You guys ready? You guys good? >> All right, Greg. All right. Good morning, everyone. It is Tuesday, March 3rd. We'll call the Wright County Board of Commissioners to order. We'll begin 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 all. >> It is great to see so many smiling faces here on a Tuesday morning. we must have great things to uh celebrate or people to honor with such great attendance. Uh before we get to uh whatever that may be on the agenda, well, the next item we have here is the minutes from February 17th. Would I stand for any corrections or motions? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> All right, we have a motion by Commissioner Dietrich. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Mo to approve the minutes from March, sorry, March February 17th. Is there any discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppos? Same sign. All right. Minutes are approved unanimous. Today's agenda. Would anyone like to make any corrections to today's agenda? >> All right. Otherwise, I'll stand for a motion. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Commissioner Shane, second by Commissioner Moina. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Post. Same sign. All right. Motion passes unanimous. Next we have today's consent agenda. Would anyone like to remove anything from today's consent agenda for further discussion? If not, I'll stand for a motion to approve the today's consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Commissioner Shane, second by Commissioner Moina. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Those same sign. All right. Motion passes unanimous. And now to the uh wonderful item where I believe everybody is in this room. We are going to honor someone for many great years of service to the county to the citizens of Wright County. Uh Clay, the floor is yours. >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair and commissioners. So, despite what you might be thinking, I don't think this whole group's here for local options, sales, tax public hearing. [laughter] Um we do have a a recognition that we're doing today. So, I'd invite Jamie to come up to the podium with me. Um, as many of you know, uh, Jamie Goodram, our Health and Human Services director, has announced her retirement. And as you can see by the crowd that's in this room today, her leadership has been excellent in HHS through the years, as you can see by the the group supporting us behind behind us here. So Jaime's worked in Wright County for about 20 years and she's led through a a period of changes and moves. Um, she's, you know, back in the 1990s, we were in the Pomida building with HHS, which was intended to be a temporary thing, but turned into the home for HHS for about 25 years. Then Jamie led us through the move from that Pomida building into the building that we're in today. Um, also dealt [clears throat] with a once- ina-lifetime CO 19 pandemic, which hit HHS with a lot of the changes, a lot of the service requirements a lot harder than really anywhere else throughout the county. So, she did an excellent job of guiding us through that process as well. Jaime's been a diligent leader for Wright County. She's helped those that need assistance the most. She's done it all with compassion and professionalism. So, I'd like for everyone to just join me and welcome her in thanking Jamie for her years of service to Wright County and its citizens. [applause] >> [applause] [laughter] >> and I'd welcome you to say any words if you have any J. >> I do have a few words as probably none of you are surprised about. Um so thank you board for the recognition for allowing me to be here and talk about this today. So I started in Wright County as a child support officer. Child support. Yay. um back in 1992, and this was shortly after I was offered a job with the Right County Sheriff's Department. Um and I turned it down after hearing what the hours would be. Um and I'll have to say I think probably the HHS way route was probably a better one in my in my sphere of things. So, um no, nothing against the sheriff's office. Love them, but boy, I looked at those uniforms and I looked at those hours from like 3 to 11 at night or whatever and I thought, "Yeah, that's not going to work." >> [laughter] >> Um then [clears throat] in 1998 I was finishing up my masters and I um went to work at the state in the child support enforcement division after working here in child support um child support where I was a program analyst trainer developing training for about eight years. I was in Lynchville when my former child support supervisor tracked me down actually in a women's room laboratory. Um I was doing a training there and she told me about the financial manager position that was opening up in Ray County. So I applied and got that job in 2006. Um and I really enjoyed it. I love being in the financial services area. Learned the whole sphere of eligibility. Back then we called it financial worker. Um and all those kinds of things. And again child support was underneath that that same umbrella. Um [clears throat] then in um let's see where am I here about the financial. I applied and got the job in 2006. I really enjoyed it. I think I was pretty good at it. We brought in OnBase in 2008 and that transformed our financial services area and then child support was added to OnBase and well that was almost 20 years ago. We're still using it and as you know the state systems have not quite caught up and we're still using the same old state systems but um I feel like OnBase has served us well. In late 2013 I applied for and was hired to the HHS director position following Don Mlesa and Jay Keefe. I moved downtown to the from the GC. I moved from downtown GC to the human service center. Um, I also love the work being a