REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, March 18, 2003; 10:30 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Lepper, Adee-in jury duty until 10:40 a.m., Hanson, Chezick-absent in afternoon to attend a legislative hearing for the Board, Pavleck

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Ann Scholler, Paul Nevenan, Susan Congrave, Jill Warner, Kay Arnold, Richard Lehtinen, Duane Nelson, Florence Hervey, Doug Grindall; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2003/03-13 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/03-14 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to approve the minutes of the March 4, 2003 regular meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/03-15 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Hanson accepting the recommendation of the Insurance Committee for a group dental plan with FortisMac for preventive and limited basic coverage with rates of $9.87 for single and $23.47 for family and the renewal of the life/ad&d coverage with Minnesota Life Inc. at rates of $2.40 per month/per employee with coverage effective April 1, 2003. Motion further approves payment of the Highway bills in the amount of $29,787.47 with payment detail on file in the Highway Department; authorizing Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s February vendor payment listing verifying its review; accepting the recommendation of the Assessor to approve an abatement for Scott Gates, parcel #91-12-02210, for over assessment of new construction; to approve payment to Commissioner Chezick for reimbursement of travel expenses on his personal credit card as allowed under County policy and in the amount of $1,046.80. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/03-16 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Hanson to accept the recommendation of the License Committee to approve a one-day On Sale 3.2% Malt Liquor License to the Birchdale Softball Club for their annual spring breakup dance on April 5, 2003 and to approve 2003 On Sale Intoxicating Liquor and Tobacco Licenses for the International Falls Country Club. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/03-17 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Hanson that per County Policy, designating the Precinct of Kooch Poll IV as the boundary for a referendum vote allowing issuance of a Sunday Liquor License to the International Falls Country Club and other restaurant-club establishments in the precinct, and further, allow ballots to be printed and presented to the electorate residing within the Precinct of Kooch Poll IV as determined by the County Auditor with ballot language as follows: “Shall the County of Koochiching be allowed to issue Sunday Intoxicating Liquor Licenses to restaurant-club establishments located within the Precinct of Kooch Poll IV”. Motion further allows for a mail ballot referendum. Auditor is responsible for setting the date of the referendum per Minnesota Statute. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/03-18 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to renew a two-year contract with Kathy Elhard as Northome Resource Center Coordinator as recommended by the Resource Center Committee (no county dollars involved in the contract). Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/03-19 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing the Public Health Department to purchase a PowerPoint overhead projector from available equipment dollars in the TANF Home Visiting Grant with the understanding said equipment would be shared with other county departments. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 AB/Backus Committee members Jill Warner and Kay Arnold met with the Board to request the County’s non-financial support for grant applications to seek funding for the AB/Backus Project and that they are seeking federal appropriations at this time. They have or will have letters of support from the City of International Falls, School District 361 and Chamber of Commerce. Board members stated support letters should also be requested from other neighboring communities and the City of Fort Frances.

2003/03-20 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck that the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners recognizes the potential of the Backus/AB Complex as a venue for community, regional, national and international gatherings and whole-heartedly supports community efforts to establish the complex for such purposes. The building stands as a historical monument for the community and will provide for those in the community and those coming to the community a center of culture, education, history, and recreation. The Koochiching County Board hereby supports the Citizens of Backus/AB in their efforts to establish this historical complex into a community center for Koochiching County. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/03-21 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing a payment to the Soil and Water Conservation District in the amount of $5,969.53 from the Water Plan Account for services rendered outside the normal service agreement contract. Such payment is recognized as a one-time transfer of water plan funds to the District. Motion further authorizes a 2003 Environmental Service Budget adjustment adding $11,220 of deferred revenue and increasing the water plan expenditure budget by the same amount to cover payments to clear held water plan dollars. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/03-22 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson authorizing the Sheriff to enter into grant agreements for domestic preparedness along with the International Falls Fire and Police Departments and other emergency first responder organizations in the County and that any local match requirement as a result of the grants will be found in the 2003 Sheriff Budget or other accounts under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/03-23 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee approving the 2003 Boat and Water Safety Agreement with the State of Minnesota allocating funds to Koochiching County and further authorizing Board Chair’s signature to said Agreement. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff and Jail Administrator provided the Board background information on legislation allowing counties to charge convicted inmates for stay in the county jail and included information from other counties who have instituted the pay for stay fee. The Sheriff does not recommend this fee as based on his history of offenders in the County jail and from research with other counties, the likelihood of collection is minimal to none. If we institute the fee, the County will have an obligation to collect the unpaid fees to some degree. The Sheriff believes that increasing other fees in the department would be a better option than creating the pay for stay fee. Commissioner Hanson randomly called some of the counties from the Sheriff’s information and from conversations with these counties, he agrees with the Sheriff as the counties are finding that certain offenders will not or can not pay. Commissioner Hanson would rather wait and continue to monitor the progress of the other counties. Commissioner Pavleck was not looking at this as a revenue source as much as a deterrent for repeated offenders. The Sheriff stated that this would not be a deterrent for repeated offenders and Commissioner Hanson agreed based on conversations with the other counties. Commissioner Chezick asked if this pay for stay could be charged if the State gets its way and puts State inmates in the county jail. The Sheriff stated that the county could not charge the pay for stay for that situation. The Sheriff and Jail Administrator reviewed a proposed fee schedule for the department. First the Sheriff proposes increasing civil processing rates which they anticipate will bring in another $9,790 per year in revenue. In review of the proposal, Commissioner Chezick recommended that minimum mileage be established with the proposal to charge for mileage. Next the Sheriff and Jail Administrator reviewed their proposal to increase fees in the Jail and anticipate another $30,000 of revenue per year based on 2002 inmate numbers and increase in the local Huber rate. In reviewing the increase for local Huber fees all agreed to increase the rate $10 making the fee $25 per day from the current $15.00 per day. The proposal also requested that they be allowed to collect for medical and dental costs incurred during incarceration through the Pay for Stay statute. Board agreed to have the Sheriff bring the proposed fee schedules back to the Board for approval.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:55 a.m. No comment was presented.

2003/03-24 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to file a citizen petition from a group of concerned seniors on the County Board’s position on County home care services. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck, Chezick. Motion carried.

2003/03-25 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to award low bids for two-year service contracts for beaver removal in the County as presented and recommended by the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2003/03-26 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee that pursuant to Minnesota State. Sect. 161.36, the Commissioner of Transportation be appointed as Agent of the County of Koochiching to accept as its agent, federal aid funds which may be made available for eligible transportation related projects. Be it further resolved that the Chairman of the Koochiching County Board and the Highway Engineer are hereby authorized and directed for and on behalf of the County to execute and enter into an agreement with the Commissioner of Transportation prescribing the terms and conditions of said federal aid participation as set forth and contained in “Minnesota Department of Transportation Agency Agreement #84131”, a copy of which said agreement was before the County Board and which is made a part hereof by reference. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2003/03-27 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee that it is resolved that Koochiching County enter into Mn/DOT Agreement #84474 with the State of Minnesota, Department of Transportation to provide for payment by the State to the County for the use of County State Aid Highway No. 8 as a detour route during the grading, bituminous surfacing and bridge replacement construction and other associated construction to be performed upon, along and adjacent to Trunk Highway No. 65, 14.5 miles south of the junction with Trunk Highway No. 71 under State Project No. 3609-30 (T.H. 65=159). Be it further resolved that the Chairman of the Koochiching County Board and the Highway Engineer are authorized to execute the Agreement and any amendments to the Agreement. . Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

2003/03-28 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 2:05 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.