[Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order - 8:00 a.m. ]
[00:00:06]
WELCOME TO THE APRIL 28TH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING.
WILL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
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 AL NEXT ITEM IS TO. SILENCE ALL THE CELL PHONES, PLEASE.
AND THERE ARE HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES AT THE BACK TABLE.
[Approval of Agenda]
OF THE AGENDA.THE AGENDA WAS PROVIDED FOR YOU IN ADVANCE.
I THINK WE'RE MOVING ON THE CLOSED MEETING FIRST, RIGHT? NO, IT'S DOWN THE WAY.
MR. CHAIR, WE DO HAVE ONE BLUE AGENDA ITEM ON THE FOLDER THERE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REGARDING THE EVERBRIDGE CONTRACT.
I'LL MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THAT ADDITION IF YOU NEED THAT.
AND DO I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE ADDITION? I'LL SECOND THAT.
THEN DO I HAVE A MOVE ON APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED? SO MOVED.
[Approval of Consent Agenda]
OF THIS CONSENT AGENDA.THOSE ITEMS WERE PROVIDED FOR IN ADVANCE.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PULL ANY OF THOSE OFF? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
[Public Appearances]
APPEARANCES AT THIS TIME? IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE ON[Human Resources]
TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES ITEM, WHICH WILL BE A CLOSED SESSION.I'M SEEING SUSAN HANSEN ONLINE SAYING SHE CAN'T HEAR.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU AT ALL. I CAN'T, I CAN'T, SUSAN.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO, WE'RE GONNA GO FOR A CLOSED SESSION, FOR, MINNESOTA STATUE 13D.03 CLOSED MEETING FOR LABOR NEGOTIATION STRATEGY.
YOU KEEP MUTING US. I'M MOVING.
ALL RIGHT, HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
OKAY, WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS.
YOU KEEP MUTING US. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
YES, SUSAN, WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO THE COLD SESSION, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
DO I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? OKAY, SO I HAVE A MOTION.
I HAVE A SECOND. I'M ASKING FOR A ROLL CALL.
SO SEND US IN A CLOSED SESSION.
SO WE WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
FOR THE RECORD, WE WERE ON CLOSED SESSION FOR A LABOR NEGOTIATION STRATEGY.
THOSE IN THAT WERE INVOLVED WERE MICHELLE ZEHNDER FISCHER, KURT ZINS, MARIE DRANTTEL, NICOLE HELGET. MARK DEHEN.
WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION NOW, AND I WILL. WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THAT WAS AMENDED TO THE AGENDA FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
CONSIDER A CONTRACT BETWEEN INSURANCE OFFICE AND EVERBRIDGE, PENDING APPROVAL OF COUNTY INSURANCE COMMISSIONER.
MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER GRANTING THE APPROVAL FOR US TO ENTER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH EVERBRIDGE, WHICH IS THE NEW EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH, WHICH WOULD REPLACE CODE RED.
WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH ON THIS CONTRACT, AND WE HAVE IT ALMOST WHERE WE WANT IT. SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD GRANT PERMISSION FOR US TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT ONCE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I ARE SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE GET BACK FROM EVERBRIDGE.
SO IT'S VERY CLOSE. WE RAN OUT OF TIME, AND
[00:05:02]
WITH SEVERE WEATHER RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS SIGNED AS QUICK AS I CAN.MR. CHAIR, I WOULD SUPPORT THIS. I WILL MOVE IT.
I'LL SECOND IT FOR THE DISCUSSION.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCUSSION ON EXACTLY WHAT, I MEAN, IS THIS PART OF THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM OR, I MEAN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION, WHAT IS IT? SO IT'S A MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT THE, THAT IS PAID FOR OUT OF 9 1 1 FUNDS. THE DISPATCHERS WOULD CAN USE IT TO PAGE OUT. THEY CAN CREATE LIKE GROUPS TO PAGE OUT DEPUTIES IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES. EVERY, EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY CAN CREATE THEIR OWN GROUP WITH THIS, AND IT'S A WAY TO COMMUNICATE, BY MASS MESSAGE. PLUS, IT ALLOWS THE CITIZENS OF NICOLLET COUNTY, OR FRANKLY ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE NOTIFIED OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN NICOLLET COUNTY, TO SIGN UP.
AND THEN IF THERE'S SEVERE WEATHER, IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR THIS SYSTEM, WE CAN PUSH OUT A TEXT LETTING YOU KNOW OF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING THAT'S IN THE AREA, OR IF THERE'S A MASS EVACUATION THAT'S EVER NEEDED. IT'S ONLY AS GOOD AS THE P, AS A, THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE IN IT. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO GET UNDER CONTRACT SO WE CAN START, AS WE'RE GOING OUT TO ALL OF THESE EVENTS THAT ARE STARTING FROM HERE, WE CAN START ADVERTISING AND TRYING TO GET THE CITIZENS TO SIGN UP FOR THIS.
SO IT'S KIND OF MULTI PURPOSE.
WE CAN USE IT FOR EMPLOYEES, IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR A NEED, AND THEN WE CAN ALSO USE IT FOR THE CITIZENS.
WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SYSTEM OVER THE THE CODE RED SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HERE? WELL, THIS ONE HASN'T BEEN HACKED, AND SO THEREFORE THEY'RE STILL ALLOWED TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE RED WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PUSH OUT OR HAVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INFORMATION BECAUSE OF THE DATA BREACH THAT THEY HAD, AND SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY BEEN USELESS TO US SINCE THAT DATA BREACH.
THANK YOU. ARE OUR NEIGHBOR COUNTIES DOING THE SAME THING, OR HAVE THEY MOVED TO CHEVERBRIDGE AS WELL? NO. BLUER COUNTY ACTUALLY MOVED TO A DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
OKAY, AND WE WEREN'T, WE WERE ALMOST HAD ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE SYSTEM THAT BLUER COUNTY IS USING, AND THEN WE WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF IT.
THE SEWER COUNTY IS ON EVERBRIDGE, BUT THE MORE WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, IT'S PROBABLY BETTER OFF THAT WE DON'T ENTER INTO THE SAME CONTRACT WITH THE SAME SYSTEM AS THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, BECAUSE IF ONE OF THESE GET COMPROMISED, WE CAN WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
ANY COMMENTS? CAN WE HAVE A MOTION? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M HERE TODAY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL FOR THE MINNESOTA RIVER MANKATO JOINT POWERS COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT REPRESENTS THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO CONTINUED COLLABORATION AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED.
LAST WEEK, AFTER OUR BOARD WORKSHOP MEETING, BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES APPROVED OUR WATERSHED PLAN, SO NOW WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE CAN TRANSITION INTO THAT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE WHERE RESIDENTS AND LANDOWNERS OF NICOLLET COUNTY CAN START TO CONTINUE THAT PRACTICE AND WORK TOWARDS OUR 10 YEAR GOALS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AT THE WORKSHOP LAST WEEK, SO WE DID HAVE SOME ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS, AND MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE.
I'LL SECOND IT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M JUST KIND OF, THANK YOU TO THE ROOM FOR SHEPHERDING THIS THROUGH FOR THE LUNCH WATER SHIFT PROJECT.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD THEN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO TO RECESS UNTIL 9:00.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. I GUESS WE'LL RESEARCH THIS ALL NOW.
WE'RE GONNA CALL THE RECESS CLOSED, AND WE'RE GONNA START BACK WITH THE AGENDA. NEXT ITEM ON
[Health and Human Services]
THE AGENDA IS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.[00:10:03]
MORNING CASSIE. HI MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.OKAY, THIS MORNING, WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE CONSIDERATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY AS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH.
MENTAL HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL TO OVERALL PHYSICAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL BEING.
THERE IS A NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT MENTAL ILLNESS AFFECTS THE LIVES OF MANY OF OUR CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES AND SECTORS.
ANNUALLY, NICOLLET COUNTY OBSERVES MENTAL HEALTH MONTH IN MAY BY OFFERING INFORMATION AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, INCREASE AWARENESS, FIGHT STIGMA, AND PROMOTE ACCESS TO QUALITY SERVICES.
THIS MORNING LINDA, A MEMBER OF OUR LIGHTHOUSE ON MARSHALL, WILL READ THE MENTAL HEALTH MONTH PROCLAMATION, WHICH INCLUDES STATISTICS FROM THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS, AND AFTERWARDS I WILL PROVIDE SOME UPDATES FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL TO OVERALL PHYSICAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL BEING, AND WHEREAS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS ARE AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS EACH YEAR, AND WHEREAS MORE THAN ONE IN FIVE ADULTS EXPERIENCE MENTAL ILLNESS EACH YEAR, AND MORE THAN ONE IN SEVEN YEARS, AGE 6 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE, EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER EACH YEAR, AND WHEREAS HALF OF ALL MENTAL ILLNESS BEGINS BY AGE 14 AND THREE QUARTERS BY AGE 24, AND WHEREAS SUICIDE WAS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG PEOPLE AGES 10 TO 14 AND 15 TO 24 IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2023, AND WHEREAS STIGMA AND LACK OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES ARE BARRIERS TO PEOPLE GETTING THE HELP THEY NEED, AND WHEREAS OBSERVES MENTAL HEALTH MONTH EACH MAY TO RAISE AWARENESS, FIGHT STIGMA, AND ADVOCATE FOR ACCESS TO QUALITY SERVICES.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THAT MAY OF 2026 WILL BE OBSERVED AS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH.
DATED THIS 28TH DAY OF APRIL 2026.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR READING THAT INTO THE RECORD.
THIS IS A PROCLAMATION, SO CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER HELGET, YES.
I WANTED TO BRIEFLY THEN PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT OF THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BEING PROVIDED ACROSS THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ADULT MENTAL HEALTH, WE HAD 183 ADULTS SERVED THROUGH CASE MANAGEMENT IN 2025, AND WE'VE HAD 54 ADULT MENTAL HEALTH INTAKES IN QUARTER ONE OF 2026.
WE SERVED 145 CHILDREN THROUGH CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT IN 2025, AND WE'VE HAD 19 CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH INTAKES IN QUARTER ONE OF 2026.
OUR LIGHTHOUSE ON MARSHALL CLUBHOUSE HAS SERVED 66 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH ON SITE PROGRAMMING IN 2025, AND AN ADDITIONAL 25 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES AS WELL.
AND ON THE MORE INTENSIVE SIDE OF THE SPECTR WE'VE HAD 36 MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENT PETITIONS IN 2025.
ACROSS ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS PROVIDE A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES FROM EARLY OUTREACH AND SUPPORT TO COORDINATION OF CIVIL COMMITMENTS, WORKING TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT THEY NEED.
WE ALSO INVITE COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, AND THE COMMUNITY TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS OPEN HOUSE AT LIGHTHOUSE ON MARSHALL.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION? YES, SIR.
CASSIE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
LINDA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
ARE WE HELPING AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY WHO NEED THE HELP? I THINK WE'RE EFFECTIVELY SERVING THOSE WHO WE KNOW ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
I THINK THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY WHO ARE LIKELY
[00:15:02]
IN NEED OF RESOURCES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO CONNECT WITH OUR LIGHTHOUSE ON MARSHALL, AND OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM.ARE THOSE VOLUNTARY SERVICES THAT ANYBODY CAN, YOU KNOW, COME TO THE CLUBHOUSE TO BE SERVED.
CASE MANAGEMENT HAS SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS, AND THEN CIVIL COMMITMENT IS WHEN PEOPLE REALLY NEED SOME OF THAT INVOLUNTARY SERVICE TO GET CONNECTED TO SAFE TREATMENT.
AND I WOULD UNDERSTAND, IF YOU ALLOW ME, MR. CHAIR.
THERE, THERE MAY BE SOME UNWILLINGNESS TO SEEK HELP IN SOME CASES.
