Commissioners approved the capital improvement plan (CIP) that called for the issuance of $9,545,000 general obligation bonds at the board’s Tuesday, April 10 meeting.
The majority of the money will be used to fix county roads with some dollars going to repairs on the courthouse, law enforcement center and improvements to the Cook County Community Center.
Consent agenda items passed include the approval of the current joint powers agreement with the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District for the continued management and disposal of household hazardous waste for Cook County.
Part of the agreement includes the Paaintcare program that Buck’s Hardware Hank participates in which enables people to bring their extra paint to Buck’s for disposal at no charge. Because of this program, the county has dropped from two household waste collections per year to just one event.
The 2018 Lutsen 99er mountain bike event special road use permit was approved. The event features four mountain bike races of various distances (99 miles, 69, 39, and 19 miles) that will be held June 23. Last year almost 2,000 riders took part.
Commissioners signed a letter of recommendation in support of Jim Ericson’s application to the Governor’s Council on the Minnesota Coastal Program.
In his letter to the Governor’s Council, Ericson said, “I have vacationed along North Shore for decades and am now happy to live in Cook County within walking distance to the lake. Having explored countless miles o the shore from Duluth to Grand Portage, I have come to appreciate the public lands which provide access to the lake and would like to be involved in the review of the programs and projects that improve and support Superior’s lakefront.”
Ericson worked the last 25 years in local units of government, the last 10 of which he spent as city administrator in Mounds View, Minnesota. “I would think my work experiences, problem-solving skill and history of interacting well with local and state elected officials would be desirable in a non-elected member.”
Cook County Assessor Todd Smith brought three abatements before the commissioners, which were all approved.
Cook County Highway director Kyrsten Foster asked the commissioners to accept a project and final payment in the amount of $178,956.73 to Northland Constructors, LLC for completing the Sawbill paving job, which was bid at $2,553,585.94 and had a cost overrun of $47,489.44 due to additional culvert work and road materials, including pipe ends and aggregate.
The project was funded through regular CSAH State Aid funds.
Foster, along with Lisa Sorlie, also presented commissioners with a 2017 final report of the highway department. Public hearing for fee schedule
Fees for the Sheriff ’s Office and the Auditor’s Office were approved while proposed fees for the Planning and Zoning and Emergency Management will be completed after an ordinance review.
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