SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, May 11, 2004; 9:55 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Jaci Nagle, John Mastin, J.J. Hasbargen, Einar Sundin, Richard Lehtinen, Marty Cody, Doug Grindall, Susan Congrave, Duane Nelson, Tom Kummrow, Brian Nelson; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2004/05-09 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-10 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes of the May 4, 2004 meeting. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-11 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Chezick to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $27,887.19 with payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-12 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve Minnesota Lawful Gambling LG215 Leases for gambling activity sponsored by the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club for the “Y” and Lu’s with the term of the lease agreements concurrent with the gambling premises permit issued by the Gambling Control Board. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-13 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Chezick approving the following reappointments to the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Board of Directors as recommended by the CVB: Dan Traska, Rod Milender, Jim Bischoff, Rich Weinhold, Steve Fox and Mike Katrin. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-14 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve a County Building Security Policy as recommended by Administration to aide in securing County facilities. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The IS Manager submitted a request to transfer $5,000 from the 2004 IS Budget to the 2004 Sheriff Budget to cover staff travel to provide input for a new design of a LEC Record and Jail Booking System. St. Louis County is designing the system and made it available to the five Arrowhead counties with cost to the counties through an annual maintenance fee, which is equivalent to the same annual cost for the current record system. In order to design and meet the needs of Koochiching County, users of the system need to analyze and provide input. The IS Manager had budgeted funds in 2004 assuming cost for the new system and requested $5,000 is utilized by the Sheriff’s Department to send staff to provide input for the system design. The new system will improve efficiencies by allowing electronic storage and usage of data thereby reducing time and cost in paper handling and the system will be used by the County Attorney providing the same efficiencies.

2005/05-15 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper authorizing the following 2004 budget transfer as recommended by the IS Manager to cover staff travel to provide input for designing a new LEC record and Jail Booking System: $5,000 from 01-060.6660 to 01-200.6331. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-16 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson approving a service contract with the Occupational Development Center for roadside garbage pickup near the Transfer Station as recommended by the Environmental Service Director with payment from the Department’s 2004 Budget. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-17 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper approving a one-year maintenance agreement with Excel for the Transfer Station baler as continued operation of the baler is needed with the increase in recycling material with payment from the 2004 Environmental Service Budget. Consideration of the agreement renewal will come back to the Board after one year at which time the previous year usage and need will be reviewed. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director and County Assessor informed the Board that while conducting field appraising it was found that additions and new dwellings have been constructed without a required building permit which is required under the Zoning Ordinance and are used by the Assessor’s Office to pick up new valuation for tax purposes. Findings were new out buildings, decks and cabins. The Environmental Service Director stated that building permit fees range from $50 for a new house to $30 for other constructed additions or out buildings and that penalty for not obtaining the permit is three times the original permit fee. The Director wanted to inform the Board on the matter and requested the matter be referred to the Planning Commission for review after the Assessor and Environmental Service Director draft up a report and options to be considered.

2004/05-18 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to request the Planning Commission to look into violation of the County Zoning Ordinance for not obtaining required building permits for new construction and provide a recommendation to the Board on how to rectify the violation problem. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 At the last meeting, the Board agreed to take action at this meeting directing the County begin clean up of the Kirvan Property and assess the cost to the property since the owner did not begin clean up as directed by the County under the Public Health Nuisance Ordinance. The Board was informed of a possible purchase agreement for new ownership of the property but there was no confirmation at this time. The Board agreed to defer the item to later in the meeting to confirm whether ownership had changed before considering direction on the site clean up.

000 Tom Kummrow Liaison for the MN Department of Public Safety Safe and Sober Law Enforcement Program presented a new radar unit to the Sheriff for their dedicated participation in the proactive Safe and Sober Program to wear seat belts, reduce speed and not drink and drive. Mr. Kummrow reported that northern Minnesota has a low percent of drivers wearing seat belts and that Koochiching County percent for serious accidents and crashes is ranked high for the mileage distance in the County. Having said this, he stated that Koochiching County has taken a proactive stance by their continued participation in the Safe and Sober Program and the radar unit was presented as appreciation for the good work.

2004/05-19 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee approving a revised 2004 Boat and Water Safety Agreement with the State of Minnesota correcting the amount of funding allocated to Koochiching County in the amount of $6,290 on a reimbursement basis and further authorizing Board Chair, Sheriff and Auditor’s signature to said Agreement as recommended by the Sheriff. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/05-20 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Board Chair to sign a new service agreement between Koochiching County and the new provider for 911 services, Qwest Telephone Company, as recommended by the Sheriff. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff, Undersheriff and Board again reviewed the request to apply for a COPS Grant to hire a deputy to police 75% in and around schools. The group reviewed a worksheet provided by the Coordinator laying out the cost and funding for the position over a four-year period required for the grant. Board members expressed their support to assist the schools and the efforts taken by the Sheriff’s Department to come up with options to provide for the replacement of the vacant deputy position, however, the tight timeline for applying for the grant and lack of a solid plan makes it difficult for the Board to support, especially with continued messages from county affiliations and state representatives that the State will be facing a $600 million to $1 billion deficit going into their FY 06/07 budget next year and the impact this will have on the county aides. The Board supported continued efforts by the Department to find means to fund the vacant position. The Board took no action on the request to apply for a COPS Grant.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Brian Nelson informed the Board he had a signed purchase agreement in hand to purchase the Kirvan property and as the new owner, wants to work with the County to get the site cleaned up. He intends to start immediately taking tire loads off the site for disposal and will continue to do so as he can afford to dispose of them. The purchase is scheduled to close on June 1, 2004. The Board stated that it is imperative the tires are cleaned off this site due to FAA concerns with the Airport and also because of the public safety issue should the site ever catch fire and the tires burn. The County Attorney stated that if in fact there is going to be a new owner, the matter could be deferred back to the Public Health Nuisance Committee to review clean up terms with the new owner but that this review should not occur until the Committee is assured the purchase of the property went through. With the closing to occur on June 1, 2004, the Committee could meet and provide a recommendation to the Board no later than Tuesday, June 8.

2004/05-21 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee directing the Public Health Nuisance Committee to set a special meeting to meet with the new owner of the Kirvan property to decide a site clean up plan taking into consideration the urgency due to the FAA and public health concerns and with meeting contingent on verification that the final sale went through and to provide a recommendation to the County Board by the June 8, 2004 meeting. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Chezick, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Board reconvened the second hearing on the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project at 1:30 p.m. in the third floor courtroom. The full board was in attendance for the meeting and written and video records of the hearing are on file in the Environmental Service Department. The Board Chair stated the decision on the project will be made by the County Board at their May 18, 2004 meeting and adjourned the hearing at 3:55 p.m.

2004/05-22 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson deferring a decision on the proposed Jackfish Bay Sewer Project to the May 18, 2004 Board meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, Chezick, Lepper; absent for vote: Pavleck, Adee. Motion carried.

2004/05-23 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to adjourn the meeting at 4:00 p.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Chezick, Lepper; absent for vote: Pavleck, Adee. Motion carried.