The Polk County Board of Commissioners met inside the Polk County Government Center for a regular meeting on Tuesday morning. They heard from Assistant Environmental Services Administrator Jacob Snyder on resolutions to give three Conditional Use Permits for new Septic Systems, start the Operation of a Home-Based Business for a Wood Fabricating Operation, as well as to give the Final Plat for an area called Forgotten Bay. They also heard from County Engineer Richard Sanders on requests to Purchase Gravel from Gowan Construction, to sign an Agency Agreement for future projects in Hammond Township, and discuss a contract with Traill County to pay half of an approved contract to cover the costs of the replacement of Climax Bridge. The Board also heard from MIS Director Evan Bruggeman, Social Service Director Karen Warmack, Polk County Chief Deputy Michael Norland, Property Records Director Michelle Cote, and County Administrator Chuck Whiting.
CONSENT ITEMS
The Board began the meeting by first approving their Auditor Warrants and approving the Board Minutes of their meetings on May 17 and 24. It also included the approval of a payment of Lost Warrant No. 51260, which was issued to Ryan Carslay in the amount of $50. The Board approved all motions unanimously.
MIS DEPARTMENT – EVAN BRUGGEMAN
The Board was then approached by MIS Director Evan Bruggeman, who requested the Board to approve the installation and configuration of 18 “Panic Buttons” by Bergstrom and Johnson Controls for a quote of $18,530 in different areas around the Human Service Center. The buttons will help the Center contact security or the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in the case of an emergency. The Board approved the motion unanimously.
PLANNING AND ZONING
The Board then heard from Assistant Environmental Services Administrator Jacob Snyder to request a Conditional Use Permit for Steven and Shaun Muzzy to tie a new Septic System to a 40’ x 60’ Storage Shop on a 140’x 295’ backlot along Sandy Beach Road near Maple Lake. He then requested the same for Beverly Jung, who owns a front and backlot that are 90’ x 150’ and 100’ x 200’ respectively, for a total of approximately 34,412 sq ft., and she wished to add a Septic Holding Tank to the system for a new 40’ x 60’ shop with a bathroom. He then requested a Conditional Use Permit for Roman Troyer to add a 12’ x 12’ motor room equaling 3,140 sq ft. for a Home-Based Wood Fabricating Business out of a Home-based 50’ x 60’ Shop in the Agricultural Zoning Districts in Section 32 of King Township. The Board approved all three permits with specific conditions for each of them to help safeguard neighboring properties. For his final item, he was joined by Monty Lund of Blue Star LLC to request a motion to approve the final plan of a plat on a 26-acre portion of land called Forgotten Bay to create nine new buildable riparian lots and create two outlots in the Shoreland overlay district of Union Lake. “A little under six months ago, we went through the preliminary plat process and gave them the authorization to build the road, then start working on lots and doing some things,” Assistant Environmental Services Administrator Jacob Snyder explained. “Today, we finalized that plat for the nine buildable lots with a few outlots and twists, but it meets the intent of Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Reasonable Use. They want to develop nice lake homes along that stretch of Union Lake, and so it’s just a product of finalizing the plat that was proposed preliminary,” he added. He reported that it still needed to be built up and verified to meet the Township’s specifications, but due to the wet spring weather, which caused the developer to regrate some culverts on those roads, the verification by the Township has been delayed. He reported that they had not changed much from the Preliminary to the Final Plat plan other than that they expanded a few wetlands along the shoreline of the Lake.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
RICHARD SANDERS – HIGHWAY
The Board then heard from County Engineer Richard Sanders, who first requested the Board to purchase an 8,168-ton stockpile of Class 5M gravel located in Oslo from Gowan Construction for $3.85 per ton for a total of $31,446.80 for the County to use on the roadways. He then requested the Board to approve an agency agreement with Hammond Township for the Highway Department to survey, design, and construct three bridges in the Township when they get funded. Sanders then requested the Board to purchase a Single Axle Diesel Truck from Boyer Ford Trucks in Duluth for the price of $76,595.15. He also reported that the trucks will be built and delivered after January 1, 2023. His final item was a request for the Board to pay $340,750 to help pay half of the cost of a $681,500 contract with KLJ Engineering LLC that was approved by Traill County to complete the Final Design Engineering Services for the final phase of the replacement of Climax Bridge. “KLJ sent the final design agreement to Traill County for their approval today and to me, for Polk County Board’s concurrence on Traill County’s approval,” County Engineer Richard Sanders explained. “It’s basically for them to put together the final bridge plans and designs for the Climax Bridge,” he added. Sanders also said that they are currently pushing to begin the final phase of replacing the bridge by October 2023.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
