REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, September 18, 2007; 10:30 a.m.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Brian Youso, Doug Grindall, Terry Murray, Richard Lehtinen, Mark Trompeter; Reporters Lisa Kaczke and Jerry Franzen

2007/09-24 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/09-25 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Pavleck to approve the minutes from the September 11, 2007 regular meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/09-26 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s August vendor payment listing verifying its review and to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $73,655.85. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/09-27 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Board Chair and Auditor’s signatures to a FY 08 MN Trail Assistance Program Grant In Aid Agreement for the purpose of facilitating a transfer of $100,098 for the existing Caldwell Brook, Blue Ox, Lunstrom and Hagerman, Voyageur West, Lowman Snowmobile Trails from the State Grant In Aid Program to the respective snowmobile clubs. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/09-28 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Pavleck to revise the minutes from the September 4, 2007 County Board meeting placing Bridge numbers in the minutes to identify the bridge replacement projects as recommended by the Engineer and approved by the County Board: 000 The Board Chair opened a public hearing at 11:15 a.m. to receive comment on the Highway Engineer’s proposed bridge replacement plan. The Highway Engineer reviewed five proposed bridge projects which included Bridge #5804 (Lindford Bridge) on CSAH 1; Bridge #L9465 on UT 9 in the Clementson area; Bridge #36512 on CSAH 8; Bridge #93477 on County Road 71; Bridge #36505 on County Road 99. In preparing for the bridge plans, funding will be sought from the Federal Bridge Program, the Minnesota Transportation Program and the Township Bridge Program, with eligibility dependent of the bridge’s sufficiency rating. The Highway Engineer informed the Board that no written comment was received. The Board Chair opened the hearing for public comment of which none was received. The Board Chair closed the hearing at 11:30 a.m. 2007/09-10 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck accepting the bridge replacement plan as presented and recommended by the Highway Engineer to include: Bridge #5804 on CSAH 1, Bridge #L9465 on UT 9; Bridge #36512 on CSAH 8; Bridge #93477 on County Road 71; Bridge #36505 on County Road 99. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Pavleck provided the Board information from the Minnesota Association of Corrections Conference on national statistics as of the result of “get tough on crime”. In the United States, 1 in 32 adults are in prison or under probationary supervision and for comparison, the 1980 statistic was 1 in 80. Statistics further show that imprisonment provides nothing to an individual to succeed when released back into society and that about 95% of those incarcerated are expected to be released back into society. The “tough on crime” philosophy is not working and can not be managed and the thinking is moving more to “being smart on crime” philosophy. Commissioner Pavleck stated that the Duluth and NERC correction facilities are full and pressure is coming to build more correctional facilities.
2007/09-29 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson authorizing another $3,500 from the 2007 Budget Contingency to complete the Big Falls Tower Facility Project, with the contingency already providing $10,000, Highway Budget contributing $6,000 and the Land and Forestry Budget contributing $2,500. Further the Coordinator is authorized to make the necessary budget transfers to the Highway Budget which is paying the project expenditures. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 The County Board acknowledged an appreciation letter with the County Sheriff from School District 361 recognizing the County Sheriff’s Department for their timely and professional response to the incident that occurred at the high school on July 24th. The Board stated their appreciation and asked the Sheriff to carry the message to his staff.
000 The County Board received a resolution from the City of Big Falls requesting the County to fully support funding for a county-wide emergency communication system, which was reviewed with the County Sheriff. The Board and Sheriff will review the matter during the 2008 County Budget process.
2007/09-30 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Highway Engineer to certify the completion of work and final value for payment on the following road projects: SAP 36-624-15 to Bowman Construction in the amount of $151,071.55 for shoulder widening; SAP 36-615-09 to Northstar Materials, Inc. in the amount of $569,343.91 for bituminous surfacing and aggregate shouldering; SAP 36-617-06 to Northstar Materials, Inc. for $671,644.71 for bituminous surfacing and aggregate shouldering. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/09-31 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to change the letting date for SP 36-702-02 (Harbor Lane) from October 15 to October 22 as requested by the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 The Highway Engineer addressed the Board with a request presented to him from the Jackfish Sewer Project committee to add a small blasting project to the SP 36-702-02 (Harbor Lane) Project which is needed to complete the last hookup for the sewer project and that the contractor doing the blasting for the sewer project now will not do the work on this property due to conflicts that resulted with the property owner. The Engineer estimated the cost at $500 to $1,000.