director and learned a lot and have probably forgotten a lot along the way. A lot of planning went into the new building and we moved in in March 2022 already four years ago. We never looked back and I think we can all say that um very very highly. I've sincerely enjoyed the work that HHS does so well and there's been a lot of ups and downs and I feel that now the agency is as strong as it has ever been. That isn't to say that modernized systems, sufficient funding, and less regulatory rules wouldn't be wouldn't help the situation, but I feel like we have a very strong well wellorganized and very um successful health and human services agency. I value my staff and co-workers. Um [snorts] they are the best part. They keep bringing great results for a value price to right county. And honestly, HHS is very highly ranked in the state and we often hear from other counties asking how we do it. I'm proud of the work and the people and I'm going to miss everybody. I'm very much looking forward to a future of both more relaxation and more activity. More of everything but work. Um, family, friends, vacations, reading, walking, the cabin, gardening, and even some DIY projects. My husband's sitting behind me, so that's on the record now. [laughter] And thank you board for giving me the time and space for this and for your support of HHS now and in the past and in the future. I think we've had a really good run. And I can't leave without saying we are here to strengthen, support, and serve our community. >> [laughter] >> Thank you. [applause] [applause] >> Jamie, over the last decade, uh myself, it's been an honor to be able to work with you. Uh you have been a great advocate for Health and Human Services and for the citizens of Wright County. uh you've been able to stem a great deal of change across the uh state in terms of health and human services. I know you tried very diligently before your retirement to try and get the technology changes at the state. Uh maybe in the next decade it'll happen, but uh [laughter] you >> I wasn't willing to hang on to see what that would happen. >> You might make your uh centennial birthday before that happens. [laughter] Uh but you've been great. I appreciate all the mentoring and education that you've given me uh and being able to have a good understanding and being able to advocate for health and human services and for in the state and here in Wright County. But thank you so much for all your work. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Well, how do we top that? I guess we we move on to maybe a local option sales tax at some point, but [laughter] >> and everybody leaves the room. [laughter] >> Thanks for coming. [laughter] >> Well, we do know that Lindsay and Brian love a local option sales tax discussion. They're staying All right. Well, next item on the agenda would be uh Chad. He's going to try and top that last agenda item here with uh some tunes he plans on singing, but we'll see how it goes. >> Morning, chairman, commissioners. We have two items today. Um first one is uh takes effect as we speak is the uh spring weight restrictions. um approving the map. Um resolution 26-18. Um we can ask any questions if you have any, but it's standard operating procedure. So, >> and you were thinking it was going to be 3 weeks out. I tell you that that warm weather came back sooner and we only got to go maybe a week without having >> Yes. [laughter] >> I guess I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2618. >> All right. A motion by Commissioner Moa, second by Commissioner Shane to approve resolution 2618. Uh the sorry imposing the spring weight restrictions. Uh meteorology is one of those things where we can flip a coin and be right one day and wrong the next. >> 100%. >> Is there any other discussion on this item? All right. This is resolution vote. Commissioner Moya, >> I >> I >> I >> I >> resolution passes unanimous. >> All right. >> All right. And your next uh next item is another resolution uh approving authorizing cooperative construction agreement with MDOT. This is for our share of Mindot's project at 24 interchange in Clearwater. Basically, it's our share. It's basically Conor 145 on that segment and it is funded with local levy with anything over the budget amount would be um uh local officer sales tax. So, all right. Great. Any discussion? I'll stand [clears throat] for a motion. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Motion by Commissioner Moina, second by Commissioner Shane to approve resolution 2619. >> Any [snorts] discussion? Hearing none. Uh resolution vote. Commissioner Shane. >> I >> I >> I >> I resolution passes unanimous. Thank you, Ch. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> And now moving on to our health and human services portion of the agenda. We'll put on our health and human services hat. The first item would be to approve the consent agenda. We have a number of low potency hemp uh registrations on there uh as well as a seasonal license as well. With that, I'll stand for a motion. >> So moved. >> All right. Motion by Commissioner Dietrich. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Shane. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Both same sign. All right. Motion passes unanimous and here we are to the regular agenda. Jamie getting to present her uh last health and human services agenda here. Um yes. So thank you. I have uh just some few announcements. One is our um birth rate and actually I don't know how this compares with what the trends are in the um across the state or in the nation but for the first time ever Wright County broke 2,000 births in 2025. And this is actually a pretty significant jump. We've been holding around 1,800 for the last four years. So, I guess just do with this information as you will. And of course, it'd be offset by deaths in the county. Um, but it does seem like it was kind of a a big event to see that we're realizing and we know we're a very young county, but that number of births, so two over 2,000 births in 2025. I also wanted to share with the board our uh recent report we got back on um child protection from the state of Minnesota. I was just going to share a few of the numbers. Um child protection of course is featuring largely in the past as it always has but in the coming legislative session as well. So Wright County on the measure of percent of days children in foster care spend with a relative with a threshold being um 37 35.7 and the high performance standard of 45. We're at 82% in um 2025. And that's with the denominator of 15,35 days spent with a relative in foster care. um the percent of children with a substantiated malreatment report who not ex who do not experience a repeat substantiated malreatment report within 20 12 months. So of course you know what our goal is here is to if kids do have to enter through our child protection system we don't want to have them re-enter and reenter and reenter. So um I'm happy to report in this measure which is um the threshold and the high performance standard are 90.9% Right County is at 97.2%. 2% with 106 kids that this would have applied to. And then finally, um the percent of children discharged from out of home placement or permanency in less than 12 months. So, of course, when children do enter our um foster care system, we don't we'd like to get them, you know, to move through that and not be and be um we have a permanent solution within 12 months. And there the per the threshold is 40 and the high performance standard is 40.5%. and we are at 41.9% with 43 um kids that this would have applied to. So that's a report from child protection. Um there's numerous other child protection um reports, but I think this is one that kind of um grabs the substantive um information that we work with on a daily basis. So instead of talking about all the families and all the kids, this is basically the data that we see as a result of that. And all of it looks pretty good. Are we still trending at the at a all-time low for out of home placements are near that? >> I think the last number I heard was 77 around about >> I think we ended last year about 76. >> Yeah. So we are doing very well in that regard this area or this this time you know it's always unpredictable. Um but it again was something that was a big contributor to um you know not using levy funds in the past couple of years and we hope that trend continues. Well, and just for note for reference to it, precoid we were upwards of 115 to 125 >> 150 children we have had in foster care in the past. >> Yep. Because I just remember it was pre-COVID we were right around that 120 mark and we've been higher than that even. So that's it's very very impressive for multiple reasons. one for an impact to society and then two uh taxpayer costs because two people need to understand that uh vast majority of the cost for those out of home placements are local dollars. So >> um and I would also say that given the birth you know the birth information and I would say that trend of reducing kids in foster care that end up in foster care even in a county that is one of the youngest counties in the state with one of the highest child populations. Again, our child population is sixth highest in the state even though we're the 10th largest county. So, even with those numbers. So, I think that is a um I just huge kudos to child protection. Um finally, I did one of my on my to-do list before I left was to get out the um the 2025 HHS annual report. Uh you don't have a copy of it, but you can find it on the website. Um I was just going to read the last um there's a message from the director which is in that in this um in this annual report every year and I was just going to read the last little bit of that. Um but if you get a chance I'd be you know love for you to go out and take a look at it. Um overall HHS fared well in 2025 um and surpassing all thresholds in all areas. Um so this and there's a spotlight on fraud in the annual report too and I think that's probably kind of relevant in this day and age. So the final paragraph just states, "Lastly, 2025 is my final full year as a Wright County Health and Human Services Director. My retirement is planned for March 2026. I cannot express enough my highest regard for the work our agency and by extension our staff has achieved over the past years and continues today. As taxpayers in our county, you should know that the services you receive are of the highest quality as demonstrated by surpassing all performance measures and that Wright County continues to be one of the lowest ranked counties fourth by per capita cost to the resident in receiving these services. I leave the agency in 2026 with hopes with hope that the coming changes can be met with seicism, innovation, and attention for the well-being of our residents while upholding our mission to again strengthen, support, and serve our community. And signing out, Jamie. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Jamie, you have one more resolution actually on the agenda. Oh, I do. >> I have a question for you as well. Uh, for birth rates, what's the comparison for 2025 to 2021? I'm just kind of curious the the difference in that the the COVID spike that there was for births. >> So, in 2021, the total was 1815 and in 2025 was 2043. I would say the lowest one I see on this record, it goes from 2019 to 2025, was in 2020 with 1483 births. There's other data just showing where the birth facility was, um, some percentages and things like that. So, if you're interested in that, we would have that information for you as well. Maybe you want to see how many births are in and I don't know if we have it by district or not to tell you the truth. >> Not by district. Okay. And before we step away, we do have to move back on the resolution 2 HHS to approve resolution HHS26-03. >> Yes. For the donations and we greatly appreciate those donations >> as a resolution. >> Yes. >> A motion by uh Commissioner Mo, second by Commissioner Shane. Uh any discussion hearing? None. Resolution vote. I vote I >> I >> I >> I. >> All right. >> Thank you, board. Thank you. >> Thanks, Jamie. And what time is it here right now? Are we close? No. We're going to move down then to items for consideration as we wait for the public hearing. Uh it first item on items for consideration is set time and date for a public hearing. It with the changes in the fees and services schedule. Uh staff is suggesting next the next board meeting on March 17th at 9:30 a.m. That should work for everyone. Everybody has that on their schedule already. All right. With that, I'll stand for a motion. >> So moved. >> All right. Motion by Commissioner Shane. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Moina. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Post. Same sign. All right. Public hearing is uh scheduled unanimously. Next would be to schedule a joint meeting of the Wright soil and water conservation in the Wright County Board uh for April 14th at 10:00 a.m. >> Yes, Mr. Chair. um Soil and Water, we always have an annual meeting with uh their board and the county board just to review what they've done and all the projects they've accomplished over the past year. We're looking to scheduling that on April 14th after the workshop meeting. Um given the lengthy discussion we're anticipating in that workshop meeting, we're recommending that we start that meeting with the Soil and Water Board at 11:30. And I have confirmed with Luke that that will work for them. >> All right. So with that, uh, we'll stand for a motion. Do you want to actually call it out at 11:30? Then >> we could probably do 11 >> 11. So we can move earlier earlier if the workshop concludes earlier. But I'm guessing with our workshop agenda, we'll be bumping up right at 11:30. >> Sounds good. All right. With that, I'll stand for a motion to set the uh joint meeting for 11:00 a.m. on April 14th. >> So moved. >> All right. Motion by Commissioner Dietrich. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Mina. Any further discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Oppos. Same sign. All right. Motion passes unanimous. And we are still about 9 minutes out. Uh, next item would we have the uh discuss possibilities of submitting federal funding requests for Wright Tech Center. I believe that is your item, Commissioner Dietrich. >> Yes. Thank you, Chair. Um, just real quick, I had spoke with Emma at Emmer's office um regarding the funding. I know we're requesting and and lobbing for it at the state level as well. Um she encouraged um urged me to submit it. Um it is something that would qualify under uh their [clears throat] funding that they would provide. And so um a pretty basic I think it I think it's something we if we have the ability to get this put together and submitted before the deadline, I think it would be a good project um for the for all of Wright County uh for funding for the right tech center. Uh, Commissioner Dietrich. Uh, first of all, I I appreciate it. I think that the the facility and what they do and the need for the funding is is there. Um, my only concern is I don't know that we are the uh proper agency to be applying for this. And I don't necessarily know that we have even the uh legal capacity to apply for this as we're not the fiscal agent of this organization. So, I'd be a little bit concerned uh on on two fronts. one uh us legally tying their hands to federal funds and uh the other being the precedence that that would send as us if we legally could applying for funds for an agency other than ourselves. Um I I would say I would absolutely be in favor of helping them apply or giving them letters of recommendation, but actually applying for them ourselves, I'm I'm not sure we're in that position. I I believe the school districts within the uh county would be in a better position because they are uh semia funding agent but otherwise the right tech center applying themselves would probably be the best route. >> So we shouldn't be lobbying for them at the state level e either Mr. Chair. >> No lobbying is is is entirely >> okay submitting to the the bonding committee? >> We are they have submitted we have not submitted anything. We have actually allowed them to use our lobbyists in support of them of their request. We are not uh in in your request here, you're asking for us to apply for them, >> right? And that's what Emma had encouraged to do. >> Um I I would say I would be all in favor of guiding. I am all in favor of giving letters of support, but actually submitting an application on their behalf, I don't know that I can go quite that far. uh it would definitely put us into a dangerous position uh from others wanting us to do that as well as the position of I don't necessarily know that we legally can do that. >> Well, that would be great to understand. I'm for sure I would want the legalities of it, but understanding that that school doesn't have the capacity to levy any funds towards it. It's all supported by our schools that participate in the right tech center. I I absolutely understand the constraints that they have and hence why we I I have supported them on every way that we possibly can from let them use our lobbyists to giving our staff time to guiding them and helping them finding the funding. But uh unfortunately applying for them for funding is one step further than I'm comfortable. >> I'm just not sure