Water damage caused by frozen sprinkler sparks discussion

A frozen fire sprinkler in the Crow Wing County Community Service building that ruptured and caused water damage was the subject of a County Board discussion Tuesday.

The Brainerd Fire Department discovered the rupture Feb. 4. The county's staff found up to 6 inches of water in the entry, with water in the health department, RSVP, veterans service and child support offices. Estimated total cost related to the water damage is about $17,000.

In other business, the county:

Awarded Crow Wing County medical examiner transportation services to the Brenny Funeral Chapel - $600 for the round trip from the county to the medical examiner facility in Anoka.

Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, owner of a funeral car service, was the other vendor bidding for the work - at $750 per round trip.

Before the vote, Commissioner Rachel Reabe Nystrom asked if awarding the service to Brenny would be perceived as an unfair advantage.

"I don't think so," owner Joe Brenny said. No one attended from other area funeral homes to express concerns.

Set a March 13 public hearing to address the number of false alarms the county responds to by amending the automatic alarm ordinance, including raising charges to property owners with multiple false alarms.

"I think we should make it so high that it adequately covers all the nonsense," Nystrom said. Commissioner Paul Thiede suggested that the fee could go up with each additional false alarm after three without charge.

Agreed to review the county's Human Rights Commission ordinance to allow compensation for commission members to attend meetings.

Agreed to hire a veterans service officer.

Set aside a request to hire a financial worker, in part to deal with the 16-bed psychiatric hospital, with questions on why the county needs to add staff for the state's facility.

Approved a three-year contract with Teamster 346 representing the sergeants, dispatch supervisor and corrections supervisors, with a 2-percent wage increase the first year, a 3-percent increase the second year and a 3-percent adjustment the third year.

RENEE RICHARDSON can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.