SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, December 23, 2003; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Jaci Nagle, Bob Peterson, Lorella Fulton, Terry Murray, Doug Grindall, Einar Sundin, Duane Nelson, Pam Lagoo, Dennis Hummitzsch, Jan Derdowski, Susan Congrave, Pete Schultz, Shawn Mason, Bob Anderson, Paul Mielke, Richard Lehtinen, Raoul Lufbery, Ron and Jessie Laurion, Lori Smith; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2003/12-45 Motion by Adee, seconded by Chezick to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-46 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes of the December 16, 2003 meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-47 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $41,130.62, to approve payment to Johnson, Killen and Seiler, P.A. in the amount of $1,375.00 for personnel legal services with payment from the Administration Legal and Negotiation Budgets and with payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Motion further approves payment of the Public Health bills in the amount of $33,503.33 with payment detail on file in the Public Health Department, to approve payment of Community Service social service and financial claims and administrative expenditures as presented and to approve payment of burial case NCN in the amount of $1,771.50 with payment detail on file in the Community Service Department. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-48 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick approving a clean up directive to all departments of Courthouse file storage areas due to safety and fire risks. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-49 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing the purchase of a Folder/Sealer machine at the request of the Auditor and Assessor Departments and as recommended by the IS Manager (cost and time saver) in an amount not to exceed $5,000 (to include purchase and maintenance agreement) from the 2004 IS Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-50 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to approve a transfer of funds from the 2003 IS Budget to the 2003 Highway Budget in the amount of $1,700 to cover expenditure for a mandatory software purchase for the Highway Cost Accounting Program as recommended by the IS Manager. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-51 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to approve the renewal of the AEOA Congregate Meal, Blue Heron, Kootasca Sr. Coordinator, MN Chippewa Tribe CD, Northland Counseling Mental Health, Northland Counseling Clubhouse, Occupational Development Center, Papermaker’s Place, Pineview Detox, Pineview Extended Care, Pineview Primary Care, and Rational Alternatives 2004 service agreements as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-52 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee accepting the following Foster Day Care/Day Care Licensing recommendations: case #39705 licensing for family day care for eight children, case #39295 closing home for family day care and foster care at the provider’s request and case #20459 licensing for family day care for ten children. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-53 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to support an application for Enhancement Funds for the proposed VNP Bike Trail Project with the understanding that county funds will not be used to meet the minimum 20% matching fund requirement. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-54 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee approving the Highway Engineer’s 2003 bridge inspection reporting replacement of five deficient bridges in 2003 with state bridge replacement funds and recommending no changes in posting. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-55 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee certifying the following final contract values with Ulland Brothers as recommended by the Highway Engineer: SAP 36-630-12 in the amount of $1,174,460.12, SAP 36-645-07 in the amount of $119,545.44 and SAP 36-648-10 in the amount of $161,721.68. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-56 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to approve an amended 911 Agreement with Frontier Telephone Company reflecting a change in monthly charges paid by State revenue received for the 911 system with the Board Chair to sign said Agreement. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-57 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to discontinue abstracting services at the County to allow the private sector to provide the service for the public with discontinuation of service by January 1, 2004. Voting yes: Lepper, Chezick, Pavleck; voting no: Adee; absent for vote: Hanson. Motion carried.

2003/12-58 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the filling of one full-time clerk position to be shared between the Land and Forestry and Recorder Offices with department heads to fill the position in accordance with the County’s hiring policy. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-59 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Minnesota for 2004 to provide $14,000 for a 4H Program Coordinator upon review by the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-60 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck requesting the University of Minnesota to honor the current funding agreement providing 40% cost share for a 4H Program Coordinator in Koochiching County. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Pavleck; absent for vote: Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Extension Coordinator will provide a complete list of the items requested for donation to the 4H Office located in the Backus Building at the January 6, 2004 Board meeting for consideration.