unless you clarify that for me. give me a legal opinion that we um that we shouldn't continue and move forward with this. >> Board members, have any thoughts? >> Mr. Chair, I I know the restrictions that the federal government um puts on and in many very simple words, extremely very very restricted. So, I'm not sure that I even want to get involved with the school with [clears throat] that pretense of saying this is exactly how you have to use that money. And I know as a state level that's where most of the money comes from, like over 84%. So, to get that money and then have it restricted, I don't know if I want to tie their hands to how that's going to be used. So, here's a question and I'm going to either turn this to Greg or Brian. Um, if we applied for them and we were luckily fortunate enough to receive funds and for whatever reason they didn't check the boxes correctly and they used the money incorrectly, we would be responsible for that, not them then. Correct. >> Yeah. U Mr. chair and and commissioners, you know, I hadn't reviewed the packet, but hadn't spent, you know, considerable time on this cuz I I viewed it more as what we've been doing on the state level, you know, trying to be a a a partner with the tech center and to support them and try to get funds uh directed to the tech center. Yeah, I don't know that, you know, and I can look into this more if we want to table this for a next meeting or for a workshop, but you know, legally if we apply as a county and the money is going to a separate entity, you know, I I don't know if we would have, you know, standing may not be the right word, but if you look at it from a legal standpoint, would we even have the standing as a county to apply for funds on behalf of a separate entity? Uh so I think the better route is is to support them and and support them in in our lobbying efforts in our efforts with uh Representative Emmer's office. But I think they would have to be the applicant um because the money would be going to their entity. But like I said, if we want to put this on a a workshop item, I'm happy to explore this more. But yeah, I don't know of any avenue that would permit us as a county to apply for funds um on behalf of a of a separate entity. >> And uh the appro the appropriations deadline is quite near, isn't it, Craig? >> Yeah. Friday. >> That's what I thought. Yeah. So we're we're we're really at the one yard line here on that. So >> So Mr. chair, if this were to be something that did move forward, then I mean other schools could do this as well. Then would we be setting a precedence for other schools or I think it's rather unique in it's doesn't have the capacity to levy. It's supported by the local school districts. So it's not it's a different entity and it's the only one left in the entire state >> now >> to promote and train kids for the trades. >> So I and I guess at this point I'm not going to get too dragged out on this discussion. But there there's a lot of caveats here that that is going to put me in the position that I can't support it even though I support the right tech center and what they do. uh the but from the leg unknown legalities of it and the the precedence that even if we were legally able to do it of having other entities that would ask us to do the same uh puts us in a a dangerous position that I I I don't feel like we'd want to be in. Um but happy to have more discussions outside of this meeting to help get them the funding that they need um through other avenues that are open to us. So, >> and Mr. chair, I I agree with you and I've been very um behind them 100% and have talked with the school and worked with them, met with our legislators. So, I definitely in in support of this um as far as helping them in any way we can, but moving forward is actually I I'm worried about the precedents that it would set. >> So, Mr. Would it be a possibility then for h having them to apply? But if we could offer any assistance in the next couple days to help them get that application completed, would that be more comfortable in your um thoughts on this matter? if they get the application put in and they need help filling out the application. I I'm sure Greg if you want to help them point them and if they have any questions and it they they by all means you you've done it already multiple times so you you'd be willing to help her. >> It's a link you fill it out and answer a series of about 20 questions for Representative Emmer's office and >> been there done that. >> You got it in >> and straightforward process Mr. Chair >> where where is their board on this? Why? I mean, I I'm glad that this is being talked about and so that there's more awareness being brought to this, you know, especially again and that it's it's being brought to Emmer's office. But where is their board on this this whole thing? I mean, I I haven't heard about it from from anybody that I know that's on their board. Um they don't I don't see any of their board members here. So, I mean, is this something that they want? Is is this something they're trying to do? Where, I guess, is this this coming from? Because, like I said, I haven't heard about it. And, you know, I I know somebody pretty well who's on their board and it wasn't mentioned to me. I >> But they've been plann they have a leaky roof. They have lots of information. >> I understand that. That's not my question. >> So, you just want to know where the board is? Why? Why aren't they the ones that are here asking us? Why aren't they here saying we're going to do this? Can you support us? >> You know, what help can the county give us? I mean, you're bringing this up and it's great that we're talking about it, but I want to know where their board is. >> Well, I've talked to Brian about it and multiple times and um he would agree if that's