Sherburne County taxpayers contributed about $1.327 million to support the Great River Regional Library (GRRL) system in 2016.

 

If the county commissioners agree to the increase in the county levy, that number is expected to rise slightly in 2017 to $1,337,059 (.762%) next year.

 

Last week, GRRL Executive Director Karen Pundsack said the entire GRRL budget for 2017 will increase 1.11%. Last year, the budget jumped 4.236%.

 

The result was a 2.03% increase for the county in 2016.

 

Almost 77% of the GRRL budget is funded by counties. The GRRL receives 17.10% of its funding via a Regional Library Basic System Support (RLBSS) annual grant from the state. Fines make up 4.12% of the funding. The City of St. Cloud reimbursement totals 1.12%.

 

Pundsack said the RLBSS hasn’t increased its support in five years.

 

“The Minnesota Library Association will likely be asking for additional funding in the upcoming platform,” she said.

 

The .762 increase for the county is the lowest in four years. After a drop from 2012 to 2013, the contribution has seen a steady rise. Pundsack said the biggest jump was 2014 and 2015.

 

“That’s when we saw major changes to minimum wage law and the Affordable Care Act, which impacted GRRL,” she said.

 

Of 280 GRRL employees, 94 work at the aide level.

 

“So we saw substantially larger increases than we normally would have provided. The Affordable Care Act caused us to add aide benefit packages because we have so many part-time staff that are working at that 30-hour range.”

 

Even with the small annual increases, Pundsack says GRRL is a bargain compared with other library systems in the state. GRRL’s operating revenue is $19.52 per capita. The number statewide is $38.54. The figure is $14.46 per capita in Sherburne County.

 

The board approved an amendment to the SCORE grant agreement with the Becker American Legion.

 

The board originally  approved a grant of $7,663.49 to Becker Boy Scout Troop 92 for its cardboard collection and recycling program. The Becker Legion is the chartered organization for the scout troop.

 

Under the agreement, the Legion was required to insure the collection trailer for full replacement value, plus general liability and insurance in amounts not less than $15 million per occurrence.

 

Solid Waste Administrator Dave Lucas said since the agreement was signed, it was discovered that replacement value insurance can’t be issued on just a trailer. The insurance company also stated liability insurance of $1.5 million is too steep to obtain.

 

The amended agreement  lowers the amounts of liability insurance for drivers who use the trailer and removes the requirement for trailer replacement value insurance.

 

The board approved a private crossing of Ditch 28, Branch C, by a landowner who wants to build a driveway to access his property at 13763 196th Ave. NW.

 

Sherburne County Ditch Inspector Mike Lindenau said the  property owner is responsible for all costs involved with construction and any future costs to upgrade or replace the culvert or bridge if the ditch system is upgraded by the county.

 

In other action the board:

 

• Approved turning over the care and responsibility of retired K-9 Deputy Axel to his handler, Trevor Tourila;

 

• Approved a cost-share with licensing agreement other Minnesota counties that will reduce the cost for the county’s use of Adobe Acrobat Professional from $5,000 to $4,282;

 

• Approved a Eliminating Health Disparities Grant Agreement with the MN Dept. of Health in the amount of $1,243 to be used for services to refugees,  foreign-born population and persons with tuberculosis.