Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
The Houston County Board of Commissioners approved a competitive search for a full-time jailer/dispatcher during its regular meeting on October 20 at the historic courthouse. The vote was 3-2, with Commissioners Eric Johnson and Greg Myhre voting against the motion.
Sheriff Brian Swedberg explained that the position became vacant in June 2026, when an employee left. Swedberg initially opted not to fill the position in an effort to manage staffing levels.
“We attempted to not replace that employee. The schedule on paper looked like it was feasible to not have that extra employee, but in reality, with sick time and vacation time, it is impossible to do without that employee,” Swedberg said.
He noted that the staffing shortage has resulted in frequent schedule changes and increased overtime. The jail accumulated more than 1,000 hours of overtime so far this year, he said.
“We can do it; however, as we’ve seen in the schedule, people are getting bounced around all over the place. There’s a lot of overtime,” Swedberg said. “It’s really stressing. I was stressing the employees out from being shifted around, moved around and having mandatory over-time, so we are looking to fill this position again.”
The position was included in the county’s 2026 budget, meaning funds have been saved this year while it remained vacant. Carol Lapham, finance director, confirmed that the position is also included in the 2027 budget.
Routine Business
Chairman Greg Myhre called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Commissioners Cindy Wright, Eric Johnson, Kurt Zehnder, Bob Schuldt and Myhre were present.
The board approved the meeting agenda, minutes of its October 6 regular meeting and minutes from its October 13 workgroup session.
Appointment
Lisa Dierks, University of Minnesota Extension regional director, and Rebecca Paulson, Extension educator, presented the annual update on Houston County’s 4-H and Youth Development program.
“The 4-H program is the largest in the nation, and in Houston County, we have a very strong program,” Paulson said. “And when thinking about one word that would describe the 4-H program, I would say it’s ‘opportunities.’”
Over the past year, Houston County 4-H members have had opportunities to participate in a variety of educational and hands-on activities. These included bus trips to the Twin Cities and, for the first time, a group trip to the Boundary Waters.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
The program also offered a taxidermy workshop, a new opportunity for local youth, along with project days featuring hands-on projects. Animal science activities allowed participants to learn how to judge animals.
Additional experiences included attending dairy camp in the Twin Cities, participating in the National Dairy Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, and taking part in camps, the Houston County Fair and the Minnesota State Fair.
The Houston County 4-H program has 438 participants and 17 clubs. This year there were 80 new 4-H members and 327 youth exhibited at the 2026 Houston County Fair, demonstrating their growth and mastery in their project areas.
The 2026 Houston County Fair featured 1,495 total exhibits, including 632 animals and 863 general exhibits. The fair also included 24 club exhibits.
The board approved several items on the consent agenda, including the renewal of Houston County’s annual cannabis retailer registration for Ouidhaus, LLC, at 1570 U.S. Highway 14/61 E. in La Crescent; accepted the resignation of Holly Ingvalson, assistant custodian II; authorized a competitive search for a full-time assistant custodian II (A-1-2); and approved payments.
In Other Business
The board approved Resolution No. 26-29, providing final acceptance of CP 2026-01 shouldering work completed by Bruening Rock Products, Inc. County Engineer Brian Pogodzinski reported that the final payment totaled $19,310.24.
Commissioners also accepted a $2,000 donation from the AcenTek Foundation for the Roaring Grounds project, an initiative in which the Houston County Economic Development Authority (EDA) is a partner.
According to the agenda request, Roaring Grounds is an inclusive, in-school, student-run, coffee shop serving not only school students and staff, but eventually the greater community of residents and visitors. Houston and Spring Grove schools are involved in the project.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:02 a.m.
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