What is MACSSA? Legislature passes
By Monty Martin, Director of Ramsey
County Community Human Services and
former MACSSA president.
County Commissioners and staff may have heard
this acronym and wondered what it means. In a first
column from this AMC affiliate organization, we
answer some basic questions.
What Does MACSSA Stand For?
While MACSSA has existed since the 1940s, the name “Minnesota Association of
County Social Services Administrators” has only been used by our association since
1982. At that time, the acronym had particular meaning in bringing together Medical
Assistance (MA) and the state’s Community Social Services Act (CSSA) – the forerunner
of today’s Vulnerable Children and Adult Act.
Why Do We Exist?
MACSSA's mission is to promote and integrate a proactive, adequately funded,
cost-effective, and community based human service system that improves the health
and well-being of families, children and adults. MACSSA's ultimate goal is to assure
that Minnesotans are safe, healthy, independent, and able to support themselves and
their families. We work on our mission by promoting meaningful improvements in
human service programs, promoting and monitoring legislation that supports the
mission, promoting professional development of our members, and developing policy
recommendations that further the mission.
What Are Our Priorities?
Our priorities are simplifying human services programs, advancing use of technology,
and aligning funding with outcomes for vulnerable populations.
What Have We Done Lately?
Our work ranges from the big picture to the very specific:
•
Late in 2011 we completed work on our vision of the future of Minnesota’s
Human Services system and the role of counties in that system (see our Policy
Paper on our website www.macssa.org)
•
We developed a set of 2012 legislative priorities – also available on our website –
that includes many specific changes we’d like to see such as the reprogramming of
state computer systems to automatically apply child support payments (PRISM)
to a public assistance case (MAXIS). Past legislative proposals led to the Service
Delivery Authority legislation that advanced county human service redesign.
•
We recently approved a new policy to guide our thinking on use of technology.
•
In late 2011, we co-created a new forum for addressing county/state human
services issues with the Minnesota Department of Human Services – the State/
County Human Services Partnership Council.
•
We also have representatives serving on over 50 committees and workgroups
in which we provide our input to state human services decision makers on
important policy and service changes.
Who Are The Members?
The Association currently has 137 members representing all 87 counties. Membership
for each county varies from 1 to 5 members depending on county population. In your
own county, your members might be from your Human Services, Health and Human
Services, Community Services, Family Services, Social Services or similarly named
agency.
Who Are Our Leaders?
MACSSA elects new officers each year. The 2012 President is John Dinsmore from
Otter Tail County. He is our 63rd president, following in the footsteps of our first
president in 1947, Les Stiles from Olmsted County. Our President-elect for 2013 is
Beth Wilms of Fillmore County and Winona County.
While our 12-14 member Executive Committee provides operational direction
for the Association, our Standing Committee and Special Committee Chairs hold
important leadership roles in Policy, Legislation, Adult Services, Children’s Services,
Self-Sufficiency, Health Care, Child Support, Early Childhood, Technology, Social
Services Information System Partnership and other areas.
How Do We Get The Work Done?
A major part of our work is done through the aforementioned committees, most
of which meet monthly. We share information from our Committees in our monthly
full Association meetings. We organize and conduct twice yearly training conferences
focused on sharing best practices between counties.
Who Do We Work For?
MACSSA is an affiliate of AMC and as such, we ensure that our policy
recommendations are consistent with AMC’s platform. Of course, members
individually report to our county boards and county administration. We know that
counties do not always agree. MACSSA focuses on areas where we have complete or
near-complete agreement.
Unanswered Questions?
Contact your county’s MACSSA member(s) or Eric Ratzmann, MACSSA Director,
at 651-789-4340. You can also visit us at www.macssa.org.
MAY - JUNE 2012
law allowing
additional county
flexibility in SSTS standards
By Gretchen Sabel, MPCA
The Omnibus Environment and Natural Resource Policy Bill was signed into law May 3. It included
a provision that provides additional flexibility by allowing counties to adopt alternative local standards
(ALS) in shoreland areas (currently allowed in non-shoreland areas) that are equal to the 2006 Rules
with certain restrictions (only residential strength waste and systems under 2,500 gallons per day,
must meet three feet of treatment separation). This law change is part of an agreement with AMC to
bring a closure to the 2008 SSTS rules. This provision of the bill was written in response to county
concerns; the MPCA and AMC worked together to respond to legislators’ concerns and testify in
favor of the bill. We at the MPCA appreciate the opportunity to work cooperatively with AMC to
resolve county concerns.
