SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, January 15, 2002; 10:15 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Ann Scholler, Raoul Lufbery, Bob Peterson, Dave Austin, Richard Lehtinen, David Johnson, Lloyd Steen, Steve Blair, Steven Lindberg, Dwight Gilbert, Terry Glowack, Florence Hervey, Kurt Kastella, Doug Grindall, Einar Sundin; Reporters Terri Buller and Roger Jerome

2002/01-22 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-23 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve the minutes of the January 8, 2002 regular meeting with correction. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Board received notice of temporary hire in the Extension Office under a Compu-Learn Service Agreement.

2002/01-24 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $144,668.74 to include $13.80 of non-board expenses and to approve payment in the amount of $1,760.00 to the Historical Society for service on the Courthouse Re-Roofing Project with payment from the 2002 Historical Society Budget. Motion further authorizes a 2002 Budget adjustment to cover the Historical Society payment to be submitted at a later date by the Coordinator. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-25 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve a contract with ARDC for GIS Redistricting service not to exceed $12,000 and further, authorizing a 2002 Budget adjustment moving $12,000 from the Board’s Project Budget to the GIS Budget to cover this expenditure. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-26 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to add to the agenda attendance to a meeting to discuss the Governor’s revised state budget. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-27 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper authorizing a 2002 Budget adjustment adding $4,000 to the Sheriff’s Budget for surveillance monitoring expense and $6,000 to the 2002 Revenue Budget for surveillance monitoring fees (revenue over expenditure will be used as additional funding for the overall 2002 General Revenue Fund Budget). Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-28 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to approve a 2002 On Sale Intoxicating Liquor License for the International Falls Country Club, Inc. as recommended by the License Committee. Motion further approves On Sale and Sunday Intoxicating Liquor Licenses for Island View Adventures, Inc. as of February 1, 2002 pending a signed purchase agreement and receipt of insurance coverage documentation as recommended by the License Committee. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-29 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to set a public hearing on February 5, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. for the purpose of receiving comment on the issuance of an Off-Sale Intoxicating Liquor License for Island View Lodge, under new ownership, as required in MN Statute 340A.05, subdivision 2. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-30 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve a 2002 Tobacco License for the International Falls Country Club, Inc. and approve a 2002 Tobacco License for Island View Adventures as of February 1, 2002 pending a signed purchase agreement and receipt of insurance coverage documentation as recommended by the License Committee. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-31 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of $1,180.05 from the 2002 Assessor’s Capital Outlay Budget for a Dell Computer. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/01-32 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper authorizing Board members’ attendance to a meeting in Duluth on January 16, 2002 to discuss the Governor’s proposed budget and impact on counties and cities. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received a request from the Jackfish Bay Area Sewer Committee requesting the Board to consider not seeking reimbursement for the engineering costs to reduce the homeowners cost by $6.75 per month, if forgiving the full $300,000 County contribution. Commissioner Lepper asked if there were additional costs forthcoming on the project. Per Commissioner Pavleck the Board’s position not to put anymore cash into the project has been communicated. With regards to the environmental review for the federal grant, monies for this review would come off the federal grant amount. Commissioner Lepper expressed concern with opening the door to other funding requests of this nature. Commissioner McBride stated that the Committee was looking for the Board’s position today so they could bring a firm per household cost to the public hearing tonight. Commissioner Hanson stated that he would like to have considered this after the public hearing. Bob Peterson stated that a survey was going out to the homeowners of the area and by mid-February we should know the feeling of the property owners on this project. Commissioner Pavleck stated that the survey will be treated as a vote for or against the project with only one voter per property owner (those with multiple properties in the area receive only 1 vote). The survey will also be done anonymously.

2002/01-33 Motion by McBride (Chair to Lepper), seconded by Lepper (Chair to Pavleck) to forgive repayment of $250,000 of the total dollars paid by the County to the Jackfish Bay Area Sewer Project. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper; voting no: Hanson; abstaining: Chezick and Pavleck. Motion fails for lack of a majority of the full Board in favor of the motion.

