Posted: 10/25/05
New county cell phone per diem now in place
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
County commissioners approved a new per diem cell phone policy at its October 18 meeting.
It will pay designated department heads and supervisors $30 per month for their cell phones.
County employees that will receive it are county attorney Rick Jackson, highway engineer Tracey Von Bargen, highway department maintenance engineer Tom Molling, veterans service officer Rob Gross, and social services supervisor Karen Meier-Binde.
Darryl Peterson, who starts as new county sheriff on November 1, might not use the per diem, personnel director Tim Comstock said.
The new policy will eliminate the need for county-owned cell phones or for employees having to turn in reimbursement claims for work-related calls made from their personal cell phones.
The vote was unanimous, although fourth district commissioner Dave Corcoran expressed some reservations. ìI realize thereís a need for it, but sometimes you wonder,î he said.
Other business
ï Personnel items: The board also approved three personnel items that Comstock brought to them.
Two home health aides were hired, Angie Happel at step 3, which pays $10.28 per hour; and Anita Meyer at step two, which pays $9.78 per hour.
The board also approved an unpaid leave of absence for public health nurse Kelly Tornstrom.
ï Demolition disposal: The board approved a new rate for demolition disposal material of $15 per cubic yard, at the request of environmental services director Rick Frank. The change stems from a letter the county received from the Weights nd Measures division of the Minnesota Department of Commerce. A customer complained to them that he had been charged three different rates, from $10-$50, for three bags of material that were a similar size and weight. Frank said the charges vary depending on what the material is, and that could explain the price variations.
ï Highway projects: County engineer Von Bargen updated the board on four county road projects. Here are the details:
County Road 29 in La Crescent should be done by the end of the week of October 21.
The bridge on County Road 24 is having grading done now, and piles will be driven this week. It should be done by the end of November.
County Road 4 hasnít started yet.
County Road 249 has the bypass in, and grading work is being done. The bridge crew should be in by the end of this month, then it will take a solid month to do the project. It should be done by the first part of December.
ï Hangar lease: The board approved two 12-month leases for its hangar at the Houston County airport. They are to Dick Kleist of Caledonia and Scott Carolan of Farmington, Minnesota at a cost of $50 per month.
ï New contract with SEMDC: The board approved a new contract with Southeast Minnesota Development Corporation in Rushford $31,200 for 20 hours of work at the pay rate of $30 per hour. Joyce Iverson is the SEMDC consultant for Houston County. Her job centers on economic development issues.
ï Money to state: Auditor Pete Johnson informed the board that the county owes the Minnesota Department of Revenue $6,300 for items purchased for which it should have paid sales tax. They came up with that amount through a random sampling of bills. Johnson said taxes werenít paid on the items because the items were questionable.
Second district commissioner Kevin Kelleher said it was ridiculous that the state was imposing sales tax on county-purchased items. He called it ìsales tax on property tax.î
Caledonia Argus
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E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com