- All commissioners present
- No one spoke at the open forum
- Retirement Presentation for Eleanor Monohon, Social Services
- SOCIAL SERVICES: Chris Sammon
- School Transportation Contract 2024-2025
- The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act requires that youth placed in foster care will remain enrolled in their school of origin unless a determination is made that it is not in their best interest. School Districts are required to collaborate with local Child Welfare agencies to develop and implement procedures for how transportation for youth in foster care will be arranged, provided, and funded. These agreements outline the developed procedures and plan for providing and funding this transportation for youth. Discovery Public School, Faribault Public Schools, Northfield Public Schools and Tri-City United Public Schools were approved on September 10th. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Public Schools (WEM) is requesting to have a Foster Transportation Agreement also since they are within the County.
- Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the contract.
- ASSESSOR’S OFFICE: Joshua Schoen
- Rice County Resolution 24-039 Requesting Designation as a Disaster or Emergency Area Under Sections 273.1231 – 273.1235
- Rice County experienced extensive property damage due to the heavy rains/flooding due to the June 16, 2024 event. The amount of damage qualifies Rice County for property tax relief for many of the damaged properties that will be reimbursed by the State of Minnesota. This resolution is required as part of the application to the Executive Council. See attached reports for property damage assessment.
- Discussion
- How is the credit determined?
- A: There is an assessment of the damage.
- Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
- Local Option Disaster Abatements and Credits
- On June 16, 2024 Rice County experienced widespread damage from heavy rains/flooding. The amount of damage qualifies Rice County for a Homestead Disaster Credit for the affected properties for 2025 taxes. In addition, the County Board may grant a Local Option Disaster Abatement for those structures that were 50% or more damaged for taxes payable in 2024. The County Board may also grant a Local Option Disaster Credit for structures that were 50% or more damaged and were non-homestead for taxes payable in 2025.
- Discussion: None
- Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
- SHERIFF’S OFFICE: Jesse Thomas
- RESOLUTION 24-038 ACCEPTING MONETARY DONATION
- Guests from Camp Faribo contribute to the Sheriff’s Office donation fund throughout the season.
- Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the $2,000 donation
- ATTORNEY’S OFFICE: Brian Mortenson
- Crime Victim Services Grant Contract Agreement Amendment
- The revision includes $140,000 Federal money for prosecutor-based crime victim services, with an additional $10,154.00 of state money for crime victim services. The Federal funding added another year onto the time period as well as including another year of funding ($70,000). The funding has the following time limitations for use: Federal fundingVOCA 2022 $70,000 is available from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025. VOCA 2023 $70,000 is available from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025. State funding- $10,154.00 is available from July 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025
- Discussion: None
- Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the amendment
- HIGHWAY: Dennis Luebbe
- Final Payment- Contract # 24-51 Aggregate Surfacing
- Contract # 24-51 was awarded to Timm’s Trucking in February of this year for aggregate surfacing on a variety of county roads. The awarded contract amount was $337,164.00, and the final total contract cost is $377,445.60. I recommend approval of the final payment of $15,962.80.
- Malecha: How did it go this year, with a new material? Because we heard a lot of complaints about the gravel roads in previous years, and I don’t think we’ve heard those complaints this year.
- Q: This product has more clay in it, so it should retain its surface and texture better. We’ve seen better performance on the roads that got the new treatment this year.
- Purfeerst: Are you packing this down as you lay it?
- A: Yes, we’re trying to improve our delivery of that.
- Purfeerst: How many miles of gravel roads are we covering each year?
- A: We have 75 miles of gravel road in the county, and we’re surfacing about 30% per year.
- Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the payment.
- Final Payment- Contract # 2275
- Contract # 2275 was awarded to Ims Contracting on October 18, 2022 for the construction of road and utilities servicing the new Public Safety Center. The awarded contract cost was $1,929,933.75. Total final contract costs are $1,963,466.32. Final work was completed earlier this year. All work has been completed in accordance to the contract documents and final payment of $39,220.14 is due. I recommend approval of the final payment.
- Discussion: None
- Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the payment.
- Malecha requested update on Highway 19
- Traffic control shifted as of this morning. That’s a little later than we thought. Some concrete didn’t cure as fast as they thought. The last major staging change took place, and the target opening date is October 28, 2024.
- Docken: How’s 27 coming along?
- Maybe a week from today it should be open.
- ADMINISTRATION: Sara Folsted
- A. Consent Agenda approved unanimously.
- Adjourned at 8:56 am.
