County Administrator Jeff Cadwell asked the board to consider— for the future—changing the name of the Planning and Zoning Department to the Land Services Department with Tim Nelson serving as Land Services Director.
“This reflects the far that this office currently provides services beyond the scope of planning and zoning,” Cadwell said. “It also reflects an intentional shift away from the regulation and permitting of planning and zoning to a more customer service oriented work model.”
County Board Chair Heidi Doo- Kirk suggested that before they vote to approve Cadwell’s request the board needed to get the costs of changing letterheads, updating the county website and other expenses associated with this department name change. The board agreed with Doo-Kirk who asked Cadwell to bring those costs to the next board meeting.
Administrator Cadwell asked the board to approve a job description for Land Commissioner/Parks and Trails Director at the classification of C42-2. This position would also handle tax forfeit property, land transactions, parks and trails and aquatic invasive species.
The Land Commissioner would be under the direction of the Land Services Director, and would manage state tax forfeit land and its forest resources “for the economic, environmental, and social benefit of the county.”
As Parks and Trails Director, the individual would be responsible for implementing and monitoring the county comprehensive trail plan and for the maintenance of the county’s recreational properties, as well as coordination of the aquatic invasive species program and contracts.
In the meantime, Cadwell said one position would be eliminated from the Assessor’s Office to make room for the new Land Services Director position. Cadwell said an extra person had been hired to help the office catch up with its backlog of projects, and those projects were now largely finished.
In a matter related to county lands, Auditor Braidy Powers went over the payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) the county receives each year from the federal government. Powers pointed out that the county received $2,995,867.73 in PILT payments in 2010 and just $2,490,305.69 in 2015. Commissioner Garry Gamble noted that this was a 14 percent swing in payments, which strained the county budget.
Commissioner Doo-Kirk said the county received $2,584,474.41 in PILT in 2016, and added that she was glad for the increase no matter how small it was. One Roof Housing
By a vote of 3-2 commissioners approved a letter of support for the county to donate up to $175,000 in local matching funds for Duluth-based One Roof Housing which has worked with the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) and city of Grand Marais on finding solutions to developing workforce housing.
One Roof Housing has 284 units in Duluth and surrounding communities and allows qualified, income eligible buyers to purchase high quality homes at affordable prices.
Currently One Roof is working on phase 1 of a housing plan for Grand Marais that could result in seven homes and eventually three additional multi-family dwellings on West 2nd Street and 14th Street, west of the Homestead Housing Cooperative.
If built, the homes will be two-bedroom, one bath with walkout basements.
Gamble said he was a proponent of developing affordable housing, but he felt that despite the letter of support for the project from the city of Grand Marais, the county might have to pay all of the $175,000.
Gamble made a motion for the county to commit up to $100,000 for the project, but his motion died for a lack of a second.
Commissioner Frank Moe expressed similar concerns, adding, “We have difficult choices to make and limited financial resources. I am concerned the county could be on the hook for the whole $175,000.”
But Howard Hedstrom, who chairs the EDA, said the people who wrote the grant wanted to see “local skin in the game.”
Hedstrom also said the EDA had some money in its budget to commit to the housing project, and if it needed to, the levy for the EDA could be raised to spread the $175,000 to all county taxpayers. He said the EDA was going to seek funding from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and, last but not least, Hedstrom said the county would collect about $17,000 a year in taxes on this project, and with another affordable housing development in Lutsen, which will generate about $20,000 per year in taxes, the county would get its money back in six years.
“The revenue the county receives will more than take care of their risk,” said Commissioner Ginny Storlie.
Commissioner Jan Sivertson added, “This seems like a really good investment.”
Doo-Kirk made a motion to support the letter with Commissioner Sivertson seconding. Those two, with Storlie voted for the motion with Moe and Gamble voting against.
In other business
. A resolution of support passed for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) proposed U.S. Bicycle Route 41 from St. Paul to Grand Portage. County Administrator Cadwell said it was important for the county to show its support to the state for the project. “The state won’t go through with this until they see the areas where the route will go through will support it.”
Commissioner Moe said the bicycle route fit in with the county’s new trail plan and would offer potential revenue to the county when the trail gets authorized.
. At the request of Highway Engineer David Betts, commissioners approved a retroactive increase in pay for Lisa Sorlie at the highway department. Sorlie has been picking up a lot of extra work due to the absence of Russell Klegstad, who has been on medical leave for several months, and the vacancy of the assistant engineer position. The increase in pay will start from the date that Klegstad left his duties and continue until his return to work.
. The board approved an agreement with the State of Minnesota in which the county will provide an employee to act as a liaison between the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the county during major forest fire incidents, in exchange for compensation to the county for each week of the assignment.
Also included was an agreement with the DNR under which the county will provide a liaison between the county and the Minnesota Incident Command System. That employee is currently Jim Wiinanen, who is retiring soon.
. Commissioners approved a Revolving Loan Fund loan of $50,000 to Keith Bergeron, owner of Basecamp Bungalows LLC. Begeron will use the funds to renovate Fenstad’s Motel and convert it to short-term and longterm lodging. As security for the 15-year loan, Cook County was promised second position on the mortgage for the property.
. The board approved a grant for the County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) in the amount of $7,500 from the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs (MDVA).
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