By Sara Strong
Rock County livestock producers are seeing the first of the Level III feedlot inspections this week.
A county employee will accompany the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Board of Water and Soil Resources to the sites.
The MPCA won't be present for most inspections, except for the first few to get the process underway.
Because of those inspections, the Rock County Board Tuesday approved of the Land Management Office hiring a temporary employee to help the office through the process.
The 30- to 36-month term employee will be classified as an entry-level technician.
Last week's sentencing in the Global Ventures bank fraud case will bring an additional $50,000 to the county to help cover costs of the Level III inspection. The county has another $30,000 from a previous individual plea agreement.
The new position will start on the pay scale of $10.36 per hour. The staff person would go to site inspections with BWSR staff, conduct initial feedlot assistance response and data management, maintain mapping system data entry and assist in permit handling.
Existing staff will be able to handle the more detailed and technical issues involved in the process.
The LMO estimates the cost of a new employee to help through the Level III inventory is $75,000 to $80,000.
The LMO is hosting an informational meeting at 7:30 tonight (Thursday) in the Blue Mound Banquet Center, Luverne. At the meeting, producers will learn specifically what is involved in the Level III inventory process and will have time to ask questions.
There will also be a sign-up sheet for interested people to participate on the Rock County Feedlot Task Force.
The Task Force will discuss rule interpretations within the state feedlot statutes' gray areas and help disseminate public information.