Nov 10, 2025 Board of Commissioners

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WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 10TH, 2025 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING.

[Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order - 9:00 a.m.]

PLEASE STAND. 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 SILENCING OF THE CELL PHONES.

THIRD ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[Approval of Agenda]

I WAS GOING TO ASK MANDY FIRST IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS.

SO SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[Approval of Consent Agenda]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.

[Public Appearances]

NORMALLY, WE LIMIT OUR COMMENTS FOR PUBLIC APPEARANCES TO THREE MINUTES.

I THINK TODAY WE'LL GO TO FIVE.

SO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT ON.

THE MIKES PICK UP THE RECORDING SO IT CAN BE HEARD ON THE LIVE STREAM.

HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THAT ON? YES. DOES THAT WORK? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US TIME TO MAKE A REQUEST TO YOU.

MY NAME IS CINDY FAVRE.

I'M THE MANAGER OF THE SAINT PETER AREA FOOD SHELF.

AND WITH ME TODAY IS JODY DONNELLY.

SHE'S OUR COORDINATOR, WHICH THAT TITLE IS A LITTLE MISLEADING.

SHE'S ACTUALLY OUR SITE MANAGER.

SO SHE DOES THE OPERATIONS AND OUR VOLUNTEER SCHEDULING AND OUR TRUCKS AND THAT SORT OF THING. WE ARE HERE THIS MORNING TO RECORD REQUEST $15,000 FOR THE SAINT PETER AREA FOOD SHELF TO RESPOND TO THE SURGE IN RESIDENTS SEEKING FOOD SUPPORT SINCE THE DISRUPTION OF SNAP BENEFITS. DATA FROM SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND INDICATES THAT IN 2023, WHICH IS THE MOST RECENT DATA I HAVE IN NICOLLET COUNTY, OUR POPULATION WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 31,000, WITH 3000 OF THOSE PEOPLE WITH INCOMES BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.

OF THOSE 3000, 2007 WERE ABOUT 62% WERE OF WHO WERE ELIGIBLE WERE ACTUALLY REGISTERED FOR SNAP BENEFITS. AND AT OUR FOOD SHELF, WE HAVE ABOUT 3.4 PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT COME TO US.

SO I USE THAT AVERAGE.

AND SO THAT 2007 PEOPLE WOULD REPRESENT 639 HOUSEHOLDS.

THAT IS THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT I THINK ARE AT RISK OF DISRUPTION IN THEIR SNAP BENEFITS. IN SEPTEMBER AT OUR FOOD SHELF, WE SERVED 238 HOUSEHOLDS.

IN OCTOBER, WE INCREASED BY 64 HOUSEHOLDS, A 27% INCREASE TO SERVE 302 HOUSEHOLDS.

SEPTEMBER WAS TYPICAL FOR THE YEAR WHERE WE WERE RUNNING AT ABOUT 62% CAPACITY OF OUR APPOINTMENT TIMES. OCTOBER'S 302 HOUSEHOLDS PUT US AT 79% OF OUR CAPACITY SINCE NOVEMBER 1ST. LAST WEEK, WE ARE AT 100% OF OUR APPOINTMENT TIMES BEING FULL.

WE ARE EXPECTING TO FILL THE CURRENT 96 APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE EACH WEEK, WHICH IS 384 A MONTH, WHICH WOULD BE A 40% INCREASE FROM WHAT WE SAW IN SEPTEMBER. WE ARE PREPARED TO ADD MORE SERVICE HOURS TO SERVE MORE HOUSEHOLDS, WITH THE POTENTIAL OF 639 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE COUNTY HAVING A NEED.

WE WOULD NEED TO MORE THAN DOUBLE THE 302 TO AN ADDITIONAL 337 HOUSEHOLDS TO SERVE THE NUMBER. THAT NUMBER OF 639.

OPERATIONALLY, WE'RE PREPARED AND ABLE TO ADD MORE SERVICE HOURS TO SERVE MORE HOUSEHOLDS.

THAT WOULD, HOWEVER, REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL FOOD.

A 40% OR MORE INCREASE IN HOUSEHOLDS SERVED WILL REQUIRE CORRESPONDING PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN FOOD COSTS.

OUR FOOD COSTS IN OCTOBER INCREASED TO 6000 FROM 404,580 IN SEPTEMBER.

