Cuts are proposed for SWCD and RSVP

Budget cuts for two programs were part of the discussion at Tuesday's Crow Wing County Board committee meeting.

Mark Liedl, land services director, presented a plan for a major funding change to the Crow Wing County Soil and Water Conservation District. The proposal would mean hiring a land services specialist to take on duties now provided by the SWCD - administration of the Wetland Conservation Act, county water plan and dirt moving. The plan shifts the work to the Planning and Zoning office. Chris Pence, land services supervisor, said it would streamline the process for residents who now may be required to go to both offices and pay fees in both spots.

Liedl and Pence reported the change would improve county services and save $69,189. That change was already calculated into the recommended budget the county board heard Tuesday, meaning if they didn't want to make the change there would be a $69,189 hole to fill.

The proposal cuts funding for the SWCD from about $154,000 to a $24,000 contract for services. The SWCD is statutorily required to provide services like restoration orders with wetland violations.

Bob Becker, SWCD board chairman, said the move looked like a "greasy political ploy" and he had trouble seeing through to the bottom of it. "It's going to shatter SWCD, but it won't crush it."

Keith Pohl, SWCD district manager, said the SWCD office likely will have to reduce its employees from four to one and severely reduce its ability to obtain grants. Also Pohl said the SWCD works with municipalities as water doesn't end with the county's jurisdiction.

Becker said the SWCD, created by the state 53 years ago, has a legacy of learning how to protect the county's natural resources. He wondered how long it would take the county to equal that knowledge. Houle quickly asked if Becker didn't think the county had history in protecting natural resources as well.

Commissioner Rachel Reabe Nystrom said the county wasn't targeting the SWCD but had to look at everything to save money during difficult times. Becker said he appreciated the situation but with historic pratfalls and costly errors he recommended moving carefully.

A second program facing cuts was RSVP, which works with retired and senior volunteers in the community. The county provides office space for RSVP in the Community Services Building.

The county previously funded the program by $95,000 a year, which was reduced to $60,000 in 2009. Susan Beck, community services director, said an option is to cut funding in half from $60,000 to $30,000 for the 2010 budget. Mike Koecheler, RSVP director, was able to secure an Otto Bremer Foundation grant of $30,000 for 2010.

For the county, which has been looking at funding mandated services and is faced with difficult budget decisions, the question was whether it should eliminate RSVP funding completely. RSVP costs about $100,000 annually and receives additional funding from other sources.

Koecheler said RSVP has 2,329 registered volunteers with 1,092 active volunteers who build ramps, provide respite and transportation, assist with tax preparation, help nonprofits, among many other services. Last year, RSVP reported providing 100,000 hours of service with a value dollar of $2.3 million.

Crow Wing County is the No. 1 county in the state for having the highest percentage of seniors volunteering, Koecheler said. He said the RSVP office acts in the same way as the WorkForce Center as it matches volunteers with those who need their services.

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