Board Minutes

for

April 3, 2001

 

 

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD
Held on Tuesday, April 3, 2001; 9:45 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Richard Lehtinen, Doug Grindall, Dale Olson, Bob Murray, Delbert Newberg, Big Falls Mayor Rod Rissanen, Marty Cody, Matt Gouin; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2001/04-01 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-02 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the minutes of the March 27, 2001 special meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the employment separation of Gary Indahl from the Sheriff's Department as of April 1, 2001. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-04 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $85,146.85 and approve payment of the March Board of Prisoners Claim in the amount of $2,240.00. Payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-05 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to provide a grant to the City of Big Falls in the amount of $500.00 to appropriate at their discretion for cultural and literary improvements in their area due to receipt of a funding request by the area’s bookstation with payment from the 2001 Contribution Budget. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Pavleck, Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Board discussed a contribution request for a new sound system in the Bronco arena. Though the Board was in agreement that the arena was a community facility, some members were hesitant to make a contribution before knowing the results of the 2001 legislative session for the County, schools and cities. The Board agreed they have been hit hard with funding requests for school and city related issues and with the budget restraint of the schools and dropping population, they can anticipate even more. It may be time for the Board to sit down and decide their position for supporting city and school programs and facilities. Commissioner Pavleck agreed to a planning session but has no problem contributing to the sound system to improve our economic infrastructure. He stated the 2000 Trust Fund apportionment provided proportionately more revenue to School Districts 362 and 363 than School District 361. This funding source is unallocated revenue for the schools and our smallest school districts receive substantially more than our biggest school district due to the location of the timber cut. The fact that the arena is a facility for the entire County and the fact that the County is providing the smaller school districts a large portion of timber revenue, he feels a contribution to the arena sound system is justified. Commissioner McBride stated that the request is for a contribution. They are not requesting the full $8,000.

2001/04-06 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to defer the contribution request for a new sound system in the Bronco Arena to committee to allow the Board to discuss its position for funding educational and community needs. Voting yes: Lepper, Chezick; voting no: Hanson, McBride, Pavleck. Motion failed.

2001/04-07 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride to contribute $1,000.00 for the Bronco Arena sound system for the betterment of the County’s community and economic infrastructure with payment from the 2001 Contribution Budget and to set a future committee meeting to discuss the Board’s position for funding education and community needs. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-08 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to approve an Agreement for Purchase of Services and Software License with Chad Haatvedt, d.b.a. Up and Running Computer Services for an Internet Based Tax Parcel Inquiry System. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-09 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick authorizing the Board Chair and Auditor’s signatures to the MN Trail Assistance Program ATV Grant Agreement for the purpose of facilitating a transfer of $21,000 for the Blue Ox ATV Trail to the Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club from the State Program and authorizing the Board Chair and Auditor’s signatures to the MN Trail Assistance Program Supplemental Agreement for the purpose of facilitating a transfer of additional funds in the amount of $3,000.00 for the Blue Ox/Caldwell Brook Snowmobile Trail from the State Program to the Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-10 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck to approve Board members’ attendance to a meeting on April 11, 2001 in Duluth with counties and historical societies to discuss the “ Old Road” Project. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-11 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper directing the Board Chair to send a letter of agreement to the City of International Falls stating the Board’s support of their Ordinance allowing the City to limit the use of water during emergency situations. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received information on the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 which became Public Law 106-393 which pertains to governmental entities receipt of federal payment for Forest Service lands. The Act contains choices for counties as to how their payment for Forest Lands is calculated and the opportunity to submit how many Resource Advisory Committees should be formed to assist the Forest Service when selecting projects on National Forest lands. The Coordinator stated that Koochiching County receives approximately $160 a year for its 244 acres of Superior National Forest lands and approximately $3,000 in federal PILOT for National Park lands. The current Superior National Forest payment is based on apportionment of 25% of the Superior National Forest receipts from timber, land and gravel revenue and number of acres. Staying with the 25% payment method means that the revenue will fluctuate with the receipts taken in. The option to elect payment based on the average of the three highest years from 1986 to 1999 has minimal impact for Koochiching County as our acreage has remained constant and our revenue is minimal. The information provided stated that NCLUCB will be discussing this information at its April 5th meeting and it was agreed that the Board’s members serving on NCLUCB would report back with additional information and a recommendation.

