[0:01] [clears throat]

[0:22] Remind everybody about their microphones.

[0:27] » Microphones. Hello.

[0:33] Hello. Can you hear me?

[0:37] » Yep, I can hear you.

[0:51] Go

[0:59] morning. Call the PR County meeting to order. Start off the pledge, please.

[1:04] To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it

[1:10] stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[1:15] for all. [clears throat and cough]

[1:18] » Good morning everybody. Um, first thing on the agenda is approval of the

[1:23] minutes.

[1:31] » [snorts]

[1:37] » So, we got a motion. We got a second um with the changes. All those in favor

[1:42] by saying I >> I oppose same sign. Motion carries.

[1:48] Approval of the bills.

[1:53] Everybody get a chance to look at the stuff that Candy sent out.

[2:05] You have any questions? Candy can probably answer them. It looks a lot

[2:10] different than normal,

[2:13] but I'm looking at them. But there was one

[2:17] There was one that said sell and land. What was that?

[2:22] I'm trying to find it here. There was two of them. I think Stension had one

[2:26] and I think emergency management had one.

[2:31] » Cell and landform landline. >> Well, that's that is

[2:36] I believe that's what that stands for. [clears throat]

[2:43] I don't find it right in front of me, but I saw two of them

[2:50] cuz both of those would have that. Correct.

[3:01] » Okay, good with that. >> Yeah, it's cell phone and landline.

[3:05] Yeah,

[3:10] » I knew what to sell, but I wasn't sure about.

[3:14] Make a motion to pay the bills. >> Second.

[3:17] » We have a motion. We have a second. Any other discussion? Hearing none. Roll

[3:22] call, please. >> His hi.

[3:27] » Fitz. >> Hi.

[3:29] » Brown. >> Hi.

[3:32] » Conf. >> Hi.

[3:36] » Motion carries. Approval of treasure checks.

[3:41] » Move to approve. >> Second.

[3:43] » We have a motion. We have a second.

[3:48] All those. Oh, sorry. Broke call. Please

[3:53] » hold. >> Hi.

[3:55] » Ruth. >> Hi.

[3:57] » Brown. >> Hi.

[3:59] » Hulk. >> Hi.

[4:01] » Motion carries. Approval. Approve of financials.

[4:06] [clears throat]

[4:09] It is now the liability report. Correct. On that.

[4:13] » Yes. So that you guys see that the report shows for financials. Now it's

[4:18] called a liability report just so that you're aware.

[4:29] » Everything's all right, Candy? >> Yep. We're still

[4:34] we're still working, but it's it's coming there.

[4:42] Move to approve. >> Second.

[4:46] » We have a motion. We have a second for the approval of financials. All in favor

[4:51] by saying I. >> I.

[4:53] » I. Those opposed. Same sign. Approval of the agenda that is presented

[4:59] to us.

[5:04] Anybody have anything to add to the agenda?

[5:10] » To approve. We have a motion. >> Second.

[5:14] » We have a second. All those in favor by saying I.

[5:17] » I. >> All oppose. Same sign.

[5:21] Sarah. >> Make sure [clears throat] the mic's on,

[5:24] please. Thank you. >> Good morning. [clears throat]

[5:28] » Good morning, Sarah. >> I have a couple updates to share with

[5:31] you today. Uh, first week will begin October 4th through the 10th, and we'll

[5:36] be kicking off the week with our annual pancake breakfast. This year we are

[5:41] changing things up a little bit. We're moving out to the Ramsey County

[5:44] Fairgrounds where we'll be utilizing the 4H Hall in the Western State Bank Event

[5:49] Center. Our new addition this year. Yes. >> You're going to do the pancake stuff. I

[5:54] want to make sure. So I put this on. >> Yes. Pancake breakfast will be out.

[5:57] Actually, I do have a um >> If I could get that flyer.

[6:01] » Yes. Here I have a flyer. >> Sorry.

[6:04] » If you would like to take a flyer, please help us spread the word because

[6:08] it is a big change. and we've we this is the first time we're going to try it out

[6:12] at the 4 hall.

[6:16] » Thank you. Yes. Also, our uh 4ers will be doing a a bake

[6:22] sale along with it to help raise funds for future service learning projects

[6:27] throughout the 4 year. And pancake breakfast tickets can be

[6:32] purchased from any Ramsey County 4 member at the extension office here in

[6:36] Ramsey County or at the door that morning. So, uh, we do have a a

[6:40] complimentary ticket for each of you. So, we hope you'll be able to join us.

[6:43] If you can't use it, please give it to somebody else and, um,

[6:49] we'll we'd love to have everybody there. Uh, along with it, the Ramsey County

[6:53] Fair Board is also planning some fun activities, so there will be plenty to

[6:57] enjoy out there that day. We'd love to see you come out and spend the morning

[7:00] with us. And again, that's Sunday, October 4th from 8:30 to 12:30 at the

[7:06] Ramsey County Fairgrounds.

[7:12] Um, and then my second update is regarding the 2027,

[7:16] it's hard to hard to believe I'm already saying that, lake region extension

[7:20] roundup, which is quickly approaching this year. The event will be held

[7:24] January 6th and 7th. We'll be uh utilizing the memorial building, Armory,

[7:31] and the meeting rooms at the Ramsey County Courthouse. Our planning

[7:35] committee's been working hard already to line up speakers and main sessions,

[7:40] breakout sessions, and I'm here today to ask for the

[7:44] commission's permission, if possible, to have the doors open between the

[7:48] buildings as well as the courthouse basement doors within the stairwell

[7:52] during the event. Having those doors accessible would greatly improve

[7:57] participants [snorts] ability just to move um in between locations, navigate

[8:01] the event much easier. So, um, just wanted to kind of ask in advance before

[8:06] we start advertising. Uh, >> which day again?

[8:10] » It's January 6th and 7th.

[8:15] » Make a motion to go ahead and approve the doors.

[8:23] » Second.

[8:26] » Have a motion. We have a second. All those in favor by saying I.

[8:29] » I. Oppos? Same sign. [clears throat] carries.

[8:36] » Not. Yeah. And that's all I have today is if anybody has any questions for me

[8:40] before >> anybody have anything for Sarah before

[8:43] she splits.

[8:49] » Absolutely.

[8:53] » Yes. Absolutely.

[8:59] » Thank you, Sarah. >> Yes. You're welcome. Thank you,

[9:04] » Bev. Up to you. >> Good morning.

[9:09] » Morning, Bev. >> I just wanted to give you an update on

[9:11] our remote indexing. We are on schedule to finish up everything this uh fall. Um

[9:19] it'll probably be towards the end of October or the beginning of November

[9:22] when we're done. Um we did run into an issue when uh some of the pages were

[9:27] scanned in. There was a little over a 100 pages that were scanned in that

[9:30] actually had three documents on it instead of one. So, we had to take and

[9:35] split them. That meant that we had going to have a little overrun of the $30,000

[9:40] this year. There is should be enough in our end account to cover that. I'm

[9:45] anticipating around $1,000. Um,

[9:50] wanted to make you guys aware of that. >> And this should be complete of all our

[9:53] indexing after this. >> Correct. Right.

[9:55] » We will be indexed back to 1882. >> Right now we're at 1894

[10:01] » and that that brings us all the way to current also. Correct.

[10:04] » Correct. [clears throat] >> Yes. So I just wanted to make sure that

[10:07] you guys knew that there's going to be a little bit of a overrun, but our endrin

[10:10] fund should cover all that. >> Is there any other questions for be on

[10:16] the indexing?

[10:24] hearing. I don't >> I don't think there will be an issue.

[10:26] » No, I don't think so either. So, >> thank you Katie for us.

[10:32] » I will do that. >> It'll be nice to have that all all

[10:35] completed. >> Yeah, I've heard good responses back

[10:38] from some of the people that have been back searching.

[10:43] » All of this is protected on the server, right?

[10:45] » Correct. >> It's on a backup. So, we

[10:48] » It's backed up on our system and it's also backed up on end. Okay. All right.

[10:53] [clears throat] >> Double backup.

[10:54] » Thank you. Okay. >> Anybody else have any questions?

[10:57] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[11:01] » Moving on to water,

[11:09] please. [clears throat and cough]

[11:34] » [snorts]

[11:37] » Yep. Go ahead. >> Good morning.

[11:40] » Morning. >> We're just finishing up our monthly

[11:43] board meeting. Not a lot to report. Mr. Hall gave us an update on Fster

[11:49] Slooh appeal and I don't I plan on trying to attend. I don't know if any

[11:53] other board members are going to but we will do our best. [clears throat]

[11:59] Uh Mr. Hall, I don't know if you've taken and addressed the certificate of

[12:02] indebtedness to the county yet or the commissioners, but he basically without

[12:08] putting words in his mouth, is not recommending that the county do this for

[12:14] and he can explain that to you for his reasons. So, the board decided to go

[12:18] with financing options from a different lender so we don't have to deal with

[12:22] that. And we had water one water complaint

[12:26] that there'll be some upsized culverts between county 9 and highway 17. The

[12:34] study came back and the recommendation was 248

[12:40] in nope in uh south and nine basically by Hermanson IT. So, Prospect Township

[12:47] will be contacting you for pipes. >> And they are currently what?

[12:52] » They're currently 124 and 136. >> And they're saying 248.

[12:59] » 248s or an additional 48, but the complaintant asked to have fewer pipes

[13:04] and just put two in instead of having three because uh dirt work might have

[13:09] been done to make them fit. So, it'll just be better off.

[13:15] Other than that, we got our audit findings back and it was a clean audit

[13:18] with just the standard two recommendations for segregation of

[13:22] duties and the preparation of the audit because it's only one person taking and

[13:28] giving him information and other than that it was pretty quiet

[13:32] morning. So, any questions for me? >> Anybody have any questions for John?

[13:39] » Hearing none. Thanks, John. >> All right. Thank you.

[13:43] Moving on to Terry Hunt. [clears throat] Nicole will be online. Can you hear us?

[13:49] Nicole,

[13:56] » are you there? Nicole.

[14:02] » All right. Good morning, everybody. Carrie Hunt from Blue Cross and Blue

[14:05] Shield. Nice to see everybody. Um, I think Candi probably gave you some of

[14:09] the documents. Um what I'm here today is to kind of go over um to let you guys

[14:14] know that the uh the current plan that the the employees have at Ramsey County

[14:19] um is what we call a grandfathered classic blue plan. And um Blue Cross and

[14:23] Blue Shield um once healthcare reform was passed back in 2010. Um we were one

[14:29] of the only carriers that allowed folks to continue with plans that were pre um

[14:34] ACA, which is the Affordable Care Act. Um and so we have held on to these plans

[14:39] for the last um well 16 years and um they have differed from our other plans

[14:46] that they um no changes were ever going to be made to these plans. They were

[14:49] literally what they were called grandfathered and whatever benefits that

[14:52] they had. Um they didn't necessarily meet all the requirements of the

[14:56] Affordable Care Act. Um well finally now in 2027 Blue Cross and Blue Shield has

[15:01] decided to retire all of the grandfathered plans. So, we will be

[15:04] discontinuing the classic blue grandfathered plan and we are looking at

[15:09] moving the employees to what we are calling a your blue um either a 9500 or

[15:15] an 8500. And what the difference is with those plans by eliminating the

[15:19] grandfather plans, they do not contain a lot of the preventative benefits that

[15:24] the ACA kind of recommends that uh plans have. And with the traditional plan that

[15:30] they have right now, they they have a deductible that is going to apply to

[15:34] some of their major services, uh, hospital stays, lab work, x-rays, MRIs,

[15:39] those sorts of things. They'll be responsible for the first $250.

