[Music] [Laughter] It's fun music. >> Yeah. Encore. >> Well, were we just going to go right into the Star Spangled Banner or something? >> All right. Uh, the clerk will take the role. >> Commissioner Hinrich >> here. >> Commissioner Breaststead >> here. >> Commissioner Reiner >> here. >> Commissioner Gamash >> here. >> Commissioner Schulty >> here. >> Commissioner Jeepson >> here. >> Commissioner Meisner >> here. >> Everyone is here today. Uh, item number four is a tax claims and abatements. Do I have a motion? >> So moved. >> It's been moved by Commissioner Brastead. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Schulty. Any discussion? >> Seeing none, this a roll call vote. >> Commissioner Brastead. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Reiner. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Gomesh. I, >> Commissioner Schulty. >> I, >> Commissioner Jeepson. >> Hi, >> Commissioner Meisner. >> I, >> Commissioner Heinrich. >> I, >> that passes unanimously. Item number five, consider accepting the regular claims paid for 500 over $500 on purchase card claims paid for the period ending July 11th, 2025. Do I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Commissioner Schulty. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Jeepson. Any comments, discussions, questions? Seeing none, this a roll call vote. >> Commissioner Reiner. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Kamesh. I, >> Commissioner Schulty. >> I, >> Commissioner Jepson. >> Hi, >> Commissioner Meisner. >> I, >> Commissioner Heinrich. >> Hi, >> Commissioner Brass. >> I, >> and that passes unanimously. Item number six is the approval of minutes from the July 8th, 2025 county board meeting. Uh, any changes or do I have a motion? >> It's been moved. >> It's been moved by Commissioner Brastead. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Schulty. Anybody else have any? Nope. All right. Um, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. hearing none that it passes unanimously. Under chair's remarks, I don't have anything officially. Uh we have kicked uh the state or state fair, county fair is going kicking off today. We'll be going over there after our meeting this afternoon um to raise the flag to get it officially kicked off, but there's a lot going on at the fair. Um it's going to be hot. So, if you do go out there, make sure you drink a lot of fluids. Um but it's going to be a warm one. But it's hey, it's noa county fair. That's usually the way it is. Um, also, um, kicking off is the TPC, the 3M golf tournament tournament at the TPC. I believe they have practice rounds going on today and, uh, ProAm tomorrow and then the actual tournament starts on Thursday. And it looks like a pretty good, uh, a pretty good field. So, uh, anybody interested in attending that, it's, uh, always exciting. So, and I will get going back to starting with the committees of the whole. And we have one extra one that we're adding today. So right now we have A through D. We're going to add management committee that um we had earlier today. That'll be letter E. And we'll do that at the end. Um so we'll go to uh let me get this up. Government operations and we'll start with the consent items and we have three consent and one discussion item. So we'll start with the consent items and Commissioner Jeepson. >> Uh thank you Mr. Chair. Um, regarding the consent items for facilities management, uh, there was just one item to approve a master contract for plumbing services for three-year terms, uh, with the option to renew two additional one-year terms for a possible total of five years. This is just a standard master contract, um, that we hold with Corval uh, constructors, which is contract C0011625, and Egan uh, which is contract C 0011634. Thank you, Commissioner. And we'll go to property tax and taxation with Commissioner Schulty for that item. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, just one item for you today is to approve the joint powers agreement between Anoka County and St. Francis School District for election services with a term from August 1st through December 31st of this year in an amount of $6,000. >> And uh we'll go to finance and administration with Commissioner Jeepson. >> Yeah. um for the finance um item on the consent agenda. Um this is for uh approving the abort for the approval of the board to adopt the attached uh Noa County travel training and general reimbursement policy for employees and elected officials. This is just really a procedural um consent agenda just so to make sure that everything is streamlined. Um, usually when these items get to us in the management committee, it's gone through so many rigorous processes and this is just something that we feel can uh streamline a lot more processes and policies uh moving forward. >> Thank you, Commissioner. Anyone have any questions on the on any of those three on the consent items? All right, this a roll call vote motion. >> I would move the consent. >> I'm sorry. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Second, >> Commissioner Schulty and then Commissioner Jeepson >> as a second. >> Commissioner Gamash. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Schulty. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Jeepson. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Meisner. >> I. >> Commissioner Heinrich. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Brastead. >> I. >> Commissioner Reiner. >> Hi. >> And that passes unanimously. We'll move down to the discussion and approval on property taxes. Um item number four. Commissioner Schulty. