Koochiching County Board Minutes 1-17-06

Board Minutes

for

December 23, 2008

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, December 23, 2008; 10:30 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Brian Youso, Richard Lehtinen, Steve Blair, David Fisher,
Susan Congrave, Wanda Grashorn, Terry Murray, Dan Blais, Rusty Blais, Jack Havluck, Holly
Blais, Arden Barnes, Mike Kochaniuk, Commissioner Elect Brian McBride; Reporter Lisa
Kascke

2008/12-32 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-33 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the December 16 2008 County Board meeting. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-34 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Health claims in the amount of $17,428.80; to approve payment of the Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented and to approve payment of Burial Cases #620318 in the amount of $2,387.50, #199601 in the amount of $1,787.59 and #187098 in the amount of $806.43. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-35 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to approve the following 2009 temporary hires under County Policy for the Sheriff’s Department: Transports – Charles Lessard, Lori Lindberg, Richard Johnson, Duane Nelson; Fill-In/Weekend Jail Cook – Marilee Simons, Brenda Alverson. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motions carried.

2008/12-36 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve purchase of two light bars for the Sheriff’s squad cars at a cost not to exceed $3,000 and with expenditure from the 2008 Sheriff Budget as recommended by the Sheriff. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-37 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper accepting the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve a zone change from R-1 to C-1 and a Conditional Use Permit for North Builders, Inc./Fish-Hard Investment Company for a commercial storage facility at the southwest corner of Highway 332 and 53 described as the north 128 feet of the east 430 feet of the NE1/4 of the SE1/4, Section 14, Township 70N, Range 24W. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Board followed up on the outcome of the proposed change to add wetland exemption reporting to the WCA rules which was presented to the BSWR Board last week. Commissioner Pavleck did attend both the BSWR Advisory Committee meeting and the BSWR Board meeting last week on this issue and reported that he did provide strong testimony to both bodies on behalf of Koochiching County. The Advisory Committee dropped the exemption reporting proposal, therefore removing it from the draft rule proposal passed by the BWSR Board the next day. At this point, the BWSR Board puts the draft rule changes out for public comment before they are formally adopted so those organizations in support of the exemption reporting can again weigh in on the issue. If the BWSR Board adopts the formal changes without the exemption reporting, organizations can always attempt to make change legislatively, making the point that the rule changing process has to be monitored continuously and at all levels. Board members thanked Commissioner Pavleck for his good work in carrying the County’s message and agreed they would bring the issue to their respective regional organizations to garner support should this issue come back.

2008/12-38 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to reaffirm approval of the Letter of Agreement with Littlefork Medical Center as recommended by the Health Director under the revised Agreement as recommended by the County Attorney. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Board was informed that the Health Department recently completed a drill required by the Minnesota Department of Health under the Public Health Preparedness Plan for distribution of vaccines in a pandemic flu outbreak situation. Staff reported that the County exercise was reported as successful by the MN Department of Health. Staff stated that in 2009 the State Department of Health will plan a state-wide pandemic outbreak exercise.

2008/12-39 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to renew a service agreement with Kootasca for Senior Coordinator services from January 1 through June 30, 2009 at a cost of $16,000 as recommended by the Community Service Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-40 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to renew the service agreement with LSS Guardianship with no change in rates as recommended by the Community Service Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-41 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve an ODC Supported Employment Service Agreement as recommended by the Community Service Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-42 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee accepting the following Foster Care, Day Care and Adult Foster Care Licensing recommendations: licensing Nicole Bergstrom for family day care for ten children; licensing Barbara Ferguson for family day care for ten children; relicensing Peggy Gordon for family day care for ten children; relicensing Tara (Cotter) Gustafson for family day care for ten children; relicensing Stacey Leseman for family day care for ten children. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2008/12-43 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Hanson to table action on acceptance of the increased burial rates from Green Larsen Mortuary until the January 6, 2009 Board meeting to allow the Community Service Director time to further review the rate increases for County burials. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:30 a.m. The Board Chair recognized a petition provided to the County Board opposing the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as the Patriot Act. Members of the audience spoke to the petition and requested the County Board go on record opposing this Act on behalf of the American people as it allows the federal government to use wartime Martial Law powers domestically without Congress declaring that a state of war exists. The Act was passed as a result of the September 11th attack on America to increase homeland security and allows immunity to law enforcement to engage in spying operations against American people. Years have now passed and so has the wartime immediate threat, yet more is being added to the Act. The Board agreed to place the petition on their January 6, 2009 meeting agenda for support. Commissioner Elect Brian McBride stated his appreciation for all the work of Commissioner Kallie Briggs. Arden Barnes stated that the railroad track crossing in Ranier has big ruts and needs to be fixed. Discussion followed on the draft County Development Ordinance and with no further public comment, the Board Chair closed public comment period.

2008/12-44 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Adee to authorize a budget transfer of $2,000 from the 2008 Budget Contingency to the Complex Budget and to approve purchase of up to $2,000 for a workstation in the County Board room for the clerk position. Voting yes: Pavleck, Hanson, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Coordinator reported that the current State Budget of $34.6 billion (running July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009) has a projected shortfall of $426 million and as a result, the Governor applied a remaining $155 million of reserve funds to the deficit and approved $271 million in spending reductions. In the spending reduction plan, the Governor unalloted $44 million in counties general aid, resulting in a $75,000 cut in the second half of the County’s Program Aid. The Coordinator stated that the 2008 County General Revenue Fund Budget will take this loss. There was also a $73 million reduction in human service spending but both the Health and Community Service Directors stated that there is no immediate funding reduction to their 2008 budget as a result of this. The Governor stated that in the event the state’s fiscal situation for the remainder of FY 2009 deteriorates further, more unallotments could be made. The Coordinator stated at this point, the state deficit impact to the 2008 County Budget is workable but the real focus will be on the 2009 and 2010 County Budgets after there is agreement between the Governor and Legislature in balancing the projected $5.5 billion deficit for the next two-year state budget cycle, to begin July 1, 2009.