Hubbard County commissioners agree to draft letter urging delay or funding for MAFA implementation

Commissioners discussed an email from Representative Christa Kenudson asking counties to press DFL leadership on the upcoming MAFA child-welfare changes. The board agreed by consensus to ask staff to draft and send a letter to state leaders that requests a delay in implementation, substantial revision if legal or equity concerns persist, and full state funding to prevent counties from absorbing new costs.

A commissioner summarized Representative Kenudson's request, saying the county should raise three points with legislative leaders: delay implementation until counties, courts and agencies can assess operational impacts and constitutional concerns; consider repeal or substantial revision if problems cannot be resolved; and provide full, substantial state funding so counties are not left to cover added costs. "So my suggestion next is there's only a week left in the session would be that, um we just get consensus from the board to send an email supporting those bullet points from the county," the commissioner said.

Board members noted AMC (the Association of Minnesota Counties) is organizing 'Counties on the Hill' outreach and that Hennepin and Ramsey counties — trial sites for the program — have asked for more time to complete testing. One commissioner warned, "This is going to cost taxpayers millions of dollars across the state if it's unfunded." Commissioners asked staff (Jeff) to draft the letter, have Commissioner Deah Hunt review it, and to send it to the named officials; one commissioner offered to hand-deliver the letter at the AMC event if other commissioners were not available.

The direction to draft and send the letter was recorded as consensus rather than a formal, recorded motion. The board did not take a formal vote on the letter during the work session and asked staff to return with the draft and details on who will deliver it at the AMC briefings.