IN ADDITION TO ORDERING MORE FOOD, WE ARE ALSO SEEING INCREASES IN FOOD PRICES.

SOME PRODUCT EXAMPLES COMPARING OCTOBER 24TH TO OCTOBER 25TH.

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TORTILLAS UP 31%. SO THAT'S KIND OF ACROSS THE BOARD.

WE'RE SEEING THESE INCREASES IN PRICES OF INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, TRUCK COSTS HAVE BEEN RUNNING UP BETWEEN 1500 AND 2000 FOR EACH TRUCK THAT COMES TO US AND THE TRUCK ON NOVEMBER 6TH.

HOWEVER, LAST WEEK WAS $3,213.

WE ARE EXPECTING TO SERVE 384 HOUSEHOLDS THIS MONTH AND WILL ADD MORE SERVICE HOURS TO SERVE MORE IF NEEDED. WE ARE PREPARED TO MEET THE NEED, BUT MORE FOOD WILL TAKE MORE DOLLARS IF PRICES AND VOLUMES ORDERED DON'T CHANGE, 15,000 WOULD PURCHASE JUST FIVE TRUCKS OF FOOD.

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, OUR TRUCKS COME THE FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH.

SO WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THAT.

THE FIFTH BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THAT DATE. I'M EXPECTING THAT WE WILL SEE PRICE INCREASES AND THE NEED TO INCREASE THE VOLUME OF OUR TRUCK ORDERS TO HAVE ENOUGH FOOD.

I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY IS RESPONDING.

BUT AS THESE NUMBERS ARE INDICATE, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO SUSTAIN THE PACE THAT WE ARE SEEING WITH INFORMAL DONATIONS.

I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT NICOLLET COUNTY IS BEHAVING AS IF IT HAS DECIDED THAT ON OUR WATCH, IN OUR COUNTY. NO ONE NEEDS TO BE HUNGRY.

YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST IS APPRECIATED.

AS JODY AND I, OVER 75 VOLUNTEERS AND HUNDREDS OF DONORS OF FUNDS AND FOOD TRULY WANT TO SUPPORT ALL NEIGHBORS FACING FOOD INSECURITY IN NICOLLET COUNTY.

THANK YOU. JODY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, I THINK SHE PRETTY WELL SUMMED IT UP.

GREAT. THANK YOU. WE WILL TAKE UP YOUR REQUEST AT A FURTHER BOARD MEETING OR WORKSHOP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC APPEARANCES AT THIS POINT? HEARING AND SEEING NONE.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO FINANCE.

[Finance]

GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY AGENDA ITEM TODAY IS TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR YEARS 2026 TO THROUGH 2030.

FOLLOWING MINNESOTA STATUTE 373.40 NICOLLET COUNTY WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THEIR FIVE YEAR CIP PLAN.

I AM REQUESTING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO OCCUR ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH 2025 AT 9:15 A.M..

THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO REVIEW.

DISCUSS. IS THE REVIEW, DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED 2026 THROUGH 2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR NICOLLET COUNTY.

THE PLAN WILL IDENTIFY ESTIMATED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND FUNDING SOURCES FOR THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD. HAVING A SIP WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY BOARD, ADMINISTRATION AND DEPARTMENT HEADS TO MAKE BETTER FINANCIAL DECISIONS ON THE COUNTY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.

SO I'M REQUESTING THAT PUBLIC SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 16TH AT 9:15 A.M..

THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.

SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ADMINISTRATION AMENDING THE AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF

[Administration]

I HAVE ONE ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY BEGINNING ON PAGE 14 OF THE BOARD PACKET.

THE PURPOSE OF THE AMENDED AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION AND NICOLLET COUNTY IS TO SHARE AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION WITH BLUE EARTH COUNTY EXTENSION.

THE POSITION WILL BE CONSIDERED A UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION EMPLOYEE.

PREVIOUSLY, THIS POSITION WAS A NICOLLET COUNTY POSITION AND SCHEDULED FOR 24 HOURS IN THE OFFICE. THE CURRENT AGREEMENT WILL BE FOR 20 HOURS A WEEK.

THERE IS A COST SAVINGS OF APPROXIMATELY JUST UNDER 200 OR $2000.

HOWEVER, THE GREATER IMPACT IS THIS POSITION WILL HAVE ACCESS TO EMAIL, PHONE AND VOICEMAIL ALL DAYS OF THE WORK WEEK TO MAINTAIN CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN NOT IN THE NICOLLET COUNTY OFFICE.