SOCIAL SERVICES
The Board was then approached by Social Services Director Karen Warmack, who requested the Board to approve a replacement of a Child Protection Specialist carrying a primary caseload of Children’s Mental Health and Child Welfare Cases. She then asked for the Board to approve a resolution to have Blue Plus and UCare be the recommended health care services providers for children and families participating in Medical Assistance or Minnesota Care Programs in Polk County. Her final item was for the Board to approve the amending of a grant for the Children Mental Health Respite Care contract to include $30,270 to the previous amended total for a total contract amount of $182,260 to Region 1 counties through December 31.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
CHIEF DEPUTY MICHAEL NORLAND
The Board then heard from Polk County Chief Deputy Michael Norland, who requested the Board to approve a purchase of a Beach King Boat Lift and Dock for their Patrol Boats from Harlan’s Boats R-Us. He reported that the items cost a total of $13,400, including delivery and set up, and were a part of their budget for the year. The Board approved the motion unanimously. Chief Deputy Norland then reported that the Sheriff’s Department had received reimbursement from the Public Utilities Commission for many officers working overtime for training time, safety equipment, and hours worked.
PROPERTY RECORDS
The Board then heard from Property Records Director Michelle Cote, who requested that they post and begin advertising for a new Deputy Director of Property Records to the public due to her upcoming resignation on August 26 and having current Deputy Director Sam Melbye take her place. So, they need someone to fill in his position as well as any subsequent openings that may happen. She reported that she hoped to see some internal applicants apply for the job but also said that she expected some external applicants as well.
The Board approved the motion unanimously.
CHUCK WHITING- ADMINISTRATION
The Board finished the meeting after hearing from County Administrator Chuck Whiting, who first requested the Board to approve the new Collective Bargaining Agreement contract with LELS Sheriff Deputies Group. The changes in the contract included changes to the County’s monthly benefits contributions from the Public Employees Insurance Program to $1,200 for 2022, $1,275 for 2023, and $1,350 for 2024. Administrator Whiting then began a resolution to approve a Redevelopment Plan for a Development Project in Fosston with the Northwest Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and for the HRA to provide funds to let the City begin work on a Palubicki’s Family Market and Spirits Store on June 28. He then came forward with a status update for the American Rescue Program funds and a few more requested commitments to use the funds. He first reported that the City of Crookston had asked for a second allocation of ARPA funds for an aquifer study as part of their consideration of a new industry coming to Crookston for the amount of $80,000. He then reported that he and County Attorney Greg Widseth had received two recent requests for the funds. The first was to the Mentor Fire Department, and the other was to the City of Climax and an associated rural water system. “The Board approved committing $28,000 American Rescue Plan funds to help the Mentor Fire Department upgrade a storm shelter with a generator and other equipment and improvements,” County Administrator Whiting explained. Whiting explained that Climax and Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC (AE2S) had an estimate for the difference of a 12” diameter pipe over their original 8” diameter pipe for the water line for $584,674. Whiting reported that AE2S was looking for a commitment from the Board as they were looking to make bids for the pipes before June 14. But after much discussion, the Board decided to only commit $250,000 after they found there were still many things they didn’t quite know about the organization of the district. “The Board discussed it and went through a variety of things, and there are still some questions about the organization of the rural water district, so they committed $250,000 instead of $584,000,” Administrator Whiting explained.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 21, at 2:30 p.m. in the Polk County Government Center, with a Board of Review at 6:00 p.m.
