Koochiching County Board Minutes

Board Minutes

for

February 17, 2009

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, February 17, 2009; 10:00 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Brian Jesperson, George Gray, Susan Congrave, Deb Larson, Dennis Hummitzsch, Doug Grindall, Eldon Voigt, Justin Berg, Richard Lehtinen; Reporters Lisa Kaczke and Sheldon Slaubaugh

2009/02-19 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-20 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the February 10, 2009 regular meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-21 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve payment of the Highway claims in the amount of $68,010.75. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-22 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to correct Board Motion 2009/01-48 for revision of the legal description for a road vacation. Voting yes for the correction: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried: 2009/01-48 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to approve the road vacation request by Joe Jessop for roads vacated within the Plat of Ray and Auditor’s Plat 15, Koochiching County, MN described as follows: All of those portions of the Plat of Ray, Koochiching County, MN according to the recorded plat thereof, described as:
• all of Third Avenue;
• that portion of Second Avenue lying westerly of the northerly projection of the west line of Lot 1, Block 4;
• that portion of Pine Street lying northerly of the easterly projection of the north line of Lot 9, Block 1;
• that portion of Spruce Street lying northerly of the easterly projection of the south line of Lot 12, Block 3;
• all of the alleys located in Blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4;
And all of the area marked as “Road” between Lot 8 on the east and Lots 9 and 64 on the west in Auditor’s Plat 15, Koochiching County, MN according to the recorded plat thereof (“Road” is an extension of Spruce Street in the Plat of Ray.) Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Lepper; voting no: Adee, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-23 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper that the Koochiching County Board of Commissioners agree to sponsor the Polar Polers Ski Club in the MN Trails Assistance (Grant-In-Aid) Capital Improvement Program for the Tilson Ski Trail. Sponsorship by the County requires that a Club/County Agreement is executed and a Certificate of Insurance is provided the County from the Ski Club for continued County sponsorship in the Grant in Aid Program for the Tilson Ski Trail. As sponsor, the County is accountable to the State for expenditures charged to the program; sponsorship does not require financial support or liability for cost from the County. The County Board does hereby approve the necessary County authorities to sign said Grant Applications and other trail grant agreements. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-24 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve the employment separation of Forester Leroy Thurlby effective March 13, 2009 and further, to defer the Land Commissioner’s request to fill the Forester vacancy to the Personnel Committee per County Budget directives (2008/12-18). Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-25 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve an Operation Stonegarden 2008 Grant Agreement with Homeland Security Emergency Management in the amount of $675,795.82 to involve operational support of border security by the county, state and municipal law enforcement agencies through funding under a grant period of 09/01/08 through 03/31/11 and to patrol and equipment costs as recommended by the County Sheriff. Motion further supports that equipment and vehicles listed in the grant, be purchased locally when possible. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-26 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper that due to a temporary and unique situation whereas the federal government has ordered increased security on our borders and the fact that there is insufficient numbers of local law enforcement to provide this additional cover, the Undersheriff be provided overtime at time and one half for work hours beyond his normal work as Undersheriff for a period of February 17 to December 31, 2009 to provide border security under the federal directive; providing there is a need for the position to service in this capacity. For funding purposes the Department of Homeland Security requires that hours of service be reported and reimbursed on an hourly basis and it is for this reason the Undersheriff as a salaried exempt employee, will be compensated on an hourly basis for this particular extra duty. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director and Public Health Nurse provided the Board an overview of the Family Home Visiting Program in Koochiching County. The program was initiated 25 years ago and though funding and program components have changed over the year, today it is a highly supported universal public health program to improve the health and well-being of families, especially high risk families needing assistance and connection to resources. The Director provided the Board the MN Local Public Health Association’s 2009 legislative priorities.

000 The Land Commissioner informed the Board that neither the City of International Falls or the County Highway Department felt they could do the demolition of the Old Theater Building in downtown International Falls but both entities agreed to assist with hauling and filling. The Land Commissioner provided quotes from contractors for the demolition which includes separation of the buildings. The Land Commissioner stated that in regards to the adjoining building, the property owner will need to fill in the portion of the tunnel on his property or put in a barrier as the portion of the tunnel on the demo site will be filled.

2009/02-27 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper accepting the recommendation of the Land Commissioner to award low quote for separation and demolition of the Old Theater Building in downtown International Falls in the amount of $14,900 to Bowman Construction with the County and/or City to provide for the demo hauling and filling. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

2009/02-28 Motion by Adee, seconded by McBride authorizing the Land Commissioner to obtain quotes and execute contracts for two park attendants to provide site management at County administered river access points for the Rainy River early fishing season and to request the annual funding contribution from Lake of the Woods County. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Land Commissioner provided the results of the January 21, 2009 timber auction: all tracts sold for the intermediate and regular auctions with 16,082 cords sold for a total auction sale value of $390,935. Aspen prices are holding but overall there is a flattening trend happening in the market.

000 The Land Commissioner confirmed that the annual Department’s Wood Tour with the County Board will be rescheduled for Friday, February 27th.

2009/02-29 Motion by McBride, seconded by Adee accepting the recommendation of the Highway Engineer to remove the 9 Ton posting on CSAH roads except during spring road limits. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.

000 The Highway Engineer provided a draft of an Ordinance for County Management of ATVs in the public right of way of roads under the jurisdiction of Koochiching County. The draft ordinance is a result of a request from the Chamber of Commerce to allow ATVs to travel on local roads to gain access to community businesses and without this approval, current law makes it illegal for ATVs to be on a public road. The draft was also a result of two committee sessions in which issues pertaining to this allowance were reviewed with county staff and the County Board. The Board Chair stated that the draft will be scheduled for another County Board committee session and that the County will wait to see if any legislative change occurs this session regarding allowance of ATVs on public roads before taking any further action to move an ordinance forward.

000 The Highway Engineer provided the county road sign inventory numbers and updated costs for consideration of the county-wide road sign face replacement under a new federal transportation mandate. The options for the county are to conduct the replacement over a period of years up to the mandated deadline, or complete it within a year and take advantage of a $15,000 3M Grant to assist in the total project cost of $89,000. ($44,000 county dollars and $30,000 of CSAH funds). A decision as to whether to proceed with the one year replacement plan would be needed in the near future to take advantage of the 3M Grant funds.

000 A representative of the Koochiching County Soil and Water Conservation District informed the Board that in 2011 planning will begin to deal with the impaired portion of the Littlefork River and requested that the Littlefork River Board is established under the County Littlefork River Plan. It was agreed the Environmental Service Director would present an action plan on establishing the Littlefork River Board by mid summer under the functions assigned in the County River Plan. The representative also informed the Board that the Soil and Water Department has taken on the project of updating the County Plat Book and estimate delivery this fall with a retail price of $35. Finally, the Department is working in conjunction with NRCS/MnDot to establish living snow fences to help with snowplowing maintenance. The program assists property owners with the planting of trees along the roadside which serves as a barrier for blowing snow on the highways. The Department has sent letters to property owners whose property has been identified as an area where a snow fence would be beneficial.

000 The Board Chair informed the Board that the KCCS Director will be attending the Legislative Town Hall meeting in Virginia, MN on February 20th to provide testimony as to the impact of the Governor’s Budget on Health and Human Services. Commissioner Adee would also be attending the Virginia meeting.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:40 a.m. No comment was presented.

2009/02-30 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to adjourn the meeting at 11:43 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper. Motion carried.