Board Minutes

for

September 4, 2001

 

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, September 04, 2001; 9:45 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Duane Nelson, Richard Lehtinen, Doug Grindall; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2001/09-01 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/09-02 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck to approve the minutes of the August 28, 2001 special meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/09-03 Motion by McBride, seconded by Pavleck to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $44,604.89 to include $161.46 of non-board expenses with payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/09-04 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper adopting the following resolution appointing and designating the Commissioner of Transportation as Agent for the County of Koochiching, hereafter identified as the Municipality, for the administration of FAA Funding:

BE IT RESOLVED THAT for the purpose of carrying out the following projects: AIP Project Number 3-27-0043-13-01, acquire land for approaches, construct chemical storage building and improve the terminal building (S.P. 3601-75), the Municipality does hereby appoint and designate the Commissioner of Transportation of the State of Minnesota as its agent, and authorizes him or his duly authorized representative:
1. To prepare and submit the Application for Federal Assistance.
2. To request and receive any monies, either public or private, on behalf of the Municipality, including money received from the State of Minnesota or from the federal government, and to deposit such monies with the State Treasurer.
3. To pay to the Municipality any amount of such monies received as may become due under the Municipality's contracts.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Municipality has reviewed and understands the Terms and Conditions of Accepting Airport Improvement Program Grants. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/09-05 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to approve payment of the August Board of Prisoner Claim in the amount of $4,088.00 with payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff presented a request for acceptance of a Safe and Sober Enforcement Program Grant Agreement for one year in the amount of $22,000. The grant will provide funding for deputies extra work hours, mileage on squad cars and equipment. The Board expressed concern that the program will cause excessive enforcement. The Sheriff stated that the program is a proactive step for reducing drinking and driving and encouraging the use of seat belts to prevent unnecessary loss of life. It provides extra enforcement only on certain holidays as designated in the program. The seat belt law does not allow law enforcement to stop a person for not wearing a seat belt unless a child is in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt. However if a person is stopped for other reasons and is not wearing a seatbelt, the office can ticket the person.

2001/09-06 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride that Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office enter into a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety, for the project entitled SAFE & SOBER COMMUNITIES during the period from October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002 and that Sheriff Duane R.C. Nelson is hereby authorized to execute such agreements and amendments as are necessary to implement the project on behalf of Koochiching County and to be the fiscal agent and administer the grant. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/09-07 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to accept the recommendation of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to remove Richard Demars from its membership. Voting yes: Hanson, Lepper, Chezick; abstaining: McBride, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2001/09-08 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to enter into an agreement with the MN Department of Health, Environmental Health Division, providing County assistance for the preparation of source water assessments for transient noncommunity surface water-based public water supply systems for six sites in the County with payment to the County in the amount of $500.00 per assessment in exchange for assistance as stipulated in the Agreement. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director informed the Board that if federal funding is received for the proposed Jackfish Bay Wastewater Treatment System, an archaeology study of the area is required. He stated that Boise Cascade had an extensive archaeological study done in 1993 which included Jackfish Bay so this information is available. Cost of the study is not known at this time so the Director would like to seek quotes to get a cost figure. Commissioner Chezick expressed concern with the fact that the County has a large investment in this project and to date still does not know if it will happen. At what point does the County stop investing in a proposed project? Commissioner Lepper agreed. Why didn’t Ayres give us a heads up on these additional costs – financial consultant, archaeology study? The County is being forced at this point to continue support of the sewer project because it is the only way to get our investment back. The Environmental Service Director stated that by the first part of October the group will know if $500,000 of federal funding will be approved for the project and if it is, the project will then be $500,000 short of its projected goal of the $50 cost per household. At this point Ayres will need to project household cost based on available funding and we will take the information to the public to decide its fate. A motion to table the request to seek quotes for an archaeological study failed for a lack of a second.

2001/09-09 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride authorizing the Environmental Service Director to seek quotes for an archaeological study for the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper, Pavleck; voting no: Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer received a request from property owners in the Gold Shores area to maintain a section of platted road (portion of Birch Lane) where it splits for two private driveways. He stated County policy only accepts roads that are built to County standards. The Board agreed to adhere to County policy.

000 The Highway Engineer reviewed County policy for culvert replacement which replaces the main driveway culvert up to 26 feet long when the existing culvert fails at no cost to the property owner and that the department recently replaced a culvert over 60 feet long servicing a business in the Gold Shores area and requested direction on billing for the cost over 26 feet. The Board agreed that the Highway Engineer will follow County policy on this matter.

000 The Board Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:00 a.m.