In August 2014 the Cook County commissioners approved a request from the County Highway Department to construct an access road from a gravel pit near the airport to the Cook County Airport to be built and used by Northland Constructors during the runway extension project.
At that time, the highway department recommended approval with the condition that Northland Constructors, which was the successful bidder for the project, obtain all necessary permits. Highway Engineer David Betts and Assistant County Engineer Sam Muntean recommended approval because it would benefit the airport because trucks would not have to drive across the existing runway.
However, Airport Manger Rod Roy appeared before commissioners on Tuesday, November 25 to let them know the project would have to be rebid because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE) had denied a permit necessary to construct the temporary road to the airport.
In a letter to the county, Darren Christopher of RS&H, the aviation firm working with Cook County on the runway extension, explained that the Corps of Engineers would not grant a permit to fill 750 square feet of wetland if there is an alternative haul route that can be used.
Christopher said the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) had also commented on the potential clearing of 0.60 acres. Because Cook County is a critical habitat for the Canadian lynx and the brown long-eared bat, USFWS indicated it would not “provide concurrence” for the clearing because an alternate route is available and should be utilized.
Roy said Northland Contractor’s bid of $1,468,200 was contingent on being able to use the haul road directly from the pit to the airport. Because the project had changed, the FAA requested that the project be rebid.
Commissioner Garry Gamble expressed dismay over the many jurisdictions— the Fish & Wildlife Service and the Corps of Engineers—involved in getting a project done in Cook County. He noted that the resulting rebids could cost the county time and money.
Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk said, “Not everything goes back to the water issue. There are two endangered species there. We can’t make a motion saying we don’t care about the bat.”
Gamble said his point was that situations like the road access denial are things the county will continue to face. “It’s a longer discussion,” he said, adding that the county needs to find a balance between good environmental stewardship and the ability to get local projects completed.
After a bit more discussion commissioners passed a unanimous motion to rebid the airport runway extension project.
In a bit of good news, Auditor Braidy Powers said RS&H was not going to charge the county any additional costs for the rebidding process.
Assessor Office vacancy filled
In August the Cook County Commissioners approved hiring a temporary contract person to fill a vacant position in the Assessor’s Office until a permanent employee could be hired. On Tuesday, November 25, Assessor Betty Schultz brought her recommendation for filling that position back to the board. Schultz asked commissioners for authorization to hire Jen Zender as a property assessor.
Schultz said Zender comes to the position with 15 plus years of real estate experience and has also worked in other office settings. Schultz said Zender is originally from Grand Marais and she is eager to begin work with the county.
Zender would start as a step 1 property assessor at $18 per hour.
In other business
. The board approved a county highway department request to purchase a tractor back blade. Highway Department Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad said the blade has been in the highway department budget for several years and has always been cut out of the budget. He said looking at this year’s numbers, the highway department is under budget so it decided it should make the purchase which will be somewhere between $257,720 to $268,890.
Klegstad said the back blade is used in the spring during breakup. He said it will prevent the department taking in a heavier piece of equipment on roads and “making it worse than when we started.”
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