The Freeborn County Board reviewed a challenge grant draft for a water treatment feasibility study for the towns of Myrtle, Manchester and Conger Tuesday.

Thursday, February 08, 2001

The Freeborn County Board reviewed a challenge grant draft for a water treatment feasibility study for the towns of Myrtle, Manchester and Conger Tuesday.

&uot;Freeborn County comprehensive water plan states specifically that we will address waste water in each of these communities,&uot; Freeborn County Water Plan Coordinator Dick Hoffman said.

The three communities have been contacted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency about their waste water treatment systems, said Midwest Assistance rural development specialist Curt Brekke.

&uot;Realizing that they had a problem, all the communities said they wanted to do something, but they didn’t know how to do it,&uot; he said.

The challenge grant is an in-kind and dollar match grant to do preliminary waste water treatment surveys, he said.

&uot;Once an option is identified for these communities, we’d like to see them move ahead,&uot; Brekke said.

The grant is tentatively to be issued this year, with funds available in 2002, Brekke said.

In other county board news:

-The board appointed interim deputy county recorder Kelly Callahan to fill the remainder of the current recorder’s term. County Auditor/Treasurer Dennis Distad resigned from the recorder position, which he had temporarily held for no compensation. Distad will continue serving in his other capacities for the county.

-The board approved the application of the Family Services Collaborative to create a children’s mental health project to become a children’s mental health collaborative.

Freeborn County is entitled to money to address children’s mental health issues, said Family Services Collaborative Director Marilyn Koprowski.

&uot;Preschool-aged children are exhibiting more and more behavior problems, and no one knows where to turn,&uot; Koprowski said.

The grant would be used to hire a mental health worker for in the preschool classes in all Freeborn County school districts to do assessments on children and help families deal with children’s mental health issues, she said.

-The county has issued a memo to all employees encouraging the use of E85 blend fuel in county lease cars.