2007/09-32 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs, authorizing the Highway Engineer to amend the bid specs for SAP 36-702-02 (Harbor Lane) to include additional blasting for one property in the Jackfish Sewer Project area which is needed to complete the last sewer hookup and with the Highway Engineer to work with legal counsel for the sewer project for the bid spec wording for this project. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/09-33 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to further revise the call for bids and amend the bid specs on SAP 36-702-02 (Harbor Lane) to authorize the Highway Engineer to include rock crushing pending information received from the public at the project informational meeting and upon final authorization given by the County Board Chair. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 The Board was notified that Shelly King was hired as a Financial Worker with the starting date pending the filling of the Child Support Enforcement Aide position.
2007/09-34 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee authorizing the Community Service Director to fill the Child Support Enforcement Aide position, vacant due to the filling of a financial worker position. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 The Board was notified that Brandi Larson was hired as a Social Worker with a starting date of September 10, 2007.
2007/09-35 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to authorize payment of the allocated funds in the 2007 Community Service Budget in the amount of $80,000 for County Based Purchasing contingent on an executed joint powers agreement of all participating members forming the organization. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/09-36 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Hanson to renew non-financial service agreements with School District 361 for social worker services at the elementary and high school levels with no change and as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/09-37 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to renew a financial service agreement with School District 362 for social worker services in the schools with no change and as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/09-38 Motion by Adee, seconded by Hanson to renew a service agreement with Hasbargen’s Adult Foster Care as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
2007/09-39 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to renew a non-financial service agreement with MN Chippewa Tribe as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 The Environmental Service Director reviewed a letter from the Scenic Byways Commission which reviewed the County’s request to approve four signage gaps in the Scenic Byway designation for the Waters of the Dancing Sky (State Highway 11). The letter stated that the Commission declined to take action on the request at this time because of an ongoing review of gaps on the entire scenic byway route and a preference to consider the request within the context of the overall review, which is expected to occur over the next several months. Board members expressed concern with the position taken by the Commission as the Board questions whether the scenic byway designation is a hindrance to development, rather than a benefit. The Environmental Service Director was asked to relay Board members concerns to the Commission.
2007/09-40 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee providing the County Board’s intent to support the request to add nine properties in the Plat of Raven Wood to the East Koochiching Sanitary Sewer District for sewer management upon completion of the sewer extension project and upon hookup of the properties and with final approval contingent on the County Board receiving verification of supporting agreements from the contractor, property owners and East Koochiching Sanitary Sewer Commission and upon receiving the legal description of the parcels intended to be annexed to the sewer district. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 The Board members reviewed additional information they received pertaining to the odor issue east of International Falls and discussed what more the County Board should do to ensure something will get done to eliminate it. Commissioner Pavleck felt that a writing campaign is not going to get things done and that as the County Health Board, we are the first line of defense for our constituents and should have a face to face meeting with the appropriate representatives/authorities to hear first hand what is being done to resolve this.
2007/09-41 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee directing the Environmental Service Director to contact the appropriate representatives and/or authorities that can speak to the odor problem occurring east of International Falls and request they meet with the Koochiching County Board due to the concern of health risks to the community. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.
000 Commissioner Pavleck provided the Board draft policy positions from the AMC Environment/Natural Resources Committee which he asked the Board members to review and get back to him with any concerns and/or questions.
000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 12:09 p.m. Mark Trompeter questioned the blasting plan intended to complete the sewer hookup on his property and the sewer contractor’s obligations for the hookup. Commissioner Pavleck provided what information he could and stated that options are being explored to get the blasting done for the sewer line on his property but nothing is guaranteed. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period.
2007/09-42 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 12:10 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.