City, county sign law contract

By Sara QuamThe Luverne City Council and Rock County Board exchanged compliments and sighs of relief Tuesday as they both approved an amended long-term law enforcement contract.Rock County will continue providing law enforcement services to the city of Luverne at a cost of $604,000 this year, and 5 percent more per year through 2010.The contract comes after more than a year of proposals and counter proposals between the two boards.First thing Tuesday morning, the County Commissioners approved the contract, with Ron Boyenga voting no.The Luverne City Council voted unanimously in favor of the contract Tuesday night.County Commissioner Jane Wildung commended the City Council’s willingness to negotiate and settle the contract."It’s what the people wanted," she said.Commissioner Richard Bakken said that people with "good character and with their hearts in the right place" was important through the negotiation process.City Council member Esther Frakes said she was happy to make the motion in favor of the contract, which would end the "long and sometimes emotional" negotiations.Mayor Andy Steensma said Wildung deserved a lot of credit for taking leadership in finalizing the negotiations.He said, "As a city and as a county, we can move forward to bigger and better things."City Administrator Greg LaFond said, "Suffice it to say, we are all happy. … The deputies and their families can all breathe a sigh of relief."Sheriff Mike Winkels said, "We can all live with it."County Board Chair Ken Hoime said, "I know there’s been a lot of hard work done to get this agreement in order."Boyenga, although he voted against the contract, said he was happy for county staff to have it resolved.Wildung said, "The staff in law enforcement has been through hell for the past 16 months and it’s going to be so good to have this over. … A lot of good things came from this process: we have a concise reporting model, we have set payments, there are better defined responsibilities and we resolved the ownership of assets issue."County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said the contract was good because it involved both sides giving in a little.Klosterbuer said, "I think there is a real advantage to keeping a single law enforcement unit."The Rock County Board also rescinded the joint powers termination for the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center. The county will remain a part owner of that facility. It had terminated the joint powers agreement with the city for the Pool and Fitness Center until a law enforcement agreement was reached.Boyenga also voted against the pool motion.Particulars of the law contractOne of the most positive things to come out of the contract is having a contract price for the city of Luverne set for the next five years. The city of Luverne will pay $634,200 in 2006; $665,910 in 2007; $699,206 in 2008; $734,136 in 2009, and $770,874 in 2010.All other costs for law enforcement are the county’s.The city of Luverne can renegotiate the contract price and services if it loses 15 percent or more of state aid.The city of Luverne will get management reports from the sheriff on traffic and moving violations, criminal investigations, criminal arrests, liquor law arrests, vehicle accidents, parking violations, other activities, total number of calls and a copy of the annual uniform crime report.The county will continue receiving fine revenue from city of Luverne ordinance violations. That amounts to about $12,000 a year.One detail important to the city has been payment for property the county had used since the two departments merged in 1998.That property, including guns, radar equipment, a vehicle and file cabinets, is worth an estimated $15,000, for which the county will now pay the city.If the county and city want to renegotiate the contract and can’t come to an agreement, the contract calls for mediation. The contract also specifies duties of the Sheriff’s Department, which hadn’t been so clearly outlined before.The Sheriff’s Office responsibilities include:
traffic patrol, enforcement, patrol school zones and monitor school crossing guards;
accident investigation;
crowd control for traffic, parades, ball games, Rock County Fair, special events;
capture animals and deliver to impound and domestic and wild animal control;
lock parks and park restrooms;
shut off lights at ball diamonds and tennis courts;
enforce parking ordinances;
enforce snow emergency;
liquor store money escort;
notify city of burned out street lights, airport lights, downed wires, water leaks;
weather watch, Skywarn;
bike, skateboard, Rollerblade enforcement;
fingerprint business people for jobs, including government jobs;
background checks for solicitor’s license;
background checks for city employees; enforce city ordinances, state statutes;
DARE program and other drug education programs;
vacation and winter residence checks; business check and door check;
assist the needy, vagrants, and check them for wants and warrants;
domestics, family problems, battered women, abused children and sexual assault;
criminal investigations;
assist the fire department, traffic control, crowd control and HAZMAT;
use community based policing format for citizens and programs;
assist the city when necessary in serving administrative citations and summons;
conduct city employee alcohol tests when requested;
911 emergency communication;
dispatching services; records processing, records storage and maintenance services;
school crossing guards services,
and assist the city, when necessary to preserve the peace, in gaining access to properties for utility readings.