PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:00 a.m.
Place: Commissioners Room, Courthouse, Caledonia, MN
*Virtual Meeting Held due to Peacetime Emergency Declaration due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
Members Present via Computer: Eric Johnson, Teresa Walter, Jack Miller, Robert Burns, and Greg Myhre
Call to order: 9:00 am
Presiding: Chairman Johnson
Miller moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve the meeting agenda.
Burns moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following items:
1) Approve payment of the License Center and Human Services disbursements and the following claims
County Revenue Fund $47,382.55
Road & Bridge Fund$814,181.95
Total $861,564.50
2) Approve Resolution 20-49 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Aid
RESOLUTION NO. 20-49
AQUATIC
INVASIVE SPECIES PREVENTION
AID
WHEREAS, 2014 Session Law Chapter 308 enacted by the Legislature provides Minnesota counties a County Program Aid grant for Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention. The amount designated for each county is based on the number of watercraft trailer launches as well as the number of watercraft trailer parking spaces within each county. Houston County was allocated $22,755 for 2021 and years following (5 watercraft trailer launches and 50 watercraft trailer parking spaces), and
WHEREAS, the legislation requires that Houston County must establish, by resolution or through adoption of a plan, guidelines for the use of the proceeds which are to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of aquatic invasive species at all access sites within the county, and
WHEREAS, the county may appropriate the proceeds directly or may use any portion of the proceeds to provide funding to a soil and water conservation district in the county, for a joint powers board or cooperative agreement with another political subdivision, a watershed district in the county, or a lake association located in the county. Any money appropriated by the county to a different entity or political subdivision must be used as required under this section, and
WHEREAS, the county must submit a copy of its guidelines for use of the proceeds to the Department of Natural Resources by December 31 of the year the payments are received, and
WHEREAS, maintaining an ongoing effort to inform the public of resource needs, resource impairments and resource protection matters has been identified as the most important tool in addressing water resource concerns in the Houston County Water Plan, the fight against Aquatic Invasive Species is included in this educational effort and will continue to be a cornerstone of Houston County’s Water Plan.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Commissioners of Houston County, Minnesota designate oversight of Houston County’s AIS prevention efforts to the Root River Soil and Water Conservation District and delegates to them the responsibility to prepare, implement and report annually a plan to allocate the funding in accordance with the above legislation.
3)Affirm the following personnel actions:
1.Auditor/Treasurer
1.Hire Celeste Abbot as a casual/temporary (67-days) employee at a wage of $13.68/hr. to support 2020 Election activity.
2.Amend Resolution 20-48 General Election Absentee Ballot Board to include Celeste Abbot.
Burns moved, Myhre seconded, unanimously carried to approve property tax abatement requests from Justin Meyer and Charles Little, both of which had Homestead Tax Credits removed from their property in error.
Miller moved, Walter seconded, motion carried (4-1, nay: Johnson) to deny property tax abatement requests from Jerry Holter and Molly Coughlin.
At 9:35 am, Walter moved, Myhre seconded, unanimously carried to enter a closed session pursuant to MN Stat. 13D.05, Subd. 3, (b) Attorney/Client Privilege to discuss MAPE Grievance 2020-13-008016 filed on behalf of Cynthia Cresswell-Hatleli. The closed session was attended by Commissioners Miller, Johnson, Burns, Walter and Myhre, Attorney Jandt, and Administrator Babinski. At 10:00 am, Myhre moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to end the closed session. Attorney Jandt summarized that the board discussed the grievance filed by MAPE and the response process. No action was taken at this time, so grievance process will proceed with Step 1 and 2.
At 10:03 am, Burns moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to enter a closed session pursuant to MN Stat. 13D.03, Subd. 1. (b) “to consider strategy for labor negotiations, including negotiation strategies or developments or discussion and review of labor negotiation proposals.” The closed session was attended by Commissioners Miller, Johnson, Burns, Walter and Myhre, Administrator Babinski, HR Director Arrick-Kruger, and Finance Director Carol Lapham. At 10:38 am, Miller moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to end the closed session. Administrator Babinski summarized the Board discussed current and ongoing negotiations with the labor units associated with the county.
There being no further business and the time being 10:38 a.m., motion was made by Myhre, seconded by Burns, unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
HOUSTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA
By: Eric Johnson, Chairperson
Attest: Jeffrey Babinski, County Administrator
THE ABOVE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IS ONLY A SUMMARY.
THE FULL TEXT IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AT THE HOUSTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE AS WELL AS ON THE HOUSTON COUNTY WEBSITE LOCATED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS:
http://www.co.houston.mn.us/
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