The Oak Hill elder care facility in Waterloo continues to perform well, facility director Kim Keckritz told the Monroe County Board on Monday morning.

She noted that the population census continues to be solid, running slightly higher than at this time last year. Financially, she said the facility continues on solid footing, with both private and Medicaid revenues up while Medicare receipts are slightly down.

Addressing personnel issues, Keckritz reported salary and benefit costs are doing well, with good management of overtime and excellent data on personnel turnover.

“In addition to providing good care for residents, Oak Hill is gaining a reputation as a good place to work,” she said.  “People want to stay there as employees. This provides stability for them and care excellence for residents.”

Oak Hill community service director Christy Brinkmann added that the facility’s five-star rating is drawing attention.

“Oak Hill has become a positive example of what people expect nursing homes to be,” Monroe County Board Chairman Delbert Wittenauer said at the end of the presentation.

In other news from the meeting, Monroe County Highway Engineer Aaron Metzger reported that all invoices concerning the IKE project on Bluff Road are processed, bringing that work to a conclusion.  He also reported on future work on Long Lake Road.  A large culvert will be replaced under that road near the Maeystown pumping station. Work is scheduled to start July 31.

Metzger said the replacement will necessitate closing the road, but he didn’t anticipate too much impact on travel, especially to agricultural work.

The commissioners discussed a growing problem with Round-up resistant weeds with county weed control officer Chris Howell.  These so-called “super weeds” are increasingly resistant to Round-up and other chemicals.  One plant discussed was Palmer Amaranth, also called pig weed.  It is very aggressive and can be toxic to animals.

Wittenauer said he has seen it and studied it.

“But it is hard to identify when it is small, and hard to kill when it is big,” he said.

He asked Howell to seek ways to educated farmers and identify proper control methods.

Laura Henry and Brenda Seboldt updated progress on new plat books for the county. They are being produced in a cooperative effort between the county and the Monroe County Farm Bureau. They are updated every three years, and should become available sometime in October.

Wittenauer announced that a public dedication ceremony will take place 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3 to introduce the famous Colonel Edd Keuker bison statue on its brick pedestal at the northeast corner of the county courthouse.

The next county board meeting will take place 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 4, in the board room on the second floor of the courthouse.