The county board ended four years of talks on merging human services Tuesday and opted to stay on its own.

The board unanimously voted against merging the department with Steele, Dodge and Waseca counties because there were too many unanswered questions, especially pertaining to costs.

Commissioner Tim Gabrielson said he was frustrated that the plan failed, and said he wished there would have been another phase that didn’t require a $1 million commitment to sort out unanswered questions.

“I think it could have worked if there had been another phase,” he said.

Commissioner Mike Ankeny also expressed frustration and said there should have been more concrete answers.

Commissioner Jerry Reinartz said the added costs were too much of a risk.

“I feel, too, that we’re better off staying on our own,” Reinartz said.

—Look to the Herald as this story develops.