000 The Environmental Service Director informed the Board that on December 13, 2001 the Planning Commission tabled the application requests by Dwight Gilbert for CUP #0109 and by Steven Lindberg for REZ #0107 for more information but due to the oversight to provide the applicants written notice that the Commission was extending the 60-day period to consider their applications, the requests were approved due to the Commission’s failure to act within the 60-day period. The Director stated that Mr. Gilbert’s application does not appear to be controversial but some landowners are opposing Mr. Lindberg’s application for a fueling station and convenience store. The County Attorney stated that per MN Statute 15.97, the failure of the Commission to act within the 60-day period and by not notifying the applicants in writing that they were extending the 60-day period to consider their requests, the requests are approved. He further stated that due to the opposition on at lease one of the applications, this matter would likely be challenged. Commissioner Chezick made a motion to table the two application items but the motion failed for a lack of a second. Lloyd Steen, a private landowner adjacent to the Lindberg property, opposes the rezoning application for a fueling station and convenience store and feels the law is flawed if an application can be approved by an oversight. He feels the applicants should have to refile and start the process over. Mr. Gilbert asked that the two items be separated as his application is not controversial. It was recommended by the Board that applicants reapply as it would be in their best interests since the approval is likely to be challenged (fees would be waived for reapplication). The County agreed to set a special Planning Commission meeting for January 31, 2002 to handle the requests should the applicants decide to reapply. Steven Lindberg stated that he does not intend on reapplying.

000 The Complex Superintendent informed the Board that the dishwasher in the LEC was broken and that due to its age (23 years old), parts can not be obtained to fix it. New dishwashers ranges from $3,300 to $4,100 and used washers with full warranty can be purchased for $2,800. The Jail Administrator referenced the sanitary requirements for feeding prisoners in the jail.

2002/01-34 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson authorizing the Complex Superintendent to expend up to $4,100 from the Sinking Building Account to replace the dishwasher in the LEC. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

000 Fire Marshall Kurt Kastella met with the Board to review his order for the installation of hard wire smoke detection in the residential areas of the Jail. The Complex Superintendent provided a quote of $20,000 to install the hard wire detectors and stated the cost is high due to the need to drill through the cell blocks. Per Kastella, the State Fire Marshall views not having smoke detection in a facility as a hazard and the current fire code requires hard wire detectors. Commissioners stated that the issue is of economics and asked what their options were. Kastella first stated he would review the situation again today and see what, if anything, could be done to lessen the cost. With regards to options, the County could request a variance, which is a lengthy process and is subject to final decision by the State Fire Marshall. Commissioners asked why the order was given in 2001 when prior inspections took place and this was not ordered. Kastalla stated that in his last inspection he questioned this issue and some of the detection work was done. It was in his second inspection that he issued the order for areas where smoke detection was not installed. He could not speak to other inspections in which he was not involved. Commissioners agreed not to delay the work for safety and liability reasons. The Jail Administrator agreed as there is a high potential for inmates to start fires in the jail, even though smoking is not allowed. She stated that the hard wire system would install a camera so the residential area could be monitored from the dispatch station.

2002/01-35 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson authorizing the Complex Superintendent to expend up to $20,000 from the Sinking Building Account to install smoke detection in the residential area of the Jail as recommended by the State Fire Marshall. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; voting no: Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. No comment was presented.

000 The Board discussed with the Highway Engineer whether the County could assist in plowing the City Beach and Bohman’s Landing for winter activity parking as suggested by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Highway Engineer stated that in heavier snowfall, a front-end loader should be used and when the County is in the area plowing its road, the vehicle is equipped with a blade and wing, not a bucket. This would mean the operator would have to go back to the garage, take off the wing and put on the bucket to plow these areas. To summarize, the County’s heavy equipment is not mobilized at the time it is plowing its road to plow parking areas. Discussion was also held on the County plowing areas not under their jurisdiction as Bohman’s Landing is State owned and the City Beach is City owned. The Board Chair agreed to relay this information to the CVB.

2002/01-36 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to support the concept and process to study transportation needs and improvements for Trunk Highway 11 between International Falls and Baudette. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2002/01-37 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to make participation in the 11th Annual Safe Communities Conference to be held May 7 to 9, 2002 in Fort Frances Ontario as a Board activity. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2002/01-38 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 4:00 p.m. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.