THERE CAN BE, YES, AND THERE CAN BE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH RECEIVING SERVICES IN GENERAL OR SERVICES FROM A GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN NICOLLET COUNTY, SO THAT THEY CAN TRY TO PROVIDE SOME OF THAT OUTREACH AND HELP REDUCE SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS.
WOULD IT BE OKAY IF LINDA ADDS? YEAH, SURE.
SO I, I ACTUALLY KNOW OF A PERSON THAT COULD USE THE SERVICES, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOME, THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO SURVIVE, AND THEY DON'T, AND THEY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO GET HELP.
AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS AND DON'T GET HELP.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANKS, LADIES.
[Administration]
MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.WE'RE ON, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR 2025 AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPACTFUL ACTIVITY.
WE'LL CALL THEM THE FAB FIVE, OKAY? GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY, BEGINNING ON PAGE 31 OF YOUR PACKET.
THE FIRST ITEM IS THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPACTFUL FOR 2025.
SO, EACH YEAR, A DEPARTMENT OR DEPARTMENTS IS SELECTED FOR THE AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPACTFUL CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EVENTS.
EVENTS ARE REVIEWED AND EVALUATED ON SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING CULTURAL GROWTH, COST REDUCTION, EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT, DEDICATED RESOURCES, IMPROVED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, INNOVATION AND GROWTH, AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT.
THE 2025 AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPACTFUL GOES TO THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM FOR THE CREATION OF THE PORTABLE GROUND FORCE SIGN BOARD, HIGHLIGHTING THE CREATIVITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING MINDSET OF THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.
THE SIGN PULLER, A TOOL DESIGNED AND FABRICATED IN HOUSE, TO SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY REMOVE SIGN POSTS IN HARD-TO-REACH LOCATIONS.
THE INNOVATION ALLOWS ONE EMPLOYEE TO COMPLETE THE JOB INDEPENDENTLY, ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND IMPROVING BOTH EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY IN THE FIELD.
IN ADDITION, NICKEL COUNTY'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO RECEIVED WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION FOR THIS INNOVATION SOLUTION THROUGH THE BUILD A BETTER MOUSE TRAP PROGRAM.
THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM RECEIVED A SMART TRANSFORMATION AWARD.
THIS PROJECT WAS ALSO SUBMITTED TO LOCAL ROADS CONFERENCE INNOVATION AS LOCAL AWARDS, WHERE IT EARNED A REGIONAL AWARD IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA. SO, YOU, DID SEE A PICTURE OF IT WITHIN YOUR PACKET AS WELL.
YOU GOT TO SEE IT LAST YEAR DURING THE PUBLIC WORKS ROAD TOUR. IT IS QUITE, INNOVATIVE AND DEFINITELY REPRESENTING WHAT A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS WITH IT, SO I'LL LET THESE GUYS SHARE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT. THE TODDS ARE SIGNED UP, AND WE HAVE THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT HERE, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE IT.
THAT WAS CURRENTLY ON THE TRUCK ITSELF. IT WAS KIND OF FUN WITH SOME, COULDN'T GET TO ALL THE SIGNS, SO PAPA'S KIND OF TALKING ABOUT IT, AND I SAID, WELL, START THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO. TAKE IT FROM HERE, TELL ME YOUR STORY.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE PREVIOUS SIGN TECH FOR A FEW YEARS, WITH THE PULL AROUND THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK, VERY AWKWARD, 10, 15, 20 FEET AWAY FROM THE SIGN, AND THE CONTROLS WERE ALL ON THE TRUCK. SO, I STARTED RESEARCHING OPTIONS TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT, A LITTLE EASIER TO USE, NOT SO CUMBERSOME, AND, WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP
[00:20:01]
WITH MNDOT MANKATO. I REACHED OUT TO THEM, TALKED TO THEIR OPERATOR, SAW WHAT THEY HAD, AND MIMIC THAT. THEIR PARTICULAR UNIT WAS A ONE OFF, PRODUCED BY SOMEONE. THEY HAD MANY REPAIRS ON IT, AND THAT PERSON FINALLY PUT IN A SPOT. SO, WE TOOK KIND OF WHAT THEY HAD AND, AND MADE IT THAT MUCH BETTER.SO NOW IT'S SOMETHING WHERE THE CRANE IS ON THE TRUCK AND SET IT DOWN NEXT TO A POST AND PULL AND DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT VARIOUS THINGS WITH IT, SO OTHERS, OTHER, COUNTIES, ENTITIES THAT WE TALK TO AT CONFERENCES AND SUCH, THEY ACTUALLY USE THE CRANE ON THE TRUCK HOLES, WHICH IS CRANES ARE NOT RATED FOR THAT AT ALL, SO YEAH. YOU KNOW, MIX WELL WITH IT ALL TOGETHER, AND YOU'RE FROM THE LIGHT.
I'VE BEEN SPENDING SOME TIME WITH, SOME OF THE KIDS, GETTING READY FOR ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS, AND, LIKE, IF I SQUINT REAL HARD, I CAN SEE THE FIVE OF YOU LIKE 25 YEARS AGO. JUST CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR THIS INGENUITY. VERY COOL, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, REMEMBER THAT, AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THIS MORNING, IS THEY ACTUALLY CREATED THE TROPHY AS WELL. SO JUST, SELF-SERVING. NOW THEY'RE JUST BRAGGING. WE WON THIS IN, I THINK IT WAS 2014, AND, LIKE, THE TROPHY THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS THIS OLD PLASTIC, YOU KNOW, BUT IF THE PATH WAS BROKEN, IT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL THE FACTS ABOUT THE PERSON. I CHALLENGED MY TEAM HERE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TROPHY THAT YOU COULD GET WHEN, WHEN YOU WIN THIS, AND SO SOME OF YOU GUYS HERE WERE INVOLVED AND SHOULD BE CREATING THAT.
SO, THANKS, PLEASE. IS THERE A WAY THAT THIS DEVICE CAN BE PATENTED, AND THEN YOU CAN ALL RETIRE, MAYBE? THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER MACHINERY LIKE THIS OUT THERE, NOT COST EFFECTIVE THOUGH.
THEY'RE PROBABLY THREE TIMES MORE THAN WHAT WE SPENT ON THIS MACHINE, RIGHT? WE'RE AROUND 12 HUNDRED DOLLARS WE SPENT IN MATERIALS, AND THEY'RE UPWARDS OF FOUR TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE. I'M GOING BACK TO THE CUP. DOES THAT TRAVEL LIKE THE STANLEY CUP? DO YOU ACTUALLY GET TO TAKE IT HOME? AND I DON'T THINK MY WIFE WOULD LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING. IT DOES KIND OF, YEAH, REFLECT STANLEY CUP JUNIOR. I SAW THE MCU HOCKEY TEAM LAST YEAR. THEY WON THE MCMILLAN CUP OR WHATEVER THEY HAD THAT ROLLING AROUND DOWN IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE.
CONGRATULATIONS. THAT'S AWESOME, GUYS. THANK YOU.
SO, THE NEXT ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU IS THE ANIKA COUNTY YEAR IN REVIEW FOR 2025. SO, AS PRIVATE, CELEBRATING NATIONAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT MONTH, WE DO THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AWARD, AND THEN WE DO A HIGHLIGHTING OF THE YEAR AND REVIEW DOCUMENT AS WELL, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET. IT CELEBRATES OUR SUCCESSES, AND IT REFLECTS ON THE PAST YEAR, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WHAT WE'VE DONE, OUR HIGHLIGHTS. THE LESSONS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE MOVED ON AND CREATED TO BETTER SERVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. SO IT INCLUDES SNAPSHOTS OF ACTIVITIES, NOT THE FULL EXTENT, WHICH WE CAN ALWAYS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS STATISTICS BREACH DEPARTMENT.
IT'S ARRANGED IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO THE WEBSITE, WITH LIKE SERVICES SUCH AS CRIMINAL JUSTICE. INCLUDES THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS.
SO THIS YEAR I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GO THROUGH IT. ONE THING YOU WILL NOTICE AS WE GET FARTHER INTO IT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THERE IS A LINK TO THEIR FULL REPORT. LET'S JUST GRAB SOME HIGHLIGHTS TO ADDRESS AND MAKE THE STANDARDS FOR OUR REVIEW REPORT. SO THE FIRST COUPLE PAGES ARE JUST BASIC STATS ABOUT THE COUNTY.
INCLUDES ORG CHARTS, POPULATION, AND LET ME GET INTO ADMINISTRATION, AND JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES IN 2025, WE CELEBRATED 415 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE. THAT WAS FOR 26 EMPLOYEES. SO LONG JOG IT NICKEL COUNTY CONTINUES
[00:25:01]
TO HAPPEN, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.THAT'S A MILESTONE EVERY YEAR IN DECEMBER THAT WE CELEBRATE.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT 415 YEARS IS QUITE A LONG TIME FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE WITH NICOLLET COUNTY.
WHEN WE GET INTO TECHNOLOGIES, LOOKING AT OVER 250,000 MALICIOUS OR UNWANTED MESSAGES, EMAILS ARE BLOCKED, SO CYBER SECURITY IS A MAIN CONCERN.
AND WE CONTINUE TO GROW ON THAT.
PROBABLY MORE WITH INTERNATIONAL STUFF GOING ON, WE SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR TECHNOLOGIES DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF.
WHEN WE GET INTO FINANCE AREA, THEY MANAGE INSURANCE FOR OVER $115 MILLION FOR COUNTY PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF INVESTMENT WITHIN COUNTY PROPERTY, AS WELL AS THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS USED DAILY.
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE PROPER INSURANCE IS SIGNIFICANT FOR REPLACEMENT VALUE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT DOES GETS USED QUITE WELL.
A COUPLE AREAS WITHIN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVA, THE AI ASSISTANT PROGRAM THAT WAS ROLLED OUT WITHIN THE CHILD SUPPORT TEAM.
THEY COLLECTED $3.5 MILLION FOR MORE THAN 12 CHILDREN, AND THEY ALSO MANAGED OVER 03,202 HEALTHCARE CASES, WHICH SERVED OVER 5,770 PEOPLE.
AND THEN WITHIN THE WIC PROGRAM, PARTICIPATION CONTINUED TO RISE TOWARD PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, WHILE HOME VISITING NEARLY DOUBLED SINCE 2022 BY PRIORITIZING FAMILIES WITH ADVERSE EXPERIENCES AND IMPLEMENTING THE HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL. SO, THAT WAS DEFINITELY A WIN FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND PROPERTY PUBLIC SERVICES, JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THERE WAS A DECREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE TRANSACTIONS BY ABOUT 265 TRANSACTIONS.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN DRIVER'S LICENSE TRANSACTIONS BY 1,864, SO ONE DID DROP A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEN WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ANOTHER AREA. AND YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL WHEN THE LICENSES ARE ABOUT TO EXPIRE.
THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, END OF THE MONTH, WE SEE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC, AS WELL AS IN PROXIMITY TO THE METRO AREA. PEOPLE CAN COME DOWN, DRIVE FOR 45 MINUTES, WALK IN, GET THEIR LICENSE RENEWED, AND THEN HEAD BACK UP TO THEIR HOME OR THEIR JOB WITHOUT THE WAIT TIME THAT THEY EXPERIENCE UP IN THE METRO AREA. SO, THE PROXIMITY IS DEFINITELY A WIN FOR THE COUNTY.
ALSO, A LITTLE FUN THING TO NOTE, AND PEOPLE ARE VERY ACTIVE WITH AN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AGAIN, SAW AN INCREASE IN PASSPORT APPLICATIONS FROM 817. THAT WENT UP THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE APPLICATIONS ARE PROCESSED IN 2025, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF PASSPORT PHOTOS INCREASED TO 1,026, OR AN INCREASE OF FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX PHOTOS. SO, IF YOU DO WALK PAST OUR RECORDER'S OFFICE, YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE VERY BUSY WITH PASSPORT APPLICATIONS THAT WAS COMING IN FOR TRAVELING.
