Dave Johnson, a retired teacher and the coordinator for the county-supported weather-balloon program, used public comment time to thank the board for recent sidewalk and pedestrian-island projects on Rice Lake Road and to update commissioners on school launches.

"We're in about our thirteenth year of launching the weather balloon with your support," Johnson said, and described successful launches by Piedmont Elementary, Marshall School, Hibbing High School and others. He told commissioners that the launches provide hands-on science learning in graphing, atmospheric pressure and data analysis and encouraged them to read thank-you letters from a sixth-grade class.

An unidentified speaker on the dais also affirmed the program's positive impact, saying classes that engage in the project have reported positive experiences. The remarks in the provided transcript were expressions of appreciation and did not include requests for new funding or formal action.