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

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Bob Peterson, Jaci Nagle, Susan Congrave, Terry Murray, Richard Lehtinen, Terry Glowack, Richard Lehtinen, Phil Miller, Tara Long; Reporter Lisa Kaczke

2007/12-14 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-15 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve the minutes of the December 11, 2007 County Board meeting. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-16 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson approving the 2008 County gross levy at $3,570,261 (3% increase over last year of $103,988). The 2008 proposed levy breakdown is as follows: General Revenue - $1,511,909; Community Service - $1,227,325; Public Health - $100,000; Highway - $581,027; Environmental Services - $150,000. Voting yes; Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-17 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson authorizing the following County Fund designation for the 2008 County Budget: General Revenue Fund designate $4,600,000 for Cash Flow and $529,190 for the 2008 General Revenue Budget; Highway Fund designate $1,000,000 for Cash Flow and $500,000 for the 2008 Highway Budget; Community Service Fund designate $1,300,000 for Cash Flow and $263,671 for the 2008 KCCS Budget; Public Health Fund designate $250,000 for Cash Flow and $50,000 for the 2008 Health Budget; Environmental Service Fund designate $150,000 for Cash Flow and $170,000 for the 2008 E.S. Budget; County Development Fund designate $25,000 for Cash Flow and $21,000 for the 2008 County Development Budget; Land and Forestry Fund designate $200,000 for cash flow and $59,950 for the 2008 Land and Forestry Budget. Wastewater Debt Service Fund designate $0 for cash flow and $21,207 for the 2008 Wastewater Debt Service Budget. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2006/12-18 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to adopt the 2008 Budget and Budget Plan in the amount of $23,842,284 plus the 2008 Fund 02 and 13 Supplement Budget in the amount of $678,675 for a grand total of $24,520,959. Motion further adopts the following directives, effective immediately, and until such time as amended or terminated by the Board: 1) first half allocations to be paid to outside entities with memo stating second half allocations may be subject to adjustment; 2) 2008 Budget remains open and subject to adjustments at any time. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-19 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to approve a Memorandum of Agreement between the UOM and Koochiching County in which County funding in the amount of $34,350 is provided for a local 4H Program for 2008 through the UOM providing a .5FTE 4H Program Coordinator and operating budget. Motion further authorizes the Board Chair’s signature to said Agreement upon review of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Coordinator reviewed a 2007 County Budget Report projecting the year end balances for the General and Special Revenue Funds, advising of the internal budget adjustments that will be done based on previous Board action/direction and a review of certain projects and funding that will be deferred from the 2007 County Budget to the 2008 County Budget.

2007/12-20 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $26,589.65, to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $108,294.08, to approve payment of the Health claims in the amount $27,713.90, authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s November vendor payment listing verifying its review, to approve payment of the Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented and to approve payment of following Burial Cases: #558584 in the amount of $2,225.00, #1336756 in the amount $1,586.68, #235723 in the amount of $1,040.66 and #177918 in the amount $2,183.75. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-21 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Briggs to approve and authorize the Board Chair’s signature to a 2008 service contract with Lakeland Pathology, P.A. for medical examiner services upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-22 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve payment to Attorney Lyndon Larsen for November 2007 contracted legal services for the County Attorney’s Office in the amount of $4,590.49. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-23 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to approve a 60-month lease agreement with Xerox for a Work centre 4150 multi function printer for the County Attorney’s Office at a cost of $118.00 per month to be funded in the annual Photocopy Budget as recommended by the Auditor/Treasurer and I.S. Manager. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-24 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve the employment separation of Network/GIS Specialist Angie Tallon on December 29, 2007. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-25 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Hanson to approve a revision in the qualifications of the Network/GIS Specialist position description to better emphasize and prioritize GIS qualifications needed for the job as recommended by the County Coordinator and I.S. Manager, and authorizing the filling of the vacant position. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-26 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Pavleck to approve expenditure up to $26,000 for the Recorder’s Department as planned in the 2007 Recorder’s Technology Budget for a scanner, server, juke box and software as recommended by the I.S. Manager. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-27 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to approve expenditure up to $20,000 as planned in the 2007 I.S. Budget for a server and software for the County’s GIS System as recommended by the I.S. Manager. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-28 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Adee to authorize the filling of a vacant part time LPN position previously held under Board Motion 2007/11-41. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-29 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Board Chair to appoint two Board members and have the Health Director set up a meeting with private home care providers to discuss the provision of private duty nursing services for special need cases in the County. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried. (Board Chair appointed himself and Commissioner Adee.)

2007/12-30 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to approve the employment separation of Health Educator Marie Mettler as of December 22, 2007. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Adee informed the Board that as a result of a meeting with CN Railroad Officials, he was instructed by one official to call him directly when the train is blocking the Van Lynn Road as it is the company’s position that the trains should not be blocking the roads for long periods of time. Further, that the meeting did not find agreement on locating a snowmobile trail across the railroad tracks. However, Commissioners Adee and Pavleck stated that the Company’s willingness to meet and discuss the issues is a positive and they anticipate additional meetings to follow up on the road blockage and trail crossing issues.

000 The Board was notified of the hire of Social Worker Tammie Treat effective December 19, 2007.

2007/12-31 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs to renew the AEOA Volunteer Driver Service Agreement for medical transportation with no change and as recommended by the Community Service Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-32 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to renew the NEMOJT Service Agreement and to approve an Addendum to the Agreement for MFIP training services as recommended by the Community Service Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-33 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to approve a Northland Counseling Service Agreement for mental health services and a Service Agreement for the Northland Counseling Clubhouse as recommended by the Community Service Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2007/12-34 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve a contract with ARDC to prepare a Gateway Design Project as supported under Board Motion 2007/06-25 with payment of $5,000.00 from the 2007 Budget Contingency as the County’s share of the local match requirement. Motion further authorizes the Board Chair’s signature to said Agreement upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Lepper, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck; voting no: Hanson. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director provided the Board a copy of a 1999 report on the health effects of mill odors finding that the low-levels of TRS emissions do not cause any short or long term health effects. The report was provided by the Abitibi, Inc. mill manager in Fort Frances as a follow up to the meeting with the County Board in November. This report was initiated by Abitibi, Inc. in 1997 based on employee and community concerns on mill odors.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:45 a.m. Carl Brown addressed the Board with concern on the East Koochiching Sanitary Sewer District’s decision to increase his septic hauler’s rate to .0500 per gallon for disposal into the municipal sewer system. Mr. Brown provides septic/gray water pumping for island properties by barge and is the only service provider on the lake. If the disposal price becomes too high, he may have to abandon his service leaving a disposal problem for property owners and the County in managing wastewater on island properties. He asked Board members to attend the next East Kooch Sanitary District Board meeting and support him in his request for a reasonable disposal rate. With no other comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period.

2007/12-35 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to adjourn the meeting at 12:04 p.m. Voting yes: Lepper, Hanson, Adee, Briggs, Pavleck. Motion carried.