July 7, 2026 Minutes

Board of Commissioners Meeting · 2026-07-07 · minutes

[case 292935] The Clay County Board of Commissioners approved the State of Minnesota Grant Contract Agreement 292935 for the Agassiz Recreational Trail (ART). This agreement allows reimbursement for expenses and maintenance along the trail from Ulen to the North County Line. The agreement is budget neutral. The Board also approved authorizing staff to continue evaluating the potential addition of Wilkin County to the West Central Regional Water District (WCRWD). Wilkin County has expressed interest due to drinking water quality concerns and infrastructure needs, and has agreed to fund all associated costs for the evaluation process. The Board will consider final approval after all contingencies, including funding, legal agreements, and engineering evaluations, are met. The Board approved an agreement with Winthrop & Weinstein, P.A. for lobbyist legislative services through 2027 to advocate for county priorities at the Minnesota Legislature. The Clay County Board of Commissioners tabled the discussion regarding a modification to the University of Minnesota Extension Contract concerning staffing levels for the Extension Educator – Youth Development (4-H) position. The Board was considering reducing the position from 1.0 FTE to 0.80 FTE due to budget constraints. Some Commissioners requested more data on 4-H program growth and enrollment before making a decision. The item was revisited later in the meeting, but due to the inability to gather necessary information, it was tabled until the July 14, 2026 meeting. The 2027 Extension Budget Presentation was also tabled to the same date.