ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
Rollin Schmidt tentatively agreed Friday to add the role of interim director of the county’s solid-waste transfer station to his existing job of heading up the noxious weed department.
The Marion County Board of Commissioners decided during its Friday morning payday meeting to ask Schmidt to take on the extra assignment until the first of the year.
Schmidt, who was contacted that afternoon by Commission Chair Dan Holub, told the Free Press he had indicated his willingness to take on the additional responsibilities if details of the dual-role can be negotiated satisfactorily.
The vacancy at the transfer station was created by the announcement earlier in the week by David Brazil that he was resigning his jobs with the county, effective May 8, to begin a job elsewhere in public health administration.
Brazil also filled the roles of planning and zoning director and environmental health officer.
Earlier in the meeting, Brazil talked with the commissioners about filling the vacancy at the transfer station. He said commissioners had three options: (1) hire a full-time manager, which would become necessary if the county begins a recycling program; (2) assign the current part-time job to another department head; or (3) promote someone from within the department.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said he wasn’t prepared to say if or when the county would begin a recycling program.
“This needs to be researched quite a bit, regarding the income and expense of it as well the implementation of it,” Dallke said.
Later, when Brazil said present personnel would be able to keep the transfer station operating with some administrative help, Dallke recommended that Schmidt be asked to take on the role of interim director through the end of 2006.
In the meantime, Dallke said, the commission would “get some feel for where we’re heading” regarding recycling, and will have worked through the budgeting process for 2007.
Brazil affirmed the choice of Schmidt, saying, “He has excellent knowledge of household hazardous waste.”
Regarding Brazil’s other county roles, County Clerk Carol Maggard said advertisements have been placed for applicants for zoning and environmental health. An application has been sent to one respondent.
Diedre Serene, director of the county health department, asked commissioners to make sure someone was in place to cover the vacancy in the area of environmental health issues when Brazil’s resignation takes effect.
She said her department is willing to refer inquiries on such issues as burn bans, water testing and lagoon inspections to a designated person, but her staff isn’t equipped to guide someone through the application process.
Brazil said in the past he has filled in temporarily when vacancies have occurred in other counties, and commissioners might consider a similar approach here.
Tax auctions
At the request of the board, County Attorney Susan Robson described the county’s practice in regard to accepting bids for properties that have been placed on auction because of delinquent taxes.
Specifically, Holub asked if there was a legal way to ensure that local buyers, including neighbors and developers, had first chance at buying such properties rather than letting them go to nonresident buyers for the purpose of speculation.
“We want to get this property back into circulation,” Holub said.
Robson said it was possible to raise the minimum bid from $50, but added, “I’m afraid if it’s too high, the county will own a lot more land…. If it’s too high, it will scare neighbors away, too.”
After Robson mentioned that neighbors often are notified of tax sales of adjacent property, and that buyers must pay the $180 fee for court costs, commissioners seemed satisfied with the current procedure.
Before she left, Robson expressed gratitude to Michelle-Abbott Becker, director of emergency management, for her help in filling out a grant application that could enable Robson’s office