000 The Board met with MN Planner Dean Barkley to discuss the impact of the Governor’s budget proposal to eliminate attached machinery aid. Mr. Barkley explained that this was completely inadvertent as the budget was intended to provide tax reform and be revenue neutral. He stated this information would be reviewed to make damage neutral. Commissioner Lepper stated that the availability of the 2000 census data was very beneficial for this meeting. Board members also met with MPCA Commissioner Karen Studders and her staff to discuss the process being used for the Rainy Basin Plan. Board members stated their concern that the process was State driven and a duplication of effort. Members stated their confusion as to why the State is reinventing the wheel when counties already have established water and river plans. Commissioner Studders was receptive to the counties’ position and agreed to take the information back for further investigation. Though there are critics of the Ventura administration, Commissioner Pavleck finds his staff to be very willing and open to meeting and discussing issues with local units of government. He suggested letters be sent to MN Planner Barkley and MPCA Commissioner Studders thanking them and their staff for the opportunity to discuss the budget and basin planning and to Governor Ventura stating the Board’s appreciation of his staff.

2001/04-12 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick authorizing the Board Chair to send a letter thanking MN Planner Barkley and MPCA Commissioner Studders and their staff for meeting with the Board to discuss the attached machinery aid and the basin planning process and a letter to the Governor stating the Board’s appreciation for his staff. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-13 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick authorizing Board Chair and Coordinator’s signatures to the Minnesota BWSR 2001 Natural Resources Block Grant Agreement. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-14 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck to add information on a Northeast Entrepreneur Fund Workshop to the agenda. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/04-15 Motion by McBride, seconded by Pavleck authorizing Board members’ attendance to a Northeast Entrepreneur Managing Risk with Economic Development Capital Workshop on May 1, 2001 in Duluth. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer provided the Board a request to conduct survey work to locate a public UT road referred to as Big Fork Avenue in the City of Big Falls. This request came before the Board in 1996 but at that time the survey estimate was at $5,000 with cost to be split between the county, city and properties owners. Due to the high cost and one of the property owners not willing to pay a portion of the cost, the issue died. Since this time additional survey work has been done in the area so the cost to conduct that same survey today is estimated between $2,000 to $3,000. One of the private landowners has requested this matter be resolved so the request has resurfaced. Delbert Newberg, a private landowner adjoining the UT Road, stated that this road is a public access to the river but is being blocked by another private landowner. Big Falls Mayor Rod Rissanen stated that this is also the City’s concern. The UT road is within the City limits and is being maintained by the County up to the no trespassing sign. Surveyor Bob Murray stated that there is discrepancy with legal descriptions due to the original 1906 Plat being resurveyed in 1909. He stated that the survey can be done but it may take legal remedies to get a final determination. Commissioner Pavleck stated that it is the County’s intent to maintain the public access and the County should participate in the cost to locate the road. Public access to water systems is diminishing and we need to preserve what we have. Mayor Rissenen stated that the City of Big Falls is willing to commit to sharing the cost of the survey work within the cost range of $2,000 to $3,000.

2001/04-16 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck empowering the Highway Engineer to have a survey conducted to locate to the best of our ability the public UT road in the City of Big Falls referred to as Big Fork Avenue and to establish a cost share agreement between the County and City of Big Falls for the survey work. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received a letter from Attorney General Mike Hatch explaining the State’s position on water jurisdiction in Voyageurs National Park. The Board Chair received a request from the Park Superintendent to attend a short meeting on Wednesday, April 04, 2001 to select a name for the Park’s tour boat along with other community members. Commissioner Chezick will attend the meeting on the Board’s behalf.

2001/04-17 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick authorizing Board members’ attendance to a telecommunication meeting on Thursday, April 5, 2001 at 3:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:45 a.m. No comment was provided.

2001/04-18 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.