REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, November 18, 2003; 9:55 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck

MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Chezick

OTHERS ATTENDING: Jan Derdowski, Gail Rasmussen, Daniel Olson, Donita Ettestad, Tina Knapp, Shirley Ettestad, Sue Frank, Helen Caswell, Adaline Gerlach, Etta Jean Goulet, Dennis Frank, Nancy McHarg, Joe Toninato, Edith Keep, Mardi Harder, Duane Nelson, John Mastin, J.J. Hasbargen, Richard Lehtinen, George Schlieff, Paul Reuvers, Doug Grindall; Reporters Laurel Beager, Roger Jerome and Jen O’Reily

2003/11-28 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-29 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the minutes of the November 10, 2003 minutes with correction. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-30 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $28,919.83, to approve payment of the Highway bills in the amount of $47,607.34, to authorize Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s October vendor payment listing verifying its review and to approve payment to Bjorklund Compensation Consulting in the amount of $200.00 for job evaluation services with payment from the Administration Budget. Payment detail on file in the respective departments. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-31 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing the Coordinator to request bids for the County’s 2004 publications as required in MN Statute. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-32 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to file a citizen petition with 12 signatures from residents on UT #224 opposing the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project in their area with the petition copied to the Environmental Service Department. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was informed that Kathleen Sandstrom was hired as a Financial Worker on November 19, 2003.

000 The Extension Coordinator provided the Board a revised 2004 Budget to support the 4-H Program. Volunteers, members, and other members of the public spoke on behalf of the 4-H Program stating the need and their support of the program for the youth in the County and requested the County Board to provide funding to keep the program alive. The 4-H Program is a valuable tool to teach leadership and skills to the youth, starting at the first grade level. The program started many years ago through the school system but with the need to have the program through the summer, the Extension service took over the program with 4-H Clubs now widespread in the County. 4-H is also a big part of County fairs. Under reorganization through the University of Minnesota, extension service will be provided on a regional basis beginning January 1, 2004 with the County receiving service from the Grand Rapids Office. In addition, counties are required to invest in a 4-H Coordinator in order to receive the full benefits of the program from the Regional Extension Office (4-H is a patented USDA program through the University of Minnesota requiring the employment of University employees to run the program). The Extension Coordinator provided a budget request of $34,500, which includes $29,000 for the 4-H Coordinator and $5,000 for office and field supplies. In addition it requests the continued use of the existing Extension Office for the 4-H Coordinator and for a local Extension Service Office. The Extension Coordinator felt that some expense reimbursement for the local office might be secured to offset the County’s cost. The Coordinator secured $15,316 of donations and grant funds leaving $19,184 of funding needed. Another $30,000 of grant applications have been submitted and she is waiting on a response. The Board Chair informed the group that the Board will consider the request but with the absent of one member, would prefer to consider the request with the full Board. The Board Chair stated that there is support on the Board to provide a level of funding for the 4-H Program but stated that the balanced budget for 2004 does not provide for the full amount. The Board will look at the request no later then December 2 and inform the Extension Coordinator of their decision.

2003/11-33 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the Community Service Director to internally fill a vacant Child Support Enforcement Aide position due to the hiring of a Financial Worker. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-34 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve a revised Assessor Clerk position description as recommended by the Assessor and Coordinator and to authorize the internal filling of the position. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-35 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the following 2004 Tobacco Licenses as recommended by the Auditor’s Office: Korner Kwik Stop, Loon’s Nest and Rainy Lake One Stop and to approve the following 2004 Liquor Licenses as recommended by the Licensing Committee: Thunderbird Lodge – On Sale, Off Sale and Sunday Intoxicating Liquor; Loon’s Nest – Off Sale 3.2% Malt Liquor; Korner Kwik Stop – Off Sale 3.2% Malt Liquor; Rainy Lake One Stop – Off Sale 3.2% Malt Liquor. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was informed that Roberta Museta was hired as Tax Coordinator/Deputy Auditor with a starting date of November 17, 2003.

