Cook County Land Services Director Tim Nelson came before the county board on Tuesday, October 27 and asked commissioners to accept the Planning Commission’s unanimous recommendation to adopt some proposed amendments to the Vacation Rental Ordinance.
One of those changes is a modification in the license renewal time from March 1 through April 30, which will now run from December 1 to January 31. Nelson said this allows the same amount of time but lines up better with the year ending calendar and for those who rent during the winter months.
A public hearing was held October 14 on the proposed amendment changes and no one commented either verbally or in writing.
Nelson said most modifications to the ordinance were “a lot of housekeeping changes in general.” And not much in substantive changes, he added. There is no financial cost to the county to make these modifications, Nelson said, and the county board approved the Planning Commission’s recommendations unanimously.
Next, Nelson asked commissioners to authorize the board chair, Myron Bursheim, to sign a joint powers agreement between Cook and Lake counties to jointly administer a grant project directed at improving the water quality within the North Lake Superior Watershed.
Under terms of the agreement, Lake County would act as a fiscal agent in administering grant funds and invoices on behalf of Cook County.
Cook and Lake County, as well as Cook and Lake County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, applied together for a One Watershed Plan grant. The grant will be used to improve water quality resources with the overall watershed. Specifically, in Cook County, the money will be used to address a number of failing septic systems identified through the Lakeshore Compliance Program. The board approved Nelson’s request with a unanimous vote of support.
After years of working on the Cook County Board of Commissioner Operating Rules and Guidelines, commissioners approved the draft submitted by Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken.
Board Chair Myron Bursheim thanked the county attorney for her diligence and persistence to finish this arduous task. This past year the document went through seven drafts, noted Bursheim, adding the operating rules would always be a work in progress, but as it now stands, “it will help the future boards in their decision making process.”
Through Ehlers Associates, the county solicited bids for the sale of 2011B Bonds and 2012B Bonds and received a favorable bid from Robert. W. Baird & Co., Inc., of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who purchased the bonds for $10,335,815.45.
Zions Bancorporation, National Association of Chicago, offered 1.46 percent interest as the Escrow Agent, which was much lower than Ehlers & Associates had predicted. Bruce Kimmel of Ehlers said that an apple to apples comparison of the new debt service would save the county $1.9 million over the old debt service, and should the bonds be paid off early, as Ehlers predicts the county can do, the county will save $4.6 to $4.7 million on the refinance.
In other county business:
* Alex Murray was hired as an Assessor Appraiser Trainee to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Lisa Kerr.
* An annual operating plan between the USDA Forest Service, Superior National Forest and Cook County Law Enforcement was signed and will be valid from May 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. Cook County provides law enforcement patrol for campgrounds and forest roads and assists with emergencies, drug enforcement, fire emergencies, etc., in the Superior National Forest. The county is reimbursed up to $11,000 under the agreement.
* Commissioners approved an employee-paid short term disability benefit plan effective January 1, 2021. Employees pay for the plan, so there is no cost to the county.
* Commissioners Ginny Storlie and Myron Bursheim will be the county delegate and alternate delegate for voting at the annual Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) meeting. Bursheim replaces Bobby Deschampe, who resigned from his commissioner seat when he became chair of the Tribal Council.
* At the request of Auditor/Treasurer Braidy Powers and the approval of the commissioners, the election Canvassing Board will meet in the commissioners’ room on November 12, 2020, at 10 a.m. to present the results of the November 3, 2020, general election. Two commissioners, David Mills and Heidi Doo-Kirk, will serve as the delegate and alternate to the Canvassing Board.
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