SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, February 14, 2006; 10:00 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: John Mastin, Ann Scholler, Susan Congrave, Doug Grindall, Mardi Harder, Jan Derdowski, Dan Olson, Richard Lehtinen, Mark Trompeter, Dan McCarthy, Pete Schultz; Reporters Laurel Beager, Shawn Gilmore and Jerry Franzen

2006/02-28 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-29 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes of the February 7, 2006 regular meeting. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-30 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor/Treasurer January 2006 vendor payment listing verifying its review, to approve payment of the Auditor/Treasurer claims in the amount of $65,686.30 and to approve payment to Attorney Lyndon Larsen for January 2006 contracted legal services with payment from the County Attorney’s Budget in the amount of $5,491.45. Payment detail on file in the Auditor/Treasurer Department. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-31 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to approve a 2006 Lobbying Service Agreement with Flaherty and Hood with a cost not to exceed $20,000, effective February 7, 2006 and authorizing Board Chair’s signature to said Agreement. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received information on a proposal for a ten-year program to provide affordable enhancement of Minnesota Waters under the Clean Rivers and Waters Legacy Initiative.

2006/02-32 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson authorizing Board members’ attendance to the annual Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Legislative Session in Minneapolis on March 2, 2006 at the invite of the Chamber of Commerce and with Board members to RSVP by the end of the week. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-33 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper that under the County’s Petty Cash Policy to recognize Undersheriff John Mastin as the Sheriff petty cash custodian, to eliminate the current Sheriff $500.00 petty cash, transferring funds with exception of $100.00 to General Revenue Fund, and re-establishing the Sheriff petty cash account at $100.00. Further, to set Guard fees for transports at a rate of $25.00 per trip under MN Statute 631.412 which directs the Sheriff to provide transferees with a custodial escort of the same sex as the transferee. (Previously, guard fees were paid from the Sheriff petty cash; for IRS 1099 purposes, these fees should be paid by a County Warrant). Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Representatives of the County’s License Committee provided the Board additional information on whether parameters could be implemented in the County’s Liquor License Ordinance to further control establishments serving until 2:00 a.m., over what the law would control. In review of the new law to allow serving alcohol until 2:00 a.m., the County can not place additional limits to determine which liquor establishments qualify or require the establishment to stop serving alcohol at 1:00 a.m., staying open until 2:00 a.m. The 2:00 a.m. serving time is clear in law. The question for the County Board is whether they want to revise the Ordinance and allow 2:00 a.m. serving time for all the establishments serving liquor in the County, excluding establishments governed by a City ordinance. The Board members requested a copy of the County’s Ordinance and would like to see samples of other city and county ordinances that have allowed serving until 2:00 a.m.

2006/02-34 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to table action on revision of the County’s Liquor License Ordinance to allow time to the County License Committee to draft a revision of the County Ordinance for 2:00 a.m. serving after reviewing other city and county ordinances that have allowed the 2:00 a.m. serving time and to bring back a draft ordinance to the Board for further consideration. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer presented the bid results for Highway and Land and Forest Department and Car Pool vehicles as recommended and authorized at the January 17, 2006 Board meeting. The low bid for the three pickups is with Sheridan Motors. With regards to the two six-passenger car bids, low bid would be with Wherley Motors, noting that Wherley Motors bid a Ford Taurus and Sheridan’s bid an Impala with a bid price difference of $6,072. Commissioner Briggs stated that the Health Department expressed a need for a vehicle to transport supplies and wondered if one of the cars should be replaced with a van. Commissioner Pavleck stated that not long ago he was informed that the Car Pool has a van that is under utilized. The Highway Engineer informed the Board that the bid price for the Ford Taurus expires after February 16, 2006 so if the Board wanted to bid a van, they may want to consider purchasing one car at this time. The Health Director stated that vehicle safety, comfort, economy and trade in should all be weighed and she feels the Impala is the better vehicle. The Director handed the Board a comparison of the Taurus and the Impala.

