County commissioners take cost-cutting measures

• Nobles County

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WORTHINGTON — On a three-two vote, Nobles County Commissioners on Tuesday morning rejected the request to hire a 4-H Summer Intern this year, saving the county approximately $3,600.

Before commissioners made their decision, Regional Extension director Holli Arp spoke of work being done within Extension to establish a Green Team, a group of 4-H youth leaders willing to volunteer their time to help with 4-H programming during the summer months.

“This is something where we could have the 4-H program coordinators develop a team that could go from county to county to help with multiple fairs,” Arp told commissioners. The goal is to have a team organized for 2010, she said, adding that there isn’t enough time to establish the group by this summer.

“Without a summer intern, we are looking at reducing programming out of the 4-H office,” Arp said. “If that’s the decision the board is making, we’re going to have to make some tough decisions about what we can and can’t accomplish.”

The summer intern position is for 400 hours, roughly 10 weeks, and the intern works from June through the county fair.

Nobles County 4-H program coordinator JoAnn Ammann said more than just 4-H members are served by 4-H program in Nobles County. She is conducting after-school programming at this time with more than 160 students taking part. Just three of those are enrolled in the traditional 4-H program.

Commissioner Marv Zylstra, who supported hiring the summer intern, suggested the Extension committee evaluate the direction 4-H is taking with its programming. He said that perhaps it could eliminate the day camp for a couple of years if necessary and look at temporarily halting other events in the absence of a summer intern.

“I just feel that right now we cannot fund this,” said Commissioner Diane Thier who, along with commissioners Norm Gallagher and Vern Leistico, voted against the hiring. “At a time when we’re looking at big budget cuts … I think we’re asking too much … to fund this position when we may have to look at laying people off.”

In addition to cutting the 4-H summer intern position, commissioners on Tuesday decided to hold off on filling the vacant county finance director post.

Nobles County Administrator Mel Ruppert said the firm hired to help find qualified applicants and perform the necessary reference checks has compiled a list of candidates.

“Is that something we move forward with or put on hold?” Ruppert asked the board.

“My feeling is we put it on hold,” said Commissioner David Benson. “In the long run, this is something we need, but we’d like to integrate all of the financial services under one heading.”

“Maybe nine months from now things will turn around and we’ll want to take a look at it,” added Zylstra.

In other action, the board:

- Approved a conditional use permit for Worthington Excavating to operate a gravel pit in the northwest quarter of Section 10, Dewald Township.

- Approved a conditional use permit for Randy Hein of rural Brewster to construct a 102-foot by 192-foot total confinement barn for 2,400 head of swine in the southwest quarter of Section 28, Graham Lakes Township.

- Approved a conditional use permit for Lane Bullerman of rural Adrian to construct a 100-foot by 328-foot grower barn, a 56-foot by 150-foot roof over an existing feedlot and an 80-foot by 200-foot sorting/treating barn in the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 7, Little Rock Township.

- Approved a labor agreement with the deputies in the sheriff’s department. The three-year contract is similar to other contracts the county approved earlier this year. Deputies will receive a 1.5 percent pay increase retroactive to Jan. 1, another 1.5 percent increase on July 1;

-.5 percent increases on both Jan. 1 and July 1, 2010; and a 3 percent pay increase on Jan. 1, 2011.

- Approved participation in a feasibility study with Rock County on consolidation of dispatching services. The study will be conducted with grant dollars received.

- Accepted the low bid of $201,046.98 from Traffic Marking Services of Maple Lake for pavement marking services within the county.

- Approved a request to close County State Aid Highway 28 at Adrian from noon to 2 p.m. April 15 to conduct a mock crash for students at Adrian High School.

- Approved a request from the City of Bigelow to be included in the county’s contract for bituminous surfacing.

- Approved a request from the City of Round Lake to support the expansion of broadband fiber to the communities of Round Lake and Brewster. Round Lake Mayor Keith Stubbe said the new stimulus package has designated more than $7 million for expansion of broadband. The plan is to build off of a main trunk line in Windom, he added.

l Approved a resolution for adoption and implementation of the county’s new 10-year water plan.

Tags: nobles county, 4-h, news