REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, January 16, 2007; 10:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Keith Knaeble, Victor Moen, Susan Congrave, Terry Murray, Adam Coe, Calvin Olson, Jack Walls; Reporter Lisa Kaczke

2007/01-21 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-22 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes from the January 9, 2007 regular meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-23 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to approve payment to Johnson, Killen & Seiler, P.A. in the amount of $3,916.86 for personnel legal services with payment from the Administration and Contingency Legal Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-24 Motion by Adee, seconded by Hanson to approve a service agreement with Flaherty & Hood, P.A. for 2007 lobbyist services for an amount not to exceed $20,000. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-25 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Pavleck to set the 2007 County Board of Equalization meeting dates as follows: Tuesday, June 12 to convene in the afternoon with Assessor’s opening report and appointments; Tuesday, June 19 to meet in the afternoon to continue appointments with intent to conclude work and adjourn; Friday June 22 reserved if more meeting time is needed to conclude work. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 In response to the request by the Land Commissioner to select a date for the annual woods tour, the County Board selected Wednesday, February 28 as an available date.

2007/01-26 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck authorizing Board members’ attendance to a January 24, 2007 Railroad Informational Meeting to be held in Duluth as a Board activity with confirmation that Commissioner Adee will attend the meeting to address local needs and concerns. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-27 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to send condolences to the family of Clair Nelson, Lake County Commissioner, who passed away on Saturday, January 13. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The STS Regional Supervisor and Local Crew Leader provided the Board an update of the Sentence to Service Program in the County. In summary, the program is performing very well and is scheduled for vehicle replacement. The Board stated their appreciation to the crew leaders and of the program overall.

2007/01-28 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to renew the two-year service agreement for the continuance of the Sentence to Service Program in the County with an increase in cost and with a renewal date of July 1, 2007. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-29 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to support the Tri County Community Health Service Board’s appointment of Koochiching County Health Director Susan Congrave to provide administrative services for the Board for a two-year period with the understanding that the County Director’s time and costs for providing this service to the Tri County Board is reimbursed to Koochiching County and further, that a year end budget review determines the final amount to reduce the county dollar funding for the Health Budget based on this offsetting revenue source. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was informed that Cindy Griffith-Story will be hired to the vacant financial worker position, with the starting date to be determined. The Board concurred with the Community Service Director to defer authorization to fill further vacancies since this process was based on a retirement that will not occur until 2.5 months from now.

000 The Good Samaritan Administrator presented the Board a request to support specific legislation to bring their care center’s state-paid client reimbursement rate to that of other facilities in the area. Of the 391 nursing homes in the State, Good Samaritan’s base rate is the 8th lowest and that other counties and/or facilities have sought special legislation in the past for this same reason, so this situation is not unprecedented. Discussion was held as to why the Good Samaritan rate is lower, referring to the historic change of the International Falls care center ownership including ownership by the County for a period of time and also the change in how the State established base rates from what was established in the 1970s to the present. Good Samaritan is drafting a bill with the support of area legislators. Having the County’s support would greatly help their effort. Some Board members felt that the County should support the rate adjustment as a county-wide initiative which is more the role of the county. Other Board members felt if Good Samaritan was in a unique situation in that their base rate is not on equal footing with the other area facilities, the County should support the specific adjustment initiative. All Board members agreed that the care center facilities are a valued service and have the support of the County. The Administrator stated that Good Samaritan is not looking to gain an advantage but a fair adjustment of their rate based on radius comparison. Thereafter they would support any collaborative initiative to ensure adequate funding for the county’s care center facilities. The Littlefork Medical Center Administrator stated that overall, the State lacks in funding needed care services and that even the best initiative to solve the problem won’t do much if the State does not provide the funding. He stated that in some areas, counties levy a county-wide tax to help subsidize nursing home facilities to keep them operating. He stated that the majority of residents in the Littlefork Care Center are not from the Littlefork area. Board members verified that the request by Good Samaritan was a letter from the County to support their legislative request, not to subsidize the facility. In summary, the Board recognized the need to support the care facilities in the County (located in Intl Falls, Littlefork and Northome) and the need for the State to adequately reimburse the facilities. A motion by Commissioner Briggs was made but failed for a lack of a second that the County has a concern with the stability of their nursing homes and the vital need for this service in the County and therefore to support Good Samaritan’s request for a rate adjustment in recognizing this concern and need. The Board needed to identify whether Good Samaritan is in a unique situation from the others as to the base rate to determine what support is necessary from the County. It was agreed that District Commissioners would obtain more information from the area facilities with the Board to continue review and provide a response to the request by Good Samaritan at the February 6 meeting. The Board Chair requested a copy of Good Samaritan’s draft bill be provided to the Board for review.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment. Jack Walls stated that the County needs to support the care center facilities as a vital service to the County and its aging society and that asking the taxpayers to support the service isn’t out of line since everyone at some time will need the service.

2007/01-30 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 12:14 a.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.