GRANITE FALLS - Exploring the possibility of a partnership between Yellow Medicine County's Family Services and Lincoln Lyon Murray Human Services wouldn't be a bad idea, said members of the Yellow Medicine County Board on Tuesday. It just didn't seem like the right time to do so.

"It's more of a wait-and-see thing," said board chairman Gary Johnson.

Board consensus at Tuesday's regular meeting was to not go forward with a study proposed by Family Service Director Peggy Heglund.

Board members said it would make more sense to table the proposal until they knew whether the state Legislature would still be promoting shared services in 2010.

Heglund said she had been discussing the possibility of a partnership with LLMHS director Chris Sorensen. Before any action would be taken by the board, Family Services would conduct a study to develop "a working plan for a new type of collaboration or integration" with LLMHS, Heglund said.

Heglund said integration or a contracted partnership with other public service organizations might help Family Services make better use of staff or increase efficiency. Heglund had brought forward a similar proposal to the county board about four years ago.

LLMHS started contracting with Lincoln Lyon Murray Pipestone Public Health for shared administration and services this year.

Heglund told commissioners a study conducted by Family Services would help "tell you what (the collaboration) is going to look like," including topics like budgeting, staff pay and seniority.

"Are there financial gains for us in that?" Johnson asked of integration. "That's my main concern."

"The study would show where the efficiencies are," Heglund said. "This is to look at, could it work? It might cost us to join, but we don't know that."

Commissioner Dick Wambeke said he was concerned how unionization would affect a partnership. Family Services staff aren't part of a union, but LLMHS staff are.

"The staff issue is a huge one for me," Wambeke said. He also thought it was too soon to tell whether a human services partnership was necessary. Minnesota legislators might not be pushing shared services so hard next year, he said.

"I disagree," said Commissioner Jane Remiger. "I think the state will cut human services hard."

Commissioner Ron Antony said he would be OK with waiting to see how the Legislature reacts before deciding on a study. But, he said, "As soon as they push, I think we want to start acting."

For now, Heglund said, she will continue to sit in on meetings with LLMHS for information.

The board also heard the results of its 2008 state audit. E.J. Moberg of the Minnesota state auditor's office said there were no major concerns raised by the county audit. Yellow Medicine County revenues exceeded expenses in 2008, and overall the county ended the year with just over nine months' worth of reserves.

Moberg said the audit findings were a little "same old, same old." The audit did raise some concerns about separating accounting duties in county departments, but such concerns were common in rural areas. Rural county governments often don't have enough staff to comply with that practice, Moberg said. The situation wouldn't require action from the county.