Commissioner Proceedings

June 22, 2021

The Lake of the Woods County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at Lake of the Woods County Government Center in the Commissioners’ Room. 

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Joe Grund called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited with the following members present: Commissioners: Joe Grund, Cody Hasbargen, Ed Arnesen and Buck Nordlof. Absent: Commissioner Jon Waibel.  Also present: County Auditor-Treasurer Lorene Hanson. 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the agenda.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to approve the official and summarized minutes of June 8, 2021 and June 15, 2021.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Claims

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Buck Nordlof, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the following claims: Commissioners Warrants $7,697.64; Commissioners Warrants $1,915.56; Commissioners Warrants $18,483.01; Commissioners Warrants $197.80.

Daycare Center Project Update

Social Services Supervisor Jodi Ferrier provided an update to the Board on a project to create a daycare center in the former line worker school building. The project committee is a collaboration of representatives from the County, Economic Development Authority and Lake of the Woods School. First Children’s Finance is researching the feasibility of the daycare center.  Ferrier will continue to update the Board on the project.

AUDITOR/TREASURER
Claims
Motion
Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the claims against the County as follows: Revenue $45,044.59; Road & Bridge $64,498.84; County Development $200; Joint Ditch $144; Solid Waste $107,450.02; EDA $788.57. 

WARRANTS FOR PUBLICATION

Warrants Approved On 6/22/2021 For Payment 6/25/2021

Vendor Name Amount

Cenex Co-Op Services, Inc. 14,121.07

Compudyne, Inc 5,029.80

Contech Engineered Solutions LLC 12,260.00

Element Materials Technology 10,580.00

M-R Sign Co, Inc 5,742.93

Mn Counties Computer Co-Op 17,413.32

Nutrien Ag Solutions Inc 25,366.18

R & Q Trucking, Inc 2,575.00

Swanston Equipment Corp 4,769.50

U.S. Bank Equipment Finance 6,268.50

University Of Mn 9,407.00

Wilkens Industries 85,511.93

32 Payments less than 2000                                         19,080.79

                                      Final Total: 218,126.02

Further moved to authorize the payment of the following auditor warrants: June 9, 2021 for $10,957.64; June 15, 2021 for $25,339.43.

RECORDER
Approve Final Plat of Hooper Creek
County Recorder Sue Ney met with the Board requesting final approval for the plat of HOOPER CREEK. The Plat consists of 16 lots and Hooper Creek Loop road. After careful consideration from the County Surveyor, Land & Water Planning Office, and the Recorder’s Office, final approval was recommended.

Motion
Motion by Commissioner Ed Arnesen to approve the plat of HOOPER CREEK for subdivision pursuant to MN Statute 505.03, Subd. 2, and authorize the Chairman and Auditor/Treasurer to sign the same. Seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and the same put to a vote was duly carried.

PUBLIC WORKS
Highway
SAP 039-631-006 Final Pay Request
Motion
Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve the final payment for SAP 039-631-006 to Gladen Construction, Inc. of Laporte, MN in the amount of $6,063.80.  The total project cost was $121,276.00.

Solid Waste
A meeting with the MPCA to discuss the demolition landfill will be held on July 13, 2021 at 1 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Room of the Lake of the Woods County Government Center.

LAKE OF THE WOODS ARENA BOARD UPDATE
Arena Director Samantha Lyon and Arena Board Member Mike Schulz provided an update to the Board on the Lake of the Woods International Arena.  Since its grand opening on July 6, 2019, the Lake of the Woods International Arena was host to several district and regional youth hockey tournaments; became home to two new programs – Learn to Skate USA and an in-house hockey club; and accommodated two seasons of varsity and youth hockey programs, special events, open skating and physical education classes.  Lyon plans to continue to grow the offerings at the Lake of the Woods International Arena and is excited to host a Bantam AA State Tournament in March of 2022.  In closing, Lyon and Schulz thanked the County for their continued support of the ice arenas.

FOLLOW-UP ITEMS FROM NWA MEETING
COVID-19 Vaccinations
CHI LakeWood Health representatives, Jeffry Stampohar and Kay M. Schell, joined the meeting to discuss the possibility of hosting a vaccine clinic at the Northwest Angle for Canadian citizens.  Commissioner Ed Arnesen will gather more information regarding the need of such an event.

NWA Property Values
The Board discussed the Northwest Angle property values with Assessor Mary Jo Otten.

RECESS
The Board took a 10-minute recess at 10:12 a.m.

Tourism
Motion
Motion was made by Commissioner Ed Arnesen, seconded by Commissioner Buck Nordlof and carried unanimously to approve Attorney James Austad to draft and send a letter to the City of Baudette requesting an update regarding the Baudette City Council’s position on the joint powers agreement for lodging tax and for Chair Joe Grund to sign the same.

RECESS
With no further business before the Board, Chair Joe Grund called the meeting to recess at 10:30 a.m.

Attest: July 13, 2021

_________________________________ _________________________________

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