REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, September 02, 2003; 10:00 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Bob Peterson, Marty Cody, Duane Nelson, John Mastin, J.J. Hasbargen; Reporters Laurel Beager, Jen O’Reily, Roger Jerome

2003/09-01 Motion by Adee, seconded by Chezick to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-02 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes of the August 26, 2003 special meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-03 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing a three-day unpaid personal leave of absence for Dana Routier. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-04 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee returning the Assistant Custodian’s pay rate to A13 effective the next full pay-period and further, to provide a letter of appreciation from the County Board to Assistant Custodian Terry Shoquist for covering the Complex Department in the absence of a full time buildings manager. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-05 Motion by Adee, seconded by Chezick approving the NE Service Cooperative Joint Powers Agreement for servicing the County’s September 1, 2003 Health Insurance contingent on approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-06 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Hanson to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $51,587.61, to approve payment to Johnson, Killen, & Seiler, P.A. in the amount of $420.00 for personnel legal services with payment from the Negotiation Budget, to approve payment in the amount of $139.12 to Flaherty & Hood, P.A. as final payment under the 2003 lobbyist contract with payment from the Legislation Budget, to approve payment of the monthly County Board expenditure claims in the amount of $3,670.48, and to approve payment of the August Board of Prisoners claim in the amount of $2,005.00. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-07 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Adee authorizing postage expenditures as Auditor warrant payments to eliminate finance charges and late fees. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2003/09-08 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck authorizing Board members’ attendance to a September 11, 2003 meeting on the new Off Highway Vehicle Legislation. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board will attend the Annual AMC Conference scheduled for December 8 to 10, 2003 in Minneapolis.

000 Commissioner Pavleck received calls asking for the County’s support in extending cabin leases in Voyageurs National Park, which he believed were the result of recent coverage on the Goulet family who are losing their home due to a lease expiration. He requested Board’s support to send a letter to federal representatives to request a look into the fairness of the Park’s acquisition and lease policy and to support extension of the leases. He was informed that Senator Norm Coleman during his campaign in the area stated he would look into this issue.

2003/09-09 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair to send a letter to the Board’s federal representatives requesting their review of the Park’s acquisition and lease policy and to support extension of leases in the park. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-10 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick approving a revised Appraiser position description as presented by the Assessor and Coordinator revising qualifications to allow for MN State Board of Assessor’s schooling. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff reviewed the Department’s request to seek grant dollars to assist in the cost of conducting compliance checks on liquor establishments in the County out of concern on the number of serious accidents and fatalities due to underage drinking. The Sheriff stated that his Department would conduct the compliance checks because there are problems in the County with the selling of alcohol to underage individuals and he was seeking grant funds to help offset the cost. The Department feels this is a pro-active stand and not an attempt to entrap or hurt businesses. They want to ensure business owners are educating their employees and not selling alcohol unless an ID is produced to prove legal age. Acceptance of the grant would require two checks on each business establishment and requires businesses be charged if found incompliant. The Sheriff stated there are 42 liquor establishments in the County, including cities. The grant would provide about $20 per check and that city police would conduct compliance checks within their own jurisdiction. The Undersheriff sent letters to the establishments informing them that compliance checks would be forthcoming and stated that the Department has not received a negative response. Some Board members still felt the businesses were being set up and that under the grant, they would be charged and their business license would be in jeopardy because of poor judgement by an employee. With regards to the letters sent out to businesses by the Sheriff’s Department, Commissioner Pavleck stated that business owners are not going to respond negatively to the Sheriff about the program so the Department should not bank on no response as support for the program.

2003/09-11 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck approving a Federal Grant Agreement for enforcing Underage Drinking Laws by conducting compliance checks regarding the sale of alcohol to under the legal age individuals as recommended by the Sheriff. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-12 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 11:05 a.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.