At the Cook County Board of Commissioners’ August 15 meeting commissioners accepted the resignation of Assistant Cook County Attorney Jeanne Monson with regrets. The board authorized posting for the position immediately.
In her letter to the board, Monson said, “I have been humbled to have been a part of a team that works so hard to support our community. I am deeply grateful for the interactions I’ve had with defendants, victims, children, and families, and the opportunities to learn about their histories, challenges, and triumphs. I can’t express how much I value the supportive environment within the County Attorney’s Office and the offices and agencies with which we interact. This exit will be the hardest of my professional career.”
Monson offered her letter of resignation effective September 1, 2017, but added that she had some flexibility and could work some during the week of September 5-8.
Revolving loan requests
Commissioners approved a 10-year revolving loan request for $55,000 to Odin Jorgenson, the new owner of Tire & Auto Lodge, LLC.
The loan was given at an interest rate of 1.5 percent over the 10-year T-Bill with security provided by a lien on the business equipment, which is valued at $105,000, subject to all other financing completion.
Commissioners also approved $50,000 as final payment for Cook County Higher Education’s $53,270.78 revolving loan balance.
New Higher Education Director Karen Blackburn made the request, explaining that the additional funds could help shore up the county’s recent chronic shortage of cash in revolving loan fund, as well help support the mission of Higher Education.
The revolving loan committee quibbled at first about the amount to be forgiven. At one time there was a tie vote to forgive $1,065.41, or two percent of the loan, but that vote failed. As noted by the revolving loan committee, this is the first time a direct forgiveness of principal has been recommended, but in more than one instance the committee has requested, and the commissioners approved, interest rate reductions, based on changing conditions and needs, which in essence has the same effect as a direct principal reduction.
At the request of Ilena Hansel, Cook County Soil & Water department head, commissioners approved a loan application for $6,853 to a property owner who was experiencing difficulties with a septic installation. County septic loans for businesses are capped at $100,000, which this business was capped at before the request. Hansel said the borrower ran into unique circumstances, needing extra blasting and was affected by excessive rain, which cost the amount the borrowers requested from the county.
Lutsen workforce housing
By a 5-1 vote taken on July 12, the planning commission voted to approve a conditional use permit (CUP) for 16 workforce housing units in Lutsen, said Planning & Zoning director Bill Lane to the board. Lane asked commissioners to approve the planning commission recommendation, which the board did with a unanimous vote.
The housing development will be overseen by Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Agency (EDA) and One Roof Community Housing and will be built next to Arrowhead Electric Cooperative (AEC) on 9.99 acres.
Plans are to build four, four-unit buildings consisting of eight one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom apartments that are intended for long-term housing for non-seasonal employees in Cook County.
During the planning commission meetings Cliff Knettel, director of One Roof, said rents would be $900 for one-bedroom and $1,100 for a two-bedroom apartments. He added that rents would be geared towards moderate incomes. A property manager and an onsite caretaker will oversee day-to-day operations.
Under an agreement with the EDA, One Roof will construct, own and manage the property through an LLC wholly owned by it with the name West End Quad, LLC.
The planning commission received three letters from nearby homeowners about the housing project, one in favor, and two against.
Matt Farley said he was opposed to the rental units at the proposed site, adding, “I would actually be opposed to employee rental anywhere in downtown Lutsen. There are enough people now walking and riding their bikes on the shoulder on Highway 61. I realize the need for ‘affordable’ housing, but this would add congestion to an already busy stretch of road. I have been with Lutsen Fire Department for years and have responded to many collisions on that short span of road.”
Farley added that he felt using property at the base of the ski hill road would be a better location “since most renters will likely work for Lutsen Resort or Lutsen Mountains.”
Tom Christiansen, owner of nearby Last Chance Fabricating Studio, Foundry, Gallery, said in his letter, “I own the property next door to Arrowhead Electric. I am in favor of granting a conditional use permit for residential use. I believe housing is a great need here in our county and having attractive and well built rental units is a great asset to the Lutsen community.”
Gayle Brett stated, “I feel I should offer my opinion on the recent mailing I received regarding Arrowhead Electric’s request to establish 16 rental units adjacent to their offices. Is that common, for a utility company whom local residents support through their utility purchase, to submit a plan that inevitably will decrease all nearby residence values?
“Though rentals are needed in Cook County, it seems all the promoters involved should question how the project will affect nearby home owners. Since I have recently listed my house for sale, I’m pretty sure that news of this potential rental project will have a negative impact on my home’s value. Cook County is becoming a more and more difficult place to live.”
