By Sara Strong
The Rock County Board of Commissioners isn’t quite done with the thought of being involved in the new hospital project.
It voted Tuesday to look into costs of renovating the existing Luverne Medical Center into a law enforcement center or other county uses.
Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System has said it is interested in building a new hospital, but wants the current campus off its hands for that to happen. So, the city of Luverne and Rock County have been considering possible public uses for the clinic and hospital.
The Board said it doesn’t want to hold up any project so it’s looking into renovation costs for the Medical Center as soon as possible.
"Whether it’s a ‘hell no’ or whatever, I think we owe [Sioux Valley] an answer," Commissioner Bob Jarchow said.
A recent study of the existing hospital showed the county that it doesn’t have the money ($3.8 million) or the need to renovate as much as 29,000 square feet.
New Board Chairman Ron Boyenga said he’d still rather see money spent on the current law enforcement center than to renovate a different building.
The upcoming brief study of the clinic will cost about $2,000.
The clinic shows more promise than the hospital because it’s much smaller, about 10,000 to 11,000 square feet, and it’s newer.
The Medical Center has a sound heating and cooling system and the air exchange guidelines are easily met, where the hospital would need much work to get up to current standards.
Even if the county decides the medical center is worth the cost for public use, the hospital building would still be left.
State budget
The board discussed the state budget crunch and its effects on Rock County in coming years.
The projected $4.5 billion shortfall in 2004-05 will have to be dealt with for years, but cuts are in the works and the county figures it’s among them.
"It’s a philosophical time for government," Commissioner Jane Wildung said. "We’ll have to cut spending while still trying to offer people some sort of quality of life."
Governor Tim Pawlenty has said the state won’t raise taxes, but local governments may be forced to, probably without the levy restrictions previously imposed.
New Commissioner Richard Bakken said, "Maybe something like this is a good chance to overhaul the entire system instead of putting on Band Aids."
Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre said that capital gains and income taxes brought in less than in previous years and property taxes couldn’t make up the difference.
Oldre said, "During the last 10-to-12-year boom, the state spent like it was coming in in barrels."
While people have shared many ideas on what the state should cut on spending, it’s no easy task.
For example, if all state employees were eliminated, the state would only save $2 billion. All aid to Minnesota counties is less than $1 billion.
People don’t usually favor cutting education and that’s almost half the state budget; health care is 19 percent of the general fund; health and human services makes up another 7 percent.
In looking at the desperate financial state of the state, some have suggested using county reserves that are undedicated. As a measure to protect those funds, Rock County is in the process of choosing amounts of reserves to put in specific funds so they aren’t sitting in accounts, looking unnecessary.
Next summer is the earliest Rock County will know how it stacks up in state funding.
In other business:
New elected officials were sworn in before the start of the meeting, including Sheriff Mike Winkels, Auditor-Treasurer Gloria Rolfs and Commissioner Richard Bakken.
Presented a farewell acknowledgement to outgoing Commissioner Wendell Erickson. Boyenga said, "We’d like to thank you for all your years of service on behalf of the people of Rock County and all of southwest Minnesota."
Approved appointments to the county’s 57 sub-committees and boards, which include membership of at least one commissioner and members of the general public.