Government Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes Commissioner's Minutes - March 23, 2010
| Commissioner's Minutes - March 23, 2010 |
| Monday, 19 April 2010 11:13 |
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SESSION: MARCH 23, 2010 Grand Marais, Minnesota The Board met in regular session this 23rd day of March, 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 Fenwick, Hall, Johnson, Martinson, and Sobanja. Absent: None. County Board Chair Sobanja led the Commissioners in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Motion was made by Martinson, seconded by Johnson, and carried to approve the agenda for the meeting as amended. Mark Falk, County Sheriff, appeared before the Board. Falk presented a capital purchase request for a new squad car. Said purchase would be done through the State bid and would be paid out of the Sheriff's Dept. Car Sinking Fund. Motion was made by Fenwick, seconded by Johnson, and carried to approve the capital purchase request for a new squad car in the amount of $22,519.32 plus an approximate $7,500 to outfit the squad with additional equipment. Falk reported that the Regional Radio Board is applying for a Border Interoperability Grant, and will be requesting resolutions of support from member counties. Falk will present additional information at the April 13, 2010 County Board meeting. Commissioner Fenwick noted that the County Radio Communications Committee will be meeting and will also be discussing this issue in the future. Jim Wiinanen, Emergency Management Director, appeared before the Board. Wiinanen reported that the Cook County Community Wildfire Protection Plan was presented to the County Board in August 2009. The Commissioners noted several issues of concern. The Plan has subsequently been updated to address those issues, and needs approval by the County Board. Motion was made by Johnson, seconded by Hall, and carried to approve the Cook County Community Wildfire Protection Plan update as presented. Nancy Grabko, Lake and Cook County Housing Program Coordinator, appeared before the Board. Also present were Grand Marais/Cook County Economic Development Authority Director Matt Geretschlaeger and Lake County Housing and Redevelopment Authority Chair Person Tom Lovdahl. Grabko provided a 2009 Joint Cook/Lake County Housing Initiative Project Summary. Grabko reviewed the process that was undertaken to get the Joint County Housing Initiative underway, the funding that has been received to date, the projects that have been completed, and the projected projects and funding for the future. Lovdahl appeared before the Board to express his support for the Joint Cook/Lake County Initiative. Geretschlaeger appeared before the Board and reported that the organization was operating well and both Counties were getting a good return on the money that has been invested in the program. No action was needed by the County Board at this time. Commissioner Martinson moved the adoption of the following resolution and upon seconding by Commissioner Johnson was adopted by unanimous yea vote of all members present: RESOLUTION # 2010-23 BE IT RESOLVED, that the following claims totaling $ 15,898.07 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: SESSION: MARCH 23, 2010 The County Board reviewed a request to support the Minnesota Department of Transportation Grant application to make improvements to the Mount Josephine wayside rest area in Grand Portage. Motion was made by Johnson, seconded by Fenwick, and carried to send a letter of support for the Mount Josephine rest area improvement project proposed by MN DOT. The Board discussed a request from the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency to support its desire to remain covered through the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust. MCIT is currently assessing the costs involved with insuring the various CAP agencies in the State. Following discussion, consensus was to take no action regarding this issue, as Cook County is a member of AEOA as well as MCIT. Danna MacKenzie, Information Systems Director, appeared before the Board to give a Broadband/Fiber Optic update. MacKenzie reported that Cook County has gone on record to support a Broadband Grant application being made by Arrowhead Electric Cooperative. Cook County has also been asked to support the Northeast Service Cooperative's Broadband Grant application. MacKenzie stated that the Broadband Grant award process is being conducted on an independent, point system, not based on regional funding. It would increase the odds that Cook County could obtain funding to build a Fiber Optic Network, if two applications with two different models were being promoted. The Fiber Optic Network Commission recommended that the County Board also support the Service Co-op's application. Don Stead, Arrowhead Electrical Cooperative Director, appeared before the Board. Stead reported that Arrowhead Electric supports the Service Cooperative's grant proposal, and believes it will serve the community to have two good applications Commissioner Fenwick reported that he will be attending a meeting on March 30, 2010 to discuss creation of a request for proposals for concept and pre-design services for the Community Center/Pool Expansion project. He has spoken with ISD #166 Beth Schwarz regarding the project and will be speaking with Grand Marais City Mayor Sue Hakes. Fenwick will also be attending the April Mat team meeting and will ask Department Heads to comment regarding any county space needs that could be addressed through the Community Center Expansion project. Commissioner Sobanja reported that he is unable to attend the April 5, 2010 Grand Marais Library Board meeting. Sobanja spoke with the Board previously and told them that they should contact the County Board if the cost for their library expansion request for proposals exceeds $10,000. Commissioner Fenwick expressed interest in attending the April 5th Library Board meeting, in order to solidify the users who do or do not want to be involved in the Community Center Expansion Project. Commissioner Martinson reported that the Friends of Superior National will be reviewing its capital needs for the golf course, and the Birch Grove Foundation is also considering its needs. Both groups will be coming to the County Board to discuss use of 1% Sales Tax proceeds for their projects. The County Commissioners discussed whether to have several 1% projects ready when the County goes to bond, believing there may be some cost-savings by funding projects in groups. Commissioner Johnson reported he will be unable to attend the North Shore Hospital Board meeting on April 29. Commissioner Hall will go in his absence. Commissioner Hall will also attend the April Extension and Community Center Board meetings, as well as the April 1st Soil & Water Conservation District meeting, on behalf of Sobanja who is unable to attend. Commissioner Sobanja invited any Commissioner to attend the April 8th meeting of the Northeast Office of Job Training, as he will be out-of-town. At 10:15 a.m. Commissioner Fenwick left the meeting. Correspondence-Memos: C. Letter from Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 3/15/10, re: application for Trust Acquisitions for the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa. Information. D. Letter from MN Dept. of Human Services, 3/10/10, re: Federal Single Audit Act Amendments. Information. E. Notice of Arrowhead Counties Ass'n. breakfast meeting on 3/24/10. Information. F. Materials for 3/19/10 Arrowhead Regional Corrections Board meeting. Information. G. Materials for 3/19/10 Cook County Hospital District Board meeting. Information. H. Tofte/Schroeder Sanitary Sewer District meeting minutes for 2/15/10. Information. I. Letter from Qwest President John Stanoch, 3/15/10, re: 1/26/10 fiber outage. Information. J. Cook County Board of Commissioner meeting minutes for 3/9/10. Motion was made by Johnson, seconded by Hall, and carried to approve the County Board minutes as presented.
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