Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

All right, we're going to call the meeting to order. Let's start out with the agenda. Len, any additions? Uh, yes, Mr. Chair. There's been some changes. Under Tim Ericson's items, we've added a resolution for a mind contract. Under uh land and resources items, the amended conditional use for DHC properties has been added. You can strike the Douglas County Egg Association. Under Vickiy's items, you can strike number three, Melbby Outpost liquor license, and you can also strike the close session. At the end, we'll be moving that to the next regular meeting. We're starting with resolution 26-30 today.

I make a motion to approve the agenda and with the uh addition that presented. Second. Thanks, Jeff. Thanks, Jerry. Any further discussion? Len, please. Rap, yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Um, any corrections or additions or anything on the minutes? I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. A second. We're going to do both of them. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Anybody? Both of them. Got it. Okay. Anything else? Anybody got anything? All right, Len, please.

Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap, yes. Motion carries.

All right. Thank you. To start out today, I have a proclamation that I would like to read. Douglas County Employee Appreciation Day. We recognize that public agencies operate within a framework of transparency and accountability where community engagement and oversight are essential to good government. County government functions at its best when it dedicated employees uphold these principles through responsible stewardship of public funds and responsive service to our residents. The board recognizes that our employee employees demonstrate integrity not only in a high visible responsibilities but also in the steady day-to-day work that sustains our county operations. We thank our employees for building public trust through careful decisionmaking, adherence to established procedures, protection of public resources, and a constant commitment to accuracy and professionalism. On Friday, March 6, 2026, the Douglas County Board formally recognizes Employee Appreciation Day. Throughout the month of March, we encourage our public to join us in expressing gratitude to the dedicated individuals who make our county a stronger and better place to live, work, and thrive. So, thank you, board of commissioners. All right, we're going to move on to Jessica Pal and Neil Powers, US Fish and Wildlife.

Uh, Mr. Chair, if we could get a motion to approve that proclamation. Oh, sorry, I missed that. That's a good motion to approve, sir. Thanks, Charlie. I'll second, Tim. Sorry. Go ahead, Len Meyer. Yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap. Yes. We Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. All right. Morning, commissioners. Morning. Morning. [snorts] Good morning, commissioners. Good morning.

My name is Jessica Pal. I'm a realy specialist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and we are here today Oh, sorry. This is Neil Powers, the district manager with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. We are here today seeking uh certification on two ements. two easements. Uh, one of them is owned by the Leon and Patricia West Brock Partnership. They are looking to put a wetland easement on their land. The wetland easement is about 1.6 uh acres, I think. No, 6 acres, I think. Um, sorry. uh and the area around this wetland continues to flood out. So they aren't able to farm that land. So they want to restore this wetland to be able to continue farming their surrounding land. Last year they grew crops, corn, and they will continue to own this land and farm it and pay taxes. The other easement we are seeking certification on is by Michael Streamera. He owns um about 160 acres and he would like to put uh about 77 acres into a habitat easement with the Fish and Wildlife Service. He will be able to hay and graze it and uh the land that he wants to put in is unbroken pasture land. He has never tilled it. So he is not going to ever till it. He would like to keep using it for his cattle production. He will still own the land and he will still pay the taxes. I would like to take it over to Neil Powers to uh give his information.

Yeah. Um commissioners, I'm open to any questions that you might have in regards to our certification request today. Is it in perpetuity again? Yes, sir. Mr. Commissioner and you talk about what his choices are and that's going to go forward for the next thousand years, what he wanted done. That that is the request. Yes. He wants to farm the rest. I don't buy that. That's that's you know what my opinion is of the perpetuity thing. I do. Yeah. I would much rather see you guys ask for a 20 or 25 year renewable. I

I understand and I I think I've conveyed to the board in the past that's beyond my capability to do that. This is a national program in scope. Um it spans not just counties here in Minnesota but multiple states. The only reason the only reason I sorry to interrupt and I the reason you know Jerry we we've talked about this with the ditch county ditches don't work like when they were intended forund and some years ago already and now we're still talking about doing things in perpetuity. Certainly. And we're battling that every year with some of the because the rules change, people change, things needs change. But I get off my soap box. I'm sorry.

Okay, Mr. Chair, just a question. If if if he didn't put it in his program and just left it, I mean, what's why can't he do that? Why why does he need that program to do what he wants to do here? I I think it comes up to land owner choice. So if it's in the program, we provide financial incentives to help him uh do fencing and we also provide a a financial incentive for him to protect the property. So it that way it will it'll always stay in um in pasture and therefore it provides um increased wildlife value uh when compared to rowcrop farming.

He has he has also said that he never wants to see this land broken up. He would like it to stay native prairie.

Yeah, I and I see I get that. And what I'm asking is why he can't do that without this program. I mean, he could do that without having to tie it up for ever. And that that's the part I don't understand either is forever. That that's like beyond my [clears throat] understanding. Forever. it it's financially lucrative to land owners to participate in the program and that's why many of them choose to do so. Um we have many examples where landowners are leveraging uh the financial incentives from this program uh to be able to expand programs and be able to uh provide themselves with indigen financial security for themselves and for their families as a result of that. So um I I I think the motivations for every landowner are a little bit different.

So I I guess just to comment further is that by going on this program the taxpayers end up covering his what he wants to do. Is that right? taxpayers. I mean, if he if you're going to pay for his fencing or help him pay for fencing and help him and make it lucrative for him, I mean, we're putting him in a program that the taxpayers are paying for that.

The funding for this program comes from the migratory bird conservation fund. It is not a congressionally appropriated fund at all. So, the dollars for that come from the sale of duck stamps. I think at least a couple of you on the board there are are waterfall hunters or were waterfall hunters, so you had to buy a federal duck stamp. So, the excise taxes that come from those stamps. Um, and of course, if you're going to be a waterfall hunter, you need to have shotgun shells and firearms. Uh, and so the import fees from those firearms if you're if you're using uh firearms from outside the country also gen are generated into that fund. So, not congressionally appropriated tax dollars. Mhm. But if you talk about it coming out of the uh duck uh stamp money, uh we can't hunt there. So, I mean, we're still paying for something that [snorts] in my opinion, we're not getting a lot of benefit for. I you could look at it from that perspective, but I would I would counter that and say that the the value of conservation and the opportunities to hunt are not just on those areas that are public to are available to the public, but also improved by having quality wildlife habitat around those public lands that are available.

Public money is financing it. It should be open to the public. That's what I think Jerry was trying to convey. Oh, I Well, and you're saying it's not tax money, but Doug Stap money is public money. I I you know, I think the I I I think we could have a long debate on this. We can and I don't mean to do and I you know, like I said, we do it every time we're here. So, my question is we need to go to the legislators or go to We need to change to change it. We ain't going to change it through you. They cannot change through me. I apologize. themselves are going to be here forever. No. If he sells this, it stays in this program. Correct. Yeah.

So, how long does it take for this process when after we give you the Okay. When do you get it finalized?

So, so we're before the board today for certification. So, we're asking the board to review our proposal. Um it therefore then goes to uh the governor ultimately for uh the the before the le the legislative exchange board. Um the governor will um will choose to either approve or disapprove of our actions. Uh and then it's it's simply a real estate transaction process that takes place at that point in time. um that can vary anywhere from 6 to 8 months to go through that process before everything is closed. Correct. Mr. Chair, um

I spent some time uh Westbrook had called me and uh expressed his uh intentions you may would say and uh and I listened to him and and I explained to him about the perpetuity. are you sure when you sign on the dotted line that this is going to be a forever thing and he realizes that and so I believe that we need to honor his request even though we might not agree with it and uh and like uh Mr. uh Schmidt was saying we have to take it up to the legislators if we want to see some changes on this so therefore I'm going to make a motion to approve uh Mr. W West family easement uh action. So

I'll second that. Thanks Jeff. Thanks Tim. Any further discussion? Mr. Chair, I just want to make one one comment. You know what you said, Jeff. I I get it and I don't have a problem with him doing it as long as he's alive or the family is alive. But but when it goes forever, I I mean that that to me that we we know nothing is forever. Just nothing. Okay, that's all I got to say. Thank you. All right. Thanks. Anything else? Lenet, please. Kina, yes. Rap, no. We Meyer, no. Schmidt, yes.

Motion carries. Okay, we have another one on the agenda there. Streamer. I'll make a motion to approve the streamer habitat easement and I second. Any further discussion? Len, please. Rap. No. Weey, yes. Meyer, no. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Motion carries. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, and commissioners, last year I made uh an invite to all of you as an opportunity to ask some of those questions. Uh, Commissioner Meyer, I'd be happy to visit with you some more. Um, [clears throat] as just as an opportunity to to educate both of our ourselves and our perspectives. And so, um, we've had a, I think, a long and healthy opportunity to spend part of a day together in the past. I think we've done that maybe three or four times in my tenure here in Fergus Falls. Um, and I want to extend that again as well. So, if the board was interested in getting together, having an opportunity to see some of our projects, visit with the land owners um, that we work with every day, I'd be happy to make those arrangements.

