REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, March 05, 2002; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Christy Bubolz, Richard Lehtinen, Bob Peterson, Doug Grindall, Walt Buller, Mike Skubic, Duane Nelson, Terry Glowack, Pete Schultz, Corey Elmer via telephone; Reporter Laurel Beager

2002/03-01 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-02 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to approve the minutes of the February 26, 2002 special meeting. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of the Auditor’s bills in the amount of $83,042.17 to include $19.71 of non-board expenses, to approve payment in the amount of $756.00 to Johnson, Killen & Seiler, P.A. for personnel legal service with payment from the 2002 Administration Legal Budget, and to approve payment of the February Board of Prisoner claim in the amount of $3,850.00. Payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-04 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper approving a transfer of $20,000 from the 2002 Environmental Service Vehicle Capital Outlay Budget to the Car Pool Account to cover the majority of cost to purchase a one-half ton extended cab pickup for the Environmental Service Department and Car Pool and authorizing additional expenditure of Car Pool Funds for sales tax and registration fee for the new vehicle. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Extension Coordinator requested permanent secretarial support for the Extension Office now that a full time Extension Coordinator position has been approved for the County. The County Coordinator stated that the remaining office clerk position is vacant as of March 4, 2002 and she recommends that the position be assigned to the departments it serves and no longer be under her supervision as she is too far removed to be an effective supervisor. The Land and Forestry and Extension Offices use the majority of office support services and she recommends, if the Board fills this vacant position, it be assigned to Land and Forestry and Extension Offices with a small percent of time retained as a floater to cover staff shortage situations. Because the Extension Coordinator is not a county employee, she recommends the Land Commissioner be assigned as the position’s supervisor. The Coordinator stated that the time the clerk works in the Forestry Department would be funded with non-county dollars, which provides cost savings in the County Budget. Some Board members expressed concern with the impact State budget cuts will have on County finances and were uncomfortable with filling the position until they had more information on their financial situation. The Board was willing to support a compromise and allow the Departments to proceed with some of the work to fill the position. This will allow the Board more time to see what impact the State budget plan has on the County before making a final decision on filling the position.

2002/03-05 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck that in view of the uncertainty of the State’s plan to balance the State deficit for fiscal years 2002 through 2004 and the economic impact it may have on the County’s budget and taking into account the staffing request, authorizing the Land Commissioner and Extension Coordinator to draft a B21 office clerk position description to service their departments, retaining a small percent of time to cover staff shortage needs, with the Land Commissioner as the position’s supervisor. Upon approval of the position description by the Board, authorizing the Land Commissioner to move ahead on seeking and screening applicants for the position (includes the union posting). At this point the Land Commissioner will bring the matter back to the Board to seek further approval to continue with the hire. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director stated that the next steps to proceed with the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project is acquisition of easements, completion of environmental documents and preparation of a bid package. Before the bid package can be done, the easement and environmental document work needs to be completed. Commissioner Pavleck stated that the environmental review will hold the project up until June so they are now looking to seek bids this falls with construction next spring if the project proceeds. The second hearing, per MN Statute, has to be done before bids are sought so the Committee would suggest an additional meeting after the construction cost is known through the bid process. At this time the Committee is requesting the County Surveyor work on the easements and to authorize the Environmental Service Department to advertise for viewers to resolve easement issues with the Board to make final the appointments. The Board stated that the Survey Committee would need to review the issue to ensure the work can be done under the current contract and to revise the Survey work schedule.

2002/03-06 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick that the County Board supports the change in the County Survey work plan to allow survey time for easement work on the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project within the timeline required for the project. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-07 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Environmental Service Department to advertise for viewers for easement disputes for the proposed Jackfish Area Sewer Project with the Board to make the final appointments. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-08 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to award the bid for the tandem axle dump truck with plow, wing and sander to Skubic Brothers International at a price of $107,917.00 as recommended by the Highway Engineer as location is closer for repairs and because low bid did not meet specs for full frame reinforcement. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson; voting no: Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-09 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to award the bid for a 90 H.P. Crawler Tractor to Nortrax Equipment in the amount of $86,350 (after a $8,500 trade-in) as recommended by the Highway Engineer as low bid did not meet bid specs. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick; voting no: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-10 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to add a request by the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club to use the County’s brush cutter to clear portions of their snowmobile trails to the agenda. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-11 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Highway Engineer to allow the use of the special brush cutter to assist the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club with trail cleaning as requested. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff informed the Board that the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club donated a new snowmobile to his department for search and rescue. The Club recognized the difficulty they were having with the old machine as it had problems carrying the weight of the victim and the rescuers so they donated a new machine capable of handling search and rescue usage.

