SWIFT COUNTY BOARD MINUTES August 20, 2013

SWIFT COUNTY BOARD MINUTES - PART 1
August 20, 2013
 
Chairman Fox called the meeting to order at 11:00 AM with all members present as well as County Administrator Mike Pogge-Weaver, County Auditor Kim Saterbak, Payroll Officer/General Assistant Amanda Ness and several guests.
Chairman Fox asked if there were any additions to the Agenda.  Administrator Pogge-Weaver added a request from the City of Appleton regarding a resolution for their nursing home.
08-20-13-01 Commissioner Hendrickx moved and Commissioner Rudningen seconded to approve the agenda with the addition of the request from the City of Appleton under Citizens Comments.  Motion carried unanimously.
08-20-13-02 Commissioner Peterson moved and Commissioner Klemm seconded to approve the Consent Agenda which consisted of the Board Meeting Minutes of August 6, 2013 and the Executive Session Minutes of August 6, 2013.  Motion carried unanimously.
The board reviewed the Auditor and Commissioner warrants and no questions or comments were made by the board.

08-20-13-03 Commissioner Hendrickx moved and Commissioner Rudningen seconded to approve the Commissioner warrants as follows: Revenue: $276,811.86; Solid Waste: $45,913.69; Road and Bridge: $166,931.06; and Ditches: $63,742.55 which includes the following bills over $2,000: Appleton Press, $2,726.72; Benson Food Shop, $2,766.80; Bosch Excavating, $4,068.00; CMF Tree Service, $11,302.03; CPUI, $4,967.61; Dooley Petroleum, Inc., $4,004.51; Engineering Design Initiative, $2,691.02; Force America Inc, $3,741.12; Geo Comm Inc, $5,787.82; Geyer Recycling, $5,202.25; Hewlett-Packard Company, $2,087.37; Holiday Fleet, $2,037.45; John Deere Financial, $2,141.88; K&K Tiling Inc, $29,054.10; Locators & Supplies Inc, $3,209.03; Many International of Alexandria, $4,134.11; Marsden Bldg Maintenance LLC, $4,140.34; Newman Traffic Signs, $3,053.74; Northside Automotive Supply, $2,897.57; Northstar Truck Sales, $34,320.00; Overholser Properties LLC, $3,250.00; Peart & Associates, Inc, $4,182.81; Pflipsen Trucking LLC, $17,762.01; Prairie Five Rides, $3,349.00; Ringquist, Ron, $3,092.95; Road Machinery & Supplies Co, $3,165.92; SW-WC Services Cooperatives, $139,482.00, Swift County Fair Association, $17,100.00; Swift County Historical Society, $16,410.00; Swift County Monitor News, $4,837.38; Traffic Marking Service, Inc., $34,044.58; Truck Utilities, $4,645.19; Van Heuveln General Contracting Inc, $46,762.00; Villard Implement, $3,127.23;  Waste Management of Northern Minnesota, $18,934.67; Widseth Smith Nolting & Assoc Inc, $12,658.50; Yellow Medicine County Jail, $13,118.76; Ziegler Inc., $9,401.71; and the Auditor warrants as presented.  Motion carried unanimously.
Board and Committee Reports were given as follows: Chairman Fox reported on the Policy Committee, Pomme de Terre River Association, Chippewa River Watershed, and Woodland Centers executive and regular board meetings.  Commissioner Klemm reported on the Safety Committee.  Commissioner Peterson reported on Policy Committee and Countryside Public Health.  Commissioner Rudningen had no meetings to report on but offered a thank you to all who volunteered for the Swift County Fair.  Commissioner Hendrickx reported on the Conditional Use meeting.
Administrator Pogge-Weaver reported on the Policy Committee which included the purchasing policy which will be coming to the board in September as well as continuing discussion on the credit card and travel policies.  He also reported on the Southwest West Central Cooperative annual meeting pointing out that the County will be getting a zero percent increase in the 2014 insurance rates but the actual usage showed we would have had a 17.6% decline in 2014. Within the pool, we have had high cases in the past where the ceiling has helped us. Administrator Pogge-Weaver offered, as long as there was no objection, to have the County throw their hat in with Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, and the Southwest Health and Human Services for an RFP to see what else is available to us, price wise, for health insurance.  A meeting is set with the Coop and Blue Cross Blue Shield on Thursday at 9 AM to discuss our concerns with them.  MCIT rates have come back and property rates are going up 16.7% and workman’s compensation is going up 3.6% for 2014.  Also, commissioner warrants will be brought to the board twice per month in the future due to a discussion with the auditors.  
Appleton City Clerk/Treasurer Roman Fidler presented the board with a request to pass a resolution to convert our powers to operate a nursing home under state statutes to the City of Appleton.

08-20-13-04 Commissioner Hendrickx moved and Commissioner Peterson seconded to pass the resolution to convert the County’s powers to operate a nursing home to the City of Appleton.  Motion carried unanimously.
At the August 6th meeting a sub-committee was appointed to meet with County Treasurer Ron Vadnais and Administrator Pogge-Weaver to consider placing the treasurer position on the November 5, 2013 ballot to move it from an elected to an appointed position.  The sub-committee met on August 7th and recommended not placing it on the 2013 ballot but to meet again in the spring of 2014 to discuss the topic further and possibly add it to the November 2014 ballot.  Commissioner Rudningen pointed out Treasurer Vadnais’ willingness to work together with the Administrator, the Auditor and anyone else to change the courthouse structure.  Commissioner Hendrickx referred to the options supplied by Jim Mulder before the Auditor and Recorder were moved to appointed positions, one of which was a total redesign of administration to allow for more board control, efficiency, and flexibility.  He also referenced the overall election results and his own district’s results when the Auditor and Recorder positions were on the ballot to be moved to an appointed position and stated that there was an overall approval rating for the redesign of the administration.  Commissioner Klemm agreed with the sub-committee’s recommendation.  Commissioner Peterson agreed with Commissioner Hendrickx but also said he has a lot of respect for the sub-committee’s recommendation.  Commissioner Hendrickx said he understood that putting it on the 2013 ballot would require additional dollars for a special election but would like to move forward with the redesign in 2014.  Commissioner Rudningen also pointed out that he didn’t see any significant downfall by waiting until the 2014 ballot.