SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, May 28, 2002; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Duane Nelson, Cindy Ellefson-Oswald, Terry Murray, Richard Lehtinen, Kaitlyn Pelowski, Nancy Lee Schafer, Della Warren, Helen Wallander, Susan Congrave Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2002/05-57 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2002/05-58 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes of the May 21, 2002 regular meeting. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2002/05-59 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve a position description for the hire of an interim administrator for the Community Service Agency. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2002/05-60 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $64,713.52, to approve payment in the amount of $300.00 to Bjorklund Compensation Consultant for review of the County’s Pay Equity Plan with payment from the Administration Budget, to approve payment in the amount of $3,612.00 to Johnson, Killen & Seiler, P.A. for personnel legal service with payment from the Administration Budget, to approve payment of the Public Health bills in the amount of $13,372.79, and to approve payment of Community Service social service and financial claims and administrative expenditures as presented. Payment detail on file in the respective departments. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2002/05-61 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve, as fiscal agent, an extension of a service contract with the Lawler Group, L.L.C. on behalf of the Highway 53 Task Force for lobbyist service on the Highway 53 Project from May 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002 at the same monthly rate contingent on cost share by participating Task Force entities. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/05-62 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck authorizing the Sheriff to expend up to $1,600 from the Zero Tolerance Account as a required match for the Safe and Sober Grant to purchase new digital recorders. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff informed the Board that conversations with federal staff indicated that federal reimbursement has been approved for the cost of posting his deputies at the Airport for security, however, no one was willing to verify this. He understood from the Airport Commission that the City of International Falls would reimburse the County for one half of the cost if federal reimbursement were not received.

2002/05-63 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Board Chair to send a letter to the City of International Falls requesting their position on reimbursing the County for one half of the cost for posting deputies at the Airport for security if federal reimbursement is not received. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/05-64 Motion b Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to approve a court appointed attorney service contract with Griffith Law Office for $1,000 per month from July 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 and $1,000 per month for all of 2003. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Due to a burial case sum exceeding County policy, the Board deferred payment on the burial cases until the next meeting at which time they will review the County’s Burial Policy with the Financial Supervisor (policy is pending review for burials outside the County and the Board wants to review the current burial rates with current burial costs).

2002/05-65 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson accepting the recommendation to relicense family day care for ten children, case #20459. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/05-66 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper accepting the recommendation of the Rainy/Rapid River Board to have Lake of the Woods County administer the activities and funding of the Rainy/Rapid River Board and that these duties be rotated with participating counties as established by the River Board. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Kaitlyn Pelowski was introduced to the Board as one of the twelve winners in the Arrowhead Region’s Source Reduction Art Contest and that in acknowledgement of her achievement, she was awarded a $100 prize for herself and a $100 prize for her school to purchase art supplies. Ms. Pelowski received applause for her achievement.

2002/05-67 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to adopt the following resolution acknowledging the high achievement of sixth grader Kaitlyn Pelowski in the Arrowhead Region’s Source Reduction Art Contest:

WHEREAS, the Arrowhead Region’s Solid Waste Program has held its third annual Source Reduction Art Contest, and;

WHEREAS, in 2002 there were more than 440 participants in this art contest, and;

WHEREAS, Kaitlyn Pelowski of Falls Elementary was selected as one of the twelve art contest winners.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners acknowledge Kaitlyn Pelowski’s high achievement in being named as one of the Arrowhead Region’s twelve Source Reduction Art Contest winners. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Pavleck informed the Board that based on comparative figures obtained from bids on the North Shore Sewer Project, the engineer’s cost estimate for the Jackfish Sewer Project is under by $800,000. Ayres agreed to finance the cost to obtain three not-to-exceed cost estimates from contracting firms to obtain a closer cost estimate for the project with the process to take a month. On a positive note, the project is eligible for another $500,000 federal grant, which will help reduce cost if our application is successful. With regards to the environmental review process, the committee met with state and federal staff to discuss the processes. Staff are willing to move the process along as quickly as possible but reminded everyone that processes established in law had to be followed. Commissioner Pavleck stated that the issue in front of the Board today is approval of a service contract for an archaeology study, which needs to be completed for the environmental review process. Because the contractor is lining up seasonal work, soon they will not be available to conduct a study this summer. The cost of the study is a not-to-exceed cost of $14,600.

2002/05-68 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to approve a contract between Koochiching County and Duluth Archaeology Center, L.L.C. for a not-to-exceed sum of $14,600 to prepare an archaeology study for the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project with expenditure from the Jackfish Bay Sewer Account established in the Environmental Service Budget and with reimbursement from project funding when available. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Pavleck; voting no: Hanson; abstaining: Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director informed the Board that two grant applications submitted to the LCMR – a Koochiching County Water Quality Cooperative and the Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board’s Regional Plan – made it through the first screening process and are scheduled for hearings on June 4, 2002. Commissioner Chezick informed that Board that he would be attending the hearing on behalf of the Water Quality Cooperative Project.

2002/05-69 Motion Lepper, seconded by Chezick acknowledging receipt of the Professional Advisory Committee minutes of May 24, 2002. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 An overview on the required Medicare reporting system was provided to the Board.

2002/05-70 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick approving the renewal of the Koochiching Family Service Collaborative Joint Powers Agreement as presented, contingent on the County Attorney’s approval and as recommended by the Family Collaborative Coordinator and Board. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair opened a public hearing at 11:00 a.m. to receive public comment on an alley vacation request by Gene and Helen Wallander which adjoins Lots 8 through 22, Block 2, American Suburbs Company of Third East Side Addition. Attending the hearing were the full Board, Coordinator, members of the press and Helen Wallander. The Coordinator informed the Board that no written comment was received. The Coordinator stated that the East Kooch Sewer Commission and City of Ranier were notified of this request and the hearing. Commissioner Chezick informed the Board that the East Kooch Sewer Commission reviewed the request and had no issue with the alley vacation. With no one from the public attending to comment on the request, the Board Chair closed the hearing at 11:05 a.m.

2002/05-71 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper that upon receiving no opposition, to approve the alleyway vacation which adjoins Lots 8 through 22, Block 2, American Suburbs Company Third East Side Addition, as requested by Gene and Helen Wallander. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2002/05-72 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson that due to receipt of an additional $20,000 of ENABLE Grant funding, to approve an increase in the part time hours of Donita Ettestad from 24 hours per week to 30 hours per week as recommended by the Public Health Director. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Public Health Director informed the Board that by July 1, 2002 she hopes to have the waivered programs discussed in the Home Health Care Plan contracted out to the two home care providers (Interim Home Care is now established in the County). The Board received a copy of the Department’s Quarter 1 Financial and Statistical Report. The Director also reviewed a Supreme Court ruling to provide community living options for people with disabilities under age 65 and the Minnesota’s Initiative to provide these community living options. The Director stated that having the two private providers in the County would help with this initiative but that bottom line this initiative is more demand on staff. A Director’s report was also provided to the Board.

000 The Board and Public Health Director reviewed her position description due to the one-third position description review process established in the comparable worth system. The Board and Director found no need for change in the description.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:35 a.m. No comment was presented.

2002/05-73 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 11:35 a.m. Voting yes: McBride, Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.