At the January 10 meeting of the county board, a two-year contract was approved with First Net. The contract includes 20 phones at a cost of $44.99 per month per phone plus $3 per month for each device license. The estimated total monthly charge with fees is $1,094.27.
Jessica Erickson, director of nursing, will get 13 phones for her department. She requested a two-year pilot trial. Wanda Berg, social services, and Tom Jensen, community corrections, will also get phones for people in their departments. Berg and Erickson said most of the cost could be covered with grants. Jensen explained the use of these phones will remove the liability associated with personal phones.
The Medical Consultant contract was approved. Erickson said the contract with Dr. Stephanie Jakim will only run through March 31, 2023, as the doctor is retiring. Erickson is in the process of finding someone else to fill that role.
A 2022-2023 Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Infrastructure Grant Cooperative Agreement was approved. Several southeast Minnesota counties participate in the infrastructure grant to increase data capacity in the southeast Minnesota region by piloting different data projects. Each county is paid $3,000 upon signing the agreement and there is an additional per project amount upon completion of a project.
Sheriff John DeGeorge and Jail Administrator Jamie Fenske reported to the board that the MEND Correctional Care Medical services used by the jail will end, effective March 1, 2023. The company is declaring bankruptcy. Fenske said they have been looking into other possibilities including American Correctional Healthcare, Inc. (ACH), which would be much more expensive. DeGeorge said they hope to work out a share agreement with another county. This was informational, no action was taken this day.
Other business in brief
• A request to advertise for four 2023 microsurfacing projects was approved. County Engineer Ron Gregg explained microsurfacing will last longer than chip sealing. There is a scratch coat and then the skim coat which will extend the life of pavements, especially on heavily traveled Amish roadways.
A request to advertise for a surface reconditioning project on CR 112 from CSAH 18 north two miles was approved.
A request to advertise for a surface reconditioning project on CR 118 from CSAH 5 into Forestville State Park was approved. The project will be funded by the State Park Road account.
• The resignation of Sydney Gilbert, public health nurse, effective January 19, was approved after 3.5 years of service. A request to hire a replacement public health nurse was approved.
• The resignation of Carrie Enright, peer breastfeeding counselor, effective January 19, after three years of service, was approved.
• Approval was granted to pay ambulance services (Harmony, Chatfield, Rushford, Preston, Lanesboro/pay Preston, Mabel, and Spring Valley) $4,500 per service for 2023.
• Commissioner committee assignments for 2023 were reviewed and discussed. Committee assignments will be acted on at a future meeting.
• LELS Business Agent Tim Jeanetta joined the meeting on behalf of an employee. The employee was arrested for domestic assault and found in possession of narcotics on December 10. The employee was let go. The employee was denied Step 1 grievance by Jamie Fenske due to just cause and Step 2 grievance by Sheriff DeGeorge due to just cause. DeGeorge said there was good probable cause for arrest with a charge of possessing and using a controlled substance. Step 3 employee grievance was to ask the board of commissioners to rescind termination. Hillery asked that the board deny the request. A motion was approved to deny the request.
• The board met with LELS (Law Enforcement Labor Services) Union for 2023 negotiations. No action was taken this day; the board asked them to come back with a multi-year request.
• The board approved the CliftonLarsonAllen Statement of Work-Audit Services for the year ended December 31, 2022. Hillery said the audit will begin next week.
• The board will meet next on January 24.
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