REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, April 24, 2007; 10:30 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck

MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Hanson (Attending Blandin Leadership Conference)

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Doug Grindall, Dennis Hummitzsch, Susan Congrave, Terry Murray, Mayor Shawn Mason, Jack Walls; Reporter Lisa Kaczke

2007/04-31 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-32 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes from the April 17, 2007 regular meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-33 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the employment separation of Home Health Aide Linda Guderian as of May 1, 2007. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-34 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve payment to Flaherty and Hood in the amount of $8,176.99 for March lobbying services with payment from the 2007 Legislative Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-35 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs accepting the recommendation of the County Assessor to grant abatement to Linda Petrie for linked parcels #63-11-12000, #63-02-34000, #63-02-43000, #63-11-21000 and #63-23-13000 for a change from Ag Relative Homestead to Regular Ag Homestead. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Briggs informed the Board that based on a proposal in the state legislature the DNR is seeking fee increases and rule changes that will negatively affect the International Falls Bass Tournament with the fee changing from $400 to $5,000. She stated that our tournament is the only one categorized as an off-site tournament in the entire State and therefore the only tournament subjected to the $5,000 fee and rule change. Having said this, the latest information received after many calls to state representatives is some change has been made to the bill in that the fee is now reduced to $1,000 and the International Falls Tournament is excluded from the new rule of no off site weigh in during July and August. Though exemption from the new rule is good news, the $1,000 fee will stand unless further change comes from the legislative conference committee. Commissioner Briggs stated that the bass tournament is a big economic opportunity for our area, provides many benefits to the community and that great care and professionalism is taken in catch and release to protect the fisheries. She was disappointed that no advanced notice was given the local community that this change was coming when our tournament was so greatly impacted.

2007/04-36 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee directing that the County’s position opposing the DNR’s fee increase impacting the International Falls Bass Tournament be submitted to the County’s state legislators and further, to question why the DNR would not have given prior notice to Koochiching County of their proposed fee increase and rules changes since the International Falls Bass Tournament would be the only tournament in the State so negatively impacted. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-37 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee accepting the bid award recommendation of the Highway Engineer for Nuisance Beaver Removal service on county maintained roads accessible by two-wheel drive pickups, county land accessible by ATV trails and up to three miles from the nearest road and county land accessible by foot or canoe and up to three miles from the nearest public road. Bid award per zone for each category are on file in the Highway Department and the motion further authorizes the Highway Engineer to continue to seek bids for unfilled zones in each category. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-38 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee accepting the Highway Engineer’s bid award recommendation for the following: 1) Hired Tandem Axle Dump Truck – Zones 1 to 3 to Ziemba Trucking, Zones 4 to 7 to James Kennedy and second award to James Kennedy for Zones 1 to 3; Hired Tractor and Trailer Combination – Zones 1-3, 5-7 to James Kennedy, Zone 4 to Ziemba Trucking and second award to James Kennedy for Zone 4 and Ziemba Trucking for Zones 1-3 and 5-7; 2) Riveted Corrugated Steel Culverts to Johnston Fargo Culvert; 3) Spiral Corrugated Steel Culverts to Johnston Fargo Culvert; 4) Aluminum Coated Spiral Culverts to Johnston Fargo Culvert; 5) Concrete Culverts to Cretex Concrete Product; 6) Arch Concrete Culverts to Hancock Concrete Products; 7) Concrete Box Culverts to Hancock Concrete Product; 8) Road Striping to AAA Striping Service, Inc. in the amount of $101,165.50. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-39 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair’s signature and publication of the annual general notice to the public for control of eradiate noxious weeds as recommended by the Land Commissioner. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Land Commissioner presented a request from the City of International Falls for conveyance of tax forfeited land which consist of an old railroad spur across the North ½ of the NW ¼, Section 31, Township 71, Range 23 as described in the Certificate of Forfeiture, dated September 29, 1950 filed in the Koochiching County Recorder’s Office. This spur of land is surrounded by land jointly owned by the City of International Falls and Koochiching County. The City is requesting the conveyance to clean up title for properties in the Job Z Zone. The County Board asked why this spur wouldn’t be conveyed to both the County and City jointly since the surrounding property is jointly owned. The Land Commissioner was not clear as to why the application was in the City of International Falls name only or the plan for further title work on the property.

2007/04-40 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Pavleck to table action on the request for conveyance of tax forfeited land for a railroad spur across the North ½ of the NW ¼, Section 31, Township 71, Range 23 as described in the Certificate of Forfeiture, dated September 29, 1950 filed in the Koochiching County Recorder’s Office for further information as to why the land would not be jointly conveyed to the City of International Falls and Koochiching County. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-41 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve payment of the Public Health claims in the amount of $15,576.82. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director presented a draft two-year administrative service agreement for the Tri-County Community Health Board in which the Koochiching County Health Director would provide administrative services to the organization with cost reimbursement to Koochiching County for the Director’s time and cost. Due to the absence of Commissioner Hanson who serves on the Tri County Health Board, the Board deferred review until the next meeting.

2007/04-42 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to table action on an administrative service agreement with the Tri County Community Health Board until the next meeting due to the absence of a County Commissioner. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-43 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the following burial case payments: #228788 in the amount of $2,615.57, #1357636 for an additional payment of $91.98 and #254478 in the amount of $1,962.50. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/04-44 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee accepting the following Foster Day Care and Day Care Licensing recommendations: Bryan and Kim Brown to increase the capacity of the home for child foster care from two persons to three persons; to relicense Diana Bolstad for family day care for ten children; to relicense Lyn Bruce for family day care for six children; to license Stephanie Dremmel for family day care for ten children; to relicense Jeri Ross for family day care for ten children. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Community Service Director reviewed an evaluation conducted by the Department of Human Services on the Agency’s Child Welfare System which is also being conducted on all counties in the state. The evaluation took place last September with the final report provided in March 2007. The evaluation involved all participants in the County’s Child Welfare System and overall the County ranked very well in this program area. However, there are three areas of improvement needed which a corrective action plan would be submitted in a 90 day period with the County’s objectives to improve these areas: 1) timeliness of initiating investigations of reports of child maltreatment; 2) needs and services of child, parent and foster parents; child and family involvement in case planning; and worker visits with parents; 3) physical and mental health services for children. To increase mental health services for children in the County will be a challenge as many services have to be obtained outside the county. Board members suggested working with the health care providers in the County as it is their objective also to bring more medical professionals to work in this area. The Director will provide an overview of the Agency’s corrective plan when it is completed. The Board thanked the Director for the report.

2007/04-45 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve payment of the Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:40 a.m. The International Falls Mayor asked the Board to consider appointing two of their members to the City’s Task Force on the Burner Road Vacation matter. They are looking to form a 15 member committee and once the committee is formed, the first meeting will be scheduled. The Board Chair indicated he could continue the original Board member representation on this project unless the representatives wanted a change. Commissioner Briggs stated that on this issue, she didn’t want her representation as the Chamber and County Board confused so would like to think about her continued County Board appointment on this project. The Board Chair stated he would add the committee membership request to the next Board meeting. Jack Walls asked if the Committee would include members of the public and the Mayor confirmed it would.

2007/04-46 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 a.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.