- Retirement of Myron Malecha, Hwy department
- Property Tax & Elections, Denise Anderson
- Approved: Renewal of Consumption and Display Liquor Permit for Winjum’s Shady Acres Resort for the period of August 26th, 2025, through March 31st, 2026
- Approved: Temporary 3.2 Malt Liquor License for Church of St Patrick, Shieldsville for October 25, 2025, at 7525 Dodd Rd Shieldsville
- OUTSIDE AGENCY:
- Rice/Steele 911 Center 2026 Budget Update, Brian Becker
- Rice Co. is slated to contribute 64.2% and Steele Co. 35.8%, based on population. The proposed increase for Rice Co the coming year is 6.2%. Increase is due in part to the state grant contribution staying static while costs continue to rise, including in the areas of compensation, health insurance, and paid medical leave, equipment maintenance, and office rent. Rice Co paid $1,979,486 in 2025, is slated to pay $2,101,974 in 2026, which is a $122,488 increase.
- Hoisington Q: Please explain the 50% rent increase.
- Becker A: Moving to a new dispatch facility in Rice Co, away from Owatonna. Will have 50% greater square footage in new space. Uncertainty about backup facility location. In Owatonna there is a free backup space, but we’ve just learned that will no longer be available, so they will need to find and likely pay for a backup location.
- Folsted A: The rent paid to Rice Co will go into the Rice Co budget.
- Hoisington Q: What’s your take on the backup facility issue?
- Becker A: We are able to use the Dakota County facility as a backup, but it’s a short term solution. Long term, in a catastrophic situation, we need a plan in place for a backup dispatch location. That will not be resolved in less than a year.
- Purfeerst Comment: Thank you for your work invested in this move.
- Becker response: I believe it will be a good move, overall. There are some staff who are excited and others who are not, due to the commute, but everyone is looking forward to the better equipment at the new space.
- ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES:
- Approved – Preliminary Plat/Willingers – Section 23, Webster Township
- Approved – Interim Use Permit/Thompson – Section 18, Walcott Township
- HUMAN RESOURCE: Kari Viskocil
- Approved request to approve – MetLife, Paid Family Medical Leave
- No comments or questions.
- ATTORNEY: Brian Mortenson
- Approved pre-approval for entering into a contract for LENS, which will impact our 2026 budget.
- Conversion of Case Management Systems: Currently, we are using Prosecutor by Karpel (PBK), a program out of St Louis, Missouri, designed solely for criminal prosecution. We would like to convert to Lens, a Minnesota-based company, with a program designed to accommodate both criminal prosecution and the civil legal work that we do for the County. Net expense of approximately $40,000 outside of what is normally spent on our case management system.
- Peters Comment: It’s great that we can get the civil stuff in the system. It’s well worth it.
- Hoisington Comment: I agree. This is a proactive way to increase our efficiency and is a model for all departments.
- ADMINISTRATION: Sara Folsted
- Consent Agenda
- Extra Time/ Over Time Report 08.08.25
- Payment of Bills
- Personnel Appointment
- Approved request for approval for Mobile Opioid Support Team (MOST) Coordinator Agreement
- The Mobile Opioid Support Team Coordinator position provides service coordination and services to individuals experiencing substance-use disorder or crisis in Rice County communities. The Coordinator assists with both emergency services and interventions as well as treatment and post-treatment service coordination. The position has been grantfunded since inception and managed by a community partner organization. The most recent grant funding the position ended June 30, 2025. Additional grant funding has been applied for and, if awarded, would commence funding for the position on January 1, 2026. This contract will provide gap funding between September 1, 2025 and January 31, 2026 to ensure continued service delivery to the communities of Rice County. The funding for this contract will be supported by the Opioid Settlement funds received by Rice County.
- The contract will utilize up to $55,000.00 of the Opioid Settlement funds received by the County to support the wage, benefits, and necessary business-related expenses of the MOST program Coordinator position.
- Hoisington Q: Is this position an employee of the county?
- Closed Session under MN Statute 13D.05 Subd.3 (C)(3) to develop or consider offers or counteroffers for the purchase or sale of real or personal property. This is for the following parcels: 1831126266, 1831126265, 1831126267, and 1831126264.
