Clay County commissioners approve multiple project payments and award juvenile-center food contract
Summary
The Clay County Board approved final contract vouchers for a joint facility roof and multiple bridge projects, authorized an MnDOT snowmobile-trail permit extension, approved advertisement for a mill-and-overlay, and awarded the juvenile-center food service contract to Trinity Food Services starting Feb. 7.
At its Jan. 13 meeting, the Clay County Board of Commissioners approved several contract payments, extended a limited-use permit for snowmobile trails, authorized a project advertisement and awarded a multi-site food service contract.
On a series of motions, the board approved a final contract voucher for the joint facility roof project with a total contract figure presented as $440,691 and Clay County’s share reported as $198,310.95. The board then approved a final federal bridge contract (SP014-614-001) for $1,731,601.37; county staff noted a standard federal closeout item (DBE/civil-rights approval) must clear before final payment. The board also approved three tied bridge-replacement final vouchers (SAP014-598-079 for $326,380.20; SAP014-599-105 for $195,544.00; and SAP014-599-114 for $140,961.00) after staff explained overages were driven by unanticipated site work (bypass channel excavation, over-excavation and backfill).
The board approved Amendment No. 2 to the MnDOT limited-use permit and adopted Resolution 2026-05 to extend snowmobile-trail use across Clay County for an additional 10 years.
The board approved advertising for a mill-and-overlay project (SAP014609010) on Kasaw 9 from Trunk Highway 10 to Kasaw 18 with a proposed letting date of Feb. 24, 2026.
On procurement, county staff recommended the food-service contract for the West Central Regional Juvenile Center, correctional facility and withdrawal-management program be awarded to Trinity Food Services based on an objective evaluation that weighted price, vendor references, plan of operation, nutrition and past compliance. Staff reported Trinity’s juvenile-center line item represented a 26% increase relative to the prior contract for that facility but said commodity credits available through the National School Lunch Program could reduce juvenile-center net costs by up to 45 cents per meal. Commissioner Krabenhoft moved to award the contract to Trinity effective Feb. 7; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
Board members made the approvals by voice votes; no roll-call tallies were read into the record in the transcript.
Next steps noted in discussion: county staff will complete federal closeout requirements for the SP014 bridge project before issuing final payment and proceed with project lettings and contract starts on the dates approved by the board.
