Cook County Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) Director Mary Somnis came before the Cook County board of commissioners on Tuesday, October 8, with an overview of the EDA’s recent accomplishments and to present the 2020 budget request to the board.
Since 2017 Somnis said, the EDA has sold seven lots in the business park.
As far as the two housing development projects done in partnership with One Roof Housing, both were going well, said Somnis. She said the 16 units in the Four Direction Dwelling apartments were rented. And seven of the 10 single-family homes built in the Nordic Star development in Grand Marais were sold, with the two newest ones currently for sale and one house from the original eight presently under negotiation.
Somnis said although it’s early, One Roof has talked about building an apartment building at the Nordic Star development. That will be discussed in more detail at an upcoming meeting with One Roof, she said.
Although the golf season isn’t complete and the numbers aren’t in for the 2019 golf season, Somnis presented some highlights of Superior National golf course. With $4.5 million in renovations completed, 12,000 golfers are playing the 27-hole course each year. Property taxes generated by housing developments around the golf course are over $1 million from 2000 to 2019. In 2018 there was $932,210 in operating revenue with a payroll of $409,708 that supported three full-time and 40 seasonal jobs.
Somnis said the EDA proposed budget and levy request for 2020 is an increase of 3 percent over 2019.
There are two changes to the EDA budget request, said Somnis. “We put more in the [budget] line for the office because there is a possibility we might all have to move out of the office if the city goes ahead with its building project. We know that no one is going to rent to us for $200 per month.”
An additional $4,000 was added to help pay for the possibility of adding another EDA employee sometime in the future, said Somnis. She told commissioners her workload was piling up, and another employee would be needed to pick up the additional work.
Commissioners approved the 2020 EDA budget of $388,600, up from the 2019 budget of $377,774. Broken down, the EDA levy request for 2020 is $360,000. It was $349,054 in 2019. Other sources of funds are $3,600 in rental income and $25,000 from SBDC (Small business Development Center) support.
County administrator position discussed
With Administrator Jeff Cadwell leaving for a new job Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken brought forth some short term and long term suggestions for the board to consider as a way to bridge Cadwell’s departure and the time it will take to find a replacement.
In the short term, she suggested the board hire an interim director and then work with a transition team to select a permanent administrator.
She suggested the board name IT Director Rena Rogers as the interim administrator. “Rogers has the background of a project manager and an excellent IT staff that can take on some of her duties to make it possible,” Hicken said.
An interim director, suggested Hicken, would not bring new projects to the board or spearhead projects but would be on hand, to “not drop the ball” on any projects the county is currently involved in.
When asked for advice, Cadwell said it would be in the best interest of the county for the board to appoint an interim administrator as of October 15. Otherwise, he said, there would be no one authorized to sign documents that need to be approved by the administrator. He added that by appointing someone internally, it would be the “least disruptive for the staff.”
As for hiring Rogers, he said he had every confidence that Rena could do the work in the short term.
Next, Hicken advised forming a transition committee to help find a replacement for Jeff. A transition committee with two county board members on it would be easier to schedule than having all five commissioners on such a committee. “There is a little more fluidity in scheduling,” said Hicken.
Commissioner Heidi Doo- Kirk politely disagreed. She said she wanted all five commissioners to be on a transition committee, so it would be clear to the public who was making the decisions on who to hire next. She said the committee, who would include staff and the MATT team, could meet during county board meetings.
Doo-Kirk also questioned forming another committee, in light of all of the committees that commissioners now sit on.
The county board will meet with the MATT team on Thursday, October 10, where it can decide to offer the interim administrator position to Rogers, who has said she would accept it if offered.
“We need somebody to stand in the shoes of the county administrator until we fill the position or have a new form of government,” said Hicken.
With Chisago and Isanti counties now searching for a new county administrator, Jeff Cadwell suggested that the county board talk to these counties about the process they are using in their search.
There was almost one year after county administrator Jay Kieft passed away before Jeff was hired as county administrator.
County board chair Ginny Storlie said, “Everything takes time. We need to take a step back and do some healing.”
As far as the process of replacing administrator Cadwell, commissioner Bobby Deschampe said, “I think we will have a better understanding of where we are going after Thursday.”
Cadwell asked commissioners to approve hiring a Human Resources Director and posting the position internally. Due to the size and complexity of the organization, a Human Resources Generalist no longer meets all of the needs of the county, he said.
The new position will not add staff but instead will better allow Human Resources to serve the needs of the county employees and the organization.
With 150 employees, Cook County has grown into a large organization that needs the services Human Resources Director can provide, said Cadwell.
Because the personel committee hadn’t had a chance to look at the job description, which had been taken from Lake County and modified to fit Cook County’s needs, Commissioner Deschampe asked that the request be tabled until the personnel committee could look at it. Commissioners agreed with Deschampe, and the request was tabled.
Arts and Culture discretionary grants
The county board approved a limit of up to $15,200 to support arts and culture grants in the 2020 budget. Grand Marais Art Colony requested $10,000 to use to hire residents to teach part-time art classes to children.
Commissioner Dave Mills, who is currently working for the Art Colony, recused himself from the vote.
Submitting a request for $4,000 was the Grand Marais Playhouse. Funds will be used to hire college or high school interns to work in the technical areas of the theater.
Commissioners approved both requests.
In other business:
• Following the September 24 decision to move Richard Wojcik from part-time to the full-time custodian, a parttime position is now open and will be advertised at no more than 20 hours per week.
• James Zimmer tendered his resignation effective November 4, 2019, as an Adult Mental Health Case Manager (social worker). He informed the board that he had accepted a position with the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic. His job will be advertised internally for 10 days, and if there are no interested internal candidates, the department will revisit a pool of eligible social work applicants who applied within the last six months before the position is re-posted externally.
• Cook County commissioners signed a cooperation construction agreement between the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the county for construction at the intersection of Stevens Road and Store Road in Grand Portage.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs will fund improvements at the intersection, and Cook County will have no cost share in the project.
• Commissioners signed the permit request by Visit Cook County to host the “Oh Ole Night” Christmas parade. The parade will be held on November 29 from 5:25 to 6 p.m. in downtown Grand Marais.
• A motion to subordinate the county loan application to a new mortgage to Margaret Glennon was approved. Septic loans are special assessments, and subordination does not affect the county’s ability to collect the loan.
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