Mr. Chair. Yes. Yeah. you know, you know, I I appreciate it and and I really do, but you know, I'm an avid sportsman. I was I don't hunt actively anymore and all those types of things, but the idea that we're doing this forever is but you know, look at how much in just a couple hundred years are hollering about climate change and everything else, but you're not taking any of that into consideration. And why not just a renewable which is going to be I understand I don't blame the land owners whatsoever and I know they're going to be honest like you said they can they're going to pay the taxes they're going to farm it if they can dry years they're definitely going to farm it but I would like to see

great grandchildren maybe might have something better they might know something more by then maybe we could get together and do a work session on it and talk about it maybe we can find a way to go to the legislators and try and Yep. our concern. No way want to end a program like this totally. But I agree. I I'm with you. But yeah, but the idea that that land is never going to be used again other than for that thinking something better. Yeah, maybe the next person wants to farm it now. He can't is what he's saying. Understood. Thank you, commissioners. Appreciate your time. Enjoy the warm weather. You bet. Thank you for your time.

Have a good day, Tabitha. Good morning, commissioners. Morning.

I have one item before you this morning. I uh as you are aware, we are currently in the recruitment process for a temporary social worker to assist in our child protection unit. we uh are navigating some leaves of staff and so we are looking to uh support that team and the families that we're working with through a temporary social work position. this position because of the training required to step in um is posted with the requirements that somebody has completed the child protection foundations training which is about 130 hours of in-person and virtual training that takes place over several months when somebody onboards as a child protection social worker. So we have made the requirement that somebody has already completed that um in order to apply for this temporary social work position. So with that I am coming to you to request the ability to hire up to a step five potentially for qualified candidates who have completed that. That means they've worked as a child protection uh social worker before or have at least completed a long-term internship which afforded them that training opportunity. Um the cost of that training uh is just over $4,000 um in staff time. Um, and so by being able to offer up to step five, it would still uh be more cost-effective than actually hiring somebody to complete that training. I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have about that.

Mr. Chair, I got a question. Have you [clears throat] got some candidates that are qualified? We do. We we pulled our first round of applications last week and the position is listed as open until filled. So there's not a specific candidate that I'm making this request in relation to. Um but in order to onboard efficiently, um I want to make sure that we have all of our uh details in a row to be able to make an offer and get someone started. Okay, Charlie, I'll make a motion. I'll second it. Any other discussion? Anyone? Len, please. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap, yes. Motion carries.

Thanks, T. Thank you very much. Hopefully, we can get through all that. Yeah. Tim Ericson, come on up. Public works director. Yeah. Good morning. Morning.

Uh last week we opened bids for our paving contracts for this summer. Um you have a summary of those bids in your packet. If you want to see the full abstract of bids, I have that available for you as well. Um the first one that we have is uh SP 021-64004. This is reclaiming and paving on County Road 40. Um there's some federal funding involved in that as well. Um, our low bid came from Central Specialties. I would make the recommendation that we award this contingent on approval from the state. The state has to look through everything because of the federal dollars to Central Specialties, excuse me.

I'll make a motion to award bid SP021-640-004 to Central Specialties. Second. Thanks, Tim. Thanks, Jerry. Any further discussion? Len, please. Meer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap, yes. We Yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. The second contract that we had is our 2026 paving. So, again, this is on County Road 4, the last lift for what we rebuilt in 2024. Um, County Road 8 from the interstate over to the roundabout. The last lift going on that. We're also reclaiming and paving from the roundabout over to 82. We're putting the last lift on County 46 that we built last summer. We're also doing a reclaim and pave on county 86. Um you see the bid sitting in front of you. Our low was mark sand and gravel. Um so I would make that recommendation that we award to them.

I'll make a motion to approve the 2026 paving to be awarded to Mark Sand and Gravel. Second. Thanks, Tim. Jerry, any further discussion? Len, please. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rep. Yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. The last item that I have for you is an AC agreement. So, advanced construction. Um, I mentioned the federal funds on that county road 40. They're actually split between 2026 and 2027. Uh the reason being our district gets all this federal money, we want to make sure that they spend it all. So we partially fund some of these in different years. So if one of those other projects um maybe underruns, they put the rest of that money into this project and then we get the the remainder of our federal money in fiscal year 2027, which I believe starts in November. So very very standard. We did this when we did county road 82 um three years ago. in the form of a resolution, Mr. Chair. Right. It says that. Yes.

Yeah. I make a motion to approve resolution 26-30. I'll second it. [clears throat] Second. Any further discussion? Len, please. Kina, yes. Rap, yes. Weey, yes. Meer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Motion carries. Thank you very much. Um, then just one quick heads up. I got an email this morning that the state's going to put road restrictions on on Friday. Whoa. Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. Little quick. Little quick. So, take the plows off. Well, not yet. Mr. Chair, I got an issue. My monitor isn't working here. How about that one? Move down there.

I could move down there. I [laughter] I'll just move over to [cough] I just take the county attorney's chair. Yep. Do I get to pay with it? [laughter] Morning, David. Talk about it. Good morning. Give me a second here to You got You got help showed up. You get organized. That's got nothing to do with that. All your help showed up. Pardon? See, all your help showed up.

Oh, perfect. the peanut gallery. Ah, well, good morning. I have some items for your consideration this morning. Uh, the first item are licenses, and if we could take those by category. I believe we have landscaper licenses, landscaper excavator. We recommend approval of the licenses of those listed in your packet. I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. Say David, did we want to specify they're doing excavators and landscapers? This one's working that one. Correct. You're not going to do them all. So that's what you're that good, Jerry? That's good.

Okay, Jerry and Jeff. Thank you. Len, please. Rap. Yes. We Yes. Meer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. And then, uh, we have one license application for disposal hauler. We recommend approval of that license. [clears throat] Motion to approve the the license for uh disposal hauler. Second. Thanks, Jeff. Thanks, Jerry. Any further discussion? [snorts] Len, please. We Yes. Meer, yes. Schmidt. Stain. Kina, yes. Rap. Yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. The next several items are from our planning advisory commission meeting last Tuesday. The first item is a preliminary plat of Legacy Landing. This is near Carlos Corners um piece of property uh 60 plus acre piece. There is a business permitted business located on the property that the owner would like to subdivide that business off. Planning Commission reviewed the application and recommended approval with uh approval as presented. Make a motion to approve preliminary plat for legacy land.

Second. [clears throat] [snorts] Thanks Charlie. Thanks Jerry. Any discussion? An a please. Meyer. Yes. Schmidt. Yes. Kina. Yes. Rap. Yes. We yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. The next item is another prelim preliminary plat. This is a three lot plat in Miltona Township on the north side of Lake Miltona. Um this uh is a 3 acre parcel that the owner would like to subdivide into three approximate 1acre tracks. um planning commission had uh a lot of discussion about this uh because it was brought to them previously. Um the concerns u related to storm water management and access to the township road. Uh Miltona Township uh had weighed in on the uh storm water recommending they'd like to see uh the storm water collected and treated and metered as it leaves the property. So the applicant had put together some uh engineering plans uh related to that. So planning commission uh reviewed that and recommended approval with the five conditions that are in your packet. And those conditions address that storm water collection and treatment rate control as well as the uh location of approaches uh where they're installed on the township road by the approval of the township. [snorts] So, Mr. Chair, just a question. Is that that same property that they wanted to bust up before?

Uh, as Yeah, as I indicated, I think it was uh we might be going on a year ago now, possibly that this was brought before the planning commission to subdivide this into three tracks.

Yep. um planning commission had recommended denial at that time and the applicant withdrew his application and went back and uh worked with the township and an engineer to um address the concerns that the township had regarding the uh storm water runoff. So the result of that is they brought it back to planning commission and the commission recommended approval with the conditions and the conditions address those storm water concerns as well as the location of the approaches to the township road. So it's all good now.

Um it is the concerns that were raised appear to have been addressed. at least the concerns raised by the township. Um there were members of the the public neighbors that are not uh pleased that the lot is parcel's being subdivided. The developer of the adjacent property is not pleased that the lot is being subdivided into smaller tracks, but our ordinance uh allows those lot sizes to occur there. and the township uh had their concerns addressed. So, planning commission uh is unanimously recommending approval of the preliminary plat.

Mr. Chair, go ahead. Who's assigned to the obligation of testing the water before it leaves the property? So we won't be testing the water but the uh the design for this it's based on a certain size storm event and they have to meet a water quality. So we will ensure that before the final plat is brought before you that that storm water plan is put in place and

through the recommendation of the engineer never to be tested again. In terms of testing, in no circumstance do we test water coming out of uh those storm water treatment ponds other than to ensure that they are designed to function the way they're supposed to. Other than we hope they're designed, we go and and look at them or have an engineer uh go and evaluate them thing stays in the back of my head. Okay. [snorts] Spent an awful lot of time. It's a great question. Yeah, I [laughter] know. I'm I'm sorry. I don't that's a good question but it stays there but you know and all of a sudden after five years a lot of money and a lot of time

no these are uh some of the the deeper philosophical questions that you gentlemen have considered this morning that might require you know further in-depth discussion about you know policies and laws and those sorts of things but um in this case they're you know doing the design work meets the the standards for treating storm storm water um you know the best management practices that we see in the in the state's best manage best management practice hand

build everything according to design it's supposed to work that way that's that's what we're hoping for I know that David I was just you know when it says that we're going to test it you know we're going to test it today we're going [clears throat] to test it again you know okay so Mr. Chair just one more comment and and that is you know uh 3.09 09 acres. Uh, and I I asked the question, why wouldn't you sell that for one lot instead of three lots? I imagine because he can make more money. But,

uh, it just seems to me when you live 12, 14 miles out from town. Uh, you want more elbow room than a acre. That's that's how I see it. But at one time, this was a threeacre lot. 3.09 at one time. Yeah. that was approved back and now they're splitting it again. Basically, at one time it was nearly a hundred acres owned by Marvin Hartwig and he raised cattle on it. No, I I get that. But if you look at the whole development, [snorts] it was a three All the other ones next to them are threeacre lots.

