Organizations report to Red Lake County Commissioners

On July 14, 2015, with all board members present, the meeting began at 10:00 a.m. First on the agenda was Lee Meier from the NW MN Housing & Redevelopment Association (NWMNHRA). Meier reported on the different programs available to people in NW Minnesota and updated the board on the progress of the most recent grant for the town of Oklee where 15+ homes were eligible for rehabilitation.
Meier, since he was talking about Oklee, stated that Bill Seeger from Oklee was the organizer of the HRA in 1972 and the area covered was the counties of Kittson, Polk, Marshall, Pennington and Red Lake with Roseau joining later, and make up the six county area of NW MN HRA. One of the most used programs is the Down Payment Assistance Program.
Meier also required a motion from the board so money could be returned from a grant received to help local businesses, but none had qualified at this time. Motion approved to return money.
Social Services Director Kristy Nelson came before the board to get the Child Protection allocation resubmitted and approved and also ask for a temporary salary adjustment for a employee positon. Both were approved.
Expenditures and minutes from the last meeting were looked at and approved by motions.
Myron Jesme and Orville Knott visited with the board and updated them on the work the Red Lake Watershed District have been working on. The 2014 Annual report book had been mailed out to the commissioners before the meeting and more were available at the meeting. A digital copy of the Annual Report can be found on their website: http://redlakewatershed.org/.
Jesme and Knott reported on projects and also answered questions the commissioners had for them. One of the concerns the commissioners talk about has been the tiling that has been done and the regulation. Beginning in August, revised regulations will require permits for tiling. Buffer strips were also discussed and ring dike funding & projects.
Committee reports were given beginning with Commissioner Chuck Flage who attended the Soil & Water Conservation District meeting. Items discussed were per diem increases, grants received, step drainage, buffer strips and the need for new computers.
Commissioner Dave Sorensen reported on the Tri County Correction meeting. A new Jail Administrator had been hired, Dave Casanova, who is from New Mexico. Alcohol/Drug testing on employees was discussed at the meeting about the requirements for testing and possible random testing.
Sorensen also reported on the meeting at Northwest Mental Health Services. A new CPA has been hired and there are lots of changes going on. Savings of about $70,000 were seen by switching to rental vehicles instead of reimbursement to employee for using their personal vehicles.
Commissioner John Lerohl attended the Northwest Regional Development meeting which toured the business near Fosston, Engineered Pumps, and reported that it was a good tour. Other items discussed at the meeting were Transportation, Aging, Rural Arts such as Riverwalk in EGF.
Commissioner Ron Weiss attended the Tri County Corrections meeting that Sorensen reported on and also attended an Area on Aging meeting.
The Human Resources position was discussed and with the addition of a contract with Social Services for certain services, the job was offered to Angie Lundeen, who had resigned for a job at another company, before offering the position to any of the applicants. Lundeen accepted and will notify the other company that she will be returning to Red Lake County as their HR person. Lundeen has been filling in part time until the position was filled.
The Red Lake County Ag Society (Fair Board) will be receiving the land previously owned by the City of Oklee (South Park). The land was transferred to Red Lake County and the County will give the Fair Board the rights to use the land for Fair events.
The meeting was adjourned and the next meeting will be held on July 28th at 10:00 at the Red Lake County Courthouse meeting room.