PUBLIC WORKS, YOU KNOW, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THEIR AWARDS THAT THEY RECEIVED FOR THEIR SIGN PULLER AND SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
WE DID HEAR ABOUT THEIR GRAVEL ROAD PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE ARE GETTING KNOWN BOTH WITHIN THE STATE, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE OF MINNESOTA, AND DRAWING ATTENTION TO THAT AND HOSTING DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS WITH THE UMN EXTENSION OFFICE, SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING FOR THEM. THEY'RE GAINING MOMENT AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WAY THAT THEY'RE DOING GRAVEL ROAD MAINTENANCE, SO THAT'S EXCITING.
AND I DO WANT TO NOTE, THOUGH, THAT AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE, THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF CRACK SEALING. IT WAS THIS YEAR, OR EXCUSE ME, 25, THEY USED 70,953 POUNDS. THAT WAS AN INCREASE OF 24,453 FROM 2024 TO 2025.
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND YOU DO HEAR A MORE DETAILED REPORT DURING HER INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING, BUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT THEY CONTINUE TO SEE INCREASES IN MANY OF THE AREAS WE'LL GET IN AT THIS, UNFORTUNATELY PROBLEMATIC.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH TO HELP ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD TO SEEK ASSISTANCE AND TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION TO THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD.
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, THEY ARE SAYING PRETTY CONSISTENT, AND THAT WAS NICE TO SEE, DEFINITELY THEIR IMPACT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEY SEE THAT AS WELL, BUT OVERALL THAT THEY WERE CONSISTENT FROM 24 TO 2025.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF AREAS WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I KNOW THIS WAS A HIGHLIGHT LAST YEAR, THAT THE NUMBER OF HANG-UP CALLS TO 911, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN 25 OF 80 CALLS. SO, THAT WAS GOOD.
GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THAT IF YOU DO CALL 911 BY ACCIDENT, JUST STAY ON THE LINE. IT HAPPENS, WE'VE ALL DONE IT. IT'S EASIER WITH CELL PHONES NOW TOO. BUT THEY DO SEE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THEIR CALLS COMING IN ARE JUST MISSED CALLS. THEY DID ASSIST IN 46 COMMUNITY
[00:30:03]
EVENTS IN 25, AND THAT WAS AN INCREASE OF 35 FROM 2024. AND THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC STOPS PERFORMED AFTER, IT WAS AN INCREASE TO IT. YOU DO KNOW THAT THE TENDENCY TO INCREASE SPEEDS IS MUCH MORE PREVALENT THAN IT HAS BEEN.SO, THAT IS GOOD WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING OUT THERE WITH COMMUNITY POLICING. AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEIR FULL REPORT WILL BE ONLINE WHERE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT STATISTICS, WHETHER IT BE BROKEN DOWN BY THE CATEGORIES OR 911 CALLS, SO THAT IS AVAILABLE, I BELIEVE, BEGINNING TODAY.
THERE IS NO ACTION REQUESTED OF THAT. THAT'S JUST MORE OF AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM FOR THE BOARD.
REALLY WELL DONE, VERY NICE, VERY COMPLETE AND INFORMATIVE.
WELL, JUST AS WE TALK ABOUT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT AS WELL. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT'S BEEN IN THIS FORMAT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AS HOW WE PUT IT TOGETHER, THE INFORMATION THAT WE REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENTS, AND HOW WE SHARE THE INFORMATION TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AND WE KNOW THAT LITTLE TIDBITS ARE EASIER TO READ. PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO READ, SO WE'RE REALLY GOING TO THOSE SHORT LITTLE STATEMENTS OR BULLET POINT FACTS, STATISTICS.
THE NEXT ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU IS ON PAGE 53 OF YOUR PACKET. IT'S CONCERNED LIMIT TO THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE 2026 COMMITTEE MEETING AND BOARD ASSIGNMENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR PER DIEM PAYMENTS.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR, THE COMMITTEE MEETING AND BOARD ASSIGNMENT LIST IS REVIEWED, DISCUSSED, AND COMMISSIONER REPRESENTATIVES AND CITIZEN APPOINTMENTS ARE ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC COMMITTEES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, REQUESTING THE BOARD CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION AND COMMITTEE LIST TO APPOINT THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH HUMAN AND VETERAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WITHIN YOUR PACKET, THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED TOWARDS THE END OF THE COMMITTEE LIST. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE APPOINTMENT OF ANDY KUKAKA, MICHAEL VOLKA, AMANDA BAKER, DANIELLE MORINCO, AARON SIMMONS, JENNIFER ECHEVERIA, DEBORAH BAITY, GINA JEWISON, ANNA GARZA, AND THEN COMMISSIONER HELGET HAD INDICATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
SO MR. CHAIR, I REQUEST THE BOARD CONSIDER THE ATTACHED AMENDED RESOLUTION AND LIST ESTABLISHING THE 2026 COMMITTEE MEETING AND BOARD ASSIGNMENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR PER DIEM.
I'LL MOVE IN, MR. CHAIR. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT, OKAY.
MOTION IS SECOND TO THE COMMUNITY CHAIR OF ASSIGNMENTS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE.
THANK YOU. COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL FOR THAT? CAN YOU ROLL CALL? COMMISSIONER KOLARS, YES.
THE NEXT ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU IS TO CONSIDER THE AMENDMENT OF THE MNDOT LIMITED USE PERMIT AND RESOLUTION FOR A NON MOTORIZED TRAIL ON PAGE 62 OF YOUR PACKET.
SO IN 2025, MINNESOTA NOTIFIED THE COUNTY OF A LIMITED USE PERMIT FOR A NON MOTORIZED TRAIL ALONG TRUNK HIGHWAY 4.
APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET OF THE TRAIL IS LOCATED WITHIN NICOLLET COUNTY AND ENTERS INTO FORT RIDGELY STATE PARK. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE TRAIL IS LOCATED WITHIN RENVILLE COUNTY.
WITHIN YOUR PACKET, YOU'LL SEE AN EXHIBIT A. PAGE 15 OF THE MNDOT DOCUMENTS REPRESENTS THE NICOLLET COUNTY TRAIL AREA.
DURING THE JANUARY 6TH, 2026 BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD APPROVED THE RESOLUTION AND LIMITED USE PERMIT FOR THE TRAIL.
FOLLOWING MNDOT DISCUSSION WITH RENVILLE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF FAIRFAX, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE CITY OF FAIRFAX IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE TRAIL IN RENVILLE COUNTY. NICOLLET CONTROLS SECTION 6 5 0 1.
THEREFORE, MNDOT HAS REVISED THE LIMITED USE PERMIT PREVIOUSLY SIGNED BY NICOLLET COUNTY FOR THE PORTION OF THE FORT RIDGELY TRAIL, AND THEN THEY HAVE ANOTHER PACKET OR A MAP IN YOUR PACKET. THEY CALL THAT CONTROL SECTION 5 2 0 1, AND RENVILLE COUNTY HAS BEEN, THAT PART HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR RENVILLE COUNTY.
THE CITY OF FAIRFAX HAS SIGNED A SEPARATE LIMITED USE PERMIT FOR THE RENVILLE COUNTY PORTION OF THE TRAIL.
SO INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET ARE THE RESOLUTIONS APPROVED BY THE CITY OF FAIRFAX, RENVILLE COUNTY, AND NICOLLET COUNTY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
I'M JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THE PERMIT WILL CONTINUE TO BE VALID FOR 10 YEARS AND EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 9TH OF 2035.
MR. CHAIR, I'M REQUESTING THE BOARD APPROVE THE AMENDED LIMITED USE PERMIT FOR NON MOTORIZED TRAIL THAT PRESENTED IN YOUR PACKET.
ALL RIGHT, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED, SECOND.
I'LL SECOND IT, MOTION SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THIS IS FOR LIKE 250 FEET, ISN'T IT?
[00:35:01]
IF THAT, IF THAT.IT'S A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT OF SPACE WITHIN NICOLLET COUNTY, SO YEAH, OK.
[Public Works]
WE WILL NOW WELCOME PUBLIC WORKS.GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND STAFF.
MY ITEM TODAY IS TO SUBMIT OUR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT'S 2025 ANNUAL REPORT, AND IT'S ALMOST HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN A YEAR AND I'M BACK AGAIN WITH A REPORT. SO, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE ENTIRE REPORT. LET'S SEE, THAT PUBLIC HEARING AT 10, SO I GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO GO THROUGH IT JUST IN DETAIL. I'M NOT, I THINK I'M JUST GONNA HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF A FEW OF THE SECTIONS, AND WHEN YOU GUYS HAVE A MOMENT, IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS, YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, JUST SHOOT ME A CALL OR, OR, OR EMAIL ME.
SO, COVER PAGE. I ALWAYS TRY TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OUR BIGGER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THROUGH THE YEAR. THAT TOP PICTURE IS OUR KIND OF A 21 SLOPE REPAIR PROJECT OUT BY NEW HOME. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN ABOUT A WEEK AFTER WE FINISHED CONSTRUCTION AND AFTER THE MINNESOTA RIVER FLOODED AND COVERED UP ALL OUR, OUR GOOD WORK. BUT THE, BUT THE PROJECT IS, IS WORKING VERY WELL, AND THE HANDLES ARE HOLDING WATER JUST FINE.
THE BOTTOM PICTURE IS ON KIND OF ROAD 6. THAT WAS A RECONSTRUCTION OF KIND OF ROAD 06, WHICH WAS AN OLD PORTION OF TRUNK HIGHWAY 14, AND THAT PROJECT TURNED OUT VERY WELL.
THAT WAS OPENED UP IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
SO, IF WE PAGE IN A COUPLE PAGES, THERE IS, ON THE TOP OF IT, IT SAYS STATE AID FOR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION. WE COST ACCOUNT ALL OUR ACTIVITIES IN, PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT. SO, WE HAVE A DETAILED, ACCOUNTING OF EXACTLY WHERE ALL OUR, EXPENDITURES GO, WHAT TYPE OF FUNDS ARE BEING USED, AND, WHAT THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED FOR. AND WE HAVE TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO, MINNESOTA STATE AID EVERY YEAR, ACCOUNTING FOR HOW WE SPEND OUR STATE AID FUNDS.
SO THIS, THIS PAGE HERE, INDICATES, YOU KNOW, THE TOTAL MILEAGE OF OUR, OUR REGULAR COST OF SYSTEM, MUNICIPAL COST OF SYSTEM, AND THEN OUR COUNTY ROADS, AND HOW MUCH WE SPENT ON CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE.
AND SO THAT GETS SUBMITTED TO MNDOT EVERY YEAR. THEY SIGN OFF AND APPROVE THAT, AND THAT IS HOW, THEY MAKE THE FINAL ACCOUNTING OF WHAT WE GET IN ACTUAL STATE OF FUNDS.
