County board handles procedural items, absentee/canvas board appointments, labor agreement authorization and committee confirmations

In routine business at the Dec. 30 meeting Crow Wing County commissioners took several administrative and procedural actions.

The board approved the Dec. 16, 2025 minutes and accepted the consent agenda by roll call. Staff requested establishment of the 2026 absentee ballot board under Minnesota statute; the board approved the resolution to establish an absentee ballot board to standardize processing of returned absentee ballots. The board also appointed two canvas board members (Commissioner Lee and Commissioner Crane) to canvass 2026 election results, consistent with the statutory requirement that canvassers not appear on the ballot.

The board approved a two‑year transportation service agreement with a bus contractor to provide inmate transport during jail evacuations; the agreement sets per‑use rates and does not require a retainer. Commissioners approved an AFSCME labor agreement covering roughly 89 employees, which incorporates state paid‑leave language (50/50 premium split), moves clothing allowance to monthly payments and makes short‑term disability voluntary. The chair, HR manager and county administrator were authorized to sign the AFSCME contract effective Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2028.

Finally, the board confirmed appointments to citizen committees and affirmatively approved two directors (Michael Workman and Eric Hegland) for the Serpent Lake Sanitary Sewer District as submitted by that district. The meeting adjourned with a motion by Commissioner Francine.