Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Lake County Board of Commissioners’ organizational meeting was held at the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota. Unless otherwise stated, all actions have been approved by unanimous yea vote. Lake County Board members present: District 1 Commissioner Joe Baltich, District 2 Commissioner Derrick “Rick” L. Goutermont, District 3 Commissioner Richard “Rick” C. Hogenson, District 4 Commissioner Jeremy M. Hurd, and District 5 Commissioner Rich Sve. Board member(s) absent: None. Also present: Lake County Administrator Matthew Huddleston, Lake County Sheriff Nathan Stadler, Land Commissioner Nate Eide,and Clerk of the Board Laurel D. Buchanan. Clerk of the Board Laurel D. Buchanan called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. and led the recitation of the pledge of allegiance to the United States of America. Madam Clerk called for nominations for Board Chairperson for 2026.
MOTION HURD, SECOND BALTICH: 01 – Elect County Commissioner Rich Sve as Lake County Board of Commissioners’ Chairperson for 2026. There were no additional nominations. Absent: None
Newly elected Board Chairperson Rich Sve called for nominations for Vice-Chair for 2026.
MOTION BALTICH, SECOND HOGENSON: 02 – Elect County Commissioner Derrick L. Goutermont as Lake County Board of Commissioners’ Vice-Chair for 2026. There were no additional nominations. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND BALTICH: 03 – Approval of the agenda. Absent: None
Lake County Board Chairperson Rich Sve opened the floor for public comments. No public comments were made. Lake County Administrator Matthew Huddleston provided an overview of organizational items and updates on several items of county business. Lake County Sheriff Nathan Stadler and Land Commissioner Nate Eide provided updates for their respective departments.
MOTION HURD, SECOND HOGENSON: 04 – Approve the consent agenda as presented.
1. Upon County Auditor’s recommendation, designate Park State Bank, Moreton Capital Markets, Raymond James, UBS Financial Services, and Minnesota Association of Government Investing for Counties (M.A.G.I.C.) as depositories of Lake County funds for 2026, and authorize County Auditor and/or Deputy Auditors to sign signature cards for these accounts.
2. Approve the following signatories from the County Auditor’s office as authorized signers on the County’s checking, savings and deposit accounts at Park State Bank: Lola R. Haus, Ronelle L. Radle, Wendy M. Morlang, Amanda J. Johnson, Lisa M. Knight, Christine S. Libal, Jodi L. Anderson, and Chad R Brelie.
3. Approve the following signatories from the County Auditor’s office to be authorized signers on the investment accounts with Moreton Capital Markets, Raymond James, UBS Financial Services, and Minnesota Association of Government Investing for Counties (M.A.G.I.C.): Ronelle L. Radle and Wendy M. Morlang.
4. Approve the following signatories to be authorized signers on the Highway Department petty cash checking account at Park State Bank: Ronelle L. Radle, Patricia (Trish) A. Liimatta, Jason T. DiPiazza, and Chelsey M. Ojard.
5. Designate the Lake County, Minnesota website as official publication for any transportation project advertisement for bids.
6. Authorize payment in the amount of $12,052 to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) for 2026 annual dues (Invoice Number: 75944).
7. Authorize payment in the amount of $5,500 to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) for 2026 Human Resources Technical Assistance (Invoice Number: 76023).
8. Authorize payment in the amount of $335,894 to Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) for Lake County’s property and casualty insurance 2026 premiums.
9. Authorize payment in the amount of $225,397 to Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) for renewal for County Workers’ Compensation policy.
10. Authorize payment to Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) for Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) property and casualty insurance 2026 premiums.
