Topic: Kehr's SHIP has Sailed, Now Let's AUDIT the Books
started by: Liberal
Posted by Liberal on Dec. 12 2011,11:57 am
The SHIP grant has ended for Freeborn County but Kehr is staying there until the start of the new year so she and her cronies can suck it dry. I'm sure not getting the grant had nothing to do with how the Chamber was using it as free money for every business that stuck their hand out.
QUOTE
$1,067 to Riverland College*
$1,000 to Alamco*
$1,000 to Zumbro River Brands*
$2,000 to Cargill
$1500 to the Albert Lea Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce
$530 to The Children’s Center*
$2,000 to Alliance Benefit Group*
$1,000 to Freeborn Mower*
$500 to City of Albert Lea
$2,000 to Lou Rich
$4,000 to Trails Travel Center
$7,000 to District #241*
$4,000 Albert Lea Medical Center*
$1,000 Albert Lea Family Y*
$1,000 Thorncrest Retirement Center*
$1,000 Mrs Gerry’s Kitchen
$1,000 Interstate Packaging
$5,000 Albert lea Select Foods
$2,915 Freeborn County
*Tobacco Free Grounds
All further Worksite Grants will be listed here.
How is it that Mrs Gerry's only gets $1000 and the Chamber got $1500 with only a couple employees. Of course our elected officials don't have the balls to look into that, they wouldn't want to offend the chamber. Then again if our elected officials had a set she wouldn't have ever been put in that position in the first place.
QUOTE
State and local officials announced last week Freeborn County will not receive funding in 2012 through the Statewide Health Improvement Program.
The Minnesota Department of Health awarded 18 grants — covering 51 counties, four cities and one tribal government — to receive funding totaling about $11.3 million.
The Goodhue region — made up of Freeborn County and nine other southeastern Minnesota counties — was not awarded.
“I think it just geographically and financially wasn’t in our favor,” said Ellen Kehr, Freeborn County SHIP coordinator. “We were all very disappointed, but the funding was cut back so dramatically there was just not enough to cover all of the counties in the state.”
SHIP, first signed into law in 2008, seeks to reduce heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases related to insufficient physical activity, poor nutrition and commercial tobacco use.
Since July 2009, Freeborn County has received a total of $260,000 through the SHIP program, of which $160,000 has gone toward grants, $80,000 toward salaries and $20,000 toward marketing materials.
SHIP money has gone toward everything ranging from disc golf courses, to bike lanes to trail signage. It has also supported healthy eating in the county’s school districts, worksite wellness and even school gardens — much through local partnerships with organizations such as the National Vitality Center and Pioneering Healthier Communities.
Kehr said she and others will continue to find ways to build on the projects that have already been completed. She hopes that at some time SHIP funding will again be available to everyone in the state.
“I believe we can still move forward,” she said. “We’re all about action in Albert Lea. The question is whether we will move forward as quickly as we have been.”
Kehr’s SHIP position will end at the close of the year.
< http://www.albertleatribune.com/2011...locally >
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Dec. 12 2011,5:07 pm
Let me get this straight. They take our tax money and give it to corporations and Kehr gets 1 of every 3 dollars for handing it out?Why that sounds like an awful deal for taxpayers. Why are we doing this?
Posted by Liberal on Dec. 12 2011,7:30 pm
If the grant money has dried up why is she being allowed to continue working until the end of the year? She should have been gone they day after we found out that we were not getting the SHIP grant money.Someone needs to get a copy of the books and see exactly how much money she funneled to her husband at the Chamber.
You know the local media should be questioning how much went to the Chamber if for no other reason than the Workplace Wellness Grant where the Chamber got nearly 3X as much as The Children's Center. Of course as long as the publisher sits on the Chamber's board they know that they don't have anything to worry about.
Posted by MADDOG on Dec. 12 2011,9:25 pm
Let's start out this way.QUOTE
$2,000 to Lou Rich
Doug Olson, Lou-Rich (Chamber Board Chair)QUOTE
$4,000 Albert Lea Medical Center*
Virginia Larson, Mayo Clinic Health System Albert Lea (Vice Chair)QUOTE
$1,067 to Riverland College*
Steve Bowron, Riverland Community College (Past Chair)QUOTE
$1,000 to Freeborn Mower*
Jim Krueger, Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services (2nd Vice Chair)That's everyone of the executive Chamber Committee of the Chamber of Horror.
Get the books.
Posted by HiggsBoson on Dec. 12 2011,9:25 pm
(Stone-Magnon @ Dec. 12 2011,5:07 pm)
QUOTE
Let me get this straight. They take our tax money and give it to corporations and Kehr gets 1 of every 3 dollars for handing it out?
Why that sounds like an awful deal for taxpayers. Why are we doing this?
