Clay County commissioners approve MnDOT bridge grants, workforce and housing aid, and personnel actions

The Clay County Board of Commissioners on an otherwise routine morning approved multiple transportation grant resolutions, authorized payment of county bills, approved a personnel refill and signed off on two housing grant contracts aimed at preventing homelessness and supporting affordable housing.

The board approved three Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) grant agreements and related county resolutions for bridge projects, accepted payment of bills and vouchers, approved minutes from Jan. 21, 2025 with a spelling correction, authorized refilling a vacant welfare fraud investigator position and contracted state funding for local homeless prevention and statewide affordable housing aid.

Why it matters: the MnDOT grants unlock state bond funds for local bridge replacements and require a county resolution to accept and administer the award. The housing and homeless contracts route Department of Revenue allocations through county contracts to local providers for direct services; the personnel actions restore capacity for fraud investigations that county staff said have risen sharply since the COVID-era dip.

Transportation grants and routine business

Justin, a county staff member who presented the MnDOT items, said the county received nearly $700,000 in bridge-bonding for a Cassaw County bridge project and that “the road will be closing February 20.” Commissioners voted to approve the three MnDOT grant agreements and the associated resolutions. The board also approved payment of bills and vouchers and the minutes from Jan. 21, 2025 (with an amended spelling correction), each by motion and unanimous voice vote.

Personnel and fraud caseloads

Quinn Yeager, county staff, asked the board to refill a vacant welfare fraud investigator position after a 12-year veteran resigned for a state role. Yeager said fraud case counts dropped from “over 500 prior to COVID” to 274 in 2022 and rose again to 638 last year; he also explained that 1.25 full-time equivalent of the position is funded by a state and federal fraud-prevention grant. Yeager provided wage-calculator figures showing a projected salary-schedule change would reduce the wage-calculator estimate by $22,246 but, after grant accounting, would yield an estimated net cost savings of $5,044. The board approved refilling the position by unanimous voice vote.

Local homeless prevention and affordable housing aid

Yeager presented two Department of Revenue-funded programs and recommended contracts to distribute them. For state fiscal 2025 the board approved awarding $303,126 in Local Homeless Prevention Aid to a partnership led by CAPLP (CAP LP) together with Moorhead Public Schools and Churches United; the contract funds an outreach/housing navigation advocate at CAP LP, shelter advocates at Micah’s Mission (Churches United) and a full-time position at Moorhead Area Public Schools targeted at Native American families. Yeager said the allocation is paid in two installments (July 20 and Dec. 26). The board approved the CAP LP contract by unanimous voice vote.

Separately, the board approved awarding $68,698 in Statewide Affordable Housing Aid to Clay County HRA. According to Yeager, the HRA will use the funds to support operations at Gateway Gardens and Bright Sky Apartments and to assist recently added housing support clients; those funds are also paid in two installments. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

Closed session follow-up: pay discussions

The board convened a closed session under Minnesota Statute 13D.05, subdivision 3(b), for union negotiations. After returning to open session commissioners moved to direct Human Resources to readdress existing memoranda of understanding for sergeant and deputy first-class pay. The motion directing HR to proceed was approved by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Agenda approval: motion by Commissioner Baer, second by Commissioner Ebinger; outcome: approved (voice vote). - MnDOT grant agreement and Resolution 20 20 five-seven (SP014614-1): motion offered; outcome: approved (voice vote). - MnDOT grant agreement and Resolution 20 20 five-eight (SAP014597003, Dilworth partnership): motion offered; outcome: approved (voice vote). - MnDOT grant agreement and Resolution 20 20 five-nine (different street in Dilworth / joint project): motion offered; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Small city allotment Resolution 20 20 five-ten (Moorhead turnback payment noted): motion offered; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Payment of bills and vouchers: motion by Commissioner Kravinoff, second by Commissioner Ebinger; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Minutes (01/21/2025) approval with spelling correction: motion offered and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Refill vacant welfare fraud investigator position: motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Local Homeless Prevention Aid contract selection with CAP LP (total $303,126 for SFY 2025): motion by Commissioner Ebinger (mover recorded), second recorded; outcome: approved (voice vote). Contract to be signed immediately upon approval; funds paid in two installments (July 20 and Dec. 26). - Statewide Affordable Housing Aid contract with Clay County HRA (total $68,698): motion offered and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). Funds paid in two installments (July 20 and Dec. 26). - Direction to HR to readdress sergeant and deputy first-class pay (follow-up to closed session): motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote).

What the board did not decide

The board heard an extensive presentation from the West Central Regional Water District (see separate article) but took no district-level action to commit county funds during that presentation; commissioners signaled they plan further discussion about a potential county contribution to short-term project funding at a future meeting.

— End —