FAIRMONT– The Martin County Board of Commissioners heard an update from Kinship of Martin County on Tuesday.

Executive Director Jen Kahler said that they made 30 new matches from July 2021 to July 2022.

“To my knowledge that might be one of the biggest numbers in a years time that we’ve made at Kinship which is really exciting,” Kahler said.

She said that coming out of Covid, they’ve been able to continue to have mentors and mentees meet and put on different activities and events.

Kahler said they currently have 50 matches, 22 percent of which are outside of the Fairmont area. There are currently 19 children on the waiting list, 18 of which are boys. She said that 53 percent of those on the waiting list are outside the Fairmont area.

“One of our biggest struggles right now is finding mentors. We have five or six kids in Ceylon right now and we have been struggling, not for lack of effort, to find mentors for those children in Ceylon,” Kahler said.

She said overall they’re really happy with where the program is at and that they’ve felt relatively stable even while facing different challenges over the past few years.

“Much like everybody else, costs go up for us whether it’s for food, travel or training materials,” Kahler said.

She said this year their budget is about $140,000. The commissioners have supported about a third, or $45,000, of the budget in the past. Kahler asked if they could up their contribution to either $46,000 or $48,000, which would make it an even $4,000 a month.

Kahler stressed that they’ve been very well supported by the Martin County community through grants and donations, but that a lot of the money they receive is subject to the ebb and flow of the economy.

Commissioner Elliot Belgard said the board appreciates what Kinship does and thinks their money is well spent on the program.

The commissioners made a motion to receive and file the budget request from Kinship of Martin County.

Moving to other matters, the commissioners heard from Sheriff Jeff Markquart regarding public comments received on consideration of body worn cameras for the sheriff’s office.

“There was an overwhelming thought that it’d be a great idea to have these. I didn’t see any negative comments on it except maybe one asking about the cost,” Markquart said.

Belgard noted that many of the comments received were from people saying they thought the department already had them. Markquart said the Fairmont Police Department has some and that the two departments will share storage for the cameras.

Commissioner Kathy Smith asked if it was budgeted for. Markquart said it was budgeted for back in 2017 and that they’ve already purchased everything.

The board approved the policy for body worn cameras for the sheriff’s office.

In other news, Management Information Systems Director, Steve McDonald, presented a recommendation for a three year KnowBe4 security awareness training package in the amount of $8,363.

“This is something I’ve been looking at a couple years. A lot of counties are on this. It’s a training plan for all of staff… for anyone who has computer access,” McDonald said.

“I think it’s really important that we do this,” said Commissioner Steve Flohrs.

The board approved the purchase of the three year training package.

In other news, the board:

— Approved the hire of Jannie Potgieter as a full-time Correctional Deputy.

–Approved the hire of Kacey Wurster as a part-time Circulation Technician at the library.

— Approved the resignation of Holly Hegdal, Accounts Payable in the Auditor/Treasurer’s office.

— Approved a tax abatement request from Randy and Alice Martin for construction of a single-family home in Fox Lake Township.

— Appointed commissioners Kathy Smith and Steve Flohrs for the canvassing board for the Aug. 9 primary election.