Right. Will you please join me in the pledge of allegiance? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Grab my glasses. I think I have my glasses somewhere. We'll figure that out. Uh, public comments. Anybody in the audience today would like a You could hold I could hold them here. Thank you. No, I think I think they're in my bag. I'll grab them. I'm looking a little more arerodite right now than I prefer. Um, I see no one in the room who would like to make some public comments. So, let's move to the agenda review and adoption. So, moved. Second. I got a motion by Anderson and a second by Udman to approve the agenda. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed? Motion passes. Approval of the July 1, 2025 minutes. Can I get a motion? So moved. Second. I got a motion by Fehee and a second by Commissioner Lynch to approve the July 1, 2025 minutes. Any discussion on that item? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed? Motion passes. Community announcements. Commissioner Lynch, I just have a quick one. I just wanted to uh on the July 4th I was uh went to the Wakonia Park and it was absolutely I've never seen that much use in the park in one day. It was absolutely wonderful. I assume Minasha was the same. I assume Baylor was the same. Uh everyone was orderly and it was wonderful. We haven't heard any accidents and there were so many people on the lake enjoying their their freedom of this uh fine country and it was absolutely wonderful to know that we had a part in that. So with that that's all Mr. Chair. Wonderful. Commissioner Fehee. Mr. Chair, thank you. Yeah, it was a great uh Fourth of July for the Fehee family. Also a lot of fireworks, a lot of fun. Um this afternoon I'm going to go participate in the farmer to farmer tour out at uh Brie Soft Seed Company just outside of Bungards and we get to talk about growing and feeding high oleic soybeans to dairy cattle and and silage made right in the growing season. So I'm looking forward to that. There's a lunch being served and that this afternoon. And then also, excuse me, town ball this weekend on the Norwood Indians are taking on the Hamburg Hawks at Zelman Field at 7:30 this Friday. And then on Saturday, the Young America Cardinals are taking on the Plato Blue Jays at Merchants Day at YA Field at 4 o'clock. So, if you like town ball, the regular season's slowly coming to an end. Get out and support your local teams. And then this coming weekend, I'm going to be attending the 2025 Midwest Regional and Short Line Railroad Summer Conference. So, I'm looking forward to sit in some of those conferences and chat with some more individuals about the regional rail. So, thank you, Mr. Chair. One of my favorite topics, Commissioner Urban. Mr. Chair, uh got a chance to meet with some uh local nonforprofits yesterday. Um they have an embedded navigator within their um system and to to learn the pros and cons and insights and and impacts that they're having. And I know there's a lot of discussions about other not forprofits doing the same. That was very informative, especially as we come into budget areas where we may look to cut some areas where sometimes that investment upstream saves us downstream. I know I'm not alone on the board in getting a bunch of feedback on road projects. Um there's a lot of them within our districts and just a shout out to Ari and her team. Um every communication thing isn't always perfect u but they do a great job of um making adjustments and getting the word out. It's amazing to me how few people like roundabouts. So, um the other thing is is after something's been open for a week or two, you tend to find new um driving patterns. And so, I think after the first two weeks, um the uh the community has settled down a little bit and got to see where the where the best driving patterns are. Um and then about roundabouts, if you haven't had a chance to listen to it, it's pretty uh educational, informative, and entertaining. Our own Lynon Robgant was interviewed on Carver County Local News podcast. He did a really good job. I'd listen to it at 1.5 speed though because um you can get through it a little bit faster. But uh hang until the end because he answers some uh random questions of what his interests are in music and sports and all that other stuff. Um Colin shared some pictures this morning from the tornadoes that tip down in um in um Carver County. I think unofficially six of them. And when I heard that, I was just driving back from Wyoming and my calendar got screwed up and that impacted my inability to be here uh last week. So apologies for that. Um, but coming through on the tornadoes, you know, you think the worst six tornadoes down in Carver County, what does that look like? And there was some tree damage, but no life lost, and I think they cleaned it up relatively quickly. Uh, and then the sheriff was pretty communicative if too, and um, and where they needed to be in supports. And then last, I know that there's some articles flying around. People are pretty passionate on social and otherwise. There was one of our peers in a neighboring county um that wrote an article