Solomon Valley Community Development Director Heather Hartman presented the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) for renewal to the Mitchell County Commissioners on Tuesday. The meeting was moved forward from Monday as county offices were closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Hartman said the program had been approved for renewal by all taxing entities in the county including USD 273 Beloit, USD 272 Waconda and the cities of Beloit, Glen Elder, Cawker City and Tipton.
From June 2006 to June of 2016 there were a total of 316 projects involved with the NRP. There were 179 residential projects valued at $23.9 million, 82 commercial projects valued at $37.1 million, and 55 agricultural projects at $4 million. There were $27.7 million in new construction and/or remodel projects in Mitchell County during that time which did not utilize the NRP.
As such, Neighborhood Revitalization was involved in over $65 million of about $92 million in total capital improvements completed in Mitchell County over the past 10 years. This total does not include projects which were completed between July and December of 2016 nor current projects.
The total valuation of the county over that 10 year period has increased from $55 million to $79 million. Following a public hearing, in which no comments were made, the commissioners moved unanimously to approve the renewal of the program for two years via Resolution 2-2017.
Mitchell County EMS Director Kelly Hawk was also on hand and delivered the monthly report for December and the annual EMS report for 2016. In December the service responded to 44 calls. Sixty percent of the calls came between the hours of 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. There were 21 female patients and 24 male patients with an average patient age of 59. The service billed a total of $28,062 in the month of December. After insurance payments, insurance write-offs and patient payments there was $4,837 added to the accounts receivable total which currently stands at $112,667.
For the year, in 2016, the EMS responded to a total of 591 calls with 481 of those coming from Beloit. Forty-two calls were in Cawker City, 24 were in Glen Elder, 19 were in Tipton while 12 other runs were scattered throughout the county. The service also responded to 13 calls outside of Mitchell County. Saturday’s were the busiest days for the EMS, followed closely by Thursdays and Fridays. The average patient age in 2016 was 62 years old. Hawk added that the ambulance units will be inspected this month, and they will be doing an inventory of supplies and equipment.
In a separate matter. the commissioners asked Mr. Hawk if he was still willing to be a member of the Mitchell County Planning Commission. He had previously expressed interest in being on the commission. Former member Mark Eilert had stepped down from the commission due to being unable to fulfill his term. Hawk said he was willing to serve out Eilert’s term, and he was appointed by the commissioners to do so. The next meeting of the Mitchell County Planning Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, January 24 at the Mitchell County Historical Society Museum at 7 p.m.
Director of Public Works Larry Emerson said the county used as many as eight loads of sand and salt on county roads over the weekend to combat the ice that came through. Emerson said the most heavy icing occurred in the western and southwestern areas of the county. As roads thaw and dry, the county crews will be out maintaining and restoring roads as need. Hayes Township roads will also be addressed at that time as the county has assumed responsibility for them as of January 1 as voted on by the citizens of Hayes Township in the November General Election.
The Mitchell County Commissioners are next scheduled to meet on Monday, January 24 at 8:40 a.m. at the Mitchell County Courthouse.