The Mitchell County Commissioners met on Sept. 14, 2026 with all commissioners and the county clerk in attendance.
– The Consent Agenda of Commission Meeting Agenda, Sept. 8, 2026 Commission Meeting Minutes, and Sept. 14, 2026 Accounts Payable Warrants was approved.
– Robin Carlson, Pivotal Health, was present to talk about preparing a six month report in upcoming meetings. She said Ottawa and Osborne have signed on with Mitchell County. The Pivotal Health psychologist has been doing Telehealth with three inmates and it is going well. Carlson said she averages two to three days a week in Mitchell County. The success stories they have had also provide lessons for them to not go backwards. For the most part everything is going well.
There is a new state grant available through Transformation Rural Care in America which is a federal grant to help with addiction programs. She plans to get help through the medical foundation, court services, EMS, and others to try to help fund case management through fighting addictions.
“We are really seeing a cohesive program,” said Carlson. “Case management is becoming more clear when needed.”
– David Dohe, Emergency Manager, was present to ask for Resolution 26-25 Mitchell County Safety Committee to be approved. He has been communicating with KCAMP for a base for this resolution, to start setting up meetings, etc., so he can show them they are doing them. This will be a financial benefit. After Commissioner Riemann suggested he see a safety list for the departments, commissioners approved the Resolution.
– Missy McGinnis, EMS, was present for a weekly update and a monthly report. After an insurance company payment in some places they then see an overpayment on an account that then is placed on another account. The DeLisa’s program puts it in as a debit corrected version that goes in as a credit so it matches up.
Bids on the EMS building construction work are being taken until the end of September.
– A Bereavement Leave Policy Revision – to not exceed eight hours (defining a working day) – was approved.
– A KCAMP Data Center Update was given. KCAMP Attorney Robert Smith was talked to about a possible moratorium that was suggested as a one year instead of three year – but could be extended at any time. The average length on these has been a year. To come up with the legal paperwork, he said it would cost $440 an hour which he says will take around four to five hours. It was also suggested to look at what others are doing and to go off of their legalities and adjust them for the county, which would take around two hours.
Commissioners agreed to look at what others are doing and to piggy back off of another moratorium from. They will discuss it again after looking into it.
– Jessy Bliss, IT, reported that the Courthouse and Jailhouse cameras are 6-7 years old and in need of updates. He suggested they go with Unify to adopt into the counties infrastructure. They would spend around $7-8,000 for this opposed to a much larger amount otherwise. They would switch to Unify for the cameras but use the present Axis program on other things for now. They have three monitors that run 16 cameras which would change to less.
“The latency of the cameras is a safety issue,” said Bliss. “We can use the courthouse tech fund if needed. I want to get a test route started and possibly then switch over.”
The camera expense with a 4k system would be around $500 a camera. This would be to switch over to Unify and to replace cameras down the line. The jail would need a minimum of 2k. Places using these cameras are the courthouse, 9-11, sheriff's office and the health department.
A motion was made to approve to move forward with using the Unify system.
A pintest will take place on Oct. 19, 2026, where Homeland Security comes in to see where vulnerabilities are located at the courthouse. This is provided by a $28,000 grant at no other cost. In ninety days they will retest with it all provided by this grant.
Bliss said his new employee, Matt, is doing a great job.
They have 30 computers to be replaced with departments, for end of life computers, modem boards, etc. The old computers could be cleared off and possibly sold.
– In county clerk comments, Heather Weston said she is working on election procedures to finalize. She said Lincoln USD 298 and Sylvan USD 299 will have extra questions to vote on the ballot.
The meeting was adjourned and a four county meeting was held in Beloit at noon. See more on this in the next edition of the Beloit Call.
