SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, October 25, 2005; 10:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Doug Grindall, Terry Murray, Dan McCarthy, Jack Walls, Einar Sundin, Dennis Martin, Roberta Museta, Susan Congrave, Nancy Lee Schafer, Becky Larsen-Griffin, Daren Bucklin, Norma Kratz; Reporters Laurel Beager, Roger Jerome and Mike Freeman

2005/10-44 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-45 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the minutes from the October 18, 2005 regular meeting with correction. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-46 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Health claims in the amount of $33,101.61 and 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 Health and Community Services Departments. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-47 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve 2006 Forestland Leases with Community Services Department, Health Department, Falls Hunger Coalition, Occupational Development Center and Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency with no change in terms or rates from 2005 as recommended by the Coordinator. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 In referencing a citizen petition filed with the County Board on October 18, 2005 opposing County Road 107 as a County State Aid Highway, the District Commissioner stated he is withdrawing his support for this road project, even though he believes the proposal will benefit the property owners. The petition submitted represents all but 2 property owners on the road, demonstrating a strong majority not wanting this project. The Highway Engineer stated that his job is to build roads and ensure a good county road system. County Road 107 was proposed for CSAH upgrade to improve the road using State and Federal aid. Without CSAH designation, road improvement will be funded by County dollars. The Highway Engineer understands property owners not wanting road upgrades due to the impacts to their property and increased traffic and speed, but roads are an important development infrastructure and when state and federal dollars are afforded to improve and/or create roads, the County should not pass up the opportunity. The Engineer stated that the federal funds approved for the 4 county road projects, including County Road 107, have to be used as allocated but that the County has up to five years to expend the funds. The Engineer and County Board agreed that rather than drop the County Road 107 project, it would be better to wait a few years and revisit the project to see if there is a change of heart with property owners and see what transpires with the road.

000 The Community Service Director requested authorization and funding from the Board to establish a Fuel Guarantee Program for the 2005/2006 heating season due to the anticipated high heating fuel prices. The program would guarantee heating fuel vendors payment to fill tanks but that Kootasca would actually pay the bill through fuel assistance funding. The concern, however, is that Kootasca is not expecting an increase in fuel assistance funding even though all predictions have heating prices skyrocketing. For this reason, the Director is requesting a funding reserve to make good on guarantees if Kootasca can not cover the payment. The Department has five emergency assistance programs that can assist with heating costs but these programs are limited to only those who qualify under these programs. Natural gas companies can not turn off heat for non-payment after a certain date but fuel oil and propane companies are not under this mandate and do not have to fill tanks. The Director and Board discussed how more of the public will be struggling with heating bills if prices escalate as high as predicted. In other years, the County handled emergency fuel assistance on a case by case basis and income guidelines controlled who was eligible for the assistance. At this point, the Director and Board agreed that until they get into the winter heating season, it is difficult to predict how it will affect the public and what assistance can be provided. For that reason, the Director will provide monthly reports to the Board as a means to monitor the situation for any necessary action.

2005/10-48 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Community Service Director to establish a Fuel Guarantee Program for 2005 that would guarantee heating fuel vendors payment to provide fuel for eligible clients with Kootasca to pay the fuel bill through fuel assistance funding and further, authorizing the Director to establish a fund reserve of up to $10,000 for 2005 as a last pay resort should Kootasca not be able to cover the payment due to anticipated high fuel prices and not being provided increased fuel assistance funding. Further, the Community Service Director is to report monthly to the County Board as a means to monitor emergency fuel assistance needs through the 2005/2006 heating season. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-49 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve an addendum to the Occupational Development Center DT&H and Waivered Service Purchase Agreements for mandatory State rate increases as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-50 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to renew the AEOA SELF Service Agreement as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-51 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve the Occupational Development Center DT&H Application for need determination of services for adjustment of their transportation rate as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-52 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to approve payment of the following burial case payments: case #380369 in the amount of $1,896.00, case #NCN in the amount of $2,992.25, case #NCN in the amount of $1,682.60, case #NCN in the amount of $2,162.25, case #213490 in the amount of $1,803.00 and case #473874 in the amount of $1,946.50. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Community Service Director informed the Board that the line item budget for burials, paid by county dollars, is over budget at this time by $2,000 and that more burial payments are forthcoming. This burial is mandatory under State law with cost controlled by County policy. The Board requested a copy of the policy to review as it had been some time since the Board reviewed the policy. In response to the Board’s question as to whether out of home placement cost is for placements only, the Director confirmed it was. The need to place children has dramatically increased and there are not enough foster homes to accommodate the current need. The Department continues to work to meet service needs and control costs where they can.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:36 a.m. Dan McCarthy addressed the Board stating that the Board meetings need to be better communicated for the public in attendance as what is being said at the table can not be heard in the room. He then stated his concern with the high cost of burials, out of home placement and legal service for child support and commitments and that strong consideration needs to be given to manage these costs better. Einar Sundin in reference to the County Road 107 project, stated disbelief that people would turn down federal and state dollars to improve their roads. He has lived through times when roads were dirt and that people today do not understand how import a good road system is. Jack Walls agreed with Mr. McCarthy that those in attendance for meetings can not hear what is being said at the Board table and the Board needs to do what is needed to ensure people can hear the meeting. In addition, he agreed with Mr. Sundin that we need to have a good road system and too did not understand why people would turn down state and federal dollars to improve their road. With no further comment, the Board Chair closed public comment.