ON THE NEXT PAGE IS JUST A REAL HIGH-LEVEL SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES THAT OCCURRED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS, IN THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT. ONE THING TO KNOW ABOUT THE NUMBERS IN THIS REPORT IS IT IS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR, AND SOME OF OUR PROJECTS CARRY OVER FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
BUT WHAT IS SHOWN ON THE SUMMARY PAGE IS JUST WHAT OCCURRED IN THE CALENDAR YEAR. SO, SOME OF THE THINGS WE SUMMARIZE HERE IS, ON OUR COUNTY STATE AID HIGHWAYS, WHAT WE CALL REGULAR. THOSE ARE REGULAR STATE AID DOLLARS THAT ARE SPENT. SO, WE HAVE MONEY SPENT ON KIND OF ROADS 6 FOR THAT TURN BACK RECONSTRUCTION, AND THEN WE DID A MICRO SURFACING ON KIND OF ROADS 22, 22, AND WE DID NOT HAVE ANY MUNICIPAL CONSTRUCTION. THE COUNTY ROAD 21 SLOPE REPAIR PROJECT, THAT WAS ALL FOR, THAT PROJECT WAS FEDERAL FUNDS USED ON THAT. AND THIS IS WHERE, WHEN WE ARE ONLY SHOWING THE CALENDAR YEAR, KIND OF ROAD 21 PROJECT DID NOT COST JUST $1.2 MILLION. WE ARE CLOSER TO A LITTLE OVER $3.7 MILLION FOR THAT, BUT YEAH, NUMBERS REPRESENTED HERE ARE JUST FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
YOU GO DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER, YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE SPENT FOR MAINTENANCE DOLLARS ON THE COUNTY STATE A REGULAR SYSTEM, AND THEN MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE, AND THEN HOW MUCH WE SPENT MAINTAINING JUST THE COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM. AND THEN WE HAVE A LIST OF, EQUIPMENT THAT WAS, BROUGHT INTO THE DEPARTMENT IN 2025.
IT IS QUITE A LONG LIST, BUT SOME OF THOSE PURCHASES WERE UNDER PREVIOUS, BUDGETS, AND, SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT WAS LAID AND GIVEN, SO IT COULD BE UPWARDS OF A COUPLE BUDGET YEARS REPRESENTED BY THIS EQUIPMENT. BUT THIS IS WHAT I AM ACTUALLY USING.
[00:40:01]
CLOSE TO THAT POINT, SETH, HOW MUCH STUFF DO WE HAVE SITTING OUT THERE WE ARE STILL WAITING ON? WE STILL HAVE THREE PLOW TRUCKS, COMING. THEY SHOULD BE COMING HERE WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO FOR NEXT SEASON, FOR THIS COMING SEASON, YEAH.SO THAT, THAT REPRESENTS THREE BUDGET YEARS, THANK YOU.
IF WE GO TO PAGE 5, IF YOU'RE EVER CURIOUS WHAT OUR TOWNSHIPS RECEIVE IN STATE AID FUNDING, YOU WOULD FIND THAT ON, ON PAGE 5. EVERY YEAR I HAVE TO CERTIFY TO MNDOT STATE AID THE AMOUNT OF ELIGIBLE MILEAGE THAT THE TOWNSHIPS ARE MAINTAINING THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE AID FUNDS.
THIS LAST YEAR WE DID SOMETHING THAT NO COUNTY HAS NEVER DONE BEFORE, AND WE DID A COMPLETE AUDIT OF ALL THE TOWNSHIP MILEAGE THAT WOULD BE FUNDING FOR STATE AID FUNDS. AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS SEVERAL TOWNSHIPS THAT WERE CLAIMING MORE MILEAGE THAN THEY WERE ACTUALLY MAINTAINING. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S REPORT VERSUS LAST YEAR'S REPORT, YOU WOULD SEE SOME CHANGES IN THAT DISTRIBUTION PERCENTAGE BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND SO THOSE FUNDS ARE BASICALLY PASS THROUGH FUNDS. I CERTIFY MILEAGE, THE CHUNK OF TOWNSHIP STATE AID FUNDS COMES TO THE COUNTY, AND THEN JACKIE'S DEPARTMENT, THEY MAKE THOSE DISTRIBUTIONS, AND IT'S BASED ON MILEAGE AND POPULATION IN THOSE TOWNSHIPS.
GOING FURTHER INTO THE REPORT, PAGE 8, THERE'S MULTIPLE PAGE EIGHTS. THEY ALL REPRESENT ALL THE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE IN, IN PUBLIC WORKS. IT'S A PRETTY EXHAUSTIVE LIST TO PERFORM THE WORK THAT WE DO.
SO, IF YOU EVER CURIOUS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE, THOSE PAGES WOULD SHOW YOU THAT EQUIPMENT.
NOW GOING FURTHER BACK IN THE REPORT, SECTION 11, AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THE REPORT, WE START BREAKING DOWN IN MORE DETAIL EXACTLY HOW ALL OUR MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS OUR SYSTEM. AND SO, ON PAGE 11, YOU START TO SEE MORE BREAKDOWNS OF WHAT OUR COST PER MILE OR OUR COST, OUR REGULAR SYSTEM. THE CASSADAGA MUNICIPAL AND THE CASSADAGA MUNICIPAL IS IN STATE MILEAGE IN OUR CITIES WITH UNDER POPULATION OF 05,000, SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE CASSADAGA MUNICIPAL MILEAGE AND THEN THE COUNTY ROAD FUNDED ONLY SYSTEM. AND SO, AS YOU GO TO LIKE PAGE 12, IT JUST CONTINUES TO PROVIDE MORE DETAIL IN THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT, THAT WE CAN DO. SO JUST IF YOU PAGE THROUGH, GET LIKE THE PAGE 13 AND THEN IT'S REALLY GETTING DOWN TO ALL INDIVIDUAL ROAD SEGMENTS AND WHAT WERE, WHAT, WHAT WAS SPENT IN THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES ON THOSE DIFFERENT ROAD SEGMENTS.
I KNOW IT'S EXTREMELY EXCITING, AND THEN IN SOME OF THOSE BIGGER HEADINGS LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON TO 110100 HOUSE MOVING GRAVEL SURFACES, IT SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENT TASKS THAT ARE BEING COST CODED TO THAT ITEM. THEN IF WE GO BACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO PAGE 16, THIS PAGE, AND THE PAGES FOLLOWING THIS, START TO BREAK DOWN INFORMATION ON OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE EITHER COMPLETED, BUT WE'RE STILL FINALIZING FINAL PAPERWORK AND COST PAYMENTS, STUFF THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING, AND EVEN STUFF THAT WE'RE STARTING TO PREPARE FOR CONSTRUCTION WITH PRELIMINARY DESIGN. AND SO THAT'S A WHOLE LIST OF UH THE DIFFERENT UH CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT WE HAVE EXPENDED UH SOME TYPE OF FUNDING ON UH IN 2025.
THEN FURTHER BACK YOU GET TO PAGE 22A, 22B, AND 22C. IF YOU'RE EVER CURIOUS HOW MUCH MILEAGE WE HAVE ON A PARTICULAR TO SAW ROUTE, OR WHAT ARE THOSE STATE AID ROUTES, AND ARE THEY GRAVEL, ARE THEY CONCRETE MILES, ARE THEY NUMEROUS MILES, THESE PAGES BREAK THAT ALL DOWN. AND SO AGAIN, THESE ARE BROKE OUT AGAIN BETWEEN OUR COUNTY STATE AID REGULAR ACCOUNT, OUR MUNICIPAL STATE AID
[00:45:02]
ACCOUNT, AND THEN OUR COUNTY AND A FUNDED ROUTES. AND THEN WE END THE REPORT WITH A FEW MAPS OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WE COMPLETED IN 2025.THESE ARE JUST CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WE DON'T LIST OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT MAINTENANCE SITES, THESE ARE JUST THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND THEN THE SECOND MAP IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR 2026 FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
SO THAT'S JUST A REAL QUICK HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF, OF THE REPORT, OF THE SECTIONS, AND AND WHAT NOT REMAIN THE SAME EVERY YEAR, BUT OF COURSE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
AND SO IF YOU'RE A BOARD MEMBER, HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT, AND BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM. IT'S A PRETTY EXHAUSTIVE REPORT, SO QUESTIONS MAY COME BY.
ANYBODY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS UP? OK MR. CHAIR, I JUST HAVE ONE THAT HAPPENED TO POP OUT WHEN YOU WERE SHOWING THAT REPORT. QUESTION, IS THE ARRIVAL OF THESE NEW PLOW TRUCKS THAT YOU WERE THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYED, AND ALL COMING DUE AT THE SAME, COMING IN KIND OF AT THE SAME TIME, DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR TYPICAL ROTATION IS TRYING TO BE, HAVE LIKE ONE NEW TRUCK PER YEAR.
HAVING 6 OF THEM SHOW UP ALL IN WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, IS THAT GONNA THROW YOUR ROTATION OFF, OR DO YOU SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT? I DEFINITELY MESSES WITH OUR NORMAL ROTATION, BUT WE WILL UH REACT TO IT AS, AS, AS THE YEARS GO ON. AND I ALSO NOTICED ON THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE OF THE THREE TRUCKS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY SHOWED UP, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE SIMILARLY DESCRIBED IN THERE, BUT THEY HAD WIDELY DIFFERENT ONE OF THEM WAS LIKE $20,000 MORE THAN THE OTHER ONE.
IT WAS THE SAME, SAME YEAR, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS OF WHAT THAT WAS. WAS EXPECT DIFFERENTLY. IS THAT JUST DUE TO WHEN IT WAS ORDERED AND HOW IT ARRIVED. IT DEPENDS ON WHEN IT'S ORDERED, AND THE YEAR THAT THEY PUT ON THEM IS TYPICALLY WHEN THE YEAR THAT IS GOING TO SHOW UP.
YEAH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE SEEN HUGE JUMPS IN STEEL PRICES, AND EQUIPMENT'S BEEN, BEEN QUITE VOLATILE. AND BACK TO THREE TRUCKS COMING AT THE SAME TIME, AS OUR OTHER HEAVY EQUIPMENT HAS GROSSLY INCREASED IN IN EXPENSE FOR EXAMPLE, MOTOR GRADERS. I USED TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A NEW MOTOR GRADER WITH TRADE IN FOR MAYBE 175,000. A BRAND NEW MOTOR GRADER IS GOING FOR $500,000 NOW. SO HAVING A GROUP OF A SET OF PLOW TRUCKS KIND OF GROUPED UP, WHERE WE MIGHT NOT HAVE TO BUY ONE PLOW TRUCK IN ONE YEAR, KIND OF OPENS UP A WINDOW TO PLUG IN THOSE LARGER HEAVY EQUIPMENT PURCHASES. SO QUESTIONS? I JUST HAD A QUICK ONE, DID SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT TRIGGERED YOUR DESIRE TO DO THE AUDIT ON THE TOWNSHIPS, OR WAS IT JUST SOMETHING YOU DECIDED THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. NO, JUST DECIDED IT NEEDED TO BE DONE.
STATE AID RECOMMENDS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO GO THROUGH AN AUDIT, AND MY PREDECESSOR AND SINCE I'VE BEEN IN TOWN, I JUST I'VE NEVER HAD THE TIME OR FOR PEOPLE RESOURCES TO DO IT, CAUSE IT'S A PRETTY EXHAUSTING PROCESS TO WORK THROUGH WITH EVERY, EVERY TOWNSHIP. A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH TO, TO VERIFY THEIR, THEIR MINDS, GOING OUT AND REMEASURING ROADS AND WHAT NOT SO ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? MR. COLLINS GO AHEAD. MR. CHAIRMAN SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.
COMMISSIONER HELGET HAD MENTIONED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING THE PRAISE THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT GOT FROM THE FOLKS AT THE TOWNSHIP MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHERE VICE CHAIR KURT ZINS WAS PRESENTING THE INFORMATION ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB. THIS, THIS ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO THE TOWNSHIPS, DOES THAT HELP THEM COVER THEIR NEEDS FOR PLOWING AND THEN MAKING IMPROVEMENTS. YES, THEY CAN USE THOSE STATE AID FUNDS FOR, FOR ANY TYPE OF MAINTENANCE OR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ON THOSE TOWNSHIP ELIGIBLE LAND. AND SO, I DON'T HEAR THEM ASKING FOR MORE FROM THE COUNTY. SO THE ALLOCATION THAT WE PROVIDE THEM THROUGH THOSE FUNDS IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB? WELL, THEY HAVE A STANDING PLATFORM WITH THE, THE MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF TOWNSHIP STUDENT STATE LEGISLATURE THAT BERNARD ALSO UNDERFUNDED AND IN, IN ROAD MAINTENANCE AND DOLLARS, AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ADVOCATING AT THE LEGISLATURE EVERY YEAR FOR INCREASES IN FUNDS THROUGH THAT SYSTEM TO HELP
[00:50:01]
WITH THOSE MAINTENANCE. I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER SEEN THOSE NUMBERS, HAVE YOU HEARD WHAT THEY GET FROM THE STATE AND THEIR AND THEIR WORK, THOSE AIDS TO THE TOWNSHIPS DIRECTLY.DO YOU KNOW THAT? THAT WOULD BE CONTAINED.
