The meeting began with the public hearing about 180 Degrees’ request for additional funding. Travis Granzy, the Olmsted County Administrator, provided an overview of the project, emphasizing its multi-year trajectory and the necessity of county board action for Iota to issue the bonds. Jeremy O’Hara, an associate director for 180 Degrees, updated the council on the project’s construction progress, noting that drywall installation was ongoing and that completion was expected by October or November of the current year. He also mentioned a hard hat tour scheduled for early June, inviting commissioners to witness the progress firsthand.

After opening the floor to public comments and closing the hearing without additional input, the board unanimously approved the motion to proceed with the bonding process.

Following the shelter funding discussion, the board addressed its consent agenda, which included varied items such as an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the acceptance of a mobile crisis startup grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. One commissioner raised concerns about item B, related to the transfer of excess municipal funds, arguing that these funds should stay with local communities rather than be appropriated by the board. The board agreed to remove item B from the consent agenda for separate consideration. After a vote, item B was approved with one dissenting vote.

The city of Chatfield provided an update through City Administrator Michelle Peterson, who outlined the city’s yearly theme of “building the city one piece at a time.” She discussed innovative approaches to housing and economic development, stressing the challenges of incentivizing housing, including single-family and multifamily options. Peterson highlighted efforts to attract a hotel to boost local economic opportunities, noting the potential use of tax abatements in this pursuit.

Infrastructure projects also featured prominently in Peterson’s presentation. She announced the advancement of a road project to 2025 to save costs and improve efficiency, and detailed the city’s approach to balancing housing incentives with utility rate structures aimed at conservation.

In terms of emergency services, Peterson emphasized the unique role of Chatfield’s ambulance service, which is one of only three non-Mayo Clinic services in Olmsted County. She concluded by inviting questions from the board regarding Chatfield’s initiatives.

The board then turned to legislative updates and discussed the progress of a group responsible for coordinating shows, including a performance by Trampled by Turtles. Coordination with law enforcement for these events was emphasized. A legislative update followed, noting that while the session had not yielded significant outcomes, a special session was anticipated to address unresolved issues.

The meeting also addressed proposed changes to Chapter 2150 of the county’s code of ordinances concerning cannabis and cannabis-derived products. A representative outlined revisions to the ordinance, including updates on the application process for cannabis businesses, the use of a capitalization table to streamline data collection, and the establishment of a lottery system for business registrations. The board unanimously approved these changes.