for the Star Tribune, but it's on our minds as we prepare for budget. The impacts of the big beautiful bill that was passed on July 4th and uh regardless of your politics, I know that there was um some shifts that were coming at the state level, there's shifts that are coming at the federal level. They're significant and so we'll have to deal with those and and we're taking them one step at a time. But he uh Roger offered some um interesting commentary that looked at it be I think his estimates were about 8 and a half% for his county um a base levy increase just from the the federal shifts and a lot of those won't happen immediately but they'll happen in 26 27 and 28. So thank you Commissioner Anderson. All right. Just want to shout out and thank the uh sheriff's department um for helping out and providing security at the Chanhassen 4th and third and fourth of July. was a great event. Um, very hot and humid and um, but we saw lots of great um, people and that was a good event. And I just want to um, shout out to Mayor Carver, Mayor Courtney Johnson, who is uh, first by vice president of League of Cities. So, um, congratulations to her. And that's all I got. Okay. Yes. Fourth of July. um uh put the uh patio furniture on sale and let's move on to fall and some football I guess is uh what they open up the corn shacks and uh uh it was a big huge hot parade up in Chanhasson. Uh administrator Hemsy apparently was there. Apparently I waved to him and didn't see him. Um um uh but it was hot and you know a guy wonders what we do in the winter because it gets so busy this time of year and uh the tornadoes uh made it to about a mile and a half of my house um and died. Uh so pretty lucky about that. Hats off to all the first responders and everybody who uh what do we call those guys who uh look for the uh clouds? Storm. Stormchasers. Not stormchaser. Th those guy those are different guys. The real guys I'm talking about. But um uh and and I hats off to the Chanhassen Rotary. I know we got a Chanhassen Rotarian here on the board and Commissioner Anderson in all the hard work. I know when uh the Fourth of July comes around and the uh urge to go up to a cabin or somewhere and relax and instead you have to work a parade is or pour beer or check ID check IDs. You're the check ID person and uh uh so hats off to the Chanhassen Rotary. This Saturday at one of our great regional parks is the Minowashta mud run and but for I am healing from an Achilles uh surgery. I would be in it and so I do have my little motor scooter and I plan to get up there on Saturday morning to watch my fellow county commissioners participate in the mud and staff. So that'll be a lot of fun. But sign up for the Carver County or the Lake Minawasha mud run on Saturday morning. So, okay, that's all I have. Uh, can I get a motion for the consent agenda? Move approval, Mr. Chair. Second. Okay. Got a motion by Lynch and a second by Uterman to approve the consent agenda. Any discussion? I Yeah, just aside, I did check and I believe that scooters are allowed in the mudun. Yes, but not with a a boot. Thanks. All right, I got a motion, a second with no discussion. Any further discussion? I'm hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed. Motion passes. Item 3.1, resolution to proclaim July 20 through 26 in the year 2025 as National Pre-Trial Probation and Parole Supervised Release Supervision Week. That's a long one. Mr. Johnson, it's a tongue twister. Mr. Chair, uh, good morning, uh, commissioners. It's been a while since we've done this. I think my predecessor John Clavens did this very many many years ago. I don't plan to do this every year, but I think it's good a good opportunity to get in the boardroom to celebrate what we do in in our uh in our profession of probation. Um I as as all you all know, I've been here around here a long time and I'm still convinced that the average person really doesn't know what we do. Uh police officers, everybody knows what a police officer does. uh correctional officer, everybody knows what they do. They they make sure that inmates are following rules and and they're uh in charge of safety and security of institutions. Uh but probation officers, when you ask the average person what a probation officer does, I think most people don't know. I think all of you probably know because I've been around for a while. Um now, most of the time, don't get me wrong, most of the time that's a good thing. Kind of hide behind the shadows and do our work and everything's fine. There are some instances though that I wish we were a little more visible and perhaps that's that's our fault for not making ourselves more visible. So, uh I just wanted to say that first and I want to talk a little bit about our office. Um before I eventually ask you for a motion to approve this proclamation. Um as you know, we are a county probation office. Uh our office deals with uh all juvenile cases. Uh we deal with misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor adult cases. our local Department of Corrections, Sean McMmonle here. They supervise our roughly, I think there's 550 to 600 felony cases that