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On January 21, Houston County Public Health employees John Pugleasa, Jordan Knoke, Mary Zaffke and Brianna Ceaser, along with Rich DeMarco, a representative from Delta Dental, appeared before the Houston County Board of Commissioners to update commissioners on the county’s mobile dentistry pilot program.
Chairman Eric Johnson called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. The revised agenda, the previous minutes for the January 7 board meeting, and the January 14 workgroup session were unanimously approved.
Pugleasa expressed his enthusiasm for the dental program, explaining that dental access is a big challenge, especially in rural parts of the state.
The speakers highlighted the significance of collaboration in the project’s success. Stakeholders (Delta Dental, health care departments, providers, and the county) came together in 2023, and the project launched in 2024. The mobile unit sets up in the Houston County Public Health building twice a month and can treat 7-10 patients per visit. In the past year and a half, nearly 200 patients have been seen. The clinic is full every month. Both Pugleasa and Knoke confirmed that they will searching for additional funding to sustain and expand the program.
DeMarco shared that Delta Dental is calling the pilot program the Houston County model, and that he had a county from up north call to see if they can do the Houston County model. He has a meeting with them next week. “We think that this model, this solution, can work in 20-plus rural counties.”
Pugleasa proudly recognized the three dental service providers in Houston County – Herman Dental, Houston Dental, and Destination Dental – who have supported the pilot program.
Ceaser shared, “I do know that our community has been receptive and appreciative of this program, so it’s really exciting that we’ve had the success that we’ve had.”
Commissioner Johnson expressed gratitude to Pugleasa, Knoke, Zaffke, and Ceaser for their work in launching the Houston County model.
For more information or to access the referral form, Houston County residents can contact the Houston County Public Health department at 507-725-5810. Zaffke noted that the program has served patients ranging in age from 1 to 98.
The approved consent agenda included several personnel and administrative items: the resignation of part-time Deputy Auditor Treasurer Darlene Johnson; the initiation of a search for a half-time deputy auditor/treasurer; the reassignment of Matthew Papenfuss from engineering technician to engineering assistant-survey crew; the retirement of Child Support Case Aid Marilyn Moore, with gratitude for her 30 years of service to the county; the search for a full-time child support case aide; the hiring of Robert Burns as a 67-day temporary/casual Veteran Services driver at a rate of $16.91 per hour; and the establishment of a Ballot Board for Absentee and UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) for the 2024 March Township Election.
The commissioners went into closed session at 9:11 a.m. under Minn. Stat. 13D.05, subdivision 1 (d), to discuss an attorney-client privilege matter with Attorney Susan Hansen regarding a pending employment claim. Attorney Hansen participated in the meeting via Zoom. The board reconvened at 10:16 a.m., with Chairman Johnson stating that no decisions had been made during the closed session.
In other business, the board:
- Appointed former Commissioner Dewey Severson to fill the vacant member-at-large position on the county’s parks committee. It was noted that Severson had previously served on the committee during his tenure as county commissioner.
- Approved the appointments of Pam Hendel and Joannie Schmidt to the Houston County Extension Committee for three-year terms from January 21, 2025, to December 31, 2027.
- Unanimously approved the payments as presented. Interim Administrator Carol Lapham emphasized that January is a “spendy time of year.”
Johnson and Zehnder mentioned that they had received calls regarding the moratorium on solar fields and concerns about the appearance of said solar fields. Another key topic of discussion was the letter sent to the commissions regarding the snowmobile trails. Chairman Johnson said that he and Commissioner Schuldt would need to have a conversation with Senator Jeremy Miller and Representative Greg Davids.
Before adjourning the meeting for the day, the board headed into the second closed session of the day for labor negotiations. No action was taken.
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