I MIGHT HAVE LOST OVER A FEW AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH. SO, IN 2025 AS A WHOLE FOR ALL 13 TOWNSHIPS, THEY RECEIVED ABOUT $312,800.
RIGHT, THAT'S THE NUMBER I SAW.
THAT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE STATE THROUGH THE COUNTY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ALLOCATIONS THAT TOWNSHIPS RECEIVE OUTSIDE OF THOSE DOLLARS? THERE IS ONE ACCOUNT, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT AT MY FINGERTIPS.
OKAY. IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT THAT THAT THEY RECEIVE.
I, I HAD ALWAYS WONDERED WHETHER THOSE MONIES WOULD COVER WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GRADE AND TO PLOW SNOW, ETCETERA.
THEY ALSO LEVY FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR FUNDING.
SAY THAT AGAIN, MARIE? THEY ALSO LEVY, HAVE LEVIES FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR FUNDING TOO.
OKAY. AND HAVE RESERVES AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO, SO.
MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY TO YOU, THOUGH.
I, FOLLOWING COMMISSIONER KOLAR'S, TALKING THERE, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY, AS A COUNTY WE'RE NOT REALLY GIVING THEM THAT MONEY.
I MEAN, THAT COMES FROM THE STATE AND IT'S ALLOCATED FOR THEM.
WE JUST, IT'S JUST A PASS THROUGH, CORRECT? I MEAN, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE DECIDE, OR IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE VOTE ON, WHAT WE GIVE THEM, CORRECT? NO, NO.
THE, OUR, OUR ROLE IN IT, IT, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IS, THEY NEED TO CERTIFY TO ME WHAT ELIGIBLE MILEAGE ARE, AND THEN WE RECEIVE ALL THAT, AND THEN I DO A FINAL SIGN OFF THAT WHAT THEY HAVE REPORTED IS CORRECT, AND, SINCE WE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THE COUNTY HAS NEVER DONE AN AUDIT OF WHAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY SUBMITTING, WE HAD THE STAFF TIME, AND THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE DETERMINED BY THE AMOUNT OF MILES OF ROAD AND POPULATION, RIGHT? CORRECT, I THOUGHT THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTOOD IT TOO, AND I JUST HEARD IT AGAIN TODAY.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW THE HIGHWAY FUNDS ARE COLLECTED IN THE STATE, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN AMOUNT GOES TO THE TRUNK HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BASE PERCENTAGE LIKE 62% TO THE TRUNK HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
ANOTHER PERCENTAGE COMES THROUGH ALL THE STATE AID SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES COUNTIES AND STATE AND CITIES, AND THEN THERE'S NO TOWNSHIP ACCOUNT, AND THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER SMALLER ACCOUNTS THAT THEY FUND WITH THAT, THAT MONEY.
SO EVERY YEAR THE, THE POT OF MONEY IS DEFINED, AND THEN EVERYBODY SUBMITS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR MILEAGE IS ON THE TOWNSHIP SIDE, AND IT ALL GETS PROCESSED OUT.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT. THANK YOU. HAVE FUN WITH THE NEW CONSTRUCTION SEASON. YES, I GUESS I WOULD SAY THAT, UH...
CONSTRUCTION IN THE CITY OF NICHOLAS AND OLD 14, WHICH IS OUR SOUTHWOOD 2 NOW, WAS PLANNED TO START YESTERDAY, BUT...
SO, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE STARTING TODAY, AND SO THAT PACKAGE WILL RUN FROM NOW UNTIL, LATE JULY.
THANKS, SO. ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, UH...
FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON DEER ISSUE.
[10:00 a.m. Public Hearing for Consideration of an Ordinance Imposing Firearms Limitations for Deer Hunting in Nicollet County]
IN THE SESSION FIRST, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE IMPOSING FIREARMS LIMITATIONS FOR DEER HUNTING IN NICOLLET COUNTY. MADAM ADMINISTRATOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. IN 1942, THE STATE OF MINNESOTA BEGAN RESTRICTING THE TYPES OF FIREARMS THAT COULD BE USED TO HUNT DEER WITHIN PART OF THE STATE LATER KNOWN AS A SHOTGUN ZONE, WHICH INCLUDES NICOLLET COUNTY. DURING THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AN ACT WAS ADOPTED TO REPEAL MINNESOTA STATUTE 97B.318, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE SHOTGUN ZONE. THE ACT ALSO INCLUDED MINNESOTA STATUTE 97B.031, SUBDIVISION 7, WHICH PERMITS A COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE FOLLOWING A PUBLIC HEARING TO LIMIT THE TYPES OF FIREARMS USED TO HUNT DEER WITHIN THE COUNTY AND INSTITUTE THE SAME RESTRICTIONS INCLUDED IN PRIOR STATUTORY LANGUAGE CONTAINED IN MINNESOTA STATUTE 97B.318, WHICH STATED: DURING THE REGULAR FIREARMS DEER HUNTING SEASON IN THE SHOTGUN ZONE, ONLY LEGAL SHOTGUNS LOADED WITH[00:55:01]
SINGLE SLUG SHOTGUN SHELLS, LEGAL MUZZLELOADING LONG GUNS, AND LEGAL HANDGUNS MAY BE USED FOR TAKING DEER. LEGAL SHOTGUNS INCLUDE THOSE WITH RIFLED BARRELS. THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING IS TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON WHETHER TO RESTRICT DEER HUNTING TO SHOTGUNS ONLY, FOLLOWING THE STATE'S REPEAL OF THE SHOTGUN ZONE FOR THE 2026 SEASON. THE HEARING IS ALSO TO GATHER FEEDBACK IF THE COUNTY SHOULD ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ALLOWING ONLY SHOTGUNS OR ALLOW RIFLE USAGE AS PERMITTED BY STATE LAW. A PUBLIC HEARING WAS ALSO HELD ON APRIL 14TH, 2026, AT SIX THIRTY PM IN THE COUNTY BOARDROOM TO GATHER FEEDBACK FROM INTERESTED PARTIES. THE RECORDING IS POSTED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.WITHIN YOUR PACKET, YOU DO HAVE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS. A LETTER FROM REPRESENTATIVES SWEDZINSKI AND SENATOR JOSEPH KOWALSKI. THE HOUSE AND SENATE AUTHORS EXPLAIN WHY THEY PRESENTED THE LANGUAGE. A LETTER FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE MINNESOTA DNR DRAFT ORDINANCE. A LETTER FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES CONCERNING ENFORCEMENT, AND THIS IS A NEW ATTACHMENT FROM THE APRIL 14TH HEARING, A COPY OF THE PREVIOUS STATUTE PRIOR TO THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND A COPY OF THE NICOLLET COUNTY DRAFT ORDINANCE.
I ALSO DO HAVE 3 COPIES OF, LETTERS THAT I DID RECEIVE.
ALRIGHT, WELCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE LIMITING THE USE OF FIREARMS FOR DEER HUNTING. WE UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS THE TIME FOR INDIVIDUALS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS AND FOR THE BOARD TO LISTEN. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE PRESENTER'S TABLE, STATE YOUR NAME. WE ASK THAT YOUR COMMENTS REMAIN RESPECTFUL IN THIS, RULES WILL BE GIVEN 3 MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AT THIS POINT, I WILL OPEN THE, THE, THE HEARING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF ANYONE LIKE TO STEP FORWARD, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME.
MR. CHAIR, I WILL READ THE THREE LETTERS THAT, YOU DO HAVE COPIES OF, THAT WERE RECEIVED IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES.
NOW, THE FIRST ONE IS FROM DAVID STORY. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I AM DAVID STORY, A COURTLAND, A COURTLAND TOWNSHIP RESIDENT AND LANDOWNER. THE MAIN ARGUMENT FOR PROPONENTS OF RIFLE HUNTING A DEER VERSUS SHOTGUN ONLY APPEARS TO BE THAT RIFLE HUNTING IS SAFER. THAT IS NOT REASONABLE. A BULLET TRAVELS MANY TIMES AS FAR AS A SHOTGUN SLUG. THE MAJORITY OF HUNTERS ARE NOT EXPERT MARKSMEN. THERE WILL BE MISSED SHOTS, ESPECIALLY AT DEER WHEN DRIVEN BY PARTY HUNTERS. THOSE MISSED SHOTS WILL HIT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. THE FARTHER THE MISS PROJECTILE TRAVELS, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS TO HIT SOMETHING UNINTENDED.
FARMERS ARE OFTEN STILL WORKING IN FIELDS DURING HUNTING SEASON, AND THERE ARE MANY NON-FARM RESIDENCES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. BUT PROBABLY IS NOT ANY PLACE THAT IS OUT OF RANGE OF ANY ERRANT BULLET. A STATEMENT REPEATED A COUPLE TIMES AT THE APRIL 14TH HEARING WAS, HUNTERS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. DO THEY SEE HOW PEOPLE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY WITH TRAFFIC SAFETY LAWS, SPEED LIMITS, AND SAFETY BELTS, FOR EXAMPLE? THE ARGUMENT WAS MADE THAT SLUGS ONLY WOUND MANY DEER. ANYONE WHO HAS FIELD DRESSED OR BUTCHERED A DEER KNOWS THAT A SHOTGUN SLUG CAN DO. A LEG SHATTERED BY A BULLET WILL ONLY WOUND A DEER JUST AS MUCH AS A SLUG DOING THE SAME.
THE ARGUMENT WAS MADE THAT THE DEER HERD NEEDS TO BE REDUCED. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF DOING THAT. BONUS DEER TAGS AND THE TAKING OF MORE ANTLERLESS DEER, FOR EXAMPLE. THE LAW ALLOWING RIFLE USAGE IS A BAD ONE.
I URGE THE COMMISSIONERS TO VOTE TO KEEP NICKEL COUNTY A SHOTGUN ONLY. DAVID STIRLING.
THE NEXT ONE IS FROM DANIEL BORN, AS ADDRESSED TO MISS LANDKAMER.
MY NAME IS DAN BORN, CO-OWNER OF A NICKEL COUNTY FARM WITH FAMILY OWNERSHIP DATING TO 1888. I'M WRITING IN SUPPORT OF ALLOWING RIFLES TO BE USED DURING THE FIREARMS DEER SEASON. TODAY'S MEETING IS BEING HELD DURING HOURS WHERE MOST HUNTING AGE PEOPLE ARE WORKING. I WANTED TO REMIND THE COMMISSIONER THAT, AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD IN THE EVENING AND OPEN TO A BROADER SUBSET OF CITIZENS, THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING RIFLES THAN AGAINST. I COUNTED 23 FOR AND 19 AGAINST.
ALMOST EVERYONE THAT VOTED AGAINST THE USE OF RIFLES WAS FROM THE 60+ AGE GROUP. I FEAR THIS MORNING'S MEETING WILL BE HEAVILY SKEWED TOWARD THAT SAME GROUP, ONE THAT IS NO LONGER IN THE WORKFORCE AND ONE AND WHO WILL LIKELY OVERWHELMINGLY VOTE AGAINST THE USE OF RIFLES BASED ON ANECDOTES AND EMOTIONAL ARGUMENTS THAT SHARE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF DATA.
