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Elected officials offer to take salary cuts
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
In an effort to help the county cope with the massive cuts in state CPA (county program aid), which is expected to be an additional $260,000 in 2010, the five elected department heads informed the Houston County Board that they would not accept the salary increases that were approved during the Dec. 22, 2009 board meeting.
County Attorney Sue Bublitz, Sheriff Doug Ely, Recorder Bev Bauer, Auditor Char Meiners and Treasurer Audrey Petersen told the commissioners during the March 9 meeting that they all wanted their salaries cut back to what they received in 2009.
The combined savings over a 12-month period to the county would be $13,423.04. Because the five had already received increases in their salaries in January, February and part of March, the savings to the county will actually be closer to $11,000.
Commissioner Larry Connery thanked the five for their offer and said it would be included in the list of possible cuts Finance Director Casey Bradley, county department heads and the commissioners are currently compiling.
Chief Deputy Scott Yeiter and Jailer Mark Schiltz then came forward and informed the commissioners they too wished to have their salaries cut back to the 2009 status effective March 14. Connery thanked Yeiter and Schiltz and said their requests would be included in the list of possible cuts as well.
In other board action:
Warning siren improvements
Emergency Services Coordinator Kurt Kuhlers asked the board to approve a memorandum of understanding that could be established with a number of cities and townships in the county to provide additional emergency warning to county residents.
Kuhlers was able to secure a grant through the National Weather Service to purchase 10 solar-powered warning sirens, which he feels will improve the emergency warning system in the county. The sirens will be located in some of the cities, as well as rural areas where there are pockets of population that Kuhlers’ department feels needs more protection.
Several of the rural areas Kuhlers mentioned included Valley High, Money Creek and Camp Winnebago. The city of Caledonia will also be receiving a siren, which will be located on the east end of town near the fair grounds.
The board approved the memorandum by a unanimous vote.
Grant for Floral Hall
Houston County Fair Board President Eldon Pohlman requested the board serve as fiscal agent which would enable the fair board to receive a $5,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant. The fair board does not have 501C3 status, which is a requirement for obtaining the grant. The county does have 501C3 status.
Pohlman explained that the fair board plans to put a new concrete floor in Floral Hall at the fair grounds. The $5,000 grant would go a long ways towards paying for the work.
His request was unanimously approved.
Flood loan pulled
The county board agreed with a recommendation made by the County EDA to withdraw the flood loan that had been approved for Tri-State Auto of Hokah in the amount of $177,812.
County EDA Director Jordan Wilms said he has worked with Finance Director Bradley and County Attorney Bublitz since last July in an attempt to get Tri-State into compliance with the loan requirements. But their efforts have not been successful.
Wilms added that the County EDA has reviewed the case and made the recommendation.
A motion was made by Commissioner Tom Bjerke and seconded by Commissioner Bob Augedahl to approve the County EDA’s recommendation. It passed unanimously.
Private surveyor fees cut
County Surveyor Dick Walter presented the board with a resolution that would cut the amount of money the county will pay private surveyors from $500 per section surveyed to $250.
Walter told the board he felt the $250 was still workable, Winona County has already cut the payment it makes to private surveyors and they have not run into any problems.
The resolution was unanimously approved.
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