2009 ELECTION OF COUNTY BOARD CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR WAS CONDUCTED BY THE CLERK TO THE COUNTY BOARD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 06, 2009; 10:45 A.M. BY UNANIMOUS VOTE COMMISSIONER MIKE HANSON WAS ELECTED AS BOARD CHAIR AND BY UNANIMOUS VOTE COMMISSIONER KEVIN ADEE WAS ELECTED AS VICE CHAIR.

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, January 6, 2009; 10:50 a.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck
MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Joel Maggert; Reporters Lisa Kaczke and Jerry Franzen

2009/01-01 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/01-02 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the December 23, 2008 regular meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/01-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to ratify year end payments of the Auditor, Health, Highway and Community Services claims in the amount of $179,424.29 under Board Motion 2008/12-20; to approve payment of the monthly County Board expense claims in the amount of $10,602.43; to approve payment of 2009 AMC general dues in the amount of $6,572.00, 2009 MACSSA dues in the amount of $741.00, and 2009 LPHA dues in the amount of $641.00; to authorize a fund transfer of $21,000 from the 2009 General Revenue Budget to the 2009 Community Service Budget for payment of Kootasca Senior Coordinator services through June 30, 2009 and for planning of the new non-profit senior services organization as set in the 2009 County Budget. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper; voting no: Pavleck (due to increase in AMC dues). Motion carried.

2009/01-04 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to accept with regret the resignation of Tony Mueller from the East Koochiching Sanitary Sewer District Board and with the County Board’s sincere appreciation for his services. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair requested Commissioners to review the County Committee List and appointments and provide change requests or comments to him in time to finalize appointments by the next meeting.

2009/01-05 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to approve the revised Club Trail Agreement as recommended by the County Attorney with the major change in insurance limits under Mn Statute and further, authorizing the Board Chair’s signature to execute the revised agreement with the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club, Ridgerunner Snowmobile Club and Marcell Snowdrifters Club as recommended by the Auditor. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 One of the owners of the Northome Area Newspaper met with the Board to inform
them that they have restarted the newspaper because of the need to keep the southern end
of Koochiching County informed. They recognize that they are not a legal paper for
bidding purposes but hope the County would utilize their advertising space to inform the
public in the Northome/Mizpah area and assist them financially in keeping the paper
going. The owner stated two events where the county held a meeting in the Northome area
in which only 3 people attended as the meeting was not advertised in the Northome area
and a second event in which a road project started in the area and the public had no
knowledge of it. The point is that many things go on in the County that this area is
unaware of. To assist the public in becoming more informed of County activities, they
propose a directive to departments to ensure that county-wide and/or area issues are
advertised in their paper or the county reserves a ¾ page of their newspaper for county
reporting and publishing at a cost of $100. This would equate to $200 a month as they
print two times a month. The paper would organize the county news page giving priority
to publication of hearing, meeting, and bid notices and news from county board minutes.
They have committed to running the paper for one year but without advertising financial
support, the paper will not be successful. Board members did not disagree that the
distance from the county seat to the Northome area is great and may not be well served by
the official newspaper located in International Falls but they questioned how they could
assist one newspaper without having to do the same for the other newspapers represented
in the county. It was noted that the County utilizes all of the newspapers representing
areas of the county to get county-wide notices out to the public and would continue to do so
with the Northome newspaper. It was agreed that the owners would propose options in
writing to the County Board as to how they could assist the paper with county publications
for the Board to consider at a future meeting.

2009/01-06 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to award the low and only 2009 publication bid to the Daily Journal with a 5% rate increase from 2008 rates. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/01-07 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper supporting the following resolution submitted in a form of a citizen’s petition opposing the continuation of domestic security in the Federal Patriot Act:

WHEREAS, Section 103 allows Federal Government to use wartime Martial Law powers Domestically and Internationally without Congress declaring that a state of war exists; and

WHEREAS, Section 106 states that broad general warrants by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court granted under the first Patriot Act are not good enough. It states that government agents must be given immunity for carrying out searches with no prior court approval;

WHEREAS, Section 312 gives immunity to law enforcement engaging in spying operations against the American people and would place substantial restrictions on court injunctions against federal violations of civil rights across the board; and

WHEREAS, Section 110 restates that key police state clauses in the first Patriot Act were not sunsetted and removes the five year sunset clause from other subsections of the first Patriot Act; and

WHEREAS, Section 313 provides immunity for businesses that voluntarily turn over personal information to Homeland Security and/or law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, Section 215 permits secret investigations of library and book activity; and

WHEREAS, Section 215 also permits F.B. I. and police searches of home and office;

WHEREAS, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as the Patriot Act, was passed as a result of the September 11 attack on America to increase homeland security by giving immunity to law enforcement to engage in spying operations against the American people; and

WHEREAS, the wartime immediate threat on America has passed but more is proposed to be added to the Act.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners wishes to go on record as opposing the continuation of the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 and any further enhancements proposed as the wartime immediate threat has ceased and so should the infringement of the American people’s civil rights under this Act. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/01-08 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper authorizing Board members’ attendance to a breakfast meeting with Congressman Oberstar on January 10, 2009 as a County Board activity. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/01-09 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper authorizing Board members’ attendance to meetings of the Heart of the Continent Partnership to be held in International Falls at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on January 15 at 6:30 p.m. with a following meeting scheduled for January 16, 2009. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:45 a.m. No comment was presented.

2009/01-10 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried