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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
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County backs local option sales tax effort
Senior Reporter Crow Wing County is supporting a local option sales tax in Brainerd, Baxter and Nisswa.
On Tuesday, the board agreed regional projects such as the Brainerd/Baxter wastewater treatment plant and widening and re-routing Highway 371 in Nisswa created hardships that could be helped by a local option sales tax to capture dollars of visitors who add burdens to the systems. The local option sales tax is being considered by the Legislature. It also needs voter approval.
Commissioner John Ferrari said the county should have considered a countywide sales tax. Commissioner Terry Sluss first suggested the supportive motion and waited through a period of silence before Commissioner Gary Walters seconded it. Sluss said it was too late to add the county. Commissioner Dewey Tautges said it was good to collect the tax from visitors but area residents would be paying as well.
Peter Herlofsky Jr., county administrator, said one issue that could make sense for the entire area is transportation. But the issue gains complexity when considering how the funds would be distributed throughout the county. Herlofsky said the county could consider being part of the sales tax in the future.
In other business, the board:
Approved the concept for a video arraignment to cover a person's first appearance in court. The proposal is for a temporary trial of the video arraignment to reduce the need to move inmates across the street between the main jail at the Law Enforcement Center and the new Judicial Center. County Attorney Don Ryan said the public defender's office has to consent to the proposal and the district's chief public defender has yet to do so. Ryan said they will keep talking about the issue and an option is to seek an order from the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
The board was supportive of the idea but wanted to see how it worked financially and determine Cass County's interest.
Accepted the resignation of William Blum from the Kitchigami Library Board and appointed Karl Samp to the position.
Met in closed session to discuss binding arbitration for the law enforcement bargaining unit. After the session Walters suggested delaying hiring a deputy for courtroom security saying the sheriff's department needed to revamp its budget as the county would be looking at a greater expense with the contract settlement than expected.
Sluss said he understood the emotion but would not risk courtroom security. Sluss agreed departments should reexamine budgets with an eye for limits.
Requested restoration of funding for recreation areas on Gull Lake and Cross Lake after learning the U.S. Corps of Engineers will not open recreation areas to the public because of budget shortfalls.
Learned the county is one of three finalists for the Minnesota 2006 Environmental Initiative Award for the Solid Waste Department's used oil collection program.
Heard the county's recycling increased to about 46,000 tons with 2,934 tons recycled by SCORE-funded residential recycling programs. Doug Morris, solid waste coordinator, reported an increase in prices for recyclables is expected to have a positive effect on recycling efforts. Sluss said he's noticed he puts out his garbage can just twice a month since his hauler started a pilot program for co-mingled recycling, which should bode well for the landfill if such efforts are expanded. Morris said most people generate 4 pounds of garbage a day. Waste generated about 100,428 tons for 2005 with a county recycling rate of about 62.3 percent. The state goal is 35 percent.
RENEE RICHARDSON can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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