At the October 10 county board meeting, the board unanimously moved forward with a courthouse security plan. A proposal from Marco which was one of two proposals submitted was accepted.
The Courthouse Security committee, which was formed after the county was awarded a grant in the amount of $30,000 by the Safe and Secure Courthouse Advisory Panel, recommended accepting the Marco proposal at a cost of $176,338. With additional costs for locksmith services and pagers, the total cost is expected to be more than $200,000. County coordinator Bobbie Vickerman noted that staffing (an officer in the courthouse) is included in the 2018 budget. The board is considering hiring part-time trained law enforcement personnel to provide an officer at the courthouse.
Vickerman said the committee will work with Marco and see if they need all aspects of the bid. Commissioner Duane Bakke, who serves on the committee, acknowledged that the county has already been working with Marco for other services.
Commissioner Marc Prestby asked if we are going to be using all of the equipment in the proposal. Bakke noted that Fillmore County is one of the few counties that doesn’t have security equipment going to the court room.
Bakke suggested the cost will be paid over two years. It is planned to use the MCIT dividend for this year and next year (an estimated total of $180,000) plus the $30,000 grant to pay for the equipment. The county is required to match the grant 50/50. The MCIT dividend usually is put into the Infrastructure Fund.
The total cost of the Marco proposal does not include cameras at the office building and highway.
Bakke expressed his disappointment that the board was not involved in writing the grant application. He suggested the grant possibly could have been larger.
It was noted that there are more decisions that will need to be made. Commissioner Mitch Lentz, who is on the Courthouse Security committee, said the investment is for physical security. Policy decisions still need to be made.
Other business in brief
• Terry Schultz, facilities maintenance, presented two bids for sidewalk repairs. The low bid from Bakke Cement and Masonry Construction in the amount of $4,650 was accepted.
• A resolution for a conditional use permit for Mike and Cindy Tomashek for an agricultural tourism business was approved as recommended by Planning and Zoning. The property located in Section 5, Preston Township, already has the facility in place for an event venue. Three conditions were put on the CUP including the requirements for liability insurance, compliance with state and local regulations, and a ceasing of loud music by midnight.
An access permit for Joseph and Amanda Hershberger, Section 25, Preston Township, for a driveway access off CR 16 to a pasture was approved.
• A request from Jail Administrator James Fenske to change authorized check signers for the jail was approved. Two names were added and two were removed.
• Vickerman will be the voting delegate and Bakke the alternate for the 2017 annual meeting of the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT).
• The first reading on a policy for reimbursements to employees was made. The policy would require a request for reimbursement to be submitted to the department head within 45 days. The department head must stamp the date received to the invoice and summit to the Auditor/Treasurer’s office within 15 days of being stamped. The A/T must submit the invoice to commissioner or auditor batch at the next board meeting and process and send payment within 30 days of date received in the A/T Office.
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