Board approves Kelly Schroeder as county administrator and asks personnel committee to propose new organizational structure

The Pine County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution appointing Kelly Schroeder as county administrator effective Sept. 5, 2025, and directed the personnel committee to consider alternative organizational structures for department supervision and to return options to the full board.

The resolution formally authorized the county chair to sign an employment agreement with Schroeder and set the effective date. The board then asked the personnel committee to examine reporting lines and possible backfill strategies for positions that have been supervised by the auditor/treasurer, noting that the county will likely need to reassign oversight of areas such as assessing, recording, land services, planning and zoning, and environmental functions.

Staff emphasized the intent to accomplish the changes through internal restructuring rather than adding new positions. The personnel committee agreed to meet and prepare proposals so the board could review recommendations at the next regular meeting in early September. Commissioners clarified they expect personnel committee options to include who would report to the incoming administrator, where land and resources oversight should sit, and whether to actively recruit for an auditor/treasurer with expanded supervisory duties or to re‑establish a narrower auditor/treasurer job description.

The board voted on the appointment resolution with the motion and second recorded; a single protest vote was voiced during roll call but the motion carried. Commissioners asked that personnel committee work be completed quickly, with the committee returning to the board with proposed structures before the September regular meeting so staffing and recruitment decisions can proceed without delay.