June 28, 2022

The Lake of The Woods County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at Lake of the Woods County Government Center in the Commissioners’ Room.

Call To Order

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

Approval of Agenda

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve the agenda with the following changes: Add: Affirmative Action Plan Approval, Flood including: ARP Funds, Williams Fire Department, & Sandbagging. Remove: DNR Land Sale.

Set Meeting Date

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Joe Grund and carried unanimously to set an Emergency Flood Meeting for July 5, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. to be held in the County Commissioners Room. 

Approval of Minutes

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve the minutes from June 7, 2022.

Approval of Minutes

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve the minutes from June 14, 2022.

Approval of Minutes

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Joe Grund and carried unanimously to approve the Board of Equalization minutes from June 13,14,& 21 2022.

Social Services

Claims

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve the following claims: Commissioners Warrants $9,980.13; Commissioners Warrants $2,999.47; Commissioners Warrants $39,037.15.

Approval of Crisis Sub-Contract Sanford- Bemidji

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen to approve the purchase of service agreement for Mental Health Crisis Intervention and Stabilization Services for adults between Sanford-Bemidji and Lake of the Woods County.

Recorders

County Recorder Sue Ney discussed a program available through Tyler Technologies called Document Alert. She is requesting approval to purchase the software in the amount of $3,900 in one-time fees and $600.00 in yearly maintenance costs to be paid for out of the Recorder’s Technology Fund. 

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Joe Grund and carried unanimously to approve the purchase of the Document Alert program from Tyler Technologies, to be paid for out of the Recorder’s Technology Fund.

Northwest Angle- Public Access & Materials

The board discussed the public accesses at the angle that are being threatened by the flood and the possibility of getting materials to the Northwest angle to improve the public access and parking issues. 

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve an amount up to $30,000 to assist the Northwest Angle and for County Engineer Anthony Pirkl to use the funding at his discretion for required improvements to public access areas. 

Flood Update- Sandbagging, Volunteers, ARP, & FEMA

The County Board of Commissioners, Emergency Management Director Jill Hasbargen-Olson, Sheriff Gary Fish, and County Engineer Anthony Pirkl discussed the on-going flood disaster and the need for volunteers. They discussed the possibility of using American Rescue Plan funding and/or funding from FEMA to continue to assist the community during this crisis. The need for volunteers is crucial in the efforts for sandbagging, however, they have been unsuccessful in getting enough volunteers. 

Williams Fire Department

Williams Fire Department Volunteer Officer Cory Estling joined the meeting by phone to discuss the fire departments concerns with the organization of the flood efforts. They are concerned that their volunteers may be pulled away from emergencies that require their assistance and that the funds are being depleted. They are willing to continue assisting with the sandbagging efforts but would like the process to be more organized and not rely on them to make the decisions.

Flood Sandbagging Volunteer Help

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Ed Arnesen, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve $30.00 per person, per hour up to an amount of $10,000 to volunteer sandbaggers to be donated to a Lake of the Woods County non-profit organization of their choice. 

Add to Agenda

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to add GPS Survey Equipment to the agenda.

Public Works

GPS Survey Equipment

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the purchase of refurbished GPS Survey Equipment in the amount of $7,323.29.

Build a Better Mouse Trap Award

County Engineer Anthony Pirkl informed the board that two of the inventive ideas by Todd Fadness to improve equipment had received recognition from the State. An honorable mention and a 2^nd place win for a quick attachment modified with drilled holes to improve ditch clean up and a shear attachment used to clip trees. 

Phone Stipend

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to approve a phone stipend in the amount of $60.00 per month for Tim Aery effective July, 2022. 

New Hire

County Engineer Anthony Pirkl informed the board that they have been unsuccessful in hiring for a solid waste position that would need to be filled by September. They will advertise for the position again. 

Human Bio-Solids Options

County Engineer Anthony Pirkl informed the board that T&K Outdoors located in Bemidji was interested in the drop off, maintenance, and removal of dumpsters for Human Bio-Solids in the winter months. 

