Caledonia Argus

County to apply for tobacco grant

Posted: 9/30/03

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

Houston County youth wonít be hearing as many anti-tobacco messages in the future. Last year, the legislature took money from the tobacco endowment fund to reduce the state deficit, leaving less money available for grants and education programs.

Last year Houston County partnered with eleven other counties and received $576,000 for youth tobacco prevention and other programs.

Grant money is available this year for tobacco reduction programs in communities, but the funds are half what they were and harder to receive.

Ten to fifteen grants are available and are valued at between $100,000 and $250,000.

Houston County is partnering with the same 11 counties and competing with 70 other counties for one of those grants.

Public Health Educator Heather Myhre acknowledged that the funds are much reduced, but is hopeful that they will receive a grant.

If the county receives a grant, 75% will focus on making communities tobacco free, while 25% can focus on educating youth about being tobacco free.

Myhre informed the board at its Tuesday, September 23, meeting that the grant application deadline is October 2. Houston County will know by November if the region will receive a grant.

The grant runs for two years compared to the last grant that ran for several months.

Ken Frank to fill vacancy of Bob Reider

Ken Frank has filled the Chief Deputy vacancy that was created by the retirement of Bob Reider.

Frank has worked with the Sheriffís office for 22 years and stated, ìIíve enjoyed all of them (years).î

He began his new position on Thursday, September 26.

Reider retired after 22 years with the Sheriffís office.

More sections added to JOBZ application

Sections 13 and 14, located south of Hwy. 76 just outside of Caledonia have been added to the list of sections in the county that will be applying for tax relief as part of the JOBZ (Job Opportunity Building Zones).

The program began as a way to stimulate commercial and industrial growth in distressed rural areas of the state of Minnesota by making an area a tax free zone for up to twelve years.

Each county can designate up to four hundred acres.

County board will begin meeting later

The county board will see two time changes to take effect on two different dates.

For the meeting of Tuesday, October 7, the county board will meet at 10:30 a.m.

For the next meeting of Tuesday, October 14, and the remainder of the year, the county board will meet at 1:00 p.m.

A request for the time change was made by Commissioner Kevin Kelleher.

County discusses idea of a Regional Jail

In a recent meeting, Commissioner Larry Graf met with Winona, Wabasha and Fillmore Counties to discuss building a regional jail.

Graf commented that there was the idea of having a joint powers board operate the jail. The jail would be for long term placement of prisoners. The jail facility in Houston County can only hold prisoners for 90 days with the exception of prisoners who are sentenced for a work release program.

For the past six years Houston County has been involved in looking at different options for expanding its current jail facility.

This most recent discussion, said Commissioner Graf, is in the early stages and is another possibility that is being investigated. Factors such as the logistics and financial feasibility still need to be considered.

Graf said it would be cost prohibitive for the county to build a jail using its own financial resources which is why it is teaming with other counties to look at the possibilities.

Eighteen months ago, with the help of a grant, Graf and Commissioner Ann Thompson spent a week in Colorado learning about regional jail facilities.

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