Minnehaha County Commission Meeting - October 27th, 2026

The Minnehaha County Commission meeting on October 27, 2026, approved a rezoning request for part of a roughly 29-acre property near Corson from residential/agricultural to light industrial. The petitioner described plans for flex-shop buildings serving small businesses; this was a private development proposal, not a county procurement. The commission also approved increasing the rate for qualified mental health professionals from $120 to $130 per hour beginning in 2027, using anticipated 2026 salary savings to begin hiring an investigator for an already authorized 2027 position, and appointing an interim commission administrative officer with a temporary salary adjustment. The commission approved a 2027 health and dental premium increase of 6%; projected plan costs were about $10.2 million for health and $685,000 for dental, with the dental maximum benefit proposed to rise from $1,000 to $1,500.

For the health plan, staff said they are negotiating a new three-year period with Sanford, Avera, and RAM, and that the stop-loss insurance renewal/bid process is ongoing; no vendor award or contract approval was made at this meeting. A liaison also noted that the treasurer is considering an ADA-compliant service-window remodel and possible technical upgrades, but no spending approval was presented. The commission adopted an Operation Green Light veterans proclamation. Public comments opposed automated license-plate-reader cameras, but no related action was taken. No other procurement awards or bid approvals were identified.