- Present: Underdahl, Purfeerst, Peters, Hoisington, Malecha
- Open Forum
- 18 members of Rural ISAIAH came and gave public comments urging commissioners to uphold election results. Speakers included residents of Northfield and Faribault, election judges, and state senate candidate Mark Legvoldt
- Themes
- Gratitude for commissioners being dedicated to upholding election results.
- Concern that the Trump administration and supporters are creating distrust in the election process and results though allegations have been discredited, eroding confidence that leads people to not vote and keeping others away from the polls.
- Expect the worst.
- Use your position as trusted leaders to support your staff.
- Help staff and election judges to be prepared.
- Encourage all eligible voters to vote.
- Pass a resolution pledging to uphold election results.
- All eligible voters should be able to vote.
- Impressed with how Denise Anderson led the public accuracy test of ballot tabulator. Grateful for public testing process.
- Stay strong in your convictions.
- Election judge affirms the election process and equipment in Rice County.
- Voting by mail is important and legitimate. Here are some reasons people vote by mail:
- Victims of domestic violence vote by mail to keep themselves safe.
- Disability, senior citizens
- Folks living without nearby polling places
- Comments from commissioners:
- Peters: Attended 3 township meetings last night, and all seemed prepared.
- Purfeerst: Also attended 3 township meetings last night, and all seemed prepared.
- OUTSIDE AGENCY: Julie Fox A. Faribault Area Hospice
- Request to use three trees on Rice courthouse lawn for tree lighting fundraiser for Faribault Area Hospice. Since 1985, Faribault Area Hospice has placed thousands of white lights on a memory tree that is lit from the first Monday of December through the end of the year. Individuals sponsor a light in memory of someone special with the proceeds going directly toward helping hospice patients in the Faribault area who are experiencing financial hardship. In prior years, the memory tree was located at the Faribault Medical Center, formerly District One Hospital.
- Hoisington: Thanks to hospice workers
- Malecha: Thanks. Notes commissioners will be at a conference during the scheduled ceremony.
- Unanimous approval
- VETERAN’S SERVICES: Tracy McBroom
- Unanimously accepted 2027 Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs Grant to provide outreach, assist in the Reintegration, reduce homelessness, collaborate with agencies for veterans, and enhance the operation of the office. Grant amount $12,500.
- Hoisington: Big fan of billboard on 35, letting veterans know you’re there to help.
- It’s not up there any more.
- Malecha: Thanks for what you do. Thanks for going over to Northfield and the VFW there.
- CHILD AND FAMILY: Chris Sammon
- Unanimous acceptance of Donations to Child and Family Services Division
- Earlier this year the agency received $2,590 in gift cards from Our Saviors Lutheran Church and Most Holy Trinity Church of Veseli. This summer, the Twins baseball organization gave 70 game tickets for foster youths and their caregiving families (valued at approximately $700). We have received $2,500 in gift cards from Hosanna Lutheran in Northfield. For the Foster Care Appreciation picnic, HEART donated a number of toys, games, and household items for prizes (value estimated at $500). The Faribault City Pool donated free admissions for the picnic attendees valued at $300 and Post of Northfield donated meal kits and cereal estimated at $600. Current donations are estimated at approximately $7,190.
- Underdahl: Thanks to the organizations that make these unsolicited donations.
- Unanimous approval of annual renewal of Foster Care Transportation Agreements
- The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act, and MN Stat. 123B.92, requires that youth placed in foster care remain enrolled in their school district of origin unless a determination is made that it is not in their best interest. Public school districts, and some receiving state program funding, are required to collaborate with the local Child Welfare agency to develop and implement procedures for how transportation for youth in foster care will be arranged, provided and funded. These agreements outline these requirements and are to be renewed annually at the start of the school year.
- Funding for these agreements comes from a combination of state and federal dollars earmarked for education services by the school districts and out-of-home placement funding to the county. These agreements stipulate what portion the school districts pay and what remaining portion comes to the county. In 2025 Rice County did not have any cost come from these agreements. Currently agreements being brought are with Faribault, Northfield, Nerstrand, Discovery, Surad Academy, Tri-City United, and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Schools. If a student is placed from a district other than these, an additional agreement will be brought to the Board for approval.
