Le Sueur County commissioners receive human services report

By Jake Keohen

The Le Sueur County Board spent a majority of its Tuesday, Sept. 21 meeting in reviewing and discussing activities of the human services department.

Presenting the monthly report of the department were Sue Rynda, director, and John Glisczinski, fiscal officer. They inform the board via a detailed report each month, using graphs to indicate current activity, year to date updates and comparisons to the previous year.

The report includes numerous categories, including revenues, expenditures, cash balances, collections, child support, welfare, protection, family services and management, community support, out-of-home placements, in-home family therapy, adult foster care licenses, child daycare licensing, behavior health, halfway houses, psychological and psychiatric services, chemical dependency services and on-call contacts.

Discussion was held on the fee structure for various licenses, particularly daycare licensing, and Rynda said she will investigate further how fees are handled in other counties and improved methods of informing the public.

Rynda also announced a Kudo's Award for Wendy Wenner, a social service supervisor who took 50 youngsters to a Salvation Army camp in the metro area.

The county board also—

• Approved out-of-state travel for Veterans Service Officer Jim Golgart to attend a national executive board meeting in Texas in January, at no cost to Le Sueur County.

• Approved a request by Amy Beatty, environmental programs specialist, to issue a permit to Tidy Disposal (Mark Johnson, Belle Plaine), for solid waste collection and transportation in the New Prague area. Solid waste will go to the Burnsville Sanitary Landfill and recyclables to LDI in Savage.

• Received a written report on the Southern Minnesota Tourism Association from Jeanne Zwart, a representative of the group. Le Sueur County supports tourism in Southern Minnesota by contributing five cents per capita or approximately $1,275.

• Reviewed a comprehensive plan agreement prepared by Bolton & Menk and presented by Highway Engineer Darrell Pettis and Planning and Zoning Administrator Kathy Brockway. County Attorney Brent Christian had some questions about the agreement and will contact Bolton & Menk to review and revise the contract language.

Next meeting October 5

The next meeting of the county board is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 9:30 a.m. The commissioners will not meet next Tuesday, Sept. 28 because of lack of agenda items.