Correct. This this parcel of land was not included in the plat. the developer sold this piece of land to the applicant prior to completing the plat that you see adjacent to it. So, it's not subject to the terms that were put in place on that plat. And I think the applicant uh at even at that time intended to subdivide it. It's it's not uh it's not a platted lot. It's split by meets and bounds. [snorts] All right. Thank you. Well, I will make a motion to approve with the conditions all five. [snorts]

I second that. Thanks, Tim. Thanks, Jeff. Further discussion. Len, please. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap. Rap. No. We Meyer, yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. So the next item is another preliminary plat. This is the preliminary plat of Kamaki second edition. This is also in Miltona Township located adjacent to County Road 102. Um part of this property was previously platted. Um there's two parcels to the north and one uh that you see included in this proposed plat to the southwest. The applicant has acquired the uh remaining land to the northeast or east which is directly across from uh the chat's restaurant. What they're seeking to do here is to uh plat out two lots from the parcel that they acquired as well as to adjust the property line of uh the lot that was in the previous plat to create three conforming lots. There's also a parcel of land on the east side of County Road 102 that uh has frontage on Lake Irene that would be proposed to be platted as an outlot, outlot A. and uh planning commission uh reviewed this recommended approval with the conditions and the one condition in there would be that that outlot A uh must be included with one of the two lots, lot one or lot two, not lot three. And uh that would be um secured through a deed restriction that would run along with the land. Uh the applicant was amendable to that and uh so planning commission as I stated recommended approval with those two conditions. [snorts]

I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Thanks, Charlie. Any discussion? Len, please. [snorts] Kina, yes. Rap, yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Motion carries.

Next item I have is a preliminary plat. This is a one lot plat on the south side of Lake Mary. Um, the applicant is seeking to divide off a lot to construct a a home on. Um, it meets all of the requirements that we have for a lot size, uh, lot sizes, lot dimensions, as well as, uh, the central sewer is located directly adjacent in Oral Lane. So, they would be providing a connection to that central sewer prior to final plat approval. And with that, planning commission recommended approval as presented. I'll make a motion to approve preliminary plat for Michael [snorts] and Mary Peterson edition. A second.

Thanks Tim. Thanks Jeff. Any further discussion? Len, please. Rap. Yes. We Yes. Meer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. The next item I have uh actually next three items relate to our aquatic invasive species prevention program. Um it's a program that we've had in place in the county uh since about 2009 and it's been uh mostly funded through a grant from the state uh since 2004 I think is when we started receiving that grant funding of approximately $255 to $260,000 a year. Um I know we had a a work session discussion on this um each year uh that were engaged in this program. Uh the staff person who's joined me here, Justin Schwarz, who does an excellent job coordinating that program for the county. Um he puts together a report of our accomplishments and provides that report to both the state as required uh for the funding as well as uh presents that to the aquatic invasive species prevention task force. Commissioner Wei sits on that task force. So um what you have in your packet before you is a summary of those accomplishments and activities from 2025. And then we work with the task force in a separate meeting to try to put together a work plan and tackle the challenges of the of the next year. So, uh, several weeks ago, we had a meeting with the task force and discussed our objectives for, uh, 2026. And so, we have a work plan and a and a budget put together. So, I'm going to turn things over to Justin and he probably will hit some of the highlights of the accomplishments from 25 and then take you through the work plan for 26. And part of that, if you do desire to approve that work plan and budget, would be to approve a contract to do some uh

plant surveys in our lakes. So, with that, Justin.

All right. Thanks, Dave. And good morning, everyone. [laughter] Uh like like Dave said, uh what you have before you is uh just a brief summary of our um activities and accomplishments from last year. Uh this information was prevented presented to the AS task force last fall, but bringing it before you here today. Um with our plan, we basically break it down into four main categories. Uh the first of which we'll touch on is our on-site prevention activities. Uh and that's largely our watercraft inspection and decontamination work that we do along with uh some tool stations that we've installed over the last five to six years. So the county uh annually hires watercraft inspectors that work at a number of accesses across the county. We hired 11 inspectors last year. They work from approximately miday through midepptember. And during that time, they conducted about 6800 inspections going to 19 different lakes, 24 different accesses. Um the the staff that we hired to operate our uh portable decontamination units, they conducted about 150 decontaminations. Uh other activities that they do out there, uh they certainly educate Boers on invasive species. Uh they conduct decontaminations when required by state protocol. And then they also maintain the public water accesses and clean up those sites as well. Uh we also have a couple tool stations that I mentioned. Uh we've had one that we installed at the OA city access in 2020 that's called a CD3 station. That's basically a large multi-tool station that's not manned by staff, but it's open to the public to use whenever they so need to. um that has a wet dry vacuum on it, a compressed airline, a a plant grabber, and a couple other tools on there. And then at six other accesses across the county, we have these uh tool stations called aqua weed stick stations. And those are

basically tools that are there to assist boers get vegetation off their boats and trailers and things like that. Um one other main component of our plan is the monitoring activities that we carry out. Uh this is broken up into a couple different categories. Uh we um hang a couple different easy to check plates off uh public water access docks at a few lakes to see if zebra muscles uh will settle on them. These are placed at lakes that don't have zebra muscles. We had them at Vermont and Indian Lake and Rachel Lake and Union Lake last year and unfortunately later in the summer in about August we found some zebra muscles on the Union Lake one and DNR went out there and verified that. did some other sampling around the lake and confirmed that Union Lake had zebra muscles. Um, other activities carried out, uh, you may remember from a couple years ago, uh, there was a pretty intensive signal crayfish, uh, detection effort that we carried out on Lake Winona. Uh, we did not find any signal crayfish with that project. Um, so we stepped back from that a little bit last year, but the DNR was still out there along with the U of M to uh collect water samples to look for DNA that the crayfish might have shed if they were present, as well as um setting and um checking traps. And they did not find any crayfish in any of those traps in Winona. and they did collect some samples, but they are still pending the analysis of those um results to see if there is any potential um DNA from say no crayfish detected in those samples. So, we're still waiting to hear back on that. Uh other monitoring activities that we carried out, there's star trek, which is a statewide surge for star stonewart and other invasive species. We've been hosting a local event for that every year since it started in 2017. Last year, we had our biggest volunteer turnout with 14 volunteers. And so we checked um 19 lakes and we did not find any invasive species through that event which was good news. And then um the other big

component of our monitoring work is we hire and contract with a aquatic plant surveyor to check a subset of lakes every year kind of on a rotating basis and last year he surveyed 11 lakes and he did not find any mil foil or star stone wart in any of those surveys which was good news as well. Uh, additionally, we we have been um carrying out some management activities on an annual basis. Uh, this is largely a grant program that we've set up where we offer funding to local lake associations and other groups to uh carry out u management of invasive aquatic plants such as curleaf pondweed and water mil foil. So, we've had I think it was 11 lake associations um were offered grants last year to carry out those activities. And we also uh the county itself uh carries out management work on two lakes around here. Uh there is the flowering rush that's present in Grants Lake. Uh the county has led the management of that because it's a small lake with no active lake association and it's also the only lake that we know of in Douglas County that has flowering rush in it. So we've identified that as a priority species that we want to manage and make sure that doesn't spread to any other lakes around here. We've also managed Eurasian water mil foil on Indian Lake. Um but we did not find any mil foil there last year. Um because we had a successful treatment in 2024. So the DNR did a survey out there. They didn't even find mil foil last year which was good news. That's the results that we want to see. Uh there'll be another survey that takes place this year to see what the status of it is. But um we anticipate there might be some something to manage out there. And the last main pillar component of our prevention plan is the education and outreach that we do. Uh we work with a staff member, Jessica Albertson, out of the soil and water conservation district. She does a lot of education, a lot of outreach with students and schools and water festivals and kids groundwater festival. Um so there's over

2,000 students that she estimates that we reach through all those um outreach events that are carried out. Uh we've worked with Let's Go Fishing as well and so on and water has a presence and at the county fair and youth outdoor day where we've provided funding to support purchase of t-shirts and backpacks and handout materials and things like that. Um we also have some digital outreach that we do through our some websites that we maintain. A couple years ago we work worked with the GIS coordinator to develop a AIS page on our GIS website. So all these aquatic plant surveys that we've been conducting, we're uploading those results there. So anybody can click on a lake and find out the history of the plant survey work that's been carried on out there along with a lot of links to other educational information. We also uh partner to do some digital outreach with Leight and Broadcasting on some um educational videos as well as a number of physical products that we hand out like bar coasters and wreck maps and AIS prevention brochures and some billboards and plant grabbers that the watercraft inspectors hand out to boers at the accesses. So, so that's a brief overview of what our work was last year. If you have any questions on any of that activity, be happy to answer them.

Mr. Chair, I'd just like to comment uh on uh uh method two here where it's highlighted in yellow. Uh just want to say I I think it's great that we're finally going to focus on the weeds floating around docks and the boat landing area. I think that's a great that that needed to be done a long time ago and I think we need to really do that so that when they come out of the lake that they're not coming through a wall of weeds. That that to me never made sense. So anyway, that's a great deal. And then also just to comment on method three, monitoring and management where it's highlighted. Number two, the grant u award requirement will include recipient promoting native buffer planting and other shoreline best management practices toward uh improved water quality and this item needs to be promoted on every lake. So that's great. That's great. So that's my comment.

