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County administrator summarizes 2024 accomplishments, priorities for 2025
Summary
Clay County’s annual state‑of‑the‑county address outlined departmental accomplishments in 2024 and set legislative priorities for 2025, including advocacy for a psychiatric residential treatment facility, 911 funding, and flood diversion funding.
A county staff presentation at the Jan. 7 Clay County Board of Commissioners meeting outlined the county’s 2024 accomplishments across departments and listed legislative priorities for 2025.
The address highlighted new or upgraded facilities — a remodeled Department of Motor Vehicles center and a new withdrawal management (detox) facility — and reported operational changes across assessor, auditor‑treasurer, recorder, planning and zoning, human resources, veterans services, probation and parole, the sheriff’s office, social services, public health, the county attorney’s office, the West Central Regional Juvenile Center and county technology and GIS teams.
Specific figures presented included planning and zoning approvals (203 building permits in 2024), workforce numbers (695 employees and 186 new hires Jan–Nov 2024), WIC participation (about 1,450 women, infants and children monthly), clinical services counts (33 COVID vaccines and 329 other vaccines reported), and county budget totals. The board adopted the annual operating budget and tax levy in December 2024; the presenter reported 2025 total expenses estimated at $123,990,095 and a property tax levy of $44,866,746. The county reported net growth in new construction of 1.15% and a net levy increase of 4.45% for 2025.
Department highlights included the sheriff’s office adding body‑worn cameras in the correctional facility, two deputies funded through Minnesota public safety grant dollars, and the correctional facility reporting heavy detention numbers with bookings noted; the 48‑hour rule for committed mentally ill individuals was reported as suspended until June 30, 2025. Social services named Quinn Jagger as incoming social services director; the assessor’s office reported the reappointment of Jill Murray to a four‑year term.
County legislative priorities presented for 2025 were: securing adequate 911 funding, advocating for a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) in the county to improve regional children’s mental health capacity, and seeking continued funding for the FM Area diversion (Metro Flood Diversion Authority) project.
The presentation closed with the board’s thanks to staff and a call for continued regional cooperation on projects such as flood diversion and the PRTF planning effort.
