Posted: 12/20/05
New ag position will focus on alternative farming
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
An new quarter-time ag agent who specializes in horticulture and alternative agriculture will be available to Houston County next year.
Timothy Arlt, a U of M Extension Service Area Program Leader, explained the new position to the county board at its December 13 meeting.
The new person will work primarily out of Winona County. Projects could include work with apple growers, landscape and nursery businesses, pesticide applicator training, lawn care, pest control and turf management, Arlt said.
Jerry Tesmer, the current county ag agent, will continue his time between three counties, but will concentrate on Fillmore and Houston Counties.
Heíll be able to expand programming and technical service in more traditional areas of agriculture, Arlt said.
There will be no extra cost to the county, he added. Tesmer is assigned to Houston County on a half-time basis. The cost to the county in 2006 is $37,800, Arlt said, and is in the proposed budget.
Commissioner Tom Bjerke encouraged Arlt to have the extension service use a web site to give farmers information. He suggested spending time and money on that.
ìThis is a work in progress,î said commissioner Larry Graf, who serves on the extension committee. He said he wasnít sure if funding for it would continue, but thought more work would get done with the two positions.
Franklin Hahn of Houston, another committee member, said the new 10 hour a week position would help Tesmer and save travel time.
Abstract fee to increase
The county board also approved an abstract certification fee increase to $50 and $5 per entry. It had been $30 and $3 per entry.
County recorder Bev Bauer said the new fee was the lowest amount recommended by the Minnesota County Recorderís Association. It takes a lot of time doing difficult abstracts, Bauer said, and raising the rates would help the county cover its costs.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran said the board should revisit the issue next year to see if the fees are paying for the service.
The board also passed a motion charging a flat fee of $30 for non-certified tract searches, and that those requests be put in writing.
No change in tax system
The board also followed auditor Pete Johnsonís recommendation and decided not to switch its tax system.
The board currently uses a company called ACS, and has a contract with them through 2008. A regional group of Minnesota counties has been researching whether to switch to another company called Manatron.
Johnson said he would like to take a wait-and-see approach, even though there are additional costs with that.
Manatron will charge Houston County a fee of $1 per parcel, or $15,734, if the county switches to it after December 31. They also want to charge a ìcustom implementation feeî of $49,500 if the county waits until after March 31, 2006.
ìIt sounds like a scare tactic,î Corcoran said of the extra fees.
ìIt could be, to a point,î Johnson answered.
Johnson said he saw a demonstration of the Manatron system. ìWhat we saw was nice,î he said.
Commissioner Ann Thompson said she would like to see Manatron get the bugs worked out before the county joins with them. ìItís the unknowns that kind of hold you back,î she said.
Purchase agreements approved
Houston County commissioners approved two purchase agreements for homes that will be removed if a new criminal justice center (CJC) is built south of the courthouse.
The agreements are for the Joe Klug home at 314 South Marshall Street and a home owned by Myron Burmaster on East Washington Street, kitty-corner from the jail.
Commissioner Ann Thompson said the agreement with Klug would close on about December 18, and the agreement with Burmaster would close by the end of the year.
The county board is in the planning process for a CJC that would contain a jail, law enforcement center, and courtroom, as well as offices for the county attorney, court services, and court administrator. The preferred plan is to have the new building adjoin the present courthouse on its south side.
Other business
ï County engineer Tracey Von Bargen said the county had received a $50,000 federal grant to replace the guard rail on Oak Ridge Hill on County Road 13 west of Houston.
ï The county voted to continue using the services of Maximus as a cost plan consultant for 2006 at a cost of $3,724. Maximus looks at non-allocated costs from departments such as the attorney and auditor for services that are provided. The county is then reimbursed based on Maximusís findings. The program pays for itself, Johnson said, because the county usually gets more than $10,000 back.
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