REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, March 01, 2005; 10:30 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs

MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Pavleck

OTHERS ATTENDING: Ann Scholler, Doug Grindall, Richard Lehtinen, Barry Woods, Phil Paulbeck, Chad Bishop, Terry Glowack; Reporters Laurel Beager and Mike Freeman

2005/03-01 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-02 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the minutes from the February 22, 2005 special meeting with correction. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler for January personnel legal services in the amount of $1,737.50 with payment from the 2005 Administration Budget and to approve payment of the County Board’s monthly expense claims in the amount of $7,484.42. Payment detail on file in the Auditor/Treasurer Department. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-04 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve revised County/Club Trail Agreements with Voyageurs Snowmobile Club and Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club for County sponsored trails under the State Trail Grant-In-Aid Program and further, to authorize the Board Chair’s signatures to said Agreements. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-05 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing the following 2005 Budget Adjustment: transfer $2,000 from the 2005 Budget Contingency to the 2005 Audit Budget to cover additional audit expense in 2005 to review department financial accounts for recommendation on better management of County financial activity and further, to authorize expenditure up to $2,000 for this additional audit service. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-06 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing the following 2005 Budget Adjustment: transfer $3,000 from 01-200.6291 to 01-805.6350 to cover the budget balance needed for the airboat insurance premium and to approve payment of the $4,450 airboat insurance premium from the 2005 General Insurance Budget. For future budget purposes, staff will determine if other funding sources such as the Boat and Water Grant could cover the insurance expenditure. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-07 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Board Chair to send a letter to the Koochiching Housing and Development Authority stating that a representative on their Board be designated for the International Falls area and suggesting that such designation and appointment for the International Falls area be established with the board term expiring on March 1, 2006 in which a second position for the City of Littlefork is represented. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-08 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs that due to the questions raised on the County Hiring Policy and validity of the policy and procedure for the hire of the transfer station operator, to defer a review of the policy and hiring process to the Personnel Committee for review with a report back to the Board with or without recommendations. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-09 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing County Board members’ attendance to the Koochiching County Economic Summit on March 5, 2005 at Rainy River Community College starting at 1:00 p.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-10 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing County Board members’ attendance to a meeting hosted by the Lake of the Woods County Board on March 7, 2005 in Baudette at 7:00 p.m. to discuss strategic planning to maintain and improve access to public lands. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-11 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs authorizing the County Board’s attendance to a woods tour hosted by the County Land and Forestry Department for March 21, 2004. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-12 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing the Highway Engineer to call for bids for SAP 36-617-05 for grading and aggregate base on CSAH 17 with a bid opening of April 4, 2005 and results to the County Board on April 5, 2005. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-13 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to table a complaint from the Highway Union on the hire of the Transfer Station Operator until a later date. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2005/03-14 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing Board Chair’s signature to a letter to the Office of Administrative Hearings from the Koochiching County Board opposing the proposed rule changes on recreational trails as presented by the Environmental Quality Board. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Barry Woods stated concern with property valuation disparities in the County and asked the Board to review current and future assessing plans to see what can be done to resolve valuation disparities and secondly, he wanted the Board to know how important the economic summit for March 5 is to this county’s economy and culture and will encourage public attendance. Phil Paulbeck stated concern with the increasing restriction of access to public land and is in a situation where access to his privately owned land, which is bordered by public land, is threatened. Mr. Paulbeck felt that access to public land needs to be established, not restricted and supports the County Board’s position to oppose the restriction of recreational trails and access to public lands. Chad Bishop addressed the Board with his concern on the process used in hiring the transfer station operator. As an applicant for the position and a seven year part time employee for the County he does not understand based on the point system and other hiring criteria why he was not hired. He is frustrated as he has been passed up four times for County positions yet he is told he is doing a good job and is a good employee and is supported by his union. If the hiring was done fair and square he has no issue but no one will tell him why he was not hired. Mr. Bishop presented an open letter to the County Commissioners questioning the hire under the County’s Hiring Policy and a list of 43 signatures supporting Mr. Bishop. The Board informed Mr. Bishop that earlier in the morning the Board deferred review of the County’s Hiring Policy and procedure used for the hire of the transfer station operator to its Personnel Committee for review. Mr. Bishop stated his appreciation to the Board for having the matter reviewed. Terry Glowack presented a request from the County Historical Society Director for the County Board to submit a letter as past recipient of State Historical Grants to encourage the legislature to fund the State Capital County and Local Historic Preservation Grants Program. The Board agreed to put this on their agenda for the March 8, 2005 meeting. No other comment was presented.

2005/03-15 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:50 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.