[00:00:01] 2025 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING. FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order] I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE ALWAYS PRESENT SILENCING OF THE CELL PHONES. NUMBER THREE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS, MANDY? [Approval of Agenda] MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. [Approval of Consent Agenda] WOULD ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THIS POINT? HEARING AND SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECONDED. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND NOW, I BELIEVE IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES. IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. I STAND HERE, YOU CAN SIT AT THE MIC. WE HAVE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. YES, I KNOW, AND I DON'T GET DONE TODAY. I'LL COME NEXT TIME. SOMEBODY IS OUR TIMEKEEPER TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SHARON SHINDEL. I RESIDE AT 2278 ASPEN LANE IN NORTH MANKATO BEEN A RESIDENT OF NICOLLET COUNTY FOR 52 YEARS. AND FURTHER IN MY COMMENTS, MY BACKGROUND IS THAT I WAS A TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR IN A SMALL RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 39 YEARS. FIRST THING IS SOMETHING I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE A DIFFERENT WAY. IT'S COUNTY ROAD 13 SPEED LIMITS. WE ARE BIKE RIDERS AND WE RIDE A LOT IN NORTH MANKATO AND IT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. THEY'VE ON TIM ROAD. IT IS. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE SPEED LIMIT IS. THERE ISN'T A SIGN LEAVING TOWN, BUT THERE IT ENDS. 45 AT CARLSON DRIVE, AND I'D LIKE TO. WE'D LIKE TO GET IT EXPANDED OUT TO TIM ROAD. JUST MOVE THE SIGN ON EITHER WAY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT MORE HOUSING GOING IN OUT THERE. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE BIKE TRAILS THAT THE CITY NORTH MANKATO SAY IS A BIKE TRAIL, AND THEY SAID THEY CAN'T DEAL WITH IT. I HAD TO COME TO THE COUNTY. SO THAT IS WHY I'M HERE. SO I JUST YOU WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE BE ACTIVE AND WE CROSS THAT ROAD MANY TIMES AND IT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. SO I JUST I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TIME NOW BECAUSE I JUST HAVE THREE MINUTES. SO I'M REQUESTING A SIDEWALK AND THE 45 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMITS BEING MOVED BACK FROM CARLSON TO TIM ROAD. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M ASKING FOR. CERTAINLY AS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE SECOND THING IS TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET. I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE FREE PRESS. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN COVERING THIS, BUT I DID SEE IT IN THE SAINT PETER HERALD. THAT IS SEPTEMBER 22ND MEETING. YOU APPROVED A PRELIMINARY 9.7% HIKE TO THE TAX LEVY. AND I KNOW THAT'S ONLY THAT'S THE TOP END. BUT AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT THAT. IN THE PAST, ACCORDING TO SAINT PETER HERALD ARTICLE, MANDY LANGHAMMER SAID, WE INVEST IN HUMAN CAPITAL AND THAT'S OUR MOST EXPENSIVE OUTLAY. AND BEING IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT, I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT IS AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN THAT. BUT IF A BUSINESS SAID THIS AND THEY REDUCE THEIR PROFITS TO SUPPORT THEIR EMPLOYEES, THAT IS ONE THING. BY GIVING COST OF LIVING INCREASES PLUS COVERING INSURANCE INCREASES, SAYS TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT PAY THE TAXES THAT THEIR STRUGGLES AND NEEDS DON'T MATTER. THE AVERAGE ANNUAL INSURANCE INCREASE IN MINNESOTA FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS 22%, THE HARDEST HIT OUR FARMERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND RETIREES. MY PERSONAL ONE, MY I'M ON MEDICARE THAT GOES UP. THE PREMIUMS ARE GOING UP FOR SUPPLEMENTS, BUT MY PRESCRIPTION FROM 51 TO $101 A MONTH JUST FOR MY OWN INSURANCE. FOR THAT, THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO GREATLY LOWER THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING TO COVER THEIR OWN INSURANCE INCREASES, PLUS HUGE PROPOSED TAX INCREASES. THE COUNTY IS ASKING US TO PAY JUST SOME THINGS THAT I DON'T READ ANYTHING FROM THIS BOARD, BUT BLUE EARTH COUNTY IS LOOKING AT COUNTY WIDE VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH TO MANAGE BUDGETING CHALLENGES, UNPAID TIME OFF, AND THEY DO THAT IN THEIR HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT. IT SEEMED TO WORK. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE CONSIDERED IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T READ ANYTHING FROM YOUR MEETINGS. ALSO LOOKING TO CUT CORE COSTS. THIS IS ALL BLUE EARTH COUNTY REDUCE ITS WORKFORCE BY 13 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES BY NOT FILLING POSITIONS. AND I HOPE YOU'VE CONSIDERED THAT IF THERE'S A POSITION COMING UP THAT YOU DON'T FILL IT, BECAUSE UNLESS IT'S AN ESSENTIAL ONE, I'VE REACHED THREE MINUTES. YEP. IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG. BUT, MADAM CHAIR, JACK, HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU HAVE? I PROBABLY HAVE LESS THAN THAT. I PROBABLY HAVE A MINUTE AND A HALF IF I READ REALLY FAST. OKAY. ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? OKAY, OKAY. BLUE EARTH COUNTY DEPUTY MINISTER JOSH MILLER SAID AT A BUDGET WORKSHOP [00:05:03] THAT THE COUNTY MAY HAVE TO START LOOKING AT CUTTING STAFF OR STAFF HOURS TO HELP EASE THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS. THIS IS BLUE COUNTY SAYING THIS. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THESE? I DON'T KNOW. I COME FROM A SCHOOL BACKGROUND WHERE WE DIDN'T JUST GET TO TELL THE PUBLIC WE NEEDED THIS MUCH MONEY AND WE GOT IT. WE GOT WHAT WE GOT FROM THE STATE PER PUPIL UNIT, NEVER NEAR A 9.7% INCREASE. YOU ARE REQUESTING IF WE NEED EXTRA NEEDED EXTRAS, THE VOTERS NEED TO PROVE IT. WE MADE DEEP STAFF CUTS WHEN THE MONEY WASN'T THERE. YOU DO NOT HAVE AN OPEN CHECKBOOK. YOUR TAXPAYERS DESERVE YOUR CAREFUL WATCHING OF ALL BUDGETS, MAKING REDUCTIONS WHEREVER POSSIBLE TO REDUCE THIS HUGE INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY. JUST AS A POINT OF GROWTH, OUR HOME IN NORTH MANKATO, WE COMPARED IT TO A HOME IN MANKATO, A NICER NEIGHBORHOOD THAN OURS, THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE AND WE PAY IN TAXES AND THEY DO IN BLUE EARTH COUNTY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE EXTRA TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR APPEARING. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, MADAM CHAIR, OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS BUDGET. I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, WHO HAVE BROUGHT THEIR REQUESTS BEFORE THIS COUNTY BOARD, AND WE HAVE WORKED ON THIS BUDGET. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE INDICATING, AND WE WILL FINALIZE. MANDY, WHEN IS THE FINAL DATE? DECEMBER 16TH. DECEMBER 16TH. YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND SHARE YOUR IDEAS. