Possibly before the end of the year the jail project will be complete. At the December 2 meeting of the county board, County Administrator Bobbie Hillery said the sheriff’s team will soon be able to move back to their new offices. The completion of the remodel of the old building is nearly done.
Sheriff John DeGeorge looked back reviewing 2025 accomplishments. The master control/dispatch project is complete making it modern, state of the art and functional for years to come. The dispatch center was moved to the new jail in July. The move was made while staying live.
Body cameras are worn by law enforcement officers on every shift, recording law enforcement functions. Cameras see things the human eye does not see. Community engagement programs are continuing. DeGeorge noted operations in his office are continuous, 24/7 365 days of the year. Operations include law enforcement, 911 dispatch, and the jail. The sheriff reminded that he and Chief Deputy Lance Boyum need to be available to make a decision even when not at work.
In 2026 operations will be out of the new sheriff’s office/EOC. Staff training will continue as will recruitment efforts in high schools and colleges. Succession planning is important. The department works with other departments in the county to best serve the public. DeGeorge said there are 20 full-time deputies in Fillmore County who reside in Fillmore County or an adjoining county.
DeGeorge noted he has worked for the county for 29 years, eight as sheriff. He requested his 2026 salary be set at $156,205. He requested the chief deputy salary be set at $132,774; this is 15% below the request for the sheriff’s salary.
Other Business in Brief
- DeGeorge said seven counties have received ICWC (institution community work crews). He explained the program has been taken away. The other six counties are still receiving ICWC inmates. Sentence to Serve program is also gone; it is not in the governor’s budget. The decision to pull the ICWC program from Fillmore County was supposedly, in part, because the county didn’t have a jail. DeGeorge said we now have the newest and most up-to-date jail in Minnesota. They expected to house ICWC inmates. Hillery said ICWC will be among our legislative priorities. DeGeorge added they will continue to work with legislators.
- The first reading of an updated Court Security Policy was available for review. It includes the county’s policies and procedures and a district court order prohibiting guns in government services complex. Most of the changes are grammatical. Door access to the courthouse and who gets badges are addressed in the updated policy.
- A contract with Everbridge, Inc. for emergency alerts and IPAWS (integrated public alert and warning system) access was discussed. IPAWS provides a capability to notify the public of natural and human-made disasters. The Everbridge software will replace Code Red. The quote for the standard Everbridge yearly service contract is $6,075, which is about $5,000 less than Code Red. Code Red has been dealing with a nationwide outage. The board approved the standard contract with Everbridge. The standard service will not give weather alerts; people can subscribe to the National Weather Service for weather alerts.
- Lucas Johnson, Root River Trail Towns treasurer, requested an appropriation from the county in the amount of $2,000, which has been budgeted. He requested that the appropriation be increased to $4,000 for 2027. Root River Trail Towns generates paid advertising reaching 2.5 million people. Johnson explained plans for 2026 include generating content and paid advertising, the hosting of social media influencers, and the coordination and promotion of trail-wide events.
- Social Services Director Wanda Berg requested and received the acceptance of $1,100 in donations for the Veterans in Need (VIN) for the second quarter of 2025.
- A contract agreement between the county’s Community Services Department and Workforce Development (Rochester) was approved for 2026. The contract specifies services for Minnesota Family Investment Program/Diversionary Work Program (MFIP/DWP). The contract is totally covered by federal and state allocations the county receives.
- A conditional use permit requested by GSS, Inc. for the construction of a telecommunications tower on property owned by Kurt and Karen Harstad, Section 23 of Harmony Township was approved. A hearing was held at the November 20 meeting of the Planning Commission. There was no public comment during the hearing.
- Randee Hebig was hired as a replacement Human Services Accounting Technician, effective December 15.
- The first reading of a draft detailing changes to Work Hours & Attendance Policy was presented for review. The changes and additions will conform with legislative requirements. The draft will be sent to all staff for their review.
- The payment of Jail Project Paybook # 32 in the total amount of $222,889 was approved.
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