REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, October 4, 2005; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Darren Baumchen, Duane Nelson, John Mastin, Jaci Nagle, Doug Grindall, Jerry Shermoen, Richard Lehtinen, Chad Belanger, Rod Otterness, Myron Peterson, Dennis Kennedy, Robert Thompson, Bruce LaVigne; Reporters Roger Jerome and Mike Freeman

2005/10-01 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-02 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes from the September 27, 2005 special meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $30,419.21, to approve payment of the monthly County Board expense claims in the amount of $8,637.46, to approve payment to Flaherty & Hood in the amount of $632.50 for August lobbying services and to approve payment of the Health Department claims in the amount of $18,908.51 (approval missed on the 9/27 agenda). Payment detail on file in the Auditor/Treasurer Department and Health Department. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-04 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve a service agreement with Flaherty & Hood covering legislative services through December 31, 2005 with a cost not to exceed $5,000 for assisting the County with a capital budget request for a plasma gasification clean center project. Amount is within the 2005 Legislative Budget. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair directed the County Management Committee to represent the County Board in finding resolution for providing fire protection services to the area currently serviced by the Rural Fire Protection Association due to a letter received by the City of International Falls giving notice that the current fire protection agreement with the Rural Fire Association is terminated on April 1, 2006 and expressing their intent to negotiate a new contract.

2005/10-05 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve a Snowmobile
Safety Enforcement Grant Agreement between Koochiching County and the State of
Minnesota - Commissioner of Natural Resources for the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007 for $4,808 each year as recommended by the Sheriff and further, authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to said Grant Agreement. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-06 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve a regional eleven-county grant agreement with Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the purpose of regional response capacity development for a total grant amount of $500,000 with no required match to provide for RACES amateur radios, Cyber security, miscellaneous control equipment and hiring of a consultant to assess and recommend the system development. Saint Louis County will act as the fiscal agent for the grant. Motion further authorizes the Board Chair’s signature to said Grant Agreement. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-07 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Highway Engineer to call for bids for a tandem axle dump truck with plow, wing and sander contingent on the final 2006 budget set for the Highway Department to fund this equipment purchase. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Attorney Jerry Shermoen representing P&H Land Company submitted a request to open a portion of a road established by a July 14, 1906 Town Order with the road being adjacent to Dark Lake near Gemmell, Minnesota (commences at the southeast corner of Government Lot 8, Section 27, Township 152, Range 27 then running east along the south section line of Sections 27 and 26 to its intersection with CSAH 25). The request would have the property owner opening and maintaining the road and would remain a public access. Board members inquired as to whether the adjacent property owners were made aware of this plan. Attorney Shermoen stated that no contact was made with adjoining property owners but that they are willing to work with them. The Board agreed that further information was needed as to whether this is a public access before the Board can further consider the request.

2005/10-08 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to table action on a request to open a portion of a road established by a July 14, 1906 Town Order with the road being adjacent to Dark Lake near Gemmell, Minnesota until further information is provided through legal review as to whether it is an established public access. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director informed the Board that the Solid Waste Advisory Committee met last night to review the proposal from the Covenant Church for the Forty-Day City-Wide Clean-Up Program. The Committee reviewed concerns raised on disposal cost and staffing the transfer station during this forty-day clean up effort and that the level of concern is dependent on the type of garbage items that would be collected. The Advisory Committee did not have a recommendation for the County Board as the group agreed that due to the short timeline for putting something together this year, the program would be scaled back A Church representative informed the Board that they decided to scale down the program to a leaf/yard waste collection for this year and spend more time reviewing options for future clean up programs. During this time they would also pick up donated food items for the Food Shelf. The City of International Falls Administrator stated that the City would be supportive of contributing to the cost of adding extra staff at the Transfer Station for the leaf/yard waste collection. The Environmental Service Director will handle the details of providing for the yard waste collection at the Transfer Station.

2005/10-09 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to approve a service agreement with Environmental Financial Group with a cost not to exceed $5,720 to develop final financial planning and management for the Jackfish Sewer Project as recommended by the Environmental Service Director and County Coordinator. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair opened a public hearing at 11:00 a.m. for the purpose of receiving objections to modifications made to the May 23, 2005 final assessment roll for the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project. Modifications to the final roll involved additions and deletions due to error, adopted guest cabin policy, new construction guidelines and other determined property status changes. The Environmental Service Director presented the Board with objections and/or comments received prior to the hearing: (1) Parcel # 15-25-00810 - Charlene Erickson submitted a written objection to the assessment for 2 dwellings and requested her property be by-passed completely as she can not afford the sewer. She stated that she does not rent out the cabins on her property and therefore should not be assessed for them. The Environmental Service Director would recommend the removal of 1 dwelling assessment contingent on the cabins not being rented out. (2) Parcel #15-65-00070 - Fred Den’s island property was considered in the sewer project as a serviceable property for future purposes. The final assessment roll did not assess this property but after further review, it was determined that this island parcel was no more complex to hook up to sewer than a mainland property and therefore will be added to the assessment roll for 1 dwelling unit. (3) James Bradburn requested information on what had to be done to establish a dwelling to be added to the assessment roll. The Environmental Service Director did not have information as to a status change on this parcel for the meeting but would present a determination at the time final action is taken on the assessment roll. The Board Chair opened the hearing for oral objections: (4) Myron Peterson asked if he was on the list. It was confirmed he was. He had no objection just wanted to know if he was on the list. (5) Dennis Kennedy for Camping & Education Foundation property, Parcel #15-34-12000, requested 1 dwelling unit for the property and inquired on what had to be established for a dwelling to qualify for the assessment. There was a dwelling on the property as of January 1, 2005 which is the tax assessment date but recently the dwelling was taken down. However, they intend to have a new dwelling on the property by the January 1, 2006 assessment date. It was agreed to retain the property on the final roll with the assessment changed from 1 vacant unit to 1 dwelling unit. (6) Robert Thompson, Parcel #15-65-00470, applied for a building permit and requested to be added to the assessment roll for 1 dwelling as will have a dwelling structure established. It was agreed to add this parcel to the final roll for 1 dwelling unit. (7) Bruce LaVigne, Parcel 15-26-00800, raised concern with creating a shortage of resources for those being forced to establish a dwelling in a short period of time to qualify for the sewer assessment and asked for clarification on what had to be established to qualify for an assessment. In addition, he questioned the property owner name for this parcel on the assessment roll. The Environmental Service Director stated that it is the current property owner in the tax system. It was agreed the property owner name for this parcel would be rectified for the final list. With no other objections, the Board Chair closed the hearing at 11:34 a.m.

2005/10-10 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to table action to adopt the final assessment roll for the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project until Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at which time all modification recommendations would be presented. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:35 a.m. No comment was presented.

2005/10-11 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:35 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs; absent for vote: Pavleck. Motion carried.