Isanti County tightens up emergency assistance qualifications

ISANTI COUNTY – Isanti County is tightening up its regulations on who qualifies for emergency assistance.
Currently, Isanti County residents can tap into two programs. These changes affect only one, the County Crisis Assistance program.
Dick Williams of the Isanti County Family Services Department presented the changes to the Isanti County Board on Oct. 15, 2008. The board approved modifying the policy.
The most significant difference is that a cap has been placed on how much a family can qualify for.
The maximum payment will be four times the monthly cash assistance standard for that size household. For a mom and child, that amount is about $1,600. For a family of four, it's about $2,600.
"We're tightening around the edges to get it under control," said Williams. Recent payments have been running at about $3,000.
Additionally, if a family is living in a place that is obviously over what they can afford, the county won't help with assistance. Instead, social workers will help them find other shelter. Housing is considered over the family's budget if the cost of rent/mortgage, homeowner's insurance, real estate taxes and utility fees amount to more than 75% of the family income.
According to this policy, telephone, cable and Internet are not considered basic needs and are not eligible for funding assistance. The one exception is if they are required for medical reasons.
RECYCLING PROPERTIES
Pinnacle Engineering works to redevelop sites that may or may not have had chemical contamination. Two representatives, Matt Stokes and Eric Hansen, discussed their services with the Isanti County Board.
Termed brownfields redevelopment, Pinnacle works first to identify whether there is contamination at a site. Sometimes, a site is suspect merely because there was a gasoline leak next door, for instance.
Next, they work to help determine how much clean-up a site needs. This is based on what the intended redevelopment of the site will be. Another building with a parking lot that will cover the entire area will help contain any kind of leak, and eliminate some of the costly clean-up that might otherwise be required. Clean-up for use as a residential property will be different from that for an industrial use. This is referred to as "corrective action based on use," noted Hansen.
Pinnacle also works with developers to identify and apply for grants to help pay for the clean-up. According to Hansen, the current success rate is 97%.
Isanti County is considering redevelopment assistance with a piece of property located in the city of Isanti which was obtained through foreclosure proceedings.

In Brief
Medica Group Prime Solutions will again provide health insurance for retirees. The cost is $247 per month compared to $239 last year.
The position of county administrator will soon be advertised. The county board hopes to begin conducting interviews in mid-December. Current county coordinator Jerry Tvedt will retire in January.
Isanti County received $75,000 from the Urban Area Security Initiative to create an emergency control center in the basement of the government center.
The parks department is looking for folks to remove about 75 trees that have contracted oak wilt at the John Anderson Park. Closed bids are due by Oct. 29.
Tax abatements were approved for RMLG Enterprise in Isanti ($7,094) due to incorrect acreage amounts in 2006 and 2007; and James C. Shea in Wyanett Township ($346) due to a valuation error in 2007.
Nov. 3 is County Financial Aid Worker and Case Aide Day.
Land north of Hayford Ford was rezoned from Urban Service District 2 to Business District 1. It is owned by Sadio Punjani.
The meeting was closed to discuss union negotiations and litigation.
Resignations: Andrew Lloyd as jailer, Crystal Huntley-Egemo in family services