By Lori EhdeThe last of Rock County's rural address signs went up last week, and officials are busy updating the information for local 911 purposes.The whole point of assigning street addresses to rural routes was to improve emergency response time to 911 calls.The current enhanced 911 system contains names and phone numbers assigned to driving directions to homes in the dispatch computer.Now that rural residents have street addresses, the next step is updating the information so dispatchers and emergency crews can use the new information for 911 calls.As it stands, that process is moving very slowly, according to Dispatch Supervisor Terri Ebert."All we have is old addresses and new addresses. We need names and phone numbers to match with the old information in the computer," Ebert said."We are going very slowly through everything."She said residents can help speed the process along if they submit their own updated information.Printed with this story is a form residents can fill out and mail or fax to the Sheriff?s Office."We had one person call in a fire and give us their new address, but we had to ask for directions because we?re just not ready yet," Ebert said.Use new addresses nowAs far as the Post Office is concerned, the new addresses become official Dec. 1, but residents can start alerting people of their addresses now. Luverne Postmaster Chuck Egland said people who send out Christmas cards should take advantage of their mailing to alert friends and family of their new addresses."I would encourage people ? especially this Christmas ? to use their new information in the return address," Egland said.He said the Post Office is in the process of printing address notification cards that residents can request to help in their change of address process."We?ll honor both addresses for 12 months, so there?s no panic," Egland said. "And even then, we?ll try our best to deliver to each and every individual."Meanwhile, he encourages residents to be patient in the transition."Hopefully after this is all done they should end up with better service, because it will be easier to automate," Egland said.He also clarified that questions about the addressing process should be directed to Rock County Highway Engineer Mark Sehr.Nearly two-year processSehr said all rural residents by now should have street numbers posted on their yards.The work is a culmination of a nearly two-year process of transitioning Rock County to 911 street addresses.While about 75 percent of counties in the state already have rural street addresses, Sehr said what finally prompted Rock County?s project was a gift to cover the costs.In a creative plea bargain struck by the federal prosecutors, Rock County received $100,000 in restitution from the Global Ventures bank fraud case.The cost of installing the 535 street signs was about $65,000, including labor and materials, and the remainder of the funds were used to install roughly 1,600 residential address markers.Sehr said the rural address signs have been posted within state, county and township road right-of-way, and it will be up to individuals to notify the county if signs need maintence or replacement. The county would charge for the labor and materials. Signs and posts cost about $20.The Rock County Highway Department?s phone number 283-5010.New drivers? licensesThe state requires drivers to get new licenses reflecting current addresses within 30 days after moving.This typically requires an $8 fee, but the County Board of Commissioners recently passed a resolution waiving fees at the Deputy Registrar?s Office for this process.The fee will be waived until Oct. 31, 2004, for license applications for this purpose only. Those getting new licenses for any other reason will still pay the fee, as will rural residents who happen to be due for renewal at this time.By law, Minnesota drivers have 30 days to update their licenses with correct address information (60 days if it?s a change from another state). Violators may be fined $83.
