Pete Filipi, Contegrity Group, updated commissioners on the jail budget to date and progress on the jail renovation and expansion at the board’s October 14 meeting.
Filipi noted bids for the project opened in March 2023. In November 2023 a building permit was obtained. The contingency fund budget started with a total of $421,300. With construction of the new facility and reconstruction of the old jail that balance has been reduced to $32,389.
County Administrator Bobbie Hillery noted the original completion date was to be in July 2025 but was delayed waiting for Lumen Technologies to do their part of the project. Lines have now been transferred to Lumen. The project is now expected to be mostly completed by the end of November.
Filipi provided an up-to-date report on the original contract amounts, change orders, adjusted contract, paid to date amounts, and balance to finish. Overall, he said he was pleased at this point where we are at. Hillery explained inmates worked on the flooring. Work provided by inmates and staff helped keep within budget.
Medical Examiner Report
Dr. R. Ross Reichard, chief medical examiner, presented the 2024 Medical Examiner’s Report. The Southern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office serves eight southeastern counties and provides consulting services for several other counties.
There were 212 deaths in Fillmore County in 2024 (183 reported to the medical examiner). One-hundred and sixty-nine were from natural causes. Two deaths were by suicide, 12 resulted from an accident, and there were no homicides.
The greatest number (56) of natural caused deaths were related to cardiac issues. Forty-five deaths were in the 75-84 age group, 40 in the 85-94 age group, and 20 in the 95-plus age group.
Other Business in Brief
- Aaron Johnson, philanthropy director at the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), reported on 2024 programming. SMIF serves 20 counties in southern Minnesota. He reviewed recent activities in Fillmore County. For every dollar donated to SMIF, $32 was invested back into Fillmore County communities. This included loans in support of entrepreneurs, grants to communities in support of their projects, and investment in early childhood development. SMIF invested $15 million in Fillmore County through grants, loans and programming.
Johnson asked the board to keep SMIF in mind in 2026. Hillery reported an appropriation in the amount of $2,000 has been budgeted for SMIF in 2026.
- Sergeant/Investigator Jesse Grabau asked the board to consider a division of Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) into three separate categories, including non-licensed (jail and dispatch staff), licensed, and licensed promoted union employees. The union can divide into two categories, non-licensed and licensed, without board approval. Sheriff John DeGeorge explained the reason for the division between licensed and what he called command staff is to more easily deal with disciplinary issues. Union members support each other, so it is not comfortable for someone in the same union to be in the position to discipline another union member. Their own union member will know when they support a disciplinary action. Separate unions will provide a separation of roles.
If the board approved the split of the union into three categories, it would require a business manager for each unit and a board meeting with each unit separately. Commissioner Mitch Lentz said he was personally against potentially creating three silos. No motion was made to split the union into three categories; no action was taken.
- A resolution was adopted for the repurchase of a tax-forfeited property (0.31 bare land acres on the left side of Hudson St., north of Hillside Apartments) in the city of Spring Valley. The property currently belongs to the state. The city of Spring Valley will purchase the land for a total of $794 to be used for a public purpose.
- Chairman Marc Prestby recommended that the Citizens Input portion of the board meeting be held, starting January 2026, at 9:05 a.m.
- Approval was granted to transfer Jail Project dollars from Committed Law Enforcement Remodel dollars to the Construction Fund so they can be utilized as needed.
- A list of designated voting delegates and policy committee representatives for the 2025 Association of Minnesota Counties Annual Conference was approved as presented.
- Hillery was approved as the voting delegate and Duane Bakke as the alternate for the 2025 Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust Annual Meeting.
- Hillery provided IT budget numbers and a comparison with two counties (Dodge and Houston) similar to Fillmore County. The board concluded that the Marco plan is continuing to work for Fillmore County.
- Approval was granted for a two-year dental insurance rate guarantee from Guardian, effective January 2026.
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