At the July 23 meeting of the Fillmore County Board, Stephanie Morse, Harmony Public Library director, told commissioners that the county gets “a lot of bang for your buck at Fillmore County libraries.”
Morse broke down the value of library materials and services; the total value of library use according to her figures is about $3.8 million. Her values included books borrowed for all age groups, audiobooks borrowed, interlibrary loan requests, eBooks downloaded, movies borrowed, and CDs borrowed.
Fillmore County, on April 23, approved a three-year library contract (2025-2027) with SELCO. The county will pay $273,809 to SELCO for the first year of the contract and an increase of $8,000 for each of the next two years.
Melissa Vander Plas, Spring Valley Public Library (PL), Tara Johnson, Lanesboro PL, Monica Erickson, Chatfield PL, Beth Nelson, Rushford PL, and Samantha Buley, Preston PL, each expressed an uptick in children’s summer reading programs. The libraries are taking advantage of available grants.
Krista Ross, representing SELCO, contributed to the conversation. She noted state support for libraries is appropriated through the Legacy Program. They lobby to get funding through the program every two years. There are 12 regional public library systems in the state.
Buley said it has been a very successful year at the Preston library where they have received donations of homeschooling materials, have updated the children’s section, and have the ability for patrons to check their blood pressure.
Erickson, Chatfield library, said they have added non-traditional items like outdoor games, STEM kits for kids, Tonieboxes for kids (really popular), summer program for kids, and also more programs for adults.
Medical Examiner’s Annual Report
Ross R. Reichard, M.D. and Monica Kendall, P.A., Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, gave their 2023 annual report. Their jurisdiction includes eight southeast Minnesota counties along with consultations in La Crosse and Steele counties.
There was a total of 225 deaths in Fillmore County in 2023 (84% reported to the medical examiner’s Office). One-hundred and seventy of the 188 deaths reported to the Medical Examiner were natural deaths, fifteen were accidental, one homicide, one suicide, and one undetermined.
Ten of the accidental deaths resulted from a fall, four were motor vehicle accidents, and one was from drugs.
Accidental falls that lead to an unnatural death mostly occur in people 75 or older. Commissioner Randy Dahl explained when he delivered mail, he would check on people that failed to pick up their mail between deliveries. This led to a discussion on the importance of noticing when someone fails to follow one’s routine, which can be a signal that a person may need help.
Most deaths by natural causes are cancer or cardiac related. The next highest cause is neurologic.
Other Business in Brief
• A resolution was adopted which provided a Negative Declaration for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Dabelstein Mine Project in Pilot Mound Township. An Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) has been prepared. The EAW was filed with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board and circulated for review. The county board unanimously agreed with the Findings of Fact and Conclusions prepared by Land Use Director Blake Lea. Lea said there had been no comments from most agencies. Some items detailed by the DNR will be done before the project is up and running. The project will eventually come before the Planning Commission for a conditional use permit.
• Finance Director Christy Smith reported that a $1 million CD was maturing after a year, earning $56,000 in interest. She recommended the reinvestment of the $1 million at First Southeast Bank for 12 months at an interest rate of 5.4%. The board approved her recommendation.
The board then approved the ratification of a TriMin Contract 2025-2027 pending county attorney’s review of the contract. County administrator Bobbie Hillery said this is a basic contract for all counties. The agreement is to provide professional services between Minnesota Counties Computer Cooperative (MnCCC) and Tri-Min Systems Inc.
• More proposed 2025 budgets were reviewed including the county attorney’s, veterans office, feedlot, and land use office. Most budgets reflect an increase mainly due to increased health insurance costs.
• Social Services Manager Wanda Berg addressed the board with Sheriff John DeGeorge. She requested approval to apply for the Crisis Response Grant. The grant would fund law enforcement agencies and local government to maintain and expand crisis response teams to send social workers/mental health providers on calls where an individual is having a mental health crisis. A social worker goes with law enforcement on crisis type calls. Social workers are on call for events defined as a crisis; they are also health officers.
DeGeorge explained if called for a mental health crisis they are obligated to refer it to a crisis service. It is helpful if that person (providing crisis service) has been working with the person in crisis on an ongoing basis.
Berg said the grant can be used for the on-call person, transportation and training. Social services and law enforcement work together. Berg said they are required to provide mobile crisis, but with the current system the response time isn’t good. The model Berg suggests would provide faster response. Chairman Duane Bakke said it will be better when deputy and social worker arrive together. Commissioner Mitch Lentz said he would like to provide the service as described even if they don’t get the grant. He added what we are currently paying for isn’t working. Approval was given to apply for the grant.
• The final payment in the amount of $22,151.77 to Icon Constructors, Inc. for a bridge replacement project on CR 102 in Norway Township was approved. The total LOST bridge project cost of $443,035.25 was less than the contract price.
Leave a Reply