Purfeerst New Rice County Board Chair

The Rice County Board of Commissioners today voted unanimously to elect Jim Purfeerst the Chairman and Steve Underdahl Vice-Chairman for 2022.

Purfeerst was appreciative.

There was a bit of confusion when the board moved on to elect the vice-chair.  A motion was made and seconded initially to elect Galen Malecha but then Commissioners recalled Underdahl was due for the position so they withdrew the Malecha motion and elected Underdahl to serve as Vice-Chair.

Commissioners also approved accepting a $325,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for Violent Crime Enforcement Teams.

Sheriff Jesse Thomas explained the grant does not require a local match.

Thomas said the grant would be used by the Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force.

The task force is made up of officers from Rice and LeSueur Counties.

Commissioners also discussed a Minnesota law that requires the minutes of meetings be published in a designated official newspaper along with publication of official proceedings in summary form and public notices.

I checked with the Rice County Finance Department to find out what is spent by Rice County for those publications.  The total for 2021 through November (December is not available yet) was $36,777.  That includes everything published in the Faribault and Northfield newspapers.

Employment ads in additon to agendas and minutes.

Check this out.