BECAUSE THIS POSITION WAS PREVIOUSLY A COUNTY POSITION, TIMESHEET APPROVALS, TIME OFF REQUESTS AND THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION WAS COMPLETED BY NICOLLET COUNTY STAFF.

THIS WILL NO LONGER BE HAPPENING AND ALSO A TIME AND COST SAVINGS FOR STAFF.

THIS IS THE FIRST AGREEMENT IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WITH A SHARED POSITION BETWEEN COUNTIES. AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, BLUE EARTH COUNTY HAS APPROVED THE AGREEMENT.

MADAM CHAIR, I AM REQUESTING THE BOARD CONSIDER THE ATTACHED AMENDMENT AGREEMENT

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AND WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING? SO MOVED. SECONDED. THANK YOU.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE EXTENSION COMMITTEE MEETING MONDAY NIGHT.

AND CHRISTIE DID MENTION IT'S THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN MINNESOTA AND THEY'RE.

EAGERLY WAITING TO SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT.

BUT THEY THINK THAT FULL COVERAGE FOR BOTH COUNTIES DURING THE COURSE OF THE WEEK IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL.

AND YET THEY TAKE OVER AGAIN RESPONSIBILITY OF HIRING, MANAGING, BENEFITING, ALL OF THAT.

SO THEY WERE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING AND SEEING? NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY UPDATE.

[County Attorney Update]

IT'LL SAVE A LOT OF TIME AND BRING THOSE SERVICES CLOSER, AS WELL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME LOCAL, LOCALLY AVAILABLE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALL INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL AS CRIMINAL JUSTICE PARTNERS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS,

[Commissioner Committee Reports, Meetings & Conferences]

WE WENT TO RAMSEY COUNTY MOUNDS VIEW, BLUE EARTH AND COTTONWOOD COUNTY AND TOURED THEIR FACILITIES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DEAN.

I HAD THE TRUE TRANSIT MEETING.

I HAD THE MCI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.

I ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY HEALTH MEETING WITH ALL OF YOU LAST WEEK.

AND THEN I WENT TO A BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT PIONEER BANK.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER.

HELGET. I DID THE SOIL AND WATER TOUR WHICH WAS OUTSTANDING.

WE VISITED THREE SITES IN NICOLLET COUNTY.

WE LOOKED AT A DAM THAT WAS TAKEN THAT WAS DESTROYED IN SEVEN MILE CREEK ON PURPOSE.

SO THAT THEY COULD BUILD A TIERED ROCK SYSTEM TO ALLOW WATER TO FLOW BETTER AND ALLOW TROUT TO SWIM UPSTREAM AND SPAWN.

WE SAW A, A FARM PLACE WHERE A FARMER HAD TRANSFORMED HIS COMBINE TO ALLOW HIM TO HARVEST HIS CORN. AND SO CAMELINA AND RYE AT THE SAME TIME TO SAVE HIMSELF MONEY AND GET THAT COVER CROP ON THE FIELD TO REDUCE SOIL AND WATER OR WATER AND WIND EROSION.

AND THEN I ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP LAST WEEK.

I DID THE AMC UPDATE ON SNAP WICK IN LIHEAP ON A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WITH SOME OF YOU.

AND I HAVE MINNESOTA VALLEY ACTION COUNCIL TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER.

KOLARS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

TOOK PART IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH MEETING WITH MANY OF YOU.

OUR MAPLE MEETING. JUST A SHORT NOTE, THERE ARE PLANS TO STUDY LEE BOULEVARD WITH POTENTIAL ROUNDABOUTS AT LOOKOUT DRIVE AND AT BELGRADE AVENUE.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA.

JOINED SETH AND MANDY AND COMMISSIONER ZINS ON THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT VISITS TO BLUE EARTH COUNTIES HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS ENORMOUS.

AND THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY ONE IN WINDOM, WHICH IS MAYBE MORE OUR SIDE SIZE IN THE FUTURE. THE AMC ZOOM WITH THE SNAP CUTS AND WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ON HER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO NICOLLET COUNTY.

IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY.

WELL, AS I SAID EARLIER, JACK, SHE WAS 12 WHEN SHE STARTED.

