02-20-1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

Comm..Minutes--February 20, 1990 429 ROAD RESTRICTIONS, State HiRhway Department to assist MOTION, passed Hr. Sondrall moved and Mrs. Toussaint seconded that a letter be sent to the North Dakota Highway Patrol District Office requesting assistance with enforcement of County road restrictions again this year. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. AGENDA, Amended MOTION, passed Mrs. Toussaint moved and Hr. Eckert seconded to adopt the regular agenda as amended with the inclusion of a low bid award for bridge replacement near Davenport. Motion carried. JAIL DETOXIFICATION, To be discontinued In a 'letter to the Commission dated February 6, 1990, Sheriff Don Rudnick requested that the County Commission end the housing of individuals for detoxification in the County Jail unless cities using the service are willing to pay the costs incurred. Walt Willis, Chief Correctional Officer in the Cass County Jail, said he is concerned about medical bills and ambulance costs which have been the responsibility of the County if a person was booked in the jail and later has to be transferred to a hospital. He is also concerned about liability on the part of the jail staff and the County because the staff is not trained to perform medical procedures. If the jail stops taking intoxicated individuals, he said it would force the community to examine the problem. States Attorney Robert Hoy said it is his opinion that the County does not have a statutory obligation to take intoxicated people into the jail· Dr. Richard Lenzmeier, jail physician, also recommended discontinuing detoxification in the jail because of potential liability. He asked the Commission to support setting criteria to continue detoxification on a temporary basis only for those individuals who do not have a medical problem, but not accepting those who are medically unstable. Mr. Eckert thought the County has a moral obligation to provide housing, but Dr. Lenzmeier said Cass County should not be the only one sharing this moral issue. Mr. Eckert thought there should be further discussion with the cities involved before discontinuing the detoxification in the jail. Dr. Lenzmeier said the County needs to start the process because other entities are satisfied with the way it is going. MOTION, passed Nfs. Toussaint moved and Mr. Sondrall seconded to allow the Sheriff's Department to immediately implement the screening criteria for detoxification in the jail, and that the Sheriff's Department engage the cities that are using the services to look for an alternative by April 2nd and report back to the County Commission.