11. Authorize payment to Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) for Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) for renewal for Workers’ Compensation policy. Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND BALTICH: 05 – Approve the Lake County Board of Commissioners’ meeting schedule for 2026 as follows: County Board meetings on the first, second, and fourth Tuesday of each month, are held in the Split Rock River Room on the main floor of the Lake County Service Center, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota. Members of the public may attend the meeting onsite. The public is welcome and invited to attend. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.015, some board members may participate by interactive technology. Every member participating in the meeting via interactive technology is considered present for the purpose of a quorum and participation in the meeting. – Agenda meetings at 2:00 PM on the first Tuesday of the month in February through December. – County Board meetings of the Committee-of-the-Whole on the third Tuesday of the month, from January through November. Times and locations may vary. – Earlier meeting on the following Tuesdays: 10:00 AM on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, due to Priorities Session that evening; 10:00 AM on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, due to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Legislative Conference; 10:00 AM on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, due to the Capitol Days schedule. (Capitol Days dates are March 17-19, 2026.) – Commissioners strategic planning sessions at 1:00 PM in the following months when there is a fifth Tuesday. In 2026, those dates are: March 31, June 30, September 29, December 29. – Regular meetings (also known as Action Meetings) at 2:00 PM on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, with the following exceptions: No meeting on the second Tuesday in December 2026 due to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Annual Conference. Two regular meetings in December 2026: 12/15 and 12/22. The last regular meeting of the year is Tuesday, December 22, 2026. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 06 – Set date of Monday, June 15, 2026, at 5:00 pm, for the 2026 County Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting, to be held in the Split Rock River Room in the Lake County Service Center, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota. Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HURD: 07 – Adopt changes to the 2026 County Fee Schedule. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 08 – Approve 2026 meal allowance, subject to existing policy: Breakfast $12, Lunch $15, Dinner $20. Absent: None
MOTION HURD, SECOND HOGENSON: 09 – Adopt the 2026 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Mileage Rate of 72.5 cents per mile, applied as follows:
• 69.5 cents per mile if using a personal vehicle, or
• 72.5 cents per mile if personal vehicle use was because a motor pool vehicle was not available. This rate requires a signed verification slip from the motor pool coordinator.
• 72.5 cents per mile if using a personal vehicle as a board or committee member
Absent: None
County Commissioners discussed the selection of the legal newspaper for 2026. County Commissioner Rick Hogenson would like the County to continue placing certain advertisements in both newspapers to make sure more people are reached. Examples of advertisements to publish in both newspapers include job postings, certain public hearings, and other notices. Northshore Journal owner Christine Mallory was present for the discussion.
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND BALTICH: 10 – Approve resolution awarding newspaper publication bids as follows: Designate Northshore Journal as the County’s legal newspaper for official proceedings, legal notices, delinquent tax listings and for the first publication of the financial statement for 2026. Designate Lake County Press for the second publication of the financial statement for 2026. Aye: Baltich, Goutermont, Hogenson, Sve. Nay: Hurd. Absent: None. Motion carries.
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND BALTICH: 11 – Approve the re-appointment of Mike Hoops to the Lake County Board of Adjustment for a term expiring December 31, 2028. Absent: None
MOTION BALTICH, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 12 – Approve the re-appointment of Beth Hippert to the Lake County Board of Adjustment for a term expiring December 31, 2028. Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 13 – Identify two Lake County Commissioners to fulfill as a primary and alternate representative to the Lake County Community Wildfire Coordinating Group (CWCG), as follows: County Commissioner Joe Baltich as primary and County Commissioner Rich Sve as alternate. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND HURD: 14 – Approve appointments to Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) policy committees: District 5 County Commissioner Rich Sve to the AMC Environment & Natural Resources Policy Committee. District 4 County Commissioner Jeremy M. Hurd to the AMC General Government Policy Committee. District 3 County Commissioner Richard (Rick) C. Hogenson to the AMC Public Safety Policy Committee. District 1 County Commissioner Joe Baltich to the AMC Health & Human Services Policy Committee. District 2 County Commissioner Derrick (Rick) L. Goutermont to the AMC Transportation Policy Committee. Absent: None
MOTION BALTICH, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 15 – Designate the following County officials as official voting delegates to represent Lake County at the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Annual Conference and during the year 2026: County Administrator Matthew Huddleston, District One County Commissioner Joe Baltich, District Two County Commissioner Derrick (Rick) L. Goutermont, District Three County Commissioner Richard (Rick) C. Hogenson, District Four County Commissioner Jeremy M. Hurd, District Five County Commissioner Rich Sve, and Human Resources Director Cammie Young. Lake County plans to designate its eighth voting delegate at a later date. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND HURD: 16 – Designate the following County officials as official voting delegates to represent Lake County at the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) annual meeting: Delegate: District One County Commissioner Joe Baltich. Alternate: District Two County Commissioner Derrick (Rick) L. Goutermont. Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 17 – Approve 2026 Lake County Board of Commissioners’ committee assignments. Absent: None
MOTION HURD, SECOND HOGENSON: 18 – Adjourn Board meeting of the Lake County Board of Commissioners at 2:46 p.m. Absent: None
The Lake County Board of Commissioners will convene for the following meeting in the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota:
• Regular meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026
ATTEST:
Laurel D. Buchanan
Clerk of the Board
Rich Sve, Board Chairperson
Lake County Board of Commissioners
Northshore Journal: January 16, 2026
