REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, September 16, 2003; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Duane Nelson, Jerry Andre, Einar Sundin, Dennis Hummitzsch, Richard Lehtinen, Doug Grindall, Walt Buller; Reporters Laurel Beager, Jen O’Reily and Roger Jerome

2003/09-20 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-21 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes of the September 9, 2003 special meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-22 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of the Highway bills in the amount of $135,222.94 with detail on file in the Highway Department. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was informed that the DNR Fisheries would be holding a public input meeting on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. at Rainy River Community College on sturgeon regulations for border waters including Rainy River, Rainy Lake, and Lake of the Woods. A similar meeting will be held in Lake of the Woods County on October 21, 2003. Commissioner Hanson attended the majority of meetings on this issue and stated that the proposal presented by the DNR is not supported by the public majority attending the meetings so he does see the DNR changing their position due to further public input meetings but encouraged Board members’ attendance. A copy of the DNR’s proposed regulation change would be provided to the Board for review.

000 The Board Chair received calls from the public that Gold Portage is blocked by beaver dams and asked that the Board look into what is being done out of concern for natural water flow and fisheries.

2003/09-23 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair to contact the Regional DNR Trails and Waterways Division to report the status of water flow at Gold Portage and to request their review of the situation. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Pavleck, as Koochiching Development Authority Board Chair and Board’s representative on the Koochiching Economic Development Authority Board, announced the site for the proposed casino development in International Falls which will be situated on the 40 acre tract east and adjacent to the Duluth Clinic’s 40 acre tract. Several sites were presented to the developer and this was their choice of sites.

000 Commissioner Chezick received additional information on the Hazard Mitigation Plan and funding and stated that federal dollars will be allocated to this program and that ARDC believes money will be coming to this region. The Board stated that the County requires backup systems for communication to the outside as well as backup power sources and believes this funding could provide these needed emergency management tools.

2003/09-24 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick adopting the following resolution for Koochiching County to participate in a hazard mitigation planning process:

Whereas, starting November 1, 2004 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will require that all communities have Hazard Mitigation Plans in place prior to receiving funds under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (PDM) with the objective of reducing future damages as a result of natural disasters; and

Whereas, Koochiching County desires to participate in a hazard mitigation planning process as established under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 to comply with this new requirement; and

Whereas, the Act establishes a framework for the development of a county hazard mitigation plan; and

Whereas, the Act as part of the planning process requires public involvement and local coordination among local units of government and businesses; and

Whereas, the plan must include a risk assessment including past hazards, hazards that threaten Koochiching County, maps of hazards, an estimate of structures at risk, estimate of potential dollar losses for each hazard, a general description of land uses and development trends; and

Whereas, the plan must include a mitigation strategy including goals and objectives and an action plan identifying specific mitigation projects and costs; and

Whereas, the plan must include a maintenance or implementation process including plan updates, integration of the plan into other planning documents and how Koochiching County will maintain public participation and coordination; and

Whereas, the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission has received funding through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program distributed through the Minnesota Division of Emergency Management to assist Koochiching County in the development and adoption of a hazard mitigation plan, and

Whereas, Koochiching County is required as part of this grant to provide a total $7,500 match of which $1,000 will be a cash match, $3,000 for in-kind staff services and $3,500 for in kind report printing services; and

Whereas, technical assistance will also be provided by the state to assist Koochiching County and ARDC in preparing its hazard mitigation plan; and

Whereas, the draft plan will be shared with the Minnesota Department of Emergency Management for coordination of state agency review and comment on the draft.

Now therefore be it resolved, that Koochiching County will:
1. Participate in a hazard mitigation planning process using the framework of the
Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.
2. Provide the required match to ARDC for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Grant.
3. Formally adopt by ordinance the hazard mitigation plan following public, state
and local review.
Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-25 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson approving a Business Associate Agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs for compliance with HIPPA in releasing veterans information for transporting clients to medical appointments as recommended by the Veterans Service Officer and as reviewed by the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-26 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck authorizing the withdrawal of Tract 61 from the September 2003 land sale as recommended by the Land Commissioner due to lack of survey information to detail lot information at this time. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/09-27 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck authorizing the Environmental Service Department to distribute and make available at no charge the Koochiching County Natural Resources Multi-Media Production as a promotion and education resource for the County with distribution of video or CD per the distribution list reviewed with the Board and with reproduction costs from the Environmental Service Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director updated the Board on staffing at the Transfer Station. He stated that the majority of the time he is following the Board’s directive and having two people at the site, however, due to vacations and unavailability of Highway staff, there is not enough resources to pull from to meet the directive at times. In addition, until there are sufficient resources, he is not comfortable with opening the facility to the public six days a week. The Highway Engineer stated that Highway staff are extremely busy with construction and maintenance projects and obligated to service these projects so the Department is not able to provide the staffing needed at this time to the transfer station. The Board Chair stated that due to the closure of the Wagner site, the County’s demo site is getting full and asked what plans are in place to deal with this issue. Though it was suggested that Highway forces be used to establish another cell, the Engineer stated that the County’s hoe is much smaller than what could be rented which would finish the job faster. He stated Highway staff could assist in the prep work but recommended hiring a contractor with a bigger hoe to do the digging. The Highway Engineer stated that providing staff at the transfer station might be as late as November 1, 2003 per the work schedule in the Highway Department unless the Board directs otherwise. The Board did not take any further action and will continue to support its current directive for having two staff at the transfer station with the two Departments to work together to support the directive and also to address the demo site situation. In addition, the Board requested a timeline as to when the Director feels the transfer station could reopen six days a week.

2003/09-28 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 10:46 a.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.