Pine County Board approves hires, grants access updates and holds several unanimous votes

The Pine County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on a package of routine and personnel items during its Oct. 21 meeting, approving an auditor‑treasurer hire, updating financial signers, authorizing a commissioner to sit on second‑round interviews for an environmental services manager, keeping 2026 health insurance rates flat and approving a resolution to update county access to the Rural Utilities Service online system for the county’s ReConnect award.

Why it matters: The motions confirm new county leadership in finance and update administrative access tied to ongoing broadband projects while preserving the county’s current health insurance rate structure for employees. Several of the votes also clear the way for an amended parks grant after a DNR easement blocked planned work.

The board approved the following actions (voice votes; motions brought and seconded, board voice votes recorded as "aye"):

- Hire of Mary Jensen as Pine County auditor‑treasurer, effective Oct. 27, 2025, at a starting hourly wage recorded in the meeting as $48.22. The board moved and seconded the hire and approved the motion. The meeting record shows discussion that the proposed rate is the starting (lowest) step for the position and that multiple applicants had been screened.

- Designation of Mary Jensen (auditor‑treasurer) and Melissa Byrd (chief deputy county auditor‑treasurer) as authorized signers on county financial accounts, effective Oct. 27, 2025. Motion moved, seconded and approved.

- Authorization for a county commissioner (Commissioner Nelson or alternate as determined by the board) to participate in second‑round interviews for the environmental services manager position. The board moved, seconded and approved the request after staff explained the prior top candidate declined the offer and the job involves direct work with the board and planning/zoning.

- Setting health insurance rates for 2026 at no increase from 2025. The insurance committee and staff recommended leaving rates unchanged to protect reserves amid projected claim growth and several high‑cost claimants that have triggered stop‑loss coverage. The motion carried by voice vote.

- Adoption of a resolution (identified in the meeting as Resolution 2025‑35) to update authorized users in the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) online reporting system tied to the county’s ReConnect award. The board moved and approved the resolution so staff could continue required quarterly reporting for the broadband project east of Hinkley.

- Approval to amend a prior agreement and move up to $25,000 of dedicated parks and recreation funds from the Big Bend Park project to improvements at Willow River Dam Park after a DNR wild and scenic river easement prevented the originally planned work at Big Bend Park. The board moved, seconded and approved the amendment.

- Reappointment of Kurt Mangan to the University of Minnesota Extension Committee for a three‑year term effective Jan. 1, 2026. Motion moved, seconded and approved.

No roll‑call vote tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript; the board took voice votes for each motion with "aye" recorded for approval.

What remains: Several informational items discussed in the meeting — including technology upgrades, property auction procedures and commissioner updates on regional projects — did not require immediate board action and were handled as reports.

Minutes and consent items were also approved early in the meeting by voice vote.