Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Lake County Board of Commissioners’ meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by 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 Peter “Pete” R. Walsh, 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(s) absent: None.
Also present in the Split Rock River Room: County Auditor Linda Libal, County Administrator Matthew Huddleston, Clerk of the Board Laurel D. Buchanan, Information Technology Director Dan Lackore, and Environmental Services Director Christine M. McCarthy.
Board Chair Rich Sve opened the floor for public comments. No public comments were made.
Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Director Tara Solem provided a presentation and a proposed resolution with respect to the St. Louis River Watershed One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) Policy Committee. Lake SWCD as the designated water planning representative for Lake County has been an active participant in the development of the St. Louis River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (Plan). All members must also adopt the Plan and serve as a substitute for either the SWCD comprehensive plan or county local water management plan. Ms. Solem recommends that the Lake County Board of Commissioners approve submission of the Plan to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Board. Contingent on recommendation of plan approval by the BWSR Northern Committee and subsequent BWSR approval, Lake County will adopt and will begin implementation of the Plan for the area of the county/SWCD identified within the Plan.
Lake County Information Technology (I.T.) Director Dan Lackore presented the I.T-year end overview of projects for his department’s annual report to the Board of Commissioners. Lake County Administrator Matthew Huddleston provided an update on several items of county business. One item was removed from the consent agenda for separate board action.
1. Approve Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting minutes of December 13, 2022.
2. Approve a one-day temporary on-sale liquor permit for Finland Snowmobile & ATV Club for the date of February 18, 2023, at the Clair Nelson Center, 6866 Cramer Rd, Finland MN 55603.
3. Approve the resolution supporting application for Active Transportation Infrastructure Program Grant Funding for Odegard Trail Construction.
4. Authorize the Highway Department to purchase a 2023 Chevy 6500 Medium Duty cab and chassis truck from North Country GM, through the State Cooperative Purchase Venture (CPV), contract 195787 at a cost not to exceed $63,333.81 plus any additional delivery, tax, title, or registration fees.
5. Authorize Highway Department purchase of a truck dump body, hoist, and components for installation on a Chevy 6500 Medium Duty truck from Towmaster Truck Equipment at a cost not to exceed $25,160.00 plus any additional delivery, tax, title, or registration fees.
6. Approve Assessor’s request for authorization of a local option abatement for a property damaged in the Greenwood fire that was not submitted for the Disaster Abatement of 2021, for property owner Frank and Nancy Mitchell, Parcel ID 20-5910-1576.
7. Authorize payment to St. Louis County in the amount of $9,450 on Invoice #258727 for Lake County’s portion of 2023 ATV Joint Powers Board anticipated costs.
8. Adopt Resolution Designating Unorganized Territory Polling Places,as follows:
• Unorganized Territory 1: Little Marais Community Club, 6470 Highway 61, Little Marais, MN.
• Unorganized Territory 2, Precinct 1: Knife River Recreation Building, 199 Alger Smith Rd, Knife River, MN.
• Unorganized Territory 2, Precinct 2: Larsmont Community Center Building, 701 Larsmont Rd, Two Harbors, MN
• Unorganized Territory 2, Precinct 3: Lake County Highway Building, 1513 Highway 2, Two Harbors, MN
• Unorganized Territory 2, Precinct 4: Lake County Highway Building, 1513 Highway 2, Two Harbors, MN
• Unorganized Territory 2, Precinct 5 – Mail ballot precinct, Lake County Auditor’s Office, 601 3rd Avenue, Two Harbors, MN
9. Authorize payment in the amount of $8,578.00 to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) for 2023 Annual Dues (Invoice 63186).
10. Approve the modification and authorize the Board Chair to sign the Agreement documents for the 2020 Trapper’s Landing Wildfire Fuel Reduction Grants modification to extend the usage period until 2025.
11. Authorize payment to Veterans on the Lake (VOTL) in the amount of $97,410 for trail paving project construction (VOTL Request Number 4 / LCCMR). Lake County is the fiscal agent for the project which is funded in part by an IRRRB Grant and LCCMR appropriation, which will reimburse Lake County.
12. Authorize payment to Veterans on the Lake (VOTL) in the amount of $56,874 for cabin renovation / reconstruction (VOTL Request Number 6 / LCCMR). Lake County is the fiscal agent for the project which is funded in part by an IRRRB Grant and LCCMR appropriation, which will reimburse Lake County.
13. Authorize the Board Chair to sign the safety consultant proposal submitted by Taylor Dickinson of IEA, Inc. for 2023 Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Management Services to complete phase 1 and phase 2 of the Lake County Safety Audit at a cost not to exceed $35,000. Billing will occur monthly through the Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC). Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 03 – Pending commissioner review, approve Health and Human Services claims payments in the following amounts:
a. Administrative payments $ 17,080.00
b. Region III Adult Behavioral Health Initiative payments $ 356,716.82 Absent: None
MOTION WALSH, SECOND HURD: 04 – Approve the 2023 County Net Levy amount of $12,069,251. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 05 – Approve the 2023 Tax Levy amount of $32,000 for Unorganized Territory No. 1. Absent: None
MOTION HURD, SECOND WALSH: 06 – Approve the 2023 Tax Levy for Unorganized Territory No. 2 in amount of $390,589 ($100,589 levy plus $290,000 for Road and Bridge). Absent: None
MOTION WALSH, SECOND HOGENSON: 07 – Approve the 2023 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 2023 Expenditure Budget of $402,000 and Revenue Budget of $401,279 for Unorganized Territory No. 2 (including $290,000 for Road and Bridge). Absent: None
MOTION WALSH, SECOND HURD: 09 – Approve the 2023 County Expenditure Budget of $44,892,089 and County Revenue Budget of $40,992,717. Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 10 – Approve the 2023 Tax Levy amount of $240,000 for the Lake County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 11 – Approve annual budget proposal, as presented on November 22, 2022, by the contractor Lovin Lake County, for the 2023 Event and Visitors Bureau, for a total budget of $1,920,000. Absent: None
MOTION HURD, SECOND WALSH: 12 – Adopt resolution to submit, adopt, and implement the St. Louis River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan, in coordination with the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD); the resolution states that the Lake County Board of Commissioners will approve submission of the plan to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Board. Contingent on recommendation of plan approval by the BWSR Northern Committee and subsequent BWSR approval, Lake County hereby adopts and will begin implementation of the Plan for the area of the county/SWCD identified within the Plan. Absent: None
MOTION WALSH, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 13 – Approve the release from probation of Kevin Yutrzenka, Dispatcher/Jailer, effective December 14, 2022. Absent: None
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 14 – Approve the recruitment for one full-time male Dispatcher/Jailer. Absent: None
MOTION HURD, SECOND WALSH: 15 –Approve the change in employee status of Seth Kroll due to completion of probation period effective December 20, 2022. Absent: None
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 16 – Approve the change in employee status of Roger Schreffler due to completion of probation period effective December 20, 2022. Absent: None
MOTION WALSH, SECOND HURD: 17 – Adjourn meeting of the Lake County Board of Commissioners at 3:12 p.m. Absent: None
The Lake County Board of Commissioners will convene for the following meetings 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 27, 2022.
– Organizational meeting at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
ATTEST:
Laurel D. Buchanan
Clerk of the Board
Rich Sve, Board Chairperson
Lake County Board of Commissioner
