ITASCA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

 

Pursuant to adjournment, the Itasca County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, in the Itasca County Boardroom with the following members present: Chair Lori Dowling (District #1), and Commissioners Catherine McLynn (District #2), Karen Burthwick (District #3) and Mark Mandich (District #5).  Commissioner Rusty Eichorn (District #4) was absent.

 

Chair Dowling called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

MINUTES

 

Commissioner Mandich moved to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2010, County Board meeting.  Commissioner McLynn seconded the motion. Motion carried: Ayes - Districts #1, #2, #3, #5; Nays - None; Absent – District #4.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

Commissioner McLynn moved to pull Consent Agenda Items #2 (Abatements) and refer item to the March 16, 2010 Administrative Division meeting, #12 (County Board of Appeal & Equalization Dates) and #36 (Unpaid Sick Leave of Absence for Local 1626 Employee) and approve the remaining Consent Agenda as delineated below.  Commissioner Burthwick seconded the motion.  Motion carried with the following roll call vote: Ayes - Districts #1, #2, #3, #5; Nays - None; Absent – District #4.

 

  1. Approve the Commissioner Warrants with a check date of February 26, 2010.  [$2,230,923.07]

 

  1. Approve a Temporary Three-Day 3.2 Beer Liquor License, effective February 27, 2010, for Peter Grencinger, dba Goodland Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 1, Goodland, MN 55742.

 

  1. Change the allocation of  one (1) fte Deputy Auditor/Draftsman-Data Collector, grade 8 job (Local 1626), to one (1) pte (20 hrs per week) Elections Administrator/Executive Secretary, grade 8 job (Local 1626), effective 02/24/2010 through 12/31/2010 or at an earlier date if conditions warrant as determined by the department head, with said change in allocation to revert back to 1 fte Deputy Auditor/Draftsman-Data Collector effective 01/01/2011 or prior; and accept the waiver by Local 1626 regarding posting the 1 pte change in allocation, as on file in the Administrative Services Department, thereby placing current fte employee to pte status.

 

  1. Authorize the posting and filling of one (1) regular f/t Elections Administrator/Executive Secretary in the Auditor/Treasurer’s Department on an internal basis and on an open competitive basis if no qualified internal applications are received.

 

  1. Approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Itasca County and Local 1626 re: the Elections Administrator/Executive Secretary part time status position and authorize the necessary signatures to said MOU.

 

  1. Maintain the dangerous dog designation of dog owned by Wayne Rosemore, 21514 Shallow Lake Road, Warba, MN 55793.

 

  1. Approve a Project Development Agreement with Energy Services Group (ESG) and authorize necessary signatures.

 

  1. Authorize the transfer of one 2002 Dodge Caravan from Administrative Services to the Itasca County Health & Human Services Department.

 

  1. Authorize an Itasca County application for the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange grant program three-year continuation.

 

  1. Abolish 1 (one) Assessor/Appraiser I Position, and create 1 (one) Assessor/Appraiser II Position based on Amber Randall’s licensure as a Certified Minnesota Assessor.

 

  1. Approve for distribution the mandatory Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) of the Cohasset Telecommunications Tower (DL2155) per Minn. Rules 4410.1400 and 4410.1500 and authorize the Environmental Services Administrator to sign for the Responsible Governmental Unit (RGU) Certification.

 

  1. Approve a change in allocation of one (1) fte Engineering Support Technician, grade 7 job (Local 1626), to one (1) fte Engineering Technician III, grade 9 job (Local 1626).

 

  1. Authorize external posting and filling of two (2) vacant Engineering Technician positions in the Transportation Department due to retirements, if no internal applications are received.

 

  1. Approve Local 1452 employee’s request for unpaid sick leave of absence as of 02/26/2010 through 08/25/2010 and unpaid sick loa may be terminated by employee at any time prior to its expiration so long as from a medical standpoint employee is able to return to work to complete the essential job functions and provide doctor’s release.

 

  1. Adopt the Resolution Re: Requesting State Bond Funds for Local Roads and Bridges.  (Resolution #02-10-03)

 

  1. Approve the report and authorize payment of $4,000.00 to the ARDC, as stipulated in the contract between Itasca County and the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

 

  1. Approve final payments for CSAH 58/TH65 Turn Lanes, SAP 31-658-06, and authorize the County Board Chairperson and Clerk to the County Board to sign the necessary documents.

 

  1. Set date and time of April 19, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. (at end of TLM Meeting) to review the 5 Year Plan for Highway Construction on the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) System.

 

  1. Adopt the Resolution Re: Requesting Variance from State Aid Standards, S.A.P. 31-604-09 (CSAH 4 Bridge Replacement).  (Resolution #02-10-04)

 

  1. Place on the agenda for the March 9, 2010, County Board meeting, the issue involving the April 28, 2009 Public Hearing on the request by Steven Lenertz to vacate a portion of Zim’s Lane located on his property.

 

  1. Deny the request for a snowplowing “test” on Zim’s Lane.

 

  1. Award the 2010 Spring Tree Planting Contract to Superior Forestry, Inc. in the amount of $32,621.70 to be paid from the memorial forest account and authorize necessary signatures.

 

  1. Adopt the Resolution Re: Itasca Regional Park and Trail Rehabilitation/Overlay Project, which supports the grant application to the Federal Recreational Trails Grant Program for the Itasca Regional Park and Trail Rehabilitation/Overlay Project.  (Resolution #02-10-05)

 

  1. Approve classifications per document entitled "2010 Classifications List - February 2, 2010" subject to approval by respective cities and townships and authorize the Real Estate Specialist to forward tentative classifications to cities and townships for their approval.

