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Rice County commissioners approve permits, contracts and $55,000 opioid funding; move to closed session on property offers
Summary
At its Aug. 26 meeting the Rice County Board approved routine agenda items, liquor-permit renewals, a MetLife paid-leave vendor, authorization to enter a case-management contract, a preliminary plat (six lots) using TDRs, a 1 MW solar interim-use permit, and up to $55,000 to support an interim mobile opioid support-team coordinator; the board also voted to enter closed session for property negotiations.
The Rice County Board of Commissioners took a series of routine and policy actions at its Aug. 26 meeting.
Key votes and motions
- Agenda approval: Motion carried by voice vote. - Minutes (Aug. 12, 2025): Approved (motion by Commissioner Underdahl, seconded by Commissioner Peters). - Windham Shady Acres Resort: Renewal of consumption and display liquor permit for Aug. 26–Mar. 31, 2026 — approved by voice vote. - Church of Saint Patrick (Shieldsville): Temporary 3.2% malt liquor license for Oct. 25, 2025 — approved by voice vote. - MetLife contract: Approved to implement the county’s paid family leave program effective Jan. 1; motion carried by voice vote. Human-resources staff confirmed the vendor arrangement does not make the position a county employee. - Case-management system contract: Board authorized entering a contract and preliminary budget adjustments to implement a new case-management system; staff estimated current-year budgeted $30,000 and possible 2026 budget near $32,000 depending on data-conversion costs. - Willinger Development Corp: Preliminary plat using transfer development rights (six single-family lots) — planning commission recommended approval with nine conditions; board approved. - RPMN Solar 1 LLC: Renewable/interim-use permit for a 1-megawatt solar production facility in Walcott Township — planning commission recommended approval with 15 conditions; board approved. - Consent agenda (overtime report, payment of bills, personnel appointments): Approved. - Opioid support-team coordinator funding: The board approved up to $55,000 in opioid-litigation funds to cover wages, benefits and business expenses for an interim coordinator through Jan. 31 to fill a funding gap; the coordinator is not a county employee. - Closed session: The board approved a motion to enter closed session under Minnesota Statute 13D.05, subd. 3(c)(3) to develop or consider offers or counteroffers for parcels 1831126266, 1831126265, 1831126267 and 1831126264. The meeting recessed and later adjourned.
Several motions recorded the mover and seconder when offered; all listed approvals passed by voice vote during the meeting.
What the record did not show
The board approved several items subject to planning-commission conditions, but the meeting record does not include the text of those conditions or full budget documents; vote tallies beyond voice approval were not recorded in the transcript.