Thank you. Thanks, Jerry. Any other comments? [clears throat]

We're good to talk about. So, uh, Commissioner Rap, uh, was talking about some items that are in our work plan for 2026. Um, and, uh, Justin has highlighted in there as, as Commissioner Rap pointed out, there's a few things that we are proposing to do differently this year. Um, and appreciate that, Mr. Rap identifying that. And yeah, those are some of the things that we took away from the task force meeting that we had, as well as some comments that we've received, a work session that we had here at the county. Um, so yeah, it's uh we're we're trying to make some changes uh to uh adapt to a couple of things. One is um you know, this problem changes obviously. Uh two, there is a a chance uh if no action is taken at the legislature this year that the AIS prevention funds from the state are slated to be cut in half. So there's $10 million allocated by the state to counties to run these programs. And if uh no change is made at the legislature this year in 2027, um we're not quite sure how that's going to affect our funding, but we would assume that it would be cut in half. With that in mind, we uh recognized that some of this aquatic plant management activity that we're providing grants for may not uh be sustainable uh in the future. So, um, we're looking to find ways to to at at least change our priority. Um, aquatic invasive plants have some of them have been in our lakes for decades and some populations of aquatic invasive plants are quite significant, number of acres, tens tens of acres to maybe a hundred acres in some cases. So,

um, we thought that this year the task force and the the subset a task force that addresses those grants would prioritize more, uh, the funding towards pro uh, uh, objectives to, uh, substantially reduce those populations if we could um, and or eradicate if that's possible. So where we have a smaller invasive plant population that we might be able to suppress significantly or in the case of as Justin mentioned flowering rush on Grants Lake we actually may be able to eradicate that and prevent it from spreading. So, couple other things in there, but I think uh I you know to save some time, I would direct you to the budget, the 2026 budget. And again, we're proposing a budget here that would um that would use the money that we received from the state. Um there will be some residual funds left over. the residual funds that are in there. We are trying to keep those funds and carry them over for a rapid response. If you recall, as Justin mentioned, the signal crayfish uh issue that we ran into, we were able to go and address that more rapidly than the state because we had some funds available there. So, so I guess with that, if you have questions for Justin uh or I about the work plan for 2026 uh and the budget, if not, we would be seeking a an approval from the board to engage in that work plan with the budget that we've proposed.

I'll make a motion for the AIS prevention activities 2026 work plan and budget. Second. Thanks, Tim. Thanks, Charlie. Any further discussion? Len, please. Meer? Yes. Schmidt? Yes. Kina? Yes. Rap? Yes. We? Yes. Motion carries. You want to talk about the agreement?

All right. Thank you. And then [clears throat] the last item I have for you uh related to that budget would be the approval of contract to work with bluewater science again to survey a set of lakes. Uh we typically try to survey lakes roughly every 3 years kind of on a rotating basis. So these lakes are all ones that have been approximately 3 to 5 years since they were last surveyed. So again, these are early detection AIS surveys typically carried out in late June to try to detect crew leaf pondweed, mil foil and star stone wart and other species like that. So looking for approval on uh working on or getting these lakes surveyed and um the second contract you might see there is one separately for Reno. Uh we'll be working jointly um sharing the cost with Pope County to get Lake Reno surveyed since that's a border water with us. So, Mr. Chair, on Lake Reno, is that a 50/50 share or what?

That is 50/50. I mean, we won't have much areno in Douglas County. You're correct. [clears throat] Yep. But, yeah, we we worked with them in 2023 to get it surveyed last, and that was a 50/50 split, so we were just going to do that again this year. I'll make a motion to approve the plant survey agreement with Blue Water Science. I'll second. Thanks, Tim. Any discussion? Len, please. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap, yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Motion carries. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Justin.

Thanks, Justin. So, the last item that I have for you uh at uh a meeting that you had in February, the conditional use permit to amend special use permit 201626 at Lake Darling Resort was brought before you. Um if you recall, we had some significant discussion on that and at that time no action was made, no motions were made by the board and you adjourned your meeting. Um, with that being the case, this was uh what we would consider an old business item. Um, since that time, I have had discussions with uh commissioners individually who had questions. Um, I believe some of you have heard from the applicants. Some of you have heard from uh constituents, neighbors out there and have also had an opportunity to dig in and evaluate both the staff report and the voluminous materials that were included in that report. I'd also mention too that uh just in the last little bit here this morning, you were uh handed a letter from the applicant. The letter is addressed to me, but it's intended uh for you as commissioners. So, you had a copy of that. I think it might have been emailed to you uh yesterday. So, I just want to state that for the record. And then uh for the record also, I provided a copy of a uh recorded document uh from the Douglas County Recorders Office. It is a driveway easement provided to the four properties that are to the north of the resort to provide them access through the resort property to uh their lakeshore uh amenities that they have. Um so just for the record that you you

have that. Um so here we are gentlemen back today before you um after some time to analyze this and ask questions and as I said I've had discussions with uh with all of you individually about this at different times over the last month or so. So with that I guess if you have questions or discussion um I'd be happy to answer them. Mr. Chair, I got a question for Dave. Can you read uh number five and number six on the declaration of the driveway easement? Yes. I've had a lot of people complaining about this and it hasn't been enforced.

Yes, Mr. Chair. So, this is the declaration of driveway easement uh that was made the 29th of March 2017 by Lake Darling Resort and James Holman. and they're the ones who have granted the easement to uh property owners uh the north half of lot 8 Lakewood and lots one through four Lakewood first edition those are the benefited properties um so the uh number five in there was it number four and five you five and six

five and six so number five uh states that interference with easement it says no obstructions which would prevent restrict or otherwise inhibit the passage of pedestrians or vehicles or the maneuvering of vehicles on the easement area shall be erected, condoned, or permitted to endure in the easement area. Number six states, "No dedication to the public. Nothing herein contained shall constitute a dedication of any interest in any of the benefited properties to the public or to public use, or to give the members of any public the rights here." including without limitation any rights in the easement area. So that basically the number six is stating that they're not granting an easement to the public that it is strictly for the benefited properties. The easement area, Mr. Chair, the easement area is further defined in this document um in in the exhibit B. Um it's a 20 foot wide easement and the center line is described uh in this document. [snorts]

So Mr. Chair, if I may uh Mr. Nyberg, uh just want I the gentleman next to you is uh David Justice.

Okay, Mr. Justice, I I just wanted to say that what Dave just read off is is uh has not been complied with and there has been uh complaints to me that that they have not been able to get out because cars parked underway. So, I'm just saying it may not be a big deal to you, but it's a big deal if you're those people that can't get out when they need to get out. So, that is a what I'm saying. if that needs to be met. We need to make sure that those people get in and out of there 247 and uh that that's a big deal. So, just want you to know that.

Can I ask we've never received a written formal complaint from anyone down there? Not been an issue. So, we wanted Okay. All right. So, okay. I'm just saying I have had complaints. So, I just want you to know that it it it needs to be open 24/7. Thank you. [clears throat]

Mr. Rush, I've I've looked at this and looked at this and spent some time on it study and we spent time together with it. I We've got such so many conditions. There's 31 of them because you got 14 16 of them and then you got A, B, and C. It's like we're trying to hide some more because we're sticking them underneath the other ones. And of course, that's my comment. But we have a box and we put the box together and we're trying to stay inside the box. And if we don't stay inside the box, we just add conditional use permits. Do this, do this, do this, do this. And then we're just asking everybody to go outside of the box. But then we got nobody making sure they're complied to because you're busy and everybody's busy. Um I'm I'm not against what's all going on here. It's just that I think it should be reduced down. We should try and find a better way to do it. Whether we put in a pedestrian tunnel, dig under the road, put it underneath. I I just don't think this fits at this moment the way it's put together. I think we should be taking a look at it and doing it differently. Um, I I just don't like all the stuff. 31 conditions, that's that's ridiculous because all we're trying to do is make sure we can get it done for someone and maybe we need to look at it and do it a different way.

Yeah, I I can appreciate that. I know one of the things that I tried to do uh both at the last meeting and then be between then and now when I had met with several of you was to break out the questions that they were asking. um and the conditions associated with those with those questions. Um you know, there's there's a multitude of things that are being asked for here. Um they include uh adding additional real estate. They'd like to create uh a couple of lots in a plat so that portions of this resort can be owned separately from the uh association. Um they're seeking to uh rent recreational equipment to the public. Um they'd like to store some things outside on a 5 and 1/2 acre property that they want to bring into the resort. And then uh there's some watercraft mooring that they're seeking to add uh and to have a public meeting space and restaurant that would be open to not just resort uh patrons but to the public uh people off the street. So, um, and I don't know if it's helpful to you as commissioners, um, to divide, as I mentioned at the last meeting, if it's helpful to you to divide out those questions and the conditions associated with them when you want to make a decision, uh, we can certainly do that. Um, I just curious how you want to proceed on that.

U, Mr. Mr. Chair, I guess a couple of options that I think I I'm willing to look at. And that is, you know, you talk about uh the renting of rec of uh recreational equipment. I I I mean, I don't see a problem with that. I mean, I think that's kind of a big thing when people come here to stay that they can have access to that. And uh you were talking about more boat slips. They were allowing another set of docks out in front of the existing buildings. Is that correct? I don't I don't have a map of that, but I'm not seeing it. Yeah, there there was they were seeking to add 20 additional overnight moing spaces and planning commission had uh recommended that that be approved and they had a condition in there that would limit it to 12 spaces uh and that it would be moved in front of the uh existing resort the rather than over on uh tract two. And and I don't think I I think that's something that a resort of that size really should have that. I really do. So I mean those are two items that I I I would certainly hate them not to get.

