2004 ELECTION OF COUNTY BOARD CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR WAS CONDUCTED BY THE CLERK TO THE COUNTY BOARD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 06, 2004; 9:30 A.M. BY UNANIMOUS VOTE COMMISSIONER WADE PAVLECK WAS ELECTED AS BOARD CHAIR AND BY UNANIMOUS VOTE COMMISSIONER LARRY CHEZICK WAS ELECTED AS VICE CHAIR.

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, January 06, 2004; 9:45 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Frank Bahr, Pam Lagoo, Dennis Hummitzsch, Doug Grindall, Jerry Struss, Students from the Northome School, Duane Nelson, John Mastin, J.J. Hasbargen, Mary Nelson, Terry Murray, Don Ewald, Larry Mathews; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2004/01-01 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-02 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick to approve the minutes of the December 23, 2003 special meeting. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to eliminate the Extension/Land and Forestry Office Clerk position, as position no longer serves a function with Extension services provided on a regional basis. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-04 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of the Auditor bills in the amount of $24,886.96, to approve the monthly County Board expense claims in the amount of $7,894.45, to approve payment in the amount of $5,600 to AMC for the County Cost Allocation Plan for Fiscal Year 2002 per contract with payment from the 2004 Administration Budget, to approve payment of the 2004 AMC Dues as follows: $5,445.00 for general dues, $389.00 for MACSSA dues and $577.00 for LPHA dues; to approve payment of the 2004 NACO dues in the amount of $360.00 and to approve payment of the December Board of Prisoner claim in the amount of $2,450.00. Payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-05 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to award the low and only 2004 publication bid to the Daily Journal and Northome Record as a joint bid with a 2.5% rate increase from 2003 rates. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair requested Commissioners to review the County Committee List and appointments and provide change requests or comments to him within a week’s time. The Board Chair will schedule committee time at the January 13, 2004 meeting to review the 2004 Committee listing.

000 The Board directed the Coordinator to set up a meeting with the MN DNR Trails and Waterway Director and Governor’s staff to discuss changes to the ATV Law and local economic development.

000 The Board was informed that U.S. Representative James Oberstar is planning a visit to International Falls this month and wants to meet with the County Board and International Falls City Council. A tentative luncheon meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 12, 2004 at the Holiday Inn. More information will be provided once a meeting date is confirmed.

2004/01-06 Motion by Chezick, seconded by Adee authorizing Board members’ attendance to the Governor’s Homeland Security Symposium scheduled for January 14, 2004 in St. Paul as a Board activity. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Board received a letter from Senator Julie Rosen requesting counties support to fight against methamphetamine as it poses a huge threat to the peace and prosperity of our state and informing counties that she is introducing a comprehensive methamphetaine bill this legislative session to help fight the spread of this dangerous drug. The letter also requested counties to pass county ordinance to also fight the problem. The Board requested more information on the request to support the fight through county ordinance.

2004/01-07 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve a shared B21 Recorder and Land and Forestry Office Clerk position and to authorize the Recorder and Land Commissioner to fill the position under County Hiring Policy. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-08 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick authorizing the Highway Engineer to call for bids for annual requirements of diesel fuel, furnace oil and propane gas and for purchasing gasoline and diesel fuel from service stations both within the County and for out-of-county travel. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-09 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper adopting the following resolution authorizing the County Engineer and County Board Chair to sign an agreement for a TH 6 Detour on Koochiching CSAH 5:
IT IS RESOLVED that Koochiching County enter into Mn/DOT Agreement No. 85641 with the State of Minnesota, Department of Transportation for the following purposes:
To provide for payment by the State to the County for the use of County State Aid Highway No. 5 as a detour route during grading and bituminous surfacing and other associated construction to be performed upon, along and adjacent to Trunk Highway No. 6 from approximately 0.66 miles north of Talmoon to the north junction of Trunk Highway No., 1 under State Project No. 3107-42 (T.H. 6=061).