I WANTED TO REMIND THE COMMISSION OF THE THREE STUDIES THAT I SHARED LAST TIME. A TWENTY, 2003 STUDY IN WISCONSIN FOUND THAT BETWEEN 1998 AND 2008, WHILE ONLY 24% OF HUNTERS USED SHOTGUNS OVER RIFLES, A FULL 42% OF FIREARMS RELATED HUNTING INCIDENTS INVOLVED SHOTGUNS, INDICATING A DISPROPORTIONATE SAFETY RISK. A 2007 STUDY COMMISSIONED BY PENNSYLVANIA FOUND THAT MODERN 12 GAUGE SHOTGUNS USING SABOT SLUGS CAN HAVE A LARGER DANGER AREA THAN A 30 YARD SIX WHEN FIRED AT A LEVEL TRAIN, NOT ANGLING ABOVE HORIZON, MAKING SHOTGUNS MORE DANGEROUS IN TYPICAL HUNTING CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO RICOCHETS. BECAUSE THE HEAVIER CONSTRUCTED, SLOWER TRAVELING SLUG RETAINS MORE ENERGY AND, AFTER HITTING THE GROUND, IT WILL, AVERAGE TRAVEL FARTHER IN TOTAL DISTANCE THAN A 30 OUGHT SIX.
[01:00:02]
WISCONSIN DROPPED THE SHOTGUN ONLY REQUIREMENT 2013 THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE STATE.SINCE THEN, ACCORDING TO THE WISCONSIN DNR, HUNTING RELATED FIREARM INCIDENTS HAVE DROPPED TO THE LOWEST LEVELS IN THE STATE'S HISTORY ACCORDING TO A 2022 REPORT. MY CONCLUSION, BASED ON THE WORK DONE BY STATES THAT HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION, IS THAT RIFLES ARE JUST AS SAFE, IF NOT SAFER THAN SHOTGUNS.
FACTS, SUCH AS BALLISTIC DATA AND STATE INJURY STATISTICS, PROVE IT.
AND THE LAST COMMENT I RECEIVED WAS FROM JULIA ALDRICH, 4 8 1 3 4 500 AND 1ST LANE, CORTLAND.
WITH WANTING TO GO TO RIFLE HUNTING IN MY AREA, WE HAVE A LUTHERAN SCHOOL AND CHURCH RIGHT BY US.
IN THE COUNT, THE COUNTRY, THE CHILDREN PLAY OUTSIDE AND WALK TO CHURCH FOR DEVOTION. SOME PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD LET ANYONE HUNT. THEY BUY THE OWNER OF BEER. STRANGERS DON'T KNOW THE AREA WELL, BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE ARE SOME KNUCKLE PEOPLE THAT HUNT OUT HERE AS WELL. I HATE EVEN BEING OUTSIDE DURING THIS.
THERE'S EVEN A HUNTING SHACK IN THE AREA. BEING THIS WOODED AREA AROUND HERE, PEOPLE FLOCK TO THIS AREA. I BEG THE RIFLE DOESN'T PASS. IT IS A DANGER FOR PETS AND PEOPLE. PLEASE KEEP US SAFE. JULIA ALDRICH, CORTLAND COUNTY.
ALL RIGHT. IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME.
I WAS HERE AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT I KNOW SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS MAYBE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW OR SEE SOME OF THE NOTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? CAN YOU JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME? I'M SORRY, TIM CANUCK.
YEAH. YEAH, SO YOU KNOW, WE LOOK A LOT AT THE OTHER STATES AND THE STUDIES THEY'VE DONE. YOU KNOW, MICHIGAN'S DONE SOME STUDIES, WISCONSIN AND PENNSYLVANIA, BUT THEIR, THEIR TERRAIN ISN'T WHAT WE HAVE HERE FOR THE MOST PART. AND I JUST WANNA SHARE A REAL, LIFE STORY.
SO LAST FALL, SCOTT YUNI, WHICH IS, ACROSS THE RIVER FROM WHERE I LIVE, AND I'M IN NICOLLET COUNTY, HE'S IN BROWN, AND HE HAD SOME FRIENDS THAT WANTED TO SIGHT IN THEIR HIGH POWER RIFLES.
IT'S, IF YOU, IT'S THE UNI ESTATE RIGHT NOW, CAUSE FRED UNI HAS PASSED AWAY, BUT HE HAS A, A GOOD SIZE WOODLOT BEFORE THE, BEFORE THE KC ROAD ON THE BOTTOM. AND THAT WOODLOT IS PROBABLY SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS, AND THEN BEYOND THAT, THERE'S ALMOST A QUARTER MILE OF WOODS THAT'S ON THE RIVER BLUFF ON THE BROWN COUNTY SIDE.
RYAN'S CAMP IS AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT HAS SEVERAL CABINS THERE AS WELL.
STILL, SCOTT FELT COMPLETELY SAFE IN LETTING THEM, HIS FRIENDS, SIGHTING THEM HIGH POWERS. AND ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO THE SIGHTING IN, HIS BROTHER CAME FLYING UP FROM RYAN'S CAMP AND SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? SO THEM, AND AGAIN, THEY WERE SIGHTING IN HIGH POWERS. THEY HAD A LEVEL TRAIN, THEY HAD WOODS AND LOTS TO BACK IT UP, AND HIS BROTHER CAME FLYING UP AND SAID, THEM BULLETS ARE HITTING RIGHT ABOVE RYAN'S CAMP. AND THEY WERE HITTING TREES AND SHATTERING TREES. THAT'S 1800 YARDS. AGAIN, HIGH POWERS TRAVEL UP TO 2.5 MILES. THAT'S 1800 YARDS THROUGH TWO WOODLOTS. SO, NOT ALL THE BULLETS PENETRATED THROUGH, BUT A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM DID.
AND THE POINT I MADE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, HAT IF YOUR KIDS OR YOUR GRANDKIDS WERE DOWN THERE? I MEAN, IT, IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAY IT'S NOT. I RESPECT THE PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT AS WELL, BUT EVEN IOWA DOESN'T ALLOW 30 ODD SIXES OR 6.5S. THEY DON'T, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THEY DON'T ALLOW THAT, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT OUR SENATORS, TO BE HONEST YOU, WERE THINKING WHEN THEY OPEN UP THE STATE TO A DEER RIFLE GOING TO GO 2.5 TO 3 MILES.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY, THANK YOU.
I LIVE DOWN, WEST OF, ON THE RIVER.
I WAS ALSO HERE AT THE LAST MEETING.
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO TODAY IS, I WANT TO ADDRESS THIS SENATOR DAMBROWSKI.
FOR YEARS HE HAS BEEN BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
HE WANTED TO CHANGE, HE WANTED TO ELIMINATE THE SHOTGUN ZONE.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN SUE ACKLIN, I BELIEVE THAT WAS HER NAME, WAS OUR COUNTY REP.
I MET WITH HER DOWN ONE DAY HERE IN SAINT PETER, AND WE WENT OVER THIS ISSUE.
AND AT THAT TIME SHE SAID SHE HADN'T HEARD, HEARD ANYTHING, THAT WAS GOOD ABOUT THIS ELIMINATION OF THE SHOTGUN ZONE.
WHEN I, DEMBROWSKI WOULD BRING IT, HE'D HAVE A SPONSOR IN THE HOUSE.
[01:05:01]
OF THE HOUSE OR THE SENATE, UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN THEY MADE THIS CHANGE OF, WE'LL LET THE COUNTIES DECIDE.RIDICULOUS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
WHEN I GOT OUT, WHEN I GOT UP FROM THE MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, I, I LEFT. I GOTTA, I GOTTA GET OUT.
I GOTTA LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA THIS IS GOING ON OUT THERE.
COMMISSIONER DEHEN, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN I CAME DOWN TO YOU TO GET MY BACK, TWEET? I HAD NO IDEA AT THAT TIME YOU WERE COMMISSIONER.
WAS THAT 2 YEARS AGO? I THINK IT WAS RIGHT, CORRECT.
AND EVEN YOU AT THAT TIME HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS GOING ON, AND THE ISSUE HAD BEEN OUT THERE ALREADY FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS.
SO THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I'M RETIRED.
WHENEVER I HAVE A LITTLE TIME, JUMP IN THE SIDE BY SIDE, RUN DOWN TO MY NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.
THERE'S NICE NEW HOUSES UP IN THE BLUFFS DOWN THERE.
PEOPLE DON'T, PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF IT.
BUT THE NO. 1 ISSUE, FROM GOING FROM SHOTGUNS TO HIGH POWERED RIFLES, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S SAYING THEY'RE SAFE, AND THIS AND THAT, THE NO. 1 ISSUE OF THESE PEOPLE IS SAFETY.
THEY ARE AFRAID OF HIGH POWERED RIFLES, BECAUSE THEY CAN SIMPLY TRAVEL SO MUCH FURTHER.
SOME OF THE COMMENTS WERE HOW SHOTGUNS AREN'T SAFE.
SHOTGUNS HAVE COME A LONG WAYS IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, SINCE I WAS A KID WHEN I HAD AN OLD ETIKA 20 GAUGE PUMP.
BUT NOW THEY'VE GOT REALLY GOOD 20 GAUGE SHOTGUNS.
MY BROTHER'S GOT A, IT'S A SAVAGE, I BELIEVE, BOLT ACTION.
THE FIRST THING HE, HE DOES WHEN WE GET HERE, WE GO DOWN TO THE RANGE, SIGHT THE GUN.
ACCURATE AS HELL. WE COME OFF THAT RANGE, WE ALWAYS SAY THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR.
IF WE MISS A DEER, IT'S NOT THE GUN'S FAULT.
PEOPLE CRIPPLE DEER, PEOPLE SHOOT AT RUNNING DEER.
GREG ABRAHAM, WHO'S A RETIRED CONSERVATION OFFICER, TOLD ME YEARS AGO, MIKE, WHEN IT COMES TO DEER HUNTING, PEOPLE CHANGE. PEOPLE CHANGE.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A NO-BRAINER AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY.
NICOLLET COUNTY'S GOT A TON OF MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. JOHN CROW, WEST NEWTON TOWNSHIP. AND I THINK, HEARING THESE TWO AGAIN, SAYS TO ME THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVITY OUT THERE. AND I TALKED WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN, IN WEST NEWTON TOWNSHIP WHERE I LIVE, AND IT'S AGAIN, THEY'RE AFRAID OF STRAY BULLETS, THE DISTANCE. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF STEPPING OUT OF THEIR HOUSES FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND WE NEED TO THINK OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE OUT THERE TOO, NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE HUNTING. AND I'M A HUNTER, MY KIDS ARE HUNTERS, BUT I'LL GIVE UP THE GUNS BEFORE I SEE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE. FOR THOSE REASONS, I VOTE NO FOR THE QUESTION OF HIGH POWER OR NOT. THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS AARON STARKE, FROM BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP. I NOTICED AT THE MEETING ON THE 14TH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE PRO-SHOTGUN SIDE THAT SAY, I FEEL, I BELIEVE, I THINK.
EVERYBODY ON THE PRO-RIFLE SIDE IS BRINGING FACTS, DATA, STUDIES. THIS HAS BEEN STUDIED LONG AND HARD BY THE MINNESOTA DNR, BY THE WISCONSIN DNR.
THERE ARE SOME THAT SAY WE ARE NOT WISCONSIN, WE CAN'T BE THAT. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE GAUGE OUR STUDIES ON TO SAY THAT WISCONSIN OR IOWA DOESN'T ALLOW 30-06. WELL, THEN YOUR ARGUMENT THAT WE'RE NOT WISCONSIN FALLS, WE'RE NOT IOWA. THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SO SCARED OF RIFLE BULLETS TRAVELING SO FAR, AFTER THE LAST MEETING, THERE WERE SOME FOLKS SITTING HERE AND I COULD HEAR THE WHISPERS, THOSE RIFLE BULLETS ARE GOING 2500 YARDS. ONCE AGAIN, LET'S BRING FACTS INTO THE EQUATION. JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT, I WENT HOME, WENT TO A BALLISTICS CALCULATOR.