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh one item for action here. Uh, we would ask the board to adopt resolution 2025-G08 reaffirming the chief officer of property records and taxation division as an NOA Countyy's head elections official and supporting the use of electronic rosters in an NOA County elections. >> Do I have a motion? >> I would offer the resolution, Mr. Chair. >> It's been offered by Commissioner um Schulty. Questions, comments? Commissioner Reiner. >> Okay. Hey. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to remind the chair that uh, once the floor has been given to a member, which I now hold, um, based on Robert's rules of order, which Anoka County follows, a member has up to 10 minutes uh, to comment uninterrupted. Now, this is really about uh, the use of pull pads or paper rosters. Oh, I should start my timer. Uh this is really about paper uh rosters or pull pads and the use of them and the autonomy for cities to use them or not. Uh what I'm going to do is uh start my comments by giving my position which is um it's I am not in support or against uh the use of paper rosters or pull pads. Um those that say otherwise are misleading and dishonest. I'm in favor of a m municipality's right to choose. Arguments in favor of pole pads have been about the ease and accuracy of poll pads and how they perform. Arguments in favor of paper rosters have been that they give their community more confidence in their elections. Uh both of these arguments, by the way, are true. State election laws are generally mandated for statewide uniformity, including registration procedures. This has not been done for pull pads. Pull pads have not been mandated by the state. Many counties in the state do not use pull pads. Isani's county board of commissioners voted to allow municipalities the right to choose between poll pads and paper rosters. This means that county boards do have the authority to grant municipalities the right to choose. Our election officials and our county attorney state that the Isanti example doesn't compare to Anoka County because they have a lesser population, insinuating that state election laws change from county to county based on population, which is of course ridiculous. Um, the state mandates statewide uniformity. So, how do we get here? Today, our election officials and county attorney hold the position that our county election officials have always uh now and have always had full authority over the choice to impose use of pull pads or paper rosters. Then why the vote today? Why do we need to affirm anything if that is true? The vote on the resolution today is to transfer elected officials authority to unelected staff. Next thing is very important uh from even what we're talking about 18 months ago we were told we were all told uh by our elections officials and the county attorney that municipalities do not have choice because back in 2018 the county board voted to use poll pads. Well, this statement and position confirms that in 2018 the county board decided to use poll pads, not election officials. And the opinion of the county attorney 18 months ago was uh that county board has all the authority to decide and that was pushed. Finding this out, you know, because I didn't know the difference back then. I met with the head election officials to get more clarity um because I didn't know back then. So, since the board voted to use poll pads, if the board voted to allow municipalities the right to choose, um I asked would the original vote be reversed and would municipalities have the right to choose between pulp pads and paper rosters. The answer was yes from the head election officials 18 months ago. wanting municipalities to have autonomy, which I do. I then proceeded to talk to my colleagues about, you know, having an up and down up or down vote on this topic and was met with a variety of responses. Yes, no, maybe. I'll think about it. But then, you know, because I was talking to people kind of got into the ether of the county and probably over the county attorney's office and uh things began to change. I found out that the county board actually never voted on the use of pole pads. They just voted to purchase pulp pads. In 2018, there was an attempt by the county to have each municipality vote to approve the use of pole pads in their municipal municipality. This of course suggests that the county's thinking at the time is that they needed approval from each municipality and could not force them to use pole pads. And in fact, there is legislation in 1987 that describes the need for municipal approval uh to adopt new election rules. Some cities voted for the pole pads and some never even voted. The county just went ahead and approved it and went, you know, just force it on the cities. Anyway, then I heard that the city of Oak Grove passed a resolution stating that they were not going to use pull pads and instead use paper rosters. It was a resolution by the city. The city of Oak Grove then received an unsigned anonymous letter from the county threatening that if they use paper rosters, they would be charged with a felony. Imagine that. An anonymous letter from the county attorney threatening Anoka County elected officials. Wonder how many times that's happened. I will not be supporting this resolution. This title is not true and the language is not accurate. The last resolve, the In Noa County head election official has designated that all precincts in Anoka County shall use electronic rosters for all statewide elections. Not true. I've asked on what date did this happen, by what action was it enacted, and can I have documentation? I received nothing because it does not exist. The head election officials have not officially and uniformally designated that all precincts in Anoka County use pole pads. It never happened. If it was true, why would the head election official say that the reason municipalities are bound to using poll pads is because the county board voted for them in 