Hauling Options

County Engineer presented a formal letter drafted to Koochiching County about the possibility of hauling demolishing work beginning in 2025. 

Move Ditch Authority Meeting

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Jon Waibel and carried unanimously to move the Ditch Authority- Petition for Partial Ditch Abandonment to the regular board meeting July 26, 2022. 

IT/Maintenance

Cold Storage Repair

Maintenance Supervisor Shane Shaw requested approval from the board for the repair and improvement of the cold storage building in the amount of $3,000.00. The repairs would be done by Brian Swart.

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Joe Grund and carried unanimously to approve the hire of Brian Swart to repair the cold storage building in the amount of $3,000.00.

Fob Installation on New HWY Doors

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to install wiring on the new Highway Department doors for key fobs in the amount of $5,713.00.

Move Work Session

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to move the Maintenance Work Session to July 5, 2022 following the emergency meeting.

Auditor/Treasurer

Correspondence

County Auditor/Treasurer Lorene Hanson presented a thank you letter to the Board of Commissioner from the Lake of the Woods Senior Boating.

Claims

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Hasbargen, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the claims against the County as follows: Revenue $90,740.55; Road & Bridge $146,186.47; County Development $560.00; Joint Ditch $240.85; Solid Waste $59,660.26; EDA $2,144.32.

WARRANTS FOR PUBLICATION

Warrants Approved On 6/28/2022 For Payment 6/30/2022

Vendor Name Amount

Alternative Business Furniture 2,570.07

Cenex Co-Op Services, Inc. 17,241.11 

Counties Providing Technology 3,972.00

Freeberg & Grund, Inc 5,932.50

Holen Electric 3,325.00 Integris DBA           9,910.70 

Just For Kix 2,775.00 

KGM Contractors Inc 20,601.67 

Larkin Hoffman Attorneys 36,473.00 

Lavalla Sand & Gravel Inc 29,261.00 

LOW Highway Dept 3,846.05 

North East Technical Service,Inc 13,290.31 

Northwest Electric Inc. 9,900.00 

Polk County Highway Dept 3,468.95 

Rainy Lake Oil, Inc 4,543.37 

T-C Lighting 26,171.11 

U.S. Bank Equipment Finance 6,268.50 

Voice Products 2,248.00

Wex Bank 2,923.79 

WIDSETH 2,500.00 

Ziegler, Inc 54,678.00

65 Payments less than 2000 37,632.32

Final Total: 299,532.45

Further moved to authorize the payment of the following auditor warrants: June 7, 2022 for $30,000; June 8,2022 for $1,069,175.03; June 15, 2022 for $30,575.10; June 20, 2022 for $10,759.03.

Appointment of Arrowhead Member

It was the consensus of the board to reach out to members of the community to find someone to appoint to the position.

Affidavit of Lost Warrant

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen to approve the Affidavit of Lost Warrant numbered 38385 in the amount of $255.14.

Liquor Licenses

Border View

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the Liquor License for Border View Lodge.

Sportsman’s Lodge

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the Liquor License for Sportsman’s Lodge. 

Approval of Affirmative Action Plan

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel to approve the Affirmative Action Programs for People of Color, Women and Individuals with Disabilities effective June 1,2022 and to authorize Commissioner Chair James “Buck” Nordlof to sign the same. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Joe Grund and the same being put to a vote, was unanimously carried.

Attorney Client Privilege- Closed Session

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Ed Arnesen and carried unanimously to close the regular meeting and open the closed session Attorney Client Privilege meeting (Pursuant MN Statute 13D.05 Subd.3B).

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Jon Waibel, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to close the closed session Attorney client Privilege meeting and open the regular meeting.

RECESS

With no further business before the Board, Vice-Chair Ed Arnesen called the meeting to recess at 12:35 p.m.

Attest: July 12, 2022

______________________________ _________________________________

County Auditor/Treasurer, Lorene Hanson Vice-Chair Ed Arnesen