The Meeting Was Called to Order Chairman Meyer
FARIBAULT COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MARCH 2, 1999
The Faribault County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at the Courthouse in the City of Blue Earth at 9:00 a.m. on March 2, 1999. The following members were present: Gordon Benson, Loren Lein, Paul Meyer, Ralph Prescher, and Donald Ziegler, Commissioners. Auditor John Thompson was also present.
The meeting was called to order Chairman Meyer.
The pledge of allegiance was recited.
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Benson/Lein motion carried unanimously to approve the synopsis and the official proceedings of February 16, 1999.
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Lein/Ziegler motion carried unanimously to approve agenda of March 2, 1999.
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The calendar was updated. Committee reports were presented.
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Rahn Griemann, Trails Association Chairman met during public comment.
Griemann reported that Hennepin County trail maintenance averages $1,000 per mile for seal coating, $1,014 for general maintenance at union scale per mile. He stated that the City of Blue Earth believes their costs for similar services would be much less. He had given this information to the City of Blue Earth. Griemann asked that board support the 1.5 mile trail from the wayside rest to the fairgrounds and keep the $25,000 allocation in place for said project. The trails association is pursuing commitments to help reduce costs of trail’s maintenance.
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County Librarian Virgie Ann Murra met regarding office business. The county Library Board has been working on a disaster plan. The search for a new director is continuing. The Board expressed their appreciation for the job Murra has done during her tenure.
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Ziegler/Prescher motion carried unanimously to approve request from M. Gormley, J. Anderson, and S. Dulac to attend Using your vehicle April 7-8 at St. Cloud; M. Gormley and S. Linde to attend special operations training conference March 28-30 at Rochester; S. Asmus to attend vital records workshop April 29 at St. Cloud; M. Durkee to attend Eagle Point engineering systems March 1 at St. Paul.
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Lein/Ziegler motion carried unanimously to approve a set-up license for Riverside Town & Country Club.
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Ziegler/Prescher motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 99-CB-09 grant agreement for State and Local Assistance Program through FEMA. Commissioners Benson, Lein, Meyer, Prescher and Ziegler voted yes.
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, 12.22, the State of Minnesota, has been designated as the agency to allocate and disburse federal aid made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and
WHEREAS,the County of Faribault is eligible to receive such funds and is duly qualified and willing to perform the duties and responsibilities, set forth in its approved Application For State and Local Assistance Program, and
WHEREAS, the State and Local Assistance Program (SLA) is a FEMA program, to assist state and local governments in providing the basis for the capability to deal effectively with catastrophic disasters, to maintain and improve emergency organizations with key positions filled by trained and experienced professionals and specialists, and provide support for essential emergency management expenses authorized in the Cooperative Agreement (CA), Performance Partnership Agreements (PPA) and the Civil Preparedness Guide (CPG).
NOW, THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed that the State of Minnesota shall grant and the County of Faribault shall receive funds through this program, and the County of Faribault shall comply with all aspects of the SLA Program and shall use funds provided by the Grant Agreement in accordance with the terms of this Grant Agreement.
BE IT RESOLVED, that Faribault County enter into a Grant Agreement with the Division of Emergency Management in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for the program entitled State and Local Assistance Program for FFY 1999.
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James Sop of the Minnesota Department of Corrections and David Rynders of Faribault-Martin County Human Services met regarding a local coordinating council coordinator position. Grant funds are available to fund this position. Sop requested the county act as the fiscal agent.
Ziegler/Lein motion carried unanimously to approve Faribault County act as fiscal agent for the local coordinating council coordinator position with the understanding that if grant money is no longer available the position would then be terminated.
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Public Works Director John McDonald met regarding public works business. The temporary emergency position was clarified as only needed when employees are not available.
Ziegler/Prescher motion carried unanimously to rebid Elmore bridge project at 11:00 a.m. on April 2, 1999.
