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OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BLUE EARTH COUNTY, MINNESOTA

The County Board of Commissioners met in the Commissioners' Room at 9:00 a.m. Present were Chairperson Alvis More, Commissioner Leon Tacheny, Commissioner Colleen Landkamer, Commissioner Al Bennett, Commissioner Lin Barnes, County Attorney Ross Arneson and County Administrator David Twa.

1. AGENDA REVIEW
Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to appoint Commissioner More as the Chairperson for 1998. The motion carried. 98-1 Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Landkamer seconded the motion to appoint Commissioner Bennett as the Vice-Chairperson for 1998. The motion carried. 98-2 Commissioner Barnes moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to approve the Agenda. The motion carried. 98-3 Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Tacheny seconded the motion to approve the 1998 Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners Calendar:

2. COMMISSIONERS¹ REPORTS ON COMMITTEES
The Commissioners reported on committees that they have attended since the last Board Meeting.

3. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Mr. David Twa, County Administrator, presented the following items for the Boards consideration. Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to approve the following 1998 Committee Appointments:

The motion carried. 98-5
Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Tacheny seconded the motion to approve the amended December 16, 1997 Board Minutes to change the appointment of Ms. Carol Grams and Ms. Ruth Nicolai from the Social Services Task Force to the Community Health Task Force. The motion carried. 98-6 Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion to approve the following Bills:

GRAND TOTAL $760, 488.08

The motion carried. 98-7

Commissioner Bennett moved and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion to approve the following Personnel items: Resignation of Betti Walter, Social Worker (Vulnerable Adult) (C42), effective January 2, 1998. (Human Services)

Authorization to initiate recruitment for a Social Worker (Vulnerable Adult) (C42). (Human Services)

Lateral transfer of Cheryl Petersen-Kroeber, from SAIL Specialist (C42) to Community Health Educator (C42) with no change in salary effective January 7, 1998. (Human Services)

Employment of Kelli Ludescher, as a Probation Officer (C42), with a starting salary of $15.51 per hour effective January 5, 1998. Board authorized recruitment on November 4, 1997. (Community Corrections)

Lateral transfer of Cindy Kenne, from Clerical Specialist II (B22) to Child Care Fund Specialist (B22) with no change in salary effective January 12, 1998. (Human Services) Voluntary reduction of hours for Tracy Hudrlik, Probation Officer (C42), from 1 FTE to .5 FTE effective January 5, 1998. (Community Corrections)

Reclassification of Tim Edwards, from Physical Plant Specialist (B21) to Physical Plant Supervisor (B32), with a salary adjustment from $10.63 to $12.59 per hour effective January 7, 1998. (Physical Plant)

The motion carried. 98-8

Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion to approve Blue Earth County¹s participation in the Joint Powers Agreement for a Service Bureau with the City of Mankato. Establishing and operating a joint service bureau will provide common services such as, but not limited to, dispatch, record keeping, data collection, issuing of permits and licenses, and other services to members of the Joint Powers Agreement and to other agencies on a contract basis. The motion carried. 98-9 Commissioner Barnes moved and Commissioner Landkamer seconded the motion to appoint Commissioners Bennett and Tacheny to the Service Bureau Joint Powers Board. The motion carried. 98-10

4. NATURAL RESOURCES BLOCK GRANT

Ms. Julie Conrad, Land Use & Natural Resources Planner and Mr. Scott Fichtner, Environmental Services Director, summarized the Natural Resources Block Grant. Commissioner Barnes moved and Commissioner Landkamer seconded the motion to approve the following resolution:

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SIGNATURE
OF BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES
NATURAL RESOURCES BLOCK GRANT DOCUMENTS

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

THAT THE Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners approves of Blue Earth County entering into a Grant Agreement with the State of Minnesota to receive state funds of the implementation of its comprehensive local water plans, the administration of wetland conservation act, administration of the Department of Natural Resources shoreland program, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency feedlot program, under the terms of the Grant Agreement and all statutory requirements; and

THAT THE Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners authorizes the expenditure of $17,061 cash and $39,477 in-kind contributions to match the Natural Resources Block Grant, and the Grant Agreement.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT THE Chairperson of the County Board of Commissioners and the County Administrator are authorized to execute the Grant Agreement together with all related documents.

The motion carried. 98-113.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Mr. David Twa, County Administrator, continued to present Administrative Services items for the Boards consideration. Pursuant to publication, bids for publication were received, opened and reviewed with the following results:

	PUBLICATION: County Board, Synopsis & Board of Equalization
	BIDDER:							AMOUNT OF BID:
	Lake Region Times, Madison Lake, MN			$4.50 Per Column Inch
	The Free Press, Mankato, MN				$7.77 Per Column Inch

	PUBLICATION: First Publication of Annual Financial Statement

	BIDDER:							AMOUNT OF BID:
	The Free Press, Mankato, MN				$4,715
	Copies required over and above Free Press Standard distribution for the annual financial statement will be charged on a $25.00 per-thousand basis.

	PUBLICATION: Second Publication of Annual Financial Statement
	BIDDER:							AMOUNT OF BID:
	Lake Crystal Tribune, Lake Crystal, MN			$4.36 Per Column Inch
	PUBLICATION: Delinquent Tax List
	BIDDER:							AMOUNT OF BID:
	*The Free Press, Mankato, MN				$7.77 Per Column Inch
	*Maple River Messenger, Mapleton, MN			$4.45 Per Column Inch

*With a 25 percent discount allowed for subsequent insertions
	PUBLICATION: All Legal Notices for 1998
	BIDDER:							AMOUNT OF BID:
	Lake Crytal Tribune, Lake Crystal, MN			$4.36 Per Column Inch
	*The Free Press, Mankato, MN** 				$7.77 Per Column Inch

First Publication of Annual Financial Statement to The Free Press, Mankato, MN, in the amount of $4,715.00.

