OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNTY BOARD LAKE COUNTY, MINNESOTA

Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Lake County Board of Commissioners’ reg­ularly scheduled meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Lake County Board Chairperson Rich Sve. Chair Sve led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Unless otherwise stated, all actions have been approved by unanimous yea vote. Lake County Board members present in the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota: District 1 Commis­sioner Joe Baltich, District 2 Commission­er Derrick “Rick” L. Goutermont, District 3 Commissioner Richard “Rick” C. Hogen­son, District 4 Commissioner Jeremy M. Hurd, and District 5 Commissioner Rich Sve. Board member absent: None. Also present: County Administrator Matthew Huddleston, County Auditor Linda Libal, County Sheriff Nathan Stadler, Highway Engineer Jason DiPiazza, Environmental Services Director Christine McCarthy, Emergency Manager Matt Pollmann, In­formation Technology (I.T.) Director Dan Lackore, and Clerk of the Board Laurel D. Buchanan.

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND BAL­TICH: 01 – Approval of the agenda. Ab­sent: None

Lake County Board Chairperson Rich Sve opened the floor for public comments. No public comments were made. Lake County Information Technology (I.T.) Director Dan Lackore provided an annual update for his department, including completed projects, new aerial photography, managing mobile devices, phishing security tests, M365 security initiatives, and review of poten­tial projects for 2025. Director Lackore discussed working toward an AI (artificial intelligence) policy.

Lake County Administrator Matthew Hud­dleston provided an update on several items of county business. Lake County Sheriff Nathan Stadler provided an update for his department. Environmental Ser­vices Director Christine McCarthy advised that she is available for any questions on her department’s requests for board action. Board Chairperson Rich Sve in­troduced Planning Commission member John Bathke, who was also present. Emer­gency Manager Matt Pollmann discussed his items for board action. Highway Engi­neer Jason DiPiazza provided an update on the planning study for a Finland shop and provided conceptual drawings. Land Commissioner Nate Eide advised regard­ing an easement that he has on for board action. County Attorney Lara Nygaard ar­rived at 2:28 p.m. and provided an update for her office.

Lake County Board Chairperson Rich Sve called for a recess of the regular meeting in order to convene a public hearing. The regular meeting was recessed at 2:30 p.m. A public hearing was held regard­ing the proposed Lake County Cannabis Ordinance. There are separate meeting minutes for that public hearing. The public hearing was closed at 3:41 p.m. The reg­ular meeting was reconvened at 3:41 p.m. with all members present.

Lovin Lake County President Janelle Jones provided an annual update, the 2024 annual report (October 2023 through September 2024) and proposed budget for 2025 for the Event and Visitors Bureau. The 2025 proposed budget is decreased by $400,000 from the 2024 budget. Ms. Jones discussed brand awareness, travel trends, and visitors’ spending statistics in Lake County, as tracked by Zartica software. Ms. Jones discussed the vision to become a top Midwest vacation desti­nation for outdoor enthusiasts, wellness seekers, and families, and the mission to promote and develop tourism through mar­keting and events to stimulate the region’s economy, enhance the quality of life for its residents, and protect the area’s unique natural resources. Lake County has three of Minnesota’s top five visited state parks. In 2024, Lovin Lake County has provided $459,940.64 in grant dollars for festivals and events. Ms. Jones discussed the shoulder seasons and many events be­ing weather dependent. Commissioner Goutermont discussed the benefits of these events for community members as well.

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND HURD: 02 – Approve Consent Agenda as pre­sented:

1. Approve Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting minutes of Decem­ber 3, 2024.

2. Approve Health and Human Ser­vices claims payments in the fol­lowing amounts:

a. Administrative Payments $ 18,671.57

b. Region III Payments $ 223,442.81

3. Approve the reappointment of John Bathke (District 5) as member of the Planning Commission for a three-year term through December 31, 2027.

4. Approve the reappointment of Jon Fogelberg (District 5) to Board of Adjustment (BOA) Alternate Mem­ber for a three-year term through December 31, 2027.

5. Approve the Lake County Health and Human Services Detoxification Fee Policy.

6. Approve and authorize the Board Chairperson to adopt the 2024 haz­ard mitigation plan. The plan was approved by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Minnesota as having met their requirements.

7. Approve and authorize the Board Chairperson to sign the Firewise Coordinator Service Agreement be­tween Lake County (“the County”) Paramount Planning Group LLC (“the Provider”), is entered into by the Lake County Emergency Man­agement Department from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, at the rate of $32.00 per hour, to man­age wildfire mitigation and property protection services and projects. The salary is paid primarily out of Title III funds.

