[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6501296,"mediaKeyId","5666748-7cd033398b3cb88ab19078d711a357bd","parentId",5666748,"title","Carver County approves joint powers agreement with Southwest Transit to fund a countywide transit and mobility study","audioSeconds",1909,"startMs",2635000,"endMs",4544000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5666748-7cd033398b3cb88ab19078d711a357bd&start=2635&end=4544","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5666748-7cd033398b3cb88ab19078d711a357bd/thumbnail_2635000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6501296/Carver-County/Minnesota/Carver-County-approves-joint-powers-agreement-with-Southwest-Transit-to-fund-a-countywide-transit-and-mobility-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501296-8955304e38e677c3a4b42eea44d70924/orig.mp4?Expires=1771121274&Signature=VuWHnRd3fCH~L6y-KjNhDp-BZAVvM5aYRHIe8CUg1G9KA3BGywU0SJc~zjQQBTM8GB9fmqtVnk125mY~126UyvKmB5EuFWGBTW0SacKzA7rEH98UD~vBRTKsFUGtQ4STkjR90AzYp8K~MyyV6zZzC~y9utBBQTwtgsaF-n4KQtOf72eHc6E68hFrjLKpXj5ODL5~pCVSI4T76hkXgkBufmYGSwwJvAlz8mT-t1DHRlmzu~MynlKxGhuWXQNpgnuj59LyrdmzlGa7bVPGeRs957zUetu5XQMjYGPC5s8mr7Z-pe8TPdr1J-YSIGmDpfVBJBhAFSszWANAJ4KN5gYQNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Carver County","date","2025-08-19T00:00:00Z","article","The Carver County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 19 approved a joint powers agreement (JPA) with Southwest Transit to commission a transit and mobility study intended to guide service expansion and support a 2026 Regional Solicitation funding application.

Public Works Director Rob Gent explained the county’s rapid growth and available state funding through the Transportation Advancement Account created in 2023 as background for the study. Eric Hansen of Southwest Transit told the board the study will help document need, fit into regional planning and strengthen future grant applications for transit expansion; he said the county’s recent microtransit and Transit Link work shows demand for expanded services.

Stantec project manager Ella Rasp described a six-task scope that will combine analysis of population, jobs and origin-destination travel patterns with three rounds of stakeholder engagement, alternatives development (including microtransit), a final report and help preparing the regional funding application.

Board members discussed costs and timing. Commissioners referenced a figure of roughly $152,000 for the work during the meeting and noted the study is intended to position the county for the 2026 Regional Solicitation through the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB). The county’s contribution will be on a reimbursement basis to Southwest Transit under the JPA. Several commissioners framed the expenditure as an investment that could unlock larger matching funds later; Southwest Transit and county staff said their agencies are also contributing staff time and in-kind work to the effort.

Microtransit and mobility goals: Commissioners asked about microtransit — described by Southwest Transit as an on-demand, shared-ride service similar to an app-based ride-hailing service that functions as an enhanced demand-response product. Hansen said about 60% of microtransit riders use that service because they do not have a car and that much of existing ridership is job-related, underscoring the study’s potential role in economic development and workforce access.