[15:43] And then they're going to pay a co- insurance of 10%

[15:46] of things like um, office visits and chiropractic and um, anything after

[15:51] their deductible is met on a hospital stay, they're going to pay that.

[15:54] » I got a question. You're talking 250. That's every time they go.

[15:58] » Nope. The $2 $250 deductible is if they have like a hospital stay, they're going

[16:02] to pay the first $ 250 and then once that deductible is met, then they pay co

[16:05] insurance. >> Make sure that because when you say 250,

[16:09] if we don't have that that it's once that's met.

[16:12] » Absolutely. Yep. Yep. So once they and then they have co-pays. So every time

[16:16] somebody would go to the doctor, go to the chiropractor, they would pay and get

[16:20] medications, they're paying a co-pay. And the one thing about the grandfather

[16:23] plans that is different than the new plans, every time somebody would pay a

[16:27] co-pay, that did not go to their out-of- pocket maximum. So you could have

[16:32] somebody, for example, if they went to the doctor 10 times or the chiropractor

[16:36] 10 times in a year, that would be $250 that they paid that was not applying to

[16:41] their out-of- pocket maximum. They paid that to the provider. On these new

[16:44] plans, on the non-grandfather plans, every penny that somebody pays is going

[16:49] to their out of pocket. So on this your blue I put in the packet either an 8020

[16:55] plan or a 9010 plan and in talking to Nicole and Candy we were kind of looking

[17:01] more to that 8020. So the your blue 500 8020 it's a very traditional plan. Again

[17:07] people are used to paying 20% co insurance when they go in and have

[17:11] services done. It moves it from a $250 deductible to a 500, which again is only

[17:18] going to apply for somebody if they end up in the hospital, have lab work,

[17:22] x-rays, um, MRIs, surgery, then they're responsible for that $500.

[17:29] If they are just purely going in to the doctor, they have an office visit or

[17:33] they're going to the chiropractor, they are going to pay a flat $30 co-pay, but

[17:39] that goes towards their out-of- pocket maximum. They don't pay any more co

[17:42] insurance. They just pay the $30 uh co-pay. If they end up in the hospital,

[17:48] they are going to pay 20% of that visit again. And that's going to go to their

[17:52] out- of-pocket maximum. So, when we look at it, the the current plan they have

[17:57] has out-ofpocket for medical and it has out-of pocket for pharmacy. So, if

[18:02] people are going in to get medications, they have a separate co insurance, which

[18:06] is not the deductible, it's a co- insurance. they would pay a $15 co-pay

[18:11] and then 20% of their medication and they'd have a maximum of $1,000 they

[18:15] paid on on medication. So for a family of four, for example, um on the current

[18:21] plan that they have right now, they would have the deductible of a family

[18:26] would be $500. One person would never meet more than that $ 250. They would

[18:31] have co- insurance on medical of $2,000. So just on medical they would have

[18:36] $2,500 out of pocket and then each member would have a $1,000 maximum on

[18:42] med on medications. So really that family could be looking at about $6,500

[18:48] of out of pocket. And again remember none of the co-pays that that family

[18:52] paid was going to that out-of- pocket maximum. Okay. On the new plans again

[18:58] they would be looking at a $500 deductible.

[19:01] They would be looking at on the single plan then $3,000 would be your maximum

[19:06] out of pocket. So we're going to have $2,500 out of pocket of the co

[19:09] insurance, but that's going to include their medication, their medical,

[19:14] everything is going to cap them out at $3,000 for a single. A family would be

[19:18] looking at $6,000 max out of pocket. And no one person ever has to meet more

[19:25] than that single out of pocket. Now, on top of moving to this your blue

[19:31] plan, some of the benefits that the employees are going to see, they are

[19:35] going to get all of the preventative benefits that go along with the ACA. We

[19:39] are now going to see mammograms and paps for women paid at 100%. And there is no

[19:45] limit on that. So, honestly, if a female wanted to have multiple mammograms in a

[19:50] year, she can do that paid at 100% by the plan. Colonoscopies. Again, we used

[19:56] to have a limit of one every 10 years. We're removing the limit on that. So

[20:00] again, if there's no family history and they haven't doctored for anything

[20:04] related to the stomach or the colon, they are entitled to a a colonoscopy

[20:08] paid at 100%. Those are things you did not have on your current plan right now.

[20:14] So the preventative benefits are going to align this plan with the market and

[20:18] no providers have to worry about are things covered, are they not covered?

[20:22] And the other benefit that you're people are going to see is with this plan, they

[20:27] get what's called the valuebased drug list. So for anybody on this plan that

[20:31] is a diabetic, if they have any issues with blood pressure, cholesterol, um

[20:36] inhalers, any of that is now going to cost those people only a $5 co-pay for

[20:42] every 30 days that they get that medication filled. In the current plan,

[20:46] if you have a diabetic, they're paying a $15 co-pay and then 20% of that insulin.

[20:51] So going forward on the new plan, a diabetic literally could probably spend

[20:57] $60 a year on their insulin, max, $5 for every 30 days they fill it. So the

[21:03] benefits that are added into these new non-grandfather plans um far far out

[21:08] anything that would be any difference in the out of pocket that folks are going

[21:11] to see. Um so that's on the medical plan. Um, but we were looking at again

[21:18] moving to the $500 deductible, either the 8020 or the 9010. The difference

[21:23] literally is just going to be the amount of co insurance that people have to pay.

[21:26] So the 10% or the 20%, people are going to get to their out of pocket max faster

[21:32] if you go with the 8020 because they're paying 20% um instead of 10%. So, um the

[21:37] difference if you went with the 8020 does lower your um cost uh for the

[21:42] Ramsey County just because the amen has to pay a little bit more before um

[21:46] anything kicks in. So, that would be um on that what we're looking at for

[21:51] medical would be roughly around a 6.7% increase in your suggested funding level

[21:58] if you wanted to do that. Um, in speaking with Candy and I've been part

[22:02] of Ramsey Countyy's health plan for the 18 years that I've been at Blue Cross

[22:06] and Blue Shield and um, I think the fund is pretty flush. So, it's really we give

[22:10] you a suggestion on on on a percentage, but that's purely up to the

[22:14] commissioners and you guys to decide if you want to increase what you're funding

[22:18] um, or not. Again, you're going to be paying claims every week and then you'll

[22:23] be paying a flat stop-loss um, premium once a month. So that that's completely

[22:28] up to you if you want to uh increase what you guys are are funding. Um again,

[22:33] whatever money is in that pot is your money. Blue Cross does not get that

[22:37] unless you have claims. Um the other thing that I put in the packet for you

[22:42] guys to take a look at is um on the dental plan. In talking to Nicole and

[22:47] Candy, um we're presenting this year an enhanced uh dental plan. Uh let's face

[22:54] it, as as the years go by, uh dental work does not get any less expensive. It

[22:59] gets more expensive. And the one that we are presenting to you um would be

[23:04] increasing your annual maximum benefit from $1,000 to $1,500

[23:09] and then adding orthodontic coverage um of $2,000 lifetime. Now, the one nice

[23:15] thing about our dental plans with the orthodontia is it's for both adults and

[23:20] for children. So, if adults wanted to do Invisalign or if adults wanted to do

[23:26] anything um with actual braces, they have that ability to do that $1,500. The

[23:31] nice thing about increasing that annual maximum is um from $1,000 is if people

[23:36] have any major work done, crowns, root canals, um they're going to have their

[23:40] dollars going to go farther. All of the preventative services that can be done

[23:44] on the dental plan, you get four cleanings a year. None of that is going

[23:49] to be deducted from that $1,500. So, you can still go in for your four cleanings

[23:53] and still have that $1,500 to use on dental work. So, the nice thing about

[23:58] Dental Envision with the arrangement that you guys have as being self-funded

[24:03] is you're only paying for claims when they are when they come through. you're

[24:08] not paying premiums to Blue Cross and and then if people aren't using it,

[24:12] they're not, you know, your your money that you're putting in your in your fund

[24:17] is paying premiums or uh claims when they come through. And again, there's a

[24:21] maximum of what people can use. So, um it's not like the medical where it's

[24:25] unlimited. Um it would literally be um tap. So, we're showing you that um with

[24:31] the dental um it could look at again depending on where the the fund is for

[24:36] the dental and vision. um by increasing the maximum it would be increasing the

[24:41] dental roughly around 34%. But again, remember those dental premiums are a lot

[24:46] lower than than the health premium. So again, uh you already have a pretty good

[24:52] um dollar amount that you're putting in for dental. So it really doesn't you

[24:55] wouldn't have to increase it um significantly on that um if you didn't

[25:00] want to. And then the last thing is on the vision. Uh no changes to the vision.

[25:04] Uh we still do have an issue here in Devil's Lake where none of the providers

[25:08] uh that accept that do vision accept any buddies uh vision insurance. However,

[25:15] with VSSP, who we have contracted with, they will allow people if they want to

[25:19] have services done here in Devil's Lake to keep the business local, um they just

[25:23] have to call VSP ahead of time before they have their appointment, let them

[25:27] know that there's no providers in their town that accept VSSP and they will

[25:31] process that claim at the in network uh level so that people get the biggest

[25:35] bang for their buck. if people choose to go out of town to have their vision

[25:39] services done, um as long as they're picking a VSSP provider, um and there's

[25:43] plenty of them, um Devil's Lake just happens to be a pocket in North Dakota

[25:47] that doesn't have any providers. So, um there shouldn't be any issues. And then

[25:52] back to the dental, sorry, uh all the providers in Devil's Lake take uh the

[25:56] UCD dental. So, no issues with that. Any questions for me on any of that?

[26:08] Does the [clears throat]

[26:12] I get the right tapes.

[26:17] Does the 85th 500 does that cover have any coverage for GLPs?

[26:22] » Yeah. So, actually what we did is since the grandfather plan did not have the

[26:27] ability to cover GLP1s for weight loss, um the the quote for this year because

[26:32] you guys have never had GLP-1 coverage for weight loss. There was no rate

[26:36] impact to add GLP-1 coverage. Now, you still have the opportunity as a

[26:41] self-funded client to not offer GLP-1 coverage for weight loss. Where you will

[26:46] probably see a rate impact is if you offer GLP1 coverage this year, you know,

[26:50] and people use it, then you would see it next year. But there's no rate impact

[26:54] this year in 2027 to offer GLP-1 coverage for weight loss. So, we just

[26:59] need to know if you want it um to be a benefit for folks or or not.

[27:12] » Nicole, do you got anything to add?

[27:17] [clears throat]

[27:20] » Yeah. Can you hear me? >> Yes.

[27:26] » Okay. also present

[27:37] » stop loss.

[27:43] » Yep. Yeah. So, right now you guys are at a $30,000 stop loss. Um which means

[27:48] Ramsey County covers the first 30,000 of every belly button that you guys cover

[27:54] under this plan. Um, and so what we looked at was doing a $40,000 or a

[27:59] $50,000 stop loss. Um, and again, um, probably looking at the the the funds

[28:04] that are available, I think it it's pretty flush. So, if you guys wanted to

[28:08] take on a little bit more liability um, for the the claims purposes, then that

[28:14] just lowers um, what your monthly stop-loss premiums are going to be to to

[28:19] Blue Cross and Blue Shield. So, um, again, it probably lowers it. I think if

[28:23] we looked at the at the $50,000 one, I think it's going to lower it. I think it

[28:29] takes off, it probably brings it down about 10%.

