REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, November 15, 2005; 9:55 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Einar Sundin, Ann Scholler, Barry Woods, Marty Cody, Richard Lehtinen, Carl Brown, Duane Nelson, Doug Grindall, Dan McCarthy, Mayor David Trompeter; Reporters Laurel Beager and Roger Jerome

2005/11-12 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-13 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the minutes from the November 1, 2005 regular meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was notified of the following temporary hires in the Public Health Department under the temporary plan for providing home care services due to the closure of Interim Health Services with tentative hiring dates of November 1, 2005: Home Health Aides – Sally Brown, Bobbi Jo Ellen Kaminski; LPNs – Jennifer Judy, Jessica Kubat, Melanie Klemetsen; Public Health Nurse – Sharon Obermaier.

2005/11-14 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee that as fiscal agent, to approve payment of $3,000.00 to E. Del Smith and Company, Inc. for lobbying services for the period of July through September, 2005 for the Highway 53 Task Force with the cost shared equally by the County and City of International Falls and with further cost sharing pending decisions by the City of Virginia and St. Louis County as to whether they will continue to cost share lobbying service for the Highway 53 Four-Lane Project. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-15 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee approving a zero (0%) percent increase for the Koochiching County Board’s salary and per diem rate for 2006. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-16 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s October vendor payment listing verifying its review, to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $33,267.48 and to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler for personnel legal service in the amount of $4,491.40. Payment detail on file in the Auditor/Treasurer Department. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-17 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs that due to the timeline of the Courthouse Cornerstone Project being moved to 2006, to adjust the 2005 County Budget removing the $25,000 Cornerstone Budget and deferring the balance to the 2006 County Budget for said project. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-18 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper accepting the recommendation of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority to appoint Marlys Hanson of Mizpah, MN to fill the vacant Board position due to the retirement of John Siats of Mizpah, MN. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-19 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Coordinator to request bids for the County’s 2006 publications as required in MN Statute. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Barry Woods local resident, business owner and congressional candidate met with the Board to view his concerns with further restrictions by the National Park Service for uses in Voyageurs National Park and about a particular incident involving a local fishing guide and a Park Ranger in which he will pursue a request to federal delegates to have investigated. He requested the Board support a resolution requesting State and public officials to protect the rights of Minnesota residents to navigate and recreate on state owned waters in and around Voyageurs National Park as required by Minnesota Statute 84B.061. He believes the only way to protect the local citizens and economy with decisions made by National Park Service for Voyageurs National Park is to have say through water jurisdiction.

000 The Board was informed that Susie Sohlman was hired as a B23 County Appraiser with a starting date of December 1, 2005.

2005/11-20 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Assessor to fill the vacant Assessor Clerk position due to the promotion of the current employee. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-21 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Planning Commission to deny a CUP #0506 for Joseph and Linda Carlson for a seasonal big game guided hunting service due to the applicant withdrawing their application. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-22 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee approving the membership application with North Star Electric Cooperative to provide electric service to the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project’s storage tank and authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to said application and further, authorizing the Environmental Service Director to approve further applications with power providers to service electricity to six of the system’s lift stations. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director read a thank you to the Board from a resident in the Jackfish Bay Sewer area for their work in establishing sewer for the area. The Director informed the Board that the Jackfish Sewer Project Committee will be hosting a public meeting on November 29, 2005 t 6:30 p.m. to provide information and update the public on the sewer project.

000 Carl Brown, business owner, submitted a request to the Board to allow his business to serve liquor until 2:00 a.m. His establishment is not open every day of the week and sometimes is rented for private events. However, on nights when he operates as a bar, his busiest times are after 10:00 p.m. when the dance crowd comes and he would like to be able to keep open until 2:00 p.m. to help sustain his business. Information was provided the Board that under Minnesota Statute establishments can serve alcohol until 2:00 a.m. but approval would have to come through a change in County Ordinance and thereafter each liquor establishment would have to apply for a special license to serve liquor until 2:00 a.m. The Board agreed to defer the matter to its License Committee for further review and recommendation and to include further review with Mr. Brown.

000 The Sheriff and Assistant Auditor informed the Board that it was confirmed that sales tax was not owed on the communication equipment purchased under a Homeland Security Grant as earlier reported on the written information to the Board. However, the issue of three change orders in the amount of $3,195 needs Board consideration. The Board motion authorizing the Homeland Security Grant for this equipment was approved with no County cash match. However, with the change orders required to adequately install the system, there is a cost to the County. The Sheriff stated that this cost can be covered in his 2006 Department Budget and that he will work to find additional grant funds to cover this cost in the end. The request to the Board is to amend Board Motion 2005/05-34 removing the no cash match to the County in the approval of the Homeland Security Grant and approving payment of the change orders.

2005/11-23 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs amending Board Motion 2005/05-34 removing no cash match to the County in approving of the Homeland Security Grant for communications equipment and further, to authorize payment in the amount of $3,195 from the 2005 Sheriff Budget to cover three change orders in installing the communication system and further, that any further change orders requires that funding is secured before authorizing the work. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-24 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adopt the Koochiching County Emergency Management Plan as presented and recommended by the County Sheriff. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2005/11-25 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee that at the request of the Northome School District, to donate four 12” diameter by 12’ long metal culverts for their trail project at an approximate value of $250 as recommended by the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer requested the Board to set a public informational meeting to review the proposed plan for future road projects as presented (Lindford Bridge and approaches, CSAH 8 Bridge, Rainy Lake Houseboat Road, Airport Road, Gravel Portion of County Road 77, Both ends of CSAH 75, East End of CSAH 94). Board directed the Highway Engineer to work with the Coordinator in setting a time during one of the Board meetings for January 2006 and to send notification to property owners whose property would adjoin said projects.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Dan McCarthy asked the date that the 2006 County Budget would be adopted. The Coordinator stated that it would be in December and tentatively there are two Board meeting dates in December, December 13 or December 20, and that it would occur on one of these two dates. No other comment was presented.

000 Commissioners Pavleck and Briggs reported on the City of International Falls proposal for servicing rural fire protection. They propose a three year contract with $75,000 for 2006, $125,000 for 2007 and $150,000 for 2008, and this proposal eliminates the Rural Fire Protection Association in providing service. Commissioner Pavleck stated that he could not recommend the proposal as he feels the cost is too high and timelines are unacceptable. The City will officially ratify the proposal at its November 21, 2005 meeting and then the Rural Fire Association will meet to decide its position on the proposal. At that point the Management Committee will hold a meeting to decide a direction for providing rural fire service. Simultaneously the LEC Agreement is up for renewal with the City and is something the Management Committee will be reviewing for a renewal recommendation.

2005/11- 26 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.