Enterprise Dispatch Blog

By Meeker Co. Commissioner Amy Wilde
The sun rose into 2009 on a bleaker landscape than in 2008. It wasn’t just this year’s greater accumulation of snow, cold, and ice. It was the deepening economic recession, which will probably, in time, affect all of us.

I won’t expound on the causes of this recession. Many factors contributed. The fact is that recession is here and we need to deal with it. The first way that governments and individuals adjust to lower incomes is to monitor spending more closely. Because of the unexpected local aid cuts from the governor, our county board will sit down soon to take a look at our lowest hanging fruit: the discretionary allocations we make to various quasi-governmental and non-profit projects and services.

We will also take a look at how things might be operated more efficiently. As I’ve mentioned in past columns, most county services are not discretionary; the county board is required by law to provide them.

Snowplowing and law enforcement are two items which benefit nearly everyone. Other services - like medical assistance - are only available to those who are eligible for them.

There are several lesser-known services available to anyone, regardless of income. Here are a few that won’t cost you anything:

Drug discount card
People who are between jobs may find themselves without health insurance. Those who lack insurance, but need to take prescription drugs, will find the free county drug discount card helpful. Even those who have insurance, but take a medication which is not on their insurance network’s formulary, may find this card helpful.
Since the program started last August, approximately 100 people have used the Meeker County drug discount card to fill 200-250 prescriptions every month, at an average cost savings of 25 percent over the rack price. The total dollar amount of savings since August has been almost $6,000.

That’s not a lot of money, but it averages $7 per prescription. Best of all, this network agreement costs neither the county nor the beneficiary anything.
Cards may be picked up from red-and-white display stands at any clinic or hospital in the county, many nursing homes, the courthouse and Family Services Building. Before we signed up for this program, we checked to see that all five pharmacies in Meeker County accept this card.

People who have insurance or a Medicare Part D plan will probably not benefit from this card, because their insurance already negotiates discounts, and the program does not allow people to “double dip” on discounts. But it is helpful for those who lack prescription coverage on the drugs they need.

Public libraries
Has your entertainment budget gone south? Libraries offer books, videos and DVDs, audio books (a great option to radio while driving long distances) and Internet and e-mail access. There are occasional free programs, such as story hours for preschool children, and adult winter book clubs.
If it’s been a while since you’ve visited a public library, stop in. You will be pleasantly surprised to see what’s available, and library cards are free.

County parks
Meeker County has 10 county parks. Sliding and cross country skiing are available at Darwin-Dassel Park, west of Dassel, and there are cross-country trails groomed at Woodland Park, four miles north of Dassel on Highway 15.
There is a skating rink at the county park in Forest City. Because of new grass seeding, the sliding hill at Spring Lake Park is not open this season, but the grass should be well established by this time next year.

Snowmobiles are not permitted in county parks, or along the non-motorized bike paths in the Dassel area, but there are a number of county snowmobile trails. One of the trails may be accessed from the east side of the Darwin-Dassel Park rest stop parking lot.