RLC Commissioners meeting

The Red Lake County Commissioners met on November 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.

First on the agenda was Tanya Hanson from the Red Lake County Soil Water & Conservation District (RLC SWCD). Hanson was reporting to the commissioners on a Feedlot Performance grant she was applying for and she needed their signature. The board approved with a motion made by Commissioner Dave Sorensen and it was seconded by Commissioner Chuck Simpson. Motion carried.

Before Hanson left the table, the Commissioners asked her about the status of the buffer strip legislation. Hanson had gone to a meeting recently and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is developing a map, but she felt that it will continue to be the same for most ditch systems, with a 16 foot riparian area between field and a waterway as it is now, but some areas will have to implement the up to a 50 foot area planted with perennial vegetation buffers along rivers, streams and ditches to filter out nitrogen, other chemicals and sediment. Hanson was sure if the law would be challenged or if it would be left as signed.

The minutes were approved from the last meeting with a motion from Commissioner John Lerohl, seconded by Simpson. Motion carried.

Nick Knott, County Treasurer reported to the commissioners about the Investment Policy requirements. The 12 section document was handed out to the commissioners and covers safety, which is the foremost objective of this investment policy; management of investments; delegation of authority; authorized depositories, investment institutions and dealers; prudence of the treasurer; ethics and conflict of interest; authorized investments and portfolio composition; reporting; diversification; and safekeeping and custody.

A motion by Lerohl and a second by Commissioner Anthony “Chuck” Flage. Motion carried.

The bills were approved for payment with a motion from Lerohl, seconded by Sorensen. Motion carried.

Kristi Nelson, Social Services Director, came before the board to get signatures on the Live Well at Home Grant Agreement to secure approximately $122,334.00 in program funding.  The document, signed at the September 22 meeting, had been lost and needed to be replaced. The MNSure contract also needed to be signed.

Committee reports were given by the Commissioners. Flage began with his meeting at the Soil Water and Conservation District (SWCD). There were about 600 students at the NW Water Festival. SWCD has applied for more grants and a new employee has been hired.

Flage also had a Safety Meeting at the Courthouse. Wellness Works program was discussed. If half of the 42 employees signed up, the county would get additional Wellness money. They will be doing more checking on this.

Sorenson had gone to the Tri County Correction Center (TCCC) meeting. There are 3 persons from Red Lake County incarcerated. A good share of TCCC inmates are paying customers. An employee had received a letter of thanks from the Moorhead Police Department on information the employee sent to them on a murder which helped led to an arrest, based on conversations recorded during inmate visiting.

Other business at TCCC included notification of a new drug and alcohol testing for new and existing employees. The FCC is putting a cap on inmate phone calls. The way it is set up with the company the jail uses, it costs approximately $14.00 a call. But we get a percentage of that and could cost TCCC $22,000.00 in lost income. TCCC is having problems keeping kitchen staff and the inspection did not go well. It is hard to get employee willing to work in a jail system.

Sorensen had a MRCC meeting right after the TCCC meeting. Basically it was about the MRCC & AMC and getting the language is correct with all the programs, ideas, etc. Right now there are 29 counties in MRCC and how big do we want to get. There is population maximum requirement, though Clay has been grandfathered in, they were one of the original counties that joined.

Lerohl reported on the District 3 AMC meeting he attended. They are looking to increase local government aid (LGA) by looking at the formula for local government aid. It won’t be so uneven, making budgeting better.  Enbridge formula was discussed briefly, and Minnesota’s way of figuring out the tax formula, but when Enbridge asked for a reduction, than county gets cut, but state doesn’t replace LGA funds used to pay back Enbridge.

Commissioner Ron Weiss had nothing to report as he had attended AMC meeting which Lerohl already reported on.

Angie Lundeen, Human Resources, informed the board that a Social Services worker has resigned and is going to work at RDC. The new office assistant has started at Social Service office, and will get the advertisement for the SS Worker in papers soon. Lundeen also mentioned that she heard that Phil Greer, the former executive director of correction for TCCC had resigned from the job he took in New Mexico.

Bob Schmitz handed out worksheets showing the expenses and coding from the Civil Defense and Sheriff’s Departments. The Commissioners had asked to see a breakdown of their spending and coding. Everything looked ok was the consensus.

Next meeting is scheduled for November 24th at 10:00 a.m. at the Red Lake County Courthouse.