On Tuesday, the Polk County Commissioners met for the first time in 2024 at the Polk County Government Center.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The meeting began with the board appointing the Polk County Commissioner Chairman to Gary Willhite. Warren Strandell served as the Polk County Chairman in 2023 and has now been moved to the 2nd district representative. “This is fine; I’ve served as chair before,” said Willhite, “We all take a turn at this, and the new vice chair is Mr. Holy. That’s the first thing we do in the new year 2024!” Willhite served approximately eight years on the Crookston City Council before taking over as the mayor, before his time as a commissioner.
Mark Holy, who served as the Polk County representative for District 5, will now serve as vice chair of the commissioners for 2024. Holy will be appointed next to serve as chairman.
POLK COUNTY PUBLICATIONS AND FEDERAL ADOPTION
Polk County Administrator Chuck Whiting brought several items to the board. Whiting presented the resolution regarding the designation of Polk County’s website for publications of invitations to bid on Polk County Transportation Projects. “We pass this resolution during each meeting of every year, and by statute, counties are allowed to advertise for their transportation projects,” said Whiting. “These are essentially highway projects that would be posted to our website instead of the paper. This is a state law, so we follow it, and it allows us to get more contractors than just posting these bids in the local paper.” The board approved the resolution to designate Polk County’s website for the publication of invitations.
The board then adopted the 2024 mileage reimbursement rates for Polk County employees. The mileage rates for county employees have increased by 1.5 cents; employees will now receive $.67 per mile of travel. “We just follow whatever the IRS rate is for the reimbursement for the employees,” said Whiting, “This is for employees that use county vehicles for county business. They put in the mileage and get reimbursed for 67 cents per mile.”
Along with adopting the mileage rates for employees, the commissioners adopted the federal meal and lodging reimbursement rates for county employees. This reimbursement will occur whenever a county employee spends money on meals or lodging while attending county meetings or accommodation during county business. “Lodging is scarce, and it’s usually covered ahead of time,” said Whiting, “If an employee finds themselves in a snowstorm someplace and has to spend the night on the way back from county business.”
The commissioners concluded the meeting by reviewing the draft board operating procedures handbook for Polk County. It was discussed that there was little change from prior years in the directory. The board ultimately approved the 2024 operating procedures handbook.
The consent agenda included the approval of minutes from the December 19 board meeting. The next meeting will occur on Tuesday, January 16, at the Polk County Government Center.
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