Commissioner Proceedings

February 23, 2021

The Lake of the Woods County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 in the ITV room at the Lake of the Woods School. 

High School Social Studies teacher, Mr. Don Krause

Mr. Don Krause thanked the Commissioners for meeting at the School so his students could attend and participate in the meeting.

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Joe Grund called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited with the following members present: Commissioners: Joe Grund, Cody Hasbargen, Ed Arnesen, Jon Waibel and Buck Nordlof.  Also present was: County Auditor/Treasurer Lorene Hanson.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the agenda with the following additions: Approve Minutes from February 17, 2021, Human Resources/Non-Elected Department Head Review Date, Law Enforcement Center, and Tourism.   

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the official and summarized minutes of February 9, 2021.

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the official and summarized minutes of February 17, 2021.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Claims

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to approve the following claims: Commissioners Warrants $7,526.27, Commissioners Warrants $2,821.45, Commissioners Warrants $8,345.69.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Ed Arnesen, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to set the date for non-elected department head reviews for March 16, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioner’s Room at the Lake of the Woods County Government Center.

AUDITOR/TREASURER

Claims

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to approve the claims against the county as follows, with the exception of the claim for vendor 5892 for $628.64: Revenue $38,454.39; Road & Bridge $23,361.25; County Development $200; Joint Ditch $43,719.72; Solid Waste $11,443.96; EDA $905.28.

WARRANTS FOR PUBLICATION

Warrants Approved On 2/23/2021 For Payment 2/26/2021

Vendor Name Amount

Cenex Co-Op Services, Inc. 7,876.91

Code 4 Services,Inc 3,487.78

Counties Providing Technology 3,860.00

Interstate Billing Service Inc 17,548.58

LOW Highway Dept 41,217.80

Quadient Finance USA Inc. 2,000.00

R & Q Trucking, Inc 2,060.00

Roseau County Sheriff 2,585.00

Roseau County Treasurer 2,501.92

Sandpieper Design Inc. 11,800.28

U.S. Bank Equipment Finance 6,268.50

36 Payments less than 2000 16,877.83

        Final Total: 118,084.60

Further moved to authorize the payment of the following Auditor warrants: February 10, 2021 for $58,671.23; February 17, 2021 for $309,288.29.

Transfer of CARES ACT Funds

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the transfer of $256,250 from the Revenue fund to the Economic Development Authority fund for the appropriations of the CARES ACT funds: $256,000 for the small businesses and $250 for CARES administration.

Rehabilitation Housing Satisfactions

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve County Board Chair Joe Grund to sign the Satisfaction of Mortgage for the Rental and Rehabilitation Loan Program with Barry and Janelle Westerlund.

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve County Board Chair Joe Grund to sign two separate Satisfactions of Mortgage for the Rental and Rehabilitation Loan Program with Brock and Sherri Stebakken.

COUNTY EXTENSION

Brenda Nelson, Extension Educator and 4-H Youth Development, along with a few students, provided an update to the Board on the program’s accomplishments.  4-H Cloverbuds workshops for grades K-3 and STEM workshops for grades 4-6 continue to be offered and curriculum for students in grades 7-12 called Youth and You was also added.  A catalog with Spring and Summer class offerings for the Northwest Region was reviewed.

RECESS

The Board took a brief recess at 9:20 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 9:30 a.m.

PINE TO PRAIRIE TASK FORCE 

Sergeant Schrage provided an update on the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force, which works with nine different counties, local law enforcement, conservation officers, the Paul Bunyan Task Force and others. 

BORDERLAND TREATMENT COURT

Amanda Zortman, Bryan Hasbargen, Lisa Havluck and Judge Jerrod Shermoen presented on the process and the purpose of the Borderland Substance Abuse Court.  Treatment courts can help lead people living with substance use out of the justice system and into lives of recovery and stability.

LAKE OF THE WOODS SENIOR CLASS TRIP

Several students from the Lake of the Woods High School Graduating Class of 2021 shared their plans for a senior class trip. The Board asked the students to attend the Board meeting on March 23rd to provide an update.

PUBLIC WORKS

Highway

Approval of bids: SAP 039-608-024, SAP 039-631-007, SAP 039-606-019

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to approve the bid from Gladen at $600,660 for SAP 039-608-024.

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the bid from Knife River at $2,121,067.57 for SAP 039-631-007 and SAP 039-606-019.

Approval to advertise for bids: SAP 039-622-08

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the advertisement for bids on SAP 039-622-08. 

Resolution for LRIP Grant

The following Resolution was offered by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the following: 

LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY SPONSORING AGENCY

For

Main Avenue North, City of Baudette Project

Resolution No. 2021-02-04

WHEREAS, the City of Baudette is applying to the Commissioner of Transportation for a grant from the Minnesota State Transportation Fund for Local Road Improvement for Project – Main Avenue North;

BE IT RESOLVED, that Lake of the Woods County agrees to act as sponsoring agency for the project identified as Main Avenue North, seeking Local Road Improvement Program funding and has reviewed and approved the project as proposed.  Sponsorship includes a willingness to secure and guarantee the local share of costs associated with this project and responsibility for seeing this project through to its completion, with compliance of applicable laws, rules and regulations; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Lake of the Woods County hereby authorizes County Engineer, Anthony Pirkl to act as agent on behalf of this sponsoring agency.

