At the February 25 Fillmore County Board meeting, Jessica Erickson, director of nursing, led a discussion on the Fillmore-Houston Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The plan is developed every five years and covers the entire area of both counties.
Public health issues have been identified and prioritized. Individuals, the public, and organizations were involved with data collection and the prioritization process. In Fillmore County there were 20 health topics. For Fillmore-Houston counties, priority one was the access to healthy/nutritious food. Fillmore County ranked air quality as number two. Clean air can reduce the risk of developing asthma, cancer, lung and heart disease, respiratory infection, and stroke. Factors that reduce air quality include asbestos, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, lead, mold and moisture, radon, tobacco smoke or vapor, and volatile organic compounds.
Later this day the Fillmore-Houston Joint Board of Health were to have their meeting. At that meeting the Fillmore-Houston Strategic Plan was also to be discussed. It lays out Fillmore-Houston goals and the strategies to reach them.
The board approved a resolution to have Fillmore County sponsor the Fillmore-Houston Community Health Board for Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) membership. The annual cost for property and casualty insurance for the F-H Community Health Board is about $2,795.
Approval was given for the Medical Consultant contract between Fillmore County and Dr. Stephanie Jakim. The contract is renewed each year. Dr. Jakim has served as the medical consultant without pay. Erickson praised her for doing a great job.
Other business in brief
•Pam Schroeder, airport manager, requested and received approval to advertise a “request for qualifications” for engineering and planning services at the Fillmore County Airport to be in compliance with FAA Advisory Circular. Professional technical and advisory services are needed for a project included in the Airport’s Capital Improvement Program.
•County Engineer Ron Gregg said two quotes have been submitted to build a flat bed on an old truck chassis to be used to haul the skid loader. The low quote in the amount of $5,000 was approved.
Gregg announced there will be a training course on how to properly load a truck on March 18 in room 108 of the county office building from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The free class will be put on by the University of Minnesota. It will be open to farmers.
•Mike Frauenkron, feedlot officer, reviewed the 2019 County Feedlot Officer annual report. Fillmore County has 737 feedlots eligible for funding. Fifty-six of those were inspected in 2019, which met and exceeded the 7% inspection rate. The report was approved as presented and will be signed by chairman Prestby.
Frauenkron also reviewed the MPCA Feedlot year end worksheet and the 2019 financial report. A total of $41,240 will be carried over. There is a two-year grant period. Funds must be expended by the end of the grant period, December 2021. Both reports were approved as presented.
•The Transportation Services Contract with Semcac for volunteer drivers was approved as presented. Kevin Olson, Social Services, said it was the same as last year’s contract.
The Child Support Cooperative Agreement between Fillmore County Human Services, the county attorney, and the sheriff was approved. Olson commented that the cooperation of the three departments has made it a very effective program.
The Interagency Agreement between the county and the Minnesota department of Human Services regarding the operation of Livescan Systems for child care background checks was approved. This is a new mandate from the state which requires criminal background checks for all child care staff. The county will be reimbursed $3.25 for each study subject who is fingerprinted.
•A conditional use permit for Fillinona Solar, LLC for a solar farm on property owned by HazBroy Property, LLC in Arendahl Township, section 30, was approved. The Planning Commission recommended approval unanimously at their last meeting. Zoning Administrator Cristal Adkins said they will need to have the solar farm working area surveyed, but it will not have to be split from the original parcel.
•Approval was given to close out 2019 Septic Treatment Systems grant funds ($18,600), after all funds were expended. Approval was also given to return grant funds ($28,114) to the Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) that were granted in 2017 for Septic Treatment Systems Upgrades. Adkins said she can reapply for the grant in 2020. It will be necessary to set up guidelines and applicant income qualifications to determine eligibility for grant funds aimed at low income property owners. Adkins said she applies for any grants available.
•Shannon Smidt was hired as a replacement accounting technician in the Auditor/Treasurer’s office.
•Per land agreement between the county and SWCD, herbicides will be applied on county land along the Root River to control the invasive Japanese hops in the Root River corridor.
•The Ambulance Service Contract will be renewed again once the signed contracts come in from the county’s seven ambulance services. The contract is unchanged from last year with the county providing $4,500 for each of the ambulance services. Commissioner Randy Dahl suggested the amount be raised to $5,000 next year.
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