REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, February 6, 2007; 9:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: John Chell, Pam Rooney, Brian Youso, Doug Grindall, Terry Murray, Walt Buller, Richard Lehtinen, Richard Garbe, Dan McCarthy, Mike Fairchild, Adam Coe, Susan Congrave, Kathy Sather, Deb Landmark, Nancy Lee-Schafer, Connie Jensen, Peggy Fults, Joyce Bissonnette, Terry Randolph, LeRae Dobson, Sue Larson, Penny Calger, Tammi Casareto, Einar Sundin, Jack Walls; Reporter Lisa Kaczke

2007/02-01 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-02 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes from the January 23, 2007 regular meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board was notified of the following temporary hires in the Sheriff Department: transports Duane Nelson and Charles Lessard and Charlotte Martin for temporary fill in for the Jail Cook.

2007/02-03 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Hanson authorizing the Community Service Director to revise the Family Based Service Provider job description due to a vacancy with review and recommendation through the Personnel Committee. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-04 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee accepting the following policy recommendations from the Personnel Committee: rescind Board Motion 90/04-30 which is an outdated probation period policy; revise the Emergency Closure Policy limiting use of sick leave to three days; approving the Administration Guidelines for Donation of Sick Leave; revising the Post Employment Health Care Savings Plan Policy to allow groups to invest by payroll deduction; and revising the Separation Form to reflect current processing. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-05 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs accepting the following job position revision supported by a Unit Clarification Order and Joint Stipulation Agreement with the Courthouse Union and as recommended by the Personnel Committee: revise the Highway Accountant position from non-union to Courthouse Union status; approving a revised Administration Pay and Benefits Coordinator job position at a B24 ranking and as a non-union full time hourly position. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-06 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs accepting the following recommendations from the Personnel Committee for job revisions in the Recorder Department and Information System Unit under new legislation and funding for automating record management in the County Recorder’s Department and enhancing land record management through the GIS system:
revise the full time Deputy Recorder position to a Deputy Recorder/Office Systems Technician position at a B22 ranking; authorizing the Coordinator to make funding adjustments to the 2007 County Budget utilizing the new Recorder Fee revenue and 911 system funding as presented in the plan for the Recorder’s position and Network/GIS Specialist position. Further, the recommendation for filling the I.S. Technician position will be presented by the I.S. Manager at the next Board meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 ARDC Executive Director John Chell met with the Board to provide an overview of the ARDC organization. The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) was created in 1969 as a statutory level of government with taxing authority as a development and planning organization for the counties in the Arrowhead Region. Their strategy components are in the areas of infrastructure, transportation, community capital, natural resource and development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, public policy, business/industry dialogue and amenities to development. The Director also stated that the push for changes in the Wetland Conservation Act by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Committee is of concern to development and ARDC is providing their assistance to the northern counties. Commissioner Pavleck informed the Board that he attended a legislative hearing on proposed changes in the Wetland Conservation Act which only heard testimony from the BWSR Committee. However, he did get the opportunity to talk with legislators and will continue to monitor the issue in the legislative session along with the lobbyist to ensure testimony is presented from the County’s perspective. The Board thanked the Director for coming up and meeting with representatives on the AB/Backus facility and Community Gateway Project and for providing the report to the Board.

2007/02-07 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $17,185.88 and to approve payment of the monthly Board expense claims in the amount of $8,718.12. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-08 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck that as Fiscal Agent for the Highway 53 Task Force to approve a service agreement with Federal Advocates, Inc. for lobbying service for the proposed Highway 53 Four-Lane Project from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 at a rate of $1,000.00 per month contingent on a cost-sharing agreement of participating members of the Highway 53 Task Force. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-09 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to re-appoint Bob Anderson to the citizen-at-large position on the International Falls-Koochiching County Airport Commission. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-10 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve an Emergency Management Mutual Aid Agreement with the 11 Northeast Region Counties as recommended by the Sheriff and further, authorizing Board Chair’s signature to the Agreement. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board continued review of the Car Pool vehicle replacement recommendations which was deferred from the January 23, 2007 meeting. The Community Service Director after reviewing the bid options for replacement of a service vehicle for their department and in talking with staff as to best practices for transporting children stated that a van with child proof safety locks would be best for their needs. At any time of the day social services will be called out for family/children protection purposes, sometimes requiring removal of children from the household, so a vehicle allowing for safe transport of a minimum of 4 children would best meet their needs. It was his understanding that the previous van did not meet best practices standards for transporting children. The Board Chair felt that the Car Pool vehicle recommendations need to be revisited and he recommended they be deferred back to the Car Pool Committee for further review with one to two County Board members attending the meeting.

