Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fingerprinting Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Morrison County declines to extend Idemia/Identigo fingerprinting contract; county service will end Jan. 31
Summary
After extensive discussion about cost, vendor responsiveness and community impacts, the Morrison County Board voted down a proposal to extend the state-contracted Idemia/Identigo fingerprinting service; the contract will expire Jan. 31, 2026, and county staff will monitor transition options including a potential handoff to Focus Living.
The Morrison County Board on Jan. 6 voted not to extend the county's fingerprinting service under the state-awarded vendor Idemia/Identigo, leaving the termination notice to stand and the county contract to expire Jan. 31, 2026.
Health and Human Services director Nathan Bertram told the board the county received about $4,523 from fingerprinting in 2025 and completed roughly 1,260 appointments with 54 no-shows. He said the service has been hampered by vendor responsiveness and that the existing contract requires five-day-a-week coverage and restricts the county's ability to change hours or fees.
Bertram described an emerging local option: Focus Living, a community adult-foster-care provider, had indicated it was pursuing the vendor onboarding to provide fingerprinting services in-county. But Bertram said county staff have been unable to secure consistent communications with Idemia/Identigo to coordinate a smooth transition.
Commissioners discussed multiple factors: the direct operating loss (Bertram estimated county staffing and related costs at roughly $20,000–$30,000 versus receipts of about $4,500), the effect on local CNA students and employers who use backgrounding, and the limits imposed by a sole state-contracted vendor. Several commissioners urged fiscal discipline and standing by the October budget decision to end the service; others stressed community impacts and urged negotiation or a short extension.
Administrator LeBlanc proposed a 90-day extension not to exceed April 30 to allow time for a transition to Focus Living or renegotiation; Commissioner Greg Casper moved the extension and a second was recorded. In roll-call voting the motion failed: Commissioner Casper voted Aye; Commissioner Winter Nay; Commissioner Moran Aye; Commissioner Lemire No; Chair Greg Blaine Nay. The motion did not pass and the county will not extend the Identigo service beyond Jan. 31.
Bertram said HHS staff will continue trying to coordinate with the vendor and Focus Living and will update the board before the end of January if significant developments occur.
The board did not adopt any alternative contracting or funding plan at the meeting; the October budget decision to discontinue county-provided Identigo fingerprinting stands.
