At the October 12 meeting of the Fillmore County Board, a number of staffing changes/additions were considered.
The board approved requests to advertise for an additional full-time social worker, an additional full-time RN or Public Health nurse, and an additional full-time case aide. All three positions will be funded mostly with American Recovery dollars. The additional positions were recommended by the Personnel Committee and Social Services Director Kevin Olson or Director of Nursing Jessica Erickson.
Olson said the additional social worker will help keep up with all the screenings and be able to do targeted case management, which will help fund the position. Erickson expects the additional nurse to administer booster shots and to be of assistance in schools. The case aide is a detail person and can help capture grant dollars.
County Engineer Ron Gregg explained his reasoning and his request to transition Jarad Carolan from an engineering tech senior to an engineering tech senior/assistant surveyor, which has also been recommended by the Personnel Committee. The county has advertised for a county surveyor and has not been able to secure one. Carolan is already doing surveying and has a history of surveying work prior to working for Fillmore County. However, he does not have the required license to sign off on surveys; it takes four years to earn this license. Gregg said he has been working to get a shared county surveyor with the necessary licensing qualifications.
Commissioner Duane Bakke said the county still needs to move toward a licensed surveyor to get the corners updated in the county (the remonumentation of the original government public land survey corners). Gregg said the hybrid position he suggested will maintain what is needed in the field for road construction surveying. Chairman Randy Dahl said this hybrid position is a good option to take care of the road construction portion of the surveyor’s work. County Administrator Bobbie Hillery added this is a great way to tap into the knowledge of a current employee.
A motion was approved to have David Drown Associates develop a job description and rating of an engineering tech senior/assistant engineer position.
Gregg encouraged the board to look into hiring an assistant engineer. He suggested they target a graduate with a BS in civil engineering. In order to be licensed as a professional engineer this graduate will have to work five years under a licensed engineer. Gregg is looking into the future; this individual could be trained and become a licensed engineer over time, at which time Gregg may be close to retirement.
A motion to have David Drown Associates develop a job description and rating for an engineer tech senior with a four year civil engineering degree to be an engineer in training was approved.
Other business in brief
•Approval was given to purchase a 2021 CAT 140 Joystick motor grader at a cost of $308,990, with trade of a 2003 Deere 770CH. Two quotes were obtained, for a CAT and a John Deere. After consideration of an analysis of service records and average future resale values the board agreed to the CAT purchase, which was the higher quote.
•Sheriff John DeGeorge again discussed the ATV ordinance language. Some changes had been made and a couple more language changes were suggested this day. The proposed ordinance language will likely be adopted at the October 26 meeting. After publication, a public hearing will be held before approval of the ordinance.
•The 2021 Motorola Dispatch Maintenance contract was approved at a cost in the amount of $9,521.56. This is a yearly service agreement for the maintenance and replacement of dispatch equipment.
•A resolution was approved for the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office to enter into a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for the 2022 Toward Zero Deaths grant for enforcement projects during the period from October 1 to September 30, 2022.
•Auditor/Treasurer Christy Smith updated the board on the Northern Natural Gas tax court refund. The settlement total to be refunded for 2018 and 2019 payable tax years is $78,611.93. This amount is shared by the state ($24,722), county ($19,258.36), townships and cities (about $8,400), and school districts (about $21,000) with just over $5,000 in interest.
Smith explained there isn’t a forfeiture process for delinquent mobile homes like there is for real estate. The statute of limitations is six years. She requested that the board agree to write off a total of $2,475.47. This total is for 13 parcels that she didn’t see any possibility that the county will ever be able to collect. The actual delinquent tax total for the parcels is $1,120; the rest is for penalties and interest. A motion was approved to write off tax, penalties, and interest on these 13 parcels.
•The 2022-2023 County Minnesota Family Investment Program Biennial Agreement between the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Fillmore County was approved.
•The 2022 health plan premiums were approved as presented and recommended by the Benefits Committee.
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