Second Publication of Annual Financial Statement to the Lake Crystal Tribune, Lake Crystal, MN in the amount of $4.36 per column inch.

Delinquent Tax List to Maple River Messenger, Mapleton, MN in the amount of $4.45 per column inch.

All Legal Notices for 1998 to The Free Press, Mankato, MN, in the amount of $7.77 per column inch

The motion carried. 98-12

Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to approve the following:

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS Minnesota Statutes 387.20 and 388.18 require the County Board to set by resolution the minimum salary to be paid the County Sheriff and the County Attorney for the term next following the elections in November 1998.

NOW THEREFORE the County Board does hereby set the minimum salary to be paid the County Sheriff for the term commencing with January, 1999 at $50,024 and does hereby set the minimum salary to be paid the County Attorney for the term commencing with January, 1999 at $62,587.

The motion carried. 98-13

Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to approve an agreement with Patrick Gemlo to provide the services of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program in Blue Earth County. The Agreement will be in effect from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998, and may be renewed for additional periods upon the written agreement of both parties. The motion carried. 98-14 Commissioner Bennett moved and Commissioner Tacheny seconded the motion to approve an Application for Authorization to Conduct a One-Day Off-Site Gambling to Crystal & Loon Lakes Recreation, Inc. to be held on February 15, 1998 on Loon Lake, Lake Crystal, MN. The motion carried. 98-15 Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion to approve the request from Minnesota Valley Action Council to have Blue Earth County subordinate their lien to an individual in the Loan Program, in the amount of $8,922.50 to MinnStar Bank N.A. The motion carried. 98-16

5. DNR MINNEOPA PARK EXPANSION
Mr. Howard Ward, Minneopa Park Manager, Mr. Gordon Herbst, Minneopa State Park Advisory Committee and Mr. Grant Scholen, DNR-State Parks, presented the following item for the Boards consideration. Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Landkamer seconded the motion to support the proposed Minneopa State Park addition of approximately 1474 acres. The DNR-Division of Parks and Recreation intends to present this proposal during the 1998 legislative session. If the area is added to the park boundary, lands would be acquired from willing sellers as they become available in the future. The motion carried. 98-17

6. GENERAL OBLIGATION CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT BONDS

Mr. Jerry Books, Finance Director and Mr. Dan O¹Neill, Vice-President of Springsted Public Finance Advisors, presented the following bids for the Boards consideration. Pursuant to publication, bids for publication were received, opened and reviewed with the following results:

BOND: $3,000,000 General obligation Capital Improvement Bonds, Series 1998A

< Commissioner Barnes moved and Commissioner Landkamer seconded the motion to award the sale of the bond to Robert W. Baird & Company, Incorporated, at the True Interest Rate of 4.1028%. The motion carried. 98-18

BOND: $430,000 General Obligation Drainage Ditch Bonds, Series 1998B

Commissioner Bennett moved and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion to award the sale of the bond to FBS Investment Services, Incorporated, at the True Interest Rate of 4.4952%. The motion carried. 98-19 Mr. Mike Sheehy, Assessor and Mr. Jerry Books, Finance Director, discussed the Tax Abatement request from Mr. Charles Morken in regards to property located at 100 Madison Avenue, Mankato, MN. After discussion, Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to table the abatement to the January 20, 1998 Board Meeting to obtain more information. The motion carried. 98-20

8. REGIONAL RAILROAD AUTHORITY
ANNUAL MEETING

At 10:48 a.m. on January 6, 1998, the annual meeting of the Blue Earth County Regional Railroad Authority was held in the Boardroom, Blue Earth County Courthouse. Chairperson Barnes called the meeting to order. Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to elect the following as officers of the Railroad Authority for 1998:

The motion passed with all members voting aye. 98-21 Commissioner Tacheny moved and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of January 7, 1997. The motion passed with all members voting aye. 98-22

There being no further business, Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Tacheny seconded the motion to adjourn the annual meeting of the Railroad Authority at 10:52 a.m. The motion carried. 98-23 7. PUBLIC WORKS
Mr. Al Forsberg, Public Works Director, Mr. Joe Styndl, Maintenance Superintendent and Mr. Ron Olson, Road Supervisor, presented the following bids for the Boards consideration. Pursuant to publication, bids were received, opened and reviewed for the following Public Works Projects, with the following results.

EQUIPMENT: Two 1998 Full Size One-Half Ton 4-Wheel Drive Pickups

BIDDER:							AMOUNT OF BID:
	Clements Auto, Mankato, MN				$28,878.84
	Mankato Ford Family , Mankato, MN			$27,867.20
	Lagers Chrysler World, Mankato, MN			$28,980.00

Commissioner Barnes moved and Commissioner Landkamer seconded the motion to award the bid to Mankato Ford Family, Mankato, MN in the amount of $27,867.20. The motion carried. 98-24 Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to table awarding the Pheumatic Rubber-Tired Roller bid to investigate the different hydraulic systems from the bidders. The motion carried. 98-25 Mr. Louie Schweim, Mr. Ron Kibble and Mr. Claude Siegler, Mankato Township Officers, presented a petition requesting Blue Earth County to take over TR 167. The following residents made comments: Mr. Joe Metro, Ms. Lorrie Torbenson, Ms. Marge Pasbrig and Ms. Barb Harmer. The Board requested more information from the Public Works Department and will discuss the issue again at a future Board Meeting. Commissioner Landkamer moved and Commissioner Bennett seconded the motion to adjourn at 12:15 p.m. The motion carried. 98-26