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County Administrator Bobbie Hillery opened the board’s first 2026 meeting held on January 6.
Randy Dahl was elected as board chairman and Mitch Lentz was elected as board vice-chair.
Citizens Input will be held at 9:05 a.m. from now on. Commissioner Duane Bakke suggested citizens shouldn’t be giving their opinion on an item that is on the day’s agenda, because it is not a public hearing. Commissioner Marc Prestby disagreed, saying if a someone comes to the meeting they should be heard.
Bakke Announcement
Duane Bakke announced that he will be retiring at the end of his current term after 28 years of service and will not be seeking re-election this November.
Other Business in Brief
- The 2026 Legislative Priorities and Platform for the county was reviewed. Hillery at this point expects Senator Jeremy Miller and Representative Greg Davids will appear before the board at the January 27 meeting. Legislative priorities in 2026 requested by the county include a modernization of Human Services software system, transportation and local bridge funding, the return to Fillmore County of the ICWC Program (Institution Community Work Crew), and support for bonding dollars for the Solid Waste Transfer Station needed improvements.
- Auditor/treasurer Heather Broadwater presented a proposed 2026 fee schedule. She reviewed additions and updates from several departments. Under Community Services a yearly fee for Adult Foster Care License in the amount of $2,100 was discussed. Wanda Berg explained the fee is determined by the state and the county collects it. Dahl asked that the fee be discussed at a Community Services Committee meeting. Berg noted several fees were suspended during COVID. She said if the Adult Foster Care License is corporate the state does the licensing.
- The Fillmore County Journal’s 2026 official newspaper bid was approved. Charge per square inch for legal notices, delinquent tax list and the financial statement is $14.65, or an increase of 70 cents per square inch. The total circulation of the FCJ in Fillmore County is 11,227.
- The resignation of Tyler Mack, part-time jailer, was accepted effective January 25 after three years of service.
- The resignation of Marcus Bonnichsen, highway maintenance specialist, was accepted effective January 2 after three weeks of service. The advertisement for a replacement highway maintenance specialist was approved.
- The dedication of a portion of tax forfeiture receipts to parks to help pay for maintenance was approved.
- Regular county board meetings day and time was set, 2026 per diem rate remains at $45, 2026 mileage reimbursement rate for use of a private vehicle will be adjusted with the IRS recommended rate, and the hourly rate for temporary entry-level staff will be $16.71 in 2026.
- Minimum salaries for 2027 for elected offices were set (county attorney $145,000, county sheriff $146,000, and county commissioners at their 2026 salary). These are for 2026 per election statute to let anyone running for an elected position in the county know what the minimum salary will be in 2027.
- The salary for County Attorney Brett Corson was set at $160,230 for 2026. The salary for County Sheriff John DeGeorge was set at $148,000 for 2026. The salary for Chief Deputy Lance Boyum was set at $133,200 for 2026. The salary for county commissioners was set at $29,767 for 2026.
- Veteran organizations that make an application shall be granted $75 to help defray expenses of Memorial Day exercises in 2026.
- Authorization was approved for overnight stays for officials to attend their respective annual professional Minnesota conferences.
- A resolution was adopted allowing the county website to be used as an alternative method to disseminate solicitations of bids, requests for information, and requests for proposals.
- The list of eight 2026 voting delegates for Association of Minnesota Counties and the list of Policy Committee Delegates was approved.
- Bank depositories for 2026 were approved (F & M Community Bank and Magic Fund).
- Each ambulance service in the county will receive $6,000 from the county in 2026.
- Jail Project Paybook #33 was approved in a total amount of $266,940. Hillery noted this will be one of the last pay requests for the jail project.
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