[28:35] On your stop-loss premiums. Now, again, that increases your

[28:39] liability, but you only pay that up to 50,000 if people have claims up to that

[28:44] 50,000. And we do have right now there's about

[28:48] two people that are um kind of in your high dollar cases that are look like

[28:53] they will probably be active again next year in 2027.

[29:01] » So all of this insurance that you're talking here, this is for full-time

[29:05] employees only. >> Yes. Yep. For full-time employees for

[29:08] Health Dental Vision. So, is there any options if we were to have part-time

[29:13] employees on your guidance? >> Do you have a lot of part-time people?

[29:18] » I'm asking in case we would have to go that

[29:20] » um you can always put in a class of coverage for part-time uh employees. Uh

[29:25] typically, uh what we see for other groups that do part-time employees, they

[29:30] normally make them work an hour a minimum of 20 hours to be part-time and

[29:33] then they typically don't, how do I want to say this? Treat them

[29:38] the same as the full-time employees. So, right now, everyone is getting the the

[29:41] their premiums paid. Part-time typically are aren't going to get the same level

[29:46] of employer contribution that the that the full-time do. So,

[29:50] that would be completely up to you guys. If you were going to say like we'll pay

[29:54] for a single or we'll pay you have to pay 50% of your single, that would be

[29:58] completely up to you guys. The minimum would be sing 50% of a single plan has

[30:02] to be paid by the employer if you're going to offer coverage. So, and I only

[30:07] bring that up lean just because sometimes full-time people don't like to

[30:10] know that part-time people are getting the same benefits that they are

[30:16] paid by the employer, [clears throat]

[30:21] but that is completely your guys's decision to do.

[30:26] Nicole, did I did I forget anything else?

[30:32] » I don't think so. Do you think

[30:47] So, did that answer your question, Nicole? as far as a part-time

[30:52] » benefit thing.

[31:06] I just wanted I just wanted to make sure that you're um I know we had talked

[31:10] offline about in case we've had would have part-time employees how we would

[31:17] proceed. >> Yep.

[31:18] » You know, and since you're here today, Carrie, I want to make sure I ask that

[31:22] question so that we're not >> putting more stress on Candy to ask you

[31:26] when we have you right here. >> Yeah. No, you bet. You bet.

[31:28] » Is that part-time? Does that [clears throat] decision need

[31:32] to be made when selecting one of these or is that something the commission and

[31:37] county can do at any time? >> Yeah, it should be done on group

[31:40] anniversary which is January one. And so if it's just something that if you don't

[31:43] have any part-time people now, but you anticipate like maybe in March, you

[31:48] would probably get part-time. I would put it in your contract that just says

[31:52] part-time employees are eligible for benefits working 20 hours a week. They

[31:57] get, you know, whatever. I'm just throwing this out here. they get 50% of

[32:00] a single paid by, you know, Ramsey County. But as long as it's spelled out

[32:04] that whenever anybody has a part-time employee, then they would be offered

[32:07] benefits >> and that doesn't affect rates.

[32:10] » Now, where it could affect rates is if they have a lot of claims.

[32:14] » So Nicole, do you have a question?

[32:18] » I was just

[32:37] out there.

[32:50] There's been some back and forth.

[32:57] So

[33:01] we're not ready for

[33:12] that.

[33:18] So we want as much discussion as possible. [laughter]

[33:28] So basically >> my understanding is we need to have this

[33:32] settled by December. >> Yeah. And I think whenever your I think

[33:36] typically in the past we've had it approved

[33:39] » October >> whenever you guys have to have your

[33:42] budget finalized. So yes, you don't need to make any final decisions today. I

[33:46] think again like Nicole said, it's really more of a anformational just

[33:49] because the plan is being discontinued. We want to get this in front of you. So,

[33:52] if you guys had any questions, I'm here to answer them. Um, and I and I can tell

[33:56] you that the plans that they would be moving to are much better for the

[34:01] members than the current plan that they're on. So, just the additional

[34:06] benefits that they're going to receive.

[34:12] Any other questions for me? >> I don't have any other questions.

[34:15] Commission have any other questions? >> Okay.

[34:17] » I appreciate all the information. >> You bet. And like I said, and if you

[34:21] think of anything, Candy, she's got a direct line to me, so yeah, I'll answer

[34:26] whatever. >> You good?

[34:28] » Yeah. No, I'm good. >> Okay. All right. Thank you.

[34:32] » Yeah. Thanks for coming. [clears throat]

[34:37] » Moving on to Jason.

[34:44] » All right, we will uh jump right in. I guess we get the Magwater Dust Control

[34:50] invoice from Haley's Dust Control for $10,995.25.

[34:56] I'm asking for a motion to pay that amount and then there'll be $2748.81

[35:03] being reversed through the residents who had the dust control done.

[35:08] » Move to approve payment. Second. >> We got a motion. We got a second to pay

[35:14] the $10,99525.

[35:19] Any hearing any discussion here point you all getting reimbured?

[35:25] » Yep. And this was the last year we were going

[35:28] to offer this. I didn't budget for this in the 27 budget [clears throat]

[35:33] because county paid. >> Can we make sure people get those

[35:36] letters? >> Yep. [clears throat] Yep. We will once

[35:38] we decide. >> We talked about this before, but just

[35:41] like Yeah. letter know that it's not going to be an

[35:44] option. >> Um, so we have a motion and we have a

[35:49] second. Any other discussion >> hearing? None. Roll call.

[35:55] We're paying

[35:59] » Hodis. >> Hi.

[36:01] » Rick. >> Hi.

[36:02] » Brown. >> Hi.

[36:04] » Folk. >> Hi.

[36:06] » Motion carries. Uh the next thing is I um have a

[36:12] contract with uh for uh surplus equipment again

[36:18] with Westad. He did our sale last year. It was pretty successful. Um thought

[36:23] we'd look at doing that again. You guys were

[36:27] good with the list. I think I sent everybody a list. I believe

[36:31] » um do we want to go do we have to go through each one of those? How do we do

[36:34] that? I don't remember from last year. I can.

[36:38] So, basically, you have a master disc on there, wheel rake,

[36:42] car, kettle, the John Deere with a um $3,500 reserve. Correct.

[36:48] » Yep. >> International dump truck, Bush Hog,

[36:52] Batwing, 15 foot, 500gallon propane tank, two of them, um F-150,

[37:01] and then two Rams. >> Yes.

[37:04] Anybody have any questions as far as the items

[37:09] that are on the list?

[37:14] » This will be when? >> September 24th.

[37:18] And it won't be our own sale. He's uh they're doing a consignment sale again.

[37:22] So, there'll be other items on the sale. We don't have enough for our own this

[37:27] year. Last year, we had quite a bit, but this should be the last one, I would

[37:33] think, for a couple years. is with who again?

[37:35] » With Wested >> with Kyler Wested.

[37:43] » Make a motion to go ahead and declare the item surplus and

[37:48] [clears throat] conduct the online auction.

[37:51] » Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any

[37:55] discussion? Hearing none

[37:59] by saying I. >> I. Those opposed same sign. Motion

[38:03] carries. [clears throat]

[38:06] » Okay. My next thing is a budget item. We need to purchase 300 ton of sand so we

[38:12] can do some salt sand mixing and then have some around for for um crack

[38:17] sealing in the spring. The quote is for $4,50

[38:22] for what we need from Gowen. They were our low bid this spring on our materials

[38:26] quote. So asking for a motion to accept the quote and get the sand.

[38:31] » Move to approve. Second. >> Feel the motion. We have a second. Those

[38:36] in favor by saying I >> I those opposed sign. Motion carries.

[38:44] » Wash sand bl just no rock or gravel in it. Just

[38:48] cleaned. Um the next thing on the list is

[38:54] purchase uh the chips seal rock class 42 from Gwen.

[38:59] We only need about 1,900 ton with what we have left over from this year's

[39:04] projects. As we shifted part of that to next year, we were going to do some

[39:07] patching in that area. So, we didn't use everything we had on hand. Again, they

[39:12] were the low quote this spring when we did our materials bids. And for uh the

[39:19] 1900 ton, that comes out to $75,95. So, asking for a motion to accept this

[39:24] quote for the 2027 chip sale projects. Move to approve.

[39:29] » Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any

[39:32] other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor by saying I.

[39:37] » I. Same sign. Motion carries.

[39:42] [clears throat] >> Next thing we have going is we need a

[39:45] second rental tractor to mow with. We did this last year as well. John Deere

[39:50] only offers one through the program now for each entity. So, um, High Plans has

[39:55] agreed again to rent this one at $75 an hour with a 100 hour minimum.

[40:00] » So, did we hit that last year? >> We didn't.

[40:03] » We did not. We were really close. We were at 80 some hours. Um, we only we

[40:08] were short on staff last year, so and they just went by the hour, but this

[40:12] year they want the 100 hour guarantee. So, we'll definitely use it for the 100

[40:15] this year. >> I was just curious how close we

[40:18] » It was really close. Yeah. [clears throat] So, um, anyway, that'd

[40:23] be $7,500 and we don't need to pay that. We're just asking to accept the rental

[40:28] agreement. >> So, move.

[40:32] » Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second.

[40:34] » All those in favor by saying I >> I both same size. Motion carries.

[40:40] » The next thing was that new approach request for Jordan Han on Ramsey County

[40:44] 1. He wants to come straight off of one onto his home driveway. I think I sent

[40:50] you guys the map of that. I believe I did. Um hopefully it was marked out okay

[40:57] so you could see what he was plan was with that. I um reached out. There's no

[41:03] regulations about approach per mile on that stretch of road or anything like

[41:07] that. The sight lines are good. I know another resident did it a year or two

[41:11] ago. Well, a couple three years ago was Kevin's time. So, it's all at their

[41:15] cost. There's no cost to the county on that. They'd have to purchase the covert

[41:18] and do the approach and he'd have to build it to the standards if it was

[41:22] approved. I have no reason to decline it other than the fact that

[41:28] there is a frontage road there. I don't know how many approaches we want off

[41:32] Ramsey County one, but I guess with it as their cost,

[41:39] » it's up to me. I It's >> How far up is the other road coming off

[41:43] the front? What What's the advantage? Well, they don't have to come in and

[41:47] then drive by the two neighbors houses. They can just go straight off the

[41:51] » do the other neighbors have straight on approaches.

[41:54] » Um, one has put one in. Yeah. At their own cost that the I believe the township

[42:01] is the one who did the the frontage road at the time to avoid the to avoid cost,

[42:06] you know. So if these homeowners, Kevin allowed it when he was there because

[42:10] they were assuming the costs themselves as homeowners.

[42:15] Well, >> we all know what approaches do if

[42:18] somebody goes off the highway and hits one,

[42:20] » right? And that's why they have to be built to the North Dakota DOT standard

[42:25] or we don't allow them. We inspect that. >> North Dakota standards are on highway

[42:30] two everywhere, >> right?

[42:32] » You go off road get an approach. We all know,

[42:36] » right? >> How many do you want up there?

[42:39] » Well, right. That's that's the next thing. I mean, there's [clears throat]

[42:44] they're all they're all along that stretch. Fison's got multiple on that

[42:51] side. You got It's a busy area. A lot of lot of development there.

[42:56] » The state highway, you better have a damn good reason to put one in there. I

[42:59] know that they only put them record. >> Right. Well, that's why I brought it

[43:05] here. Like I say, I did the leg work. I check in to see what the impacts would

[43:09] be. The sight lines are good. Things like

[43:12] that are fine for an approach. Just depends on how many

[43:15] » I have no problem. >> Yep.

[43:17] » Icy roads cause people to blow roads. >> Yep. That's why I brought it here.

