Local Option Sales Tax grants were awarded for 19 projects Tuesday by the Plymouth County Supervisors. The graph pictured here shows all 36 entities, projects and requested amounts. [Click to enlarge]

Nineteen requests for Local Option Sales Tax money were approved Tuesday by the Plymouth County Supervisors.

Dave Dirks, chairman of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Advisory Board, recommended to the supervisors 19 county projects at a total cost of $225,000, which was the amount set aside by the county. Seventeen of those requests received the full amount asked for.

The nine-member advisory board initially received requests from 36 entities for $462,250.

The existing first aid building on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds will be replaced with a new one thanks partially to $31,607.20 allotment of Local Option Sales Tax money. The Plymouth County supervisors approved funds for that project along with 18 others Tuesday. [Click to enlarge]

Approved projects ranged from $31,607 to construct a new first aid station at the Plymouth County fairgrounds to $1,000 to build handicap-accessible space in the women's restroom in the Merrill Civil Center.

LOST revenue has been collected as a one-penny sales tax since 2001.

Terry Reuter, president of the Plymouth County Fair Board, said that revenue will help fund a bigger and better first aid station that will benefit all parties that use the fairgrounds.

The new building will have adequate facilities for emergencies including separate cubicles to allow for privacy, restrooms for patients and a better running water system.

"We're always happy with whatever we can get," he said. The fair board originally requested $41,330 in LOST funds. "We will just make it work, that's what we always do."

The supervisors did question some of the board's recommendations.

For example Supervisor John Schneider asked about the decision to give the Brunsville American Legion $10,000 to construct a veteran's memorial and to deny a $20,000 request from Remsen for the same purpose.

Dirks explained LOST money had gone to Remsen last year and members felt it was Brunsville's turn this year.

The challenge to decide which project will receive LOST funding is always difficult, Dirks said, because each request has to be put in a specific category, ranked and weighed based on a percentage calculation.

The four categories included "Quality of Life," "Public Safety," "Educational Opportunities" and "Public Health."

"Every project should stand on its own merit," Dirks said.

Schneider and the other supervisors agreed the four categories are needed to determine criteria, but the calculation system could be discarded.

K. Kae Meyer, Plymouth County auditor, said she would create new forms leaving out that calculation and present it to the supervisors for their consideration.

Entities seeking LOST dollars must also follow rules when it comes to their application and that includes sticking to three-pages, which is emphasized in bold print and underlined on each form.

Dirks said about one-half dozen applications were discarded because they didn't meet that criteria and advised people to bring their request before the advisory board if they can't fit all their information into three pages.

The supervisors also voted 4-1 in favor of a request from Dirks that advisory board members receive reimbursement for the miles traveled during the determination of LOST moneys.

Supervisor C. Gordon Greene voted against that request as he didn't think a "volunteer organization" should receive compensation, "What's next?" he asked.

The supervisors commended Dirks and the advisory board for its work.

"I had some questions when I first looked at this," Schneider said. "But when I studied it more thoroughly I thought you guys did a good job."