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Boreal Community Media

February 13 Board of Commissioners Meeting Highlights

Feb 13, 2018 05:01PM ● By Editor

February 13 Board of Commissioners Meeting Highlights

February 13, 2018 – Following are highlights and key priorities covered at the Tuesday, Feb. 13 Board of Commissioners Meeting:

Public Comment Period
1) Resident presented a letter encouraging more public comment in the Master Planning Process for the proposed City/County Sawtooth Bluffs Recreation Project development. The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission is facilitating a Master Planning Process in collaboration with Cook County Parks and Trails Commission and the City of Grand Marais. The primary considerations underlying the planning process for the 640 acres of public land which has been designated as an area of regional significance, are:

  • providing recreational access and management, and
  • conservation of unique resources 

2) Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee (GTSB) provided a summary of the history of the designation of the Gunflint Trail as both a State and National Scenic Byway, and reminded Commissioners of the primary objectives of:

  • maintaining the historic nature of the Byway by minimizing or reducing signage
  • selecting design elements for future projects that maintain historic character, and
  • reducing the spread of invasive species along the Byway.

3) A resident brought forward a concern related to data practices.

4) A resident near the end of the Gunflint Tail shared a MnDOT document as a possible reference for signage along the Gunflint Trail and throughout the County. https://www.lrrb.org/pdf/2014RIC20.pdf

Consent Agenda
The Consent Agenda was approved as presented. Consent agenda items are those items that are a part of the routine and continuing business of the County. Items that are eligible for the Consent Agenda follow current County Policy and are already included in the current budget.

Agenda Items

MIS Department Update

Rena Rogers Director – MIS, presented an update of the Department’s operations and goals including Information Systems, GIS and Radio Communications and Towers.

Veteran Services Update

Pat Strand gave a year-end report and update on Cook County Veteran’s Services provided in the past year.

Community Center Lighting Upgrade

Diane Booth, Director – Community Center & Extension Services, brought a request to the Board to complete the updating of lighting in the Community Center at an estimated cost of $16,000.

Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Committee Request

Braidy Powers, County Auditor/Treasurer, brought a request from the Revolving Loan Fund Committee for a 20-year $70,000 RLF requested by Jeremy and Kate Keeble for the purchase and remodel of Hughie’s Tacos, contingent on primary bank financing and final review of their business pro forma.

Shared Highway Engineer Services Agreement

County Administrator Jeff Cadwell brought forward a Shared Services Agreement between Cook and Lake Counties for Professional Engineering Services to be provided by Krysten Foster, Lake County Engineer. The agreement is effective Feb. 14, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2019, and is renewable upon agreement of both parties. Cook County has been without an Engineer since July of 2017, when David Betts resigned to take another position. Cook County had previously contracted with Krysten Foster and Lake County to provide contracted engineering services for the oversight of the CSAH 7 construction project July thru October 2017. The Contract was approved unanimously. Commissioners Doo-Kirk and Deschamps were appointed to serve on the Joint Cook/Lake County Advisory Committee as identified in the contract.

Out of State Travel Policy

The Board reviewed the Out of State Travel Policy and the Board’s participation in National Association of Counties (NACO). The Board approved the Out of State Travel for Board Chair Storlie to attend the NACO Legislative Conference in March 2018, in Washington DC. Policy platform and Committee Assignments will be discussed further and identified in Commissioner Committee Assignments moving forward.

Full details of Board Meetings are available through video footage, Agendas and Minutes at www.co.cook.mn.us. County Board Meetings are open to the public. 

Contact: 

Jeff Cadwell, Cook County Administrator, 218-387-3687 or [email protected]

 

 

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