BLUE EARTH - Faribault County Commissioners weighed personnel changes this week, given a looming $389,000 cut in state aid.
The board approved hiring assistant highway engineer Dave Hanson to replace Veteran Services Officer Bryan Schultze, who retired. Hanson will take a reduction in pay.
Once Hanson gets established in veteran services, he may still be able to help the county highway department if he keeps up his licensure, said central services coordinator Brenda Ripley.
Ripley asked the board to approve advertising for an engineer technician - a slightly lower position than the one Hanson is vacating.
County engineer John McDonald said he researched the 13 counties in the district and found 60 percent have an assistant technician. Of those, most have multiple.
McDonald said an assistant is especially needed because of the many road projects slated for the next couple of years, including the pool bridge in Blue Earth this summer and culvert replacements around the county.
Ripley estimated the salary of a technician ranges from $13 to $20-plus per hour, depending on qualifications and experience.
The board unanimously approved advertising for an engineering technician.
The board was more critical of a 4-H summer intern. Donna Leff, local 4-H director, and Nathan Crane, with University of Minnesota Extension, explained why they believe the position is necessary. The position was reduced last year by $6,500 to only $4,075.
"Since we're largely an out-of-school program, this is the opportunity where we can reach as many of the youth as possible," she said, noting the position isn't only for the county fair. The 4-H program also consists of educational day camps and adventure programs.
"Without the summer intern, a lot of that isn't going to happen," Leff said.
Leff also believes if the intern is not approved, the program will lose much of the momentum it gained in the past year.
Commissioner Tom Warmka said the position was planned for in the 2010 budget. Because of the strong cuts Extension took last year, Warmka was not in favor of reducing or eliminating the intern this year.
Groskreutz reminded the board that the county is anticipating nearly $400,000 in state aid reductions.
"When we did this, we knew we were gonna get hit again," Warmka said. "It's twice what we thought it was gonna be. It does shed different light on the whole thing."
Commissioner John Roper asked if there was anything else 4-H could cut instead of the intern.
Anything that could be cut was done last year, said Craine. "We always come in under budget as a department."
Commissioner Tom Loveall is willing to support funding an intern this year because it was already planned, but he said he would have a hard time approving it next year. Loveall recommended 4-H seek benefactors to help pay for the intern next year.
"This is the chump change," Loveall said. "The big thing is we're going to be dealing with is Human Services costs."
Groskreutz did not favor hiring a 4-H intern because of the county's financial situation, not because the program isn't deserving.
The board voted unanimously to approve the position, with Groskreutz abstaining as chairman.