[43:25] » I don't know. >> I think it's a little close. Is it

[43:30] close? I yeah I haven't I haven't with the

[43:34] reduced speed zone is what makes it okay. I haven't uh as far as spacing

[43:40] because it's reduced through there but I didn't pull the measurement off the on

[43:44] here for the other for the entrance one down on the so the entrance that the

[43:50] closest one to him is the one by Wendell's there where you come in on the

[43:53] south or the >> east end and then there's Wendle's house

[43:58] and other house and then his >> our side. Yeah, it's on the north side.

[44:02] So, right now there's two approaches onto that frontage road and then there's

[44:05] one going straight >> because I know there was a concern,

[44:10] correct me if I'm wrong, where the bike path side is, right?

[44:12] » Yep. >> When we had the last approach, the guy

[44:16] came in here and wanted to put I wish he was here, but when he wanted to pave it,

[44:22] there was concerns of paving up to the bike path. Correct.

[44:25] » Well, the bike path's getting right done now. So,

[44:28] » so how much traffic do we want over the bike path? Also, I'm just throw all the

[44:34] options out there because I know there was a lot of concern

[44:39] come in that we were redoing the bike path for that individual like are they

[44:43] going to patch it in so that his driveway still matches that, you know,

[44:48] are we are we creating some issues there where now we're paying for that? But

[44:53] even though that would be on their own because we did we're just doing the

[44:57] bike. >> Right.

[44:58] » So now this would be another avenue to cross that bike.

[45:02] » Right. >> Exactly. Yep. No. Yeah. Right.

[45:06] » I think that's some concern too. But >> well

[45:10] » you're thinking that it's a little close.

[45:12] » No. Seems like it. But

[45:17] » measure it on personal view. >> Which one is it? He's the third host

[45:22] from the

[45:27] » So you come in by Wendles and then you got the

[45:32] pizza. >> What's the purpose of I don't understand

[45:35] what the purpose of a frontage road is that we're just going to allow bunch of

[45:38] approaches to go in. I mean that's why frontage roads are put in to create less

[45:44] intersections. >> I get it. Everybody wants to know

[45:48] approach, but how many approaches will you put in before we have problems? I

[45:53] mean, look at what happened on Highway two. I mean, granted, we don't have the

[45:57] speed out there that we do on Highway two, but

[46:00] » there's one at Wendles, right? Then the next one west,

[46:03] » is there another one? >> All the way to

[46:08] » That's the one that's paved, I believe.

[46:16] Maybe she bring up

[46:24] so we can all see it. [cough] [clears throat]

[46:28] » And you put those in.

[46:32] Let them put them in and they think they own it.

[46:35] » Well, they would own it because we're not going to put the except for the

[46:38] rightway part. We'd still have jurisdiction over the rightway saying,

[46:41] » but we're not going to put the money. >> They own them. You know what? What the

[46:46] road? >> So, what comes next is a mailbox,

[46:50] » right? >> Um I don't Well, yeah, I know what

[46:54] you're saying. They want to control them.

[46:56] » I think what comes next is we should have never done the one we did because

[47:00] now we've opened up the can of worms. We let the neighbor do it and now we've got

[47:03] the next guy wanting to do it. >> And of course, granted, that wasn't any

[47:07] of my doing or many of your guys' doing, but it's something that was done.

[47:13] So now here we sit with >> I know what you're saying. Yeah.

[47:16] » If you [clears throat] asked for that on Highway 57, they'd say no.

[47:19] » Right. I agree. >> They wouldn't put no more there. Why

[47:24] didn't they do that on Highway 2 east? I don't know why the highway.

[47:29] » Oh, that's why we're That's why >> and the road on that other end, that

[47:32] other driveway to the other entrance isn't any further apart.

[47:37] Candy's gonna bring it up here so we can >> looks like 530.

[47:48] » I'm just looking at what are the advantages. I mean

[47:53] » just besides >> Yeah, it's the it's the third one right

[47:56] there. Ken, that's the one >> push to get out.

[47:59] » So you have the one at the beginning, right?

[48:01] » Yep. >> And then you have one further down.

[48:05] » You have that one. Then you have the one over.

[48:10] » So my question is the way it is now, we're not necking down traffic

[48:17] » because basically you have if you would have all the homes there's one, two,

[48:21] three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10.

[48:25] » This one >> right there.

[48:27] » Right there. >> Yeah.

[48:31] » We don't need more approaches along that road. Like I said, people go off of the

[48:35] car. >> You said we're looking at 500 ft

[48:38] » from that one to that one and 700 to the other one.

[48:43] » My if we allow this one and those four lots, someone puts a home in there and

[48:48] then we put another one in there and then we go down to the end with that new

[48:52] expansion coming on. Are they going to want one out the end? I'm just asking

[48:58] the question, are they going to want that frontage road to come all the way

[49:00] out to Walleye Drive next? >> Well, that would have been the thing to

[49:05] do instead of the one that we did. You know, in reality, if we were in

[49:09] » charge of the front room, Jason, the township.

[49:12] » Yeah. They're just looking for permission to

[49:16] come off our rightway. The the homeowner is not the township.

[49:21] » Not the township. No, he's got no support of the township.

[49:24] » Well, he just came to us. It's our right away from now. That would be the next

[49:28] step. I would [clears throat] >> do is talk to the township, see where

[49:31] they're at. >> Well, I think I think Blaine made a good

[49:35] point that I wasn't considering at the time either when I was looking at

[49:38] everything. We are going to redo the bike path. Maybe we just tell him to

[49:42] we'll revisit it after we he can revisit it after we look at the

[49:47] » bike path construction and see how that turns out.

[49:49] » Sure. because that'd be my only I I don't have the if the approach is built

[49:53] into the 4 to1 standard and the 3 to1 back slope and all that. It's a nice big

[49:57] ditch. I don't know the danger of the approach as much as the fact that we're

[50:01] going to be taking extra track and there plus they're going to be working there

[50:04] next summer that's getting done. So, we'd be in there digging up his new

[50:07] approach and his access anyway. >> What are we going to do? We got a grant

[50:11] to redo that um bike path through the transportation act

[50:17] » to [clears throat] get it up to current standards.

[50:19] » I'll be honest with you, you know how they have that front end road. I think

[50:23] only one person finishing that frontage road

[50:29] straight west. So you would have an access point on

[50:33] this side and you have access that side. Makes more sense than just making a

[50:38] private drive. But that's my opinion, right? When we went and allowed that

[50:43] private drive basically [clears throat] and people could say,

[50:47] "Well, there's a private drive on the other end." But it would be access for

[50:51] both sides. Then you don't have Whoops. You don't have this side having to drive

[50:56] all the way back and so on. You would have an access

[51:00] to both entrances. to me would make more sense so that you have less because if

[51:06] once you if you put in another approach what's going to stop for everybody

[51:09] wanting to put one >> well it's not that's that's

[51:13] » what you said we >> that's why we're here now yeah that's

[51:15] why we're here now everyone's going to want their own and I get it

[51:18] » and I know when they pave when they pave that

[51:23] there was a lot of concern of when we were going to fix the bike path

[51:28] » Yeah because now we're have to cut through

[51:32] My thinking is you want to stay on the half mile line where Riggins is, right?

[51:38] » Yeah. >> But the other one is not on the quarter.

[51:42] » No, I shouldn't have went there. I agree.

[51:45] » I think you better stay on the quarter and a half mile line because that's the

[51:48] right way to the government. Do >> nobody can deny you access on you stay

[51:54] on the section or on the quarter half >> because that's what made section lines

[51:58] was quarter mile. Yep. Well, I'm fine with it. That's why I want to bring the

[52:02] conversation here. There's not a lot of danger to making the decision on your

[52:07] own. >> Well, like I say, I there's there's pros

[52:10] and cons to both. It doesn't it's not really technically

[52:14] would be hurting anything besides the fact that it's in our rightway, not on

[52:17] the quarter or the half mile line. And there's really no reason for it except

[52:21] for the fact that we let the neighbor do it [laughter]

[52:24] three years ago. You know what I mean? That's the only

[52:28] So then you're in that situation where then is everyone's going to want one,

[52:31] you know? >> Well, in that situation,

[52:34] » I mean, I think we could revisit this once we get the bike path done to see

[52:39] where we go with that. Like, >> great. I think that'd be fair.

[52:43] » I mean, how much traffic do we want over that bike path?

[52:46] » It's good. I mean, we're lucky that we got a grant to take care of that bike

[52:50] most of that bike path because it's not cheap.

[52:52] » No, it's over 500,000 to redo it. So, >> does that grant have any sort of

[52:57] restrictions on it for the construction of path

[53:02] itself? >> There's something about motorized stuff.

[53:05] » Yeah, nothing motorized. Um, we we honestly were just getting into the

[53:09] preliminary engineering of it. So, we really they're just getting put KLJ's

[53:13] just getting started laying it out. So, I really don't know a whole lot of the

[53:17] construction details as of yet. there could be some sort of restriction on,

[53:21] you know, how many roads crossing over. >> Well, and that's why I called and talked

[53:27] with uh Brandon about just about access period because on federal highway or

[53:31] federal aid roads, federal highway system roads, there generally is a

[53:36] spacing requirements and only so many approaches within a mile, which is four.

[53:41] But, uh, on this situation, since it's a heavy populated residential area, it's

[53:46] never really been anything that was ever incorporated into this [clears throat]

[53:50] stretch

[53:54] because as you go every direction from there, there's it's littered with

[53:59] approaches on the north side. They put one they put an approach every

[54:04] road from Freeze on for access to the bike path.

[54:08] you know, there's just it's just an approach mess out there. But yes, I say

[54:13] we revisit it after we get further along with the bike path if he would like to.

[54:16] It's up to him. It's >> also our obligation as the county would

[54:20] to keep the roads as safe as we can. >> Keep the rightway as clear

[54:24] » access it at the half mile and the quarter line and no place else. They did

[54:31] that on Highway 2, they wouldn't had all the problems they got. Right.

[54:35] » Well, look how many times we've visited on that. a lot and I think we're finally

[54:41] getting to get that done next summer so that it's I mean we've lost some lives

[54:46] on that road. >> Yeah,

[54:48] » that probably could have been avoided and like I [clears throat] said the

[54:51] traffic's not near the speed on this road, but

[54:56] it's busy. >> Yeah. [clears throat and cough]

[54:59] » Well, like I say, I was just asking for a a motion to accept or decline the

[55:04] request, but I think I got that. So, I don't think we made a motion.

[55:09] » Make a motion to deny the request. >> Second.

[55:13] » We have a motion and we have a second. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All

[55:18] those in favor by saying I. >> All oppose same sign. Motion carries.

[55:25] [clears throat] Um I don't know how much of this last page I I printed a new one,

[55:30] but uh quote from post to spot gravel Ramsey County 9. There's a soft area

[55:35] west of Ramsey County 3 that needs a few loads. And then Ramsey County 4 north of

[55:42] 17 needs a few loads too. We're looking at 350 yards total. They gave me a price

[55:48] of 6875 and that should take care of the spot graveling around the county area.

[55:53] We were going to do a little bit south of pen, but we're going to do that

[55:56] ourselves. So, um, that was for $6,875. So, I'm asking for a motion to accept

[56:01] the quote. So move.

[56:05] » Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second. Any

[56:07] discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor by

[56:10] saying I. I. >> All opposed. Same sign. Motion carries.

[56:16] » Um DS excavating got the I got the invoice for those 5 72inch coververts

[56:21] that were installed on 96th Avenue, that waterboard crossing that we did. And I'm

[56:26] asking for motion to pay the $17,500 bid price. So move.

[56:33] Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second to

[56:35] pay 1,00 or 17,500. Roll call, please.

