Two Grand Marais groups have notified the county board they are ready to help implement the projects to be funded through the county’s new 1% sales and use tax, but in an effort to be more methodical, county commissioners have reined them in. At the Tuesday, November 24, 2009 county board meeting were representatives from the City of Grand Marais, the Grand Marais Library, and the Community Center.
Community Center Director Diane Booth told the county board that the Community Center board is interested in moving forward on plans for a new community center/ pool complex and is wondering if the county board wants them to proceed. She noted that she would like to see a senior center and a library satellite office located in the new community center.
Before giving the Community Center board any authority to start planning, Commissioner Bob Fenwick said, the county board needs to decide on a structure for managing the projects. It has a lot of work to do, he said. Theboard needs to figure out how they are going to manage the tax rather than simply “throw it out to the public.”
County Attorney Tim Scannell said he believes the board should designate someone to manage the 1% before any specific plans are made.
If a steering committee is formed, said Commissioner Jim Johnson, it should include all stakeholders.
“We should really be looking at a county project manager, a county administrator,” said Commissioner Bruce Martinson. “It’s too much for us as a board to handle.”
Groups interested in certain 1% projects need to hold off, Commissioner Fritz Sobanja said.
Commissioner Fenwick said he did not want to discourage anyone from meeting to discuss the projects, but the board was just not ready to hand authority over or even take recommendations on the project yet.
Commissioner Jim Johnson said he thought it would be good for the Community Center board to appoint a steering committee to start discussing a new community center/pool complex.
“We’re not there yet,” said Commissioner Jan Hall.
Booth said she would not take action until the board requested her to.
That said, Mayor Hakes let the board know the city council is ready for action. “On behalf of the city council I will say we’re absolutely thrilled that the 1% tax passed,” she said. “There is great synergy between the city, county, and the citizens of Cook County. …The city council is serious in its intent to make the long-awaited dream of a community center/recreation area and the muchneeded library expansion become realities. And…we will work earnestly with you to make it happen. … We want a seat at the table. We’re probably more anxious than you want to hear.”
The county and the city need to talk about sharing costs for the operation of the pool and the library, Sobanja said.
Johnson said he would like to see the planning process start now.
Theboard needs a mechanism for gathering input, Scannell said.
“I really think the answer is going to be having a county administrator,” said Martinson. Down the road a person in that position could also be in charge of the department heads, he said. Right now, each commissioner oversees several departments.
Bob Fenwick suggested that they ask someone from the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) to come up and talk to them about the possibility of hiring an administrator. By the next county board meeting Tuesday, December 1, arrangements had been made for AMC Executive Director Jim Mulder to attend the December 22 county board meeting to do just that.
A public hearing regarding implementation of the 1% tax was held during the December 1 meeting. One constituent attended but made no comment.
Collection of the tax will begin April 1, 2010. Commissioner Fenwick pointed out that goods purchased outside the county but delivered to Cook County by the retailer are subject to the 1% tax – things such as appliances or furniture delivered to homes or construction supplies delivered to contractors. He guessed the amount of money paid on such goods is very significant, perhaps $10,000,000 a year.
County Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers said the state would notify Cook County retailers of the mandate to collect the tax. If the state does not notify retailers outside the county, the county should, Commissioner Martinson added.
The board unanimously approved a motion to implement the tax, which will include a tax on utilities.
At the same meeting, the board approved a draft ordinance regarding setup of a five-member commission to oversee a countywide fiber optic communications network, another project that could be funded by the 1% tax.
Fiber optic commissioners will be able to serve two consecutive five-year terms at a time. The county board discussed the pros and cons of this length of service. Switching board members provides checks and balances, said Commissioner Fritz Sobanja.
Commissioner Jim Johnson thanked county Information Technology Director Danna MacKenzie for all her hard work on the project. “I know you’ve taken some heat sometimes,” he said. MacKenzie applauded the Broadband Committee, saying they have put a lot of time into the project as well.
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