Commissioners approved the CUP request. At one time, work was planned to begin this fall, but several things have to happen first: an archeological survey needs to be completed; access issues from Highway 61 into the property need to be addressed with the Minnesota Department of Transportation; discrepancies discovered in the wetlands mitigation plan need to be addressed; and some currently unfunded grant applications have slowed the project’s start-up date until next spring or early summer.
PHHS position
Cook County Administrator Jeff Cadwell said the search committee met and decided to give current Public Health and Human Service employees first chance at filling the department head vacancy left open in the wake of Josh Beck’s resignation.
The position will be posted internally for 10 days. The search committee will then review applications and interviews will be granted to those selected.
Items approved August 8 by Cook County Board of Commissioners:
. Commissioners approved receiving a $17,500 Safe & Secure Courthouse grant with the State of Minnesota Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative. The grant will be used to improve the safety and security of the courthouse. Door locks will be reconfigured; door viewers and new window shades purchased and options to make egress from threats of shelter in place options will be explored using these funds. The grant can also be used for courthouse security assessments, training, equipment purchases, and other upgrades.
. The Cook County Highway Department received permission to advertise for bids for winter maintenance on Subordinate Governmental Service District Roads for winter maintenance. Those roads include the Evergreen Road, Voyageur’s Point, Mile- O-Pine Road, West Rosebush Lane, Portions of Irish Creek Road, and Rosebush Hill.
Upon recommendation by the Cook County Highway Department, Isak Hansen & Sons, Inc., was awarded the bid of $84,500 to furnish and blend the county’s winter road sand. Although the bid was higher than expected, Isak Hansen’s was, for the second year in a row, the lone bidder.
. Jade Woltmann was hired to fill the position vacated by Lynn Wright who moved into the position that opened when Barb Rasmussen retired.
. The board approved a motion to accept with regrets the resignation of Angie Cook from the Auditor’s Office. The position will be posted internally.
. Commissioners approved motion to accept a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant for $67,500 that will be used for environmental obstruction removal at the airport. The agreement is for he Phase One runway extension project that did not originally have an environmental assessment of the tree clearing area.
. A one-day permit for gambling was granted to the Mid-Trail property owners for an August 9 fundraiser and a one-day permit to sell liquor was awarded to the Schroeder Historical Society for a September 28 event at the Cross River Heritage Center.
. Lisa Sorlie, Road & Bridge accountant reviewed the 2018 highway budget with the commissioners.
Grant request for spin cycles for the Y
Cook County attorney Molly Hicken presented a North Shore Health Care Foundation grant request for $10,000, which, if awarded, will be used to purchase ten new cycling bikes for the YMCA. The estimated cost to purchase ten spin cycles is $15,000.
Hicken asked the county to offer to “match” some of the grant request because that would indicate the county is willing to have “skin in the game”.
Hicken explained that the county is responsible for ”fixtures” at the Y, which included the bikes and all of the exercise equipment. The bikes were purchased secondhand from the Duluth YMCA. Additional grant funds will be sought to make up the difference in the purchase price of the bikes. Hicken is one of the Y’s Group Cycle spin class teachers. The classes are 45 minutes long and are considered a low impact fitness activity available to people of all levels of fitness.
After some discussion and a report from Auditor/ Treasurer Braidy Powers about the upcoming YMCA’s building expenses, Powers said it looked like with lower costs in heating the building this year, several thousand dollars would be available to put toward a matching grant. “Unless we get another Polar Vortex,” added Powers.
After some discussion commissioners passed a motion to allocate up to $2,000 for a matching grant to purchase spin cycles for the Y.
Hicken said the plan is to keep the best five spin cycles and sell or trade in the remaining cycles.
Law enforcement
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen presented the board with a review of the 2018 Law Enforcement budget. Because the budget is much the same as it was in 2017, Eliasen presented one big ticket item to the board to consider, a $60,000 capital purchase request to buy 10 new mobile dispatch systems (computers) for the deputies’ cars.
“We don’t write anything out anymore,” said Eliasen. Deputies fill out reports on their computers in their cars, he said.
Each unit is $4,000 but the cost to have them installed in the cars will cost about $20,000, Eliasen said.
No decision was made at this time about Eliasen’s request to purchase computers for the deputies’ cars, but will be brought up when commissioners lay the groundwork for the 2018 levy.
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