ELLSWORTH – Two Pierce County residents used the Pierce County Board’s public comment time Jan. 27 to express their concerns about the actions of federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement …
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ELLSWORTH – Two Pierce County residents used the Pierce County Board’s public comment time Jan. 27 to express their concerns about the actions of federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis and encourage the board to have a plan should their presence increase in Pierce County.
Former Pierce County Board member Ben Plunkett, a River Falls resident, said the federal government is violating the Bill of Rights and Constitution with its actions in Minneapolis. On Saturday, Jan. 24, ICE agents shot and killed a nurse and U.S. citizen named Alex Pretti. This came after federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good on Jan. 7.
“Recently we’ve seen violations of this Bill of Rights by the government that we’ve entrusted to enforce the Bill of Rights,” he said. “We are told that the constitutional protections of your own house are no longer valid.”
He asked the board to consider who benefits when chaos reigns and opined that economic prosperity for citizens creates stability.
“This is an intolerable situation,” Plunkett said. “I call on you to recognize it and stop supporting it as individuals and people. If you support one part of it, you’re supporting all of it.”
Beldenville resident Bob Ebert echoed Plunkett’s sentiments, asking many questions of the board.
“We know ICE is in this area,” Ebert said.
He said he didn’t witness it but talked to the person who filmed someone being taken by ICE agents from UNFI in Prescott.
“Does the sheriff’s office have a plan if ICE came down here and something went awry? I assume they have a contingency plan or are they just going to wait and see what happens? Have you discussed what you would do if someone went down to the Creamery and tried to kidnap people? I mean it has happened to American citizens,” Ebert said.
Pierce County Board Chair Jon Aubart said he didn’t want to speak for Sheriff Chad Koranda, who was not in attendance, but knows the sheriff’s office has a contingency plan.
“I’ve talked to the sheriff and it is kind of on the forefront right now, and I’m assuming they do have a plan if they need to respond,” he said.
Ebert closed by saying the public’s First and Second Amendment rights that have been held dearly by a lot of people are apparently under fire.
Supervisor Michael Kahlow (River Falls) said ICE has been in his district.
“I just wanted to say that we have a very good sheriff’s department. They’re professional, they’re ethical. If the feds have someone they want picked up, give the sheriff a call,” he added.
Supervisor Mel Pittman (District 17) said he was taught to take responsibility for his actions.
“I’ve tried to do that to the best of my ability. There is a lot responsibility for the actions that have occurred across the river and I hope all parties involved will take responsibility for their actions,” he said.
Resolutions
The board heard a first reading on a resolution to amend fees for issuing permits and making inspections and investigations of certain types of establishments (lodging, etc.)
According to Public Health Director AZ Snyder, the resolution is about aligning the county’s fees with state administrative code.
“Since we are an agent of the state, we have to keep our fees up with the state fees otherwise we lose money,” Snyder said. All we’re doing is reorganizing our fees and increasing fees so we’re not losing money compared to the state reimbursement.”
The board will see this resolution next month.
The board approved on first reading a resolution authorizing additional funds for the communications tower project, which were unbudgeted.
According to a memo from Administrator Coordinator Jason Matthys, the project budget for the Ellsworth and Elmwood Communications Tower Replacement Project was originally $1,710,906.10.
“The project budget was created several months ago with the assistance of PSC Alliance, the county's consulting firm for this project, and was based on similar projects that have occurred across the state,” Matthys said. “This amount also included $105,000 of project contingency funds.”
The county received nine bids for the project; the Building Committee awarded the bid for site work to the lowest bidder, Tower MRL in the amount of $1,359,200, contingent on the county board authorizing additional funding.
“The bid for site work, even by the lowest bidder was more than originally projected and will cause the project budget to exceed the amount that was originally authorized,” Matthys said. The total cost of the project will increase to $1,825,125 which is $114,245.90 more than originally budgeted, even after applying the project contingency funds. Project contingency funds will be necessary to account for other areas of the project that definitive costs have not yet been realized, according to Matthys.
The funds will be transferred from Fund 211 to the capital improvements account. The Ellsworth tower will be built on 4.5 acres south of the sheriff’s office/jail, east of the solid waste department.
Other business
The Pierce County Board’s next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24.