Resolution for LRIP Grant

The following Resolution was offered by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve the following: 

LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY SPONSORING AGENCY

For

Eighth Ave South East, City of Baudette Project

Resolution No. 2021-02-05

WHEREAS, the City of Baudette is applying to the Commissioner of Transportation for a grant from the Minnesota State Transportation Fund for Local Road Improvement for Project – Eighth Ave South East;

BE IT RESOLVED, that Lake of the Woods County agrees to act as sponsoring agency for the project identified as Eighth Ave South East, seeking Local Road Improvement Program funding and has reviewed and approved the project as proposed.  Sponsorship includes a willingness to secure and guarantee the local share of costs associated with this project and responsibility for seeing this project through to its completion, with compliance of applicable laws, rules and regulations; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Lake of the Woods County hereby authorizes County Engineer, Anthony Pirkl to act as agent on behalf of this sponsoring agency.

Amend Agenda

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to amend the agenda to add, under Public Works/Highway: Purchase of 2015 Freightliner Cascadia.

Purchase of 2015 Freightliner Cascadia 

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to approve the purchase of a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia 125 for $40,500.

SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

CentralSquare Contract Signature and Financing

Resolution

The following resolution was offered by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously the following; contingent upon approval of County Attorney James Austad, County Sheriff Gary Fish and final approval of contract:

RESOLUTION APPROVING 

LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR 

PURPOSE OF FINANCING A PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT

RESOLUTION NO. 21-02-06

WHEREAS, Upon approval of legal counsel, Lake of the Woods County desires to enter into that certain Lease Purchase Agreement by and between Lake of the Woods County and Government Capital Corporation, for the purpose of financing a “public safety project”.  The County desires to designate this Agreement as a “qualified tax-exempt obligation” of the County for the purposes of Section 265 (b) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The County desires to designate Chair Joe Grund as an authorized signer of the Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY:

Section 1. That Lake of the Woods County enters into a Lease Purchase Agreement with Government Capital Corporation for the purpose of financing a public safety project.

Section 2.  That the Lease Purchase Agreement by and between Lake of the Woods County and Government Capital Corporation is designated by the County as a “qualified tax exempt obligation” for the purposes of Section 265 (b) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Section 3.  That the County designates Chair Joe Grund, as an authorized signer of the Lease Purchase Agreement by and between Lake of the Woods County and Government Capital Corporation.

Section 4. That should the need arise, if applicable, the County will use proceeds for reimbursement of expenditures related to the Property, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.150-2, as promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

PROBATION PROGRAM

Marc Bloomquist presented on the MN Department of Corrections Probation/Supervised Release Program. Lake of the Woods County participates in this program, which can provide supervision for offenders to include face-to-face contacts, electronic home monitoring, mandatory work or school, daily curfews, mandatory restitution and random drug testing.

RECESS

The meeting was called to recess at 12:30 p.m. and reconvened at 1:00 p.m. as follows.

LAKE OF THE WOODS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION

2020 County Feedlot Officer Annual Report

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the 2020 County Feedlot Officer Annual Report, as presented by Mike Hirst with Lake of the Woods County’s Soil & Water Conservation District.

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Update

Mike Hirst with Lake of the Woods County’s Soil & Water Conservation District provided an update on the Aquatic Invasive Species Program.  In 2020, the program focused on inspections, education/outreach and early detection efforts.

Keep It Clean Program

Mike Hirst with Lake of the Woods County’s Soil & Water Conservation District provided an update on the Keep It Clean Program, which was created to promote cleanliness for Lake of the Woods.  

LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY FAIR BOARD

Grandstand Project

Members of the Lake of the Woods County Fair Board provided an update on the grandstand project.  A used grandstand from Gustavus Adolphus College is available at a cost of $100,000.  The estimate to complete the project is $250,000.  The Fair Board is working on fundraising for the project and provided the County Board with a copy of a donation letter. It was the consensus of the County Board to support the project and the Fair Board was asked to come back again with a project update.

LAKEWOOD PUBLIC HEALTH

COVID-19/Vaccination Update

Kay M. Schell from CHI LakeWood Health, provided an update on the COVID-19 positivity rate and the public health COVID-19 vaccination clinics.  

Funding Request

Jeffry Stampohar from CHI LakeWood Health provided an update and asked if the Board had any concerns about CHI LakeWood Public Health using the contracted $30,000 of flexible budget dollars for use toward the public health COVID-19 vaccination clinics, if needed.  CHI LakeWood Health has received funding from the state, but they are unsure if that will continue to cover all of the expenses of the vaccination clinics.  It was the consensus of the Board to approve the use of the $30,000 towards the vaccination clinics, if needed.

LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER

Due to time, Commissioner Ed Arnesen withdrew his addition of Law Enforcement Center from the agenda.

TOURISM

Due to time, Commissioner Ed Arnesen withdrew his addition of Tourism from the agenda.

RECESS

With no further business before the board, Chair Joe Grund called the meeting to recess at 2:55 p.m.

Attest: March 9, 2021

__________________________________ _____________________________________

County Auditor/Treasurer, Lorene Hanson Chair of the Board, Joe Grund