SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, February 28, 2006; 9:30 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs

MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Pavleck (On County Business)

OTHERS ATTENDING: Doug Grindall, Richard Lehtinen, Ann Scholler, Terry Murray, Susan Congrave, Don Parmeter, Terry Stone, Bob Peterson, Einar Sundin, Dan McCarthy, John Mastin, Terry Glowack, Jack Walls; Reporter Laurel Beager and Jerry Franzen

2006/02-52 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-53 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Hanson to approve the minutes from the February 21, 2006 regular meeting with correction. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-54 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $23,117.35; to approve payment of the Community Service Department’s financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented; to approve payment of Burial Case #0732890 in the amount of $607.50; to approve payment of the Health Department claims in the amount of $16,044.09. Payment detail on file in the respective departments. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board was presented a petition of persons for, against or abstaining on the proposed County Road 2 South Shoulder Widen Project proposed by the Highway Engineer, as a CSAH Road Project. The Commissioner representing this area would like to see the project move forward but with mitigation where possible to reduce the impact on properties.

2006/02-55 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to acknowledge a citizen petition on the proposed County Road 2 South Shoulder Widening Project and authorizing the Highway Engineer to include this project in the CSAH Road Project Plan approved by the County Board on February 7, 2006. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board received information that the MPCA is interested in forming an ad-hoc committee to coordinate water resources work for the Littlefork and Big Fork Rivers as the Littlefork River was recently added to the state’s Impaired Waters list which requires the EPA to develop a Total Maximum Daily Load study. Further review of this initiative by the MPCA will be conducted at a meeting scheduled for March 15 in Grand Rapids. The Environmental Service Director stated that a representative from the County will attend this meeting and that his Department will monitor and update the Board on this matter.
000 The County License Committee provided the Board a comparison of the County’s liquor and tobacco license fees to eight other counties showing that the County’s liquor license fees are in line with other counties but the County’s tobacco license fee is substantially lower (County fee is $12.00 and next lowest fee in the survey is $50.00). The Committee would recommend that the County’s tobacco license fee is increased to at least the $50 level and would look to implement the new fee for 2007 licenses. Cost involved with issuance of a tobacco license is administrative and in enforcement. The Board Chair directed that with the absence of one Board member, to have the Committee come back with their recommendation when a full Board is present.

000 The Board was informed that Janet Bowman was hired to fill the vacant Social Worker position with the hire date pending the filling of her current IS/Accounting Technician position. The Community Service Director requested authorization to revise the IS/Accounting Technician position to a position of fiscal officer with the IS Unit to resume the IS functions in the current technician position.

2006/02-56 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper referring a review of the Community Service Director’s request to revise the IS/Accounting Technician position to a position of fiscal officer to the Personnel Committee for recommendation. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-57 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to authorize an expenditure of county dollars up to $4,257 for the County’s share of Phase I of the planning for a Regional County Based Health Plan to provide services for residents enrolled in Medical Assistance, General Assistance Medical Care and Minnesota Care. Further, that said expenditure is an unplanned budget item and that the Director will make all attempts to cover the additional expense in the current budget. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-58 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper accepting the following Foster Day Care and Day Care Licensing recommendations: Shelley Bilben licensed for foster care for two children; Robert and Barb Byman licensed for foster care for a specific child; Toni Everett relicensed for group family day care for twelve children; Kelly Mattsen relicensed for family day care for six children; Kimberly O’Loughlin relicensed for group family day care for twelve children. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board was provided information from the Community Service Director with changes in the Senior Dining Program, the End Long-Term Homelessness Project; a listing of County service agencies and volunteers; training information for Community Service Program fraud investigation and prevention.