[01:10:02]
USING A 300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM WITH A VERY SLEEK, AERODYNAMIC TARGET BULLET, TO GET A BULLET TO GO 2500 YARDS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO POINT THAT RIFLE 86 FEET IN THE AIR.NOW, THAT IS UNSAFE NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING, A RIFLE, A SHOTGUN, A 22. IF YOU'RE HUNTING DEER WITH A RIFLE, YOU ARE SHOOTING LEVEL. THAT BULLET WILL NEVER TRAVEL THAT FAR, AND GENERALLY, IF YOU'RE HUNTING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN A TREE STAND, SO YOU'RE AIMING DOWN. THAT BULLET WILL HIT THE GROUND AND GO NO FARTHER.
NOW, THE EXAMPLE THAT I HAVE SEEN IS, IF YOU HAVE A CEMENT WALL IN FRONT OF YOU, AND YOU HAVE A GEO METRO GOING 100 MILES AN HOUR, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO STAND 30 FEET BEHIND THAT WALL? PROBABLY, BECAUSE THAT GEO METRO IS GONNA DISINTEGRATE.
IF YOU HAVE AN 80,000 POUND SEMI, SHOTGUN SLUG, BIGGER, HEAVIER CONSTRUCTED, GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR, SLOWER SPEED, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO STAND, BE WILLING TO STAND BEHIND THAT CEMENT WALL? NO, BECAUSE THAT BIGGER, HEAVIER OBJECT IS GOING TO TRAVEL FARTHER THROUGH ANYTHING. IT'S BASIC PHYSICS WE ALL STUDIED IT IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, THIS COMES DOWN TO, I, I DON'T WANT TO CALL ANYBODY OUT, BUT THE MINNESOTA DNR MADE THIS DECISION. THEY STUDIED LONG, HARD, AS WAS BROUGHT UP.
THEY'VE STUDIED THIS FOR YEARS. IF ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD THINKS THAT THEY'VE DONE MORE STUDYING ON THIS THAN THE DNR HAS, THEN YOU CAN SAY THE DNR WAS WRONG ABOUT IT. BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE AS MUCH STUDY, AS MUCH RESEARCH, AND COLLECTED AS MUCH DATA AS THE DNR HAS, IT WOULD BE BEST TO GO WITH THE DNR'S OPINION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COMMENT? CAN WE TALK TWICE? WE HELD IT LAST TIME, YEAH. WE DID, YEAH.
ALRIGHT, I DON'T, I'M NOT LOOKING TO CREATE A DEBATE, SO IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THAT WOULD BE FINE, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE REBUTTING SOMEBODY ELSE'S COMMENTS. SO, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO OFFER, MIKE, SOUNDS, CERTAINLY COME UP.
OKAY, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COMMENT? ONE MORE TIME, ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, AT THIS POINT, WE'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL CONTINUE FORWARD WITH OUR DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
WE'VE HAD COMMENTS. DOES ANY COMMISSIONER WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO, OFFER A MOTION, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A SECOND TO GET US TO DISCUSS THIS. I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE REMAIN SHOTGUN ONLY IN THE COUNTY.
OKAY, A MOTION. CAN I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT TO HOST THE CONVERSATION.
MR. CHAIR, AFTER WE HELD OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER, BACK ON APRIL 14TH, IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A VERY CIVIL AND COURTEOUS MANNER BY ALL FOLKS ATTENDING, A REAL SYMBOL OF DEMOCRACY HERE IN OUR COUNTY.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO OFFERED THEIR OPINION ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE US.
LIKE MANY OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN CONTACTED BY HUNTERS AND RESIDENTS WHO FAVOR KEEPING THE SHOTGUN RULE FOR DEER HUNTING INSTEAD OF INTRODUCING HIGH POWERED RIFLES INTO THE ARGUMENT. AND MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS, I LEAN IN THAT DIRECTION THIS MORNING FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
SAFETY, IT'S MY BELIEF THAT SHOTGUNS ARE BETTER FOR DENSE, HEAVY COVER AND SHORT RANGE HUNTING. SHOTGUNS ARE BETTER IN TIGHT SPACES WITH HIGH KNOCKDOWN POWER.
SHOTGUN SLUGS, IN MY ESTIMATION, LOSE ENERGY FASTER AND TRAVEL SHORTER DISTANCES THAN RIFLE BULLETS, WHICH MINIMIZES RISK.
ANOTHER REASON, IN MY WAY OF THINKING, MEMBERS,
[01:15:02]
IS THE SPORT. IT SEEMS TO ME USING A HIGH POWERED RIFLE TO HUNT DEER TAKES THE SPORT OUT OF THE GAME OF HUNTING, WHILE ALSO HAVING BULLETS FLYING FURTHER DISTANCES IF THEY MISS. I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR LIMITING THE EVER INCREASING DEER POPULATION. WE LIVE NEAR A RAVINE IN NORTH MANKATO, AND WE HAVE DEER AROUND OUR HOME ALL THE TIME.OTHERS IN THIS, ROOM, THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF DEER IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVE HUNTERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO USE SHOTGUNS TO GET THEIR DEER. IF THEY USED A RIFLE, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE A MESS WITH A MISS, WITH BULLETS FLYING TOWARD RESIDENTIAL AREAS, MY NEIGHBOR'S HOMES.
I KNOW THAT POSITION HAS BEEN VOICED CLEARLY IN OUR PREVIOUS PUBLIC HEARING AND AGAIN TODAY.
AND FINALLY, I RECEIVED FROM A RIFLE SUPPORTING PERSON, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AN EMAIL SHOWING AT LEAST FIVE PHOTOS OF AR FORTY SEVENS AS A POTENTIAL WEAPON FOR HUNTING DEER.
IN THE PAST THREE DECADES IN AMERICA, I'VE SEEN MY FILL OF WHAT THESE WEAPONS DO IN DOMESTIC, CHURCH, SCHOOL, CONCERT, MOVIE THEATER, MALL, AND OTHER GATHERINGS, WHAT THEY DO TO HUMANS. AND IT'S FOR THESE REASONS THAT I WOULD MOVE TO RETAIN THE SHOTGUN ONLY STATUS FOR DEER HUNTING HERE IN NICOLLET COUNTY.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU MEMBERS, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. MR. CHAIR AND FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, AS WE CONSIDER WHETHER DUPAGE COUNTY SHOULD ADOPT OR TO OPT OUT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA'S, I'M SORRY, I'LL START OVER NOW. WE, MY MIC, AGAIN MR. CHAIR AND FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, AS WE CONSIDER WHETHER NICOLLET COUNTY SHOULD OPT OUT OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA'S RECENT DECISION TO ALLOW RIFLES FOR DEER HUNTING.
I'D LIKE TO STATE CLEARLY THE BASIS FOR MY POSITION. I HAVE REVIEWED THE AVAILABLE DATA, LISTENED, LISTENED TO CONSTITUENTS, AND CONSIDERED THE PROPER ROLE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN THIS MATTER. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN STUDIED EXTENSIVELY AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND BASED ON THAT WORK, THE STATE CONCLUDED THAT ALLOWING RIFLES DOES NOT PRESENT A CLEAR SAFETY DISADVANTAGE. DATA FROM THE MINNESOTA AND OTHER STATES, INCLUDING WISCONSIN, WHICH MINNESOTA SPECIFICALLY STUDIED AFTER ITS OWN SHOTGUN ZONE REPEAL, SHOWS THAT HUNTING ACCIDENT RATES REMAIN LOW, AND IN SOME CASES HAVE EVEN DECLINED, REGARDLESS OF THE RIFLE FIREARM TYPE.
I RECEIVED INPUT AND REVIEWED THE TESTIMONY, THE LIVE TESTIMONY, AS MENTIONED, OF ALL THE CONSTITUENTS THAT GAVE TESTIMONY AT THE A PUBLIC MEETING. I WATCHED THAT LIVE ALTHOUGH I WASN'T HERE, BUT I RECEIVED INPUT JUST OVER 50 CONSTITUENTS. THAT FEEDBACK HAS BEEN THOUGHTFUL AND STRONGLY HELD ON BOTH SIDES, BUT ULTIMATELY, EVENLY SPLIT WITH NO CLEAR MAJORITY DIRECTION.
IN MY VIEW, THIS ISSUE INVOLVES TWO KEY ASPECTS. ONE IS SAFETY AND THE OTHER IS DEER MANAGEMENT.
ON THE SAFETY SIDE, UNFORTUNATELY, THE, THE DATA DOESN'T, DOESN'T LIE. THE DATA DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE A SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE WITH RIFLES.
ON THE DEER MANAGEMENT SIDE, THIS IS A STATEWIDE NATURAL RESOURCE. IT SHOULD BE GUIDED BY SCIENCE AND POPULATION DATA.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT BELONGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND, FRANKLY, IN MY VIEW, THE DNR SHOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY ON BOTH OF THESE MATTERS.
WHAT TROUBLES ME MOST ON THIS TOPIC IS THE STATE'S REFUSAL TO OWN ITS OWN DECISION. THE LEGISLATURE PUSHED THROUGH THIS CHANGE DESPITE INITIAL OPPOSITION AND MINIMAL SUPPORT ACROSS SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.
IN ORDER TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, THE STATE TOOK STEPS IT SELDOM TAKES BY GIVING COUNTIES THE OPTION TO OPT OUT OF A STATEWIDE HUNTING REGULATION. THIS IS NOT HOW WILDLIFE HUNTING REGULATIONS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN HANDLED. IN THE PAST, THIS IS NOT HOW THOSE DECISIONS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND APPLIED CONSISTENTLY, RATHER THAN DELEGATED TO COUNTIES, RATHER THAN TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENFORCING THE NEW RULE CONSISTENTLY STATEWIDE.
[01:20:01]
THE STATE IN ITSELF GAVE ITSELF POLITICAL COVER BY ALLOWING COUNTIES TO DEVIATE AND CREATE CONFUSING PATCHWORK OF LOCAL RULES. THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP. IN MY OPINION, IT'S A DODGE THAT FORCES COUNTY, THIS COUNTIES TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE POLICY THE STATE ITSELF ENACTED BUT NOT, DOES NOT APPLY UNIFORMLY. AND IN MY OPINION, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD NOT BE PLACED IN A POSITION OF SETTING GUN AND HUNTING POLICY.AFTER WEIGHING ALL THIS AND THE DATA, I DO NOT SEE SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION FOR OUR COUNTY TO ADOPT A MORE RESTRICTIVE APPROACH THAN WHAT THE STATE NOW PERMITS. THIS IS NOT A DECISION I TAKE LIGHTLY, HOWEVER, ON BOTH SIDES, THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND THE LACK OF A CLEAR MANDATE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST A PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE.
THANK YOU. MAY I SPEAK? I, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME TOO, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME ARE, IT'S MORE 60% IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING RIFLES.
I LIVED OUT IN OSHAWA TOWNSHIP FOR TEN AND A/2 YEARS AND RAISED 6 KIDS OUT THERE AND MANY, MANY DOGS.
AND RIGHT ACROSS THE GRAVEL ROAD, LARGE WOODED AREA WHERE A NEIGHBOR WAS HUNTING COYOTES WITH RIFLES. AND I, I KNOW IT'S SCARY. I KEPT MY KIDS AND DOGS INSIDE WHEN THAT WAS HAPPENING.
NEVERTHELESS, AGAIN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SAFETY CONCERNS RAISED BY ALL OF YOU, I HEAR THEM AND THEY DO MATTER, AND I HAVE WRESTLED WITH THIS DECISION. I ALSO WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THE SCOPE BEFORE US TODAY. WE, WE, WE CAN HOST BROADER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GUN CONTROL, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. I DON'T SEE THIS AS A REFERENDUM ON NATIONAL GUN ISSUES.
