Before holding their annual Truth In Taxation hearing Thursday the Mower County Board of Commissioners took care of business.

Friday, December 03, 1999

Before holding their annual Truth In Taxation hearing Thursday the Mower County Board of Commissioners took care of business.

A lot of business, it was.

Thursday was also a regular meeting day for the commissioners and a lengthy agenda faced them.

A week ago, Jane Roden, president of the board of directors of the Mower County Humane Society, pleaded with the commissioners for a $15,000 allocation.

The money, Roden said, was needed for major improvements to the new animal shelter in Austin.

Dave Hillier, 3rd District county commissioner, announced Thursday the finance committee recommended a one-time $15,000 disbursement be made to the Humane Society in the year 2000 budget.

The money was requested by MCHS for its new animal shelter along 10th Drive SE. The city of Austin is also contributing $15,000 to the MCHS for the same purposes.

Also Thursday, Hillier, chair of the county board’s building committee, announced soil borings have been taken at the proposed site for a new $4.1 million multi-purpose building at the fairgrounds in southwest Austin.

However, the building committee is awaiting the test results.

Meanwhile, Hillier said, work sessions with the architects designing the new building will be scheduled soon now that the building committee has received input from all the necessary "stake-holders" in the project.

In other action Thursday, the commissioners:

– Heard Jeff Weaver, county solid waste administrator and recycling program coordinator, tell of progress in manufacturing the new roll-off containers that will replace the recycling collection sheds in municipalities outside of Austin. The first containers should be delivered in January 2000 and will replace the 10-by-12 foot sheds in the municipalities. However, because the sheds were purchased by the county in 1989, when the recycling program was launched, with a grant, they cannot be given away to the municipalities as planned.

– Approved recommended amendments to a contract between the county and hauler Waste Management. According to Weaver’s explanation, the changes will "toughen" the contract in areas involving what the hauler agreed to do for recycling pickups. The hauler alleged a change-over in drivers was responsible for a rash of missed customers. Also, the hauler has not provided route sheets and customer lists as agreed upon. Meanwhile, the county continues to pay the agreed upon fee despite the inadvertent reduction in services to citizens. The changes apply a penalty deduction for each missed customer that increases as the number of missed customers increases and also comes with a revocation clause if the terms of the pact are not fulfilled.

– Heard Dennis Wehrhan of Lansing discuss complaints about a mobile home that may be illegally sited in the village. Glen W. Jacobsen, chief deputy prosecutor for Mower County and legal counsel to the commissioners told Wehrhan that citations had been issued for sewer and zoning violations and pleas entered. However, sentencing was stayed pending satisfactory compliance with the county’s zoning laws for siting a mobile home. Because the variance obtained by the mobile home owner then expired and the conditions were not met, sentencing and other disposition of the case is pending. Also, because the variance was granted by the board of adjustment, the county board has no power to act. Matters of appeal must be directed to district court.

– Approved a loan of $20,000 to the Mower County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to make repairs to a HUD-subsidized home being moved from Stewartville to Racine.

– Approved a $700 bill for hiring facilitators that helped committee members discuss the multipurpose building project and make a recommendation to the county board. It was also noted by Craig Oscarson, county coordinator, that two members on the committee have refunded the $35 per meeting/day per diem that were entitled to them for serving on the committee.

– Approved payment of a $6,296 special assessment bill from the city of Austin for decorative street lighting near the Mower County Department of Health and Human Services building along North Main St. and along the government center in downtown Austin.

– Approved allowing the Mower County Corrections Services department to apply for $7,642 in excess grant funds to remain Mower County’s and be used to supplement other existing juvenile programs and services.

– Approved hiring Brenda Sorenson of Albert Lea to become the county’s new Guardian ad Litem Program coordinator.

– Acknowledged receipt of a letter from the Mower County Mental Health Advisory Committee encouraging the county board to seek alternative housing options for the homeless.

– Approved renewal of the preadmission screening contract with Helen Voigt that expires Dec. 31, 2000 and was recommended by Margene Gunderson, Mower County public health/community health services director.