8. Amend the Board of Commission­ers meeting minutes dated March 26, 2024, to amend Consent Agenda item 10, to include addi­tional costs to total $9,604.87, for payment to Emergency Automotive Technologies Inc. (EATI Invoice DUL24029A). The approval on March 26, 2024, included authori­zation of payment of approximately $8,000.00 to EATI for the installa­tion of 16 squad cameras.

9. Approve and authorize the County Board Chair to sign the Purchase of Service Agreement with the Hu­man Development Center to pro­vide Adult Mental Health Targeted Case Management Services for the period of January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.

10. Authorize payment to the Lake County Soil and Water Conserva­tion District (SWCD) in the amount of $22,594.65, which is the amount that exceeds the previously ap­proved $134,000 contract for an­nual Aquatic Invasive Species AIS Prevention Services. This invoice will be paid from the Lake County Minnesota AIS Prevention Aid Ac­count.

11. Authorize Highway Engineer to sign the Special Event Permit for the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon scheduled for January 26, 2025 and located at the Alger Grade Pit and along the North Shore Snowmobile Trail.

12. Accept quotes from Emergency Automotive Technologies, Inc. (EATI) in the amount of $11,744.75 x 4 squad units for a total of $46,979.00 plus any additional shipping charges not to exceed $1,000 for the purchase and instal­lation of equipment for the 2025 pa­trol vehicles. Our Leasing company, Enterprise will pay the Invoices to EATI. Enterprise will then bill Lake County on the monthly lease and maintenance invoice. This process will save Lake County money on the lease payments while the vehi­cles are being built. (Quote Number MP120324-10).

13. Authorize payment to Ulland Broth­ers, Inc. for Invoice # 18036 in the amount of $42,728.60 for change orders related to the landfill expan­sion construction. Additional clay material was needed to adjust the northern slope of the landfill further to the south to avoid existing landfill waste totaling $10,903.50 and ad­ditional sand was needed to make up for limited crushed glass and the need to place an additional 13,000 sq. ft. of landfill totaling $31,825.10.

14. Authorize Environmental Services Director to sign Lake County Aquat­ic Invasive Species Prevention Pro­gram Grant Agreements. These agreements will be signed only after the Aquatic Invasive Species Committee has approved an AIS grant application and if necessary, the Lake County Board has ap­proved the funding amount.

15. Authorize the County Board Chair­person to sign easement to give permanent legal access for the Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club.

16. Authorize payment in the amount of $6,654.02 to the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) for the deductible for a claim (Invoice D29196654, dated November 30, 2024)

17. Authorize payment in the amount of $2,203.10 to Huseby Construction LLC (Invoice #0100) for additional materials (concrete, insulation etc.) needed to accommodate drain pur­chased and maintain warranty, for the recycling center project. Invoice #0100 is for additional work beyond the estimate that was approved by the Board of Commissioners on July 9, 2024, for concrete work conducted on the north and south sides of the recycling center (In­voice # 0099, in the amount of $21,848.75), for a total project cost of $24,051.85.

18. Approve Lodging Tax disbursement to Lovin Lake County in the amount of $225,163.00.

19. Authorize payments to JBL Truck­ing & Excavating LLC for invoice # 11237 dated 11/7/2024 in the amount of $24,292 for the installa­tion of a 3-bedroom septic mound under Permit SP-23-126 (The tank for this system was installed and funded in 2023) and invoice # 11268 dated 11/27/2024 in the amount of $7,542 for the replace­ment of a septic tank under Permit SP-24-065. These costs for are funded by the Lake Superior North Watershed Based Funding Grant C24-0200.

20. Authorize payment to Stantec Consulting Services Inc. for In­voice # 2328966 in the amount of $13,729.27 for the landfill expan­sion construction engineering ser­vices conducted between August 2024 to Present. This is the final invoice.

21. Adopt the findings and conditions by the Planning Commission and approve the Interim Use Permit, I-24-033r for David and Shari Hen­dren.

22. Adopt the findings and conditions by the Planning Commission and approve the Interim Use Permit, I-24-034r for Shireen Ghanatabadi.

23. Approve and authorize the Lake County Board Chair and Lake County Attorney, acting as the Fis­cal Agent of the Arrowhead Behav­ioral Health Initiative (Region III), to sign the Minnesota Department of Human Services County Grant Contract for mental health mobile crisis response services for the period of January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026. Further autho­rize the Lake County Board Chair and Lake County Attorney to sign any subsequent amendments or grant award letters through the term of this grant.

