By Sara Strong
While the concept of community policing may be in favor, the Rock County Board of Commissioners isn't sure if it wants to support it financially.
The board reviewed a proposal Tuesday from the Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute. It could assess, design, implement and evaluate the Rock County Sheriff's Department practices and procedures and help it on its way to a new type of law enforcement.
The department has said it's open to change, and the city and county have met in committees on the subject already.
The board didn't vote on the proposal Tuesday but will bring it back to the table at its April 16 meeting.
Board Chair Jane Wildung said, "I think we can learn from an assessment and take a step-by-step approach to see what we can do."
Community policing is a proactive approach to law enforcement that stresses community involvement and communication. It includes things like attending community functions in addition to following up with crime victims or communicating areas of concern with the public.
Wildung said she supports the idea of the outside firm analyzing the department, but the high price tag is why she suggested not purchasing the entire package at once.
An estimate for the assessment portion is $10,000 in wages and travel and lodging expenses.
The assessment would include analyzing the current and future expectations of the department. The Institute would interview local people to get a feel for the perception of police work. It would also study internal operations that the public doesnÕt necessarily see.
The assessment would come in the form of a report that would identify the current strengths, weaknesses and challenges of the organization and the gaps that exist between the current and desired performance levels.
The department and city and county would have this objective report to use when looking at areas to improve.
Commissioner Ron Boyenga said he wondered if a local committee could be formed to do the same thing at a much cheaper rate.
Wildung said she would prefer to see the assessment completed sooner than later.
Commissioner Wendell Erickson said he was torn on the issue mostly because of the high cost attached.
"We do need something to happen; maybe this is the right piece," he said.
Property sales
The first step in assessing the tax base for 2003 starts with tallying residential and agricultural sales in the county.
County Assessor Tom Houselog reported those numbers to the Rock County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. In summary he said the county isn't seeing an increase in sales so far. The county's tax base isn't experiencing a swell either, because property values aren't seeing a huge increase. Houselog said that can always change with new construction.
County-wide agricultural estimated market values had an overall increase of 3.9 percent, with a range of 1 percent less than or 20 percent more than the previous value.
The majority of sales were in the western third of the county.
In other business the board:
Learned that staff and a committee agreed on a new director for the Land Management Office. Eric Hartman, Okabena, will begin duties April 15 at a salary of (COMING).
Agreed to share costs with the city of Luverne and Hospice of Luverne Community Hospital for an Arbor Day tree planting. Sixty trees that are already eight to 10 feet tall will be planted at Schoneman Park.
The ceremony on April 26 includes family members of Hospice patients tying ribbons around the trees. The county's cost is $1,200.
Received an audit report from State Auditor Roger Albertson. He said the county's records were mostly clean but suggested minor areas of record keeping that could be improved.
The county saw a net equity gain of $176,000 and has about 11 months of operational costs in reserves. Fines paid from the Global Ventures hog operation and related bank crime convictions helped the county's balance somewhat this year.
Family Services has a healthier reserve compared to the last audit, largely due to decreased expenses.