we have on probation. Uh that includes supervised release from prison. Um so all told, uh with our 1300, it's just short of 2,000 people that were supervising uh in Carver County in on probation. Um, our particular office has 12 probation officers, seven of which deal with adults, five of which deal with juveniles. And uh, we're knocking, we're talking on the way up here, we've had a really good year of having very few juveniles in detention this this year so far and we have three this morning, which is not good. But that means our juvenile side will be very busy this morning and all day today and perhaps for the next three days because when a juvenile's in detention, it takes up a lot of time. So, um, so we have 12 probation agents. Uh, we have, uh, two fantastic support staff, administrative assistants, uh, Rory and Mary who, uh, enter all the data. They deal with our public that comes from to the counter. Oftentimes, that public is not particularly happy that they were just placed on probation. And so they weighed through some people who are often angry, often fearful of what's going on. Uh so they do a great job. Uh we have our jail re-entry coordinator. Uh who our inmates in Carver County. Uh it's important that they have the services they need so that we can release them to back to their homes and communities with everything they need to hopefully not uh reaffend. Uh we have our drug court coordinator uh which as you know we've had a drug court in Carver County for years. Um absent the drug court these high-risisk high need folks would more than likely be recycled in and out of the courtroom um with with new charges. So uh we're we're happy and we're grateful for that. Uh we also have Christy Hulcom who's our probation supervisor. She wrangles the 12 probation agents. Um some of them like rules, others don't. Um, but she makes sure that they do what they need to do. They're they're she does the quality control, how they interact with her clients. Uh, but Chrissy does a fantastic job. Um, so that's essentially our office in a nutshell. There's including me, but I'm just frankly fortunate to work with these fantastic people. So, they make my job extremely easy. So, with that, I would like to just read the proclamation. Uh every year uh we our office celebrates this every year. We don't come to the bo boardroom every year, but we celebrate this week uh because it's our our chance to get together now that we're all hybrid, but we get together. We have potluck. We do some fun things. It's all we still do our work, of course, but uh we try to make it a more fun week than a normal week. What's this about a potluck? Uh Eric. Uh well, that's that's coming. We'll And uh please come every year. Uh we'd appreciate it. We'll send you an invite. All you have to do is bring a a dish to pass. But we we'd love to see you in the room talking about this annually and and uh and doing the proclamations. We will we will consider that. Uh but APA does this every year. They have a a fantastic conference that I sometimes attend. Uh we've actually had a staff be chosen to present there in in years past. I think I did that years ago. Uh this particular uh January our staff Lindseay Jawarda was presented was uh chosen to present. She couldn't do it unfortunately but we were going to send her her out there to present her her uh supervision curriculum for high-risisk girls but that didn't work out. So uh I would like to just read the proclamation here. Uh National Pre-Trial Probation and Parole Supervision Week uh July 20th through the 26th 2025. Whereas National Pre-Trial Probation and Parole Supervision Week, PPPs, was established by the American Probation and Parole Assa Association. Whereas the American Probation and Parole Assoc Association dedicates one week every year to celebrate over 90,000 community corrections professionals around the country who work hard to keep our communities safe. Whereas this year, as APA prepares for its annual training institute, community corrections professionals are encouraged to consider this uh year's theme, heroes behind the mission, transforming lives, enhancing public safety. Whereas Carver County Court Services mission is to strengthen public safety by utilizing evidence-based practices which focus on the risk and needs of justice involved individuals, victims in our communities in a restorative and responsible manner. Whereas Carver County Court Services works in collaboration with our justice partners, perfect example is Mr. for Mets's office as well as our local Department of Corrections office to accomplish our mission of streng strengthening public safety. And whereas Carver County Court Services acknowledges the work of our probation officers, coordinators, and support staff is critical to enhancing public safety in Carver County. Therefore, be it resolved that we, the Carver County Board of Commissioners, do hereby acknowledge the week of July 20th, 2025 as pre-trial, probation, and supervised release supervision week. I had to change that because we don't call it parole in Minnesota anymore. We we call it supervised release. So, I changed