Hubbard County approves land purchase, grant resolutions and personnel changes while leaders warn of major state cost shifts

Hubbard County commissioners on Jan. 28 voted to approve a series of routine purchases and resolutions and spent the bulk of the meeting hearing extended briefings on proposed state budget changes that county staff say could raise local costs by roughly $1.1 million.

County officials approved buying a parcel of MnDOT land to continue operating the La Porte recycling site and signed off on several grant-related and equipment purchases. Commissioners also approved updated personnel-policy language and asked county staff to draft a formal letter to state lawmakers opposing a proposed reduction in aquatic invasive-species prevention aid in the governor’s budget.

Why it matters: County officials said the governor’s preliminary budget would shift several state program costs to counties — including waiver services, corrections-related programs and behavioral health placements — and that the cumulative effect could substantially increase Hubbard County’s levy or force service reductions. Staff recommended immediate outreach to legislators and the governor to request changes or mitigation.

The board’s actions

- Land purchase for La Porte recycling site: The board approved purchasing a portion of a MnDOT parcel that Hubbard County has been leasing, at a purchase price of $17,000, so the county can continue operating the La Porte recycling site. The motion to approve was made and seconded; the chair called the voice vote and the motion carried.

- Organics grant partnership and equipment: County environmental staff described plans to use a $1,500,000 MPCA organics grant to add hauling capacity and containers. Under the plan discussed, Beltrami County would purchase a live-floor trailer (estimated $105,000–$110,000) and add it to its fleet; Hubbard County would submit paperwork to MPCA and reimburse Beltrami County for the grant portion (approximately 75% of the trailer cost) while Beltrami would cover the local 25% match. Commissioners heard this as an update and were told a formal purchase quote for roll-off containers will be brought to a future meeting.

- Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) resolution: The board approved a resolution to accept the 2023 EMPG and pursue reimbursement from the state for eligible emergency-management wages. The total grant amount presented for reimbursement was $21,158.

- Jail equipment purchase: Commissioners approved the low quote to replace an end-of-life washing machine at the Hubbard County Jail; the low bid presented was $12,127 from RJ Cool of Mendota Heights, to be paid from the jail’s budgeted equipment funds.

- Support for aquatic invasive-species (AIS) funding: Environmental services staff presented a request from Wildlife Forever, CD3 Systems and Minnesota Lakes and Rivers to cosign a letter urging the governor to maintain current AIS prevention aid that is in statute. After discussion, the board voted to join the request and to have county staff share a county‑level correspondence with legislators and the governor opposing the proposed cuts.

- Personnel policy updates: The board approved multiple revisions to the county personnel policy, including reorganizing leave-of-absence language into a consolidated benefits section, updating employer‑contribution language so annual changes are communicated in an employee benefits summary rather than fixed policy text, adding clarification for earned sick and safe time to reflect 2024 legislative changes, and adding a new leave category for candidacy for public office. Staff said labor counsel had reviewed the updates.

- Ambulance service district formation: The board adopted a resolution establishing organization terms for a multi-county ambulance service district in which Cass County will be the lead county and identified Hubbard County’s representatives as the participating district seats; the district will have authority to levy for 2026 and beyond. Commissioners discussed interim reimbursement for per diem in 2025 and agreed the county will cover participation costs until the district has an operating budget.

Discussion highlights: state cost-shift and program pressures

County Administrator Bridal (county administrator) and Human Services Director (name not specified in the transcript) led a long discussion about proposed changes in the governor’s budget that county staff and the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) warn could shift costs to counties. The items discussed included:

- Waivered services (adult waivers): staff said directed changes would remove the ability to maintain a wait list; under current program rules the county has no option to deny eligible requests, and the county estimates the shift could increase local costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars. The county estimated roughly $800,000 as one possible impact for adult waivers, though staff emphasized the figure depends on final state language and caseloads.

- Corrections / offender programs: a proposed change to cost‑sharing percentages for certain offender programs was described as a potential multi‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar impact; county staff said the change to a 40% local share on some offender program costs could materially affect budgets if placements or caseloads increase.

- Behavioral health / direct care placements: staff described instances where the county has paid several thousands of dollars per day for out‑of‑county emergency holds (for example, inpatient days billed by local hospitals under host-county arrangements), and said lack of local control over some placements complicates county budgeting.

County officials said the combined impacts across programs could total roughly $1.1 million for Hubbard County, representing about a 5% increase to the total property tax levy and a 20–26% increase to the Human Services levy, based on the county’s conservative estimates. Commissioners directed staff to draft a formal letter summarizing these impacts and to coordinate with AMC and regional partners ahead of the legislative conference.

What comes next

County staff will draft and send a letter summarizing the budget impacts to the county’s legislators and Governor Walz and will circulate the draft to the board for review. Environmental services staff will bring formal procurement quotes for organics roll‑off containers at a future meeting. The ambulance district will be organized and its first meetings scheduled under administrative support provided by the lead county (Cass). The board also said county representatives will consider attending the upcoming legislative conference to discuss the proposed budget shifts with state representatives.

Ending: Commissioners closed the meeting after routine committee reports and several updates; board members reiterated that, while Hubbard County believes it is comparatively well‑positioned fiscally, the proposed state changes could create significant pressure for some neighboring counties and would merit immediate advocacy by local officials.