SPECIAL MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, September 26, 2006; 10:15 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Richard Lehtinen, Steve Shermoen, Terry Murray, Marie Mettler, Deb Polkinghorne, Susan Congrave, Doug Grindall, Bob Anderson, Ralph Johnson, Einar Sundin; Reporter Laurel Beager

2006/09-39 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-40 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the September 19, 2006 regular meeting. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-41 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck approving payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $47,294.85; to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler in the amount of $679.50 for personnel legal service with payment from the Administration Budget; to approve payment of the Health Department claims in the amount of $22,070.47; to approve payment of the Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented. Payment detail on file in the respective departments. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-42 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to set a committee of the whole meeting on Friday, October 6, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. for 2007 Budget reviews. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received notice that June Baron was hired as the part time Jail Cook as of September 7, 2006 and Andrew Metchnek was hired as the fill in/weekend Jail Cook as of September 18, 2006.

000 Commissioner Pavleck updated the Board with additional information after attending the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) meeting in St. Cloud on September 25, 2006. The list of recommended changes to WCA started with a letter from the Governor to BWSR (after reading a report from BWSR that over a three year period the state lost an estimated 1,200 acres of wetlands), requesting recommendations from BWSR to retain a no net loss of the state’s wetlands. The data used for the BWSR Wetland Report came from permits and other reported data from local units of government but it did not consider all information such as the number of wetlands created by beaver dams or groups buying property and putting the lands/wetlands into conservatorship. The timeline given by the Governor to BWSR for recommendations was December 2006 so this issue is moving quickly. In response to the Governor’s letter, BWSR created a sub-committee to look at the issue, who in turn created an advisory committee, which attended the meeting he was at yesterday. The Advisory Committee will submit its recommendation to the BSWR Sub-committee this Wednesday at which time Commissioner Pavleck will follow up. There were 75 county commissioners at yesterday’s meeting all voicing opposition to the recommended changes in WCA and they were assured the message would be carried to the BSWR Sub-committee. The Board agreed to monitor the activity closely with Commissioner Pavleck to keep the Board informed and direct what action the Board needs to take to ensure the County’s position is heard opposing the change to WCA.

2006/09-43 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs accepting the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve REZ #0603 to rezone from C-1 to AF-1 for a 2.5 acre parcel described as the North 600 feet of the West 300 Feet of Government Lot 4 South of Highway 53, Section 1, Township 69N, Range 24 W, owned by Bruce and Jean Reinke and to approve REZ #0601 from O-1 to M-1 for parcels jointly owned by Koochiching County and the City of International Falls for an Industrial Park described as Government Lot 1 and the NE 1/4 of the NW ¼ less Railroad R/W, Section 31, Township 71N, Range 23W with a contingency of the County Board that business development occurring within the Industrial Park follow public process. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director provided the Board the tentative schedule for updating the County’s Zoning Ordinance with August 2007 being the target date to bring the revised Ordinance to the County Board for consideration. Commissioner Lepper recommended that the Cities of Littlefork, Big Falls and Northome and Silverdale be asked to participate in the process. The Board agreed and the Environmental Service Director will request representation from these areas of the County.

000 Legal Counsel for the Jackfish Sewer Project updated the Board as to where they are at on the need to begin condemnation proceedings for the sewer project. Of the original 8 approved for condemnation proceedings last year, only 3 have not reached settlement and will have to be settled through condemnation. In addition, there are 29 other parcels which to date have not consented or signed an easement but 12 of these 29 have verbally agreed and they hope to make progress on others before coming back in October to authorize the remaining unsettled properties for condemnation. Condemnation procedures are dictated by state law and will begin by seeking appraisal of the property needed for the sewer easement.

2006/09-44 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs authorizing condemnation proceedings on the following three parcels of property in the Jackfish Bay Sewer Project area in order to acquire easements for the sewer system: parcel #15-53-00060, parcel #15-64-00170, parcel # 15-72-00070. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-45 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve renewal of the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund Non-Financial Service Agreement as recommended by the Community Service Director with no change. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-46 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson accepting the following Foster Day Care and Day Care Licensing recommendations: Bryan and Kimberly Brown licensing for foster care for two children and Michelle Ostlund licensing for family day care for ten children. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board received notice that Pamela Bechik was hired to the State Social Worker position on August 23, 2006.

000 The Health Educator and Public Health Nurse provided the Board the results of the September 14, 2006 Prophylactic Functional Exercise which tested the County’s plan in getting essential personnel vaccinated in an infectious disease outbreak situation as the first step needed in getting the public vaccinated in an outbreak situation. The drill was exercised throughout northeastern Minnesota and for the County, it provided useful information in communication needs and what resources, including personnel, were needed to carry out the county-wide task. About one half of the County’s essential personnel identified in the network system participated.

000 The Health Director provided the Board the Department’s Quarter 2 Financial and Statistical Report.

2006/09-47 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to renew a contract with School District #363 for support of the ENABL Grant objectives as recommended by the Health Director. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-48 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Highway Department to proceed with the TH 332 Relocation Project as recommended by the Highway Engineer with the project funded by State and Federal dollars. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Ralph Johnson referenced the petition filed by property owners in the Ray area with the County on the dog nuisance problem and asked the Board what they can expect from the County for resolving this problem. The Board informed Mr. Johnson that they did receive the petition and that the matter was being reviewed through the Public Health Nuisance and Zoning Ordinances. Einar Sundin, referring discussion from the morning budget committee meeting regarding the Noxious Weed Program, did not feel that the past program was effective. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment.

2006/09-49 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to add the dog nuisance complaint in the Ray area to the agenda. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-50 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs acknowledging the written complaint filed with the County by property owners from the Ray area regarding a dog nuisance problem and scheduling a review on the matter with the Health and Environmental Service Directors at the next County Board meeting. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-51 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to ratify the City of International Falls tract withdrawals from the 2006 Public Auction of Tax Forfeited Lands as follows: tracts 1, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 34 and scheduling the auction for the remaining tracts for October 26, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. in the County Courthouse as recommended by the Land Commissioner. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-52 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to accept the recommendation to contract with SGS Systems to perform independent audit services to certify the Co-operative against the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship County Principles and Criteria (FSC) as recommended by the six-county group forming the Co-operative and the Land Commissioner. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-53 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to approve the Minnesota Counties Sustainable Forest Management Co-operative Agreement for the purpose of forming a Co-operative of Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Crow Wing, Clearwater and Koochiching Counties to work towards third party certification of forest management practices (SFI and FSC) as reviewed by the County Attorney and recommended by the Land Commissioner. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/09-54 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 11:47 a.m. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.