Dickinson County: Supervisors approve 2010 appropriations
by Samantha Heerdt - Staff writerFact Box
Center faces fund shortfall
by Samantha Heerdt
Staff writer
John Walters, executive director of the Dickinson County Conservation Board, updated the Board of Supervisors on the Nature Center renovation project.
Walters said there is a $257,000 shortfall on the approximately $800,000 project.
"If we don't get the money, we'll have to refuse all the bids and have the architect redesign," he said.
Supervisor Mardi Allen said there are still too many unknowns for the supervisors to make a commitment to support it. She also noted that she is fully behind the project and hopes that they can find a way to move forward.
Currently, membership is at the highest it's ever been and the conservation board is looking at every grant they can find.
Supervisor Pam Jordan suggested they look for a tourism grant.
Allen also said that she had read the business plan many times and that it never asked for any tax payer money.
The project will be on next week's agenda.
SPIRIT LAKE - Without the final numbers in from fiscal year 2009, members of the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors disagreed on appropriating 100 percent of funds for FY 2010 department budgets.
"Revenues are concerning for 2010," said supervisor Mardi Allen. She suggested not appropriating the full 100 percent, but rather 50 percent for the first six months. "We know we are deficit spending," said Allen.
Supervisor Paul Johnson suggested planning might be better if funds were appropriated six months at a time rather than all at once.
Allen said if they appropriated 50 percent of funds, everyone should be fine until the final results from FY 09 come in around October.
Supervisor Pam Jordan expressed concern about departments that were expecting the full 100 percent. Supervisor David Gottsche agreed with Jordan, saying that it would throw off the budgets of the departments. If they were going to appropriate 50 percent, then they should have decided that when the budget was approved so the departments would be notified.
The board approved appropriating 100 percent of the funds, with Allen and Johnson voting against the decision.
Dickinson County Sheriff Greg Baloun asked the board to approve a SALT grant application. The grant would be used to purchase a golf cart to patrol the trails.
Jordan was reluctant to approve the grant because she didn't want people to think they could take golf carts on the trails. Baloun noted that they currently use ATVs, and they don't have anyone driving them on the trails.
The board approved the grant application.
Residents of Moore Lake Development addressed the board about street maintenance.
County engineer Dan Eckert said the area was platted in 1995 and that 182nd Street is in very poor condition. He said the road doesn't comply with standards because there is 4 to 6 inches of asphalt and it should be 8 inches.
There is an 800-foot "U" shaped road that the residents at the meeting live on. The area does not receive snow removal service and the residents scoop it themselves. The residents said the area gets a lot of traffic.
Supervisor Wayne Northey said he would like to look at the area and have the item on next week's agenda.
In other matters, the board:
n Approved three fireworks permits.
n Approved one year contracts with Seasons Center for case management, mental health services and Oak Haven Care Facility.
n Amended appropriations for FY 2009.
n Extended Eckert's contract for another year.
n Held a public hearing on a manure management plan update.