[56:42] » His I. >> Fred.

[56:44] » Hi. >> Brown.

[56:46] » I. >> Bulk.

[56:48] » Hi. Motion carries. >> Um, DS Excavating.

[56:54] Brandon uh submitted another partial bid or partial invoice for the rest of the

[57:00] remaining gravel now on Ram County 7 and four for $6,300. So I'm asking for a

[57:05] motion to pay that $6,300. And like I put in the notes there,

[57:10] there's just a little over 8,000 remaining for gravel out of that

[57:15] $120,000 soft spot project. >> So move second. A

[57:22] » motion. We got a second. All in fair by saying I. Oh,

[57:26] » you're paying, right? >> Yeah.

[57:28] » So, we need a roll call, please. >> Yes, please.

[57:32] » That's 6,300. >> Yes.

[57:37] » His hi. >> Frit.

[57:40] » Yes. >> Brown.

[57:42] » Hi. >> Fulk.

[57:44] » Hi. >> Motion carries.

[57:48] [snorts] Um, and the last thing I uh well, I guess I got two things because I

[57:53] got the door quote, too. But the mowing ad. I do have the ad if you'd like me to

[57:58] read what it says to you guys. Or maybe I was going to send it and I don't think

[58:02] I did. But anyway, it's just a saying that we want the ditches mowed by

[58:06] October 1st, 2026. So, I'm asking for a motion to accept that and post that

[58:11] again in the journal. >> So moved.

[58:15] Second. There go.

[58:18] » We put that on our >> It'll go on the website, too. I'll get

[58:21] it to Michelle and it'll go on the paper.

[58:23] » Do we have a motion? We have a second to put in the paper on our site.

[58:29] Those in favor by saying I >> I

[58:33] same sign. Motion carries. >> And lastly for me today then will be the

[58:38] door quote. I um reached out to the two contractors that have been working on

[58:45] the building there. We're getting closer. We got the concrete floor in. We

[58:50] got some lights put in. Things are coming right along. Um anyway, I got a

[58:55] quote here from Lindstöms. This is five doors, insulated doors installed

[59:03] with U windows and the doors.

[59:09] 24 x 12 glass. They're the low headroom doors, so they're a little harder to get

[59:13] just because of the ceiling height and the header height on those pole

[59:16] structures isn't there for the clearance of the regular standard door. So, per

[59:21] door it came out to $1,495.88 88 for a total of 57,47940.

[59:29] » And these What's that? >> How much was that last year?

[59:33] » 50 5747940. And I think you should have a hand out

[59:37] there, Bill, hooked to the >> Yeah.

[59:39] » with it. And those are from Midland Doors. I guess I don't know my doors. I

[59:44] did call around. It seems like those are one of the better doors on the market

[59:48] once I saw what brand they were. Move to approve.

[59:53] » Second. >> We have a motion. We have a second.

[59:58] Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor by saying I.

[1:00:04] » I. >> All oppose. Same sign. Motion.

[1:00:08] [clears throat] >> Um, one last thing. I guess I was out

[1:00:11] and drove the the circuit yesterday afternoon.

[1:00:15] Things are looking meekly better up. I don't know optimistic I guess or

[1:00:22] whatever but um tread carefully there but no fster suit appears to maintain

[1:00:28] gone down a little bit few inches maybe but there's not I'm not not seeing a

[1:00:33] whole lot >> yeah there's not a lot of drop there I

[1:00:36] mean it's we probably got maybe 10 inches now with the laser on a couple

[1:00:41] spots of freeboard it was awful windy it was hard to tell so I didn't spend a lot

[1:00:45] of time I was going to I'll lay out a grid for the next one so you kind of see

[1:00:48] where we're at. But, um, Fox Lake looks real good. I've been visiting with Chris

[1:00:53] Rude of the Fish and Wildlife there. We're working on some options to

[1:00:57] possibly be able to do something there as a permanent fixture there. Um, if we

[1:01:02] do that fix, of course, I'll need Daniel's help with that because we're

[1:01:06] talking about maybe switching some easements and we need to have him look

[1:01:09] through those things and make sure we're doing what's legal as a highway

[1:01:13] department in the county. We won't enter into anything until Mr.

[1:01:17] takes a look at all that for us, but be nice not to have to fill that in and

[1:01:21] spend that money and then have to just repeat the process of permitting and dig

[1:01:24] it out again over and over every year. So, they're willing to work with us

[1:01:28] there, it seems like. And the soft spots are healing nice on four. Um, there's

[1:01:33] might be a little much rock there. I talked with Mr. Sundine yesterday. We

[1:01:37] got some plans with that. So, we'll see how that comes together. But the center

[1:01:41] of the road is really good now. It's holding up nice. So,

[1:01:44] » how much total money do we have in that road for the year?

[1:01:48] » The guess >> the gravel part up there or

[1:01:52] » Well, so far just the soft spots we budgeted $120,000, but then that's not

[1:01:56] counting all the extra blading and and then we got hundred and some thousand on

[1:02:01] asphalt patching. $139,000 where we fixed all the breakouts and the asphalt

[1:02:06] down. >> Just the gravel part.

[1:02:07] » No, that's going south, too. But uh but on the gravel part, just the soft spot

[1:02:12] repair, we're at 120. We set 120 aside for that coming into the year.

[1:02:17] » And the whole road, how much do we have on it? Your guess?

[1:02:21] » At least a quarter million right now with the asphalt patching too where we

[1:02:25] had all the blowups this spring in the pavement.

[1:02:29] » And none of that is south. South is that? No, that's all north to south,

[1:02:35] right? >> Yeah, there was one big one south. There

[1:02:38] is >> yeah right between six right by the area

[1:02:41] six there there was one paver pass through there double lane there but then

[1:02:46] everything's north

[1:02:49] » and basically that money is coming from the county

[1:02:54] right >> all that money is coming from the county

[1:02:56] yeah >> and if we didn't have water ling these

[1:02:59] roads all the time we wouldn't be doing that

[1:03:03] » yeah well definitely would help for sure you're

[1:03:05] » simple isn't it >> yeah we're saturated Yeah,

[1:03:11] that's what the frustrating part was when FEMA was here. They agreed with us.

[1:03:15] They know we're saturated, but they were only looking at what happened from that

[1:03:21] three-day rain, not past year's rain, spring or on. They don't care. Just what

[1:03:26] happened right there. >> Just so they can put in a paper

[1:03:29] paperwork for that week and head on home. So

[1:03:35] » and leave you with the problem. >> Well, our soft spot repair budget all

[1:03:40] went within that 2 miles of seven and four. We didn't we weren't we weren't

[1:03:44] able to go anywhere else again, you know, and we have other spots that need

[1:03:48] it. >> Absolutely.

[1:03:50] » But it was it was so bad through there. I mean, the other spots we can band-aid

[1:03:54] and get across, >> those spots are tough. You couldn't

[1:03:57] drive them.

[1:04:01] » Thank you, Jason. Yeah, but overall I think we're getting there now. We can

[1:04:05] get caught up on blading again. >> I was over it the other day and I felt

[1:04:08] it was a lot better. >> It's a lot safer feeling now. Yeah,

[1:04:12] » we still got the rough road signs up just to hopefully people pay attention

[1:04:17] to them. But we'll get them down once he gets some more gravel on there, but

[1:04:20] trying to let that rock work in a little bit. Anybody else got anything else?

[1:04:30] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[1:04:33] Thanks, Jason. [clears throat] Daniel,

[1:04:37] you're on the >> Thank you, sir. Um, so I asked to be on

[1:04:44] the agenda today. Um, I have two open positions in my office, a parallegal and

[1:04:50] an assistant states attorney position that are open. Uh, both have been open

[1:04:54] for approximately three to four months. Um,

[1:05:02] current policy, uh, 209 in the county handbook, uh, prohibits me from starting

[1:05:08] anybody above, uh, step five in the individual, uh,

[1:05:17] positions grade. So, for parallegals, they start on grade four or they're on

[1:05:21] grade four and to my understanding. And, uh, assistant states attorney is on

[1:05:27] grade 10. Um essentially uh starting us out at step f

[1:05:34] or limiting me to starting out at step five and that's only with uh the

[1:05:40] portfolio holders approval uh severely limits my ability to attract

[1:05:46] applicants. Um, for example, uh, I have had conversations with experienced

[1:05:53] attorneys, uh, who have five plus years of experience doing this job. And they

[1:06:01] would have to take a $15,000 pay cut in order to cut work for Ramsey County. Um,

[1:06:07] I'm not going to be able to convince somebody that they're doing their civic

[1:06:11] duty and take a $15,000 pay cut and make it worth their time. Um similarly in the

[1:06:18] parallegal position uh individuals who work in the state court system or in

[1:06:23] other offices um it it's a competitive market. It's

[1:06:27] hard to find people who have the qualifications to not only start out in

[1:06:31] the position but to attract people uh with already uh experience in the area

[1:06:38] so that I'm not having to train somebody from the ground up. Um, I I I'm asking

[1:06:44] the commission for a variance um uh case by case. Um, I'm not sure how you how

[1:06:51] you would want to phrase it, but I'm asking that with portfolio holders

[1:06:55] approval essentially that capping at step five for new hires. I would ask

[1:07:01] that that at least for the time being for my two open positions uh be

[1:07:06] something that I can speak with Blaine about make sure that it makes sense to

[1:07:11] him. Uh since he is the portfolio holder I'm not trying to undo the policy as

[1:07:16] it's written. It's just that Bla at step five.

[1:07:19] » Daniel called me on this and I wanted him to present it to everybody because I

[1:07:23] didn't want to make this decision himself. I figured bring it to the

[1:07:27] commission so that you guys hear the whole like it's just not me making the

[1:07:34] decision. I [clears throat] understand what you're

[1:07:36] saying. >> Yeah.

[1:07:39] » It's the point is the commission has set a policy. That policy is from 2019 I

[1:07:45] believe. Um, a and I understand why the policy was set that way, but similar to

[1:07:51] many positions around the county, like the VSO position, I mean, we're having a

[1:07:55] hard time getting people to come and do the jobs that we need done. And so, if I

[1:08:01] don't have the ability to use what's in my budget, I'm not asking for additional

[1:08:04] money. This is just to use what's in my budget. Um,

[1:08:10] and so I'm asking for some sort of variance to allow me to step outside of

[1:08:16] the step five restriction on hiring new employees.

[1:08:21] » If there are any questions on that >> for these two positions,

[1:08:24] » yes, just for these two positions, just for the time being, I I think it's worth

[1:08:28] probably revisiting to see if that specific policy is feasible for the

[1:08:33] county. I mean, maybe we need to do a variance on a

[1:08:37] case- by case basis, but um I mean, we're struggling to get qualified

[1:08:41] applicants in a few positions. And so, if if I can't attract those applicants,

[1:08:47] I'm I don't have a lot of options.

[1:08:52] » Yeah.

[1:09:02] Not to rush anybody, but I have a hearing at 9:15. If anybody has any

[1:09:07] questions on that, well, I look at it. We had our HR here

[1:09:12] because we had some issues in the past and we got a policy put in place now of

[1:09:17] our pay schedule. uh we start manipulating that again, are we going to

[1:09:22] get back into some further problems?

