Koochiching County Board Minutes 1-17-06

Board Minutes

for

June 17, 2008

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, June 17, 2008; 10:30 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Brian Jespersen, Ann Scholler, Terry Glowack, Jaci Nagle, Doug Grindall, Richard Lehtinen, Kathleen Przybylski, Arden Barnes, Terry Stone; Reporters Lisa Kaczke and Jerry Franzen

2008/06-18 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-19 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Hanson to approve the minutes from the County Board meeting of June 10, 2008. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-20 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to the Auditor’s May Vendor Payment Listing verifying its review. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-21 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs approving the revised County Fee Schedule as recommended by Administration. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-22 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee acknowledging the resignation of Les Bjorkquist from the East Koochiching Sanitary Sewer District Board and acknowledging the vacancy with the intent of receiving a recommendation from the District for a candidate to fill the seat. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-23 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Lepper to designate the Precinct of Kooch Poll 3 as the boundary for a vote allowing issuance of a Sunday Liquor License to the Roadhouse and to restaurants, clubs, bowling centers, or hotels with a seating capacity for at least 30 and hold an on-sale intoxicating liquor license and which are located in the precinct of Kooch Poll 3, and further, allow for ballots to be printed and presented to the electorate residing within the Precinct of Kooch Poll 3 as determined by the County Auditor-Treasurer with ballot language as follows: “Shall the County of Koochiching be allowed to issue Sunday on-sale intoxicating liquor licenses to restaurants, clubs, bowling centers, or hotels with a seating capacity for at least 30 persons and which hold an on-sale intoxicating liquor license and which are located within the Precinct of Kooch Poll 3”. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-24 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee whereas Koochiching County is the recipient of a Congressionally Directed Project award under H.R. 2764; Public Law 110-161, in the amount of $400,000 for Feasibility Study and Design for Renewable Energy Clean Air Project (RECAP), Koochiching County, MN, Plasma Gasification Waste-to-Energy Project (MN); and whereas, it is necessary to file for the Congressionally Directed Project award certain forms with the Department of Energy (DOE) on or before June 23, 2008. Now therefore be it resolved that Koochiching County shall authorize Coronal, LLC to prepare the necessary DOE paperwork on behalf of the County, authorize Koochiching County Board Chair, Wade Pavleck, to execute all forms required to obtain the Congressionally Directed Project award and authorize the funding to pass through the County to Koochiching Development Authority (KDA) for payment of feasibility study and design costs. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Board reviewed information from AMC encouraging all Minnesota counties to take a united position to oppose the legislative intent to rescind 2008 legislation granting waiver to counties for their various maintenance of effort obligations to the State. 2008 legislation enacted a wavier of this obligation in light of levy limits imposed on counties in 2009, however, shortly after the session adjourned, counties were notified that the legislature intends as the first order of business in 2009, to rescind this 2008 legislation retroactively, meaning that the waiver is non-existent. AMC is taking the position that this waiver was intended to assist counties as the 2008 legislative session provided a very small aid increase, imposed a levy limit and resulted in more state cost shifts to the counties. Many counties have already publicly voiced their strong opposition to the legislative intend to remove the waiver of counties’ maintenance of effort obligations, especially retroactively. Koochiching County Board members expressed frustration with the 2008 legislative actions which for the most part shifted the state deficit to the counties and removed any flexibility to counties to manage this result. The Board stated frustration with legislative representatives and AMC for not doing a better job in looking out for the counties, now that the impacts of the session are coming to light for the counties. The Board was unanimous to join the coalition of counties to bring review with State legislative representatives their intent to rescind the waiver granted to counties for their maintenance of effort obligations with the State.

