The Dakota County Board of Commissioners moved quickly through a lengthy agenda Tuesday, March 24, approving a wide array of consent items before turning its attention to recognizing county employees for outstanding service and innovation.
The meeting, held at the Administration Center in Hastings, included approvals tied to parks improvements, elections planning, public health partnerships and major infrastructure projects, before culminating in the county’s annual HEROES and IDEA Leadership Awards.
Commissioners unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included dozens of items spanning multiple departments.
Among the approvals were schematic designs for improvements at West Lake Byllesby Regional Park and a campground building project at Lake Byllesby Regional Park, along with amendments to the project budget.
The board also took several actions related to upcoming elections, including scheduling canvassing board meetings for the 2026 primary and general elections, establishing an absentee ballot board and approving agreements with local jurisdictions for post-election review.
In community services, commissioners authorized joint powers agreements with school districts to provide on-site vaccination clinics and approved a contract for children and family services programming.
Additional actions included:
• Authorization to apply for an emergency management performance grant
• Approval of amendments to joint powers agreements for criminal justice and IT services
• Addition of 11 full-time positions in employment and economic assistance
• Contracts and bids for multiple library renovation and recycling projects
• Agreements tied to transportation improvements, including County Road 4 in West St. Paul
The board also set a future public hearing for the county’s 2026 housing and community development funding plan.
Following routine business, commissioners shifted focus to recognizing employees through the county’s IDEA Leadership and HEROES awards programs.
“This is always one of the highlights of our year,” County Manager Heidi Welch said, noting the awards celebrate employees who “do incredible work for our residents every year.”
The IDEA Leadership Awards, launched in 2023, recognize efforts advancing inclusion, diversity, equity and access within county services.
The group award went to the Dakota County Library adult services team for its artist-in-residence programming, which expanded outreach and engagement, including bilingual programming that reached new audiences.
An individual IDEA award was presented to Dua Tao for organizing culturally focused programming, including a large-scale Holi celebration at a county library and ongoing efforts to connect with South Asian communities.
Welch said the work reflects the county’s goals of building a welcoming environment and delivering culturally responsive services.
The board also recognized finalists for the county’s HEROES awards, which honor effective, responsive and innovative service across departments.
One highlighted project was the county’s all-terrain track chair program, designed to improve park accessibility for residents with mobility challenges. The initiative involved coordination among parks, facilities, risk management, the sheriff’s office and other departments.
“This project created more inclusive and accessible ways for people with mobility challenges to enjoy nature,” Welch said.
Another finalist, the employment and economic assistance (EA) service model redesign, demonstrated measurable improvements in service delivery. According to the presentation, SNAP application timeliness improved from 32% to 80%, while cash program timeliness increased from 67% to 90%.
Welch said the redesign reduced training complexity, improved workflows and better aligned services with customer needs.
A third highlighted effort involved partnerships between public health and county libraries, transforming library locations into community health hubs. The initiative included distributing naloxone kits, providing mental health resources and expanding outreach efforts.
In addition to formal actions and recognitions, commissioners received updates from interagency boards and ongoing county initiatives before adjourning.
The March 24 meeting reflected the breadth of county operations, from infrastructure and environmental projects to public health and human services, while also highlighting the role of staff in delivering those services.