Chairman Greg Myhre called the November 13 meeting of the Houston County Commission to order at 9 a.m. Myhre led commissioners and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners in attendance include Chairman Myhre, Robert (Bob) Burns, Eric Johnson, and Dewey Severson. Absent was Teresa Walter.
The board unanimously approved the agenda and the minutes from the December 13 meeting.
The consent agenda was approved in its entirety: (1) Hired Mark Schroeder as a dropsite supervisor. (2) Authorized a search for a planning commission community member. The appointment is for a 3-year term. (3) Reappoint Ken Visger and Franklin Hahn to the Board of Adjustment, and Wayne Feldmeier to the Planning Commission. All three positions are for a 3-year term.
In end-of-year business, the board:
• Adopted the 3% non-represented wage and salary pay scale for 2023;
• Adjusted the 2023 D range non-represented employee pay rates;
• Adjusted the 3% temporary/seasonal employee wage scales for seasonal workers, Veterans Service drivers, and Sheriff’s Office transport officers;
• Approve the agency agreement with MnDOT allowing them to accept federal funds on behalf of the county;
• Approved the final payment to Dunn Blacktop for the South Ridge Road project. The cost was $599,413.87;
• Approved the final payment to Dunn Blacktop CSAH’s 1, 4, and 10 in Houston County paving project. The total cost was $3,392,301.58;
• Approved the MFIP/DWP contract with Workforce Development Inc. (WDI) for required employment and training services;
• Approved the 2023 contract with Woods Psychological Service to provide reflective supervision for the county’s child protection social workers;
• Approved the multi-county SNAP employment and training agreement;
• Approved the 2023 Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center (HVMHC) contract and the 5% rate increase for adult and children’s mental health services.
Finance Director Carol Lapham presented the commissioners with a spreadsheet showing the adjustments made to the 2023 budget funds and levying the 3% showing where the county is at in terms of a deficit. Lapham explained, “With the preliminary budget we were at budget deficit of $164,000 and with the adjustments that were made, additional income, and reduced expenditures we are now at a $69,653 budget deficit spread over the funds.” She suggested that the commissioners think about whether they want to support a 2% levy increase versus a 3% increase based on the fund balances before next week’s meeting.
The next regularly scheduled Houston County Commission meeting is Tuesday, December 27, at 9 a.m. in the County Commission Board Room 222, located on the second floor in the historic county courthouse, Caledonia, or via the county conference call line (312) 626-6700 enter ID: 994-7297-7175 and password 368422. Public attendees are requested to mute their line until addressed.
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