September 15, 2026 County Commissioners Meeting

Started: 9:14 AM
Ended: 10:35 AM

Submitted by Pam Noone and Marsha Claiborne

Hope Coalition Domestic Violence Awareness Proclamation:
Melissa from the Hope Coalition read a proclamation regarding the need for awareness of on -going domestic violence and a request to proclaim October as Domestic Violence awareness month.
Approved

Consent items:Approve final payments for the 2026 Bridge maintenance contract: Approved

Human Resources:

1. Insurance renewals for 2027: Staff requested approval of the proposed contract with Blue Cross Blue shield insurance renewals was decreased from what was initially expected and will be renegotiated in 60 months.: Approved

Personnel committee:
Sheriff request for an additional Patrol Deputy
Backfill a surveyor position to assist in work back up.
It was noted that the surveyor positions have been difficult to fill due to a lack of surveyors available.Both approved.

Finance and Taxpayer services:
Statewide affordable housing and options.
Lucas Dahling, Finance Director presented an update from the 9/1/2026 meeting, discussing funds from the State not Levy money. If not spent, the money returns to the state.
2 units have been created but are not yet meeting all the criteria. However, there is on loss of the money at this time.
Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity is currently building 4 units per year with a plan to increase this to 5 units per year.
Three Rivers Community Action submitted a proposal on 9/9/2026 to renovate the Jefferson School to a 16 unit building with another building on the property with 32 units.
2028 is the proposed start date with a finishing date of 2029.

Currently, housing funds are currently split as follows: 1/3 to Habitat, 1/3 to Three Rivers and 1/3 to the Emergency Housing fund.
A suggestion to split it 50/50 between Habitat and Three Rivers.Approved.

Land use Management:
Consider construction management contract with Balton and Menk to build a retaining wall on property owned by the county.
Work was done without permits on the shoreline in the past.
A consultant will be hired to do site visits, inspections and project management.
The cost of the county staff will be billed to the property owners in 2027.

Public Hearing:
Consider a Zoning Ordinance map amendment change from Recreational to Residential in Florence Township.
The proposal to build 4 Residential units.
There was a lot of discussion about this.
A call was made for Public Hearing with no respondents.
Approved.

Preliminary Budget and Levy: The Levy increase is set at 6.6 % increase.
Due to excess money ii reserve from previous years, the increase is considerably less then originally thought.

Staffing Report: none

Project Status:
Linda FLanders spoke briefly about a planned 13 acre solar farm in Welch Township and a public hearing will be held.

New and Old Business:
Cannon Valley Trail funding request
There was an agreement to amend the budget in 2023. This has not happened.
The County owns the land and the agreement was for the funding to be split between the Cities of Red Wing and Cannon Falls and Goodhue County