[1:09:29] » That that is why this was put in place in 19. But we can either decide to limit

[1:09:36] the amount of pay that we're able to attribute to a position and leave it

[1:09:41] empty. And so the county is not receiving the benefit of

[1:09:46] what I consider to be vital uh to the operation of the county. I I mean I've

[1:09:52] been down these two positions for the past four months. The reality is is I'm

[1:09:57] I'm falling behind on the criminal side and the civil side

[1:10:01] of things. And so if I can't get these positions filled, I'm going to have to

[1:10:05] pull back from my support of the departments as I think is very vital. I

[1:10:11] think the commission as well as the waterboard as well as the portfolio

[1:10:16] holders have benefited from more interaction with me from more time spent

[1:10:20] from my office. But I can't I can't do both without more support and being able

[1:10:27] to fill my positions. And so I understand that the concern is salaries

[1:10:33] getting out of control, but if we're going to

[1:10:37] not allow positions to be filled with people who want to do the job and who

[1:10:42] will do the job well and they just need more money in order to come over, then I

[1:10:48] the amount of support that I can give the county is going to decrease in a

[1:10:54] proportionate manner. And if that is the decision of the commission, then I'll

[1:10:58] have to go in that direction and I'll have to look at what I need to pull back

[1:11:03] on in order to make sure that I'm doing the job to the best of my abilities.

[1:11:11] » What's the current staffing of your office, Daniel?

[1:11:14] » I've got uh Nancy Watt and Kim Perkune are uh parallegals. Um, and then Noah

[1:11:22] Corger is an assistant who started a little less than a year ago and myself.

[1:11:30] » Do you have an an assistant states attorney?

[1:11:33] » Mr. Corger is an assistant states attorney.

[1:11:37] » And he's been there how long? >> A little less than a year. We're coming

[1:11:41] up on 11 months, 12 months uh, in October.

[1:11:50] Um and the office has functioned with two people in it for a number of years.

[1:11:56] Judge Olsen when he was in the office was

[1:12:00] uh the only full-time attorney and uh

[1:12:05] Martin Halbach was an assistant states attorney. Um, I think that based on the

[1:12:11] amount of

[1:12:15] we'll say questions and concerns that I fielded just over the past year, I I

[1:12:20] think everybody is appreciative of being able to uh get a legal opinion uh in a

[1:12:27] timely manner and get more support from my office. And as has been slowly

[1:12:32] happening, um, Judge Agotness when she was in the

[1:12:38] office moved, uh, Miss Hawach down up to a full-time employee. And even with, uh,

[1:12:44] two full-time attorneys, I don't think as much civil support on the county side

[1:12:49] of county governance side of things was being done either. And I we are I'm a

[1:12:56] hundred hearing uh cases ahead from where I was last year. Um we're charging

[1:13:01] out more uh to my understanding law enforcement feels that cases in a way

[1:13:06] that they uh appreciate and feel supported from my office. I I don't

[1:13:11] foresee our cases going down anytime soon. And so I those criminal cases

[1:13:17] unfortunately take u precedence as far as an importance uh for my dayto-day

[1:13:24] without more support in the office. And so the civil support is is going to

[1:13:29] start sliding.

[1:13:33] » You're up a 100 cases from last year. >> Yes, sir.

[1:13:37] » Really? >> Yeah.

[1:13:40] » Would you have any guess? Would you speculate on

[1:13:44] why that is. >> Um where's it coming from in general?

[1:13:49] » I what I'll say is last year was a specific dip that I can account for. Um

[1:13:56] we're on track for about 7 750 cases this year, which is um maybe a little

[1:14:03] bit above average for the last 5 to 10 years. Uh but there was a dip and after

[1:14:11] I took over last year um this year is just at a higher rate. I I I don't have

[1:14:18] the numbers to really guess one way or the other.

[1:14:27] » I think this I think this should be addressed. I mean

[1:14:31] » I think I think Daniel we have all the information that you've given us. that

[1:14:34] you have up. >> I do have to run. Um, and I do have

[1:14:38] these applicants lined up. If a decision could be made today, I'd greatly

[1:14:42] appreciate it and one way or the other just so that I can get some answers out.

[1:14:46] Um, and I will leave it in your hands. >> Thank you.

[1:14:50] » Thank you, gentlemen. >> Thank you.

[1:15:01] The only thing that scares me on this is >> are we going to have other entities,

[1:15:08] other departments coming to us with the same thing?

[1:15:14] Like I know the sheriff wanted to do something like this also

[1:15:19] and where are we at? You know what I mean? Maybe

[1:15:25] what something I like to know on the applicants and I'm not on the hiring

[1:15:30] thing is the applicant coming to us gaining benefits or not gaining

[1:15:36] benefits. Is it a wash where they're just looking to, you know what I'm

[1:15:40] saying? If you're coming to the county and I don't know how they do it on other

[1:15:44] entities, but let's say you had a lawyer out in the other, he wasn't getting

[1:15:48] insurance and all the benefits that we offer and he's coming here. We give them

[1:15:52] all one for one of what he's making plus the benefits because that's something

[1:15:57] that someone has to give up to, you know, I've I've changed jobs before.

[1:16:02] I've taken pay cuts to look at what was for me in the future.

[1:16:07] not what was at the present. You know, coming to a job isn't always about

[1:16:12] making more money coming to a job, but what is it best in the future? Is it

[1:16:17] better for me in the future or is it not better for me?

[1:16:20] » And I I get what he's saying. If if uh [clears throat] you have someone with

[1:16:24] the experience and you can get them

[1:16:30] two different ways. I don't know. It's a tough thing because we have other

[1:16:34] departments. If it was the only department that we were had, you could

[1:16:38] probably make it an easy decision. You know, I mean, I'll use you as

[1:16:43] example, Jason, you have what, 10 people,

[1:16:47] » and the sheriff has 12 people, Candy has a few people, and then all of

[1:16:53] a sudden, where do we go with this? Are we we snowball it? I don't know.

[1:16:59] » Question. Was he saying in his budget? >> It's it's within his budget. I've tal

[1:17:06] I've talked to him. It is still within his budget that he had presented. So he

[1:17:12] wouldn't be going over his budget. >> So he wants to pay the people.

[1:17:19] » I think he wants to pay him off way. I have my understanding is pay them off

[1:17:23] the experience they have now. >> Well, that seems like it would be

[1:17:27] workable for him. I you know I >> if you pay off the experience that they

[1:17:30] would be coming in. So basically he was would when I talked to Daniel on the

[1:17:34] phone step five is lower than the experience

[1:17:40] that they have >> right now. He would only be taking them

[1:17:44] to the step of where their experience would be if they were already an

[1:17:49] employee for us. It's not I have this individual on. The

[1:17:54] only thing I would have to talk to Daniel about that I would be concerned

[1:17:58] we have a assistant states attorney right now that it doesn't cause

[1:18:03] conflict. You bring someone on and now we lose that state's attorney because

[1:18:08] they didn't have this opportunity. I don't know how if the individual was

[1:18:11] just one year two year because I don't want to slap in the face the people that

[1:18:16] we have working for us not to be fair to them also you know. So does it that's

[1:18:21] where I'm saying the snowball effect because that could that could easily

[1:18:25] happen. You bring someone on and you get a little bit more money the rule stated

[1:18:30] but the other individual is willing to come on and take that chance to move up

[1:18:35] in the world right and now you bring someone on because they have a little

[1:18:38] bit more experience and want to put them into that. And I believe that's why the

[1:18:43] policy was put in place. you I mean you guys were here longer

[1:18:48] than me but Jess you were 2019 you know it's and I believe and that's something

[1:18:54] that I definitely think would have to be done through HR to get her opinion also

[1:19:01] you know otherwise if we make a decision today and we don't have her opinion now

[1:19:06] we're are we going above and beyond and saying we're HR

[1:19:13] some of that's got to still be in No different when you had to work with

[1:19:18] your department with HR. I know the sheriff has worked with HR

[1:19:23] » and then they presented it. So that it's one of those deals like

[1:19:31] and I could talk to HR, get her opinion and I know he wants us to make a

[1:19:38] decision today, but we want to make the decision off of what HR gives us also.

[1:19:43] » Right. And what is another two weeks? We've went four months. What's another

[1:19:50] two weeks? I mean, his answer would have to go back to the people that are

[1:19:54] interested. Hey, >> I guess it all depends on how actively

[1:19:58] those individuals that have applied are pursuing other avenues,

[1:20:02] » right? >> Well, I think one of them is across the

[1:20:05] hall, >> right?

[1:20:07] Um, I think they come with a lot of experience and you know, we can throw

[1:20:13] this back at Jason and ask us, hey, tell us if somebody came to you with 10 years

[1:20:19] of of roadwork experience on a on a CAD grader, would you treat them the same as

[1:20:25] somebody new, >> right? I totally get it.

[1:20:29] » So, that's budgeted money. makes a big difference if you're not

[1:20:35] » it wouldn't throw them out of budget. That was the first that [clears throat]

[1:20:37] was the first question I asked. I said, "Is this going to throw you over your

[1:20:41] budget?" Because we already presented a limit.

[1:20:44] » Well, and I do think that these individuals positions have been included

[1:20:49] in this year's budget for next year. >> Same as like the VSO.

[1:20:53] » So, >> just where would we where would you

[1:20:57] start? And I think he was asking that's what he was asking if it was approved

[1:21:03] today to be above the five then that's where the portfolio would get permission

[1:21:08] from the board to say okay we're going to go with this.

[1:21:11] » Did he indicate how much higher than a five or was that up to him and his

[1:21:19] portfolio? That's all he had said and I said I wanted to bring it to you guys to

[1:21:23] get that approval first because I didn't want to make a decision and then we come

[1:21:27] in here and I'm trying to answer the questions to the one of five.

[1:21:33] » Right. >> I understood he can't hire the the

[1:21:37] person is within the budget he has right now.

[1:21:41] » Well, with the guidelines >> with the guidelines of the hiring policy

[1:21:45] » of this hiring policy, >> right? Yeah.

[1:21:47] » Because they're saying you can only go to step five.

[1:21:50] And I believe if correct I think was saying like a $15,000 would be matching

[1:21:57] the individual salary for the one. I don't know about the other get deep

[1:22:01] conversation because I was like I wanted to bring it to the commission. I didn't

[1:22:06] want to make that decision on my own without your guys's approval.

[1:22:10] » I would I my own opinion is we hired to do that part of our business. I think we

[1:22:17] should have advice on this. >> Oh, I agree.

[1:22:23] » And then make a decision after that. >> Um,

[1:22:27] » it's not saying we're not going to make a decision. It's just we want the advice

[1:22:31] of that to me is fair.

[1:22:35] » She communicated with >> So,

[1:22:40] » um, she said that she gave him the amount the policy would allow. So that

[1:22:46] would be the step five, >> right?

[1:22:49] » Um and explained going higher would require board approval.

[1:22:57] » So I do think that it comes down to our decision.

[1:22:59] » So I mean she's following she's >> she's following

[1:23:02] » she's following the policy. >> She's not.

[1:23:07] » She's Yeah, she's she's going by what's in the handbook.

[1:23:15] So obviously

[1:23:19] » I personally I think there still needs to be some limitations.

[1:23:24] » Not that you bring someone in the max scale.

[1:23:29] You know

[1:23:32] » we're leaving it up to Daniel to run his department.

[1:23:35] » Correct. >> We're just going to give him a little

[1:23:38] more leeway what we're doing. Right. >> For the it would be only for these two

[1:23:41] positions. two positions >> and then once these two positions were

[1:23:45] hired, they would go right back to the 209 hiring policy and proceed to.

