Board approves makeover of deputies' work area

“It’s long overdue,” said Le Sueur County Sheriff Tom Doherty. “The guys are really going to appreciate this.”

Doherty’s comments came after the Le Sueur County board of commissioners approved his request to remodel his deputies’ work area. At the board’s Jan. 17 meeting, the commissioners gave the go-ahead for electrical, flooring and work space updates.

Doherty said bids for the work came in at $19,040.62 and he estimates an additional $3,000 will be required to cover incidental costs not included in the bids.

Doherty said the funds required for the work will be taken out of a pool from vehicle and drug-arrest-related forfeitures. No tax dollars will be used to fund the remodeling.

Other board news:
• In other news related to the sheriff’s department, the board approved a joint powers agreement between the county and the Minnesota State Patrol. The agreement formalizes the on-going cooperative effort to share resources between the two entities.

• Department of Human Services Director Sue Rynda introduced Audrey Hoffman and Teri Maas who work with the South Central Crisis Center’s mobile crisis outreach. Hoffman and Maas are one of six two-person teams on call seven days a week from 4 p.m. to midnight. They are both employed in Le Sueur County’s Department of Human Services.
Mobile crisis outreach teams assist the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Department with any adult experiencing a mental health crisis. These situations could include family issues or individuals not taking prescribed medications. Teams are not involved with suicidal situations, individuals with a history of violence, or any situation where weapons may be involved.
Teams work within a 30-mile radius of Mankato.
The mobile crisis outreach program is a pilot project which began in November of 2011. Hoffman said to date they have been called out to four incidents.
To learn more about services at the Crisis Center, call (507) 344-0621.

• Le Sueur County Child Services Supervisor Lowell Freeman received permission to purchase voice recognition software and equipment to document cases.
Freeman told the board case workers will be able to dictate results of screenings and assessments. The software will be able to translate the spoken words into text form, eliminating approximately 250 hours a year spent typing reports. Freeman added case workers will also be able to file reports immediately while the information is fresh in their minds, resulting in better accuracy.
Cost of the software is $4,723.88 and two digital voice recorder devices will cost $845.98. Both purchases will be paid for through a federal grant and do not require property tax dollars.

• The board approved the purchase of a 2011 Ford Escape from Factor Motors in Le Center to be used by the Department of Human Services. The vehicle is used, with about 19,000 miles on it. It replaces a van which was retired from service and sold last year.
The vehicle purchase was included in the department’s budget at a cap of $23,500. The county will purchase the Ford Escape for $21,000.

• The county has agreed to pay the City of Le Center $1,950 per month to operate a recycling facility open to all county residents. The facility has been in operation since 2001. Last year the facility processed 78.92 tons of co-mingled materials (glass, metal, plastic) and 132.93 tons of paper and cardboard. The monthly payment is the same as last year and the agreement expires on Dec. 31, 2012.
The county also renewed an agreement with the Scott County to allow Le Sueur County residents to utilize the Scott County household hazardous waste facility in Jordan. While Le Sueur County residents can use the Blue Earth County facility, it is closed from November through March. The Scott County facility is open all year.
Le Sueur County will pay Scott County $6,000 to access the facility. If Le Sueur County resident usage exceeds the $6,000 amount at a rate of $35 per person, Le Sueur County will pay the $35 per person overage at the end of the year.
Last year 150 Le Sueur County residents used the Jordan facility; but in 2010, that number was 332. Le Sueur County Environmental Specialist Amy Beatty said it is difficult to determine which year’s total is the exception or the norm.
Last year, 351 Le Sueur County residents used the Blue Earth County facility, and an additional 139 residents took advantage of a mobile collection day held in Cleveland.