Government Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes Commissioner's Minutes - May 11, 2010
| Commissioner's Minutes - May 11, 2010 |
| Friday, 11 June 2010 06:55 |
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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COOK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Grand Marais, Minnesota The Board met in regular session this 11th day of May, 2010, at the Courthouse in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. with the following members present: Commissioners Hall, Fenwick, Johnson, Martinson, and Sobanja. Absent: None. County Board Chair Sobanja led the Commissioners in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Motion was made by Johnson, seconded by Hall, and carried to approve the agenda for the meeting as amended. Brian Silence, Maintenance Director, appeared before the Board to discuss exterior lighting at the Courthouse. Silence reported that the lights in the parking lot are old and need repair or replacement. He would also like to install additional lights on the Public Health/Human Services side of the building along the sidewalk. Silence obtained two quotes to purchase adapter kits and change all of the light heads in the courthouse parking lot, which would be more efficient and would shine the light down to the ground rather than up to the sky. The quote also included adding two additional lights for the PH/HS sidewalk. Low quote was from Nordic Electric in the amount of $13,233.00. Motion was made by Martinson, seconded by Johnson, and carried to approve the low quote to replace the courthouse parking lot lights and install two additional lights as presented. At 8:40 a.m. a motion was made by Fenwick, seconded Johnson, and carried to close the regular meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners for Attorney/Client privilege to discuss a real property issue. Present were all five Commissioners in addition to County Attorney Tim Scannell, Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers, and County Board Secretary Janet Simonen. At 9:10 a.m. a motion was made by Fenwick, seconded by Hall, and carried to end the closed session and reopen the regular County Board meeting. Commissioner Sobanja reported that the County Attorney will continue working on the real property issue. Commissioner Hall moved the adoption of the following resolution and upon seconding by Commissioner Johnson was adopted by unanimous yea vote of all members present: RESOLUTION # 2010-34 BE IT RESOLVED, that the following claims totaling $ 570,069.36 having been audited and found to be true and correct claims against Cook County, are approved and the Auditor-Treasurer is hereby authorized to draw warrants in payment of said claims: Braidy Powers, Auditor-Treasurer, appeared before the Board with several items. Powers reported that the filing period for various County, Soil & Water, and Hospital Board public offices will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 18th and end at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1st. Powers reported that Moody's Investor Service has changed its criteria for rating government entities. Cook County's rating improved from A3 to A1. This will result in reduced interest on any bonds that the County may issue in the near future. Powers presented a capital purchase request from the Assessor's Office for a new laptop computer and auto-power adapter. The current laptop is old and does not have enough memory to store aerial photo files. $1,500 was budgeted for this purchase in the 2010 budget. Motion was made by Fenwick, seconded by Hall, and carried to purchase a new laptop and adapter in the amount of $1,500 as presented. Powers reported that Cook County has once again been asked to act as a legal sponsor for an application to the Minnesota Trail Assistance Program for funds to groom certain cross country ski trails in Cook County for 2011. Commissioner Fenwick moved the adoption of the following resolution and upon seconding by Commissioner Martinson was adopted by unanimous yea vote of all members present: RESOLUTION # 2010 -35 Minnesota Trail Assistance Program WHEREAS, Cook County desires to establish, construct, and maintain public ski trails; and WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides grants to local units of government for the construction and maintenance of recreational ski trails pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 84.83; NOW, THEREBY BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board hereby agrees to act as legal sponsor for an application for the Minnesota Trail Assistance Program for fiscal year 2011, that Cook County may enter into an agreement with the State of Minnesota for the Minnesota Trail Assistance Program for the Banadad Trail Association, Bear Track Ski Trail, Norpine Trail Association, Pincushion/North Shore Ski and Run Club and Sugarbush Trail Association, that Cook County will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in the agreement, and that the Auditor-Treasurer will act as fiscal agent on behalf of Cook County. Powers reported that the Cook County Local Energy Project is working on a grant application to obtain funds from the Minnesota Office of Energy Security that would be used to assist the City of Grand Marais and Cook County to create a set of voluntary Energy Efficiency Guidelines. The Board reviewed the proposed program description, budget, and grantee duties. Following discussion, motion was made by Martinson, seconded by Fenwick, and carried to approve the Cook County/Grand Marais Energy Grant application as presented, with the stipulation that the Cook County Local Energy Project includes reference to the Energy Guidelines as being voluntary and not mandatory. Powers reported that the Tofte Historical Society would like to conduct a raffle on September 9, 2010. Commissioner Fenwick moved the adoption of the following resolution and upon seconding by Commissioner Johnson was adopted by unanimous yea vote of all members present: MINNESOTA LAWFUL GAMBLING LG-220 APPLICATION FOR EXEMPT PERMIT BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby approves a Minnesota Lawful Gambling LG-220 Application for Exempt Permit application from the Tofte Historical Society to conduct a raffle at the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum, Tofte, MN on September 9, 2010. Powers reported that he is working with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources to prepare a contract that would be used to hire contractors to conduct a soil survey in Cook County. The contractor will receive payment in the amount of $1.25 per acre, not to exceed a total of $40,000. The final contract will be presented to the County Board for approval once a contractor is obtained. No action was needed. Minnesota Department of Transportation Project Manager Gus Peterson, Minnesota DOT Highway 61 Corridor Manager Todd Campbell, and Arrowhead Regional Development Commission Representative Andy Hubbley, appeared before the Board to discuss the Northeast Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership and the 2010-2014 construction program being planned for Northeastern Minnesota. Also present for this discussion was Cook County Highway Department Engineering/Office Supervisor Bill Parish. The group discussed the following: FY 2014 Federal Aid Candidate Projects, FY 2010-2014 Federal Aid Spending Summaries and proposed projects for Cook County, Gitchi Gami Trail construction projects, FY 2010-2014 Federal Aid Spending Summary, the 2010-2019 District One Planned Federal and State Funds Spending Proposal, and a review of the 2010 District One MN DOT Highway Construction Program. Peterson noted that the quality of road driveability is deteriorating, due to lack of sufficient maintenance money. Hubbley reported that some money was obtained to improve the Cascade wayside area through the Coastal Zone Program. Hubbley further reported that Cook County could apply for additional ATP Enhancement Program Funds later in 2010. No action was needed by the County Board on any of these issues. Bill Parish, Engineering/Office Supervisor, appeared before the Board. Parish presented a capital purchase request for four mobile phones to be installed in various Highway Department vehicles at a total cost of $2,156. Parish reported these radios are hooked up to Law Enforcement Center and Hospital Communications. Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad was present for this discussion and noted that this purchase would be part of routine equipment replacement as the current radios are over 20 years old. Motion was made by Martinson, seconded by Johnson, and carried to approve the capital purchase request for four radios in the amount of $2,156.00 as presented. Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad reported that one bid was received for the purchase of calcium chloride for the 2010 dust control program. The bid was submitted by Univar USA, Inc. in the amount of $57,178.12. Motion was made by Johnson, seconded by Hall, and carried to award the calcium chloride bid to Univar USA, Inc. as the sole bidder. Janet Simonen, Personnel Director, appeared before the Board. Simonen reported that there was a vacancy on the County Personnel Committee, due to the resignation of County Engineer Shae Kosmalski. The Department Heads recommended that Mary Black be appointed to fill this unexpired term to the end of 2010. Motion was made by Martinson, seconded by Hall, and carried to appoint Mary Black to the Personnel Committee as recommended. Commissioner Johnson reported that he would be attending a June 3 meeting in Duluth for the Parks and Trail Legacy Funding Committee. Commissioner Hall reported that she would be attending a May 26 redesign meeting, as Commissioner Johnson would not be able to attend. Commissioner Sobanja reported that he would be attending a May 14 Soil & Water Conservation District open house, and would also be attending the May 11 EDA meeting. Commissioners Johnson and Fenwick reported that they both would like to attend the NACo Annual Convention in Reno, Nevada from July 16 - 19, 2010. Motion was made by Johnson, seconded by Martinson, and carried to allow Johnson and Fenwick to attend this out-of-county meeting. County Board Chair Sobanja reported on the preparations that have been made to host the AMC District 1 meeting on May 21st in Grand Portage. Notices will be distributed to the District 1 Commissioners by AMC. Commissioner Sobanja reported that he attended a Community Center Board meeting. Community Center Director Diane Booth is preparing a request for proposals for the Community Center expansion project, which will be reviewed by the County Board before being published. Sobanja also reported that the Grand Marais Library Board is proceeding with its library expansion project. Correspondence-Memos: B. Letter from U.S. Forest Service, 4/26/10, re: Toohey Project Area forest vegetation management proposal. Information. C. MN Transportation Alliance News Review, April 23 through May 3, 2010. Information. D. MN Rural Counties Caucus email, 4/28/10, re: Clean Water Act. Information. E. Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging "Aging Connections" newsletter, Spring 2010. Information. F. Gitchi Gami Trail Assn. meeting minutes for 2/16/10. Information. G. Materials for 4/30/10 meeting of Cook County Hospital District Board. Information. H. Materials for 5/10/10 meeting of Cook County Historical Society Board. Information. I. Notes from Poplar River Management Board meeting on 4/12/10. Information. J. Letter from MN Dept. of Corrections, 4/6/10, re: First Quarter 2010 Sentence to Serve Update. Information. K. Firewise Communities Committee meeting materials for 4/29/10. Information. L. Cook County and Ely Area Lodging Tax Reports through March 2010. Information. M. Letters from USDA Rural Development, 4/19/10, re: Broadband proposals. Information. N. Memo from Cook County Highway Dept., 4/23/10, re: CSAH 5 Project Update. Information. O. Cook County Board of Commissioner meeting minutes for 4/13/10. Motion was made by Hall, seconded by Johnson, and carried to approve the County Board minutes as presented.
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