|
|
Cook County Commissioners held a busy, productive meeting on December 14.
One of the main topics on the agenda was the Caribou Lake Property Owners Association (CLPOA) request to re-establish the Caribou Lake Area Subordinate Service District (SSD), which was created 2003-2004.
The SSD inadvertently lapsed in 2019. As a result, the CLPOA requested that the SSD be terminated from its boundaries and re-established to just the riparian properties within the watershed and institute a one-time special assessment of $60 for each property owner within the district over a five-year period.
The goal of the CLPOA request is to provide funding for continued water quality monitoring as recommended in the environmental review mitigation plan and fund efforts to fight aquatic invasive species.
Last summer, Rusty crayfish, an invasive species, was discovered in Caribou Lake. Rusty crayfish can out-compete native crayfish, multiply rapidly and deplete lake vegetation used as a food source for native fish. Currently, volunteer members of CLPOA are working with the county AIS coordinator following a harvesting approach to help slow the spread of the Rusty crayfish. This is being done in coordination with traps supplied by the U.S. Forest Service and frozen bait provided by the DNR to keep the numbers as low as possible. Caribou Lake Association members removed 1,091 rusty crayfish at the inflow of Bigsby Lake. The Rusty crayfish migrated from upstream Pike Lake and have just begun getting into Caribou Lake in 2020.
The association has also expanded its water monitoring for exploratory netting of spiny water fleas.
Following no disagreement from the public, commissioners approved the request.
Other business:
*Commissioners passed a resolution supporting the $81,392 Safe Routes to School grant application for school speed zone purchase and installation. The SRTS grant will cover 100 percent of school speed zone signs along CSAH 7 and 12 in Grand Marais.
*Also passed was a resolution for the county to act as legal sponsor for an application for the Minnesota DNR Off Highway Trails Assistance Program. This will allow the county to enter into an agreement with the State of Minnesota for the Hovland WoodsTrail, Timber Fear Loop, Rice Lake Pancore Loop, and Old Greenwood Loop. The resolution is good for five years and allows the county to continue entering into grant agreements with the state during this time. The county has no financial obligations for this program.
* Auditor/ Treasurer Braidy Powers recommended commissioners ratify the professional services agreement between TriMin Systems Inc. and the Minnesota Counties Computer Cooperative for maintenance and support of IFS for January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024.
Powers noted that the county has used the IFS program as its basic financial/ accounting system for many years, and about 70 Minnesota counties use this operating system.
IFS provides the county with basic financial reporting for receipts, disbursements, journal entries, budgeting, et. And it includes specific human services financial reporting and a separate cash receipting system. The current cost for Cook County is $13,650 and is budgeted by the IT department. Commissioners supported the request.
*A resolution for a Permit for Lawful Gambling Activity for the Gunflint Mail Run to conduct a raffle on January 8, 2022, at Trail Center Lodge was approved.
*Commissioners approved the resignation of KathyAnn Travis as Eligibility Specialist effective December 17, 2021. Kathy resigned because she was promoted to be the Attorney Paralegal/Victim- Witness Coordinator.
*The resignation of MIS Systems Administrator Kishan Barwaliya was approved with regret. Kishan’s last day was December 10, 2021.
* IT Director Rowan Watkins came before the board with a request to raise the county insurance against computer hackers. Currently, the county has a policy that covers $250,000. But, said Watkins, hackers are getting better at extracting vast sums of money from governments and businesses, tying up their IT systems unless they get paid. Watkins voiced strong support for the county’s current protocols to stop the cybercriminals. Still, for $4,000 more per year, he felt it wise for the county to purchase an annual million dollar policy, which commissioners agreed was a prudent move and approved Watkin’s request.
* After receiving no raises for the last 19 years, commissioners discussed improving their compensation. Both commissioners Stacey Hawkins and David Mills said it would be hard to recruit younger people to run for commissioner seats because of the low pay and the time needed to serve on the many boards and attend meetings out of town that commissioners now do. However, Mills said salary compensation might be too big a topic to cover this year and should be addressed in 2022. That said, commissioners voiced some support for receiving an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). That will be brought up at the board’s next meeting, where they will set commissioner salary and per diem (meals) payments for 2022. Currently, it looks like the 2022 board chair will receive $23,894, vice-chair $22,894, other commissioners $22,394, and per diems $100.
Commissioners will also set the 2022 budget and levy at the next meeting.
* Cook County Administrator James Joerke asked commissioners to authorize the county’s participation in the state opioid settlements with opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three opioid distributors.
The Minnesota Attorney General has negotiated a $300 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three opioid distributors. In addition, Joerke was authorized by the county board to participate in the local subdivision agreement. Settlement dollars will be spilt 75 percent to local governments, with 25 percent going to the state.
While the dollar amount Cook County will get isn’t yet known, the money will be used for opioid remediation activities and programs.
*Following the unanimous vote by the Revolving Loan Committee, commissioners approved a $75,000 revolving loan to Sweetwater Co. LLC for a $75,000 revolving loan. The money will be used for renovations at 8 North Broadway building, subject to the approval of an SBA loan, Bremer Bank loan, IRRRB grant, with the security of the third position of the mortgage on the building and personal guarantees of the four applicants.
Leave a Reply