Posted: 1/30/07
County discusses CJC, looks at financial consultants
By Heather M. Gray
Spring Grove Herald
At their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Houston County Commissioners heard about a variety of law enforcement issues from Sheriff Doug Ely.
He wanted to publicly thank all of the departments and other agencies that worked with him concerning the Irvin Ramirez case. He is an Onalaska, Wis. man arrested for a DWI in La Crescent and suspected of killing a 23-year-old woman in La Crosse.
"It was a great cooperative effort all the way down the line starting with the Kwik Trip employee who called 911," he explained.
He added, "La Crosse came down and did all of their interviews here. Local law enforcement in La Crescent also played a key role."
Commissioner Dave Corcoran pointed out, "Crime has no jurisdictions, no borders anymore. I donít see it getting any less any time soon. The public doesnít always realize this. People are very mobile nowadays."
CJC discussion
The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) group met with the engineers and other jail consultants in Rochester. It was Elyís first meeting with the group. He commented that the jail space is definitely needed ASAP. With the maximum security, high-profile inmate over the weekend and five work release inmates the jail was overcrowded again.
Chair Ann Thompson asked the board how they wanted to proceed with hiring a financial advisor for the CJC project. Last year they had letters of interest from four parties- the PFM Group, Ehlers & Associates, Inc., Springstead Financial Services and Northland Security Products.
It was decided by consensus to extend interviews to all parties but Springstead for Feb. 6 and then make a decision after that.
Johnson Controls is pushing the county to take this next step as this person will help them with the financing options, bonding options, etc.
Chief deputy interview
It was noted that the county board will interview La Crescent police office, Scott Yeiter, for the position of chief deputy on Feb. 6. The results of the background search will be available by then.
Veterans officer to assist state
Veterans service officer Rob Gross received permission to participate in a unique opportunity to help process the 5,000 returning Minnesota National Guard soldiers when they return from Iraq this summer.
The group was originally scheduled to arrive home this month but had their mission extended due to President George Bushís troop surge.
The Minnesota Veteranís Administration has decided to have seven teams of county veterans service officers from around the state come together and process the returning troops within the 21-day window they will be at Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wis.
Gross will be a member a team that will work for three days straight, working 10 or 12 hour shifts to process as many veterans as possible, enrolling them in the V.A. system and making sure they get all of the benefits due them.
"Itís a considerable undertaking," he noted. "Itís the first time something like this has been done. Minnesota has a good past history of integrating their veterans. This is a test and will go nationwide if it works well," Gross said.
Gross will get seven days notice to report to Fort McCoy when the troops come home and will have his mileage, lodging and meals taken care of by the state. Commissioner Tom Bjerke enthusiastically supported the project, "I think it is a great thing. We have to help these guys. Theyíve done their duty to this country and we owe them."
Highway grants applied for
Houston County Engineer Marcus Evans received permission to apply for a $150,000 Highway Safety Grant to replace substandard and outdated guardrails in the county on CSAH 3, 6, 25 and 249.
The board also approved La Crescent Township Chair DeWayne (Dewey) Seversonís request to have the county act as a sponsor for a Federal Transportation grant that township is pursuing to upgrade the North Pine Creek Road, and add an adjacent bike/pedestrian trail from County Road 6 to a point just beyond the Pine Creek Golf Course.
It was noted that the township will be responsible for 20 percent of the anticipated construction costs and they will have to pay their for their own engineering costs.
Evans explained that a formal agreement between the county and township will be drawn up and in place if the grant is approved spelling out who has what liability, etc.
Delinquent tax fees increasing
The county board took Auditor Pete Johnsonís recommended to increase the publication fee from $20 per parcel to $30 for those parcels listed on the delinquent tax list published each March.
He explained that it has been $20 for a long time and that doesnít even come close to covering the countyís costs to publish the required delinquent property tax list each year.
The fee is automatically added to each parcel once the deadline of Feb. 28th has passed. It was noted that the countyís actual costs are closer to $40 a parcel.
Next meeting
The county board meets the first four Tuesdays of each month, so they did not meet on Jan. 30. Their next meeting is Feb. 6.
Editorís note: Our thanks to The Spring Grove Herald for providing us with this story.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com