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. BUT THEY'RE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE WITH THEIR PRESENTERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO SWAP PROPER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WITH COUNTY ATTORNEY TO GIVE HER PRESENTERS A LITTLE TIME TO GET HERE. [Health and Human Services] SOMETIMES TRAFFIC AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION GETS IN THE WAY. MORNING, CASSIE. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY FIRST ITEM THIS MORNING IS OUR STATEWIDE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIP CONTRACT. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. FOLLOWING THE DISSOLUTION OF THE BROWN NICOLLET COMMUNITY HEALTH BOARD, NICOLLET COUNTY EVALUATED THE BENEFITS OF CONTINUING THE STATEWIDE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIP OR SHIP AS A SINGLE COUNTY PROGRAM. THIS TRANSITION WAS SEEN AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE PROGRAM CAPACITY AND EFFICIENCY, INCREASE LOCAL AUTONOMY, STREAMLINE DECISION MAKING, AND BETTER ALIGN SHIP EFFORTS WITH NICOLLET COUNTY SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES. EXAMPLES OF IMPROVING LOCAL INITIATIVE INCLUDE WORKING WITH OUR SUBSTANCE USE COALITION ON PROJECTS CONNECTING WICK AND FAMILY HOME VISITING TEAMS TO HEALTH CARE PARTNERS TO INCLUDE REFERRAL SOURCES, AND WORKING TO ALIGN OUR GOALS WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. IN MARCH 2025, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APPROVED THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO APPLY FOR SCHIP FUNDING INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, NICOLLET COUNTY WAS AWARDED $151,663 FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH WILL RUN NOVEMBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST, 2026. NICOLLET COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A LOCAL MATCH OF 10%, OR $15,166.30. THAT MATCH INCLUDES SALARY AND FRINGE FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH SUPERVISOR PER DIEM COSTS FOR HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS, INTERNAL ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, COPIER PRINTING COSTS AND IN-KIND MATCHES RECEIVED FROM LOCAL PARTNERS FOR COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARDS. THIS MORNING, I AM REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE SHIP MASTER AGREEMENT WITH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. IF APPROVED, SIGNATURES WOULD BE COLLECTED BY MYSELF AND THE BOARD CHAIR VIA DOCUSIGN. THANK YOU. THE AGREEMENT IS IN THE PACKET. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION? AND THIS IS ALL PART OF THE UNWINDING I GUESS IS THE BEST WORD I WANT TO. I USED TO CALL IT A DIVORCE, BUT I'M GOING WITH UNWINDING. CORRECT. THIS IS THE LAST STEP IN OUR TRANSITION. YEAH. AND I'M HAVING WHAT'S HER NAME? I CAN'T THINK OF HER NAME. KRISTEN. KRISTEN IS STILL WITH US. CORRECT? OKAY, COOL. ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION OR DISCUSSION, MADAM CHAIR? AND, MARK, YOU'RE ON THE SHIP COMMITTEE, RIGHT? SO R IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND HOW THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO SERVE US, GOING WELL WITH THE WITH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH? YES, YES, YES. WE FEEL VERY WELL SUPPORTED WITH OUR SHIP PROGRAM. THE BIGGEST TRANSITION FOR US WILL BE GOING FROM SERVING FOUR COUNTIES TO ONE COUNTY AND HAVING INCREASED CAPACITY LOCALLY. AND THEN, AS I UNDERSTAND, BROWN WILL HAVE THEIR OWN RELATIONSHIP AND SO WILL COTTONWOOD AND LOT ONE, RIGHT. SO FOR SHIP WE HAVE LE SUEUR, WASECA, BROWN AND NICOLLET RIGHT NOW. AND THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD SEPARATELY. OKAY. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. I WOULD JUST COMMENT THAT THIS WAS YOU KNOW, IT'S A NICE OPPORTUNITY FOR US BECAUSE WE CAN FOCUS ON THE COUNTY SPECIFIC PRIORITIES AND [00:10:04] NOT BE DILUTED BY, YOU KNOW, THE VARYING REQUESTS OF FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTIES TRYING TO MAKE FOUR DIFFERENT DECISIONS. YEAH. AND WE LOVE KRISTEN. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. MY SECOND TOPIC IS OUR MINNESOTA FAMILY INVESTMENT PROGRAM PLAN. TO OBTAIN CONSOLIDATED FUNDING FOR OUR MINNESOTA FAMILY INVESTMENT PROGRAM, OR NFIP COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A BIENNIAL SERVICE AGREEMENT REFERRED TO AS THE BSA, TO BE APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. THE BSA OUTLINES LOCAL STRATEGIES AIMED AT IMPROVING ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND IDENTIFIES STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAM AND ANY SERVICE GAPS. NICOLLET COUNTY CONTRACTS WITH THE MINNESOTA VALLEY ACTION COUNCIL TO DELIVER OUR SERVICES, AND WORKED WITH THEM TO DEVELOP THE BSA FOR 2026 2027. STRENGTHS IDENTIFIED INCLUDE ONGOING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATION WITH EMPLOYERS, ACCESS TO TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND MVAC. KEY CHALLENGES CONTINUE TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND THE NEED FOR UPDATES TO DHS POLICIES. THE BSA WAS POSTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2025, WITH NO FEEDBACK. NO FEEDBACK RECEIVED TO DATE. THE BUDGET FOR 2026 AND THE MASTER CONTRACT WITH MBAC WILL BE PRESENTED TO THIS BOARD SEPARATELY NEXT MONTH. THIS MORNING, I AM REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE 2026 2027 BIENNIAL SERVICE AGREEMENT. THANK YOU. THE SERVICE AGREEMENT IS IN THE PACKET. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SERVICE AGREEMENT. SECOND. THANK YOU. FURTHER DISCUSSION? QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MAY I JUST ASK CASSIE TO STICK WITH US FOR FOR A MOMENT? YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER BY A PRESENTER. I THINK OUR TOTAL BUDGET, 31, 32% MANDATE. IS FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS. CORRECT. AND THAT'S TO HELP PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU'VE TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS BOARD BEFORE OF THE 35,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NICOLLET COUNTY, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE? CASSIE, WHO ARE BENEFITING FROM THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER LAW TO PROVIDE? I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU A TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE COUNTY RECEIVING SERVICES IN GENERAL. I COULD, I COULD GET FEEDBACK FOR YOU WITH DATA PARTICULAR TO EACH PROGRAM. IF THAT WOULD BE YOUR REQUEST. I HAD THOUGHT WE WERE IN THE NINE, 10,000 PERSON CATEGORY IN THE PAST. YES. I THINK YOUR QUESTION THOUGH, IS JUST BROAD ENOUGH THAT I CAN'T GIVE A SPECIFIC ANSWER BECAUSE WE TRACK IT BY PROGRAM AREA. BUT THERE THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF NEED IN THE COUNTY. CORRECT. AND THAT'S OUR JOB TO SERVE THAT THOSE NEEDS. YES. THEY ARE MANDATED SERVICES. AND IN MANY CASES WE HAVE TO LEVY FOR THAT. JUST FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, JUST AS A QUICK SYNOPSIS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, SNAP, HOW MANY OF THE CITIZENS IN THE STATE OF THIS COUNTY ARE ARE USING SNAP BENEFITS? THOSE AROUND 9000 OR 14,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE DATA, WE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POINTS. WE HAD LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'D BEEN TOUCHED BY SNAP IN A YEAR, WHICH WOULD SHOW DUPLICATIVE DATA. AND I THINK MY THOUGHT IS THAT IT WAS IN THE 1500 RANGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON SNAP AT ONE TIME. AGAIN, THOUGH, TO GIVE YOU THAT DATA, I WOULD WANT TO ACCESS MY DATA, WHICH AGAIN, I CAN GO AND RETRIEVE MY LAPTOP TO PROVIDE THAT FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER DEAN. I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I WAS TRYING TO REACH, AND I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH YOU AHEAD OF TIME. BUT IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENTS BRING PEOPLE OUT OF TROUBLE WITH HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THEIR LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS. AND WE NEED TO DO THAT. WE'RE. WELL, WE ARE MANDATED TO DO THAT. BUT IF WE WEREN'T MANDATED, WE WOULD DO IT ANYWAY. MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU. I ALSO HAVE MAYBE A QUESTION THAT KASEY CAN POSSIBLY ANSWER ON THIS ONE. ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WHEN WE DID OUR BUDGETING I THINK IT WAS THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED ABOUT OUR STAFF AND THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT WE HAVE [00:15:09] AND MEETING THESE THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE OVERSTAFFED OR UNDERSTAFFED. OR MAYBE KASEY COULD COMMENT TOO, WHEN, WHEN I LOOK AT IT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WEIGHED IN MAKING THE DECISIONS ON THE BUDGET OR WHATEVER WAS THE STAFFING NEEDS AND OUR BACK LOAD IN OUR CASE, CASE WAITING LIST. MAYBE YOU COULD COMMENT THAT EVEN WITH OUR CURRENT STAFF LOAD, WE'RE STILL KIND OF EXCEEDING OUR STATE MINIMUM FOR MAYBE YOU COULD COMMENT MORE ABOUT THAT. SURE. YES. A COUPLE OF THE SIGNIFICANT ITEMS THAT I HAD TALKED ABOUT AT BUDGET REVIEW TIME WAS WE DO HAVE KIND OF STANDARD BENCHMARKS FOR EACH OF OUR PROGRAM AREAS. AND IN MANY OF THEM, WE ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE FOR OUR HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES, PARTICULARLY DISABILITY SERVICES. WITH OUR CURRENT NUMBER OF STAFF, WE HAVE A LENGTHY WAITLIST FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE SERVED. SOMETIMES WAITING MONTHS JUST TO GET THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS, LET ALONE BE ASSIGNED A CASE MANAGER AND START SERVICES, WHICH IS, IS NOT WHAT NICOLLET COUNTY STRIVES TO DO. SO THOSE ARE POSITIONS THAT WE DID REQUEST BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET. HOWEVER, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THOSE POSITIONS, THE TWO OF THEM COMBINED HAVE A NET ZERO IMPACT ON THE LEVY BECAUSE OF THE REIMBURSEMENTS AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE OPERATED FORENSIC SERVICES. FOR FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES POSITIONS. THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT FREQUENTLY, IF WE DO NOT FILL A VACANCY, WE ACTUALLY END UP LOSING FUNDS BECAUSE WE DON'T GAIN THE REVENUE THAT WE WOULD GAIN AS WELL. SO THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS TO THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE NEEDED IS A REALLY FINE BALANCE. IN ORDER TO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT ON OUR LEVY AS POSSIBLE. AND IF THERE ARE OTHER SPECIFIC THINGS THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE, I CERTAINLY CAN GO RETRIEVE MY LAPTOP TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE DATA. I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. ALL RIGHT. ON TO COUNTY ATTORNEY. I SEE YOUR VISITORS HAVE ARRIVED. [County Attorney] SO COUNTY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TO YOU TODAY A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN TALK IN ONE SPACE ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AVENUES ADDRESSING SUBSTANCE ABUSE HERE IN NICOLLET COUNTY. OCTOBER IS NATIONAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, AND WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT PIECES OF THIS TOPIC, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE EVERYONE COME AND SPEAK FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES TO KIND OF TOUCH ON ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE NICOLLET COUNTY IS TRYING TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE, THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON INDIVIDUALS LIVES AND PREVENTION EFFORTS. AND I FIRST WANT TO START BY THANKING THE BOARD FOR ITS SUPPORT OF THOSE EFFORTS IN THE PAST AND MOVING FORWARD TO COMBAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE BECAUSE OF HOW IT HAS SO MANY IMPACTS ON SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF INDIVIDUALS LIVES. HERE IN NICOLLET COUNTY. SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PRESENTERS TODAY. AND I'LL TAKE SOME TIME TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PRESENTERS AND THE IDEA. REALLY FOR THIS PRESENTATION AROSE OUT OF A CONVERSATION WITH NANCY AT EVENT FOR FENTANYL OVERDOSE AWARENESS ABOUT REALLY COMING TO COUNTY BOARDS AND TALKING ABOUT EFFORTS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION. BUT I'LL INTRODUCE AT THIS POINT, NANCY. AND KIM GUSTAFSON THEY'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TO THE BOARD ABOUT HOW THEY TOOK THE TRAGEDY OF THE LOSS OF TRAVIS AND USED IT AS A CALL OF ACTION TO ADDRESS OVERDOSE AND FENTANYL AWARENESS. AND SO I'LL INTRODUCE NANCY AND KIM TO PRESENT. WELL, HELLO, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT TRAVIS. EXCUSE ME AND TELL HIS STORY. THANK YOU, ATTORNEY MICHELLE ZEHNDER FISCHER, FOR INVITING US TO BE HERE TODAY. OUR FAMILY LOST A BIG PIECE TO OUR PUZZLE ON FEBRUARY 24TH OF 2021, WHEN MY 21 YEAR OLD SON, TRAVIS JAMES GUSTAFSON, DIED FROM FENTANYL POISONING. TRAVIS WAS SUCH A KIND HEARTED PERSON, AND HE WAS A JOY TO BE AROUND AND HAD A SMILE THAT SHINED TO OTHERS. TRAVIS LOVED THE OUTDOORS. HE LIKED TO FISH AND GO CAMPING WITH HIS FAMILY. [00:20:04] HIS FAVORITE WAS VISITING A LOCAL WATERFALL WITH HIS FRIENDS. TRAVIS STARTED EXPERIMENTING IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. BY THE 11TH GRADE, HE WAS ASKING FOR HELP. HE WENT TO THE WINNEBAGO YOUTH TREATMENT CENTER, WHICH IS SADLY NO LONGER OPEN. HE DID VERY WELL. BEGINNING IN 2021, WE WOULD START TO FIND OUT THAT HE WAS STRUGGLING AND HOW BAD IT WAS. HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE. WE I'M SORRY. WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO OR WHERE TO GO. AND THEN HE WAS GONE. WHEN TRAVIS DIED, WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT FENTANYL WAS, NOR DID TRAVIS. HE HAD DREAMS FOR HIS FUTURE. HE WANTED TO HAVE CHILDREN ONE DAY AND WISHED TO OWN A FOOD TRUCK. HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE. AFTER WE BURIED TRAVIS, WE REALIZED, SORRY. WE REALLY STRUGGLED. WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING, BUT WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT THAT WAS. IT SEEMED THAT IT WASN'T JUST US. NO ONE KNEW WHAT FENTANYL WAS OR THE DANGERS OF IT. SO OUR FAMILY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT FENTANYL AND TELL TRAVIS STORY, BUT THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH. PEOPLE IN OUR AREA KEPT DYING. WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO GET GET LOUDER. WE STARTED TO ADVOCATE. OUR FAMILY HOSTED OUR NOW FOURTH ANNUAL FENTANYL POISONING AND OVERDOSE AWARENESS EVENT ON AUGUST 24TH. TO HELP US KEEP GOING WITH OUR FIGHT, WE FORMED THE TRAVIS JAMES GUSTAFSON FOUNDATION, WHICH IS SLOWLY GROWING. WE HAVE OUR INFORMATIONAL BOOTH AT FAIRS, FESTIVALS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. WE VISIT BUSINESSES AND DO PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS. WE HAVE A BILLBOARD IN MANKATO FOR FENTANYL AWARENESS. OUR FOUNDATION DOES WHAT WE CAN TO CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES AROUND US. WE NEVER SAY NO TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. WE FEEL PREVENTION IS SO IMPORTANT. IF WE CAN GET TO THE YOUTH AND ADULTS BEFORE THEY START. MAYBE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IN TODAY'S WORLD, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR EXPERIMENTING. FENTANYL HAS CHANGED THAT. WE ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN AND LOVED ONES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF USING DRUGS. BECAUSE WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW CAN HURT THEM. IF WE DON'T TALK TO OUR CHILDREN, THERE ARE HANDFUL OF DRUG DEALERS THAT WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO THEM FOR US. WE WORK TO GET NALOXONE OUT TO ANYONE WHO WILL CARRY IT. WE KNOW THAT GETTING NARCAN OUT THERE IS SAVING LIVES. OUR BOOTH USUALLY HAS A GREAT TURNOUT. THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS THAT WANT TO KNOW MORE. WE HEAR STORIES OF STRUGGLES AND STORIES OF LOSS. WE SHARE OUR STORY IN HOPES THAT THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED ONES STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE, SUBSTANCE USE ARE GIVEN SOME HOPE RESOURCES, AND THAT THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE DUE TO THE DRUG EPIDEMIC KNOW THAT THERE ARE NOT ALONE. THE STIGMA IS REAL. FAMILIES ARE LEFT FEELING ISOLATED AND AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. OUR YOUNG AND OUR OLD ARE DYING. WE ARE ALL TOUCHED BY THIS EPIDEMIC. THE MORE WE KNOW ABOUT IT, THE MORE WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. NEVER THINK. NOT MY CHILD, NOT MY FAMILY. BECAUSE I AM HERE TODAY. AND I ONCE THOUGHT, NOT MY FAMILY, NOT MY CHILD. THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR MAIN HOPES IN DOING THIS. AND WE HAVE A MISSION, A VISION AND A PROMISE BECAUSE WE MADE A PROMISE TO TRAVIS. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAVE HIM ANYMORE. HE'S GONE. BUT WE CAN SAVE OTHER FAMILIES AND KIDS FROM GOING THROUGH THIS. BECAUSE THERE'S NO WORDS TO EXPRESS THE PAIN THAT YOU FEEL WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEONE IN THAT, IN THAT MANNER. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH STIGMA OUT THERE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A DISEASE, YOU KNOW SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS A DISEASE. IT'S NOT A CHOICE. THESE KIDS ARE NOT CHOOSING TO DO THAT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DIE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT IS, IT'S A, IT'S A HORRIBLE EPIDEMIC THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK IF YOU TALK TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY'LL AGREE THAT IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT LOSING IT. IT'S STILL THERE AND IT'S STILL QUITE ACTIVE. WE DON'T ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT ALL THE KIDS THAT HAVE PASSED BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY ADVERTISE IT. A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, HE DIED PEACEFULLY IN HIS HOME. WELL, HE WAS 17. SO, YOU KNOW, IF HE DIED FROM A LIKE A HEART ATTACK OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT RIGHT IN THERE IF WE'D KNOWN THEN WHAT WE KNOW NOW, WE WOULD HAVE PUT IN THERE THAT TRAVIS DIED FROM FENTANYL POISONING. WE WENT TO COURT. WELL, WE JUST FINALLY FINISHED UP. THIS WAS FOUR YEARS. WE FINALLY FINISHED UP WITH THE LAST PERSON THAT WAS CHARGED IN HIS DEATH. SO THAT'S KIND OF ADDED A LOT OF HEARTACHE TO OUR JOURNEY, TOO. WE HEAR THINGS THAT WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO HEAR. AND BUT THAT'S HOW WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO SHARE AWARENESS. WE WANT TO SHARE HOPE. WE WANT TO SHARE NARCAN AND WE WANT TO SHARE WHATEVER WE CAN. WE LIKE WORKING WITH OUR COUNTIES, BUT WE WANT TO DO ALL THE COUNTIES. [00:25:03] WE REALLY FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEAK WITH SOME OF THE SMALLER TOWNS OUTSIDE OF MANKATO OR SAINT PETER OR THE BIGGER TOWNS, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE ISOLATED OUT ON THE FARM AT TIMES. AND IF THEY DO HAVE A CHILD THAT STRUGGLES AND THE CHILD DOES OVERDOSE OR GET POISONING, IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE A WHILE MAYBE FOR THAT AMBULANCE TO GET THERE. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THESE FAMILIES TO HAVE NARCAN IN THEIR HOMES, KNOW HOW TO USE IT, KNOW WHY TO USE IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AND THEN MAYBE THEY CAN SAVE THEIR CHILD'S LIFE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO AS THE BOARD JUST HEARD ABOUT THE THE CONSEQUENCES OF FENTANYL POISONING AND OVERDOSE, WE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS OF THOSE OF THAT ISSUE. AND THAT IS OUR MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF OPIOIDS. AND THE BOARD IS AWARE THAT THE OPIOID CRISIS WAS A NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. AS A RESULT OF THAT, THERE WERE MULTIPLE LAWSUITS THAT WERE BROUGHT AGAINST THE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, PHARMACIES OF OPIOIDS AND NICOLLET COUNTY HAS PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THOSE LAWSUIT RESOLUTIONS. AND THUS FAR SINCE 2022, NICOLLET COUNTY HAS RECEIVED ABOUT $223,000 IN SETTLEMENT FUNDS FROM VARIOUS SETTLEMENT SOURCES. THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL RECEIPT OF FUNDS IN THE FUTURE. NOT MY UNDERSTANDING IS NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THUS FAR, BUT THERE'LL BE A CONTINUOUS SOME MONIES COMING IN FROM THOSE SETTLEMENTS. AND AS THE BOARD IS AWARE FROM LAST YEAR, EXCUSE ME, LAST MONTH THERE WAS JUST ANOTHER SETTLEMENT APPROVED WITH SECONDARY DISTRIBUTORS OR MANUFACTURERS OF OPIOIDS. SO AT THIS POINT AND THOSE FUNDS ARE GIVEN TO COUNTIES LARGER CITIES AND STATES TO HELP ADDRESS THE COSTS OF THE OPIOID USE IN COMMUNITIES TIED TO THE BEHAVIOR AND MISINFORMATION THAT WAS PUT OUT BY THOSE MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS. AND SO THERE'S SPECIFIC USES OF THAT MONEY THAT ARE AUTHORIZED IN THOSE SETTLEMENTS. AND SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK CASSIE SASSENBERG TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC USE OF THOSE OPIOID DOLLARS THUS FAR IN NICOLLET COUNTY. AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM MIKE DAVIS ABOUT SOME OF HIS EFFORTS IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PREVENTION