PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2020 9:30 a.m.
Place: Commissioners Room, Courthouse, Caledonia, MN
*Virtual Meeting Held due to Peacetime Emergency Declaration in response to COVID-19 Pandemic.
Members Present: Eric Johnson
Via Telephone: Teresa Walter, Jack Miller, and Robert Burns
Others Present: Administrator Babinski, Reporter Moorhead, Finance Director Lapham, Deputy Auditor/Treasurer Larissa Erickson
Via Phone: Sue Schwebach, John Pugleasa, and Theresa Arrick-Kruger
Call to order.
Presiding: Chairman Johnson
Call to order. Pledge of Allegiance.
Burns moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve the agenda, with amendments. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Walter moved, Miller seconded, carried to approve the Minutes from the March 24 Board Meeting. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Burns moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve the Minutes from the March 31 Work Group Session. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Walter moved, Miller seconded, unanimously carried to approve the Minutes from the April 7 Work Group Session. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Public Comment: None
Walter moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to approve the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following items: (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
1)File No. 1 – Approve payment of the license center and Human Services disbursements and the following claims
County Revenue Fund$256,965.21
Road & Bridge Fund$186,938.13
Total$443,903.34
2)File No. 3 – Approve Resolution 20-23, State Boat and Water Safety Grant.
AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2020 BOAT AND WATER SAFETY GRANT
BE IT RESOLVED that the Houston County Board of Commissioners accepts the State of Minnesota 2020 “Annual County Boat and Water Safety Grant Agreement;” and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Board Chairperson, County Administrator and Sheriff are authorized to execute the Contract and any amendments on behalf of the County of Houston.
3)File No. 4 – Approve contract with Tellurian UCAN Inc. for adult mental health crisis stabilization services.
4)File No. 5 – Approve contract with Workforce Development Inc. for MFIP/DWP support.
5)File No. 6 – Approve contact with Judy Storlie for guardianship services.
6)File No. 7 – INFO only: DNR Land Acquisition – Lyle Pohlman.
7)File No. 8 – Approve MDA-requested memo for Gypsy Moth spraying.
8)File No. 9 – Appoint Elizabeth Houdek to Extension Committee.
9)File No. 2 – Affirm the following personnel actions:
i.Public Health and Human Services
1. Hire Tamara Shelton, as a probationary Agency Social Worker – Forensic, C41, Step 3, effective May 1, 2020, conditioned upon successful completion of background check.
2. Accept the resignation of Tessa Diepenbrock, Agency Social Worker, CMH, effective the end of the work day April 14, 2020, and thank her for her service to the residents of Houston County.
3. Approve a search for an Agency Social Worker for CMH (position vacated by Tessa Diepenbrock). **Recruitment will be delayed until change in social distancing requirements
File No 2. – Walter moved, Burns seconded, motion carried to reassign Susan Tostenson to the position of probationary Accounting Clerk, B23, Step 1, effective April 27, 2020. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Walter stated that this is a needed and important position. Miller expressed concern with the timing of hiring positions as we face the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Pugleasa expressed the need for this position and a willingness to delay further recruitment actions for open positions.
File No 2. – Walter moved, Miller seconded, unanimously carried to table the approval of a search for a Public Health Case Aide, B22 (position vacated by Susan Tostenson for reassignment to Accounting Clerk position). (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
File No 10. – Burns moved, Miller seconded, motion carried to approve the Houston County – Collaborative Design Group, Inc. professional services agreement for Historic Jail Construction Planning. (D1:Y,D2:N,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Krueger stated this agreement will provide the County with the architectural drawings of the Historic Jail Building which may be used for future project work on the building. This agreement is funded up to $10,000 with a competitive grant, with $8,320 coming from county funds in the 2020 budget. This agreement’s approval is required now to keep within the state grant project timeline requirements.
The Board discussed the timing of the project, but also the implications of passing up the grant money after requesting and then being awarded the grant. Johnson reiterated concern over investing in the building without a solid plan for re-use. Burns and Miller agreed, but felt the outside would need work, no matter what the use decided and this would allow us to have the documents to proceed in the future, once a use is determined.
File No. 11 – Miller moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to accept the low bid quotes from Bruening Rock and Milestone Materials for CP 2020-01 for delivery of stockpiled aggregate for various highway projects. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
File No. 12 – Walter moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to accept all bid quotes for stockpiled aggregate quotes under CP 2020-02 for use in regular maintenance or emergency situations. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
File No. 13 – Burns moved, Miller seconded, unanimously carried to accept all bid quotes for equipment rental prices under CP 2020-03 for use in regular maintenance or emergency situations. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
File No. 14 – Walter moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to accept the low bid quote for CP 2020-06 for Otta Seal Surfacing on CSAH 24. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Pogodzinski stated this contract provides a surface sealing solution to extend the life of CSAH 24, with some use on CSAH 3 and 6 as well. This product hadn’t been used in Houston County in recent years, but Fillmore County has been using it with good success as a cost-efficient method to extend road life and quality.
File No. 15 – Walter moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to accept the low bid for annual liquid chloride purchase for use by County, Townships and Cities from Bluff Country Brine. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
File No. 16 – Walter moved, Miller seconded, unanimously carried to approve Resolution 20-24, Final acceptance of Contract 291 with Mathy Construction. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRACT #291
MATHY CONSTRUCTION
WHERAS, Contract No. 291 has in all things been completed, and the County Board being fully advised in the premises;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Houston County Board of Commissioners, accepts said completed project for and on behalf of the Houston County DOT and authorize final payment.