2003/11-36 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve a revised Auditor Clerk position description as recommended by the Auditor/Treasurer and Coordinator. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-37 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to authorize the internal filling of the Auditor Clerk position. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-38 Motion by Adee, seconded by Hanson authorizing the Assistant Auditor to seek proposals from qualified firms of certified public accountants to audit the County for years ending December 31, 2003, December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2005 with the County Finance Team to review the proposals and make a recommendation to the County Board on December 16, 2003. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-39 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve a Homeland Security Grant Agreement in the amount of $16,957.00 with no local match requirement for the purchase of equipment for the County’s Emergency Operations Center in the Law Enforcement Center and authorizing the Board Chair and Sheriff to sign all necessary documents to execute the Agreement. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 With the Sheriff informing the Board that he hired his son to fill a part time deputy position, the Board informed the Sheriff that this hire is in violation of the County’s hiring policy where one relative may not exercise or directly influence the recruitment, employment, salary, fees or performance review of another relative. The Sheriff based this hire decision on information received from the Sheriff Association whereas they view the Sheriff as having separate authority to hire his/her deputies. The Board stated that without a definitive answer as to which authority has the decision of hire in the Sheriff’s Office, they need to support their hiring policy. The Sheriff received only two applications for the part time position after advertising the position for three weeks in the local paper. He hired one applicant in September and is now hiring the second applicant to fill the remaining part time slot.

2003/11-40 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to table the hire of Chad Nelson as a part time deputy in the Sheriff’s Department with the item to be placed back on the agenda at the discretion of the Chair. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Pavleck; voting no: Hanson. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 12:15 p.m. George Schlieff stated his support for the Casino Project and thanked the Board for their economic development efforts. Tina Knapp informed the Board that this was her first attendance at a County Board meeting and was fascinated at the number of issues and complexity of County government. With no other comment the Board Chair closed public comment at 12:16 p.m.

2003/11-41 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing payment of $1,856.02 to Kennedy Scales, Inc. for repair of the scale at the Transfer Station with payment from the Environmental Service Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-42 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve payment of $11,964.31 to Ayres Associates for work outside the contract for the Jackfish Sewer Project in responding to the EA and EAW, attendance at meetings and changing pipeline routes, with payment from the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project Account. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Pavleck; voting no: Hanson. Motion carried.

2003/11-43 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to close session at 12:30 p.m. for litigation strategy on the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project Lawsuit. Present for the closed session were Commissioners Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck, County Coordinator, County Attorney, Environmental Service Director, and MCIT Attorney Paul Reuvers. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-44 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to open session at 1:00 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-45 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to certify final contract value for the following road projects as recommended by the Highway Engineer: SAP 36-610-08 with Thorson, Inc. in the amount of $374,593.48; SAP 36-601-09 with Thorson, Inc. in the amount of $671,073.01; SAP 36-677-04 with Thorson, Inc. in the amount of $110,986.10 and CP 2002-01 with Thorson, Inc. in the amount of $34,263.91. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-46 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair to send a letter to U.S. Representative James Oberstar requesting federal funding equal to the twenty percent match for the VNP 2007 Enhancement Project application for an off road bike trail to the Black Bay Visitor’s Center (approximate length of 1.8 miles) as recommended by the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-47 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to add Jackfish Bay Sewer Project business to the agenda. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 It was determined that an error was made in the bid notice for the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project as sewer projects require a 10% security bond, rather than the 5% security bond required for other projects. Upon advisement from legal counsel, the Environmental Service Director will do an addendum to the bid notice reflecting the change in the security bond and re-publish the notice with a change in the bid opening date to December 2, 2003. All bids submitted to date would be returned unopened.

2003/11-48 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck directing an addendum to the original bid notice for the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project to reflect a 10% security bond as required under State law for sewer projects and to re-publish the revised bid notice, establishing a new bid opening date of December 2, 2003. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/11-49 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 2:37 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck. Motion carried.