Koochiching County Board Minutes

Board Minutes

for

February 24, 2009

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, February 24, 2009; 9:30 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Randy Pozniak, Dennis Hummitzsch, Terry Murray, Susan Congrave, Rob Ecklund, Chuck Coombe, Chris Molstad, Keith Horne, Berry Sherwood, Bob Pierce, Sandy Dexter; several other Highway 53 and Main Street Business representatives; Reporter Lisa Kaczke

2009/02-31 Motion by Adee, seconded by McBride to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-32 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve the minutes from the February 17, 2009 regular meeting with a grant date correction to Board Motion 2009/02-25. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-33 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the Auditor claims in the amount of $26,777.91; to approve payment of the Health claims in the amount of $7,879.68; to approve payment of the Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-34 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck to approve a 2009 Boat and Water Safety Grant Agreement with the State of Minnesota allocating funds to Koochiching County in the amount of $6,460.00 on a reimbursement basis and authorizing the County Sheriff and Board Chair signatures to said Agreement. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-35 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride to table the request by the Red Lake Watershed District to support a resolution opposing House File 109/Senate File 266 requiring County approval of watershed district budgets for further information. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-36 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride accepting the recommendation of the Rural Fire Protection Association to set the 2009 annual service charge for the Rural Fire Subordinate Service Taxing District at the same level as 2008: $70 for residential and commercial rates based on the following building valuation ranges: $5,000 up to $20,000 - $100; $20,000 up to $40,000 - $150; $40,000 up to $70,000 - $200; $70,000 up to $100,000 - $250; $100,000 up to $150,000 - $300; $150,000 up to $200,000 - $350;$200,000 up to $300,000 - $400; $300,000 up to $400,000 - $450; $400,000 up to $500,000 - $500; $500,000 up to $600,000 - $550; $600,000 or more - $600. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-37 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper to approve County Board members’ attendance to the March 6, 2009 Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Training as requested by Friends Against Abuse and County and City Law Enforcement as sponsors. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-38 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee accepting the Land Commissioner’s recommendation to award low bid to Wherley Motors, Inc. in the amount of $22,710 without trade-in (retain spare pickup at this time) to replace the truck totaled in an accident and with insurance reimbursement of $6,500 to offset the purchase price. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Land Commissioner provided a handout on the MN Forest Resources Partnership’s objectives and an Outdoor Heritage Funding Proposal submitted by Cass County supporting the Industrial Forest Land Investment and Productivity Program in Cass and Koochiching Counties.

2009/02-39 Motion by Adee, seconded by McBride to renew the Northland Counseling Center’s Hardwig House Service Contract with an increase in the contract amount and with the cost covered by State funding as recommended by the Community Services Director and upon approval of the County Attorney. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/02-40 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck accepting the following Foster Care, Day Care and Adult Foster Care Licensing recommendations: relicense Catherine Besser for group family day care for twelve children; license Hallie Swenson for family day care of ten children. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Community Service Director reviewed a handout showing the history of out of home placement cost to the County from 2003 to 2008. The 2008 cost was $900,683 with 74% of the cost paid by county dollars or $664,649. The Community Service Director requested Board support to allow him to look for funding sources to purchase equipment and set up an INTV room which would reduce his training/travel budget as the current Court INTV Room is not always available. The Board was in support of allowing the Director to seek potential funding sources for this purpose and to work in conjunction with the I.S. Manager in finalizing the plan for Board consideration. The Community Service Director stated that he has received the letters of support he was seeking to allow Friends Against Abuse to conduct supervised visitations for social services and that Friends Against Abuse is moving forward on securing grant funds to establish this service under contract. The Community Service Director updated the Board on the Legislative Town Hall Meeting in Virginia on February 20th in which he testified on behalf of human services under the Governor’s Budget proposal for service cuts and regionalization. The meeting room was packed and a number of individuals were in the hallway unable to come into the meeting. Sentiments were strong that regionalization for the Arrowhead region was not supported and that in bad economic times, it is not the time to cut human services programs as this is the public’s safety net.

000 The Health Director stated that the agenda item regarding the Northome Resource Center Coordinator’s Contract is not ready for Board approval and she will put it back on the agenda at a later date. The Director reviewed the 2008 Health Department’s Financial and Statistical Report.

2009/02-41 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride acknowledging the February 23, 2009 minutes from the Health Department’s Professional Advisory Committee meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director informed the Board that regionally an application is being worked on for the State Health Improvement Program (SHIP) Grant as even with the Governor’s Budget proposal to cut the total program allocation in half and allocate it over 4 years rather than the original two years, there is still a substantial grant to be considered. There is no cash match required and would be offset with in-kind services of the Department. In addition the Director would be looking to apply for a couple small grants.

2009/02-42 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee supporting the Health Director’s request to apply for grants within the process established in the County’s Grant Policy for Board approval. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Health Director reported that the County Home Care Program has 25 clients currently, down from 51 clients in 2007. A letter was presented to the County Board stating concern regarding the County’s decision to get out of home care services. The Director reported that there continues to be poor access to home care service in Big Falls and further south and west. The Board Chair stated that he talked with the home care providers and they are making attempts to get workers in this area of the county.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment: Rob Ecklund informed the Board that he is on the County Board agenda for March 10th to request adoption of a resolution presented by the local unions to support American made purchases on behalf of the American labor force. With no other general comment, the Board Chair opened public comment to hear from the local businesses concerned about the County’s Proposed Highway 332 project. Several business owners on Highway 53 and International Falls Main Street attended the meeting stating their opposition to the County’s Proposed Highway 332 Project as seen by them to be a by-pass of International Falls which will hurt their business. These businesses struggle as it is and have to rely heavily on the summer tourist trade to survive. With information now that Border Customs is looking to expand along the river on Highway 11, the County’s Proposed Highway 332 Reroute to Highway 11 will provide a convenient route to the bridge line to Canada rather than coming through town on Highway 53 to get in line. That this road project may have been decided in the beginning to realign Highway 332 and provide the Burner Road to Boise, but it is now a great concern to business owners as too much development is being proposed around it, giving it even more potential of a by-pass to Highway 11 (City’s riverfront development, Border Security development and now Customs development). The Businesses are asking the County to re-evaluate this road project on the basis of it having a negative impact on Highway 53 and Main Street business. They would rather have the County return the federal dollars or reinvest the dollar into Highway 53 than for the County to move forward and risk hurting business in International Falls. The County considers public input when deciding county projects, approving some and denying others based on public feedback. The business owners would ask the same in this case. Board members replied that the County Board is not aware of the details of the Customs Expansion Study and options being proposed. All Board members agreed that they need to become informed on this matter. Secondly, the Board in looking at this Highway 332 Project moved forward with the support of Boise and the City with the Chamber’s support and all the proposed developments coming forth were not in the picture. In summarizing, the Board Chair stated to the audience that the Board will become educated on the Custom’s Expansion Project and will further discuss the Highway 332 Project within parameters of the proposed developments being discussed and the businesses’ concerns presented today.

2009/02-43 Motion by Adee, seconded by McBride to adjourn the meeting at 11:20 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.