that in Carver County in honor of the dedicated professionals who work to create a safer community for all in Carver County. So, with that, I would just ask for a motion to approve uh this proclamation of National Pre-Trial, Probation, and Supervised Release Supervision Week in Carver County, July 20th through the 26th. Move approval, Mr. Chair. Second. I got a motion and a second. Uh any discussion? I know that I am uh I guess 2,000 people are on parole in Carver County. Uh, heck, that could be several of my neighbors. Uh, that seems like a lot of people. So, they must reside here. Or do we spill out into other boundaries? How does that work, Eric? We we spill out, Mr. Chair. Uh, we there are we're kind of a pass through county. So, oftentimes we have we work with people that live in other counties, but we we do transfer them to their home county. Um, so the people that we work with are not just Carver County uh residents, but most are, but we are a pass through county as well. And and the word probation was a problem. Why? I think everybody understands the word parole. Parole. I don't know. Maybe Mr. McMonle knows the the reason for that. Mr. Chair, would typically be granted by a parole board where supervised release is part of a prison sentence. So that's all it is. where I think anybody committed to commissioner corrections, it's assumed that they'll serve 2/3 in the DOC facility with one/3 unsupervised release. It's automatic, not granted by any kind of board. Okay, Mr. Chair, it's probably mostly semantics. It is. It operates similar. So, Commissioner, Mr. Chair, thank thank you for doing this. Sometimes people don't go out of their way to do it, so thank you. And sometimes that falls hollow. So, sometimes giving you a voice helps. Um you've experienced a lot of change in the last five years u post Floyd uh post uh um COVID um change in some things at the state government etc etc et can we anticipate maybe in the next three to five years budgetary related or otherwise? Uh the uh Mr. Chair, Commissioner Udman, the biggest change um is is coming. Um we have a commissioner of corrections, Paul Schnell, who used to work here years ago. uh who's extremely uh energetic and and is very committed to evidence-based practices. So, we have a set of deliverables that are coming down and eventually it'll be I'm not sure how but it'll be tied to funding. We receive um this coming fiscal year we'll receive about a million 1.1 million from the Department of Corrections uh for our office for reimbursement. That'll be tied to expectations. And what what I mean by that is that there'll be certain deliverables we're going going to have to prove that we're doing things that we're doing with our clients, assessments that we're that we're completing, um interventions that we're completing. So that's the big biggest thing coming now is and it's not just the commissioner saying we have to do this. This is is in legislation that these deliverables have to be done and proven. Now, for some of the bigger counties like Henipin and Ramsey, uh it's a little easier for them because they have the resources. They have they have a whole they have a whole unit of people that just do data. Uh but for smaller counties, and I'll put us in there because we're a fairly small metro county, it'll be more difficult uh because we don't have necessarily the resources to deliver on this. But and the the very small counties, I have no idea how they're going to do this. So, that's the biggest thing coming. what what is what I've seen is the most change uh in my 33 years here is that we're really being called on the carpet to actually deliver what works and we've known what works for the last 30 years and we've been doing it in our office and there's a lot of counties that have been uh but there are many counties who are still way far behind they're going to have to speed up thank you Mr. Chairman did I make a comment Mr. I have a real deep appreciation of probation and from the doc with deals with the felonies and then with the misdemeanor, gross misdemeanors and Eric and Eric and Christy and Shawn do a great job and our office works very closely with probation officers to get really close to them. We have separate roles and we respect that because they have a different job and focus, but we're all for public safety and rehabilitation and accountability. And so we really get to know each other on a personal basis as well because we have to trust each other and we rely upon their expertise, their opinion because once we're done in our office as a prosecutor and let's say they get a sentence and they have to do 30 days in jail and you know community work service and have these other conditions and mental health and and testing, we hand them off to them and that is a difficult job because now for a year, two years longer, they monitor these individuals and that is a direct link to the success of the whole system of the prosecutors, the defense and the judges because if they're not successful in doing their job and they can't work magic with certain individuals, but if they're not, you know, they hold them accountable