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Votes at a glance: Stevens County board approves fleet purchase, contracts, grants and personnel actions
Summary
At the meeting the board approved a pickup purchase, advertising for a road reclamation project, a chip-and-fog-seal contract, insurance RFP award, ethics-policy changes, opioid grant awards, assessor contracts and personnel backfills; most motions passed by voice vote, with one recorded abstention on a kinship grant.
The Stevens County Board of Commissioners recorded a series of votes during the meeting. Key outcomes are summarized below.
Pickup purchase: The board approved purchase of a 2026-model pickup (Silverado 1500) from a fleet vendor; commissioners amended the motion to include applicable sales tax and discussed using equipment budgets and the sale of the old vehicle to offset the overage. The motion passed by voice vote.
Road project advertisement: Commissioners authorized advertising sealed bids for full-depth reclamation project SPE756AP017 / SAP 75609040 (construction scheduled for 2026); motion carried by voice vote.
Pavement preservation contract: Board approved a $46,100 chip-and-fog-seal contract with Morrisseal and Trucking and designated human-services reserve funds as the payment source; motion carried by voice vote after amendment specifying the funding source.
Insurance RFP (Paid Family Medical Leave): The county's insurance committee recommended and the board approved awarding the RFP to MetLife at a quoted rate (0.79%) with a two-year rate guarantee and recommended ancillary changes to short-term disability coverage to streamline claims processing. The motion carried by voice vote.
Ethics and conflict-of-interest policy: Commissioners approved expanded ethics policy language and an annual public‑interest/recusal attachment to be kept on file with the county auditor; motion carried by voice vote.
Personnel actions: The board accepted the resignation of a child-protection social worker and approved backfill advertising; two deputy sheriff positions were reported as filled (names and start dates provided). The board approved a job description combining legal-assistance and victim-witness-coordinator duties that will be partially grant-funded.
Opioid grants: The board approved a package of opioid-related grant awards recommended by the regional advisory council covering multi-county projects and Stevens County–specific awards. A motion to approve a kinship training grant ($720) passed with one commissioner recorded as abstaining; the remainder of the grant package was approved by voice vote.
Assessor contracts and solid-waste plan amendment: The board approved multi‑year assessor-service contracts with the cities of Morris and Donnelly and agreed to a contract extension with the regional development commission for the county's 10‑year solid-waste management plan to allow MPCA review.
All motions recorded in the meeting packet were carried unless noted; most votes were taken by voice. Details and procurement amounts were discussed on the record and are included in the meeting materials submitted to the county clerk.