2006/02-59 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve a Family Planning Grant Agreement with Otto Bremer for a three-year grant of $78,000 with no cash match as recommended by the Health Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-60 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to acknowledge the 2005 Professional Advisory Committee Report as submitted by the Health Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-61 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to acknowledge the Professional Advisory Committee minutes from February 27, 2006 as submitted by the Health Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2006/02-62 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to acknowledge the 2005 Health Department Statistical and Financial Report as submitted by the Health Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board was provided information on a town hall meeting on Underage Drinking on March 28, 2006.

000 A presentation on the Clean Rivers and Waters Legacy Program was provided to the Board by Terry Stone and Don Parmeter. The Impaired Waters initiative being proposed by the State to comply with the Federal Clean Water Act will spend millions of dollars on studies (based on the vast amount of watersheds in Minnesota) rather than allocating dollars to actually improving and/or cleaning up the water. There are also areas to watch for in this initiative including another avenue for environmentalist groups to control natural resource usage and the impact to private properties adjacent to water. The presenters informed the Board that there is a narrow opportunity in the 2006 legislative session to stop the current Impaired Waters Initiative and present a more common-sense approach. All the discussion on the proposed bill for Impaired Waters is focused on the funding mechanism but everyone should read the actual bill to be aware of possible policy concerns. The Board was provided a draft resolution to support their common-sense approach for handling impaired waters in Minnesota. The presenters also informed the Board that as of this morning, a new bill was introduced by northern legislators that would mirror their attempt to a common sense approach to this initiative. The Board members stated that they would like more time to review the information and discuss it with AMC, MRCC, NCLUCB and ACA. The Board requested a copy of the bill introduced by northern legislators.

000 The Board Chair opened a public hearing at 11:10 a.m. for the purpose of presenting the County’s HAVA Election Plan to the public for comment. The Auditor/Treasurer summarized for the Board and public the requirements of the 2002 Federal HAVA Act and 2005 State Election Law requiring equal access, independence and privacy for voters. Under this mandate, the County is required to establish their own local plan as to how this will be accomplished for each polling place and to be eligible for State funding for handicapped and optical scan machines. The Auditor reviewed the impact of polling places in the County in order to comply with the Act’s requirements which included combining polling places, moving polling places and converting some to mail precincts. Grant funds will be used to purchase 13 AutoMark machines for handicap voting and 5 optical scan counters to speed up the counting process at the polls. The remaining grant funds allocated for Koochiching County will be used for machine programming and maintenance and future equipment needs. The Auditor/Treasurer informed the Board that no written public comment was received on the draft plan. The Board Chair opened the hearing for public comment. Einar Sundin requested a review of the Ray Polling Place under the draft County Election Plan and the Auditor/Treasurer provided a review. Dan McCarthy asked if the Plan will hinder the absentee voting process and the Auditor/Treasurer stated that it would not. With no other public comment, the Board Chair closed the hearing at 11:25 a.m. and requested that the Auditor/Treasurer present a recommendation for adoption of the County Election Plan at the next Board meeting.

2006/02-63 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to add electrical expenses for the Law Enforcement Center to the agenda at the request of the Complex Superintendent and Undersheriff. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The contractor for the LEC Communication Center Project pointed out a number of electrical items with the elevator and wiring in the LEC which need upgrade. These electrical items are outside the scope of the Communication Center Project but are either needed for the new communication system or upgraded for the level of electrical usage in the facility in general. The Communication Center Project is to be completed within a week or so and the Complex Superintendent stated that more electrical upgrades may be pointed out.

2006/02-64 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the payment of $3,045.00 to Otis for elevator work and $1,592.76 to Kantor Electric for wiring work with payment from the Sinking Building Account and further, that upon completion of the LEC Communication Center Project that all additional electrical costs be compiled and a funding plan formulated to cover the LEC electrical upgrades. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair opened public comment at 11:40 a.m. Jack Walls stated that the requested electrical changes to the LEC should be reviewed by an electrical inspector. Dan McCarthy stated his opposition to CH Consulting serving the KEDA Marketing Plan. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period at 11:42 a.m.

2006/02-65 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to adjourn the meeting at 11:42 a.m. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.