Ziegler/Benson motion carried unanimously to have landowners spray weeds along county roads with any county expense in enforcement to be charged back to offending landowner on their property taxes.
A meeting was held with the Faribault County Sheriff and railroad officials to discuss safety concerns. Rumble strips have not been used in Minnesota. Stop signs maybe an option. Enforcement of present rules will be monitored by the Sheriff’s office.
Board was updated on the transit program. A meeting of original steering committee will be held to select a steering committee of five or six.
Ziegler/Prescher motion carried unanimously to hire Roger Perrizo as accountant in the Public Works Department effective April 1, 1999.
Road restrictions will begin March 2, 1999 and will be in place for eight weeks.
Neal Tagatz of Blue Earth inquired about the status of old Highway 16 from Blue Earth to Frost. The project is in the five year road plan for regrading and surfacing.
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Steve Hanson of the Minnesota River Joint Powers Board met to discuss issues that the agency is involved with.
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Ziegler/Prescher motion carried unanimously to approve work plan for Blue Earth River Restitution Fund as presented and amended and to designate interest from Restitution Fund to the Environmental Trust Fund.
Ziegler/Prescher motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 99-CB-10 establishing reserve for the Environmental Trust Fund. Commissioners Benson, Lein, Meyer, Prescher, and Ziegler voted yes.
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS,the Faribault County Soil & Water District returned $30,000 to Faribault County on February 16, 1999, and
WHEREAS,the Faribault County Board of Commissioners approved a motion to create an Environmental Trust Fund with said funds to be used for environmental projects approved by the Faribault County Board of commissioners and the Faribault County Soil & Water District Board of Supervisors.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Faribault County Board of Commissioners designate an amount of $30,000 be reserved from the General Fund Balance for the Environmental Trust Fund and such funds continue to be held in reserve until such time the Faribault County Board of Commissioners and the Faribault County Board of Soil & Water Supervisors agree on environmental project(s) on which to spend such funds. Expenditures of said funds shall follow an approved workplan to be drafted by designees of the Board of Commissioners and Soil & Water Supervisor Board.
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Ziegler/Benson motion carried unanimously to approve waste haulers license for Craig Aukes, City of Minnesota Lake, FFF Inc. dba Waste Management, and Dale Foster dba B & B Sanitation.
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Benson/Lein motion carried unanimously to accept the resignation of Robert Watt of Kiester from the Faribault County Local Redevelopment Agency board and to appoint Christine Latusck of Minnesota Lake to fill his unexpired term.
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Lein/Ziegler motion carried unanimously to send a card of recognition to the wrestlers from Faribault County that participated in the state wrestling tournament.
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Commissioner Benson reported that the John Eilertson family of Kiester was awarded the Faribault County Farm Family of the Year.
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Ziegler/Lein motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 99-CB-11 supporting the repeal of sales and use tax on local governments. Commissioners Benson, Lein, Meyer, Prescher, and Ziegler voted yes.
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS,the State of Minnesota applies sales and use taxes to units of local governments, and
WHEREAS,the Faribault County Commissioners believes this tax to be bad public policy, and
WHEREAS,the taxing of local governments raises property taxes by $90 million per year, with Minnesota counties share being nearly $20 million, and add to the property taxes owed by taxpayers,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County recognizes the value of state aids to reduce the burden on property taxes of providing mandated State of Minnesota services.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Faribault County Board of Commissioners supports legislation to repeal the sales and use tax on local governments.
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Benson/Prescher motion carried unanimously to pay bills totaling $365,705.11 as follows:
COUNTY REVENUE FUND $ 107,365.42
PUBLIC WORKS FUND 253,825.72
COUNTY LIBRARY FUND 288.95
DARE 90.00
DITCH FUNDS 4,135.02
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$ 365,705.11
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The meeting was recessed to March 16, 1999.
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Paul Meyer, Chairman John Thompson, Auditor
03-02-99
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