Posted: 12/4/07
County approves contract
with Pictometry Imaging
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The Houston County Board approved a two-year contract with a company that will provide much more detailed topographic images of the county. The action was taken during the Nov. 27 meeting.
Last summer County 911 Coordinator Dan Krzoska told the board about new aerial imaging technology which could benefit a number of county departments. The new technology offers topographic images that contain not only top views, but side views to map the entire county.
Pictometry Imaging, Inc. takes overhead photos of areas from an airplane, utilizing a more sophisticated multi-directional camera system to record the terrain below. Using three cameras, Pictometry Imaging offers video maps that show the topography of the area.
Krzoska explained the technology would be an excellent mapping tool to aid fire, rescue, and police crews, and could also be used by planning and zoning when people bring in building proposals. The slopes of the proposed building sites would be quite visible.
"If we experience a tornado or flood, they would come back and re-shoot the damaged area so we would have an accurate record," Krzoska had said in June, just two months before the August flash floods.
At the Nov. 27 meeting, Krzoska reported the company did an aerial shoot of Houston County one week after the August floods for county records, in the event the county decided to subscribe to Pictometry Imaging's services. Krzoska added the company plans to reshoot the county in early April before the trees are leafed out to get a less obstructed mapping of the county.
The two-year contract will cost the county $51,000, and would include unlimited software, several training sessions, and a new set of visuals would be taken in the event of another disaster.
Money in the Homeland Security budget will pay for the program. At the present time, 15 counties in Minnesota have subscribed to the mapping service, with the closest county being Olmsted.
In other board action
housing levy request
The board approved a request for a one-time levy of $50,000, which will help establish a multi-county housing redevelopment authority through the Bluff County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (BCHRA).
Wayne Stenberg, of the BCHRA, explained the state has approved a one-time match for both Houston and Fillmore counties, which make up BCHRA. The money will be put into a revolving fund that will make low-interest loans available. The criteria for the program includes:
ïIncome - 80 percent of the state area medium income ($55,000);
ïMaximum loan amount of $7,500;
ïMaximum term of loan- seven years:
ïInterstest rate of 5% simple interest;
ïSecurity- mortgage on property (promissory note);
ïPayment- $110.24 per month for seven years.
Stenberg said the money could serve as a gap loan for persons wishing to improve the essentials of their homes, ie: water heaters, furnaces, more energy-efficient windows and doors, roofs, basement and foundation work.
The program would be a revolving fund where the money loaned out would come back in payments and grow with the interest charged by the BCHRA.
Once the levy initiative is approved, the county EDA will develop of Houston County Housing Action Plan. The goals include retaining families, increasing investment and property values, stabilizing towns and neighborhoods, and increase the ability of Houston County to attract employers with improved housing.
Disposal fees are increased
Due to increases in landfill charges and hauler fees, the county board approved disposal fees and drop-off site rate increases for 2008.
According to County Environmental Services Director Rick Frank, the county has not had any rate increases since 2002, but absorbed rate hikes from landfills and haulers.
"It's time to make some increases," Frank told the board and recommended the following increases:
ï30 gallon bag from $1.50 to $1.75;
ï45 gallon bag from $2 to $2.25;
ïMinimum disposal fee from $1 to $1.25 per bag;
ïDemolition fees from $15 to $16 per cublic yard.
Due to continued increase in trucking and fuel surcharge rates for hauling tires, Frank also recommended the following increases for tire disposal:
ïCar tires from $1.40 to $1.50;
ïImplement tires from $3 to $4;
ïSemi tires from $6.50 to $7;
ïTractor tires from $15 to $17;
ïOver-sized tires from $50 to $55;
ïTires on a rim or filled with mud will remain at $5 plus the cost of tire disposal.
Caledonia Argus
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