Dakota County

Community Services Committee of

the Whole

Minutes

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

1:00 PM

Conference Room 3A, Administration

Center, Hastings

Chairperson Slavik, Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Halverson,

Commissioner Droste, Commissioner Workman, Commissioner

Holberg and Commissioner Hamann-Roland

Present:

Also in attendance were Heidi Welsch, County Manager; Lucie O'Neill, Assistant County

Attorney; Marti Fischbach, Assistant County Manager, Community Services; Gil Acevedo,

Assistant County Manager, Community Services; and Colleen Collette, Administrative

Coordinator.

The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. by the Chair, Commissioner Mike Slavik.

Due to technical issues, audio did not record for this meeting.

Audience

Chair, Commissioner Mike Slavik, asked if there was anyone in the audience who wished to

address the Community Services Committee on an item not on the agenda or an item on the

consent agenda. No one came forward and no comments were submitted to

CountyAdmin@co.dakota.mn.us.

Approval of Agenda (Additions/Corrections/Deletions)

3.1

On a motion by Commissioner Hamann-Roland, seconded by Chairperson

Halverson, the agenda was unanimously approved. The motion carried

unanimously.

Ayes: 7

Consent Agenda

On a motion by Commissioner Workman, seconded by Commissioner Hamann-Roland, the

consent agenda was unanimously approved as follows:

Approval of Minutes of Meeting Held on December 2, 2025

4.1

Motion: Liz Workman Second: Mary Hamann-Roland

Regular Agenda

Housing Services Update

5.1

Madeline Kastler, Social Services Deputy Director, presented on this item and

stood for questions. Tiffinie Miller-Sammons, Employment & Economic

Assistance Deputy Director, and Will Wallo, Finance Director, also participated

in the presentation. This item was on the agenda for informational purposes.

Staff were given direction to continue to pursue alternative options for

emergency shelter based on previous exploratory locations.

Information only; no action requested.

Update To Make Sense Of Fraud Scandals: County Responsibility, Programs,

And Impacts

5.2

Dana DeMaster, Employment & Economic Assistance Director, and Emily

Schug, Social Services Director, presented on this item and stood for questions.

This item was on the agenda for informational purposes only; no staff direction

was given.

Information only; no action requested.

Community Services Director's Report

Marti Fischbach, Assistant County Manager, Community Services, referred the Committee to

the written report that was provided. Assistant County Manager Fischbach pointed out the

upcoming Point-in-time homeless count happening later this month and encouraged

Commissioners to participate. She also mentioned that the Department of Children, Youth,

and Families has acknowledged a notice from the federal government about freezing

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments; no further direction has been given.

Future Agenda Items

The committee requested an update from the Fraud team in Employment & Economic

Assistance.

The following topics were also brought up as future agenda items; staff will review the

requests and return to a future General Government and Policy Committee for potential

discussion:

1. Update on effects of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Dakota County,

and

2. Contingency plans should the federal government escalate operations and policy

enforcement.

Adjournment

Motion: Liz Workman

8.1

Second: Mary Hamann-Roland

On a motion by Commissioner Liz Workman, seconded by Commissioner Mary

Hamann-Roland, the meeting was adjourned at 2:57 p.m.

Ayes: 7