Rice County meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Rice County board makes no major decisions; upcoming meeting to weigh land-use permits

The Rice County Board of Commissioners made no major decisions in the past two weeks, holding an open forum and a Committee of the Whole meeting that heard funding requests from eight outside agencies. The board will consider several land-use items and a grant acceptance at its Aug. 25 regular meeting.

Recent meetings

Aug. 11 Board of Commissioners (agenda only)

The board's agenda included awarding a contract for culvert replacements on County 16 and a contract for bituminous paving at the Lonsdale Shop, along with final payments to Minnowa Construction (contracts #2672 and #2671) and Crane Creek Asphalt (contract #2574). The agenda also listed a 2027 Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Grant for Veteran's Services and acceptance of a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative grant. Minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are reported.

Aug. 11 Open Forum

At a separate open forum, the board heard public comments from residents, primarily about the election system. No decisions were made, and the meeting was adjourned after the comments.

Aug. 18 Committee of the Whole

The committee heard presentations and funding requests from eight outside agencies: Southeastern MN EMS, Northfield Public Library, Buckham Memorial Library, Buckham West Senior Center, Lonsdale Public Library, Rice County Agriculture Society, Southern Minnesota Tourism, and Fifty North. No decisions were made on funding; the meeting adjourned 5-0.

Upcoming meetings

Aug. 25 Board of Commissioners

The board will consider several land-use items, including a conditional use permit for The Towers LLC in Section 32, Walcott Township; an interim use permit for Gedicke in Section 28, Walcott Township; a final plat for Johnson in Section 8, Wells Township; and a final plat for Franek in Section 15, Wheatland Township. The board will also consider accepting a Child Support NextGen grant. The agenda includes routine consent items such as overtime reports, bill payments, and personnel appointments.

Aug. 25 Housing & Redevelopment Authority

The HRA will meet immediately after the board meeting. The agenda is procedural, including approval of the July 28, 2026, minutes and a program report with an HRA budget update. No specific dollar amounts or contracts are listed.

Coming up

• **Aug. 25, 2026** – Board of Commissioners regular meeting (land-use permits, grant acceptance)
• **Aug. 25, 2026** — Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting (budget update, minutes approval)

Rice County Joint Ditch Authority orders landowner fix, approves weir replacement

The Rice County Joint Ditch Authority on July 28 unanimously approved a sheet pile weir replacement and ordered a landowner to fix a ditch obstruction by Nov. 1, 2026. Those were the only substantive decisions made at recent county meetings; other bodies met to review agendas without voting.

Joint Ditch Authority

The board confirmed that a ditch is obstructed and ordered the landowner to fix and reseed the area by Nov. 1, 2026. It also approved Option 1 sheet pile weir replacement as recommended by ISG. Both votes were unanimous. Construction is planned for fall/winter 2026.

Other recent meetings

Several bodies met in the past two weeks but took no formal action on their main agenda items. Minutes have not yet been published for most of these meetings.

• **Board of Commissioners (July 28)** – Agenda included review of the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, a bid award for the Courthouse Chimney Demo & Venting Project, acceptance of a Department of Public Safety Crisis Response Grant, a park fee distribution request from Webster Township, and routine personnel and bill payments.
• **Housing & Redevelopment Authority (July 28)** – Agenda included approval of May 26 minutes, a policy update, and a quarterly report.
• **Rice & Steele 911 Center Joint Powers Board (Aug. 5)** – Agenda included review of the 2027 preliminary budget, a building project update, hiring a law firm for labor negotiations, the Baker Tilly 2025 financial audit report, and a closed session on the union labor contract.
• **Board of Adjustment (Aug. 6)** – Considered 12 variance requests for residential and agricultural properties in Wells, Morristown, Northfield, Shieldsville, Erin, and Cannon City townships, covering setbacks, building heights, and lot sizes.
• **Planning Commission (Aug. 6)** – Reviewed two permit applications in Walcott Township: a conditional use permit for a communication tower by The Towers LLC and an interim use permit for aggregate mining excavation to create a pond by Robert Gedicke.
• **Committee of the Whole (Aug. 4)** – Received overviews of 2027 funding requests from six outside agencies. No votes were taken on the requests; the only action was a motion to adjourn, which passed 4-0.

Coming up

• **Board of Commissioners (Aug. 11)** – Will consider awarding contracts for culvert replacements on County 16 and bituminous paving at the Lonsdale Shop, final payments to Minnowa Construction (contracts #2672 and #2671) and Crane Creek Asphalt (contract #2574), a 2027 Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Grant for Veteran's Services, and acceptance of a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative grant. Routine consent agenda items include bills and personnel appointments.
• **Open Forum (Aug. 11)** – A public comment session with no scheduled votes or hearings. Speakers have a three-minute limit and must complete an open forum card with name, topic, and residency status; online participants must provide information verbally.

