Polk County commissioners elect chair, approve tax abatement and a suite of contracts and personnel actions

Mark was elected chair of the Polk County Board of Commissioners and Joan Lee was elected vice chair as the board opened its first meeting of the year, then moved to approve a package of resolutions, contracts and personnel items.

The board approved a housing incentive tax abatement for the city of East Grand Forks (resolution 25-05) following a public hearing. Commissioners also adopted resolutions naming delegates and alternates to the Association of Minnesota Counties (resolution 25-04) and approved several transportation and trail grant resolutions so the county can act as sponsor or fiscal agent for federal and state grant applications (resolutions 2025-06, 2025-07 and 2025-08).

In routine business the board adopted federal reimbursement and lodging rates and the IRS mileage rate (70¢ per mile) for 2025, amended the personnel manual to set an 18% maximum tip reimbursement benchmark for county meal reimbursements, and selected newspapers for official publication and the delinquent tax list.

Labor and personnel items approved included the county's final collective bargaining agreement presented at the meeting for Solid Waste Management employees (the last of eight bargaining units to be ratified), authorization to post and hire for open sheriff deputy and telecommunicator positions, and multiple human services staffing and…