The Nicollet County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of routine annual resolutions and several departmental items during its Jan. 7, 2025 meeting, adopting updated procurement policies, delegating signing authorities, accepting a federal boating safety grant for the sheriff’s office and setting a public hearing on a drainage petition.

Major actions

- The board voted to accept a federal boating safety equipment grant of $8,999 for the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Lang said the funds will pay to replace three dive suits that “have been around since I first became sheriff over 20 years ago, and they have exceeded their expectancy.” The grant was approved by motion and voice vote.

- The board approved updated county procurement policies, including a separate federal grant/award procurement policy and a change raising the micro-purchase threshold from $10,000 to $25,000. Finance staff said the revisions also add tables to clarify procurement methods and introduce single-quote, sole-source and emergency procurement forms intended to assist department buyers. The policies were approved by motion and voice vote.

- The board approved a resolution authorizing county funds for employee recognition events under Minnesota Statute 15.46 and the Nicollet County employee handbook. The resolution lists events such as a summer picnic, retirement recognition and milestone anniversary awards. A roll-call vote on that resolution recorded affirmative votes from commissioners present and the motion passed.

- The board approved delegation of electronic funds transfer (EFT) authority under Minnesota Statute 471.38, subdivision 3(a); and approved other routine administrative items including the 2025 meeting and workshop schedule (Minn. Stat. 375.07), designation of the Saint Peter Herald as the official county newspaper for publications in 2025, and authorization to use the county website for advertising transportation project bids consistent with Minnesota statute referenced in the packet.

- Health and Human Services items approved included annual delegation of contract execution authority to the HHS director, an amended Community Health Services administrator resolution allowing Brianna Allen to submit invoices and a Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) memorandum of agreement that extends partnership through Oct. 31, 2025. Cassie, speaking for HHS, said the SHIP MOA “gets us through this grant agreement, and gives us the rest of the year to determine how we will move forward with SHIP following February.” These items were approved by motion and roll call where indicated.

- The county attorney brought two additional delegation agreements for township cannabis regulation—Ridgeley and Cortland townships—for the chair’s signature; the board approved the chair to sign those agreements. The county attorney noted outstanding delegation agreements from Lake Prairie and Travers townships may still be pending.

- The county drainage authority set a public hearing on the preliminary engineer’s report for County Ditch 38A for Feb. 11, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the Nicollet County Boardroom. Public Services staff noted the date and time were coordinated with the engineer and the petitioner’s attorney.

Votes at a glance

(Where roll-call tallies were recorded in the minutes, the roll-call names below reproduce the meeting record. Where actions were approved by voice vote, the tally is recorded as approved by voice.)

- Acceptance of federal boating safety equipment grant, $8,999 — Approved (voice vote).
- Resolution authorizing county funds for employee recognition events (Minn. Stat. 15.46; employee handbook ch. 7) — Approved (roll call recorded in meeting packet; commissioners present voted yes).
- Procurement policy and federal grant procurement policy (updates including micro-purchase threshold increase to $25,000) — Approved (voice vote).
- Resolution delegating EFT authority (Minn. Stat. 471.38, subd. 3(a)) — Approved (roll call where recorded).
- HHS: delegation of contract authority to HHS director (02/2025) — Approved (roll call recorded).
- Community Health Services administrator resolution (allowing Brianna Allen to submit invoices) — Approved (roll call recorded).
- SHIP memorandum of agreement (01/01/2025–10/31/2025) — Approved (roll call recorded).
- 2025 board meeting and workshop schedule resolution (Minn. Stat. 375.07) — Approved (roll call recorded).
- 2025 gopher bounty resolution ($1 per gopher reimbursement to townships) — Approved (roll call recorded).
- Designation of Saint Peter Herald as official newspaper for 2025 publications — Approved (roll call recorded).
- Resolution authorizing use of the Nicollet County website for transportation project advertising — Approved (roll call recorded).
- Resolution establishing 2025 committee meeting and board assignments qualifying for per diem — Approved (roll call recorded).
- County attorney: approve chair signature on delegation agreements for Ridgeley and Cortland townships (cannabis regulation) — Approved (voice vote/roll call as recorded).
- Drainage authority: set public hearing for preliminary engineer’s report for County Ditch 38A — Approved (motion and second; hearing set for Feb. 11, 2025 at 10 a.m.).

What the record shows and what it does not

The meeting record documents motions, roll-call approvals and voice votes for routine, largely administrative items. Several items referenced Minnesota statutes (for example, Minn. Stat. 15.46 for employee recognition and Minn. Stat. 471.38 for EFT delegation) and federal uniform guidance/CFR for procurement alignment; the board adopted updated policies intended to align county practice with those authorities. The Office of Cannabis Management’s state-level rulemaking remains unresolved, and county staff noted the board may need to revisit local ordinance language after state rules are finalized.

Department updates and other discussion

Public Health/Environmental Health: HHS staff reported free radon testing kits distributed at North Mankato locations were quickly exhausted; staff said procured or purchased kits could be stocked and possibly sold at cost, and the board indicated willingness to consider purchasing additional kits during budget discussions.

Facilities: County staff reported a weekend vehicle crash damaged the front of the North Mankato building; staff marked off one entrance for debris and indicated the building remains accessible via a second front entrance and the rear entrance used by staff.

Next steps

Several approved delegations and policy updates will be implemented by county staff; the drainage authority will publish notice and hold the Feb. 11 public hearing on County Ditch 38A. The board’s annual committee assignments and per-diem list are in effect and will guide commissioner representation through 2025.