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that the Koochiching County Board Chair and the Koochiching County Engineer are authorized to execute the Agreement and any amendments to the agreement. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

000 A Citizen Petition was filed with the Board from 32 property owners residing along County Road 2 South opposing any widening of the existing roadway right-of-way and/or the altering of curves or acquiring land for roadway adjustments. The Highway Engineer stated this road was being looked at for CSAH reconstruction as existing shoulders are narrower due to past overlays. The Engineer stated that required CSAH design would impact property owner’s frontage. If this CSAH road project is not pursued, the County should look at redesignating the CSAH mileage to another road for reconstruction. It was agreed the Engineer and District Commissioner would review the situation with the Highway Engineer suggesting a public informational meeting with the property owners.

000 The County Attorney reviewed the Attorney General’s Opinion on whether the County Board’s nepotism policy could be applied to the Sheriff in the hiring of a deputy position. Her review of the opinion is that absent exceptions in law or a bargaining unit contract, the County Board has no authority to control the decision of the Sheriff to hire deputies. In review of the union contract and laws provided in the opinion, there is no controlling force and therefore the Sheriff under statute hires his deputies. The Board stated that their job is to ensure policies are followed and agreed to seek the Attorney General’s Opinion to see if the nepotism policy could be enforced on the Sheriff in the hiring of the part time deputy position and the Board would honor the opinion to decide the issue of the Sheriff hiring his son as a part time deputy. Commissioner Chezick went on record opposing the hire in continued support of the County’s nepotism policy. In November 2003 the Board received notice that the Sheriff hired Chad Nelson as a part time deputy on October 31, 2003 but agreed that pending the opinion from the Attorney General, the Sheriff would not have him work. Based on the Attorney General Opinion, the Board acknowledged Chad Nelson as a part time deputy to begin work in the Sheriff’s Department in January 2004.

2004/01-10 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the renewal of the Lutheran Social Service Guardianship/Conservatorship Agreement as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-11 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to table action on the Local Systems Needs Plan and Downsizing/Closure Plan proposed for the Northome Healthcare Center ICF/MR at the request of the Community Service Director until additional information is received on the plan. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Board received notice that Susan Thorstad-Salmi was hired as the Social Service Case Aide with a starting date of January 12, 2004.

000 With the Board’s directive to allow the internal filling of positions in the department with the understanding that through the process a position would remain vacant, the Community Service Director informed the Board that the department is now at this point with a vacant Office Support Specialist position. The Director stated that there might be additional non-county dollars available to the Department in 2004, which he would like to apply to a part time Office Support Specialist position (20 hours a week).

2004/01-12 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to defer the request by the Community Service Director for a part time Office Support Specialist position to the Personnel Committee for review and recommendation. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

2004/01-13 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve the temporary hire of Bonnie Culbertson in the Community Service Department for 2004 under the County’s Temporary Hire Policy. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:04 a.m. Don Ewald addressed the Board with his concern over not receiving the quote for the Jail Monitoring Video System. No specifications were given to compare proposals and he felt a job this size should require specifications. He also stated his quote was not considered due to not being able to meet the installation timeline of January 1, 2004 which he felt was unfair as he could have installed the system by a date close to this timeline. Finally, he was not happy the job did not go to a local service provider. The Board Chair stated that timing was an issue when the Sheriff addressed the Board as there were staffing and budget considerations tied to the need for the system and the Board accepted the Sheriff’s recommendation based on these considerations. Larry Mathews, d.b.a., Rational Alternatives, addressed the Board with his concern over the on-going problems with the Rule 25 assessments and wanted to go on public record that he will be closing his outpatient treatment business. He feels there are multiple DWI offenders on the street, which are being under-evaluated and not receiving proper treatment. In 2002 he received 68 referrals, 2003 this is down to 35. He submitted a proposal to Community Service to conduct the Rule 25 Assessments as he has the necessary training and experience to properly assess clients but was turned down. The Community Service Director did look at the request but after reviewing the issue determined a conflict of interest would exist with the same person conducting the assessment and then providing outpatient services. The Director also reviewed the provider’s concern over the assessment service with the State and was told the County’s assessment level was within range. The Director also stated that due to the leaving of staff and having to find a replacement to provide the service, there were a few months of reduced service. The Director met with staff from the Department, Probation, and Court and did not hear any concerns with the service. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment at 11:32 a.m.

2004/01-14 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:32 a.m. Voting yes: Pavleck, Lepper, Adee, Hanson, Chezick. Motion carried.