2003/12-61 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing expenditure up to $1,000 from the 2003 Extension Budget for relocating the 4H Office. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-62 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Adee to allow the use of County car pool vehicles by the 4H Coordinator and Supervisor in performance of 4H activities with the understanding that a separate liability policy provides coverage for transportation of 4H students, and with the 4H Supervisor accountable for adhering to County policy with regards to use of the vehicle. Location of the vehicle will remain at the County and checkout done through the County’s Car Pool policies and practices. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-63 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to discontinue bookkeeping at the County level for Extension/4H programs with exception of transferring funds due the programs and allow the University of Minnesota to provide the bookkeeping services. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-64 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck that at the request of the Extension Coordinator to provide an office and possible office support budget for a local Nutrition Education Program, the Board deferred the request to the Management Committee for review and consideration. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-65 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee that due to budget reductions caused by state funding cuts in the 2004 County budget and discontinuing home care service in the Public Health Department, to reduce Health Educator Marie Mettler to 20 hours per week and Public Health Nurse Sharon Obermaier to 22 hours per week with hour changes effective February 1, 2004. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-66 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Chezick to send the request of the Public Health Director to review County Personnel Policy with regards to the reduction of hours from full time to part time to the Personnel Committee. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-67 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to approve an ENABL Contract with School District #363 for a total of $2,500 to be funded by ENABLE grant dollars as recommended by the Public Health Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau provided an annual activity report to the Board as well as their objectives for 2004.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:53 a.m. Paul Mielke presented and reviewed his letter to the County Board as a follow-up to the public hearing of 12/17 with regards to easement damage cost, and procedure deficiencies with the second hearing, engineers report and viewers report. With no other comment, the Chair closed public comment at 12:00 p.m.

000 The Environmental Service Director provided a follow-up from the 12/17 public hearing on the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project. The Committee would like to study whether the per household cost could be lowered and supports a survey of the property owners to see if there is support for the project at $100 or less per household/per month cost. The Committee feels the survey should happen simultaneously with the study on reducing the household cost to $100 or less due to tight timelines. In addition, they request the Board apply for the loan for the project to lock in the 1.23% interest rate with the understanding it is an application only and the Board can back out if the project does not go forward. The financial consultant for the project recommends application of the loan at this time to lock in the interest rate and verified it does not lock the County into the loan. The Committee stated that even a slight increase in the loan rate if applied for at a later date may be enough to make the $100 or less cost unachievable.

2003/12-68 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck authorizing a numbered survey to property owners in the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project area (one survey per property owner) with survey to identify geographic location but keeping the anonymity of the property owner protected and with the question whether the property owner would support the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer System at a cost of $100 or less per household/per month and with the County Auditor’s Office to collect, tally and report the survey results. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-69 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck authorizing application for a loan to construct the proposed Jackfish Bay Collection System with the understanding that the County Board must approve the final loan:

BE IT RESOLVED that Koochiching County is hereby applying to the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority for a loan from the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund for improvements to its wastewater collection system as described in the loan application.

BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED, that Koochiching County estimates the loan amount to be at a minimum of $4,048,000 with the Project’s Financial Advisor to recommend the final loan amount.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Koochiching County has the legal authority to apply for the loan and the financial, technical and managerial capacity to repay the loan and ensure proper construction, operation and maintenance of the project for its design life.
Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Chezick, Pavleck; voting no: Hanson. Motion carried.

2003/12-70 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing the Jackfish Bay Sewer Committee to study whether the per household cost for the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project could be reduced to $100 or less per household/per month. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2003/12-71 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Pavleck to request a determination through the County Attorney on whether a conflict of interest exists for Commissioners Chezick and Pavleck for voting on the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project with both Commissioners owning property in the proposed area and one serving as the District Commissioner for the area and further, to request a legal opinion on whether negotiations with the low bidder for the proposed sewer project is allowed under state law when the Board has not awarded the bid. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/12-72 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to approve a solid waste hauling contract to the Mar-Kit Landfill with JD Trucking as low quote as recommended by the Environmental Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

2003/12-73 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck that due to possible risk management deficiencies in the solid waste hauling contract, directing the Environmental Service Director to have the contract and request for proposals reviewed by the County’s MCIT Risk Manager representative for recommended changes and further, directing the Environmental Service Director to ensure that a maintenance and repair log is maintained for the County’s MSW trailers and DOT inspection and other maintenance and repair documentation is reviewed and filed in the Department and that the County conduct an inspection of the County MSW trailers prior to the start of hauling service contracts. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Chezick, Pavleck; absent for vote: Adee. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m.