Rice County Joint Ditch Authority orders obstruction fix, approves weir replacement; county board reviews finances and courthouse project

The Rice County Joint Ditch Authority unanimously approved a sheet pile weir replacement and ordered a landowner to clear a ditch obstruction and reseed the area by November 1, 2026, according to official minutes from a July 28 special meeting.

Joint Ditch Authority: Weir Replacement and Obstruction Order

The Joint Ditch Authority took two unanimous votes at its July 28 special meeting. The board approved Option 1 for a sheet pile weir replacement, as recommended by ISG, with construction planned for fall and winter 2026.

The board also confirmed that a ditch is obstructed and ordered the landowner to fix and reseed the area by November 1, 2026. Both actions passed unanimously, according to the published minutes.

Board of Commissioners: Finances, Courthouse Project, Grant on Agenda

The Rice County Board of Commissioners met July 28 to review several items, though minutes have not yet been published and the agenda does not indicate what was decided.

Agenda items included the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for 2025, a bid award for the Courthouse Chimney Demo & Venting Project, and acceptance of a Department of Public Safety Crisis Response Grant. The board was also scheduled to consider a Park Fee distribution request from Webster Township, along with personnel appointments and payment of bills.

Because only the agenda is available, the outcomes of these items are not yet confirmed in the public record.

Housing & Redevelopment Authority: Policy Update and Quarterly Report

The Rice County Housing and Redevelopment Authority met July 28 to approve minutes from May 26, 2026, and to discuss a policy update and a quarterly report. Minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are confirmed.

Coming Up

Several meetings are scheduled in the week ahead:

• **August 4 — Committee of the Whole:** The committee will discuss funding requests from outside agencies, including Prairie's Edge Humane Society, HOPE Center, Rice Soil & Water Conservation District, Rice County Historical Society, and Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and SEMCAC. No specific dollar amounts are listed in the agenda.

• **August 5 — Rice & Steele 911 Center Joint Powers Board:** The board will review the 2027 preliminary budget, receive the Baker Tilly 2025 financial audit report, discuss a building project update, and consider hiring a law firm for labor negotiations. A closed session on a union labor contract is also scheduled.

• **August 6 — Board of Adjustment:** The board will consider 12 variance requests affecting properties in Wells, Morristown, Northfield, Shieldsville, Erin, and Cannon City townships. Requests cover setbacks, building heights, and lot sizes, including variances at 17330 Roberds Lake Ct, 4200 172nd St W, 17430 Roberds Lake Ct, 16434 Elmore Tr, and 10004 103rd St W.

• **August 6 — Planning Commission:** The commission will review a Conditional Use Permit for a communication tower by The Towers LLC in Section 32 of Walcott Township, and an Interim Use Permit for aggregate mining excavation to create a pond by Robert Gedicke in Section 28 of Walcott Township.

Rice County board set to act on parks ordinance, zoning map, and Paycom system; July 14 minutes not yet published

Rice County's Committee of the Whole received a presentation on Paycom Human Resources software updates and fees on July 7, 2026, with the item scheduled to return to the Board of Commissioners on July 14 for approval. The July 14 board meeting minutes have not yet been published, so final action on that item and several others on the agenda cannot be confirmed from the available record.

Committee of the Whole — July 7, 2026

The Committee of the Whole received a presentation regarding updates and fees for the county's current Human Resources program, identified as Paycom. According to the official minutes, the item was to be brought back to the Rice County Board Meeting on July 14, 2026, for approval. No vote tally or dollar figure was included in the summary provided.

Board of Commissioners Open Forum — July 14, 2026

The Rice County Board of Commissioners held an Open Forum on July 14, 2026. No public comment was recorded during the session, and no substantive decisions were made, according to the official minutes.

Board of Commissioners — July 14, 2026 (agenda only)

Minutes for the July 14 regular board meeting had not been published as of this roundup. The following items appeared on the agenda and were scheduled for board consideration, but the available record does not confirm whether each was approved, tabled, or otherwise acted upon:

• **Resolution #26-025:** Adopting an amendment to the zoning map in Section 19, Morristown Township.
• **Resolution #26-024:** Adopting Rice County Parks Ordinance #930.
• **Contract #2676:** Awarding a contract for Overhead Lighting improvements.
• **Paycom HR/payroll system:** Request to move forward with the Paycom HR/payroll system, following the July 7 Committee of the Whole presentation.
• **Final Plat/Jandro:** Final plat in Section 12, Richland Township.

The agenda also listed a tax-exempt gambling permit, corrections agreements, and a proclamation, though no additional detail was provided in the summary.

What this means for residents

The zoning map amendment in Morristown Township and the final plat in Richland Township are land-use actions that, if adopted, would affect property records and future development in those areas. The proposed Parks Ordinance #930 would govern rules and use of county parks. The overhead lighting contract relates to county highway infrastructure. The Paycom request concerns the county's internal HR and payroll software. Because the July 14 minutes are not yet available, residents should consult the official Rice County Board record to confirm outcomes.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings within the next 14 days were listed in the provided data. Residents seeking the latest schedule should check the official Rice County meeting calendar.