Why that sounds like an awful deal for taxpayers. Why are we doing this?
I'm honestly surprised that after County Commissioner Belshan pointed this out earlier this year that we paid her that much to disburse perhaps about 3x what she was paid, there wasn't more of a reaction. Instead, just crickets chirping.
SHIP is not a non-profit, but still to think that admin costs of this program were a good 25% to 33% of the budget, that would get a FAIL from any charity review board. Nobody should have to spend that much on admin overhead to give away money.
And just as our local fishwrap looks the other way, most elected officials didn't say a word lest they offend one of their own, since a city council member was the SHIP administrator.
As long as this town chooses to keep the same inbred people in office, nothing will change.
Posted by Liberal on Dec. 12 2011,11:08 pm
Or the Worksite Wellness Committee...QUOTE
Worksite Wellness Committee
Brad Arends, Alliance Benefit Group
$2,000 to Alliance Benefit Group*
Sue Berg, Lou-Rich, Inc.
$2,000 to Lou Rich
Dennis Dieser, Albert Lea Family Y
$1,000 Albert Lea Family Y*
Trent Gordon, Trail's Travel Center
$4,000 to Trails Travel Center
Patti Hareid, Mayo Clinic Health System Albert Lea
$4,000 Albert Lea Medical Center*
Weston Hulst, Thorne Crest Retirement Center
$1,000 Thorncrest Retirement Center*
Judy Jensen, Freeborn - Mower Cooperative Services
$1,000 to Freeborn Mower*
Faye Madson, ALAMCO Wood Products, Inc.
$1,000 to Alamco*
Teri Rauenhorst, Riverland Community College
$1,067 to Riverland College*
Erin Sauer, Mrs. Gerry's Kitchen
$1,000 Mrs Gerry’s Kitchen
Molly Urness, Cargill Balue Added Meats
< http://www.albertlea.org/committee.htm >
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Dec. 13 2011,12:24 am
Well, when you figure Kehr got 1/3 of all those dollar figures and those figures are just part of it, it looks like her SHIP came in. This SHIP thing is really proof that our system is out of control. When we vote to tax ourselves and then hand out money like this it doesn't even make any sense.
Posted by Santorini on Dec. 16 2011,11:19 am
working to promote health and wellness is a good idea in any community.but why did it have to be a PAID position?
working together and collaborating with other non profits, businesses, and healthcare facilities and other diciplines could have been done on a VOLUNTEER basis! plus it could have involved a whole lot more people in the community other than department heads!
they could have used students from ALL the area schools to spread the word and organize promotional teams to get out there and promote health and wellness. generally people DO like to be involved and be a part of something they can feel good about, but this community never seems to utilize its real talent...the citizens!!!
Posted by HiggsBoson on Dec. 16 2011,4:57 pm
(Santorini @ Dec. 16 2011,11:19 am)
QUOTE
generally people DO like to be involved and be a part of something they can feel good about, but this community never seems to utilize its real talent...the citizens!!!
Course not. Once some of these local primadonnas got elected, they think don't have to listen anymore cause they got all the answers.
What they fail to realize is that when (not if) the revolution comes, they'll be the first ones against the proverbial wall.
Posted by danbelshan on Dec. 17 2011,1:48 pm
Constituents have asked me why Freeborn County has hired a Coordinator through Express Personnel for the SHIP (State Health Improvement Program) grant, without opening it to the public, or internally assigning the job and saving money for the County. This $27 per hour ($56,160 per year) position loses $6 per hour to Express Personnel to handle the payroll. I called and/or emailed each county to see what they did. Here are the results. None of the other Counties below told a temp service to interview only one applicant to apply for the job, as was done by our now retired County Nurse . This circumvented the Equal Opportunity Employment Act and created the wasteful spending situation we inherited.