another avenue that they could pursue, they would like to. I I mean, I guess that that doesn't necessarily answer my question on where their board is on like why aren't they pursuing it? Why aren't they asking us for help? Like where where where is their board on this entire thing? It's nice for us to have this discussion, but those eight members that are on their school board um from different districts across the county, there's none of them are here. And I mean that's including districts outside of the county. So I guess seven within the county, but I mean I I just I mean >> I agree that helping them is the right thing. And I have no problem like if they apply I don't have a problem and going with them or advocating for them with Emmer's office or Clolobachar or whoever the next senator is in the other seat. But if we're applying for them, I have did they approve that? I I get that Brian is in favor of it, but have have they approved that we're going to be a fiscal agent for them, that we're going to take in this money, and the federal government's going to dictate what they can or can't do with that money along with what the application says. But what has their board says about this? I mean, do they have any minutes on it? Is there anything? and just applying for something when there's no record that their board is in favor of it. It would to me it would be like the county applying for funds for a township to pave a road and the township has no idea that we're doing it and has not had any discussion on it other than one supervisor said they like the idea. >> Commissioner Mo, it doesn't sound like this the county would move forward as a sponsor legally. you've kind of already crossed that off the list. So, just working with Brian to make that submission and and being available if he had questions, I think that would be enough. >> All right. So, the uh at this time then we are not looking to make any motions on this. Um no, then with that, thank you. We'll move on then. Um with it being 9:30, we'll backtrack on the agenda to our public hearing. At this time, it's our uh annual our semianual time to update our local options sales tax project list, which is required by statute to keep it uh updated with the most current projects that we plan to use local options sales tax funds for. If you are here today to speak uh in regards to the local options sales tax, please come forward and state your name and your city or township of residency uh for the record. At this time, would anyone like to speak? Thank you, Chair Ve, and uh board members. Appreciate uh you having me. Uh Steve Bot on behalf of the city of St. Michael and um also chair of the 94 Coalition. I just want to um compliment the board and your highway staff led by Chad and Sarah. Um, I attended a workshop a little while ago where I was impressed to see how much you guys had knocked off of that list. And uh, this has been a great source of funding for getting a lot of needed transportation projects uh, going uh, without uh, increasing taxes and just uh, appreciate uh, the work on this and uh, urge it to uh, to continue. I know it was a little controversial when it first went in, but uh I think it's been a a great thing and gotten a lot of needed projects done in the county. So, um I don't have any real um specific comments unless you got any for me, but I just want to um urge that we uh keep this uh keep this source of funding going and uh um continue to fund some great projects in the county. So, thank you. >> All right. Is there anyone else that would wishes to comment? Is there anyone else that likes would wish to comment for the record? Would anyone else like to comment for the record? All right. At this time, uh we will close the public hearing and bring the discussion up here uh for action. So, uh this to Steve, thank you so much for coming in today. And uh this local option sales tax has made many things possible that would have been impossible without it. Uh we I pride ourselves in a great transportation system here in Ray County. uh it's been able to allow us to move people from A to B in an efficient way as well has stemmed a great deal of economic development in our county because of the great transportation systems that we have as well as we are seeing some of the low uh lowest uh transportation fatalities in more recent years which is a a test to the improvements that we've made to our highway system. Uh so with that I would strongly encourage supporting this local options sales tax. Um I do believe that there is some additional projects that in time we need to consider in addition to this uh especially mostly just from a scoping perspective because some of these projects may be further out than others and some of them we need to maybe keep the eye on the targets on them. Uh because they are large funding requests and not necessarily that the local option sales tax is the silver bullet to the entire funding of these projects. uh but they are it is one of the solutions to it. So um I I a couple of them that are out there. One of them that I at some point will need to be added on to there will be the neighbor avenue interchange and then as well as at some point the Orchard Road interchange. uh those being uh two be two key corridors off of 94 that would stem great economic development uh as well as uh alleviate a great deal of traffic off of uh subsidiary roads. Uh so as as they're not listed on there now and they are projects that are uh of significant importance and a extreme cost to them. Both of those projects are in the eight figures uh numbers field. So probably more in the 10 to20 million projects. Uh not something that the local option sales tax will be able to do entirely itself, but uh it will be a key aspect to it. And by putting it on that list, I believe