Sheriff requests two new squad cars
Deputy totals vehicle; commissioners table request
Posted: 3/23/04
By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter
Houston County commissioners will need more details on the cost to replace a squad car that was totaled in an accident that happened several weeks ago.
The board tabled making a decision on the issue at its Tuesday, March 16 meeting.
A request was made by Sheriff Mike Lee via a letter to replace the vehicle which is in addition to another vehicle that was budgeted for replacement this year.
Icy roads were to blame for the crash which occurred in the early morning of March 6 north of Caledonia. The squad car was being driven by Lieutenant Tracie Erickson of the Houston County Sheriffís Office.
Erickson, who lives in Onalaska, Wisconsin, was responding to a call for assistance at about 2 a.m. when he lost control of the 2000 Crown Victoria squad car on Highway 76 on top of Badger Hill.
He slid on the ice pack 137 feet, according to his accident report, then went through the intersection of County Road 22 and hit a fence post, causing severe damage to the patrol car. Erickson was not injured.
Commissioner Ann Thompson stated, ìI thought he was going to come in with facts and figures.î
ìHave Mike come in,î said Commissioner Larry Graf.
Lee was not at the meeting to answer commissionerís questions about his request.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran stated, ìI want to see what our insurance company pays.î
Sheriffs needs drug task force
In another issue related to the sheriffís budget, commissioners also discussed a request from Sheriff Lee to reinstate the countyís membership with the Southeastern MN Drug Task Force, which would cost $5,000.
In a letter, Lee explained that he cut the membership from the budget last year to try to save money. However, after some changes in the state for who handled the clean-up of methamphetamine labs, he determined that they need the benefits of membership.
In the event of the discovery of a meth lab, the drug task force will send a team down to clean it up. Otherwise, the county would have to pay for the expenses of the lab cleanup.
ìBelieve me, in the future it is going to get worse, as we are working on a number of cases at this very moment that hopefully we will be destroying and needing cleanup crew to help us with this,î explained Lee.
The board also tabled a decision on this.
Septic tank fee opposed
Board members agreed to send a letter to state representatives Greg Davids of 31B and Gene Pelowski of 31A opposing a $30 septic tank fee that the state may ask the counties to collect from homeowners who have septic tanks installed. The bill, which began in the house, would require the counties to collect the fee at the time of installation and be given to the MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) to fund the education of inspectors and installers. In return, the state would give the counties $5 for each time it was collected.
The fee began being assessed last year and was collected by the contractors at the time of installation. Some have suggested that it makes more sense for the county to collect the fee.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Bob Scanlan requested the board send the letter because it is in the process of being passed.
Environmental Services Director Rick Frank stated that the $5 isnít going to cover the cost of collecting the fee for the state.
Commissioner Corcoran said, ìI make a motion to send a letter saying that the only way weíd do it, is if theyíd send us $30 and we send
them nothing.î
Commissioner Kevin Kelleher asked, ìWhat does the homeowner get for the service?î
Frank replied, ìResearch.î
ìWeíll do it when they show us research,î responded Kelleher.
ìThey have new technology. We donít have the technical expertise to monitor it,îexplained Frank.
Kelleher said, ìMy point is that weíre doing more of the services and theyíre getting the money. Thatís a tax, imposing money but not providing services.î
On Scanlanís recommendation, commissioners also opposed the stateís proposal that all septic systems are brought up to code in the next 10 years.
The bill involves giving the county the task of creating a database of every septic system in the county and sending out notices every two to three years to the homeowners to make sure the systems are maintained and pumped.
ìTruth be told, there isnít enough contractors out there to do this in 10 years. Maybe we can go on record saying weíre opposed to it,î said Frank.
A second letter is being sent to several senators opposing this bill.
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