Administrator Tom Barry and Health & Human Services leaders presented Beltrami County’s proposed 2026 legislative priorities on Nov. 4 and asked commissioners to consider advancing the package when the board formally adopts a platform.

Tom said the county’s top overarching concern is the volume of unfunded or underfunded state mandates and recent cost‑shifts that have increased county fiscal pressure. ‘‘There have been massive cost shifts . . . we’re having to bear about $1,200,000 of additional cost shifts in the next budget because of real and announced cost shifts that are coming for the fiscal year 2026,’’ Tom told the board. He said the county is second poorest in the state by some measures and that limited taxable base magnifies the effects of state cost shifts.

Specific items on the legislative platform include:

• Mandate reform and education for legislators about the fiscal impact on economically disadvantaged counties;
• Regional solutions and state assistance for the early closure and remediation of the county demolition landfill (estimated multi‑million dollar impact historically);
• State contingency or disaster aid to offset the county’s remaining unreimbursed costs from the late‑June windstorm that damaged public infrastructure (Tom said the county qualified for 75% reimbursement of eligible public infrastructure costs but still faces approximately $2.5 million in net local costs);
• Property‑insurance reform and modernization to address claim denials, slow adjustments and the removal of appraisal pathways in some markets; and
• A set of health and human services priorities (see below) focused on statutory cost shares and targeted funding.

Anne Linsoff, HHS director, described HHS‑specific requests: revisiting county cost‑share requirements for state direct care and treatment hospitals (the county currently sets aside about $1 million annually for this), legislative relief or exemptions for the county from DNMC (does not meet criteria) daily‑rate obligations, eliminating or reducing the county share of the Behavioral Health Fund (currently 22.95%), restoring or clarifying the child protection opioid‑response allocation after statutory changes reduced local awards, funding to implement the Minnesota African American Family Preservation/Disproportionality Act or carve‑outs for disadvantaged counties, and clearer, attainable audit standards for the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) / Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA) case reviews.

Tom and HHS staff said several items overlap with state task forces or ongoing legislative initiatives and encouraged coordinated work with the county’s legislative delegation. Commissioners did not vote on the platform at the workshop; the platform is scheduled as a regular agenda item and may be refined before formal adoption.