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Redwood County Board elects Rick Wakefield chair, approves organizational resolutions and grant applications
Summary
At its Jan. 6 organizational meeting the Redwood County Board elected Rick Wakefield chair and Jim Salfer vice-chair, designated county depositories, set minimum elected-official salaries, approved administrative policies and road-and-bridge actions, and ratified a union contract after a brief closed session.
The Redwood County Board of Commissioners elected Commissioner Rick Wakefield as board chair for 2026 and Commissioner Jim Salfer as vice-chair during its organizational meeting on Jan. 6 in Redwood Falls.
Auditor-Treasurer Jean Price called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. and the Board unanimously approved the day’s agenda. Salfer nominated Wakefield for chair, Theis seconded; Theis nominated Salfer for vice-chair, Van Hee seconded. Both officers were elected by roll call with unanimous votes.
The Board approved routine consent items including Dec. 16 minutes and bills. The minutes record General Fund disbursements of $38,852.03, a $10,397.84 payment to ELAN Corporate Payment Systems, and other vendor payments (for example, Schneider Geospatial LLC $13,405.20).
By resolution under Minn. Stat. 118A.02 subd.1(a), the Board designated multiple financial institutions as county depositories and authorized signers for county accounts, naming Jean Price and Vicki Kletscher as authorized signers. The resolution also instructs depositories to accept items bearing authorized signatures until written notice of amendment is delivered.
The Board approved a package of administrative actions: the 2026 out-of-state travel policy for elected officials, the 2026 county fee schedule, and the 2026 reimbursement policy. It also adopted a resolution setting minimum annual salaries for elected offices for the next term: Auditor/Treasurer $107,744; County Attorney $135,720; County Recorder $92,372; County Sheriff $135,720.
Planning & Zoning Supervisor Jeanette Pidde presented a Conditional Use Permit application from J. Schwartz. The Board voted unanimously to approve Conditional Use Permit #12-25 to expand an existing animal confinement feedlot in section 36 of New Avon Township.
Road and Bridge business included approval of a $27.78 meal reimbursement, authorization for the Highway Engineer to advertise construction and maintenance projects and to pay required miscellaneous permit fees, and authorization to publish transportation contract notices on the county website per Minn. Stat. 331A.12. The Board approved software maintenance and protection for Highway Department survey equipment with Frontier Precision for $5,484.50 (State Contract #278552) and authorized the County Engineer to apply for a Carbon Reduction Program grant to purchase three electric pickup trucks and to apply for a PROTECT grant to install cured pipe liners.
In legal and personnel matters, the Board approved engaging Smith and Johnson Law Firm for appeals work until a fifth Assistant County Attorney is hired, approved hiring a Victim Witness Coordinator prior to Denise Kerkhoff’s retirement to allow for shadowing, and voted to hire Michael Madden as Assistant County Attorney (Non-Union, Department Head Salary Schedule Grade 18 Step 1 at $51.80 per hour), effective Jan. 5, 2026. The Board acknowledged Recorder Amy Gewerth’s filing for the 2026 election.
The Board entered a closed session from 9:41 a.m. to 9:49 a.m.; afterwards, members unanimously ratified the 2026–2027 contract with LELS Union Local #404 for licensed officers.
Commissioners reported on recent meetings and local engagements. With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 9:56 a.m.
Votes at a glance: all recorded motions in the minutes passed unanimously. Key recorded actions include: election of Rick Wakefield as Chair (motion by Salfer, second Theis), election of Jim Salfer as Vice-Chair (motion by Theis, second Van Hee), designation of depositories (resolution), approval of CUP #12-25 for J. Schwartz, authorization to apply for Carbon Reduction and PROTECT grants, adoption of salary minimums (resolution), and ratification of the LELS Local #404 contract following closed session.
Next steps noted in the minutes: the County Engineer will proceed with grant applications; staff will implement the website publication process for transportation contracts; contract and hiring paperwork will be completed per personnel policies.
