Koochiching County Board Minutes

Board Minutes

for

June 2, 2009

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, June 2, 2009; 10:00 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Brian Youso, Rod Otterness, Bob Peterson, Lee Hervey, Ward Merrill, David Salene, Steve Blair, Ralph Lewis; Reporters Laurel Beager and Sheldon Slaubaugh

2009/06-01 Motion by McBride, seconded by Adee to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-02 Motion by Adee, seconded by McBride to approve the minutes from the May 26, 2009 regular meeting. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-03 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to approve payment of the monthly County Board expense claims in the amount of $11,387.29. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-04 Motion by Adee, seconded by Lepper accepting the recommendation of the Management Committee that to assist ODC with budget revisions, to adjust the 2009 rent for the County-owned NDAC Facility as follows: effective August 1, 2009 the monthly rent payment is reduced from $4,692 a month to $2,692 a month for the remainder of 2009 and for 2009, the building reserve account for the NDAC Building will be lowered from $25,000 to $15,000. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-05 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride authorizing the Complex Superintendent to purchase six stone benches for the Veterans Memorial at a cost of $12,000 with a transfer of $10,000 from the County Park Reserve Account and $2,000 from the 2009 County Budget Contingency; and further to authorize expenditure up to $4,000 for the purchase of a memorial plaque to honor all the men and women who have served in the armed forces with funding from the 2009 County Budget Contingency. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-06 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride that at the request of the City of International Falls and as agreed to by the County Sheriff, that effective June 1, 2009 the City’s police force will be placed under the County Sheriff’s authority for 30 days due to their Police Chief position being vacant and that the City will reimburse the County one half of the Sheriff’s monthly salary for said service. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-07 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to appoint the Treasury Assistant as the Petty Cash Custodian per the Petty Cash Policy as recommended by the Auditor-Treasurer. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-08 Motion by Adee, seconded by Pavleck that at the direction of the Secretary of State and at the recommendation of the County Auditor-Treasurer, to create the Voting Precinct of West Koochiching as a mail ballot precinct to including the following townships: 153-27, 153-28, 153-29; 154-27, 154-28, 154-29; 155-27, 155-28, 155-29; 156-25, 156-26, 156-27, 156-28, 156-29; 157-27, 157-28, 157-29; 158-27, 158-28, 158-29; 67-26, 67-27. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2009/06-09 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride that for the purpose of converting the County’s Television System from analog to digital and to be funded by the federal NTIA Program to assist low powered television systems to convert to digital, to approve the following action: 1) to increase the 2009 TV Budget by $254,200 with a $252,000 increase in the General Fund revenue as federal dollar reimbursement and a $2,200 expenditure budget transfer from the 2009 Budget Contingency; 2) authorizing Voyageurs Comtronics Corporation as the County’s contractor for the TV System to purchase the equipment at a cost of $254,207 and convert the County’s TV System to digital and submit the application for reimbursement of equipment cost of $252,000 upon completion of the conversion, anticipated before July 13, 2009; 3) authorizing Administration to publish a county-wide notice informing the public that the County’s TV System will be converted to digital by mid July and those needing a converter box should obtain their free coupons under the federally funded NTIA Digital Converter Box Program by July 31, 2009 at which time the program will end. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The AB/Backus Community Center Director and Project Consultant met with the Board to present their Facility’s Third Floor Renovation Plan to include installation of an elevator. The renovation is moving forward based on having two commercial binding commitments to lease space on the third floor. The current project budget is $674,266 with funding in place for $609,768 leaving a shortfall of $64,498. Though there is some residual in the project, the contracted work is agreed to with fixed cost. The project is funded by a loan and paid back by the rent revenue from the third floor. However, to better assist this project, the representatives requested the County to reallocate the 2009 KDA Grant for their Kitchen Renovation Project to the Third Floor Project which would help with their shortfall. They would also request the County in their 2010 KDA budget review, to consider a $50,000 grant to the facility for the 3rd Floor Project completion needs, and to replenish their $25,000 grant for the Kitchen renovation. The County Board was in agreement to address this KDA business at the special KDA meeting following today’s County Board meeting and did not see any issue with reallocating the 2009 KDA grant as requested or reviewing the 2010 grant request in the 2010 KDA budget process.

2009/06-10 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper that in order to allow time to present a conditions recommendation to the County Board from the Environmental Services Department and County Engineer, to table until June 16 the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve a rezoning and conditional use permit on application by Ralph Lewis for a 10-acre rock quarry operation approximately 5 miles east of Birchdale and 2.5 miles south of Highway 11. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment period: John Wilson stated that this was his first time attending a Board meeting and stated the meetings are very well done. Aarden Barnes addressed the KCDA meetings and the proposed Ranier By-Pass Project.

2009/06-11 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Adee to adjourn the meeting at 11:27 a.m. Voting yes: Hanson, McBride, Adee, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.