SO SHE WAS JUST A YOUNGSTER? YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

I ATTENDED THE EXTENSION COMMITTEE LAST WEEK.

WE ALSO TALKED AT EXTENSION ABOUT THE SHARED POSITION WITH THE AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO SHARE WITH SIBLEY COUNTY. BUT SIBLEY AND NICOLLET COUNTY HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT THAT POSITION SHOULD BE.

SO AT SOME POINT, WE MAY NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTHWEST. AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES QUARTERLY MEETING.

WE CAN GO QUARTERLY NOW.

IT WAS NICE TO HEAR AND SEE EVERYBODY AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF AN ABSENCE.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS TO MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES, ANNUAL AMC MEETING. CORRECT?

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AND THEN NEXT TUESDAY THERE IS THE BOARD WORKSHOP WORKSHOP.

OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS TO APPROVE PER DIEMS AND EXPENSES.

[Approve Per Diems and Expenses]

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

WE CAN ADJOURN THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND OPEN UP THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE MEETING.

[Adjourn Board of Commissioners Meeting]

[Call Drainage Authority Meeting to Order]

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.

ALL RIGHT. FIRST ON THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

SO MOVED. SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE.

APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 28TH.

MOVE IT. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY DRAINAGE? PUBLIC APPEARANCES.

HEARING AND SEEING? NONE.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS TO CONSIDER DITCH REPAIR REPORT 20 5-037.

GOOD MORNING NATE. THANK YOU.

JUST ONE ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY.

REPAIR REPORT 20 5-037 IS RELATING TO COUNTY DITCH 86 A.

IN PARTICULAR THE THREE PUMPS THAT WE HAVE INSTALLED IN OUR PUMPING STRUCTURE OUT THERE.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT, EXCUSE ME, WITH A CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL A SLIDE GATE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THAT. HOWEVER, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THAT WILL NOT BE OCCURRING YET THIS FALL.

SO THE SUPPLIER WAS NOT ABLE TO PROCURE THAT AND WILL WORK ON OBTAINING THAT OVER THE WINTER AND HOPEFULLY INSTALL THAT EARLY NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT LEAVES US WITH THE SITUATION OF THE PUMPS FREEZING.

JUST LIKE WE WERE IN LAST YEAR.

AND I HAVE CONTACTED THE PUMP SUPPLIER QUALITY FLOW, WHO HAD PROVIDED TWO QUOTES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.

AND THEY ARE THE SAME EXACT PRICE AND SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDED LAST YEAR WHERE THEY WILL PULL THE PUMPS THIS FALL, DO THEIR ANNUAL INSPECTION, AND THEY WILL ALSO INSTALL THE PUMPS NEXT SPRING.

AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, THEY WILL ALSO BE PROGRAMED INTO THE AUTOMATIC DIALER IN THE PUMP STATION SHOULD ANY ISSUES ARISE.

WARNING SIGNALS GET SENT OUT, THEY GET A PHONE CALL AS WELL AS EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGE TO THEIR SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN.

QUICK QUESTION. I DON'T RECALL, WAS THAT PART OF THE SERVICE THAT'S ALREADY BEING PROVIDED TO DIAL IN AND STUFF? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S SOMETHING NEW. NO, THAT'S AN ANNUAL AGREEMENT THAT THIS WILL ESSENTIALLY RENEW. RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THIS IS THIS ISN'T RELATED DIRECTLY TO THE PUMPS.

BUT CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT INSIDE THE PUMP HOUSE QUICK? SURE, SURE. WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE LAST, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU MAY HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT RUST UNDERNEATH THOSE MECHANISMS. ANY MOVEMENT ON CHECKING THAT OUT? WE HAVE NOT HIRED ANYBODY TO INSPECT THAT.

WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE FINAL PHASES OF FINISHING THAT BUILDING.

THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL TRIM WORK AND FINISHING TOUCHES THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

AND ONCE THAT'S ALL SEALED UP AND THAT PROJECT'S BUTTONED UP, THEN WE'LL THEN WE'LL INVESTIGATE THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? DID YOU REPAIR REPORT 20 5-037? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE GOTTA PROTECT THOSE PUMPS.

SO WE HAVE A BETTER SYSTEM.

YEP, I GET THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT THE ALTERNATIVE AND THE UNKNOWNS ARE EQUALLY EXPENSIVE. HEARING AND SEEING.

NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AND WE CAN ADJOURN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.