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Boreal Community Media

September 12 Board of Commissioners Meeting

Sep 13, 2017 05:30PM ● By Editor

September 12 Board of Commissioners Meeting Highlights

September 13, 2017 – Following are highlights and key priorities covered at the Tuesday, Sept. 12 Board of Commissioners Meeting:

Rezoning Request
Zoning Administrator, Bill Lane brought a request before the Board to approve a request to rezone the Woodland Foothills Plat adjacent to Mink Ranch Road from LR-2 to R-1. The request was approved by the Planning Commission to accommodate build-outs with the less restrictive setbacks of a residential district and to provide variance relief for property owners.

Multi-Bin Recycling Trailer in East End
Tim Nelson, Land Services Director asked the Board to approve the cost of a new multi-bin recycling trailer to be placed at the East End Highway Facility for public access to recycling services. Tim had been working with Commissioner Deschamps to add this service in Hovland. Previously there has been no recycling drop-off between Grand Marais and Grand Portage. The trailer and bins will cost $19,207 and will be funded from the future landfill future development fund.

Maple Hill Fire Department Improvements
The Board authorized a zero percent interest loan for improvements to the Maple Hill Fire Department access road, and the addition of a bathroom and washer/dryer facilities at the Hedstrom Hall in the amount of $36,400 with a repayment schedule of 10 years and an annual repayment of $,3640 beginning 10/31/2018. Zero interest loans to local fire departments are consistent with current County policy. The loan will reduce Maple Hill Fire Department budget request for 2018.

Pictometry Data
Rena Rogers, MIS Director brought an item forward to the Board that was discussed at the Land Record Committee about the cost of hosting the County’s pictometry data (GIS aerial map imagery). The request for $4,212.50 for one year of hosting services was approved and will be funded using Recorder’s Unallocated Funds that are set aside from real estate transactions and are specifically designed to pay for technology that improves public access to land record services.

Local No. 49 Agreement
County Administrator Jeff Cadwell brought forward an agreement negotiated between the County and the Local No. 49 International Union of Operating Engineers, AFL-CIO. The agreement is for the balance of 2017 and includes the first employee group adoption of the recommendations of the 2016 county-wide Class and Compensation Study. The 49er group had been working on an extension of the 2016 contract in anticipation of the completion of the comp study. Negotiations of a contract for 2018 and beyond will begin soon.

All Wheel Drive Addition to Plow Truck

Jeff Cadwell also brought a request to the Board to approve a change order for the municipal plow truck that the county ordered earlier in 2017. The change order adds AWD to the vehicle at an additional cost of $38,835. The truck is expected to be in service for more than 15 years and the addition of AWD will make it a much more useful and reliable vehicle.

Items of Correspondence
International Day of Peace will be recognized on Thursday, Sept 21, 2017, with a gathering in the Rec Park Pavilion at the Grand Marais City Recreation Park at 7 pm. Jim Boyd, Cook County Chamber forwarded a request for a resolution in support of visa programs for international workers to be sent to our federal representatives. Both resolutions will be on the Sept 19, 2017 agenda for consideration.

Town Hall Meeting Summaries
The Commissioners reviewed their summaries of the Town Hall meetings and the budget process to-date. Videos of the Financial Plan Meeting and the Grand Marais Public Information Session on the Budget held on Monday, Sept. 11 are available online at www.co.cook.mn.us/budget

County Administrator Cadwell reviewed the recommendation of the Ad Hoc committee from the PHHS Advisory Board who reviewed the public health related grant requests. The Committee forwarded a recommendation to the Board for consideration that met the Board’s goal of keeping that expenditure to 2% of the current year’s levy. In 2017, $147,200 was granted. In 2017, the goal was not to exceed $157,300. This list of grants includes support of the Senior Center, Volunteer Attorney, Legal Aid, Birch Grove, Community Education and others. Cadwell also reviewed a conversation that was held at the Highway Advisory Committee about the need to reevaluate the County’s Capital Equipment Replacement Plan. All of these assumptions will be included in a set of options prepared for the Commissioners to use next week in setting the preliminary levy for 2018.

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

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

Valerie Marasco

Director – Office of Emergency Management & Public Information

Cook County, Minnesota

Law Enforcement Center

143 Gunflint Trail

Grand Marais, MN 55604

 

Office: 218-387-3059

Cell: 218-387-5366

Fax: 218-387-3032

[email protected]

www.co.cook.mn.us


 

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