The Polk County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday morning inside the Polk County Government Center. They heard from County Engineer Richard Sanders on abstract quotes for two Tandem Axles Diesel Trucks and snowplow equipment for them from Boyer Ford Trucks Duluth and Bert’s Truck Equipment, and to request the installation of a side inlet pipe in for Scandia Twp. as well as to accept a Certificate of Performance/Final Acceptance for projects completed by Davidson Construction Inc. He also requested to approve the Polk County Public Works Title VI and Non-Discrimination Implementation Plan. The Board also heard an update from Enbridge representative Julie Huber on their Line 3 project and from Polk County Sheriff James Tadman for a Resolution Proclamation Recognizing National Public Safety Telecommunications Appreciation Week and a Grant Contract Agreement for Federal Boating Safety Supplemental Equipment, and from Property Records Representative Michelle Cote for classifying and appraising a forfeited property, a resolution for a Minnesota Ballot Box Grant and to discuss Redistricting the Commissioners Counties. The meeting also heard other information from Assistant Environmental Services Administrator Jacob Snyder, Social Services Director Karen Warmack, Public Health Director Sarah Reese, PFM/CIP Bond Rep Chuck Upcraft, and County Administrator Chuck Whiting.
CONSENT ITEMS
The Board opened by approving the Auditor Warrants from February 28 to March 29, then approved a payment to the Minnesota Counties Computer Cooperative for Ballot Systems, Bar Code Readers, Ballot Software Licenses, and S&H for a total of $51,180. They then passed a resolution accepting Donations on behalf of Polk County Public Health from the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition in St. Paul.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
JULIE HUBER- ENBRIDGE
The Board then heard from Julie Huber of the multinational pipeline company Enbridge, who gave an update on the Enbridge Oil Line 3 project. She gave the Board some history of the company and that they were beginning to tamper with some greener energy sources. She explained that construction was approved and began in late 2020 with over 11,900 different workers and has now been entirely replaced with new equipment and has been operating as Line 93 since October of 2021, with over 330 miles in northern Minnesota over the last six years and has added eight new pump stations and two new pipeline maintenance shops. She reported that they have received overwhelming support from the people of Minnesota and those who live along the line. “I just came to the Board to thank them for all their support, and we truly believe that the project would not have taken place without the support that we received from the Counties, cities, and townships all along the route.” Julie Huber explained, “We just wanted an opportunity to thank them for everything they’ve done to make this project a reality.” She did so by presenting the Board with a plaque for their support in the project, which can be seen down below.
JACOB SNYDER-PLANNING AND ZONING
Assistant Environmental Services Administrator Jacob Snyder approached the Board next to request a resolution on appointing Kristie Jerde and Richard Kuzel to their Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment to fully staff their Board. He then asked for a resolution to approve an Interim Use Permit application for Knife River Materials to operate a temporary hot-mix asphalt batch-plant and contractor yard for a period of 5 years, located in the General Agricultural District in Section 29 of Gentilly Township, which is approximately 80 acres wide with the asphalt plant being about 3 acres. The Permit would be used to operate the contractor yard from the Spring of 2022 through the Fall of 2026. He reported that the site will typically have about 3 to 5 workers on it but could have anywhere from 5 to 20 with several trucks going in and out of the site daily. “The Public Hearing went well for this today. We worked through many different things, like the property’s neighbors had some concerns about a few things they brought to our attention like roadway use, dust control, and some safety concerns.” Administrator Snyder explained, “So we have to work through those things and make sure that we can put good conditions on things so that we’re addressing their concerns as well as if the operation is going to be viable in that area. If they’re able to use the site as they can and as the application states that they want to, so we got that approved today with several conditions to limit some of the neighbors’ concerns.” He also reported that the application stated that more permits will be needed to fulfill all the requirements mandated by all government agencies for future mining and hot mix asphalt operations, such as Spill Prevention and Control and Countermeasures (SPCC).