and help them and assist them. If they're not, there's going to be recidivism and but if they are successful and dedicated as they are, then we're helping these individuals and we're protecting public safety. So, but their job they have a what's tricky is they they have multiple responsibilities bundled into one job. So, they have a lot of discretion because they can determine if they want to violate somebody on probation, which could mean that they could go to prison or they could have more jail time and come back. A lot of times they'll balance that and say, "All right, we'll give you an opportunity, another opportunity to get your mental health treatment done. I'm not going to violate you now, but I want to build this relationship with you." So they have to have compassion and mercy and accountability and consequences alto together and and they have to be very patient and have tolerance but also demand the respect and demand the accountability and responsibility from these individuals. So really the partnership is critical and they exemplify the Carver County way because we collaborate together. It's not a matter of well this is what we're going to do and then you make your recommendation. They explain it to us and say, "Here's why I'm only recommending, you know, two days in jail instead of 30, which I know is what you office want." Okay, we balance that. So, I have a lot of respect for them and there's new challenges we're going to face. And I think from my perspective, and it it's the challenges are that you can have a a different perspective on sentences and probation, and that's what I sense is happening. And I think a lot of that is is dealing with the financial challenges at the state level too. And so for example, STS has been eliminated because of the funding and that is a a great program for Carver County. I really strongly believe in sentenced to service work because that creates the accountability and discipline and some consequences and punishment. So that's going in the way. So now we have to balance well what do we do with these people that are have been sentenced to SDS how do we convert that and we had a meeting yesterday with our justice advisory team which if you don't know is we meet every month every couple months with our partners and it's for camaraderie it's for dealing with big issues and so we have our five judges we have probation we have the defense bar we have our office we have the sheriff we have the chief of police in Chaza we have um I don't know if anybody else but you key partners and we talk about issues sentence to service and other things and we we provide lunch and we get to know each other and so yesterday we talked about that how do we convert that? Another thing is early release. So they enacted a law where there are inmates who are going to be um subject to early release up to 17% off of their sentence. So this is very frustrating for prosecutors because we negotiated these sentences for a prison sentence to get let's say five years in prison and we negotiated hard for that and balanced public safety and said okay we're not going to try to go for 10 years but five years and and we expected they were going to serve twothirds of that. Well now some might be subject to a 17% release and we don't have the same voice that we had. So, we have to adjust how we're going to negotiate now. And and then there's also other reduced sentences even on some pretty significant serious crimes and u that's a different way of practicing that we're not used to, we didn't expect and it's retroactive. So, going forward, I understand that we can now predict with these. So that that's a change for our office and how we're going to deal with this and it it's attached to their um probation as well. But on a positive note, spinning it back and I appreciate the time because we work so closely with them, but they just they really are so committed and they're they're lifers for in their jobs because they're so committed to this job and it's challenging. You don't see people come in for two years and they're gone. They're there and their departments are there for decades and they usually retire there and and and they're still positive about I want to help these individuals because they can help them get jobs or not help but I mean they they they assist them with that. They're counselors. They they deal with addiction. They deal with, you know, uh testing and then they have to be tough sometimes too about with poor attitudes or they're recidivists. And so they're really there to make a difference and they do make a difference and I'm sure they could talk about all their stories about those positive cases where they're like, man, this person was really down and out when they came to us and now they have a job, they're sober, it's been two years and they're really on the right path. So um it's really I'm I'm glad that we're highlighting this and and these three do a really good job of supervising as well and they need to be recognized as well. So thanks for t allowing me to take so much time. Well, thank you for the insight and thank you, Mr. Mets, for the