Two departments will be affected as a result of the Freeborn County board meeting yesterday.

Friday, December 10, 1999

Two departments will be affected as a result of the Freeborn County board meeting yesterday.

A motion was introduced to move 20 staffing hours from the court administration office to the county recorders office.

The change would allow the recorder to track the county’s vital statistics. Currently that information is kept by the court administration office.

Linda Tuttle, county recorder, told the commissioners the change makes sense since many people come to her office looking for that information. Also, vitals are kept in the recorder’s office in a number of other counties.

Tuttle added there would be less wait at her office.

&uot;You never see anyone waiting in lines in my office,&uot; she said. &uot;I believe it’s a good flow and a good place for them to be. I believe we would do a good job.&uot;

The 20 hours would make a 2/3-time position in the recorder’s office a full-time position. Also, Tuttle would receive a wage increase for her added work.

Agreement from the court administrator depending on the addition of another 20-hour position in his department.

Charles Kjos, court administration, wants to add a part-time collector to his department. He said there are a number of fees and such that haven’t been collected because his department doesn’t have the staffing to do that.

Commissioner Dan Belshan amended the resolution to pass next year’s budget by adding the 20-hour position to the court administration department.

Chairman Brian Jordahl was reluctant to add the funding for the position in next year’s budget because he felt a collector could be used in other department in addition to court administration. For example, the Department of Human Services might be able to utilize such a staff member, but would be unable to do so if the collector worked only for the court administration department.

The amendment passed. It was opposed by Jordahl and Commissioner Keith Porter.

The budget, with the added 20-hour position also passed. Again, it was opposed by Jordahl and Porter.

In other business, the board:

* Approved a motion to repair the following ditches, CD 5, JD 5, CD 46, CD 8, CD 54, CD 11, CD 77 and CD 80.

* Approved two resolutions to submit the final payments for projects by the county engineering department.

* Approved a a cooperative agreement between DHS and the court administrator’s office.

* Renewed the South Central Drug Task Force Joint Powers agreement.

* Approved the use of White Woods Park by Camp Courage for June 11.

* Granted permanent status to C. Herman in the county attorney’s office.

* Approved a health insurance plan and established a requirement for Medicare enrollment.

* Approved the county levy.