Commissioners discuss administrator search

Although seven architectural firms sent bids for services related to designing a new county health department, none was selected Monday by commissioners. None were rejected, either.

Commissioner Kent Becker a said he didn’t want to spend $105,000 for an architect to design a building when other possibilities might exist. Commissioner Randy Dallke said he wanted a site study done on land the county had already purchased, the former home of the county food bank.

In other business, no formal action was taken, but commissioners discussed who might make up the review, interview, and hiring panels for administrator candidates put forward by the League of Municipalities.

All five commissioners, an elected department head, and an appointed department head to be selected by vote of employees, commissioners will be joined by Hillsboro city administrator Matt Stiles, Dickinson County administrator Janelle Dockendorf. Marion city administrator Brogan Jones, and county counsel Brad Jantz. Employees must select a department head and proposed outside board members still must be contacted.

Commissioners also discussed a trailer formerly used by emergency responders. The trailer has a temporary antenna, radios, and a generator and served for incident command purposes until the county bought a different trailerr.

Emergency manager Marcy Hostetler and Sheriff Jeff Soyez said the older trailer, which they thought was given to the county, should be turned over to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or, if owned by the county, sold at auction.

Dallke said he didn’t want the county to keep, and not use, a trailer another county could use.