2008/ 06-25 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the County Board’s notification to AMC and the County’s state legislative representatives stating the Koochiching County Board’s frustration with the representation received in the 2008 Legislative Session and submitting Koochiching County’s strong support to join the other counties to oppose the intended 2009 legislative action to rescind the waiver granted counties in the 2008 legislative session for their maintenance of effort obligations to the State. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-26 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee that in light of recent notice of the State shift of more public defender cost to the counties and foreseeing other cost shifts to counties as a result of state budget cuts, that the County Board directs its department heads that all claims for county payment that are a result of a cost shift from the state as a result of 2008 legislative directives for managing the state budget deficit, be submitted to the County Board for review and consideration. That the County Board enacts this directive as a means to track cost shifts and consider the county’s financial position as it deals with the results of the FY 2009 State Budget, effective July 1, 2008. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-27 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to transfer the unsold Car Pool vehicle (2004 Chevrolet Impala) to the Sheriff’s Department to be utilized as a second vehicle to transport prisoners, court ordered persons and juveniles to detention/treatment facilities at no cost but that when the vehicle ceases to be used for a Sheriff transport vehicle, it is returned to the County Car Pool for disposal, stating the Board’s intent to transfer at no cost is to reserve the Sheriff Zero Tolerance Funds to offset costs in the 2009 Sheriff Budget. Motion further authorizes the expenditure of up to $2,000 from the Sheriff’s Zero Tolerance Account for 6 GPS Units for the squad cars for emergency responses, and location of addresses and lost persons. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-28 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Complex Superintendent and I.S. Manager to purchase a new Koldwave AC for the Computer Mainframe room with a cost not to exceed $4,000 with payment from the Sinking Building Account due to the current unit not functioning and the room needing 24/7 cooling. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

2008/06-29 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee that MCIT has assigned Attorney Paul Reuvers to represent Koochiching County in the City of International Falls claim against MnDot and the County on the proposed Koochiching County CSAH 155 (TH 332 Relocation) Project, and therefore the County Board authorizes said legal counsel to take all necessary steps to expedite and protect the interests of Koochiching County in this matter. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.

000 The Environmental Service Director at the request of the Board, confirmed that the “Heart of the Continent Partnership, exists and scheduled a representative from Voyageurs National Park Service to provide an overview to the Board. The Park representative stated that the idea came from a representative of Quetico Provincial Park, looking to promote their area, and thinking that a larger scale promotional plan of a regional/international area having the same ecosystems would be much more effective. The Partnership recently received two grants which allowed for the hiring of a part time Director to start working on the promotion plan, emphasizing that the focus is to promote the area and attract people to the area. Board members in reviewing the members of this organization, which does not include any local units of government, stated that they are not opposed to a plan to promote tourism for this area but based on how this all came to light, stated their skepticism. The representative stated that most of those listed in the partnership at this time own land in the proposed promotion region. In response as to why the counties are not in the organization when both St. Louis and Koochiching Counties also have land in this area, the representative stated that the planning has not gotten to the local level yet as the first step was to formulate a vision and move forward on the plan. However, in review with the Board today the Park representative realized the oversight at this point in not informing the local unit of governments on what is taking place. She understood the Board’s position and emphasized there was never any intention not to communicate and involve the local units of government and public. The Board Chair stated that the Board is not trying to point fingers but finding out of this existence and that planning is this far along by mere chance, is not a good start for public relations with local units of government and the local public. Counties should have been involved in the first initiative. The Park representative asked the Board in moving forward, how they want local participation in this process. The Board Chair stated that meetings should be publicized as well as a public notice of what the organization is doing and allow public input in the process. In addition, reports should be made to the VNP Government Affairs Committee, which involves local units of governments. The Board thanked the representative for the update and for the forward effort to work with them to publicly communicate the organization’s activities.

000 Board members inquired on the status of the County’s Public Health Nuisance Committee as several nuisance items have been deferred to the committee and the Board is not aware of any resulting action to rectify the problems. The Environmental Service Director stated that the committee struggles somewhat as they need legal counsel to determine the plan of corrective action on almost every issue. Commissioner Briggs felt that the County Nuisance Ordinance is needed but is only as effective as the Committee that manages it.

2008/06-30 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Briggs authorizing the Board Chair to appoint a second County Board member to the County Public Health Nuisance Committee. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried. (The Board Chair appointed Commissioner Briggs to the Committee.)

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 12:12 p.m. Arden Barnes stated her concern that the Heart of the Continent Partnership will result in more control rather than promotion and inquired on the organization called the American Property Coalition which was named on a page of the written agenda information. Terry Stone stated that the American Property Coalition was the organization that brought this matter to the attention of the Board and is not affiliated with the Partnership in any form.

000 The Board was notified of the summer hire of Chad LeDuc and Miles Arnold in the Highway Department.

000 2008/06-31 Motion by Briggs, seconded by Lepper to transfer $1,000 from the 2008 Budget Contingency to the 2008 VSO Budget at the recommendation of the Administration Office for cell phone service, business cards and traveling expense for the new VSO. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper, Briggs. Motion carried.