't going to
say a thing, but I'm
[31:18] going to take off on a
couple things you said
[31:20] and that most
recent article that
[31:23] was written by that individual.
[31:26] Some of the numbers in
that were not factual.
[31:29] I don't know where
they came from, but.
[31:34] They were not true at all.
[31:37] And then when it comes
to data requests,
[31:40] I recently spoke to it, and
the discussion had to do
[31:44] with email and data retention.
[31:47] And the positives of that would
be twofold, because we have
[31:52] to continually increase our
storage for all that everything
[31:56] is saved, but also when it
comes to a data request,
[31:59] if it has been deleted and gone,
it minimizes some of the work
[32:05] that's put into that also.
[32:07] So I think it and administration
will be working on some policy
[32:12] or procedure as far as how
long we should be hanging on
[32:15] to different things
coming in the near future,
[32:18] and that is all I have.
[32:20] So with that, we are adjourned.
[32:22] Thank you.