REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, October 17, 2006; 10:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS ATTENDING: Dennis Hummitzsch, Doug Grindall, Mic Kuryla; Reporter Laurel Beager

2006/10-12 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/10-13 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the October 10, 2006 special meeting. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was notified that LPN Jessica Kubat resigned and LPN Heather Tuflander was hired under the County’s Temporary Home Care Service Plan.

2006/10-14 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck authorizing Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s September vendor payment listing verifying its review; to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $66,083.00; to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler in the amount of $987.21 for personnel legal services. Payment detail on file in the Auditor’s Office. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/10-15 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson accepting the recommendation of the Management Committee to partner with the Arrowhead Regional Occupational Agency (AEOA) in establishing a jointly owned County Storage/AEOA Bus Facility under a DOT federal grant, to authorize AEOA as the next step to RFP for architect services to provide design options for the final building plan. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/10-16 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper authorizing Board attendance to a Security and Cooperation on the Canada-US Midwestern Border Summit to be held in Grand Forks, North Dakota on November 16, 2006 with the Board Chair to appoint the Board member to attend the summit on the County’s behalf. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/10-17 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to donate $2,000.00 towards a New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show to be hosted by a Group of Community Non-Profit Organizations as part of their New Year’s Eve fundraising event due to the county-wide contributions made by these organizations (payment from the 2006 Budget Contingency). Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Pavleck informed the Board that at the AMC District meeting last week, information was provided on U.S. Representative Oberstar’s HR 1356 Bill that supposedly will reverse two Supreme Court rulings and expand federal jurisdiction from navigable waters to waters of the United States which in the new definition would not only be lakes, rivers and streams but mudflats, sand flats, sloughs, playa lakes, wetlands, bogs, prairie potholes, natural ponds and ditches. The information went on to explain this means expansion of federal control and bureaucracy for public and private lands for any type of wetland. Commissioner Pavleck stated it is tough enough to fight state wetland regulations but it will be even harder to fight the issue at the federal level. The Board agreed to set up a conference call with U.S. Oberstar and/or his staff to get the facts and status of this bill. With regards to the BWSR Committee’s recommendation for changes to the State’s Wetland Conservation Act, AMC is coordinating counties in providing a uniform position.

2006/10-18 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to set the 2007 Timber Auction dates as recommended by the Land Commissioner: January 17, May 2, August 1 and November 14. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Land Commissioner informed the Board that an application was submitted for a Clean Waters Legacy Grant for $31,725 for stream bank stabilization for the Rainy River Wayside Rest, Dentaybow (Littlefork River) Access and Ivan Crawford (Big Fork River) Access and that the Department will know in November if the grant is awarded.

000 The Highway Engineer and Land Commissioner presented a proposal to upgrade and maintain about .25 miles of County Road 97 which provides better access to state and county lands. To upgrade the access, tree clearing along the roadway is needed to provide for better ditching and gravel needs to be applied. Estimated upgrade cost is up to $10,000 along with continued maintenance.

2006/10-19 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Highway Department to upgrade and maintain .25 miles of County Road 97 to retain public access to include access to state and county land as recommended by the Highway Engineer and Land Commissioner. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer presented a request from a private landowner for the County to assist in upgrading about three miles of an old township road off CSAH 13. This access is very wet due to beaver and twice the County has sent trappers to the area. The Land Commissioner stated that the beaver, to some degree, are impacting the timber in the area. The Highway Engineer felt that this section of road will not carry anything more than ATV traffic except in dry years and felt culverts could be donated to help improve the condition of the public access. The Board agreed that the Engineer has discretion to assist by providing culverts to improve drainage for the public access and of which will also benefit the timber resource in that area. The Board stated that a policy is needed for consistency and cost control in deciding what public accesses will be upgraded and/or maintained.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. Mic Kuryla asked the Board to consider holding public comment prior to the start of each meeting to allow the public to comment before action is taken by the Board. He inquired as to why the Board approved going forward with the Highway 332 Project after receiving a recommendation from the Chamber and received clarification on the step order for moving forward with the Highway 332 Project. He also raised concern with the 2006 RFPA billing. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period at 11:55 a.m.

2006/10-20 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 11:55 a.m. Voting yes: Adee, Hanson, Briggs, Pavleck; absent for vote: Lepper. Motion carried.