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Wabasha County commissioners elect leaders, approve routine business and set public hearing
Summary
At its first meeting of the year, the Wabasha County Board of Commissioners elected Commissioner Key as chair and Commissioner Robbie as vice chair, approved the consent agenda and a low bid for the county legal newspaper, set a Feb. 4 public hearing on state-aid fund transfers and recessed to a closed session on pending litigation.
Commissioner Key was elected board chair for 2025 and Commissioner Robbie was elected vice chair during the Wabasha County Board of Commissioners’ first meeting of the year.
The board approved a multi-item consent agenda that included acceptance of donations to county departments, appointment and reappointments to the extension committee, approval of a statewide affordable housing use-of-funds agreement, a 2025 fee schedule, updates to WNB financial signature authority, authorization for transportation project solicitations and the purchase of two Dodge Durangos. The consent agenda passed on a voice vote.
County staff opened three bids to serve as the county’s official legal newspaper for 2025. Bids were $10.40 per SAU from the Lake City Graphic, $10.30 from the Plainview News and $10.20 from the Wabasha County Herald. The board approved the Wabasha County Herald’s bid as the low bidder.
Dietrich Flasch, identified as Wabasha County engineer, described a requested transfer of municipal state aid construction account funds into the county’s regular state aid construction account. "The purpose of the public hearing as required by state statute is for the transfer of the county's municipal state aid construction account funds into the county's regular state aid construction account funds," Flasch said. The board set a public hearing for Feb. 4, 2025, at 9:15 a.m. to consider the transfer.
The board reviewed committee assignments and left most memberships unchanged; it confirmed the longstanding practice that the board chair and vice chair serve on the negotiation and budget committees. The board also approved its 2025 meeting calendar, keeping the regular schedule of the first and third Tuesdays of each month, with noted exceptions for truth-in-taxation and Board of Equalization meetings.
Before adjourning the open session, the board recessed to a closed session to consult with retained counsel Anne Gehring "pursuant to Minnesota statute 13 d 0.05 subdivision 3 b" regarding ongoing litigation related to the setting of an elected official salary.
Votes at a glance: - Election of chair: Commissioner Key — approved by voice vote. Nominated by Commissioner Mike Wabbe and Commissioner Springer; second was recorded. Outcome: elected chair for 2025. - Election of vice chair: Commissioner Robbie — approved by voice vote. Nominated and seconded on the floor. Outcome: elected vice chair for 2025. - Consent agenda: approved (items include donations, appointments/reappointments to extension committee, housing fund transfer to housing trust fund, statewide affordable housing agreement, 2025 fee schedule, WNB signature authority updates, transportation bid authorizations, purchase of two Dodge Durangos). Motion moved and seconded; voice vote carried. - Legal newspaper contract: Awarded to Wabasha County Herald at $10.20 per SAU. Motion moved and seconded; voice vote carried. - Public hearing set: Transfer of municipal state aid funds into regular state aid construction account — scheduled for Feb. 4, 2025, at 9:15 a.m. Motion moved and seconded; voice vote carried. - Committee appointments: Approved as presented; budget and negotiation committees assigned to chair and vice chair. Motion moved and seconded; voice vote carried. - 2025 meeting dates: Approved as presented. Motion moved and seconded; voice vote carried.
The board recessed to closed session to consult with counsel about an ongoing salary-setting litigation matter.