2002/03-12 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck accepting the donation of the new snowmobile for the Sheriff’s Department for search and rescue and authorizing the Board Chair to write a letter to the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club stating their whole-hearted appreciation for their recognition and donation to this important cause. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-13 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Complex Superintendent to replace the tile floor in the corridor of the NDAC building with a cost not to exceed $4,400 with funding from the NDAC Account. Motion further authorizes the Complex Superintendent to work with the Management Committee on plans to replace other portions of the tile floor in the building due to its poor condition and to look at the possibility of placing the building on the market to sell. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-14 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to authorize up to $500.00 from the 2002 Administration Budget for the County’s participation in the “Changing Times” publication by the Daily Journal with the final draft of the County’s layout provided to the Board for review before publication. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-15 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Hanson to add attendance to Land Use Planning Workshops and the 2002 Associated Contractors Loggers’ annual meeting to the agenda. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent: McBride. Motion carried.

2002/03-16 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Hanson to approve Board’s attendance to Land Use Planning Workshops sponsored by the Government Training Service with workshop dates in March, April and May 2002 and to approve Board’s attendance to the Associated Contractors Loggers, Inc. 2002 annual meeting on April 19 and 20, 2002 in International Falls. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: McBride. Motion carried.

000 Via telephone conference, the Board met with Lobbyist Cory Elmer to receive an update on 2002 legislative issues. The Lobbyist reaffirmed that the House and Senate bill balancing $1.9 billion of the 2002 and 2003 State funding deficit was passed into law and that the law had little direct impact on local governments as it used State reserves and made cuts in State operations and projects. However the second phase to balance another $440 million for the 2002 and 2003 budget years, which the House and Senate will work on this week, may likely have a direct impact on local governments. The House and Senate will attempt to use the tobacco funds and make additional cuts at the State level to balance the additional $440 million deficit. There is strong support even at this time not to impose tax increases with possible exception to the gas tax. In answering Commissioner Chezick’s question on the State’s fiscal budget period in comparison to the County’s budget period, the Lobbyist explained the State’s fiscal period. Fiscal Year 2002 began 7/1/01, Fiscal Year 2003 begins 7/1/02, Fiscal Year 2004 begins 7/1/03 and Fiscal Year 2005 begins 7/1/04. Therefore the State’s plan to balance the budget for Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003 impacts our 2002 calendar year budget. Commissioner Chezick noted that by the time we know the final impact of the State’s budget on our 2002 Budget, almost one half year of expenditures will have been made. Elmer agreed and stated that any expenditure the Board can put on hold until they know the impact of the State budget cuts on the county should be considered. There is too much uncertainty at this time and that the State may have to look at reductions in State aids in this next phase of budget cuts. The Governor wants to call the legislature into special session to resolve the 2004 and 2005 budget deficit but the Lobbyist believes the Legislature will want to deal with it next year. The Coordinator suggested the Board talk with AMC at the legislative conference to see when they will have an analysis of the House/Senate Budget bill and the impact on counties. The Lobbyist stated that the bill to allow counties and schools to recoup the tree growth tax revenue when tree growth is transferred to the ad valorem tax system has been approved by both House and Senate committees and is ready to go to the full tax committee. However, there is still no clear idea of whether there will be an omnibus tax bill this year, which is the only avenue in which to submit this bill to recoup the tree growth tax revenue. The Lobbyist stated, however, not to rule anything out at this point. The Lobbyist is researching as requested by the Board the levy authority of economic development authorities and will report next week on the matter. Also the Courts will unveil their Congressional and Legislative Redistricting Plan for the State on March 19th, which will be the approved State Redistricting Plan. The Board agreed to set another conference call with the Lobbyist at their March 12, 2002 meeting.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Chamber Director Kelly Briggs reviewed a publication developed by the Chamber as a promotional tool for the County. The Board was pleased with the publication and thanked the Chamber for their work. No other comment was provided.

2002/03-17 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to adjourn the meeting at 11:55 a.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: McBride. Motion carried.