With a number of very big decisions being made over the last couple of years, including decisions about construction of the Cook County Community YMCA, awarding funds for Superior National at Lutsen Golf Course improvements, broadband installation throughout the county, and creating a county administrator position, the county board has been under a lot of scrutiny.
At the August 27, 2013 county board meeting, Commissioner Bruce Martinson said he had heard from members of the public who were criticizing the board for not using Robert’s Rules of Order. He said they have been using them since he became a commissioner, but they have been using the small portion of the rules that apply to boards or groups of under 12 members.
The rules do not require motions to have a second, Martinson said, although the county board only votes on motions that have been seconded. In addition, he said the rules for larger groups do not allow a chair to express opinions or vote on issues—something the board chair has traditionally done.
At its last meeting, the board had discussed getting some training on meeting procedures. Garry Gamble reminded the board that County Attorney Tim Scannell had recommended that they not formally adopt the use of Robert’s Rules of Order unless they were prepared to follow them. Gamble said the public really just wants the board to follow procedures that are “efficient and respectful.”
Budget preparation
Every year at this time, the county board considers its options for the upcoming budget year. “We’re very strong overall,” Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers told the board in regard to its fund balance and financial position going into the next budget year in 2014.
Health insurance will be increasing 9.9 percent, and property/casualty and worker’s compensation insurance will each increase about 6.5 percent.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue will determine the county levy limit by September 1.
Traffic issues
With Engineer David Betts at the meeting to request filling a vacancy in his department, Commissioner Bruce Martinson asked why the Gunflint Trail has one lane on the way up and two on the way down just above the water tower near Grand Marais instead of the other way around. Engineer Betts said he has asked himself the same thing.
When the road was built, Betts said, large trucks had brake systems that required them to “creep” down hills.
Betts said it might be better to have two lanes going up so that vehicles could pass slow-moving trucks going up the hill. The grade of the road would need to be changed so that it crowned between the two directions of traffic, Betts said, and he estimated this could cost around $1 million.
Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk said she has heard complaints about the rumble strips that the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) installed on Highway 61 between Grand Marais and Grand Portage.
Engineer Betts said he used to live near a highway with rumble strips and understands how bothersome this can be. He expressed concern about safety for bicyclists when rumble strips are placed on the side of a road that has very narrow shoulders.
“On the other hand,” he said, “rumble strips save lives.”
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