R. Ross Reichard, D.D., Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner, presented 2018 data for Fillmore County at the September 10 county board meeting. Chairman Duane Bakke was absent.
Reichard’s office serves eight counties in southeast Minnesota. He emphasized the importance of the medical examiner’s staff including investigators throughout the region.
In 2018, 136 deaths were reported to his office from Fillmore County; 18 required a complete autopsy. One-hundred fourteen of those deaths were due to natural causes (40 cardiac, 25 cancer, 20 neurologic, and the rest due to other natural causes). Natural death numbers begin to increase in age groups over 45. The greatest number of natural deaths were in age groups over 75.
Of the other 22 deaths that were not considered due to natural causes, 10 were due to falls, seven motor vehicle related, one firearm, one hanging, two involved poison/drugs, and one was categorized as other.
Reichard reported that 65,000 deaths nationwide in 2018 were due to drug overdoses, which is now the leading cause of accidental death.
Other business in brief
•County Coordinator Bobbie Vickerman reviewed a draft preliminary budget and levy. At this point, it shows a budget increase of 5.1% for 2020. This includes two new staff positions. She suggested the staff position requested by the county recorder could be a half-time position. By consensus the board wants to get the increase below 4%. The board will approve a preliminary budget and levy on September 24.
Marty Walsh, EDA, presented the EDA budget which includes a 3% increase for CEDA and a request for $5,000 to begin building a fund to develop a new comprehensive plan. The county housing study is nearly complete. Vickerman said there will be a new line item for the comprehensive plan.
Auditor/Treasurer Heidi Jones presented her department’s proposed budget, which includes funding for one new staff position. She insisted 40% of the staff she had when she was elected has been removed from her office. Two of those staff members now make up the staff of the finance department.
•Karla Ambrose, a candidate for the assessor position, was interviewed. She has her SAMA (senior accredited Minnesota assessor) certificate. Kristina Kohn, human resources, said she is completely qualified for the position; no additional training would be required. No action was taken this day.
•The county has a tentative agreement with Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). A couple of changes or additions were discussed and the county approved the contract this day with the changes. It will go back to LELS for their approval.
•Carrie Enright was hired as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor effective October 1. One-hundred percent of her wages will be paid with grant funding; there is no additional cost to the county.
•A resolution was adopted setting the current market value for Municipal Solid Waste at $72.86 (the lowest price currently available in the area). Drew Hatzenbihler, solid waste, explained Minnesota statute requires we set market price each year. The county charges $80/ton.
Leave a Reply