Board Minutes

for

August 14, 2001

 

 

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, August 14, 2001; 10:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Richard Lehtinen, Dennis Hummitzsch, Doug Grindall, Terry Murray, Cindy Ellefson-Oswald, Terry Glowack; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2001/08-01 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-02 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the minutes of the July 24, 2001 special meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received notice that Kathy Johnson resigned from her home health aide/homemaker position for the Northome area and that Amber Vohler and Donna Vellieux will be hired as home heath aides/homemakers. Michael Christianson resigned from his part time dispatch/jailer position and Keith Knaeble and Allison Lee Tillotson-Curtis were hired as part time dispatch/jailers.

2001/08-03 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride to accept the recommendation of the Insurance Committee for the renewal of the health insurance for September 1, 2001 for a $500 deductible with total out-of-pocket of $1,000 for single and $1,000 deductible with total out-of-pocket of $2,000 for family and removal of the wellness benefit with monthly rates of $267 for single and $500 for family, with reserves to fund the difference between the family cap and actual rate of $707. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-04 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $47,785.11 including $40.37 of non-board expense and the July Board of Prisoner Claim, to approve payment in the amount of $430.00 to Johnson, Killen & Seiler, P.A. for personnel legal service with payment from the Administration Budget; to approve payment in the amount of $3,793.78 to Flaherty and Hood, P.A. for lobbyist service with payment from the Administration Legislation Budget; and to authorize Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s July Vender Payment Listing verifying its review. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-05 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck to approve a Gambling Application for Exempt Permit – LG220 authorizing the G.R.S. Volunteer Fire Department to conduct a raffle on November 16, 2001 and to approve an On-Sale 3.2% Malt Liquor License to the Birchdale Softball Club for a two-day softball tournament on August 25 and 26, 2001 as recommended by the License Committee. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioners McBride and Pavleck, the Board’s representatives for Voyageurs National Park, informed the Board that the National Park Service holds the position that their rangers have jurisdictional powers to enforce state law and have been checking individuals in the Park for fishing license and limits. In addition, the cooperative agreement between the County Sheriff and the National Park Service brought to the Board last month for consideration would give Park rangers the right to enforce County law per the Park Superintendent. Commissioners stated concern with having Park rangers conducting County law enforcement in the Park and stated that the County should draft its own agreement to protect the County from liability when taking local law enforcement actions on federal land. The Board received a letter from National Park Service Regional Director William Schenk stating that the general management plan is moving forward, denying the Board’s request to put the plan on hold until negotiations could be completed at a local level with the Superintendent, and that the plan is awaiting publication as the final step before adoption. In addition, he made it clear the Superintendent is prohibited by law to share inherent federal powers unless specifically directed by Congress to do so therefore not allowing local governments to be involved in making management decisions about the park. Commissioners McBride and Pavleck stated their strong disappointment and anger at this response as the National Park Service Deputy Director gave the County the impression that there was some room to work together on management issues for the Park. The letter again demonstrates that the National Park Service does only what they want, regardless of the impact it has on the public. The County Board in good faith assisted the park in receiving funding for the tour boat and in turn, they get kicked. Commissioners questioned the point in continuing to meet with the Superintendent to work cooperatively on Park matters.

2001/08-06 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride directing the Board Chair to send a response to the National Park Service Regional Director and copied to appropriate representatives and officials stating the County’s extreme disappointment and anger with the National Park Service for its unfair treatment of the local government and its people with regards to management decisions made for Voyageurs National Park and to request a copy of the general management plan before its publication so that the Board has time to review and comment on proposed changes before it is published for final adoption. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-07 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck adopting the following resolution assigning a County staff person and an alternate to the NCLUCB Support and Technical Advisory Faculty Committee:

WHEREAS, the Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board (NCLUCB) has created a professional staff committee for the purpose of gathering, disseminating information and making recommendations to the NCLUCB; and

WHEREAS, the professional staff committee is comprised of professional staff personnel from member counties; and

WHEREAS, each member County will designate one professional staff employee who will represent their County’s interests on the professional staff committee for a period of one year and one professional staff employee who will serve as an alternate for a period of one year.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Koochiching County desires to appoint Richard Lehtinen, Environmental Service Director, with his alternate to be named and submitted to NCLUCB at a later date.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be sent to the Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board immediately upon passage by the member County Board. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-08 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to approve the draft revised Joint Powers Agreement for Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board as presented, clarifying its purpose and relationship to member counties. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-09 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride authorizing the Land Commissioner to use the 2001 budgeted demolition funds for district building repair with the understanding that a portion of this funding will be reserved for small demolition projects. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2001/08-10 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve an ingress/egress permit over certain tax-forfeited landed described as the NW1/4 of NW ¼, Section 20, Township 63, Range 25 and SE1/4 of SE1/4, Section 17, Township 63, Range 25 to Fredrick and William Clapp to allow the landowners access to their land. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer provided the bid results for a road maintenance contract for the Mizpah/Northome Area (only one bid submitted from Gerald Albrecht). Contract is for three years with fixed rates. Based on the amount bid, contracting the work remains cost effective for the County.

2001/08-11 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper accepting the recommendation of the Highway Engineer to award bid to Gerald Albrecht for a three-year road maintenance contract for the Mizpah/Northome Area contingent on the Maintenance Supervisor reviewing and approving the contractor’s equipment. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-12 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper directing the Highway Engineer to seek quotes for an auctioneer to sell the County’s surplus equipment with no minimum bid and with the cost of the auctioneer to come from the sale proceeds. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer provided written information to the Board on requested work on township roads in the Gold Shores area.

2001/08-13 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the following service agreement renewals which include a State mandated rate increase, directed in 2001 legislation: Range Center DAC and Ita-Bel-Koo DAC with a three and one-half percent increase; LITE, Rainy River Waivered Services, REM-SILS, REM-SLS, Northome SLS, LSS SLS, and White Pines with a three percent increase, (DAC rate increases affect county dollars, remaining increases do not). Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/08-14 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the 2002-2003 CSSA Plan as recommended by the KCCS Directorship. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:37 a.m. No comment was presented.

000 The Complex Superintendent provided his annual building inspection report. The report stated all buildings are in good shape with exception of one Mizpah garage and the Northome Forestry Office. The Board informed the Complex Superintendent that funding was authorized for repair on the Northome Forestry Office.

2001/08-15 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper directing that department heads having buildings under their department jurisdiction ensure that the buildings and surrounding grounds are clean and orderly at all times. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:55 p.m.