 

  1. Approve the Fall Land Sale List dated February 9, 2010.

 

  1. Approve Environmental Trust Fund Grant and authorize Auditor/ Treasurer to issue warrant check in the amount of $1,300 from the Environmental Trust Fund to the City of Cohasset for the Jay Gould and Little Jay Gould Mercury Testing Project described in grant application.

 

  1. Deny the request to pursue Kunze Land Exchange.

 

  1. Approve the minutes of the Land Classification Committee meeting of February 2, 2010.

 

  1. Approve Local 580 employee taking a leave of absence for the time frame 3/14/2010 through 7/7/2010 as per the Local 580 cba Article XI, Section D.  (Employee may return to work prior on an intermittent or full-time schedule so long as from a medical standpoint employee is able to return to work to complete the essential job functions and employee is able to provide doctors’ release).

 

  1. Authorize external posting and filling of one (1) Performance Improvement/Compliance Coordinator position in the IMCare unit of Health and Human Services, due to retirement, if no internal applications are received.

 

  1. Approve a change in allocation of one (1) unfunded vacant P/T (24 hr/week) Public Health Nurse (PHN) position to a Regular F/T PHN position to be supported by grant dollars and approve the external posting and filling of the change in allocation position if no internal applications are received, as well as any resulting PHN vacancy due to current staff moving to the grant position.

 

  1. Authorize and adopt the Current and Suggested Fees for Service for the Itasca County Sheriff's Office.

 

  1. Approve a six-week’s leave of absence for a Sheriff’s Office employee who does not qualify for FMLA as of March 12, 2010.

 

ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS

 

Commissioner Mandich moved to approve the Regular Agenda with the following addition:

 

1) Consent Agenda Item #12 – County Board of Appeal and Equalization Dates – Exhibit C1

 

Commissioner McLynn seconded the motion.  Motion carried: Ayes - Districts #1, #2, #3, #5; Nays - None; Absent – District #4.

 

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

 

The following employee was recognized:

 

Doug Maki - retiring from his position of Sign Person/Truck Driver/Snowplow Operator, District #2 (Deer Lake Garage), Transportation Department, after 30+ years of service, effective March 12, 2010.

 

LIVING WORD BIBLE CAMP (LWBC) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET (EAW)

 

Commissioner Burthwick moved to order an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the LWBC project based upon the Draft Findings of Fact and Conclusion as presented by W/S/N Consultant Brian Ross inclusive of the Supplement and Corrections as presented by Commissioner Burthwick and the document regarding LWBC EIS and Findings of Fact as presented by Commissioner McLynn as showing that the LWBC project has the potential for significant environmental effects; and adopt the Resolution Re: Establishing Findings of Fact and Issuing a Positive Declaration for an Environmental Impact Statement on the Development Known as the Living Word Bible Camp with changes, as follows:

 

Page 1 – 3rd paragraph, Remove “located on 253 acres”;

Page 2 - #2, Remove “a petition from the EQB” and replace with “a Citizens’ Petition”;

Page 3 – 1st paragraph, Remove “It is apparent that the extent of potential environmental effects from the past land use are not significant and not in need of any further study.”;

 

Page 4 – 1st paragraph, Remove “These features will effectively prevent any significant effect on the water quality of Deer Lake.  A respected Minnesota”.  Capitalize “limnologist”;

Page 5 – Item B, delete text and replace with text from Item 29 from the document regarding LWBC EIS and Findings of Fact as presented by Commissioner McLynn;

Page 5 – Delete “The County Board through”.  Capitalize “the”;

Insert the dates of November 10, 2009 as date on which the proposer was notified by W/S/N that their submittal of data was complete and December 7, 2009 as date on which EAW was approved by the County Board for distribution; and

Page 3 – A. 1) Past Land Use, Remove “Animal manure breaks down over time and there has been ample time for the manure from past use as a fox farm to decompose.”

 

Commissioner McLynn seconded the motion.  Motion carried: Ayes - Districts #1, #2, #3; Nays – District #5; Absent – District #4.  (Resolution #02-10-06)

 

Commissioner McLynn moved to adopt into the record all the documents in their entirety that were listed on the document provided to the County Commissioners by Don Dewey of the Environmental Services Department summarizing the comments received during the comment period.  Commissioner Burthwick seconded the motion.  Motion carried: Ayes – Districts #1, #2, #3, #5; Nays – None; Absent – District #4.

 

COUNTY BOARD OF APPEAL & EQUALIZATION DATES

 

Commissioner Mandich moved to select and approve the following Board of Appeal and Equalization dates and times:  The County Board of Appeal and Equalization must convene and conclude its business between June 14, 2010 through June 25, 2010; June 14, 2010 (9:00 a.m. – 12 noon & 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.), June 17, 2010 (3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) and June 24, 2010 (9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).  Commissioner Burthwick seconded the motion.  Motion carried: Ayes – Districts #1, #2, #3, #5; Nays – None; Absent – District #4.

 

PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF AMERICAN FLAG

 

Major Mark Hoyne presented an American Flag flown over Contingency Operating Base Basra in Southern Iraq to Randall Carlson, Itasca County Veterans Services Officer receiving on behalf of the Veterans of Itasca County.

 

COMMISSIONER CONCERNS

 

Commissioner Mandich announced that he had attended the Presentation of Grant Funds to Nashwauk for water and sewer projects necessary for Essar Steel by the office of Congressman Jim Oberstar on Friday, February 19, 2010 at the Nashwauk City Hall.

 

Pat Medure informed the Board that he will be retiring at the end of 2010 as Itasca County Sheriff and not seeking re-election.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

Chair Dowling adjourned the meeting at 3:32 p.m.

 

ATTEST

 

Lori A. Dowling, Chair of the County Board

Irene C. Koski, Clerk of the County Board