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
RICHARD SANDERS- HIGHWAY
The Board then heard from County Engineer Richard Sanders on two abstract quotes for two Tandem Axle Diesel Trucks and snowplow equipment for them for the quote of $261,306 and $130,653 for the trucks from Boyer Ford Trucks Duluth and $258,104 for the snowplow equipment from Bert’s Truck Equipment of Moorhead with the potential of a 25% price increase in 2023 for a potential maximum cost of $320,000 for the equipment. Both trucks will be built and delivered after January 1, 2023, with his best estimate being around July 2023 at the latest. He then requested the installation of a side inlet pipe in NE Corner Sections 10 of Scandia Twp. He then reported that Davidson Construction Inc. completed the work required on their contract for SAP 060-611-020, SAP 060-611-021 and CP 121-505-1351, SAP 060- 611-020 and requested a Certificate of Final Acceptance for the final contract amount of $3,598,109.18 and for the County Administrator and himself to sign the Final Voucher. He continued with a motion to get a Title VI and Non-Discrimination Implementation Plan for the Polk County Public Works Department to receive Federal Funds after being told by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
He then asked for the addition of approving three contracts for bridge replacements and box culverts installation with Olson Construction Inc. out of Thief River Falls. “We had lettings on March 25 for four separate contracts. The first being for Eden Township for $459,613, another for Brandsvold Township for $283,039.28, and Grove Park Township for $469,416 for bridge replacements and box culverts installations. Olson Construction Inc. out of Thief River Falls was the lowest responsible bidder for those. We then had a contract for a box culvert in Crookston Township, and Euclid Township and Olson Construction was the lowest responsible bidder on those as well.” Sanders explained, “The Board awarded those bids to them, and they can now get their materials ordered and hope that the box culverts arrive by the beginning of Fall so they can be installed by this year. If not then, they can be installed by the beginning of next year.” He then brought forward a Calcium Chloride yearly bid to allow landowners to begin signing up for Calcium Chloride services, paying $1,162,450 to the Knife River Corporation of Sauk Rapids and reporting that the Calcium Chloride will be sprayed by July 4 as part of the contract. Also noting that this year, Norman, Red Lake, Marshall, and Kittson County will be included in the services as well.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
SARAH REESE- PUBLIC HEALTH
The Board then heard from Public Health Director Sarah Reese for an Out of State Travel Request for her to represent the Minnesota Local Public Health at the Learning Community meeting held by The Public Health National Center in Washington DC from June 14-16. She also requested the Board to let her travel to attend the NACCHO 360 Annual Conference on July 19-21 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Hyatt Regency in 2022 and 2023 for their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic with all expenses covered by the Minnesota Department of Health. She lastly requested the approval of the purchase of Acuity Scheduling software for $540 annually with customizable and compliant scheduling software, as well as to set up, chart, and report COVID Response funds to assist the Department in their organization and scheduling.
JAMES TADMAN- SHERIFF
The Board then heard from Polk County Sheriff James Tadman on a resolution to recognize the week of April 10-16th as National Public Safety Telecommunications Appreciation Week to recognize the work of Telecommunicators in the County. “Each year, there is a National Public Safety Telecommunicators Awareness Week, so each year, the sheriffs have done at least a proclamation to the Board to recognize the hard work our telecommunicators do for our Sheriff’s office and the residents.” Sheriff Tadman explained, “They’re the first line that is contacted to get the rescue units out there, be it the Sheriff, Fire, or Ambulance service. That’s where the whole process starts, so next week will be to recognize them, so we wanted to put that in front of the Board for all their hard work and show our appreciation for what they do for our residents at Polk County.” He then asked the Board to approve a Grant Contract Agreement they had applied for and received on February 1 for 2021 State of Minnesota Federal Boating Safety Supplemental Equipment. “Last year, we had put on to replace a 1991 Forester Boat that we’ve had for many years and needs a lot of service at TLC, but we put in for a new Alumacraft Trophy 185 W/175 HP Boat and Trailer that we can utilize on the larger lakes, (Maple Lake and Union Lake) and we were rewarded that,” Sheriff Tadman explained, “I think for all of our hard work and great jobs we’ve been doing with being out on the waterways that made them pick us. And they awarded us $46,497 that we can put towards it now, so we’re working with the Bemidji Marine, and we’re just waiting for when the boat will come in, and it just shows from all the hard work that we’ve done with the Boat and Water Patrol that we’ve done through the years.”
The Board approved both motions unanimously.
MICHELLE COTE- PROPERTY RECORDS
The Board then heard from Property Records Director Michelle Cote, who was presenting for Director, Michelle Cote to forfeit property parcel 82.02216 as a non-Conservation and to approve the viewing and setting of the appraised sale price at the next meeting. Michelle then requested that Extension Committee Members Connie Hannesson and Aaron Rongen be reappointed to begin filling their 2nd three-year term as Member at Large and District 1 Commissioner, respectively. She then requested that they could now apply for a Grant for the new Minnesota Ballot Boxes for future elections, and the grant will cover all the expenses of the boxes and security.
The Board approved the motions unanimously.
She then began a discussion on Redistricting new Commissioner Districts. She explained that the city has equalized the lines in the districts and that the Statutory Requirements are to keep the districts as equal in size and population as possible and for the Commissioner districts to be as regular and compact in form. Meaning populations cannot be more than 10% from the average for all districts in the County. And what they will do in future elections. She then showed a few examples of new redistricting maps, with Option 1 having the lowest difference between the most populated and least populated, with options 2-6 being variations on that with varying districts, and explained how they would affect each commissioner for their upcoming elections. They discussed what options they would want to choose for the next decade while keeping the population numbers within range while also keeping the representation equal. Commissioner Mark Holy gave a small proposal of moving an east district section or two as a new Option 7 map for her to create. She told the Board that a decision had to be made by Tuesday, April 19, giving them two weeks to make a final decision. The Board agreed to make a decision then, noting that they were gravitating towards Option 6 or a new potential Option 7. The Current and proposed Commissioner Districts can be seen down below.
CHUCK WHITING- ADMINISTRATION
The Board ended the meeting with County Administrator Chuck Whiting about the planned budget of the American Rescue Program for 2022 to 2024. Discussing that requests from many departments such as Public Health, Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities, Infrastructure, and Revenue Replacements have grown and that they have made the Grand Total of them more than what the Program was giving the County. The new Grand Total is $6,327,407, with the Rescue Program only giving $6,092,089. This would then spend more money than what they had by the deadline of 2024. The Board agreed to discuss what requests would take more precedence for the funds over others in future meetings.
The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 19, at 9:30 a.m. inside the Polk County Government Center.
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