Counties may choose to adopt the ALS provision in their SSTS ordinance for all systems with flows
less than 2500 gallons per day (gpd) that receive normal, household-strength wastewater. Alternatively,
counties could choose to fully implement the 2008/11 SSTS rule countywide. The design standards
in the 2006 rules could be used in all situations (shoreland and non-shoreland) that meet the flow
and strength criteria.
Outside of shoreland, the regular provisions for ALS apply. Once the procedure for developing ALS
is followed, the ALS can include a reduction in separation outside of shoreland and the use of the 2006
design standards. The MPCA’s intent is that ALS outside of Shoreland would be ALS as implemented
today. By law the standards have to protect human health and the environment.
The MPCA will soon undertake very limited “good cause” rulemaking to incorporate the new
law provision into the SSTS rules, opening the door for counties to implement this option. This
rulemaking will only affect Minnesota Rules Chapter 7082 and will not require any additional work
in the 37 counties that have already adopted the new rules into their ordinances. Look for notice of
this rulemaking to appear this summer. Guidance on the implementation of ALS will be developed
with input from the SSTS Implementation and Enforcement Task Force, a work group comprised
mostly of county and MPCA representatives. Work on the guidance is now underway. Our goal is to
have both the guidance and rulemaking completed by the fall.
Interim policy set for contacting MPCA for complaint referrals, technical help
during staffing changes
The MPCA SSTS enforcement staff is currently undergoing some major changes with Brian Green,
Heidi Lindgren and Mary West moving on to new positions with other programs and agencies. In
addition to these vacancies, there is also a new position in the MPCA’s Marshall office for an SSTS
enforcement staffer. As a result, the unit now has four positions to fill. Interviews are underway for
the Marshall vacancy. Postings for the Rochester, Detroit Lakes and St. Paul vacancies are pending.
During this transition period, a temporary interim policy has been established to distribute the
workload for complaints and requests for technical assistance from our SSTS partners.
Effective May 9, please use the following procedures for complaint referrals, requests for technical
assistance, and general inquiries:
For technical assistance or general inquiries for the MPCA, call 651-757-2201 or 800-657-3659 and
then follow the menu selections to leave a message. An alternative source of technical information is
the Onsite Wastewater staff at the University of Minnesota. They can be reached at 800-322-8642, or
via email at [email protected]. Complaints can also be referred to MPCA using the MPCA website:
https://netweb.pca.state.mn.us/private/CitizenComplaints.aspx?RequestedPage=HomePage .
It is our intent to respond to your calls and complaints as quickly as possible, however, there will
undoubtedly be some delays in responding as our vacancies are filled and the new staff get up to speed.
We appreciate your patience during this re-building period, and look forward to regaining our full
complement of staff to assist you with the SSTS program.
List of septic tanks for MN installations available "At-a-Glance" on website
A listing of all sewage tank products that can be installed in Minnesota is posted on the MPCA
website .
(http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,16975)
The "At A Glance List of Sewage Tanks - Registered and In Process" list can change frequently
as new tanks become fully registered. There are a total of 49 manufacturers on the list. Fourteen
manufacturers are fully registered with 380 tank models on the list. Thirty-five manufacturers are ‘In
Process’ of tank registration. Tanks in the "In Process" category can be used where there are no fully
registered products available.
Two septage storage tank options available to maintainers
An SSTS Program Management Decision (PMD) allows MPCA-licensed SSTS maintainers to
store up to 50,000 gallons of septage in registered underground storage tanks without a state permit,
as long as the requirements in the PMD are followed. Go to the SSTS Septage webpage for a full
description of the PMD.
In addition, poured-in-place concrete tanks, up to 50,000 gallons, are also allowed under the PMD
provided the concrete tanks:
1) are designed by a Minnesota licensed Professional Engineer,
2) meet the requirements of Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080.1910 [Tank Strength] and Chapter
7080.2010 [Integrity and Watertightness] and
3) are permitted by the local unit of government. The engineer who designed the tank must certify
tank construction on-site and verify watertight testing to the local permitting authority.
MINNESOTA COUNTIES
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