MY VOTE TODAY IS GONNA COME DOWN TO CONSISTENCY AND GOVERNANCE.
THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS EVALUATED THIS ISSUE THOROUGHLY USING SAFETY STANDARDS, TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DATA.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS OUR ROLE AS A COUNTY TO WITHHOLD OR RESTRICT RIGHTS GRANTED AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO SUPPORTING THE STATE IN THIS TO ME DOES NOT MEAN THAT I'M DISMISSING SAFETY. IT MEANS THAT I'M CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO EXPECT RESPONSIBLE USE, STRONG HUNTER EDUCATION, AND RESPECT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS.
I RESPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO DISAGREE ABOUT THIS, AND I EXPECT TO HEAR SOME, ANGER, FROM SOME OF YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO HOST THAT CONVERSATION. AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING YOUR EXPERIENCE, AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, BUT I, TOO, WILL BE VOTING NO. OKAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I, TOO, HAVE A MINI POLL GOING ON AT MY OFFICE ON CONTACT FROM EVERYONE, AND I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT. WE'VE HAD MORE OUTREACH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND ANY OTHER ISSUE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, WHICH I FIND A LITTLE BIT ODD, BUT THAT'S GOOD. MAYBE WE'RE STARTING A POSITIVE TREND.
I'M STILL WAFFLING, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I COME FROM A FAMILY OF HUNTERS, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HUNT. I LIKE TO THINK THAT ALL OF OUR HUNTERS ARE RESPONSIBLE, BUT I DO REALIZE THERE'S THE LOOSE CANNON HERE AND THERE.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE, AS MY NEIGHBOR PHRASED IT YESTERDAY, IT TAKES THE SPORT OR PASSION FROM HUNTING AWAY WHEN YOU HAVE A HIGH POWER RIFLE VERSUS A SHOTGUN.
MY CONCERNS LEAD TO THE STATE DICTATING THIS POLICY FOR US, AND THROWING THIS ON OUR DOORSTEP TO RESOLVE IT FRANKLY IRRITATES ME.
WE'RE SEEING IT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, NOT ONLY WITH THIS, BUT SOCIAL SERVICE THINGS. I, I JUST, I'M LEANING THAT THIS IS A STATE PROBLEM, AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SOLVE IT.
AND I WOULD ECHO THOSE COMMENTS, UH. THE FACT THAT THE STATE HAS, LIKE MANY OTHER THINGS FROM CANNABIS TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ISSUES, FOISTED A DECISION AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THEN REQUIRES THAT THE COUNTY TAKE ACTION ON SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DECIDED AT THEIR LEVEL, BECAUSE THEY ARE, AS COMMISSIONER ZINS POINTED OUT, LOOKING FOR POLITICAL COVER, IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO US. IT PUTS US, AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE ARE FORCED TO MAKE A DECISION THAT, SHOULD BE ENFORCED AT THE, AT THE HIGHER LEVEL.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND SO FOR MY POINT, I'M GONNA GO WITH THE, WITH THE DATA, AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. SO, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? SO, MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE A MOTION IN FRONT OF US TO REMAIN A SHOTGUN ONLY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE VOTING ON.
[01:25:02]
THAT'S, THAT IS THE MOTION THAT WE WOULD. THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION ON THIS, OKAY? SO, MR. COLLARS, RECAP THE MOTION, WHICH WOULD BE TO REMAIN, SHOTGUN ONLY.I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A ROLL CALL ON THIS.
SO IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, PLEASE.
SHOTGUN ONLY? COMMISSIONER HELGET, NO. COMMISSIONER ZINS, NO. COMMISSIONER DRANTTEL, NO. COMMISSIONER DEHEN, NO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS. I KNOW THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL DECISION FOR ALL OF US, BUT IT IS A DECISION THAT WE'VE REACHED TODAY. SO, WITH THAT, WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THE STATE LAW AND NOT GOING ON, REMAINING SHOTGUN ONLY
[County Attorney Update]
AT THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S UPDATE AND RETURN.THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. JUST A COUPLE OF UPDATES. AS I INDICATED AT THE LAST MEETING, APRIL IS A VERY BUSY MONTH IN TERMS OF, EVENTS, THAT RAISE, AWARENESS OF TWO VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, AS WELL AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS. AND SO, TO THAT END, OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN, IN PROMOTING, ACTIVITIES, TO BRING RECOGNITION TO BOTH OF THOSE, SERIOUS, CRIMES, THAT TOUCH UPON MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE WAY TO, DRAW ATTENTION TO THE CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS IS, BY HAVING BLUE PINWHEELS. WE DROPPED A NUMBER OF THOSE OFF AT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND LOOK FOR SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE MANY DIFFERENT PARTICIPATION AND CREATIVITY THAT WENT INTO USING OUR PARTNER VOICES TO RAISE AWARENESS OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CREATIVITY AND A LOT OF GOOD WAYS, PARTICULARLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, TO USE THAT AS A TALKING POINT WITH OUR STUDENTS, ABOUT BEING SAFE, IN THEIR HOMES AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS ALSO CRIME VICTIM AWARENESS MONTH OR WEEK, SO WE DID SOME ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THAT. AND THEN THE SENIOR EXPO AND PROJECT COMMUNITY CONNECT ALSO OCCURRED IN APRIL, AND MY OFFICE HAD A BOOTH AT BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS TO BRING AWARENESS TO FRAUD AND SCAMS, AS WELL AS VICTIM RIGHTS AND PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT VICTIMS RIGHTS AT BOTH EVENTS. AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT STRUCK ME. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE SENIOR EXPO, WHICH WAS RIGHT AFTER OUR HAIL EVENT HERE IN SAINT PETER, AND THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT TALKED ABOUT, I THINK WE HEARD OVER 20 PHONE CALLS THAT WERE RECEIVED ALREADY THE VERY NEXT DAY SEEKING TO, OFFER ESTIMATES AND WORK.
AND, I RECOGNIZE THE STRONG NEED FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE DAMAGES REPAIRED.
BUT IT REALLY CAUSED ME PAUSE ABOUT THE RISK TO, SOME OF OUR MORE VULNERABLE POPULATION OF, PERHAPS, FALLING VICTIM TO SCAMS OR, NOT AS LEGITIMATE SERVICES. SO WE HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT GOOD CHOICES WERE BEING MADE, WITH OUR INFORMED CHOICES WERE BEING MADE WITH RESPECT TO FIXING THE HAIL DAMAGE.
BUT IT WAS SHOCKING, THE NUMBER OF SENIORS THAT APPROACHED AND TALKED ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT THEIR DOOR OR MADE PHONE CALLS TO THEM. AND FINALLY, TOMORROW IS DENIM DAY.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE, EVERYONE, TO WEAR DENIM IN RECOGNITION OF, DENIM DAY AND BRINGING AWARENESS TO SEXUAL ASSAULT. AND, IT OCCURRED OR STARTED AS A RESULT OF AN ITALIAN SUPREME COURT, A DECISION WHERE A SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE WAS BEING REVIEWED WHERE THE VICTIM WAS WEARING VERY TIGHT JEANS, AND THE SUPREME COURT CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT BECAUSE THE PERPETRATOR HAD BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE THOSE VERY TIGHT JEANS, THERE HAD TO HAVE BEEN CONSENT. AND SO IN RESPONSE TO THAT ILL INFORMED DECISION, A NUMBER OF PARLIAMENT MEMBERS WORE JEANS THE VERY NEXT DAY TO BRING AWARENESS OF, THE ERRONEOUS CONCLUSIONS THAT WERE REACHED IN THAT CASE. SO, WE WILL BE WEARING JEANS TOMORROW, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ELSE TO DO SO AS WELL.
I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU.
[Commissioner Committee Reports, Meetings & Conferences]
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS.COMMISSIONER ZINS, SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, WE, I CAME LATE TO A PERSONAL COMMITTEE MEETING
[01:30:01]
BUT GOT AN UPDATE, ON THAT. HAD OUR BOARD WORKSHOP ALONG WITH ALL THE REST OF YOU, LAST WEDNESDAY. TUESDAY, AND I WATCHED THE, PUBLIC INPUT MEETING LIVE WHILE COMMISSIONER KOLARS 'S RAN THE MEETING AND DID A GREAT JOB.THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER KOLARS, THANK YOU. MR. CHAIR, YEAH. THE PUBLIC HEARING DEAR FIREARMS MEETING, I THOUGHT WHEN WE, WELL, WE HAD A FULL HOUSE HERE, HAD A DIVERSITY MEETING. THE ATTENDED THE AMC LEGISLATIVE ZOOM MEETING, OUR WORKSHOP, AND THE AMC FEDERAL BUDGET ZOOM. I, I HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THERE, BUT WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL MAKE COPIES OF THAT AND HAVE MANDY SEND THAT AROUND TO YOU FOLKS. AND THEN I PLAN TO ATTEND, I KNOW WE'RE ALL INVITED, LORAIN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BOB MEYER IS RETIRING, AND SO THAT IS HAPPENING THIS AFTERNOON. I THINK AT 2:00, SO AT THE COURTHOUSE, AT THE, AT THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE.
I HAD THE NACO RURAL ACTION, COMMITTEE MEETING.
I HAD A MINNESOTA EXTENSION ZOOM MEETING.
I ARRIVED LATE TO THE AMC, I THINK IT WAS A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
I WAS HOPING TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH MEDICAID, BUT THAT IS THE PART THAT I MISSED, AND THEN ALSO THE SHOTGUN RIFLE PUBLIC HEARING.
MR. GAVIN, UNION NEGOTIATIONS, WITH PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT HEAD, BOARD WORKSHOP, TDS BOARD MEETING, AND LAST THURSDAY, I PICKED UP MY TRUCK LOAD OF TREES AT SOIL AND WATER.
SO, NOW THAT IT RAINED, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THOSE, I GOT A SHOVEL.
I HAD THE COMMISSION WORKSHOP, AND THEN I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE TRANSFORMING TOGETHER TOMORROW, INITIATIVE THROUGH GREATER MANKATO GROWTH, SO I WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT STEERING COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD, MR. CHAIR.
YES, TO ANSWER COMMISSIONER HELGET, SHE HAD MADE THE POINT ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH MEDICAID AND SNAP AT OUR FEDERAL ZOOM HERE LAST WEEK, WHICH FEATURED JULIE RING AND THE TWO FOLKS OUT OF WASHINGTON, DC. THEY SAID THAT, AND I WILL QUOTE THIS ONE, WHERE DID I PUT IT, THERE ARE NO PATHS IN THE FUTURE, IN THE FUTURE TO ANSWER THE CUTS TO SNAP, FOOD STAMPS, OR MEDICAID FROM THESE FOLKS. JULIE RING MADE THAT COMMENT TO AT ZOOM, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING.
NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF PER DIEMS AND EXPENSES.
SECOND. YOU GOT A MOTION, SECOND.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL ADJOURN THE COMMISSION MEETING.
ALRIGHT, NICE JOB. GOOD JOB, GUYS.
WE HAVE ANY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM...
NO, THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
THAT ONE'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
WE DO, WE, SORRY, WE HAVE DRAINAGE.
SO, WE'LL CALL THE, WE'LL CALL THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE TO ORDER.
SO USED TO RECESS, YEP, EXACTLY.
ALRIGHT, SO FIRST ITEM ON THE, ON THE DRAINAGE, 30 IS APPROVAL AGENDA.
OKAY, NEXT TIME IS APPROVAL, CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ONLY THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST SESSION. MOVE IT.
ALRIGHT. ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES? I SEE NONE.
PUBLIC APPEARANCES, PUBLIC APPEARANCES. THERE BEING NONE, I WILL ADJOURN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GOOD.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.