2007/02-11 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to rescind Board Motion 2007/01-42 for award of the Car Pool SUV bid and defer the issue back to the Car Pool Committee for further review. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-12 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to ratify the bid award of a hydraulic backhoe for the Highway Department to Road Machinery & Supplies Company in the amount of $162,093 as recommended by the Highway Engineer and Board Chair as allowed under Board Motion 2007/01-39. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-13 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to modify the Highway Engineer’s presented bid award for the annual fuel bids to award Diesel #2 for Littlefork to Keep Enterprises, Inc. based on a .0028 cent difference. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Briggs, Pavleck; voting no: Adee. Motion carried.

2007/02-14 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to award the annual fuel bids as recommended by the Highway Engineer and with the modification of Board Motion 2007/02-13. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer requested authorization to purchase a tandem axle dump truck with plow, wing and sander off State bid. The truck spec was at $160,000 (without sales tax). Board members expressed concern with the escalated price of this truck. The Highway Engineer stated that the price of the last purchased truck was $130,000. The spec hasn’t changed much except adding for the new fuel emission standard at a cost of $10,000 and ergonomic control levers. The purchase price is covered in the 2007 Highway Capital Equipment Budget.

2007/02-15 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson authorizing the purchase of the tandem axle dump truck with plow, wing and sander off State bid as recommended by the Highway Engineer and as funded in the 2007 Highway Department Capital Equipment Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-16 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the purchase of a new S150 Bobcat for the Transfer Station with a price not to exceed $13,000 after trade in with purchase covered in the 2007 Environmental Service Capital Equipment Budget as recommended by the Environmental Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-17 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to waive demolition tipping fee for the City of Northome in disposal of several damaged City-owned businesses due to fire, (estimated cost of $1,500 to $2,500) which will assist the City in reconstruction of these facilities and that the dumping of the debris in a County demolition site will be directed by the Environmental Services Department. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director provided information from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) regarding business owners’ complaints regarding the current solid waste service fee policy with the Committee not recommending any change to the structure and seeking any further direction from the Board. The Director explained that businesses are charged the base $55 assessment like the household properties but thereafter are charged $30 per ton with the tonnage information coming from the hauler. The businesses feel they are being charged twice as their garbage volume is taken to the transfer station by the hauler, which they pay for and then they pay the County an assessment based on the same volume. The Director stated that the structure established to cover the cost of solid waste was spread on a combination of tax levy, assessment, tipping fee and coupons and that the County’s structure for charging has been reviewed previously and its legality confirmed. The Director did state that businesses should talk with their haulers since it is the hauler’s volume information that is given to the County for charging. Board members are aware of the concerns expressed by some on the established solid waste revenue structure but in the end the revenue needed to pay for the County’s solid waste needs to come from somewhere. The past Board felt this structure spread the cost. The Board also wanted to revisit having a scale operation at the Transfer Site.

2007/02-18 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Pavleck to set up a committee of the whole session with the Board and Solid Waste Advisory Committee to review the solid waste revenue structure as the first step in requesting the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to present options to the Board to better structure charges to the public for the County’s solid waste cost. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Good Samaritan Director had submitted a request previously to the County Board for a letter of support for their legislative initiative to have their nursing home facility’s base rate adjusted and to date, he did not have the draft legislation for the Board’s review. In previous review on this issue, concerns were raised that their initiative may affect what the other County nursing homes are receiving for their base rate but he made it clear it was not his intention to impact them as all three nursing homes are needed. It is just that Good Samaritan’s rate is way below others in the region. With the state-wide initiative provided the Board for adjusting nursing home rates to a current cost of living rate, the County’s support of this initiative would also help them. The state-wide initiative would ask for a 7% rate adjustment for all nursing homes and it also addresses rebasing. The Director stated that in their individual initiative they do not see an adjustment for them being taken from another nursing home but in a state-wide rebasing situation, it might be the case. Though the 7% rate increase would help them it does not change the fact that their initial base rate is much lower than others in the region, making it very difficult for the facility to cover its operating cost. The Board again expressed their support for the need of all the nursing home facilities in the County and agreed to a position providing support for legislative change for a state adjustment of rates to keep these facilities operational and to send such support to the State legislative representatives.

