July 1, 2026 Goodhue County Board Report

Meeting was held at the Cannon Valley Fair

Commissioners

Linda Flanders, Brad Anderson, Todd Greseth, Jason Majerus, Susan Betcher (all present)

Consent Items

Disclosures of Interests (none)

Review and approve the following items on the consent agenda.

Approve Sale of Vehicles for Auction

Approved

Approve the Cannon Valley Trail Paving & Bridge Construction Contract

Jess Greenwood (I think) presented a long list of Public Works (mostly parks) projects that have been waiting for final approval after funding approval had been obtained near the beginning of the year.  Supposedly, all of these projects Anderson said contracts for the trail won’t be presented for a year because the current projects have used up the resources. More upgrades will be put off.  Belcher said the current projects came in under bid and that there are some dollars left in the current project budget, which may result in more work done from the current state grants.  Apparently, the state doesn’t like grant money to be unused or used for projects other than that described in the grant proposal.

Greenwood requested approval for several “high priority park projects”:  Bilsby Park fish cleaning station, Bilsby Park overflow parking spaces, Bilsby Park playground replacement items (not currently levied for, approximately $320,000), and the Neilson Memorial Park parking construction to allow visitors access to that park.  Mostly this presentation was about reallocating funds from previously allocated projects to current variations on the same projects running into 2028. No additional funds are being requested, just some movement in timelines and project descriptions.

Mostly due to anticipated budget shortages and likely county property tax increases, discussion of these projects will be put into committee planning.  Betcher said some projects may be withheld due to budgeting limitations (“This is going to be a tough funding year.”).  (Heavy rain on the pavilion’s metal roof made hearing a lot of this presentation difficult.) Flanders asked if major things might be pushed in front of the projects planned.  The department is taking care of a lot of projects that might have been contracted.  Anderson was frustrated that the Master Plan projects aren’t getting done, even though the projects have been funded several times and carried over.  “If the public’s input doesn’t count for something, I think we’re missing the boat.”  Anderson thinks the work needs to be done because it has all been researched and approved.  Flanders agreed with “the majority of what you say,” but she has some reservations about the investment in Neilson.  (Anderson, “Harold Neilson donated about 77 acres for a public park.”)  Betcher said solid decisions on these expenditures have been held off due to budgeting considerations.  She said that the Red Wing citizen concerns are about property taxes, not parks development.  Flanders said her understanding is that this is money already in the budget and funded.  Greseth said “looking at a potential 20% levy, I’m going to cut.”  He advocates being flexible to protect taxpayers. 

Currently, there is no parking for Neilson Park and the park’s forest is degrading due to invasive plants (Buckthorn, for example) and neglect.  So far, there has been no county effort to develop or maintain the park. 

Flanders asked if the “design/build” estimate of >$36,000 is “reasonable.”  There was a lot of discussion about the purpose of the proposed “park host” position in the park.  [The only “camp host” system I’m familiar with is in campgrounds.  I didn’t get the impression any of these parks are campgrounds.  It sounds like the Board is very concerned with local vandalism and that the Sheriff’s department isn’t up to patrolling these areas.]

Anderson asked that the board vote to move forward as planned with the already approved project funding. Motion was carried with Majerus as the only opposed vote.

Sheriff’s Office

Chad Steffen provided an update on the 911 AI-assisted dispatch project.  The department partnered with the GovWorx organization to refine the processes for dispatch.  They are using an AI-enhanced system to help dispatchers interpret calls.  AI is being used as “an experienced coach” for the decisions made by dispatchers.  Not paid for by Goodhue taxpayers. 

The Sheriff’s department is working with fire departments to assist the departments to reduce their calls.  Chief Miller (Cannon Falls) described how their EMS calls had doubled during the past 6 years.  That kind of workload has a particular effect on volunteer department burnout.  The new AI-based system is already reducing their call count.  The number of actual medical calls have been reduced, by more accurately utilizing the limited resources. 

Sgt. Rachel Dahl is the new Sheriff’s Department communications officer.  She is supervising the Emergency Management Dispatch department. 

Several commissioners commented on their appreciation for the improvements in response systems and tactics.  Flanders wanted to confirm that, currently, a 911 caller will be talking to a “real person,” not AI. 

New and Old Business

Flanders asked about state funds allocated for broadband.  There is still no solution for state-wide broadband

Flanders said AMC has two interns working on MN’s tax classification system and election system information for voters and taxpayers.  There will be a new MN soil testing system. 

[This was a surprisingly long meeting with lots of presentation time and context, some of which was hard to hear because of the heavy rain and metal roof.  I attempted to record the meeting, to back up my online meeting notes, but a lot of the recording was washed out by the background noise.  The commissioners and department presenters all did a good job with the microphones.

At least during this meeting, Majerus appeared to think it was all a wasted of time, primarily his time I suspect.  He contributed nothing but a couple of “no” votes and smirked at the audience throughout the meeting. Nepobaby?]