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Clearwater County Board elects 2026 officers, authorizes IT purchases, hires forester and approves contracts
Summary
At its Jan. 6 meeting the Clearwater County Board of Commissioners elected Mark Titera chair for 2026, approved IT purchases and maintenance totaling up to $433,700, authorized hiring a county forester, and approved two roadside herbicide agreements for 2026–2027.
The Clearwater County Board of Commissioners convened Jan. 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. with Chairman Dukek presiding and Commissioners Larson, Titera, Emmel and Ramsrud present. The Board elected Mark Titera as chairman for 2026 and Bruce Emmel as vice‑chairman, approved routine minutes and adopted meeting procedures and dates for the year.
The Board authorized two IT expenditures: up to $130,000 for 2026 computer replacements and technology upgrades from the IT General Equipment fund and up to $303,700 for computer and software maintenance, upgrades and support agreements from the IT Computer Expense fund. Both motions carried on voice action with commissioners recorded as mover and seconder in the minutes.
On personnel matters the Board authorized the County Land Commissioner to hire Joshua Moede as County Forester at grade 18 step 1 with a tentative start date of Feb. 2, 2026. The Board also approved moving Maiingan Johnson to a full‑time Communications Correction Officer (CCO) effective Jan. 4, 2026; that motion was presented by Vern Wittenberg and carried.
Under Environmental Services, the Board approved two 2026–2027 roadside herbicide spraying agreements with Roy Abraham/Noxious Weed Control. The agreements set rates at $142 per hour for a spray rig with operator and $75 per hour for a water truck with driver for right‑of‑way backslope spraying, and $155 per hour for a spray rig with operator and $75 per hour for water truck with driver for in‑slope and ditch spraying.
Financial and administrative actions included authorization for the County Auditor to pay submitted invoices totaling $95,741.09 from the County Revenue Fund and $2,865.08 from the Public Health Fund; acceptance of a $7.40 per column inch bid from Farmers Independent for the county’s 2026 legal publishing; and designation of Farmers Independent as the county’s legal paper for 2026. The County Engineer was authorized to advertise county highway projects on the county website under Minnesota Statutes 331a.12.
The Board re‑adopted its three‑day notice requirement for motions and resolutions (with a waiver available by general consent), re‑adopted Robert’s Rules of Order as a meeting guideline, authorized the coordinator to publish summaries of approved minutes, and authorized the auditor to pay certain routine, previously‑authorized bills prior to Board review (with an audit list to be provided after payment and the Board Chair to sign the approved list).
The Board approved its regular 2026 meeting schedule (second Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. and third Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.) and the 2026 Department/Work Session dates. The meeting adjourned at 10:07 a.m. The minutes were dated Jan. 20, 2026 and bear the signatures of Board Coordinator Lori Lewis and Chairman Mark Titera.
