Leader | Dec 16 | 2015

Page 6

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Burnett County sponsors highway department open house

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E. Royal Emerson | Staff writer SIREN - An open house was held at the Burnett County Highway Department allowing the public an inside look at the existing buildings and to view design plans for a proposed $5 million new facility. The proposed new facility will consolidate the highway and parks and forestry department into one buildLQJ 7KH EHQHĂ€WV RI GRLQJ VR ZHUH RXWOLQHG DV IROORZV • Extends the service life of every vehicle. • Allows trucks to enter, store and exit with plows and wings attached, saving a minimum of 30 minutes of staff time for each snowfall. • Reduces the possibility of injury and damage to vehicles. • Creates opportunity for future cost savings through personnel and equipment consolidation. • Eliminates concerns of the airport regarding use of its hangar by the Parks and Forestry Department. Jeremy Burton has served 11 years as a heavy equipment operator for the county, responsible for plowing state roads in a snowstorm, among other duties. ´:H GHĂ€QLWHO\ QHHG D QHZ IDFLOLW\ Âľ %XUWRQ VDLG ´5LJKW now it’s kind of a pain having the plows sitting outside in the snow. A new facility will give us more room to do basic vehicle maintenance and repairs.â€? 7KH FRXQW\ KDV Ă€YH VWDWH SORZ WUXFNV QLQH FRXQW\ plow trucks, two front-end loaders, two backhoes, two

$Q DUWLVW V UHQGLWLRQ RI WKH SURSRVHG QHZ KLJKZD\ IDFLOLW\ IRU %XUQHWW &RXQW\ 6SHFLDO SKRWR scrapers, two dozers, four graders, a chip spreader and an excavator, housed in various buildings scattered throughout the highway yard. A new facility will allow all trucks to be housed under one roof. “A new facility is very much needed,â€? said county board Chair Don Taylor. “Keeping the existing facility will mean putting money into major repairs and upJUDGHV 7KH RIĂ€FH LV QRQFRPSOLDQW ZLWK IHGHUDO VWDQdards.â€? The board of supervisors in November agreed to limit borrowing to 10 years as a means to reduce overall costs to the taxpayer. “It’s very much needed,â€? said Supervisor Brent Blom-

EHUJ ´:H ZLOO JDLQ D FRVW VDYLQJV LQ HQHUJ\ HIĂ€FLHQF\ I very much support the project, especially keeping the borrowing costs to 10 years.â€? There were few members of the general public in attendance and no views in opposition to a new highway facility could be found. The county hopes to approve design plans for the new facility in spring of 2016 with construction proceeding thereafter. “There comes a point in a facility’s life when it just isn’t worth the cost to put any more money into it,â€? said Jeremy Gronski, board supervisor, summing up the general sentiment.

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6LUHQ 9LOODJH %RDUG JHWV GRZQ WR EXVLQHVV E. Royal Emerson | Staff writer 6,5(1 ,Q D PRGHO RI JRYHUQPHQW HIÀFLHQF\ WKH 6LUHQ Village Board wrapped up its regular meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10, in 13 minutes, breezing through its agenda and leaving a holiday gift tray of salami, cheese and crackers, donated by MSA Engineers, largely untouched in the back of the room. The board renewed its contract for building-inspector services with longtime inspector Dennis Quinn of North Lakes Mechanical Consulting Services. Quinn receives QR GLUHFW YLOODJH ÀQDQFLQJ EXW FKDUJHV D IHH IRU VHUYLFH to new construction and remodels. It was announced that board member Phyllis Kopecky will not be running for re-election in April. The date for caucusing of board candidates is set for Thursday, Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. Shirley Bloom and Grace Sexton were appointed as chief election inspectors, with Jean Marion and Diane Norman approved as the other election inspectors. A McCabe Construction pay request of $49,403.90 was approved, with $1,100 being deducted for hydrant repair and street sweeping associated with the street remodel project.

