By Sara QuamRock County Commissioners are ready for a hearing at 8 p.m. Monday in the Human Services Building to publicly discuss the development of a five-year capital improvement plan. The plan would utilize bonding to pay for special projects. If the board decides to use bonding to pay for special projects through the CIP, it is subject to a reverse referendum that can be forced through a petition signed by 263 voters (5 percent of last election’s turnout).If the county bonds $1 million, the county portion of taxes would increase by 2.44 percent. Other taxes aren’t affected. The county is considering bonding for up to $1.75 million.The Monday hearing will illustrate specific tax impacts and outline projects in the proposed CIP.A primary concern to the Commissioners in the CIP is funding for a new or remodeled Law Enforcement Center. An architect has looked at the options preliminarily and the board will discuss them in detail as the Sheriff’s Department communicates needs with the architect.Meth policiesThe county is reviewing policies that are needed when employees, children or medical personnel come into contact with methamphetamine lab sites.Within the last two weeks Nobles Rock Corrections received a call for advice from Pipestone County. A meth lab with children present was discovered, and law enforcement and child protection workers didn’t know how to handle contamination issues with people in the home.Jackson County shared its policies and Rock County will review them in various departments and will adopt similar guidelines.Potential immediate medical concerns are upper and lower respiratory inflammation, aspiration pneumonitits, cardiac arrhythmias, burns of eyes, mouth or skin or gastrointestinal irritation or burns.Sometimes meth exposure shows up in children as chronic problems such as developmental delays or liver, kidney or neurological dysfunctions.In the case of children found at home lab sites, various screenings over time are recommended. With a policy in place, county workers will know protocol.Student internLuverne junior Kim Rockman reported to the Board on her six-week internship with the Extension Office.A major part of her work there was marketing and helping to plan a program on effective leadership called "Twenty Things Everyone Needs to Know When Serving on a Committee."Rockman said she learned a lot and the county said her services were valuable. The program had a turnout of 36 people. The same in Worthington drew just 11.
