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County moves forward with solid waste ordinance changes
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The Houston County Board unanimously approved a motion to contract the services of attorney Kevin Johnson, a solid waste ordinance specialist, to help County Environmental Services Director Rick Frank draft a new solid waste ordinance for the county. Frank made the request at the June 2 board meeting.
According to Frank, the last changes in solid waste plan were adopted 10 years ago, and much has changed during the past decade. The original plan was first created in 1990. Frank has been spending considerable time developing a new ordinance, but is at a point where he needs legal assistance to complete it.
“Mr. Johnson has considerable experience in the solid waste field. He helped draft the state’s plan and has been in the solid waste field since 1981,” Frank told the board. “I would continue to do all the leg work, and Kevin would help me out with the legal issues.”
Johnson would review the contracts with the various haulers working with the county and help to develop the various laws and ordinances that are needed between the municipalities and the county. He estimated that the legal fee would be in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.
“It appears as if you are very qualified for this job, but the potential fees concern me. During these tough economic times, I wonder if we can afford this,” Commissioner Jack Miller said.
“We’ve got to have an ordinance in place,” Frank pointed out. “I have been able to do most of the work, but there are some issues I just don’t have the expertise to handle.”
Commissioner Bob Augedahl said he wanted to see some concrete numbers before he supported the request. Frank and Johnson both felt it would be impossible to pull a finite number out of the air.
Commissioner Tom Bjerke said he would support the request if there was a “not to exceed” clause in a motion.
The rest of the board agreed with that request and approved a motion made by Miller and seconded by Commissioner Dave Corcoran to hire Johnson to assist with the legal work of developing a new ordinance, with a stipulation not to exceed $10,000.
In other board action:
Hiawatha Valley Mental Health
The board listened to a 30-minute presentation made by members of the Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center (HVMHC) , which has offices in Caledonia and La Crescent in Houston County.
HVMHC serves approximately 250 persons in Houston County and has four therapists who work out of the Caledonia and La Crescent offices. They have a crisis team, created in 2008, which serves persons suffering various issues both in the public sector and also in the county jails.
HVMHC also offers mental health day treatment for high school kids at Bluff Country Learning Options in Hokah. The program, now in its third year, offers treatment for area students, who remain at the Hokah facility for up to a half day and then return to their respective schools. There were 12 students involved in the program this past school year.
Helping with the move
Public Health Nursing Director Deb Rock asked the board for permission to hire Corporate Express to help with the moving of the various work stations from the Courthouse to the County Community Services building. Rock explained that the 19 work stations need to be taken apart, transported and reassembled, and is concerned that the nearly $65,000 worth of furniture could be damaged or not put back together correctly if not done by professionals.
Rock explained that Corporate Express gave her a bid of $2,800 to move the stations over a three-day period. Their work is insured.
“We really don’t want to be out of business for very long and I don’t feel someone else who doesn’t do this for a living could complete the task in three days,” Rock added.
Bjerke noted the county spent quite a bit of money purchasing the work stations and felt it would be taken care of (and moved) in a proper manner.
A motion by Miller and seconded by Augedahl to approve Rock’s request was unanimously approved. The money will come out of the county’s contingency fund, and Rock will try to find additional funding from her department’s budget.
Asbestos mitigation bid approved
The board approved a bid of $12,550 submitted by Asbestos-Be-Gone of Houston to remove asbestos coating around pipes and asbestos floor tiles in the former surveyor’s office and break room in the basement of the Courthouse.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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