7RXULVP FRPPLVVLRQ The Siren Tourism Commission provided a written report that included the following: The 2015 Taste of Siren event went well with $2,500 in SURÀWV 7KH HYHQW FRPPLWWHH DQG 6LUHQ &KDPEHU %RDUG will be discussing the possibility of moving the Taste of Siren to spring as a stand-alone event. The July 3 street dance is also being reviewed by the 6LUHQ &KDPEHU DV WR SURÀWDELOLW\ DQG RSWLRQV WR PDQDJH the event more effectively. 6LUHQ )LUH $VVRFLDWLRQ The Siren Fire Association, in its written report, noted that it has entered into a contract with Cedar Corp. for EXLOGLQJ GHVLJQ VHUYLFHV IRU LWV SODQQHG QHZ ÀUH VWDWLRQ 7KH ÀUH DVVRFLDWLRQ DOVR DSSURYHG ERUURZLQJ XS WR $100,000. A checking account to receive and disburse Community Development Block Grant dollars will be opened at Community Bank. The Town of Daniels will 6LUHQ 9LOODJH 3UHVLGHQW 'DYH $OGHQ DGGUHVVHV WUXVWHHV enter into a contract with Cedar Corp. for grant admin- DW WKH ERDUG V UHJXODU PRQWKO\ PHHWLQJ 7KXUVGD\ 'HF istration services. 6KRZQ DW ULJKW LV YLOODJH FOHUN WUHDVXUHU $QQ 3HWHUVRQ 3KRWR In a notable exercise of holiday discipline, this reporter E\ ( 5R\DO (PHUVRQ resisted the invitation to take home a napkin full of salami, cheese and crackers.

&KDQJLQJ IDFHV DW 3RON &RXQW\ Major staff turnover coming at county government

dents. A part of that change will be the formation of a behavioral health program to address the mentalhealth needs of county residents. Frey said that the current program within human services is one of the great hidden assets of the county. The change will give Gregg Westigard | Staff writer %$/6$0 /$.( ² $ PDMRU WXUQRYHU LQ VWDIĂ€QJ LV that program better visibility, he said. Frey said that Sampson, the longtime director of the coming to Polk County government, Dana Frey, county administrator, told the supervisors at the county board Health Department, was the right person to set up the meeting Tuesday, Dec. 15, and the county is involved QHZ GLYLVLRQ WKH Ă€UVW LQ WKH FRXQW\ 6KH LV D SHUVRQ RI in succession planning to assure a smooth transition. national stature, he added. Andrea Jerrick, employee relations director, now has Part of that transition, the promotion of three longtime employees, was approved during the monthly meeting the additional new position of deputy county adminiswhich also included three guest presentations and ap- trator. Frey says Jerrick will have some extra responsibilities but still is the ER head. proval of the annual county forest work plan. $QG 0DJJLH :LFNUH WKH ORQJ VHUYLQJ Ă€QDQFH PDQ7KH FRQĂ€UPDWLRQ RI WKH DSSRLQWPHQW RI *UHWFKHQ Sampson to the new position of Community Service ager, now has the title of director of the Department Division director is a formal step in the ongoing pro- RI $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ D WLWOH WKDW PRUH UHĂ HFWV WKH DFWXDO cess of reorganizing the Human Services Department duties she has performed. Polk County will see the retirement of a third of and the Health Department, creating a more integrated body that serves the human needs of the county resi- its employees in the near future. In the past year, 58

FRXQW\ SRVLWLRQ ZHUH Ă€OOHG DQG SRVLWLRQV DUH QRZ open. Frey said the county is preparing for this “major turnoverâ€? by active succession planning. This ongoing planning is involving younger employees in leadership development. “We will need from six to 12 new stars to run the county,â€? Frey said, “and most of them already work here.â€? Other actions Forest Administrator Jeremy Koslowski presented the 2016 annual work plan for the 17,144-acre county forest. The plan includes planning and establishment of the next 445-acre timber sale, the oversight and administration of past sales, and the continuing reforestation and timber stand improvement of the forest. The planned timber sales are designed to maintain a healthy forest and provide a wildlife habitat. In addition, the county forests provide the public with areas for hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities.

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