[1:23:52] You know, let's say someone quit tomorrow, you would have to then

[1:23:56] advertise it as the maximum and stuff, but it doesn't open

[1:24:02] it wide open. And that's something that him and I have talked about. I said if

[1:24:06] this was okay by the commission, this is not wide open. It creates problems with

[1:24:13] other departments. >> Oh, I agree with you. But I mean, it's

[1:24:16] up to the commission. >> Y

[1:24:20] want to keep the community safe. I guess we better have somebody in that state

[1:24:24] attorney's office >> that can handle the cases, the cases

[1:24:28] they're getting. >> What was the figure he used? How many

[1:24:32] cases above last year he's at? >> 100.

[1:24:36] » 100. Wow. Well, you've had a lot of

[1:24:42] problems over the road department too this year, but it seems like got enough

[1:24:46] help on board seem like they're good help. They've gotten work done

[1:24:51] and he can hire contractors also, >> right?

[1:24:54] » I mean, Daniel's in a different position. He

[1:24:59] can't go contract out to lot services for this county.

[1:25:06] is our president. He is not in office. He's

[1:25:12] I'm not 100%. >> What was your question?

[1:25:16] » Works at home. >> Our president assistant does not work in

[1:25:23] office. He works >> No, he's here.

[1:25:26] » I thought we had one that wasn't >> No, he

[1:25:29] » Oh, didn't know that. >> Yeah, he did eventually that was in the

[1:25:33] process. He was only doing that until he that I do know.

[1:25:37] » Yeah. No, that's I didn't know that. I do know and I appreciate Daniel's help

[1:25:44] and and his time and availability that he's made for not only myself but I

[1:25:50] think for all the commission um and some of the advice that he's given

[1:25:57] and some of the problems that maybe we've created our ourselves or just get

[1:26:04] thrown on our laps. But either way, he's he he's good at what he does. And

[1:26:09] » yeah, I agree with you. [clears throat]

[1:26:14] » Oh, I'd hate to limit that availability of him.

[1:26:19] » Just have him work with HR so that the pay doesn't

[1:26:27] get out of whack.

[1:26:31] I'd make a motion to go ahead and give him that leeway to work with HR

[1:26:36] and [clears throat] provide some

[1:26:39] have her give some guidance as far as it doesn't get

[1:26:45] too kitty opposite for the lack of better term. Um,

[1:26:50] [clears throat and cough]

[1:26:54] » I'll second the motion and I'm not worried about the kill offices just get

[1:26:59] it done. >> Right.

[1:27:00] » Right. >> Because it don't matter what the

[1:27:02] sheriff's office is doing if we don't get it prosperous.

[1:27:04] » Right. >> And handled the way they're supposed to

[1:27:07] be. >> Yeah.

[1:27:09] » And we're not doing our job. So, we have a motion

[1:27:15] for um Daniel to work with HR

[1:27:22] and move on with the process. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[1:27:28] And a second. Any other discussion?

[1:27:33] I'm I'm going to add that I'm really not in favor of that because we had a HR

[1:27:40] come and try to fix what we did have a mess in and now we're adjusting again.

[1:27:47] I'm not saying he doesn't have a need. I don't mean that at all. But

[1:27:54] » no, but but to work but to work with her >> so that he's he's not

[1:28:06] » he's not picking and choosing the dollar amount

[1:28:11] » correct me >> so that you're stay

[1:28:14] that's what you were getting at that >> you know

[1:28:17] » there's still limitations >> right

[1:28:19] » that he has to get finalized HR. He can't just go out and say you're going

[1:28:22] to start at step 30. I'm just using example 30 steps but

[1:28:32] » you know because of what she put together

[1:28:36] » because of the 20 step or the 20 what whatever she

[1:28:41] » and I think >> and it does say in here if it was to go

[1:28:46] » shall not to exceed step five unless it's approved by us

[1:28:50] » right >> so there was that built in if there's

[1:28:53] There's obviously a something out there that it could be adjusted by

[1:29:00] » I just wanted to make sure Daniel knew it was only the two positions so that

[1:29:05] this doesn't.

[1:29:13] » Yes. >> Question.

[1:29:15] » Go ahead. >> No need to vote.

[1:29:23] question. >> So, we have a a motion. We have a

[1:29:27] second.

[1:29:31] Um, roll call, please.

[1:29:35] » Hold. >> Nay.

[1:29:37] » Fred. >> Yes.

[1:29:40] » Brown. Hi. Bulk. >> Hi.

[1:29:55] Motion carries.

[1:29:59] Moving on to unfinished business. I think the fence or slew discussion is

[1:30:05] basically at the appeal. My opinion is we should just leave it at

[1:30:09] the appeal until we get something back from there.

[1:30:14] I think Daniel gave an update to the water board this morning that they're

[1:30:18] thinking the November 12th and 13th for the administrative law judge to hear the

[1:30:24] case be at Bismar um and we'll get a hearing notice here shortly with and

[1:30:32] then we're going to take um our SVPs for so we can kind of give them a head

[1:30:38] count so we have a proper size group. So those that are in attendance have the

[1:30:44] ability to sit and attend the hearing in person.

[1:30:49] So but we should know that and we'll get that word out to everybody when when the

[1:30:55] administrative law judge makes that final determination on the

[1:31:00] date and times.

[1:31:03] » I [snorts] don't know. Is that going to be available to

[1:31:07] team or something to watch? I would imagine it would be I think it's

[1:31:13] scheduled to be at the Department of Water Resources. They do all their

[1:31:17] meetings via teams. Um

[1:31:22] and it it shouldn't be a closed hearing at all.

[1:31:28] So

[1:31:34] » any chance that it be 20 below that morning?

[1:31:38] » Hey [laughter]

[1:31:42] I had to get that in there. No, [laughter]

[1:31:45] » I'm not picking on you. >> Fairly scheduled blizzard.

[1:31:51] » We got a lot of hot weather, so I imagine it's going to go the other way

[1:31:54] pretty soon, right? Stranger things happen.

[1:31:59] » Don't average yourself. So, >> that's right. So I think we leave that

[1:32:04] just on the table >> until we get this appeal and then

[1:32:09] » certainly the process >> until we know what's going to happen

[1:32:11] with the appeal. It's kind of hard to make any other decisions,

[1:32:15] » right? >> We're all good with that.

[1:32:19] » Leave it tabled. Uh 2027 budget um can be had.

[1:32:25] » Yep. There's

[1:32:29] » Yep. the Lake Region Heritage Center.

[1:32:35] Um

[1:32:39] they get like a quarter a quarter mil >> and this was already fixing. This was

[1:32:44] already >> Yep. I already figured it in.

[1:32:46] » Now you're getting the paperwork. So the seat

[1:32:50] » and then the other one is um I always provide you with the utilities.

[1:32:57] Um and then I did um like a column at the end to show like increase decrease

[1:33:05] um the you know the assessed value for I mean

[1:33:15] and I you know looks pretty good utility wise. I mean,

[1:33:26] it usually goes the the other direction, but

[1:33:36] so that's done. So then >> So the increase is what's black.

[1:33:40] » Y decreases what? >> Decreases red. Yeah.

[1:33:46] Yep. And the bottom portion, the bottom

[1:33:50] portion is what is like taxable value and the top portion is just it is a

[1:33:58] fixed um their terminology is it's called it's just a fixed tax.

[1:34:06] Um so that's just

[1:34:10] » because you get taxed. >> Yeah, that's just what they'll pay.

[1:34:15] Any

[1:34:21] questions

[1:34:25] on where we're at with the budget? >> So then the next meeting I'll have I'll

[1:34:30] have all the all of the paperwork and everything with

[1:34:37] utilities. >> So we have

[1:34:42] another meeting in September. When's the final final for the

[1:34:50] budget? >> October.

[1:34:52] » October. So, we'll have this next meeting,

[1:34:56] » this preliminary budget hearing >> and then we have one more meeting after

[1:35:01] that unless we >> unless you have a special meeting. Yep.

[1:35:05] » We're tracking. >> Yep. Well, there's any questions after

[1:35:09] the next meeting and we would have a special meeting so that we can make the

[1:35:14] decision. >> So, possibility of two meetings prior to

[1:35:19] making a decision is kosher with that. Just want to make sure that we're all

[1:35:27] tracking. The >> budget has to be in place by the first

[1:35:29] meeting in October. >> That's when it has to be decided.

[1:35:32] » What date is that? >> October 7th. I think it is October 7th.

[1:35:43] » So I would say if if you don't have any questions today, you're looking at

[1:35:48] something, please get what can be >> so that we can have it up next meeting

[1:35:53] with questions, concerns, so that can [snorts] be

[1:35:57] deciphered and then we can't make it this year and then we

[1:36:02] have one special meeting. We have to before our plan.

[1:36:12] Everybody hears I'm getting heads nodding.

[1:36:15] » Yes. >> Yes.

[1:36:21] » That's not nodding. So that's why I'm not trying to call you out on you.

[1:36:26] » No, I'm just looking at my calendar. >> October 6.

[1:36:31] » So October 6 would be the final final

[1:36:36] Yeah,

[1:36:43] » second meeting September is is >> I I think

[1:36:50] » Yeah, because I don't know there's like a week and a half in there,

[1:36:53] » right? >> Just because it's a long month.

[1:36:58] » So, we're all good there. Moving on to

[1:37:03] the approval or new business would be approve the subdivision ordinance. I did

[1:37:09] talk to Daniel on this. This was all looked at.

[1:37:13] [clears throat] He said it looks good to go. It's just up to us.

[1:37:25] I I look through I didn't see anything out of

[1:37:28] ordinary.

[1:37:35] We had talked about this last bill, last meeting. Grant this is still draft

[1:37:42] basically today we have made saying yes this is what we would like to move on

[1:37:48] with or not. >> I I think so I think this is I think

[1:37:55] it's a good document. Um, I think putting this in place the

[1:38:00] sooner would be beneficial. >> So, do we want Daniel or the is it the

[1:38:08] board or Daniel that would produce the final draft since this is the draft?

[1:38:12] » That's the planning. >> So, the planning could bring us a final

[1:38:17] draft and then vote on it. >> Well, I think this is the ordinance that

[1:38:23] we're be approving, >> right? Okay. Yeah. So, yeah.

[1:38:28] They just they just left this because we >> to see what the

[1:38:35] » So what we what we probably want to do is appoint a a code administrator

[1:38:42] and I don't know that's something that they're planning on contracting with the

[1:38:47] city with or >> well that's that's something they

[1:38:53] » or run that through um the assessor office and that was something that we

[1:38:58] had meeting >> but we needed to know

[1:39:04] exact numbers so we know when we're doing our budget

[1:39:09] » that it's in >> right

[1:39:10] » and I believe there wasn't a month set for that it was just are we going with

[1:39:15] Steve or how we working with it and I believe when we were talking to Steve he

[1:39:20] would have liked it where us in the city are

[1:39:26] My >> was But wasn't that on the

[1:39:31] » building permits?

[1:39:33] » That was right. >> Yeah.

[1:39:40] » So subdivisions would be us

[1:39:44] » and basically we would use Steve for that also.

[1:39:48] And the amounts were on the preliminary for that.

[1:39:53] » Yeah. >> Because when we're talking subdivisions,

[1:39:56] it's probably stuff that you and Steve would have to I'm looking at Jason right

[1:40:01] now. >> Yeah. I went to the meeting.

[1:40:13] » I guess with the draft here, we can

[1:40:18] Make a motion to go ahead and approve the draft estimated.

[1:40:24] » We have a motion and we have a second. You want to do a roll call for this or

[1:40:28] just

[1:40:32] » We'll do a roll call. >> Roll call, please.

[1:40:35] » Okay. His >> hi.

[1:40:38] » F. >> Yes.

[1:40:40] » Brown. >> I ful

[1:40:42] » I. Motion carries. Guess the only other thing to decide

[1:40:47] then is with Steve and we can talk about that.

