REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, April 18, 2006; 10:15 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: John Mastin, Terry Murray, Dennis Hummitzsch, Doug Grindall, Steve Peterson, Richard Lehtinen, Robert Goede, Terry Kolden; Reporters Laurel Beager and Jerry Franzen

2006/04-17 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-18 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $46,781.20, to approve payment to Flaherty and Hood in the amount of $6,217.17 for lobbying service with payment from the Legislative Budget and to authorize Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s March 2006 Vendor Payment Listing verifying its review. Payment detail on file in the Auditor/Treasurer Department. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-19 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs accepting the recommendation of the Assessor to grant abatement to Jesse Belanger, parcel #22-54-03220, for homestead credit. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-20 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve attendance of Board members to the annual Historical Society dinner on April 20, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ranier Community Building as a Board activity. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-21 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs approving a Safe and Sober Grant up to $5,250.00 with no county match for public awareness and enforcement of the seat belt law for a grant period of May 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006 and authorizing the required County Officials signatures to the Grant Agreement. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-22 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the April 11, 2006 special meeting. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Community Service Director informed the Board that Nan Sether was promoted to Account Technician with the starting date pending the filling of her prior Office Support Specialist position and Lynn Salo will start her new position of Account Technician II on April 19, 2006.

2006/04-23 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Community Service Director to fill a vacant Office Support Specialist position due to a promotion. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-24 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper approving the annual publication of the Noxious Weed Notice as required by statute and as presented by the Land Commissioner. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-25 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson accepting the recommendation of the Highway Engineer to award low bid to James Kennedy for Zones 1 through 7 for hired tandem axle dump truck and tractor and trailer combination and to award the following low bids for culverts: to Herman Roofing and Johnston Fargo Culvert for riveted corrugated steel culverts and spiral corrugated steel culverts (low bid award based on culvert diameter); to Johnston Fargo Culvert for aluminum coated spiral culverts; to Cretex Concrete Products for concrete culverts; to Hancock Concrete Products for arch concrete culverts; and Cretex Concrete Products and Hancock Concrete Products for concrete box culverts (low bid award based on culvert diameter). Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer reviewed information received from MCIT on their risk assessment of a draft resolution to legalize snowmobile operation in the ditch/right-of-way sections of any county and township road for the sole purpose of connecting to trails and/or the lake or provide alternative routes in unsafe ice conditions, poor trail conditions and/or where trail usage is discontinued. Based on this information, the Highway Engineer would recommend modification to the first draft resolution to allow operation in the ditch/right-of-way sections of any CSAH, County and Township roads in the county. Board members in clarifying that this resolution if passed would be county-wide asked the Highway Engineer if other snowmobile clubs in the County have reviewed this matter and provided feedback. The Highway Engineer stated that the other clubs represented in the County were not provided the draft resolution for review. Steve Peterson stated that he was the person bringing this to the forefront because the short distance he needed to travel from his yard to the lake or snowmobile trail, required travel on a county road (where there is no ditch to ride in) which he found was illegal. In his discussion with law enforcement officials as to the legality and consequences of snowmobile travel on public roads he was told it would be to the discretion of law enforcement officer as to whether the violation would be enforced. He felt that making it legal to use the roads to access the lake and trails was needed for both the public and law enforcement. The Board expressed their support but felt that the other clubs in the County should be provided the resolution for review and comment and that following this review process, the Highway Engineer would present the final draft resolution for the Board’s consideration.

2006/04-26 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to table action on a resolution for snowmobile travel on county roads to allow time for review and comment by other snowmobile clubs in the county and drafting of the final resolution to present to the County Board for consideration. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-27 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve the automatic renewal of the Transfer Station baler maintenance agreement with Excel Manufacturing at the discretion of the Environmental Service Department with renewal for 2006 at no increase in price as recommended by the Environmental Service Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/04-28 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to amend the Jackfish Bay Sewer Assessment Roll to add an omitted assessment of $8,286 on PID 15-65-00301 and to correct the parcel ID number for Beverly Trustees property already on the assessment roll from 15-53-00091 to 15-53-00111 as recommended by the Environmental Service Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Robert Goede of the Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust met with the Board to provide the annual report. The Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust is a joint power risk pool of 81 of the 87 Minnesota counties. The report provided an overall review of the Trust’s administration, coverage, claims, premium and dividends as well as an overview specific to Koochiching County.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Terry Kolden stated that after hearing about the County’s intent to allow snowmobile usage on county roads for connecting routes to the lake and trails, he wanted to inform the Board that for twenty-five years snowmobiles have been running on his property at Bald Rock and he does not want this usage to continue. The Board stated that the road right-of-way in that area will be reviewed by the Highway Engineer to determine possible routes using the county road and/or its right-of-way. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period.

2006/04-29 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to adjourn the meeting at 11:38 a.m. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.