REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, January 23, 2007; 10:00 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Richard Lehtinen, Dennis Kennedy, Steve Blair, Terry Murray, Doug Grindall, Marie Mettler, Susan Congrave, Paul Eklund, Dan McCarthy, Dennis Hummitzsch; Reporters Lisa Kaczke and Jerry Franzen

2007/01-31 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-32 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to approve the minutes from the January 16, 2007 regular meeting with correction. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was notified of the following temporary LPN hires in the Health Department under the Temporary County Home Plan: Jessica Brekke and Heather Tufvander.

2007/01-33 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $31,778.65; to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $161,775.23; to approve payment to Attorney Lyndon Larsen in the amount of $4,614.51 for contracted legal services for the County Attorney’s Office; to approve payment of the Health claims in the amount of $46,726.95; to approve payment of the Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Briggs informed the Board that Voyageurs National Park may be looking for a new location for their Park headquarters as their lease for the current facility is up and the facility currently does not meet their needs. In addition, Commissioner Briggs noted that other communities outside the county are offering support to move the Park headquarters to their location. Commissioner Briggs requested support of the County Board to work with the National Park Service to find a location for their headquarters that fits their needs and retain these Park Service jobs in the County. She noted that the Park Service is only allowed to lease a facility.

2007/01-34 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs providing the County Board’s full support to assist Voyageurs National Park in finding an adequate facility to meet their headquarter needs for retaining the headquarters and jobs in Koochiching County, and further, authorizing the Board Chair to appoint two Board members to a committee to offer the County’s services in working with the Park Service in finding a facility for their headquarters in the County. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried. (Board Chair appointed Commissioners Briggs and Pavleck to the Committee.)

2007/01-35 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson accepting the recommendation of the Planning Commission for granting CUP #0604 to K&T Properties, LLC. for a planned unit development on property located at 2753 Highway 11 East, Parcel #15-34-12000. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-36 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Community Service Director to renew the LSS Guardian and Conservator Service Agreement. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-37 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Community Service Director to approve a waiver contract with Koochiching County Public Health for home care services as required under the State’s waiver program. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-38 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to approve payment of the following burial cases: #1174033 in the amount of $2,934.50 and #NCN in the amount of $367.50; further accepting the recommendation for the following foster day care and day care licensing: to close the home of Cory Maish for day care services at the provider’s request, relicense family day care for ten children with JoAnn Dundas, and close the home of Pamela Franko for family day care at the provider’s request. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-39 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee that due to the State bids expiring on January 31, 2007 and the County Board not meeting again until February 6, 2007, accepting the recommendation of the Highway Engineer to authorize the Board Chair and Highway Engineer to award low bid for the hydraulic backhoe, with a bid opening scheduled on January 29, if the low bid is under $172,000 and with ratification to the County Board on February 6, 2007. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-40 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck authorizing the Highway Engineer to call for bids for bituminous projects SAP 36-615-09 (Northome area) and SAP 36-617-06 (Mizpah area) with bid results to the Board on February 27. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/01-41 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to award the bid for a Ford 150 4x4 Pickup for the Land and Forestry Department to Wherley Motors at a bid price of $17,826. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Board members in reviewing the bids for the Car Pool vehicles, inquired into the Car Pool’s system in deciding what vehicles are used for trade in value for new vehicle purchases, the purpose of the Car Pool purchasing a SUV based on one department’s need and the vehicle size required for servicing the County’s needs.

2007/01-42 Motion by Adee, seconded Pavleck to award the bid for a Ford Explorer XLT to Wherley Motors for a bid price of $18,926 after trade in of a 1999 Dodge Caravan for the Car Pool. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/01-43 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to table action on awarding the final vehicle bid for the car pool to allow time for a comparison of the various vehicle types and needs to provide more information to the Board for further consideration at the February 6, 2006 meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Lepper, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director provided the Board the Department’s response to the Medicare survey findings and notified the Board of a March 29, 2007 Cross Border Infectious Disease Conference at the Holiday Inn in International Falls.

2007/01-44 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to support the following resolution in support of the FREEDOM TO BREATHE ACT and a state initiative to address a state-wide smoke free ban as recommended by the Health Director:

WHEREAS, tobacco-related disease is the number one cause of preventable death and disease to Minnesota residents; and

WHEREAS, worksites and public places are locations where both members of the community and employees of those establishments are exposed to secondhand smoke; and

WHEREAS, secondhand smoke kills at least 38,000 nonsmoking Americans every year from coronary artery disease and lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, only thirty minutes of secondhand smoke compromises a non-smoker’s coronary arteries to the same extent as in smokers; and

WHEREAS, secondhand smoke can cause asthma attacks in those who suffer from asthma; and

WHEREAS, employees should not be forced to risk their health through exposure to dangerous and deadly toxins in their workplace; and

WHEREAS, much of this important health risk is preventable by the implementation of comprehensive smoke-free policies.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners serving as the Health Board supports the state-wide Freedom to Breathe Act, which provides further protections for Minnesota workers. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:20 a.m. International Falls Councilor Paul Eklund provided the Board a letter from the City requesting the County’s legislative priorities to provide a forum for the City in advocating their support to community partners and addressing agenda time for cities on the County agenda. Dan McCarthy stated that county vehicle purchases should be based on fiscal responsibility to the tax payer and also inquired as to the cost of the contracted legal services from the County Attorney’s Office. With no other comment the Board Chair closed public comment.

000 The Land Commissioner reported on the results of the January 17, 2007 timber auction with all tracts sold of 25,989 cords for a total auction sale value of $704,403.96. The Land Commissioner stated that the base price was not a problem at this sale but will continue to monitor. Under policy revisions allowing a window period between November 14, 2006 and January 1, 2007 for forfeiting timber permits purchased before November, 2006, the County received back 40 permits with 9 resold at the January 17 auction, leaving 31 remaining for bidding at future auctions. The Land Commissioner estimated the County will get about one third to one half of the original sold value of these permits. The Land Commissioner also provided the Board draft legislation allowing the State’s executive council to react to down turns in the timber market by renegotiating state timber permits which may include providing a full refund of a down payment.

000 Commissioner Pavleck provided a graph to the Board showing the progression over a number of years as to the State’s funding of corrections under the Community Correction Act in comparison to the counties funding share. The graph clearly shows at mid point the State’s hold on their funding while the counties share increases, demonstrating the state’s shift of costs to the local units of government. Commissioner Pavleck also noted that persons placed in jail, whether they have been convicted or not, automatically have their federal Medicare or Medicaid benefits ceased leaving the medical care cost of these incarcerated persons with the County. He stated that AMC is pursing support for a legislative change.

2007/01-45 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to adjourn the meeting at 11:40 a.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.