Supervisors hear public comment about mental health services redesign

by Bob Beach

During public comment time at the regular meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors Monday, July 23, Mary Keatley of Waukon expressed concerns about the redesign of the State’s mental health and developmental disabilities services to a regional model, saying that she thinks the regionalization plan will result in a loss of local control. She added that there doesn’t seem to be a “good plan” for providing services and that she is not confident that the Board is being provided with good information about the plan.
Kristi Hager of Dorchester said that she senses the Board’s “frustration, irritation and helplessness” regarding the regionalization plan, likening the loss of local control to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent announcement that it would be taking over some of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) enforcement duties. She encouraged the Board to look toward private organizations that could provide some needed services without the use of government money, such as the organization she founded, the Living Stone. “People could be served locally and we could find the resources,” she said.
Supervisor Sherry Strub said that she agreed that the current regionalization plan is “very, very vague,” adding that the Board’s recent signing of a letter of intent to join with six other counties to form a region does not obligate the County to join the region, but would give the County a voice in determining the framework for providing services within the region. “I don’t see that anybody is going to get more services, and there will be cuts in funding,” she said.
Supervisor Lennie Burke said that the County was “blackmailed” by the State into joining a region, since the State would force the County to join a region if it did not do so on its own. “The EPA taking over the DNR is upsetting,” Burke said in regard to Hager’s comment, “The state government telling the County to join a region is the same thing.”
Burke added that the regionalization plan does not address the problem of the shortage of services for those experiencing some kind of mental health crisis, noting that “nine out of ten of the people who need crisis services have been charged with crime, so the court mandates have to come first... but that part of the problem isn’t a big deal according to our CPC, Jan Heikes, who says that the regionalization has to do primarily with the folks who get services from places like TASC and Mosaic.”
During regular business, the Board met with County Attorney Jill Kistler, who presented the Board with a resolution formalizing the County’s policy regarding the issuance of fireworks permits. Under the policy, applications for fireworks permits would only be approved when the site of the fireworks display has been approved by the local fire marshal and proof of liability insurance in the amount of at least $500,000 has been shown, along with certification and/or licensing for fireworks. The Board approved the resolution.
Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour recommended that the Board accept the bid of $221,529.24 submitted by Brennan Construction of Lansing for the replacement of a bridge on Brady Drive. Ridenour said that while the bid was higher than his estimated cost of $201,938.19 for the project, Brennan’s bid was within ten percent of that estimate and was significantly lower than the other bids for the project. The Board voted unanimously to accept the bid as recommended.
Ridenour also recommended that the Board approve an entrance permit application from Alliant Energy to modify the entrance to the power plant south of Lansing off of Power Plant Drive, which will intersect with Power Plant Drive at an angle, allowing easier access for long and oversized trucks. The Board approved the application.
Allamakee Substance Abuse Director Jean Bossom asked for and received the Board’s approval of her annual report to the Iowa Department of Public Health regarding the use of grant funding for substance abuse services. Bossom also informed the Board that she intends to apply for a “mini-grant” from the Allamakee County Community Foundation to pay for the food at an upcoming Family Night event.
Allamakee County Solid Waste Director Dave Mooney asked for the Board's approval to hire a part-time employee to work Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 12 noon. The Board gave Mooney permission to advertise in order to fill the position.
In other business, the Board signed a letter of understanding from Hacker, Nelson and Co. regarding auditing services, accepted and placed on file the quarterly reports from Veterans Affairs and the Recorder,  and approved a liquor license renewal for the Knotty Pine Tavern. The Board also met with Jane Regan of Leschensky Insurance, who reviewed workers compensation claims over the past year.