- Hoisington: It said in 2025, Rice County didn’t have any costs. Did that mean we weren’t transporting anyone?
- A: No, it means the school district has used state and federal funding. The agreements state that if those funds run out, we would create an agreement to address it.
- Unanimous acceptance of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative grant
- Award total is $295,820 for grant activities including up to $16,745 for Grant Administration reimbursement to Rice County Social Services for fiscal and accounting work.
- As part of HR 1, the Rural Health Transformation Program was developed for one-time funding over 5 years time “to strengthen rural communities across America by improving healthcare access, quality and outcomes by transforming the healthcare delivery ecosystem. The Minnesota Department of Health was awarded $193M for Year One of this program. A number of granting opportunities were developed, one of which is for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiatives (or CAMHIs). Much like Adult Mental Health Initiatives, CAMHIs are to serve as mechanisms for regional collaboration to build effective community-based mental health services for children and adolescents across Minnesota. Rice County is a part of the regional South Central Community Based Initiative (SCCBI) which has been our local initiative since at least 2018. Of the $1.782M being awarded by MDH, SCCBI was chosen to receive a grant of $295,820 for Year One of this grant. Rice County will be the fiscal host for this grant award and will be compensated for administering the costs of grant deliverables. The grant will be used to build out child and adolescent mental health services throughout SCCBI counties by providing specialized training to mental health providers, travel costs for providers to go into more rural areas of the region to provide services, continuing work currently underway for a Regional Child Crisis Stabilization Services project, outreach and training for Local Advisory Councils, continuing a consultation contract with U of M Physicians, county mental health staff training, and smaller mini grants for county innovation and improvement projects. Coordination staff time for administering the grant has not been determined at this time and may be in the form of additional hours for current employees throughout the region to work on specific grant tasks. Work can begin once the contract is executed with MDH once it has been received, reviewed, and approved by the Rice County Attorney’s Office. All funds for Year One of this award must be spent by Sept. 20, 2027 and we will be eligible to apply for continuing funding years two through five if awarded to Minnesota. This one-time limited funding will be used to build infrastructure, expand work already started by SCCBI, and bring innovations to improve outcomes for children and youth receiving mental health services in our rural communities across the region.
- Underdahl: What will be the outcome of staff training?
- Underdahl: I would assume there are still gaps, even after this.
- A: Yes. This is year one of this grant. We will be eligible to apply for years 2-5.
- Malecha: Glad for grant. State and federal government do not provide enough money for mental health programs. Would like to hear a report out at end of year one.
- Hoisington: This grant money is going to compliment what you’re already doing?
A: Joint powers board will determine grant deliverables. One area: marketing, which is not currently being done. Crisis stabilization services provider could be funded. Staff training is complementing work we’re already doing.
- Hoisington: Is this requiring additional staff?
- A: Grant provides 20 hrs/wk of staff time. Would talk to part time staff about increasing their hours.
- Hoisington: Concern about one time funding — if we start adding staff with hopes of getting money again, we have to be careful.
- Peters: Concurs with the above.
- HIGHWAY: Dennis Luebbe
- Approved award of contract # 2678- Culvert replacements on County 16
- Approved award of contract- Bituminous paving- Lonsdale Shop
- Peters: This will make residents very happy.
- Underdahl: Are we designing this to contain runoff?
- Approved Final Payment- Contract # 2672 — Minnowa Construction
- Approved Final Payment – Contract # 2671 – Minnowa Construction
- Approved Final Payment- Contract #2574- Crane Creek Asphalt
- ADMINISTRATION: Sara Folsted
- Approved Consent Agenda
- Malecha: AMC and MICA (Minnesota Inter-County Association) going to have policy committee and legislative priorities set soon. Request to have working session where we go over this, so we can create our own localized legislative priority asks. Would be good to have sheriff and attorney at this meeting.
- A: This is finalized in January. Do you want to do this before then?
- Malecha: Yes.
- Underdahl: Agree.
- Hoisington: Congratulations on appointment to NAPO (sp?). What is the time commitment and how are you going to balance that?
- Already go to the meetings, but now will be vice chair. There will be more prep, but now that much more time. It’s good for us to be on the front side of things, it will benefit the county.
- Hoisington: I like the committee you’re on: economic development. Anything you can do to give tax relief to our home owners.