Commissioners, what do you think? Well, I got a question for Dave on the restaurant part. Yeah. public meeting space and y they're saying was it 185 people? Yes, I believe that's what they had proposed in their uh in their packet that they presented

and then there's basically 20 parking spots around the building. The problem I have here is they're going to have food deliveries and beverage deliveries and stuff and there's going to be semis coming in. How are them semis going to get in there and back out on the road in such a small area? How are they going to get turned around? And and that's an excellent question. Uh I I don't know the answer to that other than um you know given what they're proposing for a layout. I certainly think that uh you know once they know more about the the building that they might construct in there might provide them you know an opportunity to consider that. I don't know if that was considered when they proposed this in the first place.

I don't I don't want semis trying to back in [cough] off of County Road 22 around blind corners. It's an accident waiting to happen. There's got to be some some way if it does turn into a restaurant that they got to have access for them tractor trailers and most of them are delivered with tractor trailers and they're 45 ft trailers with a semi-tractor Tim. Uh a lot of the trailers are 53 foot trailers the reapfers I suppose. Yes. So that that makes it challenging.

Figure it out if he's open. that that makes it challenging for tight small spaces. I mean, speaking from a a former semitruck driver and uh to go in a small place like that, it's just it's just an accident waiting to happen. Well, that's that's one of the issues I had with that is the parking and [snorts] access for food deliveries. And I just don't think there's enough space there. That's that's my take on it. [clears throat]

And Mr. Chair, I guess as as long as we're looking at this, there was a proposed new driveway going, I believe, into the Holtman property. That's a Dave, is that correct? A new one.

Yeah. you know, and I I don't have a a problem with that either, even if discounting the restaurant, because I mean, to me, it only makes sense that you would be able to access that piece of property on a separate driveway. I I I don't I guess I'd have to take it up with Mr. Tim Ericson back there, but I I think that's something that wouldn't be uh it would be practical if you ask me. So, those are some of the things that I I I think that uh are valid uh requests that they're asking for. Mr. Chair, yeah, Jerry, and I agree 100%. You know, when you talk about the uh the rental business and the boat slips, it's just it actually could be used. Not that many places do that anymore. Yeah. But that's also going to create parking needs

because it's not just the people staying there that'll want to rent

that's part of the beauty of a rental is that the people don't have to stay on the lake in order to use the lake. But Mr. Chair, if I'm I'm hearing a couple of commissioners here, it sounds like you have a number of these questions that you don't have issue with necessarily. Um, if it pleased one of the commissioners, they could make a motion to divide this question. It sounds like the question could be divided uh to take part one which would be uh adding the additional real estate creating the additional non resort unit lots the recreational equipment rental services the outdoor storage of lakeshore and recreational equipment and as asked for the 20 additional overnight watercraft mooring spaces and I could reduce that to 12.

12.

Hold on. That is the question that they are asking. And with those questions then would be included the conditions that are associated with those questions. So that would be conditions one through 11 and condition 13. Condition 11, Mr. Chair, Mr. Wrap's point. Condition 11 addresses the mooring spaces and as recommended by planning commission limits them to 12 mooring spaces that those mooring spaces uh have to be over adjacent to tract one which is the the main resort or the piece that's being added that would be the Holman Homestead and that those docking spaces would be associated with a meeting room restaurant being held out for use to the public and that if it ceases to operate and becomes a private facility that those moing spaces would be terminated. I don't know if that's the direction that you want to go, but that's the direction that planning commission recommended. So, if you wanted to split the question, you could certainly uh commissioner could make a motion to include those questions and the conditions associated with them. And that would be just on the rental stuff. That would be, as I stated, the additional real estate,

the resort lots, recreational equipment rental services, outdoor storage of lakeshore and recreational equipment, 20 additional watercraft mooring spaces. So, just to be clear, Mr. Mr. Chair, M. Just to be clear, then then you're talking about basically adding that strip of land on Darling there that goes from that cabin to the bridge and the five acres up on the hill. Uh that it become part of this parcel, right? That all be one parcel. And the uh Holman Homestead property, which sits directly to the

the uh adjacent to the resort on the east side of the road. north of the Okay. And by adding that that gets them in compliant with the impervious

correct that that these uh well in addition to uh some changes that they're proposing to make on the property, the conditions that were associated with those questions. Um you know the conditions in there uh condition number three that talks about the uh entire resort property may not exceed 35% impervious. Condition four addresses the storm water treatment. Um condition five uh also addresses the storm water treatment that uh some plans must be provided from an engineer so that they're in compliance. So yes, those are addressed in in those conditions. I think

Mr. Chair, again, Dave, what you're saying then is basically approving everything but the restaurant. I'm saying that you you could split this question and it sounds like based on uh Commissioner Rap what you were saying and what Commissioner Meyer was saying that you don't have issue with these uh questions that I stated the uses that they're seeking to add to this this permit. David, I hate to ask you this again, but tell me which conditions apply to this. I'm going to highlight them as we go down [clears throat] them. So, those conditions are

one through condition 11. Okay. All the way to 11 and condition number 13. And we're taking 12 out of that. Well, condition 12 applies to the public meeting room restaurant as does condition 14, 15, and 16 applies to the public meeting room restaurant.

So Dave, if I understand this right, 11 stays with the 12 moings. So you have made no commissioner has made any motion to change the proposed condition number 11. Right. [snorts] So 12. It is it is as at this point it is as recommended by the planning commission. Okay.

Unless one of the five of you makes a motion to change that. But at this point, you have no motion to consider on the floor unless one is made. Correct? or you can

go in a different direction. If there's some other way you'd like to approach this as a whole question, I would make a motion to approve this part with the rental with the conditions [clears throat] up to one through 13 pulling out 12. So, Mr. Mr. Chair, as I understand it, you're seeking to divide the question, correct?

And those uses that were listed and the conditions that would in the staff report as recommended by planning commission would go with those uses. Correct. Thank you. second.

Before I go forward, Len, are you keeping up with what we all got? Good. Any further discussion? Renee, please. Kina, yes. Rap, yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Motion carries.

Okay. So the question being divided, the second question before you then is is that the use they're asking for um that you have not addressed is the use of a public meeting space and restaurant. And with that there were four conditions proposed by the planning advisory commission. Those are conditions number 12, 14, 15, and 16 in your packet. And those those conditions address parking. They address pedestrian safety for pedestrians crossing the street associated with the restaurant, signage on the property that directs guests and patrons as to how they can safely cross County State Highway 22, and the hours of operation for that that meeting room.

Mr. Chair, I got a question for you. Go ahead. So now would this eliminate parking on the south side of the road? Would would this eliminate parking for the rental business and stuff like that being we haven't done anything on 12 and 14 if that's under a different vote. We didn't address that as far as parking on the south side of 22.

No, you have not addressed uh none of the conditions that you considered in your last motion had to do with parking. Right. So, that's the issue I got. Now, if if the restaurant isn't approved, would they still be able to park on the south side of the road if these other conditions aren't approved? When you say Okay, so you're meaning across the road on the leased property? Yes.

They can continue to park over there. The the county hasn't limited what they can do with that leased property. It was overflow parking for the resort and for trailers and so so that that property can continue to be used as we permitted it to be used. Yep. Okay. So it can stay the same. It won't change unless something changes if you uh in this second question. If you approve the second question with the conditions, then you know we're changing because we're addressing where parking needs to be located for a public meeting space and restaurant. Okay.

If you choose to do something different with the second question here, um let's just for conversation sake say you choose uh not to allow the meeting space restaurant to be open to the public. then nothing changes with the permit that was issued by the county for the use of that leased parking area so that they can park overflow vehicles and and equipment and trailers and that kind of stuff. Yeah, they're doing that now. Correct. Because that was permitted earlier. That's what I was wondering. You know, [clears throat and snorts]

so Mr. Mr. Chair, just to be clear then uh like when will you talk about the uh uh wreck equipment, recreational equipment and the uh more boat slips and that could be parked there as well.

So um I'd have to go back and look at that. I think in the winter time that they have been storing some items there. the recreational equipment uh that in the portion of the permit that you just approved uh that storage was up on the 5 and a half acres. Um our understanding from the applicant was is that's where they intended to store most of that uh Lakeshore recreational equipment, rental equipment that's not being used because it's offseason. Yeah, they have some stored there right now. Yeah.

So, the question before you right now is uh what action you'd like to take on the public meeting space and restaurant, which was a component of their permit application. And uh with that are four conditions that planning commission recommended be included with it if it was to be approved. David, I got a question for Mr. Ericson. Tim, did you ever think about putting a tunnel back there, a pedestrian underneath the road? I don't think it's deep enough water. That's pretty high road though going up that hill. I don't know. I was out there yesterday and looked at it. Um, you could have further north, right? Yeah,

that's what I thought. If you went to the north as far as exact details,

right? I know I agree with you. You're not going to go the other way, but I I did drive out there and look at that. board's wishes. So the choices board that you have before you as with any question uh you can approve the question, you can approve the question and change conditions, modify them, create new conditions. You can disapprove the question meaning to not allow that use. you can table it because you have more need more information. Um so those are the options before you Well, I guess to cut through the ice here, I just say uh I'll I'll make a motion to deny the restaurant. I just there's just I I've had too many negatives uh for it. It's got it it just doesn't have the uh space that I think we need to supply it with semis and everything else that goes with it. So that that's my motion.