File No. 17 – Miller moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve Resolution 20-22, Property Tax Abatements. (D1:Y,D2:Y,D3:Y,D4:Y,D5:N/A)
Babinski stated the County Board couldn’t change the due-date of Property Tax payments, but did have the authority to address the payment penalties usually assigned to late payments. This resolution authorizes the Auditor/Treasurer to not charge penalty fees on payments received between May 15 and July 15. The resolution excludes escrow payments and previously scheduled automatic bank transfers.
State of Emergency – COVID-19 – Property Tax Abatements
April 14, 2020
WHEREAS, the Chairman of the Houston County Board of Commissioners, under the authority given in Minn. Stat. Sec 12.29 Subd. 1, declared a local emergency exists within Houston County, effective March 18, 2020, and;
WHEREAS, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has issued a series of Emergency Executive Orders 20-01 through 20-34 (as of April 13, 2020) which include, among many others, a “Stay at Home” order which temporarily requires non-critical workers to stay safe at home, and several orders that require the temporary closure of certain non-critical businesses, all of which are aggressive, but necessary, community mitigation strategies to slow the transmission of COVID-19, reduce illness and deaths, and limit the economic impacts of the outbreak; and
WHEREAS, the necessary measures put in place to mitigate the COVID-19 health emergency have resulted in a significant loss of income to many individuals, businesses, and property owners in Houston County and across the state and nation; and
WHEREAS, all levels of government are looking for ways to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 health emergency on the economy in general and on individuals, businesses, and property owners, and
WHEREAS, the due date for payment of the first one-half of property taxes (May 15, 2020) may not be changed locally, but the County Board may provide temporary payment relief through abatement of the penalty for a time period to allow flexibility for affected property owners; and
WHEREAS, counties collect and disburse property taxes not only for counties, but also for all cities, townships, school districts, special taxing districts and the state of Minn. Cash flow and operations of all local government is set around the collection dates for property taxes. The County Board acknowledges the seriousness of any consideration to delay the collection of property taxes and the financial impact such a delay would have on all subordinate jurisdictions within Houston County and has conferred with the local cities and school districts to determine their ability to adjust to reduced or delayed payments; and
WHEREAS, not all individual and business property owners are experiencing financial hardship in Houston County due to COVID-19, and those who can, should, pay their property taxes in a timely manner. Individual and business property owners who utilize escrow payments and Automatic ACH payments (Direct Payment of Property Tax) should continue payments as scheduled; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 279.0, Subd. 2 (a), “a county board may, with the concurrence of the county treasurer, delegate to the county treasurer the power to abate the penalty provided for late payment of taxes in the current year. Notwithstanding section 270C.86 (which allows the Minn. Commissioner of Revenue to abate taxes), if any county board so elects, the county treasurer may abate the penalty on finding that the imposition of the penalty would be unjust and unreasonable.”
WHEREAS, the Houston County Board finds that the imposition of penalties for late payments of property taxes owed by certain individual and business property owners due by May 15, 2020 but not paid until July 15, 2020 would be unjust and unreasonable due to the significant economic hardships experienced by these individuals and entities during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. The Houston County Auditor-Treasurer has concurred with the proposal to temporarily abate the penalty fees for late property tax payments on certain properties during Houston County’s COVID-10 State of Local Emergency that would otherwise be owed by May 15, 2020, but not paid until July 15, 2020.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by Houston County Board of Commissioners that the Board delegates authority to the County Auditor-Treasurer to abate any penalties for late payments made for the first half of current year property tax payments due by May 15, 2020 but paid by July 15, 2020 and extends the date that penalties will occur on first half property taxes from May 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020 except for individuals and businesses with escrowed property or payments through Automatic ACH payments.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County Administrator, County Auditor-Treasurer, and the County Assessor or their designees are directed to undertake such actions and request such assistance as needed to accomplish this Resolution action to the extent practicable and allowed by law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by Houston County Board of Commissioners that this abatement consideration applies only to current year property tax payments originally due May 15, 2020, but received by July 15, 2020. Property owners may seek reduction or abatement of any other property tax costs, penalties, or interest through the regular procedures provided for in Minn. Stat. 375.192 – Reductions or Abatements of Valuation or Taxes.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Administrator Babinski and Environmental Services Director Lacher spoke briefly about the drop sites and modifications to procedures to keep employees and the public safe during the Stay-at-Home order. The Board agreed to an interim plan to collect fees without personal contact (cash, check – no change) and accept all products except mattresses as long as residents can drop off/unload without assistance. Social Distancing practices will be enforced to reduce congestion inside the drop site locations.
Administer Babinski reminded all that it was Election Day for the District 5 position with the canvassing board set for Friday, April 17.
Walter stated she attended an Extension meeting and said they were requesting to re-allocate funds designated by the board for an intern hire to use for fair preparation, since the intern wasn’t hired. She relayed a question about opening Wildcat Park. Babinski stated that annual permit holders could move their trailer to the park, but not hook anything up yet. The park will remain closed in accordance with state guidelines, and opened as soon as able, as guidelines change. She also said Dick Walter was continuing work on seeking grant money for projects at Botcher Park. Finally, she relayed some of the questions she had received concerning the 2021 property valuation statements, which residents recently received.
Burns stated that he was at some of the drop sites this weekend and supported them being open as long as people are willing to do the work themselves. He also received questions related to the property valuation statements, and expressed appreciation to the Assessor’s office for addressing them.
Miller relayed updates from Hiawatha Valley, with positive news concerning their facility move in Caledonia. He requested further discussion on a hiring freeze during the pandemic response.
Johnson shared some of the property valuation concerns he’s heard from constituents, as well. He shared concern about the rates set for rural preserve – green acres. He also shared that Elizabeth Houdek would be a good addition to the Extension Committee.
No additional public comment.
There being no further business and the time being 11:31 a.m., motion was made by Burns, and seconded by Miller and unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting. The next advertised meeting being a Board Workgroup Session on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.
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 COM-MISSIONERS 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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