2018? And why would the head election official during my meeting say municipalities could be unbound by the use of poll pads by a simple majority vote of the county board? Now, I'm sure after my comments, uh, um, you know, some of my comments will be misrepresented and my positions. Uh, there might be some politically biased things coming from the county attorney, uh, which by the way has told us that he does not represent this board. Uh, maybe even character attacks and, uh, my favorite, fake outrage. But just to clarify my point of view one more time, I am not advocating for or against pole pads. I am advocating for municipalities in an o county the autonomy to choose between poll pads and paper rosters. Registration using poll pads or paper rosters has nothing to do with the voting process. So it should not matter how you check someone in to vote as long as it's accurate. We used uh and trusted paper rosters until 2018. We have been told that they both work well. If they both work well, why use the little iron fist of Anoka County and pound municipalities into submission when it appears that they have the right to choose? Also, we have been told that all of the content of this resolution is already in place and that the action before us today is to simply reaffirm what is already in place. And this is really the biggest lie of the day. um because if it was already in place, there would be no need to consider this resolution in the first place. This resolution is not to reaffirm the existing policy by design um but to but it is designed to transfer authority from the dulyeleed Anoka County Board to elected bureaucrats and allow commissioners to hide from this topic. I cannot support this misleading and possibly illegal resolution. Back to you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Commissioner Ryder. Any other comments? >> Second. >> Commissioner Heinrich. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I won't be supporting this resolution today either. Um I think it's probably just myself and uh Commissioner Reinhardt. Um I do think that this will pass. Um yeah, it's a check-in system. Um not that big of a deal. I think that uh from my position from the get-go has been that uh a city um if they want to check people in using paper versus electronic uh we should find a way or road map for that city or municipality to be able to do that. Um, and so that's really what started this conversation in my mind as far as a resolution being presented was a resolution that in my mind would provide some sort of a roadmap that would um be efficient and uh um take care of whatever cost that the you know lay at the feet of the city uh for whatever cost the county might incur um or whatever incumbrance might happen for uh to make sure that we have an uh efficient uh election day. Um that's not what we're that's not what we're seeing today. Um so I've voiced my disappointment in the past that I wanted to see some sort of a resolution that we could vote on that would allow for um a roadmap for city autonomy and uh and that's not what we have before us. Um and so I will have uh I will cast a no vote today. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Um Commissioner Reiner, do you have about two and a half minutes left? >> No, that's just for the first count. This is this is the >> Yeah. Yeah. Robert Shaw orers, you know, I get another 10 if I want, but I I'm only going to take one. Um I really just want to give one example. Um you know, there are some cities that uh desire to use paper rosters and then there there are some cities in Anoka County that really need to use paper rosters because um actually I was talking with council member in Columbus last night at their uh city hall. they don't have uh um cell service. Every time I go up there for a meeting, everything goes dead. And uh now we're going to be uh using I I guess you know the new ways that Verizon is going to be the way we're going to transfer information. And um uh so they actually need to use paper rosters. That haven't been figured out yet. You know, we're going to have to work on that if if you know this continues to happen. Um but there is a desire to use paper rosters which there should be no problem with that. But in some places, because we do have parts of this county that are rural, uh they need to use them because they they absolutely don't have cell service. In fact, uh she told me that uh last election they had to pile the election equipment into a back of a truck and drive down the road to go find cell service. Um and if you know, the election judges just had to be shaking their head at that. But that that's a true story, by the way. But so there's more need than just desire to use paper rosters. Sometimes they're needed. >> Thank you, Commissioner Ryder. Thank you, Commissioner Hinrich. Um, any other comments? Hearing none, this roll call vote. >> Commissioner Schulty, >> hi. >> Commissioner Jepson, >> I. >> Commissioner Meisner, >> I. >> Commissioner Heinrich, >> no. >> Commissioner Brastead, >> I. >> Commissioner Reiner, >> no. >> Commissioner Gomesh, >> I passes five to two. Um, we'll move down to human services committee and Commissioner Meisner. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. the committee of the whole for uh human services. We did meet on Wednesday, July 16th at 8:30 in the morning here in this building. There were no public comments in person. I did not receive any via email either, but anyone may do that at mandy.misnermn.gov. We have four items on our slate this morning. The first one is the statewide improvement partnership, also known as SHIP grant. This is to request the authorization to enter into contract C0011735 with the Minnesota Department of Health. This is for the period of November 1st, 2025 through October 31st of 2030. The grant award is for the first year of the grant uh November 1st through October 31st, 2026 and is estimated to be $660,160. So this is a grant again given by the state of Minnesota predominantly. This is about um proactive and prevention and this is supporting our communities across schools, work sites, health care settings, really the nooks and crannies. We did have a really robust and great presentation also about this to the full committee. Um the next item is for the Minnesota Department Community Living Infrastructure Grant and this is to approval for the renewal of the Minnesota grant of human services. Um again community living infrastructure grant. This is contract C0011527. So uh this funding is made available through the housing support division to increase and improve opportunities for motans with disabling conditions to live in the community and provides the counties with funding to build the infrastructure necessary to support this work. This is um helping to support management of emergency hotel shelter programs, a housing resource specialist and housing outreach worker to name a few. The next action item number three is under corrections and this is to accept the community supervision funding formula subsidy. This is for fiscal year 26 net distribution from the Minnesota Department of Corrections and this is through the period of July 1st 2025 through June 30th 2026 in the amount of 8,28,465. There is a 0.05 increase. So we have been part of this act since 1976. It is a requirement that we uh update periodically a new plan um actually every four years, but this past legislative session, so it's a little bit different. The formula calculation method was changed from the previous year case load to a three-year look back. So this is what uh constitutes the um modest increase of the 0.5%. The last action item is for to offer resolution 2025HS-10 and this is to recognize probation officers and probation officer assistance in Anoka County during national pre-trial probation and parole supervision week. This is for July 20th 20 through the dates July 20th through the 26th of 2025. um you know for process I would love the opportunity for Dialin to speak on this just the work that they do. I don't know if this is the appropriate time now. Okay Dialin I I really would love for you to say a few words. Uh the work here is really important and um please take the floor. >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, um Commissioner Meisner, members of the board, my name is Dialin Workington, uh director of community corrections here in Anoke County. Uh the resolution is much appreciated. Uh the work uh behind the scenes of this particular group is significant within the county as it relates to public safety uh specifically engaging lives in order for these individuals um that are participating in the system to have an opportunity to not reaffend again but to uh be um uh have their behavior corrected and move forward in their life. So just a comment regarding probation officer work. What is that? Um, we have probation officers working shifts out at the LO Lakes campus, probation officer assistants working with them. So, it's 247, 365day a year job. Highly skilled, highly trained individuals um helping those uh folks move on uh from their current circumstance. We have probation officers uh getting up at 6:00 in the morning doing pre-trial assessments. Uh we have probation officers writing pre-sentence investigations uh for the court, making recommendations to the court on revocation matters. Uh they supervise pre-trial cases, um helping the court and get people into court every every day to make sure that they're compliant. We have individuals that are uh supervising supervised release cases, which is that parole uh element to this resolution as well. uh so coming out of the institutions from the state side uh working with people with alternatives to incarceration, helping people with mental health case loads, helping people find housing and jobs, etc. So, it's a very important work. I'm proud to be part of it and I'm uh very grateful to the board for considering this resolution. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dialin. And thank you to all those who work in the probation department. Uh, with that, that concludes the slate and I will offer that items 1 through four for human services. >> Uh, we have a motion. Uh, I think we need a second as well. >> Second. >> It's been moved by Commissioner Meiser, second by Commissioner Heinrich. Um, any any comments? Seeing none, this is a roll call vote. >> Commissioner Jeepson, >> I. >> Commissioner Meisner, >> I. >> Commissioner Heinrich, >> I. >> Commissioner Braad, >> I. >> Commissioner Reiner, >> I. >> Commissioner Gomesh, >> I. >> Commissioner Schulty, >> hi. And that passes unanimously. Um, anyformational items, Commissioner? >> No, there were noformational items. I did mention earlier we did have an excellent presentation about SHIP. Um, other than that, that concludes my report. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Meiser. We'll move down to public safety and Commissioner Breastston. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Yep. The public safety committee of the whole met on July 8th. We have one item on our consent agenda and that is under our emergency management um department which is Whoops. My to apply for and accept contract C0011732. It's the radiological emergency preparedness grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $6,000 for a term July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2027. And this helps us prepare for any incidents that might come up related to a Minnesota nuclear power plant incident. >> Thank approval. Thank you, Commissioner Schulty, to move it. And do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Jeepson. Um, any comments, discussion? >> Hearing none, this a roll call vote. >> Commissioner Meisner, >> I. >> Commissioner Heinrich, >> I. >> Commissioner Braad, >> I. >> Commissioner Reiner, >> I. >> Commissioner Gamash, >> I. >> Commissioner Schulty, >> I. >> Commissioner Jeepson, >> hi. >> That passes unanimously. Uh, Commissioner Breaststead, anyformational items from the departments? >> Um, I, you know, we had some really robust conversations. There's a lot going on in public safety in our county. Um, but I'll leave it at that for this morning. >> Then we also have a lead uh public safety lead commissioner recommendation. >> Yes, this um item is timesensitive. So, the attorney's office has asked that we look at resolution 2025 PS12, a resolution authorizing the acceptance of a grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs in the amount of $139,524 prosecutorbased crime victim services in Anoka County. And it looks like these funds will be used to help expand services to underserved populations such as elderly and non-English-speaking crime victims for 12 months beginning October 1st, 2025. And I'm happy to offer that. >> We have offer has been made on the resolution. Um any discussion, Mr. Chair? Um, County Attorney Johnson, >> just for clarification, uh, these funds are funds that this board passes annually through, um, we apply for this grant. Specifically, they're used to help fund the elder abuse specialist and the bilingual specialists that we have in our victim witness unit. >> Thank you. Um, any other comments? Um, Commissioner Riner, >> what have been costs in the past or is it the same amount every year? I I'd have to go back and take a look at the specifics of it, but it's generally the same amount annually. >> Okay. I'd least like to know the last three years if you can forward that to me after the meeting. Thank you. >> Seeing no other comments. This is a roll call vote. >> Commissioner Hinrich. >> I. >> Commissioner Brastead. >> I. >> Commissioner Riner. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Gomesh. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Schulty. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Jepson. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Meisner. >> I. >> And that passes unanimously. Um, thank you, Commissioner Brasted, and we'll go to the management committee. Uh, Commissioner um, Meisner. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. So, this is coming before us. We did meet about it this morning. Um, but this is a timely manner. So, we have one action item to authorize risk management to settle workers compensation claim number 23-073 in the amount and terms as discussed. We did have a good conversation about it. And with that, I will move it and thank all those involved that got this done. >> Second. It's been moved by Commissioner Meiser, second by Commissioner Schulty. Um, this a roll call vote, I believe. >> Commissioner Breaststead, >> I. >> Commissioner Reiner, >> I. >> Commissioner Gamash, >> I. >> Commissioner Schulty. >> Hi, >> Commissioner Jeepson. >> Hi, >> Commissioner Meisner. >> I, >> Commissioner Heinrich, >> I. >> And that passes unanimously. We'll move down to committee appointments. Um 9A is to consider appointing or reappointing the following to the community corrections advisory board for terms ending July 2027 as recommended by the human services committee of the whole. Uh first one is appointing Brian Lindberg, District 1 representative. Um appointing Melissa Westerilt, County Attorney's Office representative and reappointing Kevin Titus, uh District 7 representative. Do I have a motion? >> So moved. >> It's been moved by Commissioner Jeepson, seconded by Commissioner Heinrich. Any comments? Commissioner Jeepson, then Commissioner Meisner. >> Yeah, I just wanted to make one comment. I ran into um Mr. Lindberg at Costco yesterday while out running errands and um I asked him how he was enjoying his retirement and he said thoroughly. No, good. >> So, I'm and I also appreciated I mentioned appreciation for him to stay within Anoka County and be on this board for approval this morning. >> Commissioner Meisner. >> Oh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Essentially, I was just going to mention the same thing that a person who is retired and with his historic knowledge. So, it's great to see that he is still interested to be part of this. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, anything else? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Opposed? Hearing? None. All three have been appointed or reappointed. Item B is to consider forformational uh purposes the chair's appointment and reappoints for the following county workforce development board representing the private business community for two-year terms ending June 30th 2027 as recommended by the human services committee of the whole. Uh number one is to appointment of Jeff Nuome, president um CEO of Walters Recycling and Refuge and then two the reappointments of Paul Johnson, president of Aggressive Hydraulics. Uh Debbie Boyd, human resources director at the John Roberts Company. And item C or the third one is Courtney Mickelson, human resources manager at Ajax Metal Forming Solutions. Do I have a motion? >> It's been moved by Commissioner Brastead. Do I have a second? >> This is forformational purposes. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you very much. It is justformational, but I really would have appreciated that. Thank you. Um, so that's forformational purposes. They've all been appointed or reappointed. So, um, and if there's nothing more to come before the county board, uh, we are adjourned. We'll have public comment period coming up in a few minutes.