I'll second that. Mr. Chair, so you have a motion to deny that use. And just to be clear to the to the board, so that would not include any conditions. It's simply that that use cannot is not allowed. It's denied. The public meeting space restaurant cannot be open to the public. Yeah. But wouldn't those conditions go with that? those conditions uh do not make sense to go with denial of it because they're addressing an issue that would not exist if the facility was not open to the public.

So, you're saying he should make a motion deny it to open to the public? Well, that's what they're asking for is to have it open to the public. That is the question. The motion is to deny that use and my comment to you is is that uh I'm assuming that would be and then essentially removing those conditions that address issues that would result from public use of that facility and if the motion makers agree with that then

or if you want to have discussion Mr. Chair, I just want to bring up Tim. You had mentioned about I mean there there would have to be a sign at the Hopman property. No public use closed to the public. Closed to public that I I don't know. I like I said

one one other thing I was going to mention here. I still think you should have something here with number 14 just for the sake of the resort. For people that park stuff across the road, there should be a crosswalk put in there. If you, you know, for safety purposes, if people are going to be parking from the resort across that road. So, Mr. Chair, I I got to involve Mr. Ericson back there with a crosswalk. What What's What's your uh thoughts on that?

I think we have speed and pedestrian issues right now regardless of what happens. So, you don't think it would be wise to designate a crossing versus them walking across anywhere or um I think the best way to do it is the way that geomet

which was part of the reason we were discussing it was a safety issue. I don't I don't [clears throat] because now that we allowed the rental and they're parking over there, they're still crossing the road. Still crossing the road. I get it. Regardless whether there's a restaurant there or not. Yep. I mean, I know.

Mr. Chair, if I may point out, if you read the condition number 14, it states to ensure the safety of p pedestrians patronizing the meeting room restaurant. The intent of that condition is to address a additional safety concern that would arise from the allowing the use of a public meeting room or restaurant open to the general public. The condition was drafted with the intent to mitigate that issue specifically related to that use. Correct. Although I don't disagree that the other uses have the potential, um they certainly don't rise to the same potential as what's proposed by the applicant by having 40ome parking spaces for a public restaurant facility on, you know, the the opposite side of the road. As Mr. Ericson stated, we already have some pedestrian issues out there just related to not just the resort, but the character of that area. Uh, as was brought up at the public hearing, the uh, drainage way between Calry and Darling, uh, some people refer to as the Amazon has historically been used as a as a recreational river float. and people float that and get out and cross the road with their floaties and head back up. Um, that's been going on for 50 years, 75 years.

Um,

so, uh, it Mr. chair. Also, one of the commissioners I heard stated something about some sort of signage that would indicate that the facility is not open. Um, you certainly could, uh, if it's amendable to the two motion makers, uh, you could replace one of those conditions with a condition stating that any meeting room, restaurant, deck, pool, or other facility on the resort shall not be held out to the general public for use, rental, or patronage except as a guest of the re of a resort unit renter or owner. And the purpose of that condition would be I think as was stated by one of the commissioners to make it very clear that this restaurant uh this meeting room is for use by resort guests only.

I would be in favor of putting that condition in.

I can live with that. So I go back and ask then what's the question is if they decide to have a family reunion there somebody that's staying there then they can go across and use it because it's private use or you want to have a event there. No, as I understand how that condition would read, except as a guest of a resort unit renter or owner. And what that means is just as you've stated, if if guests of the resort who are staying there, renting one or more units, have an event, a birthday party, family reunion, and they invite people from the area, and those people show up, they are guests. They get to use that meeting room space. If you are uh

following you, Chairman Schmidt, and you're driving down the road and you uh park your car and walk across the road and expect that you're going to be served a frosty alcoholic beverage, you would not be able to do that because you are not a guest or patron of the resort. Is there no parking signs there now along the road? There are on County Road 22. There are no parking signs along the road bridge, but then I think conditional per or uh condition 14 should have been added in with the last motion because, you know, they're going to be crossing that road.

I still think we need to look at the overall safety of that whole area, including for the ones that are using the river and whatever may be going on. I remember like two years ago when I was a young 14-year-old lad, I used to go down that river all the time, too. So, my thought is is we should go back and we should look at that whole thing and figure out what we should be doing. But there's a motion before the board. Mr. Chair, I got one more question for Dave. Could a person put a condition in there that the only access to that restaurant would be through the resort

or from the water? Or from the water. Yeah. I I don't know how else a person, Mr. Chair, I don't know how else a person would access if if a meeting room space was constructed there. The only way you're going to be able to access it is by walking through the resort property or parking on the resort property. I'm talking about that approach that's being proposed to be put in there.

That is an approach to the resort. That property you just voted moments ago to include that property in the resort. So that property would be part of the resort. Anybody going to that meeting room would have to enter the resort whether by water, by walking, or by car to use that meeting room to access it. Yep. That's the only way you'd have to walk across the common resort property.

Okay. Oh, we do have a motion and a second from Jerry and Tim. Any further discussion?

Dave, can you read that motion? So, the motion was to deny the use of a public meeting space and restaurant, eliminating conditions 14, 15, and 16, and replacing condition 12 with the condition that reads, "Any meeting room, restaurant, deck, pool, or other facility on the resort shall not be held out to the general public for use, rental, or patronage except as the guest of a resort unit renter or owner. Any more discussion? Len, please.

We [snorts] Mr. Chair, just to be clear, a yes vote is a no vote, right? Okay. Just to be clear.

[snorts] [sighs]

How I go? I have a real hard time with her. You can obain. Upain, buyer. I have to abstain. I'm going to abstain, too.

Made the motion. I'm going to say yes, but I'm going to say yes, but it failed. Yeah.

I don't know what that does for you, but doesn't do anything if motion. So, you have half of the question answered and the other half not. I I just think as a board we're just struggling with this. I think it's a great opportunity. I think it's a good thing for the community. We think it but we're just not happy with where it's at. I like Tim's idea if we could get the parking on that side of the road. Um maybe you got to pick up one of them, David, and move it across the road, one of the buildings, and put parking there and put one of the I'm being funny, but it's like I I just don't think we have the answers that need to make this work. And I think it can work if you have do the right things, but you got to do some stuff.

Mr. Chair, are you saying that the tunnel is an absolute must then? That's what I'm saying. Everything we got that I got in emails was all about safety, safety, safety. That's mostly what I got. I didn't get anything about a few other things and some of the restrictions on the easement, but everybody said it was a safety issue. And I guess I've been out there, I've drove out there two, three, and I agree with you. It's a safety issue. People are going to come over that hill and they're not going to stop. So, I don't know where we go from here, but there's your answer. Well, Mr. Chair, I mean, I think we gave you some room there to work with. The the restaurant is just not ready.

Well, we didn't vote the restaurant down. We voted not being open to the public. I I get it. I a public restaurant. The resort can still have its rest. Well, but it can't be a public restaurant. It can't be a public restaurant. Well, that isn't settled either. So, [sighs] at this point, Mr. Chair, no. You have a question that's unanswered. Oh, the motion was made. So, it ends up being tabled, does it not? Well, if you move on, it it it is going to become old business at your next meeting.

Well, if I was going to make a motion, I'd make a motion that we send it back to um Mr. sterics and public works and see if they can come up with a better way of crossing people underneath the road and make a motion that we can move forward in that direction whether it's for the rental or for the restaurant. But at this point, like Tim said, you can open a restaurant. It's just not open to the public. So, Mr. Chair, just so I understand correctly, have you made a motion to to do that or are you

I'll make a motion that if they consider putting in a pedestrian tunnel underneath the road, I'd be willing to move forward. Um, okay. So just to be clear, if you do that, are you stating that you are moving to approve this with that as a condition or are you asking to table this to gather information uh as you stated from Mr. Ericson about how traffic safety could be improved for pedestrians and this could move forward perhaps perhaps you said it better than I did. I really would like to see what that

you'd like to table this question and and have uh Mr. Ericson or another engineer weigh in on how pedestrians could be routed through this area to become a safer right because he has the parking. It's just that it's across the road. Okay. As I understand it then you So I guess that's the way I'd like to move. You have made a motion back then. You have made a motion to table this which is not debatable and you need a second. Second. Any more discussion? Len, please. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes.

Rap, yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Motion carries. Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate your time this morning. In the absence of time, go ahead. I just got one comment. [clears throat] There's two tunnels under 45. Drive there. Most of the people walk across the top [laughter] and 42 and 42 the same thing. Yeah. I don't know. Just because there's a tunnel there doesn't mean that they're going to use it. I don't. How about a break? In the essence of time, we're going to take a fivem minute break and we'll be coming back to talk to Willie Swanson district supervisor. I got lost.

I wonder what's wrong with my mom. when you were making it. All right.

