SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD
OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, September 27, 2005; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Terry Murray, Bob Peterson, Dennis Hummitzsch, John Mastin, Larry Connors, Rod Otterness, Dale Olson; Reporters Laurel Beager, Roger Jerome and Mike Freeman

2005/09-47 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-48 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the September 20, 2005 regular meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received notice of the temporary hire of Ken Lupelow on September 6, 2005 in the Highway Department.

2005/09-49 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve the employment separation of County Appraiser Joe Urban as of September 15, 2005. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-50 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adopt the following resolution for enrolling County employees in the Exempt Salary Employee Group in a Post Employment Health Care Savings Plan:

Whereas, it is the intent of the Koochiching County Board to adopt a policy for implementation of a Post Employment Health Care Savings Plan for Koochiching County Employees in the Exempt Salary Employee Group (hereinafter, the "Eligible Employees).

Further, that implementation of the Post Employment Health Care Savings Plan for eligible employees is effective upon Board approval and execution of documents with the Minnesota State Retirement System for enrolling said eligible employees. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-51 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee approving the appointment of Jenny Dougherty, Ron Opp and Jim Biersach to the Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors as recommended by the Bureau. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-52 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Board Chair to appoint a Board member to the County’s Centennial Committee at the request of the Historical Society. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried. (The Board Chair appointed the Board members on the County Management Committee to the Centennial Committee.)

2005/09-53 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve payment of Community Service Department’s financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented. Payment detail on file in the Community Services Department. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-54 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve an addendum to the AEOA Volunteer Driver Service Agreement for change in rates due to gas prices as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-55 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve payment of burial case #701021 in the amount of $1,641.50. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-56 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs accepting the following recommendations for Foster Day Care and Day Care Licensing: case #43662 relicensing for group family day care for ten children; case #11790 closing home for day care services as provider has obtained other employment; case #62407 licensing for foster care for two children. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-57 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to forgive delinquent personal property taxes on two hunting cabin leases per MN Statute 277.24 as uncollectible taxes as recommended by the Auditor/Treasurer as follows: tax parcel 17-99-02000 for a 2003 tax of $12.00 (total of $15.51 with penalty and interest) and tax parcel 24-99-02200 for 2001, 2002, 2003 taxes in the amount of $122.00 (total of $170.88 with penalty and interest). Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-58 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve a mutual easement agreement between Steve Horne and Koochiching County for an exchange of access for his private land and County tax forfeited land and that due to the benefit received by the County in this agreement, to waive the easement permit fee as recommended by the Land Commissioner and with all other easement policy requirements to apply. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/09-59 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs adopting the following resolutions recognizing the National Incident Management System in Koochiching County:

DESIGNATION OF THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
AS THE BASIS FOR ALL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT IN KOOCHICHING COUNTY:
WHEREAS, the President of the United States of America issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents by establishing a single, comprehensive national incident management system; and

WHEREAS, the President, in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, tasked the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop and administer a National Incident Management System; and

WHEREAS, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security developed and administered the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to provide for interoperability and compatibility among federal, state, and local capabilities, the NIMS will include: a core set of concepts, principles, terminology, and technologies covering the incident command system; multi–agency coordination systems; unified command; training; identification and management of resources (including systems for classifying types of resources); qualifications and certification; and the collection, tracking, and reporting of incident information and incident resources; and

WHEREAS, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty issued Executive Order 05-02: designation of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as the basis for all incident management in the State of Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, the collective input and guidance from all federal, state, local, and tribal homeland security partners has been, and will continue to be, vital to the development, effective implementation, and utilization of a comprehensive NIMS; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary and desirable that all Koochiching County agencies and personnel coordinate their efforts to effectively and efficiently provide the highest levels of incident management; and

WHEREAS, the NIMS standardized procedures for managing personnel, communications, facilities, and resources will improve the ability of Koochiching County to utilize federal funding to enhance local and state agency readiness, maintain first responder safety, and streamline incident management processes; and

WHEREAS, the Incident Command System components of the NIMS are already an integral part of various incident management activities throughout Koochiching County including current emergency management training programs; and

WHEREAS, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks (9-11 Commission) recommended adoption of a standardized Incident Command System; and

NOW, THEREFORE, we do hereby establish the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as the Koochiching County standard for incident management.

RESOLUTION BY KOOCHICHING COUNTY PROMOTING THE USE OF INTRASTATE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS:

WHEREAS, Chapter 12, Section 12.331 allows for Intrastate Mutual Aid, and directs timely assistance between jurisdictions as critical; and

WHEREAS, the possibility of the occurrence of natural and other disasters of major size and destructiveness exists and is increasing; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to ensure that preparations of Koochiching County will be adequate to deal with disasters; generally protect the public peace, health, and safety; and preserve the lives and property of the people of the state; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to provide for the rendering of mutual aid among the political subdivisions of the state and to cooperate with the federal government with respect to carrying out emergency management functions; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of Minnesota that all emergency response functions of this state be coordinated to the maximum extent with the comparable functions of the state government, including its various departments and agencies, of other states and localities, and of private agencies of every type, to the end that the most effective preparations and uses may be made of the state's labor supply, resources, and facilities for dealing with any disaster that may occur; and

WHEREAS, the director of each local organization for emergency management may, in collaboration with other public and private agencies within this state, develop or cause to be developed mutual aid arrangements for reciprocal emergency management aid and assistance in an emergency or disaster too great to be dealt with unassisted. These arrangements must be consistent with the local emergency operations plan and, in time of emergency, each local organization for emergency management and its members shall render assistance in accordance with the provisions of the mutual aid arrangements; and

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that Koochiching County promotes the efficiency and effectiveness of intrastate mutual aid by designating the Koochiching County Sheriff as the administrator who, exercising discretion and considering the needs of the political subdivision and its inhabitants, to dispatch equipment and personnel as considered necessary if a danger of fire, hazard, casualty, or another similar occurrence exists outside the political subdivision and by its suddenness it would be impractical for the governing body of Koochiching County itself to authorize the dispatch of equipment and personnel to combat that emergency or disaster.

Voting yes for adoption of said resolutions: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Larry Connors informed the Board that through their Church it was decided to give something back to the community and what was decided was a program called “Forty Days of Community” providing 40 days of clean up in the City of International Falls. However as the idea began to develop, the question of what would be done with all the garbage collected during this time period was raised, bringing up concerns of disposal cost and handling the large amount of garbage/materials that would be coming to the Transfer Station. The Solid Waste Technician informed the Board that the City of Northome did such a program recently producing a large amount of garbage, 250 tires and 50 appliances to dispose of. They were trucking materials for a week and the City picked up the cost for the disposal. Mr. Connors stated that his presence today was to inform the County of what they were thinking and as the next step they would meet with Solid Waste staff to resolve the disposal issues. The International Falls City Administrator stated that the City supports the program and due to the benefit to the City, they would work with the group to help resolve the disposal issues. The Board agreed that a meeting with Solid Waste staff would take place with a recommendation back to the Board on October 4, 2005.

2005/09-60 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to adjourn the meeting at 10:30 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.