Koochiching County Board Minutes 3-26-02

Board Minutes

for

March 26, 2002

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, March 26, 2002; 9:30 a.m.

OTHERS ATTENDING: Dennis Hummitzsch, Tom Morris, Ann Coulombe, Susan Congrave, Nancy McHarg, students from School District 361 Peer Helper Group and from Indus School CRASH Group and their respective advisors, Barry Woods, Tom Bischoff; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2002/03-38 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-39 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve the minutes of the March 19, 2002 regular meeting. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-40 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick accepting the recommendation of the Insurance Committee for the renewal of the preventive dental plan with Guardian Life Insurance Company of America with 100% preventive dental coverage, 20% basic coverage with no deductible and with a $500 annual maximum with increased rates of $10.33 for single and $24.35 for family and the renewal of the life/ad&d coverage with Minnesota Life Inc. with an additional $10,000 of life and ad&d benefit with no increase in rates, effective April 1, 2002. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-41 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of the Public Health claims in the amount of $24,727.78, to approve payment of Community Service social service and financial claims and administrative expenditures as presented with payment detail on file in the Community Service Department, to approve payment to Eddy Williams for supplies and labor for repair of dumpsters in the amount of $7,617.00 with payment from the 2002 Environmental Service Budget, to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler, P.A. in the amount of $380.00 for personnel legal service with payment from the 2002 Administration Budget, and to approve payment to Flaherty and Hood, P.A. in the amount of $3,544.90 for lobbyist service with payment from the 2002 Legislation Budget. Motion further approves payment of a burial case in the amount of $2,021.50 as recommended by the KCCS Directorship. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-42 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper to table action on the request from the Blackduck Ambulance Association for an increase in funding for 2002 and 2003 to a future meeting to allow discussion with the absent Commissioner who represents the area. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-43 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick authorizing the following internal line item adjustment in the 2002 Sheriff Budget to cover the funding shortfall for the purchase of vehicles: transfer $6,194 from 01-200.6660 and $1,631 from 01-200.6400 to 01-200.6670. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board reviewed the Land and Forestry Department’s 2002 service plan for parks and trails. The Department recommends service contracts and use of STS crews to maintain all the areas with exception of the Black Bay sites, which will be proposed at a later date. The Minnesota Conservation Corp is no longer in existence so the Department will attempt to replace their work with STS crews. Currently contracts run one year with option to renew for one year and the contractor supplies his/her own equipment. Board members suggested a longer contract period as those having to purchase equipment to compete in the bidding will need longer than one year to make it cost effective and that it will open the bidding process. The Land Commissioner stated that a contract longer than two years would have to address increases in cost due to inflation and performance satisfaction but stated that it would be less administrative work not to have to bid the contracts annually.

2002/03-44 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Land Commissioner to seek bids for service contracts for summer park maintenance as recommended for three years with contracts having language specifying a process for review of performance and termination. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-45 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck reappointing Peter Schultz, Mike Williams and Bill Gray to a three-year term on the Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors as recommended by the Bureau Director. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-46 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to relicense foster care for three children as recommended by the KCCS Directorship. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-47 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to renew a contract with Wild Croft for a physician on the Professional Advisory Committee as recommended by the Public Health Director. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/03-48 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick acknowledging receipt of the Professional Advisory Committee’s minutes and 2001 annual evaluation. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Public Health Director provided the Department’s 2001 statistical and financial report and stated that waiver dollars will start decreasing this year due to the contracting of waivered services as part of the action plan for home care services. With regards to the Home Care Service Plan, the Director has scheduled a meeting with providers next month to explain waivered services and the eligibility requirements and process for providing the service. In addition, the Department has published notice in the newspapers that the Department would be contracting out waivered services.

000 A presentation was provided by students of School District 361 Peer Helper Group and Indus School CRASH Group (Creating Responsible and Smart Habits) on tobacco prevention and awareness/education on second hand smoke. Prior to the presentation Public Health Nurse Nancy McHarg explained to the Board that a $37,000 prevention grant, (comes from tobacco endowment funds), through the Public Health Department supports these students efforts to raise awareness and educate other students and the public on the dangers of smoking and second hand smoke. Board members stated that the tobacco endowment funds are on the table as a proposal to balance the State’s Budget and that they would carry the message to St. Paul to safeguard funding for these programs (Board is attending the AMC Legislative Conference this week in St. Paul). Group representatives stated that members have been assisting law enforcement with tobacco compliance checks and that compliance has increased substantially. They have planned an amnesty day in which they will ask Big Tobacco to apologize for targeting kids to smoke. A banner shown to the Board indicated that the program had saved fifty-one lives from the dangers of smoking and they intend to get that number higher. The group is also lobbying to save the tobacco dollars to support their efforts. They have planned a “Kick Butt” event in the school in which they will ask everyone to stop smoking for one day and eat candy, which they will provide. They will present a play called “Doctor Death” which will teach refusal skills and then provide a question and answer period. In addition, they provide information on how to quit smoking and have participated in public service announcements. They have also supplied certificates of recognition to those restaurants designated as smoke free. Representatives from the Indus School Crash Group stated that their efforts are focused on prevention of both tobacco and alcohol use. While some students gave statistics on the harm caused by second hand smoke, a demonstration was given by others on the dangerous compounds found in second hand smoke and the amount of smoke a non-smoker is subject to in smoking establishments. In closing, students requested the Board support their efforts in tobacco prevention and in preventing the exposure of second hand smoke to the non-smoking public. One suggestion was to place signs outside the county buildings requesting that smokers smoke twenty-five feet from building entrances. The Board thanked the students for a great presentation and will give consideration to their request.

000 The Board Chair opened public comment at 11:00 a.m. Tom Bischoff stated that he and his buddies come to this area about two to three times a year because they like the area and use Woody’s Reliable Guide Service because he has serviced them well and is a good business man. Barry Woods stated that he promotes and supports businesses in this area and works very hard at establishing his own business. He stated his frustration with the City of Ranier for not supporting his business and not providing him economic development dollars to further enhance his and other businesses in the area. He is angered that he had to spend $10,000 on legal fees in defending his case against the City of Ranier when the money could have gone into his business. Further that the City will not provide him economic development dollars to promote and enhance his business in the City. In summary he is very upset and disappointed in the lack of local representation received in support of his local business and local economic development. No other comment was provided.

2002/03-49 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 11:30 a.m. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick, Hanson. Motion carried.