15:58The most pressing topic at the meeting was the recent cybersecurity incident labeled as a “Crowd Strike” event, which occurred the previous Friday. The County Administrator praised the Information Technology (IT) team’s swift and effective response, noting that they managed to restore systems within approximately four hours. This rapid recovery ensured minimal disruption to county operations. While some computers were affected, critical control systems remained operational due to a separate firewall, as confirmed by jail staff. The incident prompted discussions on enhancing security protocols, such as considering a forced shutdown policy for personal computers after periods of inactivity to prevent similar occurrences. The administrator highlighted that other counties experienced significant delays in service restoration, underscoring Crow Wing County’s successful management of the situation.

02:28Another topic at the meeting was the funding and planning for the County State Aid Highway 12 reconditioning project. The project, awarded to Anderson Brothers, involves a mill and overlay with the addition of right and left turn lanes and bypass lanes, stretching from Trunk Highway 210 into the city of Deerwood. Initially scheduled for construction in 2024, it was postponed to 2025 due to state aid fund reductions. However, when state aid funding returned to pre-COVID levels, the project was rescheduled for 2024. The board clarified the necessity of a County Federal project Advance resolution, a requirement by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to release the state aid funds for the construction year. With unanimous approval from the board, the resolution passed.

06:51In addition, the board addressed the renewal of the turnkey Corrections contract. This contract, renewed every three years, includes an increase in commissions from 32% to 38%. It covers a range of services, including commissary, vending services, accounting software, video visitation, and inmate messaging services. The telephone system remains separate due to recent federal court rulings potentially affecting service charges. Discussions also touched on the current jail population, noting that all Cass County prisoners were no longer housed in Crow Wing County’s jail as of June 1st, with the total jail population reported to be around 100.

19:21The board also deliberated on staffing matters, including the reappointment of Gary Griffin as the Crow Wing County Assessor. The administrator clarified that Minnesota statute requires reappointment every four years, with Griffin’s new term set to begin on January 1, 2025. The board approved the reappointment without further discussion, correcting a title error from “Land Services Supervisor” to “Land Services Director.”

21:01Additionally, the resignation of Jeff Berg from the Natural Resources Advisory Committee was addressed, resulting in two vacancies in the at-large areas expiring on January 31, 2025. The board agreed to accept Berg’s resignation and prepare a certificate of appreciation for his service. There was some debate over whether to advertise the vacancies, but it was ultimately decided to proceed with advertising to potentially broaden the candidate pool.

22:51The meeting closed with a light-hearted moment as a participant humorously referenced the national calendar, noting that it was National Lemon Day, Gorgeous Grandma Day, and National Vanilla Ice Cream Day. This brought a moment of levity to the proceedings.