COUNTY QUALIFICATION HIRING PROCEDURE
Freeborn 3 yrs study Sociology&SpEd only 1 applicant allowed to apply
Wabasha Public Health Nurse internally assigned
Dodge Masters degree health promotion Open to public 15 applied
Mower Public Health Nurse Open to public
Fillmore Degree in Health Education internally assigned
Houston Masters in Public Health internally assigned
Steele Masters in Health Science contract & internally assigned
Goodhue Degree Community Health Open to Public 30 Applied
Olmsted Health Educator Degree Internal & Open to Public
Waseca Health Education Degree Open to Public
LeSueur Health Education Degree Open to Public
Nicollet Public Health Educator Open to Public & internally
Brown Public Health Educators Open to Public & internally
Martin Masters Degree Open to Public
Faribault Masters Degree Open to Public
Watonwan Masters Degree Open to Public
Anoka Public Health Nurse Degree Open to Public
Goodhue Degree in Public Health Open to Public
Blue Earth BS Community Health Opened internally
Cottonwood Health Educator Degree Opened to Public
Jackson Health Educator Degree Opened to Public
Redwood Health Educator Degree Opened to Public
Renville Health Educator Degree Opened to Public
Nobles Public Health Degree Opened to Public 10 Applied
Rock Public Health Degree Opened to Public
Pipestone Health Educator Opened to Public 20 Applied
Lyon Health Educator Opened to Public
Lincoln Health Educator Opened to Public
Murray Health Educator Opened to Public
Carlton Bachelors Degree Internally Assigned
St. Louis Bachelors Degree Opened to Public & Internal
Koochiching Health Educator Opened to Public filled Vacancy
Cook Bachelors Degree Opened to Public
Lake Bachelors Degree Opened to Public
Aitkin Bachelors Degree Opened to Public
Itasca Bachelors Degree Opened to Public
Had we internally assigned (like some counties listed above ) and asked volunteers from a public committee (appointed by the County Board) to recommend grant receipients. We could have utilized another $100,000 of grant money instead of spending it on salaries and marketing.
TO OFTEN WE CREATE A VEHICLE TO ACCOMODATE WHEELS
Posted by hairhertz on Dec. 17 2011,2:36 pm
oops
Posted by hairhertz on Dec. 17 2011,2:37 pm
thanks for the info, Dan, as usual, you do a fine job of analysis, we need more like you 
Posted by Rosalind_Swenson on Dec. 17 2011,3:12 pm
This is one of the most corrupt counties I have ever heard of. If a few of us stood up and started to protest, demanding some answers and accountability on all the BS in this county, would the rest of you join us, or just drive by and mock us?
Posted by Glad I Left on Dec. 17 2011,5:18 pm
(Rosalind_Swenson @ Dec. 17 2011,3:12 pm)
QUOTE
This is one of the most corrupt counties I have ever heard of. If a few of us stood up and started to protest, demanding some answers and accountability on all the BS in this county, would the rest of you join us, or just drive by and mock us?
I don't live in the county so I won't join you, but if you are doing stupid stuff while you protest you can bet I'll mock you (or anyone else for that matter)
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Dec. 17 2011,11:36 pm
It's very telling when one of the county commisoners who supported this is sitting in Federal prison don't you think?
Posted by Santorini on Dec. 18 2011,2:40 pm
(Rosalind_Swenson @ Dec. 17 2011,3:12 pm)
QUOTE
This is one of the most corrupt counties I have ever heard of. If a few of us stood up and started to protest, demanding some answers and accountability on all the BS in this county, would the rest of you join us, or just drive by and mock us?
Rosalind I am with ya on this one!
Interestingly, I have a friend with an impressive position as a representative of several counties. Without giving her identity away (she is NOT from here but NW of here), she deals with personel from counties all over the state for meetings and so on. She is always amazed when the topic turns to Freeborn County. Because, according to her, the counties reputation precedes itself! how the county always kinda does its own thing
Posted by Common Citizen on Dec. 19 2011,12:49 pm
(Glad I Left @ Dec. 17 2011,5:18 pm)
QUOTE
(Rosalind_Swenson @ Dec. 17 2011,3:12 pm)
QUOTE
This is one of the most corrupt counties I have ever heard of. If a few of us stood up and started to protest, demanding some answers and accountability on all the BS in this county, would the rest of you join us, or just drive by and mock us?
I don't live in the county so I won't join you, but if you are doing stupid stuff while you protest you can bet I'll mock you (or anyone else for that matter)
Ditto...
It depends on who is protesting and why they are doing it.
Knowing who and what to protest is half the battle...unlike the Occupy group.
If it was done how the OWS protested, they would be occupying the grantee rather than the grantor.
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Dec. 28 2011,10:36 am
I'm still amazed at how that guy was able to fill in part of the lake to build his home.
Posted by Dump Pewlenty on Dec. 28 2011,12:06 pm
(Stone-Magnon @ Dec. 28 2011,10:36 am)
QUOTE
I'm still amazed at how that guy was able to fill in part of the lake to build his home.
I never thought that was right either.
Posted by Botto 82 on Dec. 28 2011,12:15 pm
Freeborn County is just a demonstrative microcosm of what's going on in all levels of government - it's about career politicians amassing as much wealth and power as possible, in order to insulate themselves from the very populace their policies are screwing over.
Posted by hymiebravo on Jan. 01 2012,11:15 am
(Dump Pewlenty @ Dec. 28 2011,12:06 pm)
QUOTE
(Stone-Magnon @ Dec. 28 2011,10:36 am)
QUOTE
I'm still amazed at how that guy was able to fill in part of the lake to build his home.
I never thought that was right either.
Perhaps somebody could elaborate on this?