Two agencies, one administrator
By Rae KrugerMARSHALL - Will one administrator for Lincoln, Lyon, Murray and Pipestone Public Health and Lincoln, Lyon, Murray Human Services save the counties money?
The involved counties will spend $2,600 to find out.
Lyon and Lincoln County commissioners approved spending the money for a study of a combined administrator for the two public agencies. Murray County passed a similar resolution last week, Lyon County commissioner Steve Ritter said.
Pipestone County is expected to agree next week, Ritter said.
Ritter is a member of the LLMP Public Health board and the LLM Human Services board.
Ritter proposed the combined administrator at Tuesday's county board meeting.
"If it works out, it will be more efficient," Ritter said Wednesday. "There is not a specific model I have used, but both agencies work with many of the same (grant) programs and other services."
LLMP Public Health administrator John Schuh resigned this summer. Director of nursing Cris Gilb is also serving as the interim administrator.
Ritter said at Tuesday's meeting the resignation of Schuh made it a good time to review a possible combined administrator.
"Since the resignation of John Schuh this has been in the back of my mind," Ritter said Tuesday.
The LLMP Public Health board discussed it at its September meeting, Ritter said. LLM Human Services board chairman and county commissioner Robert Fenske said he didn't oppose studying the option, Ritter said.
Fenske said the counties would need to consider the joint powers resolutions for each agency. Public health involves four counties, while human services has three, Fenske said.
"There would be one joint powers agreement, maybe," Fenske said of a combined administration.
Lyon County Board Chairman Mark Goodenow asked if discussions would be political because one county was not part of public health.
More than a year ago, the counties had discussed the possibility of Pipestone County joining the human services agreement, but the county decided to continue its own human services department.
"This may come into some politics," Fenske said.
But, Ritter said, Pipestone County was "somewhat receptive" to the idea.
Ritter said Wednesday while $2,600 is a lot of money, he believes it will be worth it.
Commissioners didn't all say if the idea would work, but they were willing to contribute $600 toward the $2,600 cost.
"Let's do the study," commissioner Phil Nelson said Tuesday.
LLM will complete the cost analysis, which will include a review of union contracts, an immediate integration approach where the LLM Human Services director immediately assumes the administrative role for public health, an integrated approach and other factors.
