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Cook County Commissioners approved a final levy of 2.2069 percent at the board’s December 21 meeting. The final levy will be $10,912.424, an increase of $235,623 over the 2021 levy. In addition, commissioners included a 2.5 percent cost of living (COLA) in 2022 for employees.
When it came time to set county board salary and per diems, commissioners passed a resolution granting a 2.5 percent COLA for the board and left the $100 per day per diem for out-of-town meetings the same as it has been. Commissioners haven’t had a raise in pay since 2003. The total cost for granting a 2.5 percent COLA, including taxes, to commissioners is $3,012. The COLA will go into effect starting January 2022.
Meal and reimbursement rates were set using the General Services Administration (GSA) standard, which is established every five years. The GSA sets those standards for federal employees. State and local governments often adopt these rates because they don’t have to figure out how much it costs to compensate employees fairly for travel expenses. For example, Cook County has long reimbursed employees seven dollars for breakfast, ten dollars for lunch and $15 for dinner for overnight travel, regardless of the destination.
Official travel that does not require overnight stay or meals will not be reimbursed for out-of-county travel to events that last four hours or less without prior approval of a supervisor.
Meal and incidental expenses reimbursement will “not be provided for in-county travel, regardless of the length of the meeting, conference, training or event.”
Auditor/Treasurer Braidy Powers said that based on data from 2019, the GSA reimbursement rates could be up to $3,500 annually. Still, he noted that out-of-county travel had been limited because of the pandemic, and those costs would probably be less.
Employees traveling on county business will be reimbursed $13 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $26 for supper with $5 for incidentals. This follows the U.S. General Services Administration standard rate.
Consent agenda items approved:
Commissioners approved a 2022 cooperative agreement with the Forest Service and Cook County Sheriff’s Office for patrol. The USFS will pay the county $11,000.23 for the next year to patrol campgrounds and forest service roads and assist in fire emergencies, drug enforcement and certain group gatherings.
Also approved was a seasonal liquor license renewal for Voyageurs Canoe Outfitters to sell strong beer and wine for both 2020 and 2021. The outfitter applied for selling on—off-sale beer and wine, but the wine and strong beer had been inadvertently missed from the application.
Nelson Machine Products, LLC and North Shore Waste annual applications to haul solid waste was approved.
Nate Carlson was hired as a Maintenance Worker 11 position. Nate will start work on January 3, 2022. In addition, Art Smolecki was voluntarily transferred to the MIS Systems Administrator position that opened with the resignation of Kishan Barwaliya.
The Grandview Ridge final plat was approved. Commissioners also approved an amendment to allow a wash plant operation subject to gravel pit reviews for the Laboda Gravel pit just off the Arrowhead Trail. The wash plant would use three ponds to recirculate water for sorting aggregate material on the 160-acre site. In addition, two monitoring wells have been proposed for the operation, which will run from May 1 to November 15, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a limit of 100 tons per year. LaBoda Enterprises LLC will team with Ulland Bros. Construction on this enterprise.
*Administrator James Joerke came before the board to request the America Rescue Plan Act Budget approval. Cook County receives $1,061,124 under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The money must be appropriated by December 31, 2024 and spent by December 31, 2026.
Several areas were identified following meetings in June and October with community stakeholders representing public, private, and non-profit organizations to identify community priorities for these funds. These included public and mental health, broadband service to moderate and lower-income households, and water/ wastewater infrastructure to promote affordable housing development. Joerke said there was a consensus that the bulk of ARPA money should address the communities’ housing needs, with $675,124 targeted. Joerke said the county would continue to work with the Cook County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the City of Grand Marais, Township of Lutsen, Tofte, Schroeder, and other community partners to improve on water and wastewater infrastructure improvements so affordable housing can be built for county residents. So far, the county has budgeted $116,000 for the public health pandemic response staffing, which was allocated to offset the use of county levy funding.
COVID-19 policy
Administrator Joerke told commissioners he has been working with the county attorney, Cook County Public Health, and the county health and resources director on drafting a COVID-19 policy that is closely modeled on the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget. Human Resources will be responsible for verifying the vaccination status of all county employees and interns.
OSHA established the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to protect unvaccinated employees and employers who have 100 or more employees. The policy strongly encourages vaccination.
However, several states have sued the federal OSHA, challenging the legality of the ETS. Those lawsuits have been consolidated in federal court, and although the outcome is unknown and the case may end up before the Supreme Court, the county will be ready if the verdict allows for the ETS. Currently, the ETS is not legally enforceable. Should the ETS pass, interns and unvaccinated staff will be able to receive COVID-19 testing at the Cook County Community Center. The policy will provide discipline up to termination if an employee chooses not to be vaccinated and is unwilling to participate in the testing program.
Potential cost of the COVID-19 policy
There may be as many as 30-35 county employees who aren’t vaccinated. If the courts rule in favor of the ETS, the county will have 60 days to set up weekly testing, with test kits costing $150; Joerke said testing employees could cost as much as $5,250 per week for the six-month duration of the ETS. This money would be an unbudgeted expense, he said.
Commissioners approved the County COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Policy, which will only be implemented if the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard is upheld in federal court.
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