24. Approve and authorize the Lake County Board Chair and Lake County Attorney to sign the Min­nesota Department of Human Services County Grant Contract #GK304 (GRK259579) for the peri­od of January 1, 2025, through De­cember 31, 2026, for Adult Mental Health Initiatives and/or Communi­ty Support Program Funding. Fur­ther authorize the Board Chair and Attorney to sign any subsequent amendments or grant award letters through the term of this grant.

25. Approve and authorize the Lake County Board Chair and Lake County Attorney, acting as the Fis­cal Agent of the Arrowhead Behav­ioral Health Initiative (Region III), to sign the Minnesota Department of Human Services County Grant Contract #GK304 (GRK260443) for the period of January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026, for Adult Mental Health Initiatives and/ or Community Support Program Funding. Further authorize the Board Chair and Attorney to sign any subsequent amendments or grant award letters through the term of this grant. Absent: None

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 03 – Adopt the Lake County Cannabis Ordinance, Ordinance Number 29 as amended, effective January 1, 2025. Absent None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HURD: 04 – Approve the 2025 County Net Levy amount of $12,709,210. Absent: None

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND BAL­TICH: 05 – Approve the 2025 County Expenditure Budget of $58,389,112 and County Revenue Budget of $54,727,968. Absent: None

MOTION HURD, SECOND GOUTER­MONT: 06 – Approve the 2025 Tax Levy amount of $32,000 for Unorganized Terri­tory No. 1. Absent: None

MOTION BALTICH, SECOND HOGEN­SON: 07 – Approve the 2025 Expenditure Budget of $31,250 and Revenue Budget of $37,030 for Unorganized Territory No. 1. Absent: None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HURD: 08 – Approve the 2025 Tax Levy for Unorganized Territory No. 2 in amount of $410,589 (Revenue Fund in the amount of $100,589 and Road and Bridge Fund in the amount of $310,000). Absent: None

MOTION HURD, SECOND BALTICH: 09 – Approve the 2025 Expenditure Bud­get of $422,000 and Revenue Budget of $421,279 for Unorganized Territory No. 2 (including $310,000 for Road and Bridge). Absent: None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HO­GENSON: 10 – Approve the 2025 Tax Levy amount of $594,372 for the Lake County Housing and Redevelopment Au­thority (HRA). Absent: None

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 11 – Approve annual budget proposal by the contractor Lovin Lake County, for the 2025 Event and Visitors Bureau, for a total budget of $1,408,610. Absent: None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND BALTICH: 12 – Approve the change in employee status of Chelsey Ojard, Admin­istrative Assistant, due to completion of probation period effective December 17, 2024. Absent: None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND BALTICH: 13 – Approve the probation­ary appointment of Sarah Thomson to Administrative Assistant at the Step 2 rate of $21.90 per hour effective December 20, 2024. Absent: None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HURD: 14 – Approve the change in em­ployee status of Karen Jussila, Human Services Professional, due to completion of probation period effective December 26, 2024. Absent: None

MOTION BALTICH, SECOND GOUTER­MONT: 15 – Approve the trial appointment of Shawn Pierce, Deputy Sheriff, to Human Services Professional at the 2025 Step 3 rate of $34.12 per hour effective January 6, 2025. Absent: None

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND HURD: 16 – Amend the Board of Commissioners meeting minutes dated November 26, 2024, Motion 03, to correct the effective date of a Leave of Absence. As amend­ed: Approve a General Leave of Absence without pay for Tracy Gilsvik, Public Health Director, effective December 6 through De­cember 30, 2024. Absent: None

MOTION BALTICH, SECOND HURD: 17 – Approve the reappointment of Gregg Swartwoudt, County Assessor, effective January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028. Absent: None

MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HO­GENSON: 18 – Approve the resignation of Courtney Harris, Human Services Su­pervisor, effective December 27, 2024. Absent: None

MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND BAL­TICH: 19 – Approve the recruitment for one full-time Human Services Supervisor. Absent: None

MOTION HURD, SECOND BALTICH: 20 – Adjourn Board meeting of the Lake County Board of Commissioners at 4:23 p.m. Absent: None

The Lake County Board of Commissioners will convene for the following meetings to be held in the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota.

• Regular meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2024

• Organizational meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025

ATTEST:

Laurel D. Buchanan Clerk of the Board

Rich Sve, Board Chairperson

Lake County Board of Commissioners