Bruce Martinson is running against Ginny Storlie to see who will represent District 5 (the west end) of Cook County as county commissioner. Both Storlie and Martinson were asked the same questions. Here are their responses.
Tell us a little bit about your self.
. Bruce Martinson: My wife, Sheryl, and I have owned and managed for the last 25 years Superior Ridge Resort-Motel in Schroeder. My education includes a B.A. degree in Business Administration minoring in biology and economics. Prior to moving to Cook County in 1993, I worked for seven years in customer banking and three years in personnel. In the past, my passions included traveling, canoeing in the BWCA and scuba diving.
. Ginny Storlie: I am Ginny Storlie, and I have lived on Cook county over 30 years. In the past, I owned two businesses in Tofte and presently own a gardening consulting business in Lutsen.
Outdoor activities include hiking, cross-country skiing, paddling the BWCA, and gardening, to name a few. When I have time hobbies, include knitting, reading, and cooking. Family and friends always top my list for importance.
Both of you have been or are currently county commissioners. How do you feel your experience will guide you going forward if you are elected?
. Storlie: My experience as a Commissioner is to be a listener to everyone’s concerns.
As a result, this requires thoughtful research before a conclusion can be reached. thoughtful research before a conclusion can be reached.
Visiting with other County Commissioners gives me a broad perspective of improving areas in our county.
. Martinson: I was Cook County commissioner for District 5 for 12 years (2003-2014). Even though both of us have sat on most of the same committees, my approach to meetings has been different than Ginny Storlie’s. I had a reputation for researching the issues and asking questions; voting no if I thought the best interests of the county and my constituents weren’t being served.
Working as a team with other commissioners on my tenure as commissioner, I learned how to ask the right questions and trim the budget to meet our goal of a lower levy increase. Moving forward, my 12 years experience will help the county to not repeat mistakes of the past.
What do you see as the biggest challenge for the county in the next four years?
. Martinson: The hardest challenge will be keeping the levy under 3 percent with the additional staffing hires and financial commitments made by the board in the last 3½ years which resulted in a 17.5 percent levy increase in 2018.
Hiring too many new staff results in the declared need for building expansion and requests for additional vehicles to our fleet. A low levy can only be accomplished through some staff reduction and not proceeding with an aggressive building plan of building or expanding a new jail, Human Services building, maintenance facility and courthouse.
Also, the Y financial participation agreement must be renegotiated with the city eliminating their cap of $110,000. The city paid about $150,00 per year to cover the operating deficit of the old smaller Grand Marais Community Pool.
Having issues with the contract language, I was the only no vote back in 2012 in approving this agreement along with the agreement with the Y.
. Storlie: Putting together a strategic plan out 10 to 15 years for each department.
To plan for what is needed to avoid surprises. Presently we are looking into the needs of the Law Enforcement Center. There is bonding available so we are taking steps to review what would make the most sense.
Should the county collect lodging taxes on tax Airbnb’s or for short-term rentals?
. Storlie: The county collects on a short-term rental, 30 days or less. About 95 percent of the gross goes to fund the local tourism bureau for advertising, and administrative fees are at about 1 percent. A sub-committee is looking into more details of the rentals which will be presented to the County Board at a future date.
. Martinson: Absolutely. The collection of lodging taxes, local sales tax, and transportation tax would increase our revenues and ensure a level playing field with existing rental properties. The Assessor’s Office estimates that about 250 homes are now being rented as short-term rentals with only half possessing a MN Dept. of Health Lodging License.
If the county board accepts one of the recommendations of the vacation home rental committee which I am a member, an effort will be made to bring properties into compliance, and a biannual $50 permit will be required.
Do you see any potential uses for the shuttered Minnesota Power plant?
. Martinson: With the plant built to house coal boilers and electric generators, alternative uses for the building are limited. Biomass and natural gas have been found not to be economically feasible. The bigger issue is how to responsibly develop the surrounding 3300 acres owned by MN Power (Allete) and Cleveland Cliffs which includes the only deep-water harbor, commercial dock, and rail line in Cook County.
Since the Minnesota Power plant will cease to be on standby and close as a coal burning facility at the end of 2020, the EDA and elected officials must start now working together with MN Power, Cleveland Cliffs and the IRRRB to find feasible uses of the property.
. Storlie: Two years ago Minnesota Power held a public meeting for ideas, but so far nothing tangible has been presented. The deadline is 2020 for closing. I could envision the site for a possible wind farm, dock usage for Great Lakes ships or return the land for community housing.
Do you believe the county should expand its current law enforcement center? If so, why?
. Storlie: The current Law Enforcement Center has outgrown its capacity. We are only one of two counties in Minnesota that can house inmates 72 hours and then they are taken to other areas of Minnesota at the county expense of over $200,00 a year.
Data is being collected, and many questions to the feasibility of a project like this will be ongoing. Bonding will be available but let’s make sure we assess the proper needs.
. Martinson: Probably not. I attended the committee of the whole work session on Sept. 18 dealing with this issue.
We currently have five cells and 15 beds counting the bunk beds. Looking at the projected operating costs by Wold Architects, I did not see the annual bond payment of about $316,116 annually for a 20-year bond at 3 percent interest on the $4.75 million project.
I would dispute the assumptions of the average length of stay going from six days in 2017 to 17 in 2040 and of the projected number of inmates using our facility.
Looking at past sentencing practices, not all of the inmates would be using our new facility. For various reasons, the judge sometimes orders a person to go to another facility other than our main contracted Northeast Regional Corrections Facility north of Duluth.
The Sentence to Serve program should be reinstated which can reduce jail time, provide staff to the recycle center and build work ethic in a sentenced individual.
Most counties keep their levies between 1-3 percent each year. Is that attainable for Cook County? Or will our taxes always be somewhat higher than the average county levy?
. Martinson: One to three percent increase each year is not attainable with the current board. Our goal should be the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and not higher than the average levy of MN counties. With a board having a different budget philosophy, Cook County can be closer to meeting this attainable goal.
In addition to the spending issues stated previously, we must increase our revenue. We are going to have to lobby for increasing the state funding of mandated services, increase our PILT payments, and collect all due payment for mandated social services work.
From 2015 to 2017, the levy required to support the six additional staff and services of the Human Services Dept. increased by $1.1 million. I found out the department last year didn’t submit the paperwork to collect all revenues due for income maintenance and medical assistance recovery.
During my last year as commissioner, a few of us were pushing the state to update their old software system allowing the auto recall of information so a client’s name, address, etc. information doesn’t need to be reentered more than once. This is an issue with the state and not with our hardworking staff.
We must also implement better billing software to catch all funds owed to us. We need to increase efficiency rather than add staff.
. Storlie: Always a challenge and always will be. In the past levies were at a low percent and general funds were used to make up the difference. The budget committee said this year we are not doing that of which I am a part of the decision.
Federal and State money ebbs and flow each year and just when one thinks we can count on a certain amount it is not received. The department heads work to keep their areas floating as best they can and working together we will get the job done to provide the services that are required.
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