2006/02-35 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to award low bid to Sheridan Motors for a Silverado F150 F12 Pickup at a price of $15,187 for the Highway Department, a Silverado F150 x14 Pickup at a price of $19,294 for the Assessor’s Department/Car Pool, and a Silverado F150 pickup at a price of $17,196 for the Land and Forestry Department. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-36 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to award low bid to Wherley Motors for two Ford Taurus SE at a bid price of $23,000 after trade in. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck; voting no: Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Extension Service Regional Coordinator and 4-H Regional Coordinator introduced Dan Olson, local 4-H Member, who was selected as one of the State 4-H Program Ambassadors. The representatives informed the Board that they were able to find a match to the County’s $5,000 challenge grant for the 4-H Program and therefore requested the additional $5,000 for the 4-H Program. The representatives reviewed a letter from the Center for 4-H Youth Development that provided the $5,000 to match the County’s challenge grant.

2006/02-37 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper appointing the following persons to the County Extension Committee: Lynn Belanger, Shirley Ettestad, Monty Saeland, Phyllis Karsnia, Linda Dreher. In addition the Auditor/Treasurer and two Commissioners serve on the Committee. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-38 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to reallocate $1,500 from the 2006 County Budget Contingency to the Extension Service Budget for paying Committee per diem and mileage under the County’s Citizen Committee Policy. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-39 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs authorizing payment of the $5,000 challenge grant to the 4-H Program based on receiving a matching grant from the Center for 4-H Youth Development and further, authorizing a reallocation of $5,000 from the 2006 County Budget Contingency to the Extension Service Budget for an additional $5,000 for the 4-H Program under a challenge grant. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/02-40 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the UOM Extension Services for 2006 County Funding for a Local 4-H Program. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director, at the request of the County Board, provided information on the membership and activity of the County Public Health Nuisance Committee, established under County Ordinance. The Board was informed that the Committee meets monthly but that in 2005 due to conflicts in members’ availability, it only met six times. Commissioner Pavleck requested the review as he wanted to know whether a Board member could serve on the Committee so there was a better connection to the Board on what is occurring. The Director stated that in his review of the Ordinance, there is nothing that would preclude a Board member from serving on the Committee.

2006/02-41 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck authorizing the Board Chair to appoint a Board member and alternate to the County Public Health Nuisance Committee, seeking volunteers first. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried. (The Board Chair appointed himself (Commissioner Adee) to serve on the Committee with Commissioner Briggs as an alternate.)

000 The Environmental Service Director provided the Board estimates on revising or creating a new County Zoning Ordinance based on preliminary information from 2 consultants who have background in zoning ordinances. The County Ordinance was created in 1975 and had one amendment when the City of Island View dissolved. The Planning Commission and the Department would like to see a recreation of the Ordinance to fold in the Sub Division Ordinance, the Land Use Plan and the number of Water Plans established for the County. The Director felt $45,000 was a good estimate assuming the work would first be done through Planning and Zoning and provided to the public thereafter for review and comment. The Coordinator stated that the agreement for this issue in preparing the 2006 County Budget was to wait until a cost was known and look first to see if set budget funds could be reallocated and if not, would look to add funds to the budget. Board members stated that since the estimates for service were not based on what the Planning Commission specifically wants, an RFP should be drafted by the Planning Commission and then seek professional service quotes.

2006/02-42 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Environmental Service Director and Planning Commission to spec out services for a new or revised County Zoning Ordinance based on their needs, draft a RFP and present it to the Board for review and further direction. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair opened public comment period at 11:50 a.m. Mark Trompeter informed the Board that a contractor for the sewer project began digging a hole in his driveway, scraping up his driveway and lawn. When he addressed the contractor as to what he was doing, he was informed that this was an established hole for the sewer and needed to be dug up. Mr. Trompeter stated that a disagreement ensued and he called law enforcement. He felt the contractor was out of line in dealing with him on this matter. He informed the Board that he hired an attorney and that the Board needs to obtain all the easements before any more work is done. Dan McCarthy questioned the Board’s position for not commenting during public comment period, thought there should be an outline of services through the County Attorney’s Office and questioned why the Board would proceed with a new Zoning Ordinance before ensuring the remonumentation of survey markers in the County are in order. CVB President Pete Schultz presented the Board a marketing tool for promoting tourism in Northern Minnesota and Koochiching County. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period at 12:00 p.m.

2006/02-43 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 12:00 p.m. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.