2007/02-19 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to adopt the following resolution in support of a state increase in nursing home rates:

Whereas, the State and County are constitutionally responsible for the health and well being of the people of the State and in this responsibility, are charged with providing for the long term care and safety of the vulnerable adult population;

Whereas, the aging population is increasing and diversifying service options for their long term care and ensuring individuals can stay in their community where their family and friend support system exists is vital;

Whereas, disparities exist in the State in base rates for nursing home facilities as well as disparity in adjustment of rates overall due to the State’s failure to adjust for inflation over a period of years and where these rates are vital to the nursing home facilities in covering cost to ensure that this long term care option is available to the vulnerable adult population.

Therefore, the Koochiching County Board strongly supports individual or collective initiatives to ensure that nursing home facilities in Koochiching County receive the necessary level of funding to deliver a vital service to the vulnerable adult population in Koochiching County and further, strongly requests the State’s support in adjusting nursing home facilities rates to the level necessary to ensure their continued operation. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 In continuing review of home care services in the County, the Health Director at the Board’s request provided information on the County’s caseload. The County currently has 57 home care clients with 20 receiving only homemaking service and 5 admissions received in the last quarter of 2006. Two full time equivalents (FTE) in office staff, including RNs, two FTE homemakers and 4 LPNs working almost full time are covering the county’s service. When asked, County staff stated that of the County’s clients 2 to 3 are short term. Some clients’ needs are intermittent but the majority is provided service a couple days a week and the average length of service for a client is 5 to 6 years. In response to the Board’s question as to how long the County would stay in home care by servicing their existing clients, the Health Director stated it would depend on staffing levels approved to provide the service. When asked, the Director stated that she did not have a recommendation but the County ending home care service is good and bad. If the private businesses can diversify their services it will provide more options to the public but because Koochiching County is remote and rural, service to the more rural areas will be needed. The Board asked if Good Samaritan was certified for Medicare reimbursement at this time and representatives responded that their survey resulted in one paperwork deficiency which will be corrected by paper and they will be looking for their certification in two weeks. County home care staff spoke to the Board on their concerns of losing their employment, the need to keep County services for the existing clients and finally, that they and the clients need to know where they stand. Others spoke on their behalf as to their dedication and good service provided. As stated before, Board members stated that private business can not compete with the County because the County Health Department is subsidized by other County dollars so does not have to account for all its operation cost in providing the service and the County Health Department is in the unique situation to be first choice for clients. So either the County takes it all or is out and the private sector provides the service. The County has two private agencies investing in the community to provide this service. Commissioner Pavleck favored a structured withdraw of the County as a direct service provider and transitioning out clients picked up during the interim period, allowing the County to retain their previous clientele to keep Medicare certification and see what the future brings. The Board Chair stated that this is a difficult decision for the Board in balancing what is best for the community and public in provision of home care services. Commissioner Briggs retained her position that the County should not be competing but complimenting private services and wants a plan in place for covering the remote areas of the County including consideration of a contract with the private providers to cover this area. The Health Director indicated that she would meet with the providers to discuss coverage options for the rural area. Commissioner Hanson supported the county transitioning out of home care but wants to see the delivery of service by private providers before supporting a complete withdrawal.

2007/02-20 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Pavleck to approve a structural withdraw of the County as a direct provider of home care services in that upon receipt of Good Samaritan’s notice that they are Medicare certified, the County will no longer take home care clients and make referrals to the private service providers and further, for consideration of a structural withdrawal of county services, instructing the Health Director to meet with private providers for options of delivering services to the rural areas of the County and thereafter providing options to the Board to be reviewed in a committee session as to covering the rural area, transitioning out and/or servicing existing clients including staffing needs, retaining Medicare certification and timelines so that the Board can consider plans in conjunction with monitoring delivery of home care services by the private providers to achieve a comfort level as to the County’s withdrawal from service. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/02-21 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to add a fuel bid result to the agenda at the request of the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer informed the Board that a gas pump bid came in the mail for the Birchdale area and in receiving no bid for that area and in controlling cost for the county, he would recommend the bid be opened and considered. The Board agreed.

2007/02-22 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to award a gas pump bid to Birchdale Store with 4 cents off the pump price as recommended by the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 12:40 p.m. Einar Sundin provided the Board information on 911 signage. Jack Walls expressed his concerns with ensuring delivery of needed home care services in the County.

2007/02-23 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to adjourn the meeting at 12:45 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.