Supervisors discuss high radon test levels in courthouse, unique patient care and funding with multiple agencies

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Monday, October 8, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met with Allamakee County Courthouse Head Custodian Mike Gallagher, Allamakee County Sanitarian Laurie Moody and Bob Hibbing of Inspector Housecalls LLC of Decorah to discuss a recent finding of high levels of radon gas in the first floor of the courthouse.
Moody said that radon gas is naturally occurring, odorless and invisible and can cause lung cancer. She said that since January, 75 test kits for the radioactive gas had been sold through her office for $6 each and that 55 had been returned, all of those showing readings higher than the 4.0 level that is considered “unsafe.” Gallagher said that some readings in the first floor of the courthouse had been recorded as high as 30.
Hibbing said that elevated levels of radon gas are quite common in northeast Iowa. He said that his company could begin the first step to mitigate the radon gas levels in the courthouse next Monday for $1,700. He said that the process would involve drilling a two-inch hole in the concrete substructure of the courthouse, which would then have a vacuum unit connected to it to draw the gas out and then safely disburse it outdoors. The Board agreed to have Hibbing move forward with the process.
The Board also met with John Ellingson of the Iowa Department of Human Services, County Attorney Jill Kistler, CPC Jan Heikes and by telephone with several representatives of Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI to discuss funding for care of a patient. Gundersen representatives explained that the 56-year-old patient had left Northgate Care Center in Waukon against medical advice before traveling to La Crosse, WI where he stayed with his ex-wife for several days.
After that, he stayed in a La Crosse hotel for several days, after which he ran out of medication for his Parkinson’s disease and became “non-functional.” After receiving a call from the hotel, the patient was then stabilized at Gundersen Lutheran, where he has been hospitalized since August 15. Gundersen Lutheran representatives said that the patient had been found to be “incompetent” by a neuropsychologist and that the hospital had been unable to find a suitable facility to transfer him to.
The patient would need to have a guardian appointed, pending criminal charges in Wisconsin would need to be resolved and funding would need to be found to pay for his care, the hospital representatives said. One facility in Vinton had agreed to accept the patient, but the guardianship and funding issues would need to be resolved first.
Ellingson said that he had been making every effort to find a guardian for the patient, but because the patient has limited resources ($1,000 monthly from Social Security Disability payments) he had been unsuccessful in finding anyone willing to accept the guardianship. He said that the patient has “fallen through every crack” and that this one case is “just the tip of the iceberg,” as he has dozens of similar cases on his desk.
Kistler said that she had been in contact with the La Crosse County District Attorney and it remains unclear if the criminal charges against the patient will be pursued.
Heikes said that Parkinson’s disease is a physical illness and the dementia associated with the disease is not considered a mental illness, so funding for his care does not fall under the CPC’s purview. She said that the Board could make an exception to policy and agree to pay for the patient’s care through the General Relief budget. She added that the patient’s residency may be an issue, as current Iowa law considers residency to be established once a person has moved somewhere with an intent to stay.
Supervisor Lennie Burke expressed his continuing frustration with the mental health system, pointing out that the redesign of Iowa’s mental health system hasn’t done anything to fix problems such as this. “How can you tell me that this person is incompetent but doesn’t have a mental illness?” Burke asked. “Who’s crazy here, him or us?”
After lengthy discussion, the Board took no action, as the criminal charges in Wisconsin need to be resolved first. Kistler agreed to keep in contact with the District Attorney for La Crosse County.
In other business, the Board met with Sheriff Tim Heiderscheit and Deputy Clark Mellick regarding personnel issues. Mellick said that he and Heiderscheit had conducted interviews of candidates for a full-time dispatcher and jailer position and were now asking for approval to hire Carley Looney starting at $12.54 per hour starting October 21.
Mellick and Heiderscheit said that they had also received notice of the retirement of Connie Schneden from her position as dispatcher after 38 years, effective January 30, 2013. They said that they plan to hire a replacement for Schneden from the same pool of applicants that Looney was selected from, but that they have not selected a specific candidate yet. The Board approved hiring Looney and accepted Schneden’s resignation.
The Board also approved the final quit-claim deed to officially transfer the alley behind the Vets Club in Waukon and the Waukon City Hall property to the City of Waukon.