Roseau County (Minn.) Commissioner Proceedings

SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 ROSEAU COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING The Board of Commissioners of Roseau County, Minnesota met in the Courthouse in the City of Roseau on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. by Board Chair Roger Falk. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Commissioners present were Roger Falk, John Horner, Jack Swanson, Russell Walker, and Daryl Wicklund. Others present were Martie Monsrud, Jeff Pelowski, Joleen Kezar, Kristy Kjos, Daryle Dahl, Sue Grafstrom, Liz Lund, Maria Pahlen, and Jim Trojanowski. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Swanson requested the addition of the DWI and Drug Court departmental revision discussion to Board Appointments. The Board approved the amended Agenda. COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Auditor/Recorder Monsrud stated that she had received an update from Northwest Community Action on the CARES Act funding application status. Consensus was to discuss this item as a part of the COVID-19 CARES Act Program update. APPROVE BILLS The Board approved the payment of bills totaling: $518,506.61 DELEGATIONS/BOARD APPOINTMENTS/PUBLIC COMMENTS DWI/Drug Court Departments Maria Pahlen met with the Board to request combining the DWI and Drug Court departments into a single Department called “Treatment Court”. In previous years, they have been separate County departments with their own budgets. Due to grant funding changes effective September 4, 2020, she is requesting that the two departments be merged into one department. Coordinator Pelowski suggested making the change effective January 1, 2021. The Board will discuss the change when they finalize the 2021 Preliminary Budget and Levy. Jim Trojanowski – Northwest Regional Library – 2021 Appropriation Jim Trojanowski, Director of the Northwest Regional Library (NWRL), met with the Board to provide an Operations Report and to discuss their 2021 County appropriation request. The NWRL is requesting a 2% increase in funding from all the Counties and Cities in the region. The Board will be approving their final budget in December 2020, and will consider the request as they go through the budget review/adoption process. CONSENT AGENDA The Board, by adoption of its Consent Agenda, approved the August 25, 2020, Regular Board Proceedings. DEPARTMENT REPORTS Highway Geotechnical Evaluation Quotes Assistant Engineer Dahl met with the Board to present two quotes received, (Braun Intertech and Terracon), to perform a geotechnical evaluation on three lots located in the City of Roseau Industrial Park. The project architect (WSN) reviewed the quotes and is recommending the Board hire Terracon to perform these services. It was noted that it will take approximately four to six weeks to receive the evaluation results. Following discussion, the Board approved to accept the quote from Terracon, in the amount of $7,900.00, to conduct the evaluation. Final Payment – Simmons Contracting Assistant Engineer Dahl requested Board approval of final payment to Simmons Contracting, in the amount of $19,442.00, for work completed on the County Ditch 21 Repair Project. The Board approved the final payment to Simmons Contracting. Final Payment – R & Q Trucking Assistant Engineer Dahl requested Board approval of final payment to R & Q Trucking, in the amount of $18,840.00, for work completed on the State Ditch 91 Repair Project. The Board approved the final payment to R & Q Trucking. Final Payment – R & Q Trucking Assistant Engineer Dahl requested Board approval of final payment to R & Q Trucking, in the amount of $26,460.00, for aggregate surfacing work completed in the Roseau area. The Board approved the final payment to R & Q Trucking. COUNTY BOARD ITEMS Two Rivers Watershed Board Appointment The Board reviewed the application of Bruce Anderson to fill the one open position on the Two Rivers Watershed Board (TRWB). The Board approved the re-appointment of Bruce Anderson to a three-year term on the TRWB, commencing on October 29, 2020, and concluding on October 28, 2023. Roseau River Watershed Board Appointment The Board reviewed the applications of LeRoy Carriere, Carter Diesen, LaVerne Voll, and Brent Walsh to fill the two open positions on the Roseau River Watershed Board (RRWB). The Board conducted a ballot vote. As a result of the vote, the Board approved to re-appoint Carter Diesen, and appoint LaVerne Voll, to three-year terms on the RRWB, commencing October 19, 2020, and concluding on October 18, 2023. COVID-19 Pandemic – Update Emergency Manager Grafstrom provided a brief County update, stating that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the County currently stands at 93. The 14-day positive case rate may result in the area high schools moving to a hybrid learning structure for secondary students. In addition, Coordinator Pelowski provided an update on the CARES Act Funding Program, as follows: an updated guidance document has been provided by the US Treasury Department and the MN Office of Management & Budget, and it appears that the County has been interpreting the guidelines correctly; a total of 60 small business applications have been submitted to NW Community Action to-date; and, the CARES Act Committee will meet on Thursday, September 17, 2020, at 10:00 am. 2021 Preliminary Budget/Levy Discussion The Board reviewed and discussed the most recent draft of the 2021 preliminary budget/levy. Consensus was to continue the discussion at the September 22, 2020 Board Meeting, as the 2021 preliminary budget/levy must be approved by the Board and submitted to the State of MN prior to September 30, 2020. Demolition Landfill – Land Acquisition There was continued discussion concerning the possible purchase of land adjacent to the County demolition landfill. The Board will continue this discussion the September 22, 2020 Regular Board Meeting. Commissioner Committee Reports (August 25 – September 8, 2020) Commissioner Falk reported on the following committee(s): Operations Committee; County Board Work Session; Roseau River Watershed Board. Commissioner Horner reported on the following committee(s): Operations Committee; County Board Work Session; MnDOT Warroad Highway 11 Upgrade Project Meeting. Commissioner Swanson reported on the following committee(s): Roseau County CARES Act Committee; Roseau Economic Development Authority; Association of MN Counties (AMC) Blue Ribbon Task Force; Roseau County Insurance Committee; Roseau School Board; Roseau County Museum Board; Operations Committee; County Board Work Session; AMC Coffee and Conversation; Community Justice Coordinating Committee. Commissioner Walker reported on the following committee(s): Roseau County Insurance Committee; Operations Committee; County Board Work Session. Commissioner Wicklund reported on the following committee(s): Operations Committee; County Board Work Session; Roseau County CARES Act Committee; Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board. Upon motion carried, the Board adjourned the Regular meeting at 10:55 a.m. The next Regular meeting of the Board is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at 8:30 a.m. (September 30, 2020)