Board approves agreement with consortium
McLeod County Board approved a fiscal host agreement with the Southwestern Minnesota Adult Mental Health Consortium, known as the Southwest 18 at its April 2 meeting. The agreement, effective for one year, makes McLeod County Health and Human Services responsible for managing all funds of the Southwest 18. In return, McLeod County will receive a reimbursement of 3% of all annual revenues on a quarterly basis.
McLeod County's Health and Human Services department will undertake various responsibilities. These include receiving all funds on behalf of the consortium, managing accounts in accordance with legal requirements, and disbursing funds based on approved budgets. Additionally, all funds received will be segregated into separate accounts dedicated to the consortium's endeavors.
The agreement also designates McLeod County as a voting member on the consortium's operational board, giving it a role in decision-making.
The document provided to commissioners noted that officials from both McLeod County and the consortium expressed confidence in their ability to streamline financial operations and enhance mental health services across the region. By pooling resources and expertise, the partnership aims to foster improved mental health outcomes for residents of southwestern Minnesota, the document said.
NEW GPS FOR PUBLIC WORKS
Commissioners approved the purchase of a new GPS and controller for $45,660. The new equipment funded from the highway construction budget aims to streamline topographic surveys and construction documentation processes, according to Public Works Director Andrew Engel.
Currently, the public works engineering staff relies on a single GPS unit for daily operations across various construction sites. However, multiple ongoing projects and personnel who require access creates challenges to efficient use.
“We're spending a lot of time and resources shufflinging that unit back and forth,” Engel said.
The trade-in value of their existing GPS unit was estimated at approximately $2,200. However, given that the entirety of the value would be in software, which is not recouped through trade-in, the decision was made to opt for purchasing an additional unit rather than replacing the current one.
According to Engel, the new GPS will have better antennas and allow for greater coverage in dense tree cover and when next to buildings. It also has a TIL compensation, eliminating the need for manual adjustments during the surveying process.
“You don't have to adjust for that, which makes the surveying process, especially, much quicker and safer,” Engel said.
