Thursday, February 6, 2014

Volume 98; Number 32

www.bladepublishing.net staff@bladepublishing.net

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

75

Commissioner Neumann calls for Todd County hiring freeze

By Rin Porter At the Jan. 28 Health and Human Services Board meeting and Work Session, the Todd County Board of Commissioners heard Fifth District Commissioner Randy Neumann call for a hiring freeze in the county. Neumann did not suggest dates for beginning or ending the freeze. Neumanns comment was made at the end of a short budget discussion during which Neumann brought up the county budget deficits of the past two years. Neumann apparently believed that a hiring freeze would end the series of deficits in the countys General Revenue Fund. The Social Services Fund, Public Health Fund, Road and Bridge Fund, and Solid Waste Fund do not have budget deficits currently, and have not had deficits for the past few years, as far as we could determine. Our inquiry to the Auditor/Treasurers office was not answered, and the budget summary materials at the Office of the State Auditors website were not organized by fund. County Engineer Loren Fellbaum was present at the work session, and Neumann asked Fellbaum whether a payment owed to Todd County Public Works by the State of Minnesota for the Staples U.S. 10 overpass had been received. Fellbaum said it had not, but that Public Works was not in deficit status because of the late payment. Interim Sheriff Don Asmus and Chief Deputy Jon Sarago were present at the work session, and Neumann asked Sarago whether the Sheriffs Department would be able to stick to its budget in 2014. The Sheriffs Departments expenses in 2013 were more than it budgeted for 2013. Sarago replied that he was doing an analysis of where the Sheriffs Department stood in its current revenues and expenses so he could revise the budget so it would match the Sheriffs Departments actual expenditures. Sarago explained that during the four years the former County Administrator had prepared all the department budgets, the Administrator had instructed the Sheriffs Department to underestimate its needs in some line items, so the budgeted expenses would appear to be lower than they actually were. Sarago commented, The most glaring thing is that under our Administrator, we had dropped our budget in certain areas, even when we knew our actuals would be higher than that. He gave the example of the line item for vehicle purchases. The Administrator reduced it from $110,000 per year to a low of $85,000 over a three-year period. Sarago said, We saved $60,000 in three years by juggling. But the same car we could have bought then costs more four years later. We need to focus on what it actually costs [to operate this department]. Sarago will provide the board with his budget analysis report when it is completed. Correcting of the Sheriffs Department budget is important, but will not solve the problem of the countys projected $992,000 General Revenue Fund deficit for 2014. SWCD AND PLANNING AND ZONING ANNUAL REPORTS Also at the Work Session, SWCDD Director Tim Stieber presented a summary of the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Planning and Zoning Departments annual reports for 2013, and plans for 2014. Stieber said the SWCD had brought in enough grants to be almost self-sustaining, which was good budgetary news. He pointed out that the county had met the requirements for feedlot compliance, and had reregistered 345 feedlots during 2013. The SWCD sold more than 10,250 trees to landowners. New employee Sabin Adams worked to educate farmers in conservation programs to establish wildlife habitat, filter strips, and stream buffers as part of the countys partnership with Pheasants Forever. Several farmers participated in a program to educate them about when to irrigate their fields most effectively. The Planning and Zoning Department issued 506 building permits during 2013, which was much lower than the number of permits issued for either 2011 or 2012. The septic system inventory project completed 423 properties to assure they were compliant. Twenty properties failed the inspections, and plans were made for landowners to bring their systems into compliance. DITCH 20 County Ditch 20, located in the northeast area of Todd County has several drainage issues, according to Ditch Inspector Nancy Uhlenkamp. Uhlenkamp told the board that the original ditch was built in 1907, but never worked properly. It includes Main Ditch A with Lateral 1, Main Ditch B with Branch 1 and 2, Lateral 2 and Lateral 4. It is 17.56 miles long and Continued on page 12.

Violent Offender Task Force concludes six month investigation

T h e T h e following Task Force informawas assisttion is ed in this f r o m investigaT o d d tion by the County Cities of Sheriff S a u k Asmus Rapids, St. Sheriff s Cloud and NewsletL i t t l e ter: On F a l l s January P o l i c e 22, 2014 Departthe Central ments and M i n n e s o t a Pure shards of Crystal Meth. the Stearns, Vi o l e n t Morrison Offender Task Force concluded a and Todd County Sheriff s six month long investigation Offices, along with the FBI and into the possession and sales of SWAT Teams of the FBI, methamphetamine in the cen- Stearns-Benton County tral Minnesota region. This Sheriff s Office and the St. investigation spanned the St. Cloud Police Department. The Cloud Metro-area into Stearns, task force is made up of officers Benton and Morrison Counties from the cities of Little Falls, and also included the City of Sartell and St. Cloud as well as Little Falls. deputies from Stearns, Benton, During this time period Todd, Morrison and Sherburne investigators with the task force Counties. conducted numerous controlled I appreciate all the hard work buys of various quantities of and dedication that goes into methamphetamines and also these types of detailed investiconducted numerous search gations and the Todd County warrants in which additional Sheriff s Office remains commitquantities of methamphetamine ted to the investigation of drug were seized. In all, approximate- crimes in Todd County and this ly 818 grams of methampheta- region. mine were either purchased or Remember, if you see someseized with an approximate thing suspicious or a crime in street value of $50,000.00. progress dial 911 or if it is not an Sixteen people have been emergency call (320) 732-2157 charged or are expected to be or (800) 794-5733 with Todd charged with either possession County. or sales charges. Additional TODD COUNTY charges against other suspects SHERIFFS OFFICE are expected. Additional chargeDON ASMUS, SHERIFF sagainst other suspects are expected. In addition, three arrests on outstanding warrants were made as a result of this investigation.

Students celebrate Catholic Schools Week

Lions Club Super Bowl Breakfast well attended

Students from Sacred Heart of Staples, St. Henry's of Perham, and Christ the King of Browerville gather together to celebrate Mass and a presentation from the Raptor Center on January 30th.

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

Tue. Feb. 4 Partly Cloudy 9/-12 Wed. Feb, 5 Cloudy 2/-14 Thur. Feb. 6 Partly Cloudy 3/-8 Fri. Feb, 7 Mostly Sunny 9/-8 Sat. Feb. 8 Cloudy/Sunny 9/-4 Sun. Feb. 9 Partly Cloudy 5/-10