County board holds busy meeting

The Cook County Commissioners held a busy meeting on Tuesday, February 9, tackling a wide variety of topics during the session.

Commissioners approved a three-way, five-year lease with AT&T and MNDOT, and the county to provide cell service on the Sawbill Tower. The county will receive half of the $137,064 rental fee from AT&T.

IT Director Rena Rogers pointed out that the added cell service would benefit the Sheriff ’s Office and other emergency workers in the area. Currently, there is no connectivity at the west end of the Grade Road. The lease starts March 1, 2021, and ends February 28, 2026, and the lease can be renewed at that time.

The county agreed to appoint Parks and Trails Director Tim Nelson to act as the fiscal agent for a $51,961.35 grant from the 2021 Federal Recreational Trail Program. The funding will be used to buy equipment for the Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club, which grooms and improves 137 miles of snowmobile trails primarily located in the Superior National Forest. If the grant is approved, the club will purchase a BobCat Compact Excavator. The club has secured $17,320.45 in local cash as part of a matching fund for the requested $51,000 grant.

* With the resignation of the county’s Firewise Coordinator Todd Armbruster on February 2, commissioners talked about the importance of the job before agreeing to advertise to fill the position. Cook County Emergency Manager Mike Keyport said Armbruster did an excellent job; “He brought the program to a high level.”

Keyport said Armbruster, who is leaving to take another job, has agreed to work with the county through the end of February, if needed.

Board Chair David Mills agreed with Keyport, saying, “It’s critical to get this position filled. He (Todd) left us in a great spot.”

The Firewise coordinator works with the Firewise committee and has to complete current and future Stevens Grant US Forest Service work and Firewise assessment work. The coordinator also works with Firewise communities, which are often Lake Associations, and coordinates with them on work that needs to be done said Auditor Powers.

Next, Auditor Powers asked the board to approve a resolution to support a $75,000 grant application by the Superior Cycling Association to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for the Federal Trail Program with the county acting as the fiscal agent for the grant. He said the Superior Cycling Association had 25 percent of its own funding for the required match for the grant.

Powers said the grant will be used to upgrade four miles of the Pincushion Mountain bike trails, repairing drainage and paying for new signs, etc. Commissioner Storlie motioned to approve, with Commissioner Ann Sullivan seconding, and the motion was approved unanimously.

Following the advice of Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken, the Cook County Commissioners voted to close a portion of the February 9 county board meeting to discuss litigation strategy in the lawsuit filed by Julie Collman against the county.

Commissioners discussed the case with attorney Kendra Olson of Pemberton Law, who will represent the county in the lawsuit.

Hicken suggested the board should close the meeting by motion under attorney/client privilege to discuss legal issues and legal advice according to Minnesota Statute 13D.o5, Subdivision 3 (b).

When asked what the lawsuit was about, Attorney Hicken responded, “I am not going to comment on this ongoing litigation.”

* Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Hawkins had asked that two items be pulled from the Consent Agenda for further discussion. She said the big issue was her concern about the county creating a new communication director position when the sales tax numbers were down. She also wondered aloud, “What isn’t getting done?”

Commissioner Mills explained that the last county board had already approved this hire. “Our county is going through some financial growing pains,” he noted, adding, “Then COVID-19 hit, and it upped the ante for getting information out there.”

Mills also explained that the county previously had an information officer/emergency manager, who left to take another job.

“It’s hard to see the benefits,” Mills said, “Without looking at other counties. But it’s easy to see the costs.”

Administrator Joerke said last fall there was a recognition that it was beyond the county’s capacity to get the news out about COVID- 19. He said the partnership with the hospital “allows us to address these needs.

Hawkins replied, “I know people who are struggling, and this is one of the last things they would want us to focus on.” She also asked about three positions that are now being evaluated, and each has a communication aspect to it. How would this new person’s position affect those job descriptions?

HR Director Pam Dixon is always evaluating job descriptions, said Joerke, adding job descriptions weren’t stagnate and being revaluated was part of the process.

Commissioner Ann Sullivan said she appreciated the work between the hospital and county to create a shared position. Mills said he felt “very lucky that we found an excellent candidate.”

“I get that we’re in a pandemic,” Hawkins said, “hopefully we are at the tail end of the pandemic,” she said, saying she didn’t think this was the right time to create a new position.

With that, Mills motioned to hire Nick with Sullivan supporting. When the vote was called, Sullivan, Mills, and Storlie voted for, and Hawkins voted against the position, not the hired person.

With that, Nickolas Cusick was hired to be the new Public Information Coordinator and will start next Thursday, said Administrator Joerke.