All right. Let's bring the meeting back to order and um Willie, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much uh Mr. Chair, commissioners, thanks for giving us the opportunity. I'm joined today by our program director Jared Taber and then an agent Brian Lockach who is a facilitator of the program I'm going to be talking about today. So I come today to talk a little bit about our domestic violence program. Um first things a couple to understand. A person is put into this program who's convicted of domestic violence or a domestic violence related offense and by statute they have to complete a domestic violence program. We happen to offer one as Brian is trained as a facilitator. He and Julie Ellison who's a former agent who comes and contracts with us facilitate this program. This program is 24 weeks in duration. Um clients come in, they pay $25 a week to participate. And what the program seeks to do is help people, the clients that are in the program, with new ways of thinking, new ways of dealing with um conflict and teaching them skills and confronting their prior thinking that led them into these situations that um got them convicted of domestic violence. And I'll let Brian talk a little bit more about that later. Um what we have seen in our program in the last five years, this program is 24 weeks in duration again. So we usually run two a year, take a little bit of break in between. Um we have 47 graduates since 2021 and we have a 75% graduation rate, meaning um of the folks that enter, 75% of those folks graduate. Um so we have a relatively small failure rate. The big thing for me in this program, in our program, we see here is when we talk about recidivism, and that's committing a new felony offense after you're discharged from probation. So, the statewide average of everybody on probation when they're discharged for a three-year period, when we track that, is they reaffend at a rate of 15%. The numbers you see on your screen are recidivism rates. We list those inversely. So, that's the success rate,

not the failure rate. So 15% statewide commit a new felony within three years. The folks in our domestic violence program that graduate for a three-year period, only 6% of them commit a new felony offense moving forward. So we're seeing better rates than average, quite a bit better um when you graduate our program. And I think the more exciting thing for me is on the next slide when we look at people who graduate from our program and this is for any domestic violence offense at any uh level. So, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, felony. Only 10% of the people that graduate from our program have a new domestic violence offense ever. And when we look at similar programs, the rate for folks that don't graduate, it's about 30%. So, we have a 20% greater rate if you come into our program and you graduate from our program than if you do not. So, we're really seeing some great success. Um, we're I think promoting public safety in the community and our program, there's similar programs around run by private agencies. Our program is about half the cost of those programs. So, the folks were serving, our clients are coming in, they're getting great programming, they're going out and committing less crime, and we're saving them some money, and they're um citizens of Douglas County as well. So, it really to me is a great program. And the reasons why it is is because we're changing thinking, but it really comes down to what Brian is doing and what Brian is doing with Julie in this program for those clients. And so, I'm glad to be able to come and present a little bit today. And I'm if you have any questions, let me know. If you'd like to hear more from Brian about the program itself, um that's what we're here for today. Mr. Chair, I would throw a question at you and that is uh if this is for citizens and non-citizens, what what what happens here if you catch somebody that's not a citizen of the country?

A non what if you catch somebody that's not a citizen of the country? Meaning a non-citizen of the United States. So if a person is placed on supervised probation for one of these things, they can enter into our program. If um that person happens to get connected with ICE and deported, that's a different thing. But while they're here, living here on supervision, we would have them participate in this program. [snorts]

So, I appreciate the time and if you have any questions, we're here for it. No. You two got anything to comment? Um, thank you, Commissioner. Do you want to add? Yeah. What's that? Anything you want to add? just that, you know, I hope that the work that we're doing makes uh Douglas County a safer place and, you know, that's our goal here ultimately and, you know, it's, you know, also cost effective to the county and, you know, if we have people not coming back to jail, that saves us tremendous amount of money. So, I hope I think we're doing good work and we plan on continuing it. And Brian, how many years have you been facilitating this program? I started in 2019 and then CO kind of happened so we shut down for a while but it's been going pretty strong since.

Well, thank you guys for all you do for us in the county. Appreciate it and thanks for coming and sharing. Yeah. So, Mr. Chair, I just want to ask a question and that is uh I mean the results are then that by rehabilitating these people it's cheaper than getting them in our prison system. Correct. And jail. Yes. Yeah. And they work hard on not repeat offenders. Yep. And we're creating fewer victims in the county as well. That's true, too. Thank you. One more question. Brian Lockach, are you related to Steve Lock? That's right. There. Okay. All right. Um Mike and Diane are my parents. So, um Okay. Mike Lock. Mike is your Mike's my dad. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay.

A lot of softball. We play a lot of softball against him. [laughter] He's a good pitcher. He was your height, too. Yeah. All right. Thank you. Thank you, commissioners. Thank you. Thank you, Uncle Johnny. Yeah, Uncle Johnny. That's right. Missy Becker, come on up. Talk. West Central Minnesota Communities Actions.

Missy, I just got to tell you that we got a little long-winded today and Charlie and I have a 11:15 school board meeting today. we so I'm I'm asking you to Yeah. Please I mean we're pleading with you. Please give it give us what we need to hear, but I'm just saying. Thank you.

So, chairman and members, I am here today to do a quick update, but I'm going to just let the report speak for itself. And Joe Ni House is our affordable housing director. He's with me here. and we're going to talk about our affordable housing building program. So, just and you have a PowerPoint in front of you that Joe put together. Um, if you remember last year, I came before you asking for reconsideration of upping the cost per inmate per day. So, just just some factual stuff for you to to know. Department of Corrections pays Douglas County Jail $75 per day per inmate. This is the amount they pay all jails in Minnesota, which is Becker, Douglas, Hubard, and Pennington counties. Um, we have the only crew that is building houses in the state. The other crews work at incinerators and other things. So, we have the only home building crew. So, last year, um, Douglas County increased that rate to 85. We split the cost. So $5 and $5. This year the rate July one is going to $100. Douglas County Jail has um increased the rate to $100. So I am here to just present some facts to you and what um the program has done for Douglas County. Len, if you want to run through the slides, I'll let Joe talk a little bit about it.

Yeah, you can see the affordable housing need everybody knows across the country. um the rising costs, the increasing gaps between wages and the housing prices putting a strain on home buyers as well as employers trying to find employees that can live in the area. Um who we are um you know affordable construction um we partner with Douglas County H and the Alec H to produce homes as well um producing you know high quality products and efficiently for the county. Um we built across multiple counties over several years um consistently delivering regional impact. Um you can go to the next slide please. Um the homes built we've done 75 affordable homes in Douglas County. Next closest county is Pope with 24 homes. And there's just a pin map. You can kind of see kind of um across Douglas County the cities there. So, I'm going to interject something real quick. We moved probably five years ago to a community land trust model about five years ago. Would you say five, six years ago? And so, we put the homes into a trust. And what that means is it remains affordable for years to come.

And so, I'm just going to give you an example. The house that we just sold in Evansville last week, we had an open house at end of February. That house appraised for $323,000 and the sale price of that house was$ 223. And so we receive money from Minnesota Housing that buys down that mortgage. But if they go to sell that house, that buy down of that mortgage stays with the house, if that makes sense. May I I'm trying to speed this up for you. No, you're fine. Um,

don't rush. Well, I I I just um I so I just want you to know that that that subsidy stays with the house for years to come. And um so, you know, 74 homes in Doug 75 homes in Douglas County, we've made a considerable contribution to this county. And I also under I mean we manage a huge budget at West Central Community Action. Jeff is on [clears throat] our board. He knows um what that looks like. And I understand when they say when the jail says it costs us more than what we're getting from Department of Corrections. I get it. Um but if we have to pick up that cost then that is $20 a day per inmate um per day. That's you know another between 36 and 45,000 depending on how many inmates we have. And we make enough money in this program to keep the program going. We don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars. You know, we're paying Joe and we're we're keeping building houses and that's the goal. You know, we're a nonprofit. We're not not interested in making a ton of money, but we have to keep it moving.

And these, I think Jeff can attest to these are quality homes. I mean, they're not Menard's built homes. They are we use Hilltop num lumber. Um they're thermitech windows. they're, you know, they're they're meant to get people along the homeownership path and not have issues in five years, right? So, [sighs] um, so we're asking basically consideration of that extra $20 a day per inmate per um day. So, Mr. Mr. Chair, do uh you get any uh tax break when you're building these houses as far as not having to pay sales tax on that material?

We don't pay sales tax. We're a nonprofit. There you go. That helps as well. Okay. Yep. Okay. Missy, I have a question. So, do you have a contractor that oversees this? And Oh, that's a great question. How's that work?

Yep. So, we pay a contract to Department of Corrections. That's 117,000 annually. And then they supply us with a crew leader is what their title is. His name is Brad. Dan Olsen was our crew leader for many, you know, 20 years. And he retired last year and we have someone new. And Joe and I were able to sit in on those interviews and got to be a part of that. And it it's working out real well. And I don't know how many of you have been around long enough, but like we remodeled this whole our crew did this work in this building as well as the Douglas County Courthouse. So, um, and then we also pay crew member wages to Department of Corrections. That's about 14,400 a year. And the inmates are out of the jail 10 hours a day on this program. They're supervised by Brad. They're contributing to society. I mean, they're they're they were at the uh open house a couple weeks ago, and they're very proud of the houses. I mean, you you could tell that, Jeff. And um and I I just said to Joe in the presentation before us, I wish I knew our recetivism rate, you know.

So, Mr. Chair, one more question. When you're adding If you add in $20, what does that come to then a day? Well, and the added uh for five crew members, it would be about 36,500 a year. A year. Yep. And we have no way to recoup that money other than to put it in the cost of the home. You know, we'd have to increase the cost of the home to do that. And you know, everything's went up. All building supplies have went up. Everything has went up. So, we are trying to keep the homes as affordable as we can, you know, but it's just like everything.

