Robert Hughes

The meeting began with the affirmation of the Pledge of Allegiance and the closure of the initial public comment session. The agenda was amended to include the Airport Use Request as item #13.5. Discussions and approvals covered the Alger County Road Commission Year-End Report for 2025, the 2026 Board Meeting Schedule, 2026 Committee List, and the Opioid Settlement Steering Committee member list. Bylaws for the Opioid Settlement Steering Committee were approved for amendment regarding language related to substance use disorder. Financial actions included approving a Westlaw Proflex Account add-on for the prosecuting attorney, the bi-annual CUPPAD Materials Management Invoice, and all board bills as recommended by the Audit Committee. Several appropriations were approved, including funds for Mathias Township First Responders, Rock River First Responders, DHHS, and UPSET, as well as the Q1 2026 appropriation to LMAS District Health Department. Resolutions were approved for Limestone Summer Tax Collection and Grand Island Summer/Winter Tax Collection. Polaris Industries' Airport Use Request was approved, and the meeting concluded after a discussion on LMAS board member shirts and a brief public comment session focusing on Law Enforcement issues.

The organizational meeting included the election of Commissioner Nettleton as Vice-Chair for the 2026 calendar year. The Board approved the FY2026 meeting schedule for both Committee of the Whole and Regular Board of Commissioners meetings, along with the IRS Business Standard Mileage Rate, the Per Diem Rate, and Road Commission salaries. Furthermore, the current Committee List for 2026 was approved to be maintained. There was no public comment made during the session.

The agenda for this meeting included several items under the Consent Agenda, such as approving the 2026 Board Meeting Schedule, the 2026 Committee List, the mileage reimbursement rate of 72.5 cents per mile, and various appropriations to first responders and departments, including Mathias Township, Rock River, DHHS, and UPSET. The Board was also scheduled to approve resolutions for Limestone Township and Grand Island Township summer/winter tax collection administration fees. Other key discussions included a personnel matter involving switching a full-time position to address new roles, and a presentation of the Year-End Report by the Veterans Service Officer, Rebecca Burns.

The meeting agenda was amended to include 'Diversion Officer' as a new item. The consent agenda approval involved several items, including setting the 2026 Board Meeting Schedule and Committee List, approving mileage reimbursements at the IRS rate, approving amendments to the Opioid Settlement Steering Committee Bylaws, affirming subscriptions and invoices, approving airport use requests, approving payment of Board Bills and Financial Reports, approving appropriations to various first responder groups and DHHS, and approving two resolutions regarding summer and winter tax collections for Limestone and Grand Island. A significant action included approving the restructuring of the Deputy Probate Register / Recorder position, switching it to Diversion Officer / Recorder and reverting the Deputy Register role to part-time, contingent on union acceptance. The Veterans Service Officer presented the Year-End Report for 2025.

The meeting began with a roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. Following a brief public comment period, the agenda was approved, and the consent agenda was passed via roll call vote. Key discussions focused on the proposed minimum bid of $15,000 for the sale of a hovercraft, acknowledging its increasing obsolescence. The board also addressed the resignation of an employee, accepting it with regret and noting the resulting vacancy in District Four. Significant time was dedicated to discussing the proposed renovations for the Prosecuting Attorney's office, specifically regarding the layout, the need for a dedicated, secure meeting room for victims to ensure comfort and statutory compliance, and the requested number of doors and walls. The commission debated the optimal configuration for functionality and security, considering cost implications for moving doors and the small size of a proposed transient attorney space.