County communications questioned in public comment

Cook County Commissioners met Tuesday, March 26, and as usual the meeting started with a public comment, with several people speaking.
 
First was Arvis Thompson, who started by reminding fellow citizens that the public comment period at the start of the meeting is the only time people can give input on what is on the county’s agenda.
 
In a somewhat related comment, regarding the county’s willingness to share information with citizens, she pointed to the county board information packet with three updated county job descriptions. She noted that the previous job description were not there for comparison. She questioned how commissioners – and the public – can know what the changes are and how they impact the county without that comparison.
 
Finally, Thompson asked about the county’s plan for the Hovland Town Hall. She said as the “unofficial caretaker” of the hall, she was dismayed to see a fifth year of no activity on the building. She asked if the county was just going to “watch it fall apart.”
 
Two other citizens spoke, Donna Lunke of Grand Marais and Rae Piepho of Lutsen and both thanked the county board for the well-run information meeting on the proposed law enforcement center.
 
Additionally, Lunke asked about how community input is handled at the county board’s “Committee of the Whole” meetings.
 
Lunke said when these Committee of the Whole – or COW – meetings started, the public was allowed to ask questions. Lunke said that was not the case at the last meeting.
 
Lunke said that County Administrator Jeff Cadwell told commissioners that the format of the COW meetings is determined by the commissioners.  So, Lunke asked who made the decision to not allow more public interaction at the COW meetings.
 
There were also questions about the proposed renovation/expansion of the Law Enforcement Center/Jail Facility.
 
At the end of the comment period, County Board Chair Ginny Storlie stated that commissioners do take notes during the public comment period and sometimes address those matters later in the meeting. She also encouraged citizens to contact their commissioners outside the meeting as well.
 
The Hovland Public Works facility was the agenda item with perhaps the most board discussion.
 
County Administrator Cadwell said the low bidder for the project, at $1.1 million was S&C Masonry of Grand Marais.
 
Cadwell said under the contract the work should be done by December 31, 2019.
 
Commissioner Bobby Deschampe asked who was going to be the inspector for the job. He said he has had members of the public asking him how the county was going to avoid maintenance issues that it has had for other county buildings.
Administrator Cadwell responded that the County Highway Department would be responsible for soils testing for the foundation of building. He said he would visit the site weekly, to ensure that all the contract requirements are being met.
There was discussions of various change orders that had been made to bring the facility cost more in line with what the county wanted.
Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk said she hoped that those changes did not compromise the standards of the building, noting that in a previous project, the county insisted in downsizing and is paying the price now because “cheap” materials were used.
Cadwell said he believes all the changes made sense and would not affect the function of the building.
Commissioner Deschampe moved to approve the contract with S&C Masonry. Commissioner Doo-Kirk seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

On the county board agenda was a recommendation to post a vacancy for the county assessor position.
 
Administrator Cadwell explained that current Assessor Todd Smith was hired in September 2016, with the Department of Revenue condition that he earn his Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor (SAMA) certification within two years.
 
Smith is an Accredited Minnesota Assessor (AMA) and has been working to complete the next level required to be the county assessor, however the Department of Revenue deadline to do so has passed, as did an additional extension, which ended on March 26.
 
Cadwell said Smith has completed the work and submitted it to the Department of Revenue, however, the board that conducts the review does not meet until May 23.  Smith told the county administrator—and WTIP—that he is confident his submission will be accepted, but in the meantime, the Department of Revenue said the county must begin the process of hiring a Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor.
Commissioners agreed to advertise to fill the position, with a deadline for applications of May 23.
The county has until June 25 to fill the position, and the Department of Revenue agreed to authorize Smith to serve as assessor until the position is filled.

In other business, the county board unanimously approved three job description updates, one for an Auditor’s office bookkeeper; one for the Community Center director and one for a newly created position, a Community Center Assistant.
 
Commissioner Dave Mills said he agreed with earlier commenter, Arvis Thompson, that he would like to see the new and old job descriptions, to compare the changes himself. Cadwell said staff could do that, highlighting key changes to job descriptions.
 
Commissioner Deschampe said he would like to see the wages included on the job description. Administrator Cadwell said salaries are not included on the job descriptions themselves, but can be found on the county website.
 
County Human Resources Director Judy Hill said she would provide a wage schedule with future job descriptions.
 
In other business, the board passed a motion to give an easement to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for its upcoming Highway 61 construction through the city of Grand Marais. The county will receive $500 for a small section of land at the intersection of the new Gunflint Trail and the highway. It is a temporary easement to be used during construction.

Finally, Auditor Braidy Powers shared some Cook County Airport news. He said a change order is needed for some work under way at the airport. Some additional electrical work and paving is needed at an estimated cost of $4,000 to $7,000. However, Powers said this is a grant-eligible expense, so the county would only need to pay 10 percent of the cost.
Powers said the airport is also purchasing a new pick-up to replace a 2004 Chevy that has been used heavily, for carrying supplies and snowplowing. The cost of the new pickup will be covered by the county’s basic maintenance funding from the state. 
The board passed unanimous motions to approve both expenditures.

At the end of the meeting the board had a brief discussion about how to proceed with the Cook County Law Enforcement Center/Jail Facility renovation or expansion. It was agreed that the committee that has been studying the question would meet to consider public feedback, to hopefully come up with recommendations on how to proceed.