Todd County commissioners request MnDOT speed study, approve HHS agreements and multiple warrants, hires and purchases

The Todd County Board of Commissioners on April 15 voted to ask the Minnesota Department of Transportation to conduct a speed-limit study on County Road 11 near Adams Drive, approved a series of health and human services agreements and staffing changes, accepted several grants and county purchases, and authorized routine auditor and program warrants totaling more than $1.4 million.

The board unanimously approved a resolution asking MnDOT to make the “necessary investigation to determine the reasonable and safe speed limit” on County Road 11 from the Stearns County line to Ada Drive in Candoda Township after commissioners and residents reported recent crashes and frequent speeding in that area. Commissioner Randy Newman said concerns about recent collisions prompted the request and added, “Because somebody’s gonna get seriously hurt, and … they just gotta slow down.” The board’s action requests MnDOT replace yellow advisory signs with regulatory (black-on-white) speed-limit signs so local law enforcement can enforce the posted limit.

The board also approved health and human services items that the department described as operational priorities. Commissioners adopted a cooperative Fraud Prevention Investigation Program agreement between Todd County Health and Human Services, the sheriff’s office and the county attorney’s office to continue local investigation and prosecution of food-support and Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) fraud. HHS staff presented program results showing referred- and recovered-dollar figures for the reporting period and investigator Travis said, “So basically, within this time frame, I’ve saved $46,093 is what it shows.”

Todd County Health and Human Services also received approval to enter a reciprocal memorandum of agreement with Horizon Public Health to provide interim environmental health services for pooled food and lodging delegation responsibilities, and the board approved hiring and staffing adjustments the department proposed: the board authorized hiring a resource navigator/interpreter, hiring two lead eligibility workers, hiring an accounting supervisor, and eliminating one care coordinator and the administrative services manager position as part of a reorganization. HHS staff told the board the lead eligibility workers will carry caseloads and provide on-the-job training; commissioners asked for a written training plan and a six-month update after the new staff are in place.

Public-health staff also warned commissioners about unreimbursed infectious-disease work tied to new populations arriving in the county. Catherine McAdeans, Todd County public health, said the county had one active tuberculosis case in the past year that required daily nurse contact and related supports and that the tally of unreimbursed costs for that case “cost us over $20,000 in unreimbursed visits” and “I’ve added up to $60,000 that never got reimbursed for 1 case.” McAdeans asked for clearer state support for infectious-disease control, noting local public health has limited dedicated funding.

On law enforcement and public-safety purchases the board accepted a 2025 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) boat-and-water grant to the sheriff’s office for $11,208 and approved the purchase of three in-squad camera systems from Motorola for $22,006.74, which the sheriff’s office said is budgeted and replaces aging equipment.

Solid Waste staff reported progress on the new transfer-station project and sought payment authority for grant-funded items. The board awarded a bid to Protainer for three 30-yard recycling roll-off containers at $37,065 and approved an interior window-treatment purchase for a new facility for $7,594.24; staff said both purchases are covered by a Minnesota Greater Recycling Grant. Solid Waste staff also asked the board to press the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for release of previously awarded construction grant funds the county has not yet been able to draw.

Routine financial business moved forward: the board approved auditor warrants for March 2025 of $1,433,724.66 and several sub‑warrant batches (commissioner warrants, health and human services warrants and SSIS warrants). The board approved personnel-related actions in an administrative package: personnel policy revisions effective Jan. 1, 2025; the termination of employee number 1053 during a probationary period; and a set of hiring eliminations and reclassifications in Health & Human Services and administrative services. Planning and zoning approved a conditional-use permit (CUP) to establish a mini-storage facility in Wykeam (Wycombe) Township, and the planning commission’s recommended conditions were adopted by the board.

Why it matters: the MnDOT request aims to convert advisory signage into enforceable speed limits at a corridor where commissioners reported recent crashes; the HHS hires and agreements are intended to maintain fraud enforcement, environmental health coverage and service capacity as program demand changes; and the financial approvals and grant acceptances move county capital and operating work forward.

Votes at a glance

- March 2025 auditor warrants — Approved (motion; roll call: Commissioners Randy Newman: yes; Lou Noszka: yes; Barb Becker: yes; Tim Denny: yes; Bob Byers: yes). Amount: $1,433,724.66.

- Commissioner warrants — Approved (roll call recorded as above). Amount: $134,662.50.

