Public comment, 8:00 am
These are notes on the comments in the half-hour session before the second Tuesday of February.
First commenter doesn’t want voting machine testing demonstration to be at same time as the board meeting.
Second commenter objected to media coverage of public comments last week. The county should record meetings and make them available. She was told that we do this. Commenter says she has worked for the CIA and so she understands technology and wants to help.
Third commenter says the manageable cost of replacing flags and seals can be spread out as normal usage normally requires.
Fourth commenter says D Anderson is doing her job on voting machines, and the Board must support her. Also says that the cost of flags is not an issue, and the process was appropriate. With no consensus on a new flag design, each of 6 options plus the old flag having had roughly equal support, the duly appointed board made its decision, as was its job. It’s not our decision.
Fifth commenter read a contemporary poem from the time of the adoption of the seal which interpreted it as recognizing the conquest of white over native culture. We are not responsible about what was done in the past but we are responsible for what happens now.
Sixth commenter reviewed some dates in the history of the seal, first of MN territory and then later of MN state. The old MN flag is relevant today, and native people say now they “feel honored being on the flag,” and all the rest of the representational imagery is still relevant today. Commentator wants board “to renounce the new flag.”
Seventh commenter expresses unhappiness because we are constantly changing things. Asks why public meetings are on Tuesday mornings.Says commissioners need to learn about and understand the voting machines: “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Adopting this new flag doesn’t respect the hard work of our citizens. “I hope our elected official take a stand… They are cancelling all of our identities.”
Break, since there were no more speakers.
Feb 13 commissioner meeting
I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Malecha called the meeting to order at about 8:30 am
A. Roll Call: All present: Docken, Purfeerst, Malecha, Hoisington, Underdahl
B. Approval of Agenda unanimous
C. Approval of Minutes – Regular Meeting – January 23, 2024 and The Special Rice
County Board Meeting February 6, 2024, both unanimous
II. COMMISSIONERS REQUEST: Jim Purfeerst and Gerry Hoisington presented
A. Resolution 24-012 rejecting the redesigning of the state flag and seal.
Each commissioner spoke–balancing on one hand the fact that public comment and private communications to commissioners were pretty evenly divided, and on the other hand the passion of the few who object strongly to changing the flag and seal. Purfeerst, Hoisington and Docken voted in favor of rejecting the new flag because it’s different and doesn’t show the farmer and the Indian as the old one did, and we don’t need to change it. Underdahl said it’s not a matter for County Board consideration. Malecha said that the old one is offensive to native peoples, that this is a state not a county decision, and that passage of this resolution will be bad for the county’s reputation.
It passed 3-2.
III. ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES: Julie Runkel
A. Waiver of Plat/Vandenheuvel – Section 16, Webster Township
Passed unanimously.
IV. PARKS & FACILITIES DEPARTMENT: Matthew Verdick
A. Final Cleaning of the Public Safety Center Quote
Passed unanimously.
B. Cannon River View Trail Easement
Passed unanimously.
V. SOCIAL SERVICES: Rick Gieseke, Tina Johnston, Megan Thomas and Chris
Sammon
A. Approval of Child Support Program Interagency Cooperative Agreement 2024-2025
Passed unanimously.
B. Approval of the Hannah Lips Grant
Friendship House $1,700.00 Teaching healthy shopping and eating for those with mental illness
Passed unanimously.
C. Approval of Provider Participation Agreement between UCare and Social Services
First time since 2013 updating language. County also has such contracts with other agencies. No fiscal impact.
Passed unanimously.
VI. HIGHWAY: Dennis Luebbe
A. Out of State Travel request for staff training in Fargo.
Passed unanimously.
B. Resolution #24-010 – 2024 Bridge Priority List
Passed unanimously.
C. Resolution #24-011 Parking Restriction on County Road No. 79 There will be no parking during construction because it’s narrow.
Passed unanimously.
D. Approval of draft I-35 & CSAH 9 Interchange Feasibility Study Report of 57 PAGES.
planning for sometime in the future to acquire and set aside land if needed.
Passed unanimously.
E. Initiate adoption of Official Map No 2 CASH 9 and I35 Interchange with various options.
Passed unanimously.
VII. FINANCE: Paula O’Connell
A. Joint Drainage Authority #6 Concurrent Order & Findings
For this item, the whole board went into a brief Ditch Authority Board mode.
One Commissioner said it’s “LONG OVERDUE”
Passed unanimously.
VIII. HOUSING: Joy Watson
A. Conveyance of Land to HRA for Twin Oaks Subdivision so that bidding can begin for infrastructure.
The County Board is being asked to convey Outlot B, Cannon River View, City of Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota to the Rice County HRA for the purpose of developing the Twin Oaks neighborhood. This conveyance includes all the land for this project.
Passed unanimously.
IX. ADMINISTRATION: RICK
A. Consent Agenda
1. Extra Time/ Over Time Report 01-12-2024 & 01-26-2024
2. Payment of Bills
3. Personnel Appointments
Passed unanimously.
B. Amendment 2, DOC SWIFT Contract 195686 to update pricing for the medical examiner.
Passed unanimously.
C. Appointment to the Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment
This is a reappointment. Passed unanimously.
At this point there was a break, and then the Board was going into closed session on a budget matter.
Notes by Orick Peterson
