Hall appointed interim engineer

Rob Hall, assistant Crow Wing County engineer, will take over on an interim basis the post of highway engineer, vacated by the resignation of Lyndon Robjent.

Robjent, who has been county highway engineer for two years after long-time engineer Duane Blanck's retirement, is departing July 31. Hall will fill the post until the vacancy is filled. Commissioner Phil Trusty said the county hates to see Robjent go.

"We are grateful for the two years you have served here," Commissioner Rachel Reabe Nystrom said, noting Robjent's work to create a leadership team approach in the department. "Thanks so much for your hard work."

Administrator Tim Houle said Robjent arrived with big shoes to fill and did the work with grace, dignity and a healthy intellect.

In other business, the board:

Approved changes to the county's emergency assistance program to utilize federal stimulus dollars for non-recurrent short-term benefits program with Commissioner Paul Thiede voting against.

Changes increased the eligibility status from 175 percent of federal poverty level guidelines to 200 percent. Community Services Director Susan Beck said the change allows the county to use stimulus dollars to help people at a time of great need, when a number of struggling families need a little economic boost to keep going such as an emergency repair, fuel or electric bill help or a mortgage payment. The funds go directly to the vendor not the family.

Approved a request from Brainerd Community Action to waive landfill tipping fees, expected to be $500 for refuse picked up after the Fourth of July parade in Brainerd. A Nystrom motion to waive the fees and pay $210 for portable sanitation died for lack of a second. A second move to waive the landfill tipping fees passed 3-2 with Commissioners Doug Houge and Thiede opposed. Baxter agreed to provide $500 in recycling funds for the cleanup. Houge and Thiede pointed out there are many Fourth of July celebrations in the county.

Houle said he was concerned about the message it sends to approve the funding request when the county had laid-off staff members and cut services.

Nancy Cross, Community Action director, said to her knowledge this was the first time in 17 years she was asking the county for Fourth funding.

Continued to look at the option of hosting a county board meeting at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds during the fair.

Learned an electronic time card option could save the county $18,000 in paper costs and by not replacing a retiring payroll staff member. Auditor Deborah Erickson said the project would pay for itself in the first year of implementation.

Presented an award of $3,500 to retired Crow Wing County Sheriff Deputy Harold Holk on behalf of Minnesota 100 Club. The club distributes funds to law enforcement or firefighters or their survivors if they have become physically disabled in the line of duty in Minnesota or while employed by an agency here.

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