Koochiching County Board Minutes 1-17-06

Board Minutes

for

June 10, 2008

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, June 10, 2008; 10:20 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Doug Grindall, Ryan Heinen, Susan Congrave, Lori Lyman, Sherri Lessard, Sue Anderson, Richard Lehtinen, Steve Blair, Arden Barnes, Brian Jespersen; Reporters Lisa Kaczke and Jerry Franzen

2008/06-11 Motion by Adee, seconded by Briggs to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-12 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the County Board meeting of June 3, 2008. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-13 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $18,960.36. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-14 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve a 2008 Supplemental Federal Boating Safety Grant with the State of Minnesota allocating funds to Koochiching County in the amount of $4,331.00 for the purchase of six channel marker buoys and 1 side scan sonar unit for the Sheriff’s boat and further, to authorize the Board Chair, Sheriff and County Coordinator to sign said Grant Agreement. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-15 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adopt the following resolution requiring a cash deposit with the County Auditor/Treasurer before the County takes action on the Jacobson Cartway Petition under M.S. 164.07-08:

That the Petitioner must deposit $10,000 cash security with the Koochiching County Auditor/Treasurer to be placed in escrow to cover costs permitted under Statute;

That at such time as the deposit is made with the County the Petition will be presented to the County Board to begin action on the cartway request under Statute;

That if at any time the escrow account falls below $5,000, the Petitioner must replenish the account to $10,000;

That any remaining funds will be refunded to the Petitioner upon proof of payment for all costs permitted under Statute;

That the County reserves the right to amend the cash security deposit as is necessary in acting on the Petition. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director submitted a request to fill a full time Public Health Nursing position that will become vacant July 1, 2008 upon receiving notice of an employment separation. The request entailed revision of the nursing position to include some duties of the vacant part time Health Educator position. Due to the upcoming Health Department’s program and service review scheduled with the County Board, the Board took no action on the request.

000 Representatives of the local United Way Board provided a review of the program and requested support to seek donations from County employees. All donations made locally are used to fund local programs and needs with funding decisions made by a local United Way Board. From 2000 to 2007, the United Way has provided funding in the amount of $790,775 to various local needs with $111,131 donated in 2007. The representatives have found that an employee payroll deduction process has been a successful way to bring donations in. Board members expressed their appreciation of the United Way Program and its many worthwhile local contributions. However, the County Board does not solicit its employees for donations and suggested that the County’s Payroll Deduction Policy be utilized as the tool for United Way representatives to talk with County employees. The Policy allows vendors to meet with County employees if the employee chooses and requiring that the employee use their lunch hours, breaks and/or leave time to attend the meetings. In addition, the vendor must secure a minimum of 25 employees for authorization from the County Board for a payroll deduction. It was agreed that Administration would provide the policy to the representatives and work with them through this procedure to meet with employees to discuss United Way donations. In addition, the Coordinator stated that no more than two payroll deduction options will be presented to employees for payroll administration purposes.

2008/06-16 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Briggs accepting the recommendation of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to reduce the coupon fee for electronic waste from $12 per item to $5 per item due to the reduction in County cost for disposal of e-waste through the CRT Processing Contract, currently in effect for one year, with the new coupon fee effective June 10, 2008. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director and Commissioner Pavleck informed the Board of the DNR open house scheduled for June 25 in International Falls to inform the public about the Shoreland Rules Update Project (Commissioner Pavleck serves on the DNR’s Shoreland Rule Making Advisory Committee) which is intended to update the statewide minimum standards for shoreland management. Commissioner Pavleck also informed the Board that three regional sub-committees are being formed in this process to augment the state committees by allowing a greater number of individuals with local knowledge to engage in the rule revision process to complement the diversity of Minnesota’s shorelands. Commissioner Pavleck is encouraging participation from the County, noting that the committee seats are limited and the application deadline is July 1, 2008.

2008/06-17 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper authorizing the Board members’ attendance to the June 25, 2008 DNR Open House on the Shoreland Rules Update Project at the Holiday Inn in International Falls starting at 6:30 p.m. as a County Board activity. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 Commissioner Pavleck provided the Board information he received on the formation of the Heart of the Continent Partnership consisting of 21 organizations and Voyageurs National Park with the mission of preserving and restoring the region’s ecosystems and species to include an area of over 5 million acres of land and water in the northern Minnesota –Canada border region. In reviewing the membership, Commissioner Pavleck noted that no local units of government are included and that Voyageurs National Park, a federal governmental agency, is a member of this coalition of non-governmental organizations. The Board asked the Environmental Director to do some research on this potential preservation organization and report back to the Board.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment period at 11:50 p.m. Steve Blair inquired with the Board as to whether the County intends on lifting the Shoreland Management rules as was done in past years, if the high water produces flooding of properties. He stated that Shoreland rules do not allow build up and change of the shorelands and that in most flood situations, sandbagging provides the fix in temporary flooding events. Arden Barnes in reference to the KEDA, stated that supporting the partnership would help with their image and communication.

000 The Undersheriff met with the Board to update on the rising water levels and preparation for a flood event. The Department has 27,000 sandbags available at the Sheriff’s Department and sand piles are prepared at the Falls Highway Garage and City Beach with plans to establish one at Tilson’s landing if needed. The Department is anticipating that recent rain and predicted rain forecasts, a flooding event is likely and will be prepared to put together volunteer groups and use STS crews to assist with sandbagging if needed. The sandbags are intended for property protection and not for weighting docks. The Undersheriff also cautioned against navigating on the waters at night due to the numerous amount of floating debris.