Action and next steps: The board authorized the JPA with Southwest Transit to proceed; the agreement delegates project management to Southwest Transit with reimbursement from Carver County and establishes a steering group of county and transit staff and stakeholders. Stantec will lead the technical work, produce a final report, and prepare a funding application for the 2026 Regional Solicitation. Southwest Transit and county staff noted they had already expanded surveys and contributed staff time to support the study.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Carver County Board of Commissioners--Regular Session- Aug 19th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The county authorized a joint powers agreement with Southwest Transit to produce a transit and mobility study, reimbursement-based, to support service planning and a 2026 Regional Solicitation funding application. Staff and consultants said the effort will include six tasks and three rounds of public engagement.","taxTitle","Carver County, Minnesota","taxId",64163,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6501302,"Carver County board adopts new three-priority strategic plan after months of staff input; 4-1 vote",1602,1070000,2672000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5666748-7cd033398b3cb88ab19078d711a357bd&start=1070&end=2672","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5666748-7cd033398b3cb88ab19078d711a357bd/thumbnail_1070000.jpg","/articles/6501302/Carver-County/Minnesota/Carver-County-board-adopts-new-three-priority-strategic-plan-after-months-of-staff-input-4-1-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501302-fa7d335579ac1e83f28e76e47e62390e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771121274&Signature=KR0gVfl0f~XqlDSM4ZMy9X-nibepRo2A3zeB8Ycg-ywiMtdVv0G56jMEXFNqN2rGoeWaSL-OIfaii~FMRqKA1wmSg0s4G4eIHim~v2TSVGvn3yKj-gHeAYiN2YeM2VCz-Ytx3w6F3ia46JPbMNoYcnJaHw2SOhpWHxu1oEnsaIu95PUO077IwBg4VeK7C7lOKTF6oNSpzzpSSJ~4Wz-kXtsIdUyBYQiai6p-TFagnuCnrryLb52iMGsqJIzhFC5cn6ZwTOst4kJdD-Ncty~qpO3y7dazAz6SkWfWtGS0H9fxASDk8wrg2NgO0d8uJbq8P2NsL64u~8cfFlhuwiZ7dQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Carver County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 19 adopted an updated county strategic plan that lays out three high-level priorities — taxpayer value and customer service; physical assets; and people as a strength — after several months of staff and division-director input and board review.

County Administrator Hemsey introduced the plan to the board and characterized it as “a pretty major overhaul from plans of the past,” saying the effort included one-on-one board interviews, work sessions and additional staff feedback gathered after a June discussion. Hemsey said the county would align board packets and future actions to the plan so board decisions tie back to the priorities.

The plan’s adoption followed remarks by commissioners who generally praised the document while asking for clearer metrics and direct staff engagement. Commissioner Lynch moved adoption; Commissioner Fahey seconded. The motion passed 4-1. Commissioner Uttermann said he would not support the plan, arguing it lacked enough frontline-staff involvement and objective metrics to measure organizational health: “I won’t be supporting this today,” he said.

Why it matters: The board described the strategic plan as a high-level guiding document intended to shape decisions — especially budget choices — in the coming years. Hemsey and others said the county will connect employee performance plans and operational work back to the board-driven priorities so the strategy can inform day-to-day decisions.

Details and debate: Hemsey said the planning process began earlier in the year and included former Scott County administrator Dave Unmacht to lead interviews and discussions. The revised plan intentionally kept priorities at a high level, Hemsey said, and staff provided written and verbal feedback to connect department goals to the board priorities. The presentation singled out possible uses of technology (including artificial intelligence tools such as Copilot) to improve customer service and employee efficiency and highlighted efforts in asset management, including road and facility condition tracking.

Commissioner Uttermann objected that the plan did not do enough to solicit or reflect direct input from frontline staff and urged clearer objective measures of organizational health. He noted that the county lacks a single, agreed-upon staff-health metric and said that without measurable objectives he could not support adoption. Other commissioners said they viewed the plan as a work in progress and emphasized follow-up steps to define metrics and to integrate the plan into the county administrator’s review and the budgeting process.

The board agreed the next steps include tying departmental goals and employee performance evaluation elements to the strategic priorities, discussing metrics for progress, and reflecting the plan in the county’s packet and budget materials. Hemsey told the board the budget presentation would arrive the following week and would illustrate how fiscal choices align with the plan.

The board voted to adopt the plan after the discussion. The motion passed by a 4-1 vote; Commissioner Uttermann cast the lone dissent.

Looking ahead: Commissioners and staff said they expect to refine the plan over time, develop objective performance measures and return results to the board during regular budget and performance reporting.

","The Carver County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a revised strategic plan that frames three high-level priorities — taxpayer value and customer service, physical assets, and people — after staff and division-director feedback. Commissioner Uttermann voted against the plan, saying it lacked clear staff engagement metrics.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Carver County approves joint powers agreement with Southwest Transit to fund a countywide transit and mobility study

Carver County board adopts new three-priority strategic plan after months of staff input; 4-1 vote