kind words. He's absolutely right. When when I go to our my director meeting, every single meeting, there's somebody that is talking about a contentious relationship they have with their county attorney or their county administration. And I have none of that. I I've never had to report on that, which is really nice to come to work and not have to complain about my relationships with other departments. So, uh, it's wonderful to to have that. So, thank you. Well, and I appreciate it. And the reason I say come back annually, this is another one of those really sexy parts of county government that, uh, the commissioners are are aware of. And I think that our constituents are not always aware of while they're asleep or getting on with their lives, the things that the county does. Heather back there and human services and you guys and all the fun stuff that uh keeps us safe and uh but but I I I I don't believe people know what it is their tax dollars do to uh for the for the stuff that nobody wants to talk about. So So it's nice to talk about it. Mr. Chair, if I may, I missed one thing. Uh, Heather, there was there was some years I I think I had a boss, but I'm not sure who it was. Uh, now I have a boss. It's Heather, and she Heather's been really good to me. She's been really very supportive of our department. So, I just wanted to add that, too. So, I I wasn't aware that you fell under her uh watchful eye if anything. So, the past few years. Yes. Thank you very much, guys. I do have a motion and a second. And unless there's any other discussion, uh, all those in favor say I. I. Those opposed. Motion passes. Thank you very much. Thank you. Keep being good at your jobs. Have a fancy. We do. Let me sign it right now. You taking it? Taking it away. They want a photo after. Are we done? We are. Nobody. Eric, if you don't have a contentious relationship with the county attorney or the county administrator, maybe you should get to know him better. Well, I didn't say we I didn't say we don't disagree. Just when we needed when we needed a little filler at the meeting, uh Commissioner Lynch always comes through. So, perfect. Okay. County administrator report. Yes, sir. Mr. Chair, busy July and August coming up. Summer's half left, right? Not half over. Uh beginning with budget hearings kicking off this week. So, Thursday, you should have all your your own budget hearings on your the ones you're participating in. Okay. On your calendars. Uh, starting Thursday. So, the sheriff's starting Thursday. I think I think Commissioner Rudman and Workman, you're on up first. So, important meetings coming up there. And again, you should have those on your calendar. Let me know if you or let Kristen know if you need to adjust those in any shape or form. And then, uh, next week, uh, there is a township meeting. I sent you a note. That will be a really busy week for me. So, my daughter's getting married in Friday the 18th. What are you doing? What am I doing? I need to prepare that speech for gosh sakes. Yeah. Just to write all those checks. I've given three for daughters. I need some hints. Uh, Commissioner Lynch said, "What'd you say?" No more than three minutes. Keep it short. Three minutes. No one wants to listen to you. Maybe I don't need a week to prepare for that. Two. Make it two. But yeah, I appreciate if I could uh you know take that Wednesday off with my relatives etc. So coming from far and wide from Georgia to California. So hopefully I survive that and then toward the tail end of the month I do my uh go hide in the wilderness trip. That's not until the 28th though. And I I'll give you another reminder. That's where the preliminary levy number comes from. Yeah. I I sit in the wilderness and think about it, sir. Yes. It's really time to reflect. Uh so beyond that, I think uh uh I oh I was going to note the I did have Chris to add the Southwest Transportation Coalition. So if you have a meeting that you're participating in, you might in that case I think there there were two appointees in an alternate and I think all three of you wanted to go which is fine. just give us a heads up if three or more are going to participate and usually usually we can kind try can catch those but it's helpful if you you let us know because there's a timing element if there's three or more of you we need to get preferably three days ahead of that so doesn't happen that often but that's an example AMC sometimes it happens on committees and again like to see you guys participate in all this stuff I'm not saying don't but let's let's make sure we get good public notice on That's it, Mr. Chair. Uh, thank you and congratulations on your daughter's wedding. That's a pretty big milestone, I would say. Um, but I assume Mrs. Hem is more in charge of stuff. Yes, sir. I learned that lesson the hard way. I could have could have told you. Go in the woods and get out of the way. Commissioner Lynch, do you have a a motion? I move to adjurnn, sir. Second. I got a motion by Commissioner Lynch and a second by Commissioner Fehee to adjourn our meeting today. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed? Motion passes.