By Sara StrongHesitant to accept a bid from an out-of-town contractor, the Rock County Board of Commissioners tabled a decision on garbage hauling services Tuesday.Ritters Sanitary Services, Marshall, was the low bidder at $40,000 a year. A close second was Luverne’s Ketterling Services which bid $43,000.Ketterling has been Rock County’s provider for at least 15 years, the only private hauler since the county started taking its garbage to Lyon County. The county trusts the service and likes that the money goes to a local business.County Engineer Mark Sehr said, "Considering our longstanding relationship, the $3,000 difference wouldn’t deter me from recommending Ketterling."But the county’s objective is usually to save taxpayer money, which is why it bids for services.County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said, "If you’re going to competitively bid, competitively bid. If not, then don’t."He said the law reads that government units should accept the lowest "responsible bidder," and there’s no evidence that Ritters isn’t responsible. That company could take action against the county if it doesn’t get the contract based on its lowest bid, and the county would have to come up with a legitimate reason to not award them the bid.The county can reject all bids and not advertise for them again if it ultimately wants to award the contract to Ketterling. The contract would be for three years, and assumes 125 loads two ways (from the Rock County Transfer Station to the Lyon County Regional Landfill and back) and 100 trips one-way.New Social WorkerCounty Commissioners Tuesday voted to assist in hiring a new mental health social worker for the county’s students. Family Services Director Randy Ehlers said to the commissioners, "If you would consider this, it would really assist in the program being successful."The social worker will actually be an employee of Hills-Beaver Creek schools, but will contract for work in Luverne. Commissioner Richard Bakken said he thought the money was "more well spent" with preventative care, than other costly measures the county has to take.The county is funding the position as a loan because state special education funding won’t come through for two years. Total cost of the position is $52,000, including benefits. The special education funding will be $27,000.The Rock County Collaborative will also help fund the position.Commissioner Ken Hoime said, "If it will help prevent further problems, I support helping out."Commissioner Jane Wildung said intervention with school children helps keep out-of-home placements to a minimum and is better for all members of a family.The social worker specializing in children’s mental health will be able to handle cases standard school counselors won’t.Rural addressesCounty Engineer Mark Sehr said the Post Office approved of the new rural addresses. Individual signs have been up for a while and street number signs went up last summer.Sehr said letters will go out to residents Nov. 1, and they can start the process of formally changing their addresses. In this special case, the Post Office said it will honor old and new addresses for a year after notification.