[1:40:52] Make sure you guys look at that >> so that

[1:40:55] » y >> we can decide we're going to go with

[1:40:58] that. >> Thank you.

[1:41:01] » Visitors delegation anybody

[1:41:07] portfolios. Anybody got anything their portfolios?

[1:41:15] What's that? Garland.

[1:41:20] » Visitors.

[1:41:25] » Can you come to the mic, please?

[1:41:39] » From Dro Township. I'm looking for a little clarification.

[1:41:44] When you guys did this Fox Lake Mercy drain, did are you having did that have

[1:41:53] to go through the state too?

[1:41:58] » Yeah. >> Fish and wildlife.

[1:42:03] » Mostly fish and wildlife. No problem with the state though.

[1:42:08] Why is the state giving you problems on this fence or a slope? because Fox

[1:42:14] Lake went into a a another drain that goes into that is already established.

[1:42:21] Fencers didn't have a doesn't have a drain out of it and so be creating a new

[1:42:27] one. >> You can use existing but you can't

[1:42:30] create new is what they're saying. >> Okay. Then well that brings up another

[1:42:35] question. I'm looking at the snag and clear that you're doing

[1:42:40] and I don't know

[1:42:47] seem like I'm not getting the maybe you can clarify it for me

[1:42:54] under the snag and clear any question as to whether the board is

[1:43:00] maintaining a natural water course and or constructing a drain or

[1:43:04] reconstructing maintaining existing assessment drain must be resolved by the

[1:43:10] state by the department of water resource. Now, is that the state

[1:43:15] department of water resource? I would assume so. Right. Right.

[1:43:22] So, when do I ask that question? The way you guys

[1:43:28] have been running the snag and clear now

[1:43:34] the water board brings over as for

[1:43:40] they present the snag and clear to the county

[1:43:45] and in that

[1:43:49] when they do it then they have their whole board there and approve

[1:43:55] the drain.

[1:43:58] the last couple times I've been here. >> It's not to approve a drain. It's

[1:44:03] approved to clean out approve the snag and clear.

[1:44:08] » And then they presented >> of the existing drain. It's not to

[1:44:12] create a new one. If not to create new drain.

[1:44:17] » So when do I when do I present the question about whether this is a water

[1:44:22] course or is it a drain?

[1:44:27] Well, at their meetings when they're determining whether or not that

[1:44:31] qualifies as standing clear and that's what they leave up to their engineer

[1:44:38] to to make that determination. >> So you're you're asking where do you

[1:44:44] address it? I think the Yeah, >> you would address it to them first,

[1:44:47] correct, Jeff? >> Yeah,

[1:44:49] » you would you would address the water boarding

[1:44:53] firm. the engineering firm. >> But it but it has it has to be

[1:44:58] presented. It has to be approved by them and they

[1:45:03] don't approve it till they come over here.

[1:45:06] » They they do public hearing. They they've had public hearing on this.

[1:45:12] » So why are they coming >> send out letters? Why are they coming to

[1:45:16] the county commission meeting and then approving their snag and clear

[1:45:22] and then you guys immediately approve it afterwards? Because they, this is my

[1:45:27] understanding is when they come here to do this to approve, they do a public

[1:45:32] hearing and then they approve after uh the public gets to talk and then that's

[1:45:39] when they approve or not approve and then it moves to us after that. So

[1:45:45] they're doing all three in one is my understanding. Right, Jeff?

[1:45:50] » Right. County Commissioner.

[1:45:54] » I realize that, but it doesn't. >> I I understand what you're saying,

[1:45:59] Garland. You're asking why they don't approve it prior, and I think it's

[1:46:03] because they're doing the public hearing, hearing from the public, and

[1:46:08] then they're approving and then we're approving after that. So

[1:46:13] that we both So both entities hear from the public and it's not

[1:46:21] dragging it out, if you want to call it that.

[1:46:23] » But first, they have to get their assessment approved.

[1:46:29] That's what they send out the letters to the people saying that it was approved

[1:46:35] by their engineer and then they're bringing it after the letters are

[1:46:40] getting sent out and that's when they have the public hearing. And then after

[1:46:44] they hear from the public, then that's when they make their

[1:46:47] » That's when they send a letter out to the people that are

[1:46:50] » prior to them coming. >> No, but they they send it out prior to

[1:46:54] the public hearing >> prior. That was all done prior to them

[1:46:58] coming here. >> People will know what it's going to

[1:47:00] cost. >> Yeah, I would assume that, but they

[1:47:08] » if it's worth it, if it's worth it to them, that's what

[1:47:12] » it's worth it to them. But uh the adverse impact

[1:47:18] these u

[1:47:22] well I guess I'd want some more clarification on whether it's a water

[1:47:26] course or not. A lot of these snag and clears

[1:47:32] don't look like what it's termed as a snag and clear under the administrative

[1:47:38] code. under the minister clothe and snake and

[1:47:42] clear is to remove all fallen trees and assorted debris

[1:47:48] associated debris and what I what I've looked at

[1:47:56] is not not that they've they've uh

[1:48:02] Morris and Dr. where they installed three three culberts

[1:48:08] and lowered them probably. [laughter] >> There's no culberts involved in stag and

[1:48:13] clear. >> I'm kidding me.

[1:48:16] » Let's take a ride out there. I'll show you.

[1:48:19] » Well, if it is, it's not funded through the snag and clear project.

[1:48:24] It's under the road authority that would be under that

[1:48:29] where that culbert would be placed.

[1:48:35] Nobody's been out to look >> on the snag and clears.

[1:48:39] » Yeah. >> Yeah, I've been out to look.

[1:49:00] 18 inch cover gets replaced with a 3-ft culvert

[1:49:04] and the 18 stays there, but the 3ft is about a foot and a half

[1:49:09] lower than the original

[1:49:14] Pardon?

[1:49:19] » Yeah. >> About a quarter mile from the terminal.

[1:49:33] » 24.

[1:49:38] So the 36 in is just there. The local.

[1:49:55] » Does that answer your question, Garland? >> Not really.

[1:50:01] I don't know if you guys know you know the concept of a closed basin. How can

[1:50:06] you take water from the fence or slope non-navigable

[1:50:12] water transfer it into the devil's reservoir

[1:50:19] and make it navigable water and it impacts

[1:50:26] few hundred people there too? Do you have fully dement? Do you are you

[1:50:32] condemning more land using that domain?

[1:50:38] But what gives this board the authority to transfer

[1:50:46] water from one closed subbasin

[1:50:52] into another subbase or into another basin?

[1:50:57] It goes nowhere.

[1:51:03] You can't relocate water in a closed basin where you're not going to

[1:51:09] adversely impact someone else. Does that sound rational?

[1:51:17] And that's why this uh the fencer slooh is in an appeal.

[1:51:22] » Pardon? >> That's why the state obviously has said

[1:51:26] no to the fencer slooh. Yeah. >> And

[1:51:32] that's where we're at at the issue that we're at right now.

[1:51:37] » It's in a appeal process. There's nothing happening.

[1:51:42] » So you're you're representing the rights of the people around Fster Slooh

[1:51:50] above and beyond rights of the people in the devil's

[1:51:54] » sitt sitting here today garland. I don't think anybody on this board is trying to

[1:52:00] » remove water from anybody on the um personally I think it's more to remove

[1:52:07] water to save a road >> infrastructure.

[1:52:10] » Infrastructure I don't think >> What about the infrastructure?

[1:52:15] » Yep. >> At the bottom

[1:52:21] you [clears throat] been west of 20. They looked at the roads out there.

[1:52:32] We can't even get the cemeteries out there

[1:52:36] and get our own, you know, probably has been in the

[1:52:40] family for generations.

[1:52:45] We all know it. You guys all know it.

[1:52:54] Time for the state to step up.

[1:52:59] They've got what they want. You got the Detroit lakes in North Dakota

[1:53:05] and you're protecting the people downstream.

[1:53:08] And I think we've asked that question to the state several times that

[1:53:14] we want them to help. They don't just want we don't just want

[1:53:18] it be put on us to try to make that decision. We're we the state just like

[1:53:23] you have been. >> It wouldn't be in Cass County. It

[1:53:26] wouldn't be in Burley County. It wouldn't be in Grand Forks County,

[1:53:30] but we're accepting it here. >> I don't think anybody's accepted it.

[1:53:37] Hey, you have forgotten all the battles we have fought,

[1:53:42] you know, and we continue to fight them on a daily basis.

[1:53:47] So, [clears throat] you know, I appreciate your passion and

[1:53:52] but I don't think that what we're looking to try to improve on Ramsey for

[1:53:58] to to continue to maintain that road is going to affect anybody adversely

[1:54:06] downstream from it. If I did think that, I would

[1:54:11] » How could it not? How how will it It's a very minute part of water.

[1:54:17] » It's very minute, but you keep adding minute notes upon my notes. It's pretty

[1:54:22] turn turned into what we have now. >> So, we're supposed to just abandon the

[1:54:27] entire county. >> No,

[1:54:29] » it's going to affect you. >> No, but give the people

[1:54:34] at the lower elevation some kind of options.

[1:54:39] They're doing it in in the Fargo diversion. They're protecting people

[1:54:44] there. And we're doing the same thing here from

[1:54:49] protecting people from the flood downstream

[1:54:52] by projects that have created a problem

[1:54:58] and that's way out of our hands. You you know that just as well as we do. We

[1:55:02] didn't all of us sitting here did not make the decision to hold the water

[1:55:07] where it's after today. Oh, [laughter]

[1:55:11] you can take the Hammer Sullivan grain. You can take the Starkweather grain.

[1:55:15] They were all approved locally before it went to the state.

[1:55:26] And you can take all these snagging clears and they're approved locally

[1:55:31] before it goes to well, it doesn't go hasn't gone to the state yet.

[1:55:39] But they all impact people downstream.

[1:55:44] You take go on your USGS today and you'll find

[1:55:50] the Edmore crib is putting out more water than the other four around

[1:55:59] there at the same time. Today

[1:56:05] Edmore Trib is double digit compared to Mave Kulie at 1 CFS.

[1:56:16] So we're continuing to do it. So don't say it it's all the state

[1:56:24] because it's first got approved by the counties

[1:56:30] county water board

[1:56:35] and it was sent to the state for cost sharing. Yeah, the state state should

[1:56:40] have stepped in and said something before

[1:56:45] they're saying it now. I don't know why they're saying it now.

[1:56:51] But I like to make the case that they've done it for the last three decades which

[1:56:56] they haven't completion.

[1:57:04] It's just unjustness of it.

[1:57:10] People shouldn't be subjected to that. Not in the

[1:57:16] state water commission. states that land ownership is a fundamental

[1:57:24] fundamental to our democracy and it's anything but in the Devil's

[1:57:30] Lake Reservoir.

[1:57:34] It's not a lake anymore. I won't take any time. Thank you,

[1:57:40] Garland. [clears throat and cough]

[1:57:43] Any

[1:57:47] other visitors? Hearing none. Portfolios.

[1:57:55] Got a message from Paul. Wanted to remind everybody about North Central

[1:57:59] Planning Council is having a stake of region three on

[1:58:05] September 10th at Lake Region State College from 11:30 to 1:30.

[1:58:10] um cover what uh we heard that six county

[1:58:16] listening sessions housing innovative projects happening across the region

[1:58:21] wrap up with a legislative panel lunch will be provided. Please RSVP.

[1:58:29] » Thanks Jeff. Anybody else have anything from their portfolio?

[1:58:38] hearing none. Oh, during the meeting today. Thanks

[1:58:44] everybody.

Ramsey County Commission

Agenda

Transcript