- Health & Human Services warrants — Approved (roll call recorded as above). Amount: $75,354.92.

- Health & Human Services SSIS warrants — Approved (voice vote recorded as unanimous).

- 6.1: Resolution requesting MnDOT speed-limit study on County Road 11 — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Action asks MnDOT to investigate and set a legal speed limit under Minnesota Statute 169.14, subd. 5.

- 7.1: Accept DNR boat-and-water grant to Todd County Sheriff — Approved (voice vote). Amount: $11,208 for 2025 fiscal year.

- 7.3: Purchase three in-squad camera systems (Motorola) — Approved (voice vote). Amount: $22,006.74.

- 8.1: Conditional-use permit (mini storage, Wycombe Township, parcel 280012803) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Planning commission recommended adoption with conditions.

- Fraud Prevention Investigation Program cooperative agreement (HHS, sheriff, county attorney) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Purpose: joint investigations and prosecution of SNAP/MFIP fraud.

- Reciprocal memorandum of agreement with Horizon Public Health (environmental health backup) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Purpose: interim environmental health services to support delegation for food, pools and lodging.

- Hire: Resource navigator/interpreter (HHS) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Funding: not budgeted; to be offset by eliminating a case aide position later.

- Eliminate 1 care coordinator position (Adult Services unit) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Position noted as vacant; no layoff reported.

- Hire: Accounting supervisor (administrative services; reclassify admin services manager to accounting supervisor) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Salary grade and pay range recorded by staff; position to replace administrative services manager.

- Eliminate: Administrative services manager position — Approved (unanimous voice vote).

- Hire: Two lead eligibility workers (Financial Support Services unit) — Approved (unanimous voice vote). Commissioners requested six-month performance/training update.

- 9.1: Award bid for three 30-yard recycled roll-off containers to Protainer — Approved (voice vote). Amount: $37,065 (grant-funded).

- 9.2: Purchase window treatments (new facility) — Approved (voice vote). Amount: $7,594.24.

- 11.1: Personnel policy revisions (sections 7.02, 7.04, 7.05, 7.21; effective 01/01/2025) — Approved (unanimous voice vote).

- 11.2: Terminate employee #1053 (probationary termination, effective 04/04/2025) — Approved (unanimous voice vote).

Discussion highlights and background details

- County Road 11 speed study: Public works staff read the board resolution and said MnDOT previously reviewed the corridor in 2020 and recommended no change; residents and commissioners described new crashes and persistent speeding. Staff asked the board to request a regulatory sign so the sheriff can enforce the limit; Newman said enforcement is needed so officers can write tickets.

- HHS staffing and training: Commissioners pressed HHS for a written training plan for new lead eligibility workers and asked for a follow-up report; Director Jeff Yock and staff described state-required classroom training that county staff say is time-consuming and—when delivered remotely—not fully effective. Commissioners asked HHS to return with a six-month update on whether the reorganization improves retention and case processing.

- Fraud prevention: HHS described the county’s referral and investigation process. Investigator Travis described referral sources, waiver options and administrative hearings and provided figures for savings and recoveries during the reporting period.

- Public health infectious-disease costs: Public-health staff said local containment and direct-observed therapy for a tuberculosis case generated unreimbursed charges and staff time; Catherine McAdeans said county-level costs for communicable-disease control can be substantial when state reimbursement is not available.

- Solid Waste and recycling funding: Solid Waste staff reported progress on a new transfer facility and asked for prompt execution of MPCA grant documents so the county can draw awarded construction funds; staff also urged the board to press for more state recycling money to remain available for local projects.

What the board asked for next

- Commissioners requested a six-month update from HHS after new lead eligibility workers are hired and training has been implemented.

- Solid Waste staff were asked to follow up with the MPCA on the outstanding construction-grant contract so the county can draw funds.

- County staff agreed to provide the visiting state legislators with detailed local cost numbers on disability waiver residential cost-share implications and other program funding impacts discussed during a later work session.

Ending

The board adjourned after a work session with state lawmakers that covered sentence-to-service funding, SSIS system modernization, mental-health placement waits and other county concerns. Commissioners and department heads said they will continue to supply legislators with local cost figures and to ask for state support where unfunded mandates arise.

Source: Todd County Board of Commissioners meeting transcript, April 15, 2025. All direct quotes are attributed to meeting speakers as recorded in the transcript.