Tuesday, August 22, 2023. Lake County Board of Commissioners’ regularly scheduled meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Lake County Board Vice Chair / Acting Chairperson Jeremy M. Hurd. Acting Chairperson Hurd 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 (SRRR), 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota: District 2 Commissioner Derrick “Rick” L. Goutermont, District 3 Commissioner Richard “Rick” C. Hogenson, and District 4 Commissioner Jeremy M. Hurd. Board member absent: District 5 Commissioner Rich Sve. Vacancy: First District. Also present in the SRRR: County Administrator Matthew Huddleston, County Auditor Linda Libal, Facilities Maintenance Director Curt Backen, Environmental Services Director Christine McCarthy, and Clerk of the Board Laurel D. Buchanan.
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 01 – Approval of the agenda. Absent: Sve
Lake County Board Acting Chairperson Jeremy M. Hurd opened the floor for public comments. No public comments were made. Michelle McDonald, Director of the Lake County Development Achievement Center, Inc. (DAC) appeared before the Board of Commissioners to discuss a proposal for changes to the operation of the Lake County Arrowhead Recycling Center. Currently the recycling center is staffed with DAC employees. Ms. McDonald talked about how some individuals with disabilities have been paid based on productivity, rather than an hourly rate, resulting in pay equating to subminimum wages, below the federal minimum wage. This wage structure is in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the DAC holds a 14C certificate from the Department of Labor. Legislative changes may affect compensation for DAC program participants. The DAC is asking the County Board to consider dissolving the current agreement between the County of Lake and the DAC, and for the County to offer employment to existing recycling center employees and pay a competitive wage. The DAC continues to support program participants in applying for and gaining employment through area businesses. The Board of Commissioners advised that the County may consider the proposal. Lake County Environmental Services Director Christine McCarthy was present for the discussion.
Lake County Environmental Services Director Christine McCarthy presented an annual update for her department. The focus of this annual presentation is the Lake County Comprehensive Plan. A comprehensive plan is one of the primary tools used by local government to achieve the community vision, regulate land uses and guide future investments. Ms. McCarthy referred to Minnesota Statute 394.23, which states “The board has the power and authority to prepare and adopt by ordinance, a comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan or plans when adopted by ordinance must be the basis for official controls adopted under the provisions of 394.21 to 394.37.” Ms. McCarthy provided an overview and history of amendments to zoning ordinances. She provided an example of a comprehensive plan format with main categories including land use, water, energy, transportation, housing, trail, and public facilities. Additionally, Ms. McCarthy provided copies of an update on the septic survey, summarized by staff member Brandon Caltrider. The document title heading is LSN 1W1P FY 23 Septic Survey Update. The acronym is short for Lake Superior North (LSN) One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 23). A mailing including a notice and return postcards were mailed on June 15, 2023, to approximately 120 property owners within Tier 1 watersheds. Fifty responses were received. Initial discussions with installers, inspectors, and pumpers have taken place to assess the impacts of the next steps of this survey.
Lake County Administrator Matthew Huddleston provided an update on several items of county business. Lake County Auditor Linda Libal provided an update on the recommendation that the County Board adopt a resolution before the end of November 2023, that if adopted, would authorize mail balloting for all elections for Unorganized Territory No. 1 (UT#1), Lake County, Minnesota.
Lake County Facilities Maintenance Director Curt Backen advised that he is present for any questions on his requests for board action. Environmental Services Director Christine McCarthy thanked the County Board of Commissioners for the special meeting on August 15, 2023, for the purpose of approving and adopting the Northeast Minnesota Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 02 – Approve Consent Agenda as presented:
1. Approve Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting minutes of August 8, 2023.
2. Approve Board of Commissioners’ special meeting minutes of August 15, 2023.
3. Approve Health and Human Services claims payments in the following amounts:
a. Administrative $ 10,000.00
b. Region III $ 298,161.34
4. Authorize the County Board Chair to sign a letter of support for a regional municipal disposal facility. This support is required for Lake County to have a regional location for future solid waste disposal once the Superior Landfill closes. The Keewatin location was presented as a potential sitting for a new landfill in the Northeast Minnesota Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. The purpose of proposing this site is to provide the region with adequate disposal capacity and reduce overall hauling distances and the related costs associated with the region’s current Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal system.
5. Approve and authorize the County Board Chair to sign the 2022 Agreement for Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding from MN Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).
6. Approve and authorize the County Recorder to sign the Acceptance and Authorization Agreement with U.S. Imaging, Inc. for scanning and integrating Mortgage Records, Various Indexes, and Vital Records at an estimated cost of $97,324.71 to be paid for out of the Recorder’s Technology Fund Reserves.
7. Approve and authorize the County Recorder to enter into an agreement with Mid-America Business Systems to digitize real estate records from microfilm at an estimated cost of $9,700 to be paid for out of the Recorder’s Technology Fund Reserves.
