Koochiching County Board Minutes

Board Minutes

for

February 2, 2010

REGULAR MEETING OF THE KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010; 10:45 a.m.

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Bob Peterson, Terry Murray, Kathy Howdahl, Doug Grindall, Aarden Barnes, Einar Sundin, Attorney Jay Squires via telephone; Reporter Laurel Beager

2010/02-01 Motion by McBride, seconded by Hanson to approve the agenda with additions and deletions. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-02 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper to approve the minutes from the January 19, 2010 regular meeting with correction. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-03 Motion by McBride, seconded by Pavleck to approve a revised non-union hourly GIS/Network Specialist position description per a BMS Unit Clarification Order. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-04 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to approve payment of the monthly County Board expense claims in the amount of $7,187.72; to ratify payment of the January Health claims in the amount of $43,825.16; to ratify payment of the January Community Service Department financial and social service program claims and administrative claims as presented; to approve the following Burial Case payments: #1434522 in the amount of $2,043.00, #124111 in the amount of $520.00, #1190377 in the amount of $2,117.50, #490404 in the amount of $1,000.00. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-05 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson to approve expenditure up to $30,000 for replacement of a recycling trailer ($20,000) and repair of the Transfer Station dozer ($10,000) and further approving the following 2010 Environmental Service Budget adjustment for said purchases: increase capital outlay budget by $30,000 and increase budgeted fund reserves by $30,000. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-06 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to set the 2010 County Board of Equalization Meetings: Tuesday, June 15 to convene at 1:30 p.m. with Assessor’s opening report and appointments starting at 1:45 p.m.; Tuesday, June 22 at 6:00 p.m. to continue appointments with intent to conclude work and adjourn. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried

2010/02-07 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck to re-appoint Marlys Fraley-Hanson of Mizpah to the Koochiching County Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board for another five-year term. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-08 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride that under M.S. 279.01 a tax statement total at or below the $250 threshold requires full payment in May rather than half payment in two installments; that there are approximately 7,900 tax statements in Koochiching County that fall at or below the $250 threshold; that the majority of these individual tax statements are that of large property owners thereby requiring a large tax payment in one installment; therefore be it resolved the Koochiching County Board accepts the Auditor/Treasurer’s recommendation as allowed under M.S. 279.01 to aggregate tax statements whereas an individual’s property tax statements in total determine the threshold for tax payment installments. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-09 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Hanson adopting the following resolution for supporting local deputy registrar offices:

WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota established a public/private deputy registrar system to provide citizens convenient locations to conduct title registration services for motor vehicles and DNR recreational vehicles; and

WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota in 1949 established a user service fee on motor vehicle transactions to be retained by the deputy registrar to defray the cost of providing the local service; and

WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota has shifted increased costs and responsibilities onto the deputy registrar such as regular replacement schedules of computers and associated electronic equipment, printing of previously supplied state forms, and expanded auditing tasks with additional risks and potential liability that was previously the responsibility of the State; and

WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota now competes with deputy registrar offices for the retention of some user fees that were traditionally retained solely by deputy registrars; and

WHEREAS, collectively the deputy registrar system handles over one billion dollars of state funds for the State of Minnesota annually on a cash basis only with considerable risk whereby dishonored checks are the responsibility of the deputy registrar in the full amount tendered after remitting the bulk of those funds to the State; and

WHEREAS, the user service fee that should fully support the cost for providing motor vehicle transactions no longer covers the operational costs to maintain most deputy registrar offices. Public deputy registrars must use property tax levy proceeds to subsidize this service. Rural areas with lower volumes are in jeopardy of losing service.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Koochiching County supports the State Legislature authorizing a more equitable recovery of dishonored payments at deputy registrar offices; and to achieve a greater retention of existing fees or a user service fee increase in the year 2010 to maintain local title and registration service to the citizens of Minnesota. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-10 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride accepting the recommendation of the Health Director to renew a contract with Rainy Lake Medical Center for physical and occupational therapy for homecare services for January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 with no rate change, funded by non-county dollars and contingent on the County Attorney’s approval of the contract. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-11 Motion by Lepper, seconded by Pavleck accepting the recommendation of the Community Service Director to renew the following contracts with no change and contingent on the County Attorney’s approval of the contract: Northland Counseling Mental Health, Northland Counseling Clubhouse, NEMOJT Supported Work service, Range Mental Health Center, SD 361 Social Worker services. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-12 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by McBride to renew a County Title IV-D Cooperative Agreement for the Child Support Enforcement Program as recommended by the Community Service Director. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-13 Motion by Hanson, seconded by Lepper accepting the following day care licensing recommendations: Tracy Gunnerson – close home for family day care at provider’s request; Kathryn Lund – license for family day care for ten children. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

000 The Community Service Director and Child Support Supervisor explained the State’s initiative to redesign Child Support services in which the State Department of Human Services would assume the child support services program from Minnesota Counties during a multi-year phase in process. Such a redesign would take away local services and representation and will be more costly. This like other State redesign concepts would look to regionalize child support services. Board members agreed that regionalizing services is a determent to the citizens of Koochiching County due to the distance they must travel for service. In addition, the County Board stated that the County’s experience with the State’s takeover of programs is also more costly to the local taxpayer. The Director reviewed a draft resolution in which the other counties have or will adopt to support county level child support services and will request the Board’s adoption at the next meeting.

000 The Board Chair called for public comment at 11:35 a.m. Aarden Barnes commented on a KEDA Board action at their last meeting. Einar Sundin commented on the Rural Fire Protection Service issue.

2010/02-14 Motion by Pavleck, seconded by Lepper to award low bid for Bulk Fuel Delivery and Fuel Service Stations as recommended by the Highway Engineer. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried.

2010/02-15 Motion by Lepper, seconded by McBride to close session at 11:40 a.m. under attorney-client privilege on pending litigation involving the Highway 332 Dispute and administrative law proceedings for the Ranier Annexation. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried. (Attending the closed session: Full Board, Administration Director, and Attorney Jay Squires via telephone.)

2010/02-16 Motion by McBride, seconded by Lepper to open session at 12:16 p.m. and adjourn the meeting. Voting yes: Adee, McBride, Hanson, Lepper, Pavleck. Motion carried