000 A representative from the MN DNR Mineral Division, met with the Board to provide background on today’s mineral exploration in Minnesota and to provide information on an upcoming mineral lease sale. He provided the following to demonstrate current prices of metallic minerals: platinum is $926 an ounce, gold is $463 an ounce, copper is $1.92 a pound, nickel is over $6.00 per pound. About two years ago China became a great purchaser of metallic minerals and as a result, metallic mineral exploration in the United States increased. A notice will be coming out soon informing the public of a competitive mineral lease bid sale in January, 2006 with several sites established in Koochiching County, with anticipated interest in the sites located in the northwest portion of the County. Companies today are looking for mines in solid bedrock, which is why there is interest in Koochiching County. Companies having a mineral lease pay annually a rental fee regardless if they mine. When the site is mined, the company then pays royalties. Annually, a portion of this State revenue is apportioned back to the county where the site is located. The representative provided samples of drill cores for some of the metallic minerals found in the State and informed the Board that Hibbing has a library for exploration which houses metallic mineral drill cores which records metallic deposits from all over the State. All leases require the company furnish a drill core from their site. The Board thanked the representative for the informative session on mineral mining and for the update on the upcoming mineral lease sale.

000 At the request of the Board, the Health Director presented a plan for the County Health Department to fill the gap for clients needing home care services due to the closure of Interim, which will discontinue services on November 10, 2005. It is estimated at this time 4 current clients will be transferred to the County for home care service. The Director presented a temporary plan for the County to step in and provide home care services, including a request for temporary hires. At the direction of the Board, the Board Chair opened the meeting to hear from Falls Good Samaritan Administrator as to their plan to provide home care services. Though a final decision from Falls Good Samaritan Corporate will be made by November 23, 2005, the Administrator felt comfortable enough to lay out their plan. First he informed the Board that though he would be leaving his position at the end of November, another administrator would be on board in December and stated that this change should not impact their home care plan. If approved by cooperate, their plan would shoot for hiring a home care director in December and begin taking clients in January, 2006. The plan is pending Medicare certification which requires they have at least 10 eligible clients and then it takes two to three months to go through the certification process. When asked by the Board as to when he felt the plan would be fully operational, the administrator thought by the end of Quarter 1, 2006. The Board then asked the owner of River Oaks Home Care Agency for an update. She stated the agency is very busy, adding staff as new clients come from the closure of Interim. On November 3rd the agency will begin tele-health which puts electronic units in homes to monitor clients’ daily needs. When asked, she stated her agency covers all of Koochiching County, Kabetogama and Orr. She stated that in private business, they need to be able to operate their business and for this reason, they do hold the right to reject clients. For example, personal care attendant services have a very low reimbursement rate so serving clients a far distance away becomes an issue. (Skilled care is a different situation as the reimbursement rate is better.) The Agency does what it can and works with the family to provide options. In requesting other public comment, Norma Kratz stated that it is important that the County Health Department retain is Medicare certification.

2005/10-53 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve a temporary plan to allow the County Health Department to step in and provide home care service to clients left without service due to the closure of Interim Health Services, estimating 4 clients to be transferred to the County’s home care program and further, authorizing temporary hires for 2005 with a hire date of November 7, 2005 for up to 5 home health aides, 4 LPNs and 1 Public Health Nurse under the County’s Temporary Hire Policy and Procedures with the Health Director and Coordinator to determine rates of pay under the Temporary Hire Policy and further, that continuation of the temporary service plan into 2006 will need to come back to the Board for approval. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/10-54 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve a contract with Lifeway Service, LCC as recommended by the Health Director for personal care attendant fiscal intermediary services for home care clients eligible for community waiver dollars with a contract period of one year and with the contract to be reviewed by the County Attorney. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director presented further information to the Board on home care planning for the County including the Health Department becoming a choice as a home health care provider to assure two choices are available to clients due to there only being one home care service choice at this time and to retain this clientele. The Director stated this would not impact the number of hires requested under the temporary plan. The Board’s position is that the County Health Department under the temporary health care provider plan can take clients as a second provider. The Board wanted to keep everything temporary at this time until they can better see the long term outcome.

2005/10-55 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 3:05 p.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.