Redesigning county government

Counties could experiment with new, more efficient ways of delivering services if a bill becomes law.

Sponsored by Rep. Carol McFarlane (R-White Bear Lake), HF1579 would let counties test alternative ways to deliver their services. The goal is to move counties toward outcome-based government and away from the old model of simply carrying out the state’s marching orders.

“For us, this is the first step in moving us from our current direction, where counties really are just ‘doers,’ into more innovative entities,” said Joe Mathews, general government policy analyst for the Association of Minnesota Counties.

Counties are currently bound by state rules and statutes to provide certain services in specific ways. The bill would give counties some flexibility by letting them apply for waivers to establish pilot projects for new service delivery methods.

The House Government Operations and Elections Committee approved the bill April 26 and referred it to the House State Government Finance Committee. There is no Senate companion.

Tim Walsh, Scott County’s director of health and human services, said there are enough differences between the state’s 87 counties that it makes sense to let them administer programs in ways that respond to their unique needs and concerns.

“The bottom line of what we’re trying to do here is improve performance,” Walsh said.

The bill would perform three main functions:

• authorizing counties to provide for the general welfare of their residents;

• establishing a process for counties to apply for waivers or exemptions from state mandates; and

• creating a “Minnesota Northstar Council” to develop policy goals and performance measures.

Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-St. Louis Park) asked whether the bill could lead to “mission creep,” and empower counties to usurp the authority delegated to cities or even the state itself. Mathews responded that nothing in the bill would allow counties to supersede state or city powers.

“Some may describe it as mission creep. We would say we’re actually empowering the county to join with their fellow local governments in some new ways to collaborate that in the end may actually save us money,” Mathews said.