EFFORTS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING AGAIN. AS THIS BOARD KNOWS, NICOLLET COUNTY HAS USED OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS IN THREE SEPARATE BUCKETS THUS FAR. WE HAVE FUNDED $10,000 TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL COMMUNITY BASED INITIATIVE FOR A PROJECT TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CRISIS RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR YOUTH. WE HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER WITHIN OUR CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM. THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED TO FUND FAMILY HOME VISITING TIME AS WELL AS COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENTS WHILE PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. THE LAST AREA WHERE WE HAVE FUNDED HAS BEEN COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, AND THAT HAS BEEN WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE'VE BEEN VERY PROUD OF MIKE'S WORK WITH THE SAINT PETER'S SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IN 2025, SERVING 67 STUDENTS. AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE JUST CONTRACTED WITH NICOLLET PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WELL, SO THAT MIKE CAN BEGIN WORKING THERE AS WELL. SO MIKE IS HERE THIS MORNING TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT HIS EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MIKE DAVIS. I'M A LICENSED ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELOR HERE AT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN NICOLLET COUNTY. I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH STUDENTS AT SAINT PETER HIGH SCHOOL, ROCK BAND ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER, THE SAINT PETER MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND AS CASSIE STATED, NOW THE NICOLLET SCHOOL SYSTEM. I'M MEETING WITH STUDENTS ONE ON ONE, PROVIDING THEM EDUCATION AND SUPPORT AS FAR AS THEIR CHEMICAL USE GOES. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO FEEL THAT SUPPORT IN A ONE ON ONE SETTING. IT'S A SAFE SPACE FOR THEM TO TALK TO ME. I CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH EDUCATION, TALK ABOUT PREVENTION STRATEGIES, COPING SKILLS, THINGS LIKE THAT. I'VE ALSO GONE INTO SOME CLASSROOMS AND PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND FROM ME AND OPEN IT UP TO OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS FROM THE CLASS. SO THE TEACHERS ACTUALLY PROVIDE THEM WITH EXTRA CREDIT FOR ASKING QUESTIONS. SO IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH AS FAR AS QUESTIONS. BUT IT GOES TO SHOW WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT REACHING THEM AT A YOUNG AGE. IT DOES PROGRESS AND IT DOES GET WORSE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE WORKED WITH PEOPLE THAT I WORKED WITH AS ADOLESCENTS HERE AND HAVE NOW WORKED WITH [00:30:06] THEM AS ADULTS AS WELL. SO REACHING THEM AT A YOUNG AGE IS VERY IMPORTANT. I DID HAVE A STUDENT THE FIRST YEAR THAT I WAS IN THE SCHOOLS THAT WAS CAUGHT USING A THC CART IN THE IN THE SCHOOL. SCHOOL SAID, WE'LL TAKE A DAY OFF OF YOUR SUSPENSION IF YOU MEET WITH MIKE. I THINK THEY GAVE HIM A DEADLINE OF HOW MANY DAYS TO MEET WITH ME. AND ON THE LAST DAY HE SAID, HEY, I KNOW THIS IS MY LAST DAY, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE THAT I COULD KEEP MEETING WITH YOU? AND I THINK THAT JUST SHOWS THE IMPACT RIGHT THERE. I SAID ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN MEET FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. SO THANKS FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. AS THE BOARD IS ALSO AWARE WE PARTICIPATE WITH THE DTF, THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY DRUG TASK FORCE. AND I DID GET SOME STATS FOR THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF 2025. SO FAR THEY'VE CONFISCATED 14 POUNDS IN VARIOUS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. IN THIS AREA, METHAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE ARE THE DRUGS THAT THEY ARE SEEING THE MOST USE FOLLOWED BY FENTANYL POWDER. WE HAD HEARD FOR A WHILE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FENTANYL PILLS, BUT NOW THE POWDER FORM SEEMS TO BE THE ONE THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE USING INSTEAD OF THE PILLS. THEY HAVE SEIZED 37,100, $143 IN DRUG PROCEEDS AND THEY'VE CONFISCATED 30 ILLEGAL FIREARMS. THEY ARE SEEING THE IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING THIS AWARENESS AND THE INTERVENTION IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT THEY ARE SEEING A DECREASE IN FENTANYL IN THIS AREA. AND THAT'S DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PUBLIC AWARENESS THAT IS BEING BROUGHT. AND IT IS ALSO DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OF REALLY TARGETING THE DISTRIBUTORS OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES IN THIS AREA AND ALSO ADDRESSING AND INVESTIGATING THOSE OVERDOSE DEATHS. AND WE'RE BRINGING CRIMINAL CHARGES. WHERE THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THOSE CRIMINAL CHARGES. AND SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. BUT IT'S ALSO NICE TO KNOW THAT THE WORK HAS HAS SOME IMPACT. AND WE'RE SEEING THAT IMPACT. OUR FINAL PRESENTER IS SHERIFF WANG. IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES OUT OF THE REACH OF INDIVIDUALS. AND ONE OF THE PLACE THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH CHEMICAL USE AND SUBSTANCE USE IS THE MEDICINE CABINETS IN HOMES AND HOMES OF FAMILY AND LOVED ONES. AND SO ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT IS DRUG TAKE BACK PROGRAMS. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY OCTOBER 25TH. SO SHERIFF LANG IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE EFFORTS HERE IN NICOLLET COUNTY AND WHERE SOME OF THOSE TAKE BACK LOCATIONS CAN BE FOUND IN NICOLLET COUNTY. THANK YOU. SURE. THANK YOU MICHEL. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE AN AGENT ON THE DRUG TASK FORCE, BECAUSE THEY DO VERY IMPORTANT WORK, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM OUR REPORT. WE'VE DONE THE DRUG TAKE BACK IN NICOLLET COUNTY FOR MANY YEARS. I GUESS I DIDN'T REALLY GO BACK. I'M GOING TO GUESS IT'S SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS. WE HAVE A DROP BOX IN OUR LOBBY. NORTH MANKATO PD HAS A DROP BOX AND I THINK BLUE EARTH COUNTY DOES AS WELL AS MANKATO PD. SO RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO BRING UNUSED MEDICATIONS IN THAT THEY NO LONGER NEED RATHER THAN FLUSH THEM DOWN THE TOILET OR THEY SIT IN THEIR MEDICINE CABINET AND POTENTIALLY COULD GET ABUSED BY FAMILY MEMBERS LIKE THAT. SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A REPORT FOR THE LAST I'VE GOT NUMBERS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS OR ACTUALLY FIVE YEARS. IN 2021, WE DISPOSED 545 POUNDS. 2023. WE DID 575 POUNDS 2024. 541 POUNDS AND WE JUST RECENTLY IN 2025, TOOK IN 345 POUNDS. AND THAT'S JUST MY OFFICE. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE NORTH MANKATO OR BLUE EARTH COUNTIES NUMBERS. SO. THANKS. NORTH MANKATO. INDICATED THAT IN 2024, THEY COLLECTED 409 POUNDS OF MEDICATIONS. THE SHERIFF MAKES THAT TAKE BACK OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, AT SENIOR, THE SENIOR EXPO HERE IN SAINT PETER AND THE NUMBER OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND DRUGS THAT ARE BROUGHT BY THE INDIVIDUALS ATTENDING THAT EVENT. IS SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING JUST TO SEE THE PEOPLE AND THEY APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY. [00:35:02] SO I THINK I'LL, I'LL CONCLUDE AND THEN ALLOW QUESTIONS. IF YOU HAVE ANY FOR OUR FOUR PRESENTERS BY AGAIN SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF THOSE OF MY OFFICE HAVING THE ABILITY TO TARGET THOSE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE OFFENSES. WE HAVE A TREATMENT COURT OF OUR TREATMENT COURT HERE IN NICOLLET COUNTY THAT OFFERS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND STRUGGLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE. MIKE IS A MEMBER OF THAT TEAM. I ATTEND THAT TEAM AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THAT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK VERY HARD TO BOTH ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE AND CONTINUE OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU. DOES ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? NICOLE. SURE. THANK YOU. TRAVIS'S FAMILY FOR BEING HERE. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN. AND I'M JUST SO PLEASED WITH YOUR ADVOCACY IN THIS AREA. IT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. I'M ESPECIALLY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES. AND HOW IMPORTANT OUTREACH IS TO THOSE SMALLER TOWNS AND TO KIDS. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT THERE'S IT'S ALMOST NEVER TOO EARLY TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH KIDS. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU TO MIKE FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN THE SCHOOLS. IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU. IT'S NOT EASY TO COME UP HERE AND TELL YOUR STORY. WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL PRESENTATIONS I'VE SEEN. I'VE BEEN HERE 27 YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. I ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT SAINT PETER AND HOW WELL YOU ARE DOING HOW YOU'RE ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM, AND EVEN MORE SO THAN MANY OF THE OTHER TOWNS. SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT, I REALLY DO. SHE KNOWS I, I ALWAYS WANT HER TO COME TO OUR EVENTS AND WE'D LOVE TO WORK MORE WITH NICOLLET COUNTY AND SOME OF THE OTHER SURROUNDING COUNTIES, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT JUST A BLUE EARTH COUNTY OR A NICOLLET COUNTY. IT'S EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM AND WE ALL NEED TO WORK AT IT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. TRANSITIONING INTO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS CONSIDERING AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO SIGN OPIOID AGREEMENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I AM ASKING FOR AUTHORIZATION TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO SIGN ANY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS THAT MIGHT ADDITIONALLY BE BROUGHT FORTH THROUGH THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT PROCESS. AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, AMC HAS BEEN A LEADER OF COORDINATING THOSE RESOLUTIONS ALONG WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. AND THERE'S OFTENTIMES A SHORT TIME FRAME THAT'S NEEDED TO SIGN OFF ON THOSE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS THERE. THROUGH THAT STATEWIDE PROGRAM THE COUNTY HAS IN THE PAST ELECTED NOT TO BRING ITS OWN LITIGATION. AND CERTAINLY WE COULD CHOOSE TO DO SO, BUT I THINK BASED UPON PAST DECISION MAKING, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE STATEWIDE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS. AND SO IN ORDER TO BE EFFICIENT AND ENSURE TIMELY RESPONSE TO THOSE NEEDS I AM ASKING FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN THOSE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. CERTAINLY WE CAN PUT CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ON JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD AWARENESS WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE COMING THROUGH. BUT IN THE INTEREST OF EFFICIENCY AND TIMELINESS, I'M ASKING FOR THAT AUTHORIZATION. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR SUCH AUTHORIZATION? SO MOVED. SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA. PROPERTY SERVICES. [Property Services] PLANNING AND ZONING. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. GOOD MORNING JOHN. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO TODAY WE HAVE PLN 25 DASH 11. AND THIS IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE ADAM HOFFMAN WITH MR. PAVING AND EXCAVATING INCORPORATED. AND THIS IS FOR A THREE YEAR A REQUEST FOR A THREE YEAR RENEWAL FOR THE MINERAL EXTRACTION PERMIT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MINING, CRUSHING, SORTING AND STOCKPILING GRAVEL. THE PIT IN QUESTION FOR THIS REQUEST IS KNOWN AS THE CONE PIT. [00:40:02] SO IT'S IN THAT AREA OF JUST SOUTH OF US, 14 WEST OF CORTLAND IN CORTLAND TOWNSHIP. IT'S JUST EAST OF THE PIT KNOWN AS THE PIT. IT'S ACTUALLY OVER THREE DIFFERENT PARCELS OF LAND THAT ARE OWNED BY GARY COHN, TIM COHN, MARC COHN AS WELL AS DORIS ZIMMER. AND SO TODAY WE ARE LOOKING FOR A AN APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS AS WELL AS AN APPROVAL OF THE FINDINGS OF FACT. THANK YOU. THE PRESENTATION IS IN OUR PACKET. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE FINDING? YEAH. THANK YOU. SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? BASIC RENEWAL. HERE WE GO. THANK THING. YEAH. NO OTHER NO OTHER INTERESTING OR CONCERNING FACTORS WITH WITH THIS REQUEST. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC WORKS CONSIDERS NO AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF NEW ULM. [Public Works] THAT ANNUAL EVENT, ISN'T IT? SETH? YES, MADAM CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND STAFF. AS THE BOARD CHAIR MENTIONED, I HAVE FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION A SNOW REMOVAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF NEW ULM. THIS IS AN ANNUAL AGREEMENT THAT I BRING FORTH TO THE COUNTY BOARD, AND IT AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF NEW ULM TO PERFORM SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL OPERATIONS ON OUR COUNTY ROAD 37. COUNTY ROAD 37 RUNS INTO THE CITY OF NEW ULM, 20TH STREET SOUTH AND COUNTY ROAD 37 IS A BIT DISJOINTED FROM THE REST OF OUR SYSTEM, AND SO FOR EFFICIENCY PURPOSES, IT'S MUCH MORE EFFICIENT TO CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF NEW ULM TO JUST PLOW COUNTY ROAD 37 AS THEY PLOWED 20TH STREET SOUTH. SO THE AGREEMENT COVERS THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER AND JANUARY THROUGH MARCH. THE RATE IS $550 PER MONTH. THE RATE IN THE PAST HAS BEEN $520 A MONTH, AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SIX YEARS. SO IT FELT TIME THAT A SMALL INCREASE WAS WAS WARRANTED. SO I'M ASKING THE BOARD TODAY TO APPROVE THE SNOW REMOVAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF NEW ULM. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SAID AGREEMENT? SO MOVED. SECONDED. CONVERSATION QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR. SO, MR. GREENWOOD, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THERE WILL BE NO SNOW IN NOVEMBER AND NONE IN APRIL? THEN? THAT'S MY HOPE. OKAY, WE'LL GO WITH THAT. I LIKE THE WAY YOU THINK. SETH. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU. GO HOME AND TAKE DRUGS. OH. YOU SOUND AWFUL. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS HUMAN RESOURCES. [Human Resources] CONSIDERING THE MC H RENEWAL FOR 2026 MEDICAL INSURANCE. GOOD MORNING. BRIDGET. GOOD MORNING. I AM HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER APPROVING MYSELF TO SIGN THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MEDICAL INSURANCE. THE RENEWAL INSURANCE DOCUMENT, I THINK IS IN YOUR BOARD PACKET. THE RATES DID GO UP FOR 2026. AND WE ARE STAYING WITH THE SAME PLAN. WE WORKED WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND WE'RE STAYING WITH THE SAME PLANS AS LAST YEAR, BUT THE RATES HAVE GONE UP A LITTLE BIT. SO TODAY I NEED YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO BE ABLE TO SIGN OFF ON THAT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE BRIDGET TO SIGN THE AGREEMENTS. SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. COMMENTS. AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, WHAT IS A LITTLE BIT. HOW MUCH. WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE WENT UP? YEAH. OVERALL IT WENT UP 17.2% FROM LAST YEAR. IT WAS A 22.2% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S COST. AND SO FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS, WE ARE PASSING SOME OF THAT ALONG TO THE EMPLOYEES. AND WE ARE BUYING SOME OF THAT DOWN WITH OUR RESERVES. CORRECT? CORRECT. THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. QUESTION FOR THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE. THERE WASN'T MUCH CHOICE HERE, WAS THERE? I MEAN, THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE RUNNING THIS PART OF THE WORLD, BUT MARK, WE HAD HAD THREE YEARS OF WAS IT FOUR, 5% INCREASES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. SO WE HAD STRUCK A PRETTY GOOD DEAL FOR OUR RESIDENT. FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND FOR RESIDENTS. BUT NOW THE BUBBLE HAS BURST, HAS BURST. [00:45:03] WHAT DO WE SEE THE FUTURE LOOKING LIKE? THIS IS A TWO YEAR THIS IS A TWO YEAR. SO WE'LL HAVE TO RENEW THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. YEAH, PRESUMABLY IT'LL BE THE SAME THE SAME TYPE OF INCREASE IN COSTS. YEAH. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE USING OUR RESERVES TO TRY AND BUY THAT DOWN FOR BOTH THE EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. WE'VE ACTIVELY BEEN LOOKING AT TWO AGAIN. IT'S STILL THIS SEEMS TO BE THE BEST WAY TO GO FOR THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF STAYING WITH THIS. WE DO HAVE RESERVES IN PLACE IN CASE WE SHOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO A SELF-INSURED PROGRAM. WE'VE USED SOME OF THOSE FUNDS, OBVIOUSLY, BY THIS DOWN. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'LL HAPPEN, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE THAT KIND OF LAYING IN WAIT IN CASE WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT CHANGE. BUT SO FAR, THIS SEEMS LIKE THE, THE REALLY THE ONLY THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE. AND IT'S THE LEAST, THE LEAST EXPENSIVE OPTION. I THINK THERE WAS EVEN SOME, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD CAME IN WITH A HIGHER RATE TO BEGIN WITH AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY NEGOTIATED DOWN SOME. SO IT DID COME DOWN SOME FROM WHAT THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE, BUT SURE WANT TO THANK THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE FOR BEING THERE TO HANDLE IT. IT'S A TOUGH JOB RIGHT NOW. IT IS. WE HAVE A MOTION TO A SECOND TO APPROVE BRIDGET TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY UPDATE. [County Attorney Update] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AGAIN ONE OF THE IN ADDITION TO THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH THAT IS ALSO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL FIND BOTH HERE AT BOTH HUMAN SERVICES BUILDINGS AS WELL AS OUR LIBRARY. SOME INFORMATION AND MATERIALS. BRINGING AWARENESS TO. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOCUSED ON IN THE ARTICLE THAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING IN THE HERALD IS SOMETIMES WE HEAR THAT QUESTION, WHY DIDN'T SHE LEAVE? AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE ASK THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE WE NEVER WANT TO BLAME THE INDIVIDUAL IN THAT RELATIONSHIP FOR STAYING WHEN WE DON'T KNOW THE REASONS WHY THEY ARE FORCED TO STAY IN THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND THAT CAN INCLUDE THINGS LIKE FINANCIAL DEPENDANCE. THERE'S A LOT OF POWER AND CONTROL THAT CAN GO INTO CONTROLLING RELATIONSHIP FINANCES, WHETHER THAT'S NOT ALLOWING ONE OF THE, THE PARTNERS TO HAVE A CREDIT CARD OR ACCESS TO THE BANK ACCOUNTS OR GIVING SOMEONE AN ALLOWANCE. OR JUST THE DISPARITIES IN EARNING CAPACITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT RELATIONSHIP CAN REALLY BRING ABOUT THE INABILITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP IN ADDITION TO SO MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT CAN GO INTO DECISIONS OR LACK OF DECISIONS THAT CAN BE MADE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTERED RELATIONSHIP. AND SO WE WANT TO BRING AWARENESS TO THOSE ISSUES CONTINUE TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS, BE A LISTENING EAR. IF YOU THINK SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW OR SUSPECT SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECAUSE IT TRANSFORMS ALL AGES, IT TRANSFORMS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC CLASSES AS WELL. SO TO BE AWARE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND BE THAT SUPPORT FOR THEM. AND THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL TO WEAR PURPLE ON THURSDAY TO BRING AWARENESS, FURTHER AWARENESS TO THE TOPIC, AND THERE ARE RIBBONS DOWNSTAIRS IN THE ENTRY TO BRING AWARENESS AS WELL. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE, BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES. [Commissioner Committee Reports, Meetings & Conferences] WE CAN START WITH COMMISSIONER ZINS. I ATTENDED A BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING BOARD, DRAINAGE AUTHORITY WITH ALL. YOU ALSO ATTENDED THE TWIN VALLEY COUNCIL, BOY SCOUT, BOY SCOUT EVENT. HAD JOINT MEETINGS WITH SIBLEY ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF MANY DITCHES AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. I HAD THE JOINT MS SERVICES ANNUAL MEETING. THE DATA PRACTICES TRAINING WITH, WITH MANY OF YOU, ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER KOLARS HAD THE NORTH MANKATO FIRE STATION OPEN HOUSE ON MRCI FINANCE AND BOARD MEETINGS. I DID A BUSINESS AFTER HOURS. I DID THE TWO DAY SHACK RETREAT, WHICH FOCUSED ON FOUNDATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE EMERGING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES [00:50:01] IN THE, IN THE STATE, IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH ARENA. AND THEN I HAD A NORTH MANKATO LIAISON MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER KOLARS AND MANDY YESTERDAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. I HAD THE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ANNUAL CONFERENCE. I HAD THE MENTAL HEALTH WALK WITH A COUPLE OF THE INDIVIDUALS HERE. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO PUT THAT ON AND PARTICIPATED. I HAD THE JOINT SIBLEY NICOLLET DITCH AUTHORITY MEETING. WE HAD A STAKEHOLDERS IN EDUCATION MEETING THIS MORNING AND I HAD THE ECR, JC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING. AND THEN LASTLY, I HAD THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES E L U LAND USE MEETING ON DATA CENTERS. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. KOLARS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BUILDING COMMITTEE WITH COMMISSIONERS MS. OUR DIVERSITY, FINANCE AND DATA PRACTICES WITH COMMISSIONERS HERE. OUR DIVERSITY COUNCIL IS PLANNING THE 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE INCEPTION. NOVEMBER 19TH WILL BE THE ANNUAL EVENT AT MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND I'M PLANNING TO PURCHASE A TABLE. SO IF YOU CAN PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR, MAYBE WE CAN SCHEDULE A TIME WHERE THAT LUNCHEON WILL BE FROM 1130 UNTIL ONE THAT DAY. SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT IF IT FITS YOUR SCHEDULE. ON THE NORTH MANKATO MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER DAN AND MANDY YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAD VARIOUS HR MEETINGS REGION NINE MEETINGS, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE THE JOINT DITCH BALLET. SHOULD WE CALL IT A BALLET? WE RIPPED HIM RIGHT THROUGH QUITE QUICKLY. FULL REGION, I COMMISSIONER AND TODAY'S BOARD MEETING. I HAVE ALSO SPENT ROUGHLY 30 HOURS IN EMERGENCY ROOMS IN THE LAST SEVEN DAYS. TRUST ME, HEALTHCARE IN RURAL AMERICA IS NOT IN A GOOD PLACE THESE DAYS. WE'LL GO FROM THERE. ANY MEETINGS OR CONFERENCES WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF? MANDY NEXT TUESDAY IS THE ROAD TOUR. JUST A REMINDER TO MEET AT PUBLIC WORKS AT 815, AND THEN WE'LL LEAVE FROM THERE FOR VARIOUS SITES. AND THEN ON OCTOBER 22ND IS THE AMC DISTRICT SEVEN MEETING FOR OUR REGION. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE HOSTED BY BLUE EARTH COUNTY AT INDIAN ISLAND WINERY. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS TO APPROVE PER DIEMS AND EXPENSES. [Approve Per Diems and Expenses] I'LL MOVE IT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND NOW WE CAN ADJOURN THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND OPEN UP THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY. AND I HAVE TO SWITCH SCREENS, WHICH SHOULD GO QUITE SLICK, MAYBE. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN OPEN UP THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY OF OCTOBER 14TH, 2025. FIRST IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY AGENDA? THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MADAM CHAIR. HEARING AND SEEING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. SECOND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ONLY HAS THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23RD. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECONDED. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES FOR DRAINAGE AUTHORITY? HEARING AND SEEING? NONE. WE CAN MOVE ON TO PUBLIC SERVICES AND THE ANNUAL DITCH MAINTENANCE LEVIES. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO YES, IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR. PUBLIC SERVICES. WE ANNUALLY REVIEW THE DITCH BALANCES FOR ALL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL SYSTEMS WITH NEGATIVE BALANCES ATTACHED AS A SPREADSHEET, PROVIDING A BREAKDOWN OF EACH NEGATIVE BALANCE DITCH ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED LEVY AMOUNTS. THERE ARE ALSO FINDINGS IN ORDER FOR THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER SITTER, THIS ORDER WOULD ADOPT AND RECOMMEND LEVIES FOR EACH LISTED DITCH AND ESTABLISH ASSESSMENT TERMS. ANY ASSESSMENTS NOT PAID BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 WILL BE CERTIFIED AND ADDED TO THE 2026 PROPERTY TAXES. JUST A FEW NOTABLE ITEMS ON THIS SPREADSHEET. YOU, AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAD SEVERAL HEARINGS OR MEETINGS THIS FALL ABOUT CLEANING. SO WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX CLEANINGS ON THERE. AND ANOTHER NOTABLE ITEM IS COUNTY DITCH 86 A WE WILL BE LEVYING FOR MAINTENANCE COSTS ONLY. WE THESE ARE FOR THE GENERAL PUMPING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES SINCE 2021 AND ADMIN AND INTEREST CHARGES AND [00:55:01] EXCLUDING ANY OF THE IMPROVEMENT CHARGES ON THERE. OTHERWISE EVERYTHING IS PRETTY ROUTINE. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FINDING OF FACT AND ORDER? THE LEVY. HOW'S MY TERMINOLOGY? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR JACKIE OR STAFF I HAVE. I JUST HAVE ONE BECAUSE I'VE RECEIVED THIS QUESTION. CAN YOU CLARIFY OR DEFINE WHAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES ARE? SO IT'S A, IT'S A BUNCH OF CHARGES. IT'S EVERYTHING, BUT WE DO CHARGE THE DITCHES FOR OUR TIME. AND I GOT TO LOOK AT MY JUST DRAWING A BLANK HERE FOR A SECOND. SO ANY CHARGES THAT ARE ALLOCATED FOR ALL THE DITCH SYSTEMS GETS DIVIDED UP BY THE, THE ACRES AND THE PERCENTAGE OF BENEFITS FOR EACH DITCH SYSTEM. SO A PORTION OF OUR TIME IS ALSO SPENT ON THOSE DITCHES AS WELL AS ANY RETAINER FEES. AND ALSO ANY GENERAL DITCH INSPECTOR FEES THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR THAT DITCH SYSTEM. SO NOT ONLY THE ALLOCATED, BUT ANY DITCH SYSTEM THAT HAS CHARGES AGAINST IT THAT OUR DITCH INSPECTOR WILL MAINTAIN A LOG AND CHARGE BACK. WHAT TIME THAT HE SPENDS ON THAT SYSTEM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MAY I ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH? YOU KNOW, SAME QUESTION I'VE RECEIVED FROM TIME TO TIME. FOR INSTANCE OUR DITCH INSPECTOR NATE HENRY DOES ALL OF HIS TIME OR DOES ANY OF HIS SALARY GET BASICALLY ASSESSED BACK TO THE DITCH SYSTEMS OR IS IT HE'S PRETTY MUCH PAID FOR 100% OUT OF THE SYSTEM. HE IS. HIS SALARY IS A CALCULATION. SO IT ISN'T EVERY, EVERY MONTH, WE DON'T JUST DIVIDE UP HIS SALARY, WE TAKE OUT ANY DITCHES THAT HE WORKED ON SPECIFICALLY. THEY GET CHARGED BACK AND THEN ANY GENERAL CHARGE GETS DIVIDED AMONGST ALL OF THE DITCHES. SO HIS SALARY IS A PIECE OF THAT. AND WITH REGARD TO LIKE, EVEN SAY, YOURS, MY SALARY OR MY STAFF SALARY. DOES THAT COME? DOES THAT COME OUT OF THOSE CHARGES? DO YOU JUST BASICALLY CHARGE BACK TO. TO TO REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR YOUR PORTION OF YOUR TIME THAT'S SPENT ON. DITCHES? OR DO THEY ACTUALLY JUST ALLOCATE A PORTION OF YOUR SALARY TOWARD THAT? SO. IT'S A PORTION OF MY SALARY, SETH SALARY AND A AND A PORTION OF ONE OF MY STAFF SALARY. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING AND SEEING? NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AND THAT IS, WE CAN NOW ADJOURN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.