County prepares for busy conclusion to 2017

There was a meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, Nov. 14. The following discussion and action items occurred during Tuesday’s meeting.
 
Public Comment
Local resident Arvis Thompson spoke during the public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting. Thompson thanked the commissioners for delaying their decision to vote on various projects the county might seek bonding funds for in 2018. Thompson said delaying the bonding decisions allows the public and commissioners to focus on the county’s 2018 budget.

With regard to the bonding issue, Thompson said there are certain projects the county is considering to invest in that don’t make sense, specifically a large garage in Hovland for the highway department. Another investment Thompson wanted more information on is a digital land surveying device that could invade the privacy of local residents. Thompson said she also wanted more information about how many people are living in poverty in the county.

The commissioners addressed all of Thompson’s concerns specifically later in the meeting, though she was no longer present to hear her concerns discussed.  

 
Todd Smith
Cook County Assessor Todd Smith addressed a local tax issue with the commissioners on Tuesday. Smith said Rockwood Lodge and Canoe Outfitters located up the Gunflint Trail on Poplar Lake was incorrectly listed in its tax classification. During a recent review period of resorts up the Gunflint Trail the county assessor's office discovered the error.

Smith said Rockwood falls under the ‘Ma and Pa’ resort classification and should therefore fit the lower tax bracket. A ‘Ma and Pa’ resort means the owners live at the site, the property abuts public waters and the business offers recreational activities. Rockwood fits all three of these categories, Smith said.

The ‘Ma and Pa’ tax bracket is the most beneficial classification a resort can have in Minnesota. Smith noted the tax rate for these types of resorts is lower than even the homestead tax rate.

“The whole idea of the ‘Ma and Pa’ classification is to keep the business from being overtaxed,” Smith said.

By reclassifying Rockwood as a ‘Ma and Pa’ resort, the owners of Rockwood Lodge will save approximately $4,000 in taxes next year alone.

Also on Tuesday, Smith informed the commissioners that property sales and permits to build are on the rise in Cook County. This follows a five year trend, according to the county assessor.

“We are out of that recession, we are out of that bubble,” Smith said.

Some of the homes built in Cook County in 2017, or that are scheduled to be constructed in the near future, are in the half-a-million to million-dollar range, according to the assessor's office.
 
Ilena Hansel
The next item on Tuesday’s agenda came from Ilena Hansel, the county’s soil and water district supervisor. Hansel explained a block grant the county will receive from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, a state agency that supports local governments through funding and other services. The Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District will receive a total of $108,557 for 2018 and 2019 from the state agency, with those funds split to some degree between the two years. Projects the funds will be used for include shoreline restoration, septic treatment systems upgrades and local water management projects.
 
Jeff Cadwell
In more news from Tuesday’s meeting, Cook County Administrator Jeff Cadwell spoke about two job vacancies among county staff. Cadwell said Allison Plummer has been recommended by an advisory committee to be the next financial assistant supervisor for the county’s Health and Human Services Department. Plummer will fill the open position that was created when Allison McIntyre was promoted to the director post of the human services department.

Cadwell noted that hiring and promoting from within current staff is good for morale and shortens the training time for staff.
 
The other job opening Cadwell cited was for the jail supervisor position. The opening came as a result of the retirement of Judy Sivertson from the Sheriff’s Department. Following Cadwell’s recommendation, the commissioners approved the hire of Ben Hallberg for the jail supervisor position.
 
Cadwell also provided a brief update on the county’s research for a new justice center, which could include a larger jail in Cook County. Cadwell said a panel including the sheriff and himself will conduct interviews with a number of design firms who could create the framework for a new justice center in Cook County. Cadwell noted that any design plans could involve the companies saying it would not make sense for the county to build a new jail.

In more county news, there are a total of four applicants for the vacant highway engineer position in Cook County, Cadwell noted.
Cadwell, Board Chair Jan Sivertson and members of the highway advisory committee will conduct interviews on Friday with the candidates for the top highway engineer position in Cook County.
 
 
 
Commissioner Concerns
Toward the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Bobby Deschampe addressed several issues relevant to his district on the east end of the county. Deschampe wanted an update on repairs for the Colvill Town Hall, an issue that was also raised during the public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting.

Cadwell said the Colvill Town Hall could be considered under bonding requests if the commissioners want to go that direction.
Deschampe also noted a public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 28 from 5-8 p.m. at the log building in Grand Portage. The public hearing will focus on County Road 17. This will be similar to the County Road 45, or Pike Lake Road redesign public hearing that was held recently.

In other county news, Commissioner Myron Bursheim mentioned the Historical Society building the county owns was damaged by flooding during a recent storm. Also damaged was some of the historical society’s archives. Bursheim said the county might want to consider bonding or other funding options to repair buildings the county owns.

Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk referenced a number of buildings the county owns are in need of repair, including the sheriff’s department main facility, the courthouse building itself and the Colvill Town Hall. Doo-Kirk and the commissioners agreed it could be an appropriate time to prioritize what county-owned buildings are most in need of repair and plan accordingly.

The commissioners and county administrator also spoke on other concerns that were raised during the public comment period by local resident Arvis Thompson. Cadwell clarified that the county is not buying a machine to conduct land surveys, but rather contracting with a business that will conduct aerial land and property surveys. Online resources such as Google could then use this imagery for online navigation of county lands.

Cadwell also described the need for a highway department facility in Hovland that would also double as a storage site for sand and salt used on county roadways. Currently the sand and salt sits without cover near wetlands adjacent to the county’s Hovland highway department location.

“This is an immediate and pressing need,” Cadwell said of the necessity to update sand and salt storage.

The commissioners also discussed the number of committees they serve on and how relevant they are. Commissioner Bursheim mentioned that traveling outside of the county to attend certain meetings can be challenging, particularly during winter. But the economic benefits and knowledge gained by serving on these committees is beneficial overall, the commissioners agreed. Furthermore, the commissioners said they do evaluate how many committees they actually need to be on each year.

And finally, the commissioners discussed the number of people that qualify for services the county’s health and human services department offers. The number could top 2,000 people, Cadwell noted, though the services are wide ranging and just because someone qualifies does not mean they need or use the service. It also does not necessarily mean they are in poverty.

To hear more about Tuesday’s meeting of the commissioners, including an interview with WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs and Board Chair Jan Sivertson, listen to the audio posted below.