8. Amend the Lake County Board of Commissioners’ meeting minutes of July 26, 2023, Motion 02, Consent Agenda item 3, as follows: Accept bids from Gary Stauss Construction (low bidder) dated May 30, 2023, for exterior upgrade projects for the Rukavina Arena and the Sonju Arena, at a cost not to exceed $22,000 per building. Both locations are the same scope of project and will be priced the same, for total payment not to exceed $44,000.00. The difference between the bid price and the not to exceed amount is due to the unknown conditions of framing underneath current facias.
9. Accept bid #1634 dated July 15, 2023, for electrical panel upgrades at Sonju Arena (Two Harbors) and Rukavina Arena (Silver Bay); further resolved, authorize payment to Silver Creek Electric LLC (low bidder) in an amount not to exceed $11,000 for each location. Both locations are the same scope of project and will be priced the same with a total cost not to exceed $22,000.00.
10. Accept estimate dated August 9, 2023, for a facilities maintenance project to replace the roof soffits and to cover the existing wood facias/ bird boxes with aluminium on the exterior of the building at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Building in Silver Bay; further resolved, authorize payment to Gary Stauss Construction (low bidder) in the amount of $8,500.00 for proposed project.
11. Approve and award the bid price listed below for Wildfire Fuel Reduction (Stevens) Grant projects to reduce hazardous balsam fir understory and blow down on private lands in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas adjacent to USFS projects. Contract will be paid by Lake County and reimbursed by the federal Wildfire Fuel Reduction Grant.
Total Acres: 38
Total $: 41,645.10
12. Approve resolution approving repurchase application as follows:
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 282.241 provides that state tax forfeited land may be repurchased by the previous owner subject to payment of delinquent taxes and assessments, with penalties, costs, and interest; and
WHEREAS, the applicant, Nelson, has applied to repurchase state tax forfeited land legally described as:
S1/2 OF E1/2 OF NW1/4 OF SW1/4, SECTION 17, TOWNSHIP 55, RANGE 8
WHEREAS, The applicant was the taxpayer of record at the time of forfeiture and is eligible to pay for the repurchase of the property; and
WHEREAS, the owner of record will remain the same as the owner at time of forfeiture; and
WHEREAS, Approving the repurchase will correct undue hardship and promote the use of lands that will best serve the public interest;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board approves the repurchase application by Nelson subject to payment totaling: $1,682.70 including service fees, deed tax, deed fee, and recording fee.
13. Approve and authorize the Board Chair to sign the renewal/amendment of a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the Counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching and Lake for the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training (NEMOJT).
14. Accept proposals from Enterprise Fleet Management (EFM) for Lake County General Motor Pool Fleet (Proposal No. 7333669, 7321443, and 7333690) for the proposed purchases of six vehicles; authorize payment to EFM in an amount not to exceed $76,000.00 in a twelve-month period. This dollar amount also includes the maintenance program for the six vehicles.
15. Authorize the sale of up to 300 cubic yards of pit run gravel from the Gooseberry Pit in the Town of Silver Creek, at $2.00 per cubic yard, to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for construction, maintenance, and realignment of the CJ Ramstad/North Shore snowmobile trail.
16. Authorize the sale of up to 750 cubic yards of pit run gravel from the Six Pit on Little Marais Road, County Highway 6, at $2.00 per cubic yard, to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for construction and maintenance on area recreation trails. Absent: Sve
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 03 – Approve the probationary appointment of Patricia Liimatta to Accountant at the 2022 Step 1 wage of $26.55 per hour effective August 28, 2023. Absent: Sve
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 04 – Approve the appointment of Lisa Knight to Senior Accounting Technician at the Step 3 wage of $25.37 per hour effective September 5, 2023. Absent: Sve
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 05 – Approve the resignation of Roger Walsberg, Highway Maintenance Worker, effective September 7, 2023. Absent: Sve
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 06 – Approve the recruitment of one full-time Highway Maintenance Worker. Absent: Sve
MOTION GOUTERMONT, SECOND HOGENSON: 07 – Petition by adjoining landowners to vacate a portion of platted road known as Lake Street in the McPhee’s Addition to Knife River. Absent: Sve
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 08 – Approve the probationary appointment of Katherine Ochtrup to Deputy Sheriff at the Step 2 wage of $29.06 per hour effective September 5, 2023. Absent: Sve
MOTION HOGENSON, SECOND GOUTERMONT: 09 – Adjourn Lake County Board of Commissioners’ meeting at 3:22 PM. Absent: Sve
The Lake County Board of Commissioners will convene for the following meetings:
– Budget meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
– County Board Work Session at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at the Lake County Highway Department, Hwy 2 meeting room, 1513 Highway 2, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
– Agenda meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
– Public Hearing on proposed Lake County Unified Environmental Health Ordinance, at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at the Lake County Service Center, Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
– Budget Meeting at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at the Law Enforcement Center, 613 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
– Regular meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at the Lake County Service Center,
Split Rock River Room, 616 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota.
ATTEST:
Laurel D. Buchanan Clerk of the Board
Jeremy M. Hurd, Acting Board Chairperson
Lake County Board of Commissioner
