Posted: 8/25/05
County meth ordinance passed
By Dawn Slade
The Mille Lacs County Board approved adoption of a meth ordinance at its Aug. 16 meeting but not without questions and concerns raised by residents.
County Attorney Jan Kolb, assistant county attorneys Tom Lopez and Dawn Nyhus, along with public health director Kay Keimig and sheriff Brent Lindgren, discussed the ordinance, the health concerns and the clean-up process.
Lindgren informed the property owners attending the meeting that in the last year there was only one meth lab dumped on a property. Most of the meth lab remains that are found are typically discovered in ditches, which the sheriff's office handles.
The Drug Enforcement Agency has a fund which covers the cost of cleaning up hazardous materials created by a meth lab. That includes items found in a home, shed, vehicle, etc. It does not include the cost of cleaning toxic chemicals out of furniture, walls, carpeting, ceilings, etc.
Residents' concerns
Beth Henderson asked what would happen if meth lab residue was dumped in the river.
Health educator Tony Buttacavoli stated that typically meth manufacturers are so paranoid that they don't transport the remains of a meth lab.
Lindgren later confirmed that typically meth manufacturers are burning the meth lab remains on the property where the lab is located.
Later in the meeting Commissioner Bob Hoefert, who raised concerns of his own and voted against the ordinance, said Buttacavoli was totally misinformed. Hoefert said he reads in the paper that meth manufacturers are transporting meth lab items.
It was clarified that meth manufacturers are typically transporting the precursors to meth labs, such as paint thinner, coffee filters, lithium batteries, etc., and not the remains of a meth lab.
Chairman Phil Peterson told property owners that the county is bound by state health statutes and part of that is enforcing policies.
Don Bailey asked if there was only one case in the county last year, why doesn't the county pay clean-up costs.
He then asked about disclosure of meth labs when a property is sold.
Lopez said a new law went into effect Aug. 1 requiring real estate agents to disclose if there has been a meth lab on the property.
Lindgren spoke of residences where meth labs have been seized. The county posts a sign on the door that states the building cannot be occupied until cleaned, but he said the postings are being taken down and reoccupied without cleaning, often without the new owner or tenant's knowledge.
"We want to do what's the right thing, but there are costs associated with it," Lindgren said.
John Ruis told the board he felt they were giving meth manufacturers a "golden ticket" by putting the ordinance in place because the liability is put on landlords and property owner and not meth manufacturer.
Heather Greisert said she doesn't want to be paying additional taxes because a landlord is not vigilant and because the landlord can seek restitution.
A resident asked about seizure laws and using money from seizing items to pay for clean-up.
Nyhus explained that the state appropriates those funds and that they are not earmarked for public health. She suggested contacting state legislators to get that law changed if residents felt it should be adjusted.
The question was again raised as to why a landlord or owner would want to notify authorities of a meth lab if they're going to incur clean-up costs.
Nyhus discussed public health law and negligence or hindrance of the public health process.
"Negligence is a crime in and of itself," Nyhus said.
Buttacavoli reiterated the laws regarding a property owner's responsibility for the property and land.
"Those laws have been around for ages," he said.
Buttacavoli added that combating the meth problem is partly education, part technology and part public policy.
"That's what we're focusing on now," Buttacavoli said of the ordinance. "When you have all three pieces, it does help with intervention."
Jim Pluimer asked what is being spent on meth lab clean-ups.
Lopez said they are unable to determine the county's costs. However using Pine County's figures, it would be approximately 10 percent of the $1 million spent on meth overall.
Letters were read for the record, including a resolution from Milaca Township recommending the ordinance not be passed.
The board approved the ordinance as written but included an amendment to add a one-year sunset provision for review.
"There's no choice in the matter," Peterson said. "We're living in a world where we have to be watchful."
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