it would give uh the transparency necessary to be able to go out there and get other partners from the state and federal government to fund the project by us showcasing that we're willing to fund it as well. So, those are >> Mr. Chair, I really appreciate [clears throat] that. Um, yes, in light of a lot of my meetings that I've been having lately in the transportation, um, I am very aware of different, um, [snorts] money that could come into play. And that being said, I'm really glad that we're going to be looking at adjusting possibly down the way on some of these projects so that we can look into the federal funding as well being that there's a lot of economic development um ideas that could stem from that as well. So um any other thoughts on other board members? Um, >> it's a great resource to improve safety and the conditions of our roads, I think it's great. And so, and I'm just at this time whether it was added today or whether it's added the later part of this year at some point those two projects that I had had stated on there mostly want them on this list at some point for scoping and to be able to uh articulate our intentions to be a contributing funer to funding to these projects. um because they they do need to get completed and we do need to start that process [clears throat] of uh getting partner funding especially the neighbor interchange. The neighbor interchange already uh you have the study done correct Steve? >> Yeah, we [clears throat] have the approvals. >> You have the approvals. Okay. So you've you've already done the part what is probably the most ownorous piece to it. Now it's just about m the matter of coming up with the funding to start the project to it. uh and especially with the development that is already taking place at the next interchange on 38 or 37 sorry uh which will with the Costco there is going to bring in ex an exponential amount of development in traffic uh with without the neighbor interchange it is going to become a bottleneck as well as we are not going to be able to uh take advantage of the subsidiary development that would come if we had the neighbor interchange with the Costco at that other inter other interchange on 37. So at this time uh we need to take action on the local option sales tax list. Uh we can >> Mr. Chair is this because this is a public hearing. Could we just add those now? >> Mr. Chair, Commissioner Shane. Yes, I believe you can. The resolution is on the floor and open for amendment. So, I'll make that motion as an amendment to add those to the loss funding as well. >> All right. Um, so we have a motion by Commissioner Shane to approve the local option sales tax with the addition of Neighbor and Orchard Road. Now do understand that this doesn't tie our hands to to anything on it but it is a piece to articulate uh our intentions and then if we do need to we can. >> So how does that affect our budget for this year then? >> It doesn't have any effect to the budget because we haven't allocated any funds local options sales tax funds to it. >> But when you start you like you just mentioned moving forward with some of this you would have to have funds for it. >> Yes. So with with it being in there, it allows us to have discussions and have the fluidity if we have a grant at the state or federal level that we have an access to matching funds for it. So we can then accept it. So it's ability for us to apply and say that yes, we have matching funds. Without it on the list, we wouldn't be able to articulate that we have uh appropriated matching funds if we were awarded a large chunk of money. >> I'm not opposed to it being on the list. I'm just under one of the understand that there's an impact. >> Yep. And that's where I just wanted to make sure you understood that what the intent was on it. So, >> all right. So, we have a motion by Commissioner Shane. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Moa. Any further discussion hearing? None. This is a resolution vote, correct? Or no. Yeah, it is a adopting resolution uh 2620. Is that what the motion is? >> That is correct, Mr. Chair. This resolution adopting resolution 2620 local option sales tax with the addition of county state aid highway 22 neighbor avenue interchange and orchard road interchange to the exhibit list. All right. If there's any other discussion resolution vote uh commissioner Dietrich >> I >> I >> I >> I All right. Resolution passes unanimous. And then we're I think we have one last item here on the agenda which was was the personnel committee minutes. I believe >> that's correct, Mr. Chair. >> Y uh and the personnel committee met on February 17th. Uh administrator Kryser, Sean Johnson, A HR director uh as well as a number of other staff which are listed were available. Uh first item discussion was the social services supervisor. It was the consensus of the committee to authorize uh posting both the internally and externally for a social services uh supervisor position. Uh the other one was uh backfilling a park and natural resource tech. It was the consensus of the committee to authorize posting this uh tech position which was on the consent agenda earlier in the agenda. And the last one was the consensus of the committee to authorize backfilling of the facilities maintenance tech position. uh that had just recently come or has been open for a little while now. Sorry, pardon my stand for a motion on the personnel committee from February 6 17th. >> So moved. >> All right. Motion by Commissioner Shane. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Moina. Any further discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> Oppos. Same sign. >> All right. Motion passes unanimous. And with that, uh, no other items on today's agenda. We will adjourn, uh, today, March 3rd's county board agenda at 9:43.