REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, January 21, 2003; 9:30 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Duane Nelson, Dennis Hummitzsch, Terry Murray; Reporters Kelly Cameron and Jen O’Reily

2003/01-35 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-36 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes of the January 14, 2003 special meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-37 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $154,674.87 with payment detail on file in the Highway Department. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair completed Board appointments for 2003 and will provide a list of the changes for updating the County Committee List by the next meeting.

000 The Sheriff requested authorization to bid for replacement of two squad vehicles and for the Board to consider purchase of a third vehicle as providing security at the airport requires use of regular squad cars creating a shortage of patrol squads. Replacement cost of the two regular squads are in his 2003 budget and funding for the third squad would come from airport security dollars. Until the Board knows its financial position with State cuts and the possible need to make large cuts in the current budget, they were hesitant to allow expenditure of the budgeted capital dollars. The Sheriff stated that the current squads have over 130 thousand miles and in for repair on a regular basis, which is also a cost item in the budget. Board members stated that the replaced vehicle should be kept as a backup if it is in working condition. The Sheriff stated that dependable vehicles are needed to respond in emergencies and disagreed with the Board’s position to use the high mileage vehicles.

2003/01-38 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick authorizing the Sheriff to request bids for replacement of one squad vehicle leaving the discretion to the Sheriff to trade in the current vehicle or keep it as a backup and that purchase of additional squads for the department will be revisited after the County has information on their financial position with State cuts. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; voting no: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/01-39 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee approving a Minnesota Forest Resources Partnership MOU No. 02-01 for promoting Forest Health and Productivity as recommended by the Land Commissioner and further authorizing the Land Commissioner to sign the document as representative for Koochiching County. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-40 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck supporting a letter from the Joint Powers Natural Resources Board to the Department of Natural Resources commenting on their rulemaking process in determining benefits on Consolidated Conservation lands. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-41 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick supporting the Bush Administration’s proposal to create three Categorical Exclusions designed to give agencies the ability to respond in a timely matter to forest health needs and bypass cumbersome environmental studies and assessments, when no negligible environmental impacts have been identified. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-42 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick authorizing County official signatures to the agreement with the Army National Guard allowing use of tax forfeited property as a training site as stipulated in Board Motion 2002/10-42. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-43 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck to re-appoint Bob Anderson as citizen-at-large on the International Falls-Koochiching County Airport Commission for a term of two years commencing January 2003. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-44 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper authorizing Board member’s attendance to a January 30, 2003 general update of Boise Paper Solutions and to a Chamber of Commerce meeting on January 23 to hear a retail market study report. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/01-45 Motion by Adee, seconded by Chezick to close session at 10:50 a.m. to conduct a performance review with the interim KCCS Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried. (Session opened at 1:10 p.m.)

2003/01-46 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 1:10 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.