Follow-up question is, so if this home come in at 300,000, you sold it at 200. it's going to stay at 200 the whole time. So, if these people move out or how how did that work? Again, it's a resale formula where they could anyquidity that they have into the home, but instead of say it goes up $100,000 in market value, they can't sell it for that, they can keep 25% of that increase in market value and that gets added on to the cost of the home for the next year. That's how we keep the subsidy with the home. But if they install a $10,000 fence, they get that they any any additions they add on. Thank you.

I do want to make a comment. Uh I got a privilege to tour one of the homes that were being built. And when I walked through the tour, it was like, wow, a good quality home uh built by the uh corre department of corrections uh staff and and uh it gives them a chance to give them a skill set for the future. And I've heard stories where they work with other contractors and uh and they're doing well today. So we don't have to worry about uh them going out in the street and uh committing that crime again. So um we are making a difference.

Yeah. These guys life and they're proud of it. I'm proud of them. And I'll say this partnership with the county and the EOC um has really been seen favorable with grant funders as well. That's why we've been able to bring in so much of that subsidy into the county that's going to stay in the county forever. But I believe in the last five years that amount now is $720,000 of permanent housing subsidy that will stay in the county. Wow. And we we have four other county commissioners on our board as well. And a lot of times I hear, "Why aren't you building in my county?" The truth of the matter is we can sell homes in Douglas County and we can sell homes in Pope County.

They don't like when I say that, but it it's it's easier. And this is where the jobs are, right? like that's just factual. Um, but we have very much enjoyed our partnership with the jail, with Douglas County and Department of Corrections. It's it's it I mean it's my favorite program. Don't put that in the minutes, please. But it it's just such an important thing because people can't find housing, you know. Well, the other thing you have you have the best commissioner on your board, too. That's sincere. [laughter] I can't say that out loud. I can though.

You can you can say it. Yeah. So, and I understand that you probably need to speak to your sheriff and and and talk about this. We're not expecting a decision today, but that's what we're asking. We're just asking to reconsider that um extra money per day um and you partnering with uh us to provide housing in Douglas County. So, are you going to present that to Troy and have him get a hold of us or how do we move forward with that? Well, I can, you know, I I we typically work with Lee um at the jail. I can sure, you know, I can sure talk. Lee and Troy were here last year when I was here to ask about the $5 and we ended up splitting the cost of that.

Um, but I can sure have a conversation with Lee if that's what you would like me to do. That's what I would recommend, I guess. And they could always send us an email so we kind of have a Sure. understanding. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. because I understand it comes out of their budget, too. And right, I get that. Plus, the budgets are set for this year. I know. All right. Thank you. Anything else? Any other questions about West Central that I can help answer? We're in the middle of tax program. That's going well. We're all good. Thank you. Appreciate your work.

Come on up, Vicki. Good morning. Good morning. Uh, Mr. Chair, I've got three items. The first being a resolution for a gambling permit for United Way Lakes and Prairie seeking to do a raffle on April 30th.

I'll make that motion. And that's a resolution 20. Where we at there? 2631. 2631. Is that the right one? Yeah, correct. Second. Thanks, Jerry. Thanks, Charlie. Any discussion? Len, please. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Rap. Yes. We Yes. Meer, yes. Motion carries. And the next is also a resolution for Leaf Valley Game and Fish Conservation Club seeking to conduct a ra-site gambling at the location of Leaf Valley Town Hall on May 1st. I'll make that motion for resolution 2632.

I'll second Jerry. Thanks Tim. Any further discussion? Len, please. Kina, yes. Rap. Yes. We Yes. Meer, yes. Schmidt, yes.

Motion carries. And my final item is uh pre-approval of our 2026 liquor, beer, wine license renewals. So these are uh in the packet is a list of all the uh existing licenses that it um will carry over for renewals starting July 1 through June 30th of 27. So July 1 of 26 um to June 30th, 27. So that that needs to be updated on that heading. Those dates are incorrect. But so these will be renewal license renewals for the upcoming uh annual license renewal period per with the condition that they uh provide uh proper license renewal application and that we get the proper background check and recommendation from the sheriff and county attorney.

Okay. I'll make that motion for pre-approval of 2026 liquor beer license renewals. I'll second. Thanks Jerry. Thanks Tim. Any discussion? Len, please. Rap. Yes. Wey, yes. Meer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Motion carries. All right. Thank you. Thanks, Vicki. Jill, finance director. [clears throat and snorts]

[clears throat] Make a motion to pay the bills. Second. Thanks, Charlie and Jeff. Any discussion? Nate, please. Weey, yes. Meyer, yes. Schmidt, yes. Helina, yes. Rap, yes. Motion carries. Thanks, Jill. Have a good day. Yep. You got to read that.

Yep. I'm gonna I gotta read this out loud. It says, "The results of the performance evaluations held on February 17th, 2026formational. I'm announcing in compliance with the Minnesota statute section 13D-05 subdivision 3A. I'm sharing with the public and the conclusion of the department head evaluations held on February 17, 2026 that they were all satisfactory for the group that was reviewed. Thank you. Now we'll go to pdiums. Who's up first? Tim. Tim.

Okay. On the second we had an MRC meeting that we did here in the office in the back. And on the third it was regular commissioner meeting. On the 4th, we had flood board meeting that was at public works. We got a bunch of pipes we need to get inspected. Then on 12th, we had the opioid meeting at the Alexandria Clinic. Then on 13th, land and resourcings, we had a viewing. 17th commissioner meeting. 17th fairboard meeting. 18th Rifle Zoneformational meeting. 23rd I had Lakeland mental health in Fergus Falls. And then on the 24th in the evening we had planning and zoning meeting.

Charlie the second MRC here. Third commissioners meeting. The ninth Horizon public health meeting. The 11th LGCC meeting at Woodland. The 12th we started already the budget meeting. 13th Pope Douglas. 17th commissioner and department heady valves. 18th the rifleformational meeting. 19th solid waste regular meeting. 23rd we had the building committee the CPT 24th hospital exec 25th public works coffee 26th planning and zoning 27th hospital board

thanks Charlie Jerry already and we'll start out with the MRC meeting here uh 23 February 3 uh regular meeting uh February 5th Prime West February 6th, Food Pool and Lodging and Glenwood and 29 Horizon 217 Regular Meeting 217 Sock River Wershed. Uh 218 Rifle Forum and 219 Sock River Wershed Policy Committee.

All right, thanks Jerry. I'm up next. On February 2nd, we had uh county negotiations with the union. On the 3rd was our county board meeting. On the 5th was Prime West meeting. On the 12th was a PIO meeting. 16th was I was on open line and Tim Ericson was with me. On the 17th we had county board meeting. On the 18th department head meeting. On the 18th we had a special meeting on our hunting regulations on rifle or shotgun. On the 19th we had Pope Douglas solid waste meeting. On the 23rd, uh met with the city officials, um worked with them. Lee was with me on their 3 to five year long planning. Um the 24th, Alamir executive meeting. 25th was public works. We had updates. On the 26th, PIO meeting agenda updates on the 27th Alamir health meeting. Jeff. [clears throat]

Okay. on uh back in January 28th, the the AIS task force meeting. The 28th of January, the special board meeting, resolution for the sales tax for the county library, and uh the 28th, the extension committee quarterly meeting. And then the 30th is the PIO meeting. And then getting into February the 2nd, the MRC meeting uh held at the county boardroom. Then after that it went over to the labor negotiations held at the county administration office. The third is the county board meeting. The fourth is the round table discussion on grain elevator exposing in Garfield city hall hosted by Julie Anderson and the sixth is the food and pool lodging meeting held in Glenwood. Uh the ninth at the Douglas County Soil and water monthly meeting. The 12th at the PIO meeting. The 12th there's the Rainbow Rider board meeting, monthly meeting. The 13th is the Promite Joint Power Board meeting. And then the 17th is our regular board meeting. The 18th is the Rainbow Rider TAC meeting held in Alec. And the 18th is the region for mental health meeting. They found out it was cancelled after I arrived in El Lake. And then uh the 18th at the public forum in the county boardroom on the rifle shotgun zone.

Thanks Jeff. You want to bring them up? Yes. You want to do that please? [clears throat] And it's us three. Okay. And uh just to be clear on Jeff's uh Commissioner Ways there is that uh he's got uh I believe three items there about uh planning zoning. uh met with the city officials I believe and also roundt discussion on the grain elevator explosion in Garfield City Hall. It's one for each of us. Jeff, Shane, and Charlie. Yes. Oh, pardon me. Yeah. Yeah. So, I believe those are are uh eligible for forms. You're talking about the rifle zone?

No, no, no. the planning zoning uh for Charlie Meyer and uh Shane had the uh meet with city officials and roundt discussion on grain elevator explosion in city hall for [clears throat] commissioner way had a motion. Yes, that is a motion second. Second. Thanks Jerry. Thanks Tim say L. Can we just approve the pdiums first stated with Jerry? Yes. So this motion will be approving the prediums uh with those highlighted meetings that were outside of the committee. You good with that Tim? Yeah. Tim, yep. Okay. Any discussion? Please. Schmidt. Yes. Kina, yes.

Rap. Yes. We Yes. Meer. Yes. Motion carries. Okay. At this time, I'm looking for items from the floor. Celeste's got nothing. Tom. Yeah. Got anything? Any items from the floor? Items from the floor? Nothing. Looking for a motion to adjurnn. So move to adjourn. Thanks, Jerry. Thanks, Charlie. Len, please. Rap. Yes. Weey, yes. Meyer, yep. Schmidt, yes. Kina, yes. Motion carries. I see uh