The Sherburne County Board Tuesday selected David Drown Associates (DDA) Company to help find a new county administrator.

 

Current Administrator Steve Taylor has announced he will be leaving June 21.

 

Human Resources Director Tammy Bigelow said the county received two executive search proposals - one from DDA at $18,000 and a second from Springsted/Waters at $21,500.

 

“We had a chance to review the proposals. They are quite similar in process, timeline and cost,” she said. “We have received feedback. It’s positive for both firms.”

 

Both firms’ services include advertising, initial screening activities based on job-related criteria set by the board, video interviews of candidates, comprehensive background screenings, leadership and psychological prescreening tests.

 

Commissioner Felix Schmiesing said he would recommend going with DDA. It saves some money and the county has had a good experience with the firm. He said it was DDA that was responsible for Taylor taking the position over five years ago.

 

“If we were that satisfied with the product of that search, they might be able to do a repeat for us,” he said.

 

The board voted unanimously to go with DDA.

 

 

The board approved collective bargaining agreements with five separate union worker groups. The agreements cover Teamsters Local 320 Public Health Nurse Unit, Teamsters Local 320 Health & Human Services General Unit AFSCME Council 65 Assistant County Attorney Unit, LELS Licensed Supervisor Unit, LELS Dispatcher Unit for the term of Jan. 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021.

 

Members of each unit will receive a 2.5% wage adjustment on Jan. 1 of each year of the contract.

 

 

The board approved an agreement with the City of Clear Lake for the County Attorney's Office to provide prosecution of petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors within the city limits. Under the agreement, the county will be reimbursed by the statutory one-third fines for prosecution. By statute, an agreement is needed when the population of the city is greater than 600 people.

 

 

The board approved the transfer of $571,855 in excess budget dollars into the year-end savings (YES) account. The YES account is assigned a fund balance and is used to accumulate funds for future one-time capital purchases and/or significant budget variances. The board has discretion over the funds and ultimately decides if and when the funds are spent. The total balance in the YES account after the transfer will be $1,799,964.

 

 

In other action the board:   

 

* Passed a resolution reimbursing one half of the amount paid for gopher bounties to participating Sherburne County towns and cities not to exceed $1 per gopher during calendar year 2019;

 

* Approved the expenditure of $14,580.54 for computer security training for county employees;

 

* Approved an expenditure of up to $40,000 for a consulting agreement with Databank for the upgrade of the Hyland Onbase for Electronic Document Management System;

 

* Approved an expenditure of up to $27,000 for a consulting agreement with Northwoods to upgrade the Compass Pilot forms used by Health & Human Services.

 

* Approved an addendum to a proposal from Braun Intertec Corporation to provide geotechnical and pavement evaluation on various county roads at a cost of $39.034.

 

* Approved an agreement with SEH, Inc, to provide engineering and construction services of the Great Northern Trail (GNT) from Elk River to Zimmerman in the amount of $141,152.37.