Rice County Board of Commissioners Work Session October 21, 2025
Observed by Ricky Peterson
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 am by Chair Commissioner Underdahl. All commissioners were present for the Pledge of Allegiance.
RECORDER’S OFFICE: Mike Fangman
There was a presentation by County Recorder Mike Fangman updating the Board on current activities of the Recorder’s Office. After a walk-through of the Beacon application online, commissioners expressed interest in how residents access information via that application. They were pleased that it is even accessible by cell phone. Purfeerst asked how far back online records go, and was told to the beginnings of Rice County in the 1850s. Underdahl asked if there was a limit to how much information a user could access and was told no, it’s unlimited. Peters asked if that included abstracts and learned that all the information that would appear in an abstract is available.
Malecha praised the department for facilitating progress on Mills Towns Trail.
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES: Julie Runkel
Environmental Services Director Julie Runkel presented proposed changes to environmental fees for 2026.
Commissioners asked questions about recycling. Purfeerst was pleased to see how the services are used. Hoisington asked how pricing is arrived at based on varying costs of recycling. Purfeerst asked how the county can promote recycling more, and Runkel mentioned education, grants for publicity, and perhaps consulting specifically with businesses to promote their recycling. Hoisington asked how common misallocation of discarded materials is. Underdahl said the distance to the recycling site is an obstacle and that merchants do not promote recycling available at their places of business. Hoisington suggested promoting a certain day as Recycling Day when the county could pay for pickup. Runkel noted that the cost of such an event is rising and is now about $100,000 for a one-day event. Commissioners noted that their constituents like services that are free, and Runkel replied that people need to take responsibility and that our site is comparatively very convenient with brief wait times.
SOCIAL SERVICES: Megan Thomas, Chris Sammon, and Mike Johnston
– Mandated-Core-Non-Mandated Services
There was a presentation by Social Services staff on how the department is dealing with current and probable further decreases in funding. Megan Thomas explained the differences between mandated services and core services which are not mandated but reduce the cost of the mandated ones, and other nonmandated covered programs the department provides. Chris Sammon described department efforts to review all services and find any possible alternate sources of funding. Mike Johnston described the scope of the problem, pointing out that ONE in FIVE Rice County residents is on medical assistance (MA). SNAP assistance is decreasing and there is severe pressure to reduce errors while also cutting staff. Today the average is 276 cases per worker, with some workers managing 623 cases. Information and direction are constantly changing in this federal shutdown.
Commissioners tried to analyze the problem. Commissioner Purfeerst asked about sources of error; it sounded like the accounting for mistakes is arbitrary and discouraging. Peters asked to have the dollar figures repeated and clarified.
The department is using many means to try to increase efficiencies and supplement funding. Commissioner Malecha pointed out that department computer systems are inefficient and need updating. Underdahl and Malecha expressed concern for individuals impacted by the shutdown. Chris said that the money that comes through their department flows into the Rice County community. Mike said the department is trying to coordinate closely with local governmental and non-governmental agencies to manage resources for effectiveness while federal guidance is constantly changing, day by day, even in contradictory ways.
-Rice County Burial Policy
Mike then explained the rising cost of state mandated county burial services, with $50,000 budgeted in 2026 to pay for disposition of remains of indigent persons in the county.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:04 am.
