REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, November 16, 2004; 10:10 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper

MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Chezick (attendance recorded until acceptance of his resignation by the County Board)

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Jaci Nagle, Jerry Andre, Don Langen, Duane Nelson, Susan Congrave, Marty Cody, Richard Lehtinen, Jack Bergstedt; Reporters Roger Jerome, Jen O’Reily and Laurel Beager

2004/11-14 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-15 Motion by Adee, seconded by Hanson to approve the minutes of the November 2, 2004 regular meeting. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-16 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Insurance Committee for the 2005 health plan renewal with the NE Cooperative with the health plan to remain at a $500 deductible with $1,000 out of pocket for single coverage and $1,000 deductible for family with $2,000 out of pocket for family coverage with a wellness benefit of $250 for each covered person, with a three-tier drug co-pay plan and with Blue Cross/Blue Shield to remain the insurance provider. Contract is for twelve months beginning 1/1/05 and ending 12/31/05 with rates at $306 for single and $817 for family with the Health Account to pay the amount over the employer family cap (cap at $810). Further, to renew the Flexible Spending Plan with MII Life Select Account through the NE Cooperative under the same twelve month period as the Health Plan. Employer and employee will continue paying the current participation fee for the Flexible Spending Plan. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-17 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $146,085.35, to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $95,062.56, to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler in the amount of $148.00 for legal services with payment from the Administration Budget and authorizing Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s October vendor payment listing verifying its review. Payment detail is on file in the respective departments. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-18 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve 2005 Forestland Leases for Community Service, Public Health, Falls Hunger Coalition, AEOA and ODC with no change in terms or rates from 2004. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-19 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson authorizing the Board Chair to reappoint a Board member to the Water Quality Cooperative Project due to the absence of Commissioner Chezick. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried. (Board Chair appointed Commissioner Adee.)

2004/11-20 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee appointing the following officials as voting delegates in the Association of Minnesota Counties: Auditor/Treasurer Robert Peterson, Community Services Director Terry Murray, Engineer Douglas Grindall, County Commissioners Wade Pavleck, Kevin Adee, Mike Hanson, Charles Lepper and Kallie Briggs upon taking of office. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-21 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing expenditure of up to $2,500 from the 2004 Land and Forestry Budget to replace a laptop for the Land Commissioner as recommended by the I.S. Manager. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-22 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper reappointing Jerry Andre as the Veterans Service Officer for a four-year term effective December 1, 2004, per MN Statute 197.60. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-23 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper accepting the resignation of Larry Chezick as District 3 Commissioner and County Board member effective November 14, 2004 with acknowledgment of his years of service and dedication to the public of Koochiching County. Further, that under M.S. 375.101, Subd. 3, the County Board declares a vacancy in the Office of Commissioner District 3 and the County Board until January 3, 2005. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-24 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee that under M.S. 375.101, Subd. 3 it is the County Board’s intent to appoint Commissioner Elect Kallie Briggs to fill the vacancy in the Office of Commissioner District 3 and the County Board at its special meeting of November 23, 2004 with appointment terminating when the Commissioner Elect takes her elected term of Office as District 3 Commissioner and County Board member on January 3, 2005. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-25 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve a 2005 Snowmobile Safety Enforcement Grant Agreement between Koochiching County and the State of Minnesota - Commissioner of Natural Resources in the amount of $4,807.68 and authorizing the Sheriff and Board Chair to sign the Grant Agreement. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-26 Motion by Adee, seconded by Hanson to approve a Joint Powers Mutual Aid Agreement between the Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake of the Woods County Sheriff’s Office as recommended by the Sheriff. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Sheriff, Health Director and Assessor presented a draft ordinance for the purpose of cleaning up Meth Lab sites and seeking reimbursement from a State superfund for cleanup cost incurred. The ordinance was drafted with input from the Health Director, Assessor, Environmental Service Director and County Attorney. Due to potentially high cost in cleaning up a Meth Lab site, questions were raised on whether the ordinance should have the County responsible for meth lab clean up in the City of International Falls and what amount of funding can a county or city expect from the State superfund. The Sheriff agreed to bring back more information on these issues.

2004/11-27 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of $10,155.65 to Attorney Steven Shermoen for legal work on the Jackfish Bay Sewer easements with cost included in the sewer construction planning. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-28 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee approving payment of $12,520.00 to MN Title and Abstract Company to gather legal descriptions for all parcels in the Jackfish Bay sewer area, needed to prepare for the required assessment process. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-29 Motion by Hanson, seconded as Adee accepting the recommendation of the Environmental Service Director to award the following canister site contracts: Norman Achin for Big Falls, Phyllis Kramer for Birchdale, Tom Grotberg for Littlefork, Eli Story for Loman, Darwin Troy for Mizpah, Joe Jessop for Ray and Sharon Knox for Silverdale. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-30 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper supporting 2002/11-37 authorizing the Environmental Service Department to pay canister site attendant contractors a signing sum of money to be deducted from their total contract amount as determined by the Environmental Service Director for up front costs. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-31 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee accepting the Environmental Service Director’s recommendation awarding the canister site hauling contract to Jim’s Disposal Service for Big Falls, Birchdale, Littlefork, Loman, Mizpah, and Ray (Silverdale area is handled by Udovich Services, only provider in that area). Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

2004/11-32 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper approving a grant agreement between the MN Public Facilities Authority and Koochiching County for the sum of $3,750,000 from the Wastewater Infrastructure Fund for construction of a wastewater pressure transmission system to serve the Jackfish Bay area, as identified by Koochiching County with the term of the agreement from November 4, 2004 to November 4, 2007. Motion further authorizes the Board Chair and County Coordinator to sign the Grant Agreement on behalf of Koochiching County. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Jack Bergstedt stated his position that the County should not provide financial support for repairing the AB/Backus building as there are many County services needing funding. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment.

2004/11-33 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 a.m. Voting yes: Pavleck, Adee, Hanson, Lepper. Motion carried.