PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF HOUSTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 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 via Computer: Eric Johnson, Teresa Walter, Jack Miller, Robert Burns, and Greg Myhre
Call to order. Presiding: Chairman Johnson
Walter moved, Miller seconded, unanimously carried to approve the agenda as amended.
Walter moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to approve the minutes from the May 12 Board Meeting.
Walter moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to approve the minutes from the May 19 Work Group Session.
Public Comment: None at this time
PH&HS provided an update on the COVID-19 pandemic and state-wide trends. They encouraged everyone to remain vigilant as COVID-19 continues to spread around the state and local areas.
Miller moved, Myhre 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 $107,407.03
Road & Bridge Fund $ 52,975.04
Total $160,382.07
2)Approve assignment of county-issued credit cards to:
i.Greg Myhre
ii.Houston County Public Health
3)Approve Liquor, Wine and Beer Licenses for the following:
i.Liquor Licenses, Wine and Strong Beer
1.Ferndale Golf LLC
2.Foursome Golf Group LLC dba Valley High Golf Club
3.Denstad Enterprises Inc. dba Shellhorn Roadhouse
4.Gasthaus LLC dba Little Miami
5.City of La Crescent dba Pine Creek Golf Course (Wine and Strong Beer)
ii.On Sale Beer Licenses
1.City of La Crescent dba Pine Creek Golf Course
2.Lawrence Lake Marina LLC dba Lawrence Lake Marina
3.Gopher State Sportsmans Club
4.La Crescent Snowmobile Club
iii.Off Sale Beer Licenses
1.City of La Crescent dba Pine Creek Golf Course
2.Lawrence Lake Marina dba Lawrence Lake Marina
3.La Crescent Snowmobile Club
4.Houston Food Mart
iv.Club Liquor License
1.MaCal Grove Country Club Inc.
4)Approve the 2020 Wildcat Park Management Agreement.
5)Affirm the following personnel actions:
1.Assessor’s Office
1.Confirm the change of employment status of David Feuerhelm, Appraiser Trainee from probationary to regular effective May 25, 2020.
2.Confirm the change of employment status of Joseph Olson, Appraiser Trainee from probationary to regular effective May 25, 2020.
2.Corrections
1.Approve the temporary change of FTE for Barbara Schmitz, Technical Clerk I, from .8 FTE to 1.0 FTE effective June 2, 2020 until the return to work of the office’s 0.7 FTE Technical Clerk I.
3.Public Health & Human Services
1.Extend the probationary period of Karlee Moulton, probationary Social Worker from 6 months ending June 1, 2020 to November 1, 2020. (This is not a reflection on the employee, but due to disruption in DHS Core and County training schedules due to the COVID-19 health emergency preventing the department and employee from completing requisite training. Plans for completing the training are in place.)
Walter moved, Miller seconded, unanimously carried to approve the assignment and search for a casual/temporary (67 day) employee, A11 to augment Facility Maintenance staff for additional sanitation efforts due to the COVID-19 health emergency and approve the assignment and search for a casual/temporary (67 day) employee, A11 to augment the License Center for additional support to Driver License Services due to the COVID-19 health emergency.
Burns moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve 11 Property Tax abatements for taxes payable in 2020 or earlier.
Myhre moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to approve Resolution 20-29 CARES Act Grant Agreement-Airport.
Burns moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to accept the low bid quote for project CP 2020-05, Pavement Marking, from Sir Lines-a-Lot for $116,227.00.
Myhre moved, Walter seconded, unanimously carried to approve developing a fee and charging affected property owners for Chloride treatment along gravel County Highway roads. Engineer Pogodzinski shared that the cost of applying Chloride to County-maintained gravel road surfaces came to $62,120 in 2019 and was expected to be slightly higher in 2020. He estimated the fees would be about $200-250 per household based on current application rates and how Townships charge for this service (varies by township). Based on this vote, he will formalize a process to advertise and collect these fees. The fees will be developed and shared with the general public as the 2021 budget is developed and a public hearing will be held before the board makes a final decision to assess these fees to the residents along the County-maintained gravel roads.
Miller moved, Burns seconded, unanimously carried to approve and release of a Request for Proposal to hire a Construction Manager to oversee final design and construction of a Highway Department facility and site modifications.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Administrator Babinski reminded all of the Household Hazardous Waste collection event has been rescheduled for May 30th to avoid the holiday weekend. He also addressed the plans for opening the County facilities ‘by appointment only’ and a gradual return to normalized operations.
Walter reminded all about the upcoming District IX meeting. She shared information from the EMS Board meeting, with news of how they’ve adapted their training to online resources and are starting to offer limited classes again. She expected a similar funding request as last year’s to help support the regional EMS training program.
Burns shared news from an MC webinar discussing state-level funding issues, expressing there was some concern about the state de-funding the CPA. During the Finance Committee meeting, they discussed the county had received 97% of the expected tax revenue from the 1st half of the year payments and that county expenditures were within expectations for this time of the year.
Miller commended the La Crescent personnel in charge of the Memorial Day services for doing a good job despite being scaled back from COVID-19 restrictions.
Johnson mentioned his water planning committee meeting had been postponed and had a RRWC district meeting scheduled in June.
Myhre suggested the staff look at raising the per household fees charged to the townships for solid waste to better balance the expenses assumed within the County budget.
Public comment: None
There being no further business and the time being 11:15 a.m., motion was made by Myhre, seconded by Burns, unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting. The next advertised meeting being a Board Workgroup Session on Tuesday, June 2, 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 HOUS¬TON 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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