[Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order: Chair Dranttel]
[00:00:13]
>> AS USUAL, WE START WITH THE SILENCING OF THE CELL PHONES, DEVICES AND ALL OF THE ABOVE.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA. IF YOU LOOK INTO OUR AGENDA DO YOU THINK WE HAVE ANY?
[Approval of Agenda]
>> MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF A REVISED AGENDA ITEM FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE AWARD OF THE 2022 HIGHWAY STRIPING PROJECT.
>> DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[Approval of Consent Agenda]
>> WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING OFF BEFORE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> PLEASE REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR MICS ON NOW THAT I REMEMBERED TO TURN MINE ON.
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.
[Public Appearances]
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES TODAY? GOOD MORNING.>> I WAS DOWN HERE IN JANUARY.
>> WE NEED YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOU NEED TO SPEAK INTO THE MIC SO THAT THE TAPE.
I LIVE OVER BY NUCLIDE AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE NUCLIDE CONSERVATION CLUB.
THE LAST TIME I WAS DOWN HERE IN JANUARY I WAS WITH JEFF HOME AND WHO RUNS THE NORTH STAR TAXIDERMY STUDIO AT NUCLIDE.
HE HAD APPROACHED ME ABOUT IF THEY'VE COME DOWN HERE AND TALK TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABOUT PUTTING A BAN ON DEER FARMERS.
SINCE THEN, I HAVE WENT TO THE BOARD, THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
I GUESS WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I KNOW DEAN COBRA WAS DOWN HERE AND HE PUT UP A BOSCH TO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN THIS MORATORIUM.
IS THAT POSSIBLE TO GO BACK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION?
>> THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT GETS PUT ON THEIR AGENDA.
NOW, MANDY GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER.
DO I CALL THIS GUY TO GET PUT ON OR DO YOU GUYS DO THAT?
>> YOU CERTAINLY CAN OR YOU CAN STOP OVER AND TALK TO HIM IF HE'S IN TODAY?
>> YES. THE ONE THING JOHN HAS MENTIONED TO ME A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT, WE NEED TO TALK TO DEAN COMPART, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH.
WE'VE DONE THAT. THIS CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ISSUE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE AND OVER IT, THE CONSERVATION CLUB, IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE THIS MEETING WHERE WE INVITE DOWN FWLA.
THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION OUT OF THE SEAS EFFICIENT WILDLIFE LEGISLATIVE ALLIANCE AND MORE, MINNESOTA OUTDOOR HERITAGE ALLIANCE.
THESE GUYS WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THE CAPITAL DURING THE SESSION.
THEY COME DOWN AND WE HAVE A MEETING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE AGAIN THIS SEPTEMBER, THE LAST TWO YEARS WE DID NOT HAVE ANY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, THERE WAS A BIG CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ISSUE UP IN CROW WING COUNTY.
WE GOT DEAN OUT THERE BUT SINCE THEN, REALLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
THE LATEST ISSUE NOW IS UP IN BELTRAMI COUNTY WHERE THIS DEER FARMER IS, WE GOT CAUGHT.
HIS DEER WERE DYING AND YOU HAVE DEER THAT ARE DYING ARE SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY THE PROPER AUTHORITIES.
HE WAS TAKING HIM OUT ON COUNTY PROPERTY AND JUST DISPOSING THEM.
HOW THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT I DON'T KNOW, BUT THE BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH HAS NOW GOT TO WORK WITH A DNR BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATORS DECIDED SOMETHING ELSE NEEDS TO CHANGE HERE.
THEY HAD TO FIND SOMEBODY HAD TO COME UP WITH SOME MONEY.
THEY HAD A WALTON FENCED IN THIS AREA WHERE THESE DEER WERE DISPOSED S THAT LIVED DEER COULDN'T GET ANYWHERE THESE CARCASSES HAD BEEN.
IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR A WHILE.
WE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYTHING DONE IN LIKE THIS ARTICLE THAT I GAVE JOHN ABOUT HOW THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAD APPROVED AND SEND IT TO THE SENATE AND THEY APPROVED IT TO WHERE WE WOULD PUT A BAN ON
[00:05:04]
NO NEW DEER FARMS UNTIL AT LEAST THEY GET A LIVE TEST FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ON LIVE DEER.NOW THE DEER HAS TO BE DEAD BEFORE THEY CAN TEST IT.
[NOISE] LIKE, SAY I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS TO MAKE SURE I GET ON THE AGENDA FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
NOW, MARIE, I HAVE GOT A COUPLE MORE NEWS IS HERE BECAUSE I KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.
>> THEY GET DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE TOO.
>> WELL, BE DARK. I'M IMPRESSED. [LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, WE FISH A LOT AT MY HOUSE.
I'LL WALK OVER AND TALK TO THIS GUY. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> MIKE WOULD HAVE WHITETAIL SO THE MORATORIUM BE JUST ON WHITETAIL OR WOULD IT BE, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT DEER TO KNOW SO YOU'D HAVE TO EDUCATE ME.
THE MORATORIUM SAID YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN ST. PAUL WERE ON NEW WHITE-TAILED DEER FARMS?
>> YES. WHITE-TAILED DEER FARMS YES, AND LIKE THIS AGENDA, I GAVE JOHN PHONE NUMBER AND HE CALLED THIS CRACKING WALL.
HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE MINNESOTA DEER HUNTERS ASSOCIATION, LIVES THE WAY UP IN GRAND RAPIDS.
HE'S WORKING WITH COLONIES UP THERE AND HE SAID HE'D COME DOWN AND COME TO THE MEETING AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING AND THEN AT THAT MEETING, I WILL MAKE SURE I GET TO HOLD THE DEAN.
LET'S GET EVERYBODY THERE. FIGURE OUT WHY WE CAN'T GET SOMETHING DONE.
>> WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE COUNTIES UP NORTH THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT A COUNTY MORATORIUM TALKING ABOUT A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM.
>> IT WOULD ONLY BE FOR ONE YEAR AT A TIME.
YES. I THINK THAT'S ALL YOU CAN PUT ON AS A ONE YEAR.
>> THE STATE MAY COME BACK, THE LEGISLATURE MAY COME BACK IN '23.
>> THAT WOULD BE PERFECT IF IT HAPPENS.
>> BECAUSE BILL WAS TEED UP BUT THEY DIDN'T PASS ANYTHING.
>> YEAH. YOU WERE A REPRESENTATIVE, YOU KNOW HOW IT WORKS UP THERE.
>> THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING I COULD SEE WHERE A ONE-YEAR WOULD AT LEAST GET YOU TO BACK TO LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
>> I'VE GONE TO A COUPLE OF MEETINGS UP WITH THE SENATE OFFICE BUILDING ON THIS CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE AND THE STATE HAS NOW COME UP WITH SOME MONEY TO GIVE RESEARCHERS AT THE U OF M TO TRY TO FIND A LIVE DEER TEST AND THEY'RE WORKING AWFUL HARD ON IT.
IF THEY COULD FIND ONE THAT'S TRUE, THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED.
THEN YOU COULD TEST DEER BEFORE YOU MOVED THEM.
BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THERE JUST DO HUNTING IN A STATE IS A BIG BUSINESS IN STATEWIDE. ANYTHING ELSE?
>> MARK, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
DID YOU REALIZE THAT ON JUNE 20TH THAT THE TOPIC CAME UP WITH PLANNING AND ZONING?
OTHERWISE, I'D HAVE BEEN DOWN HERE BECAUSE I WAS DOWN HERE.
MUST BE IN THE MEETING BEFORE.
WAS THAT THE MEETING BEFORE? I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT DOES THE PLANNING ZONING HAVE TWO MEETINGS A MONTH?
>> NO ONE A MONTH. IT'S ALWAYS ON THE WEBSITE, THE AGENDA.
>> I DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER OR A WEBSITE I CAN STILL CONFIRM.
I DIDN'T EVEN BRING MY CELL PHONE IN [LAUGHTER] ANY WAY.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE BECAUSE I'VE HEARD WHAT DEAN HAS TO SAY.
THERE'S TWO SIDES TO EVERY ISSUE, BUT WE GOT TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT HERE.
THE LAST THING WE WANT IS SICK DEER RUNNING AROUND HERE.
IN PARTS OF WISCONSIN THEY FIGURED 40 PERCENT OF THE DEER HERD IS INFECTED.
WISCONSIN OFFICIALS AREN'T ACTING QUITE AS AGGRESSIVELY AS THE DNR HERE IN MINNESOTA.
BECAUSE IF YOU READ THE OPERA NEWS YOU.
>> ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT THE CONSERVATION CLUB OVER AT NUCLIDE HAS GOTTEN TOGETHER WITH JEFF HOLMAN, HIS SHOP IS RIGHT SOUTH AND NUCLIDE BEFORE THE NEW RESENTED DOLLAR GENERAL THERE, EACH AND EVERY FALL I WANT TO TELL YOUR DEER HUNTING BUDDIES BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY THAT HAS TONS OF DEER.
WE HAVE NOW GOT DUMPSTERS OUT THERE WHERE YOU CAN DUMP YOUR CARCASSES, YOU COME IN AND WILL DISPOSE OF THEM.
WE FIND CARCASSES AT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA PARKING LOTS, LAKE ACCESS PARKING LOTS, ROAD DITCHES.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO WITH THEM.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE WRAPPED IN PLASTIC, CARDBOARD.
[INAUDIBLE] FOR UNTIL I COMBINED CLEANING IT UP.
[LAUGHTER] BUT ANYWAY, LET YOUR PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS OUT THERE.
FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT YOUR DEER CARCASS. OKAY?
[00:10:05]
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I WILL SEE YOU AT THE NEXT PLANNING AND ZONING THING. [LAUGHTER].
>> THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA,
[Human Resources]
HUMAN RESOURCES. GOOD MORNING, KRISTI.>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
IF YOU RECALL, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I BROUGHT BEFORE YOU AT A WORKSHOP, THE ALT, AN ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULE POLICY.
THAT POLICY HAS NOW BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY OUR EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY AND GEARING, SO I'M BRINGING IT BACK TODAY FOR APPROVAL.
IN SUMMARY, THE ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES ARE ARRANGEMENTS TO WORK A SCHEDULE OTHER THAN WHAT WOULD BE TRADITIONAL HOURS FOR THE POSITION.
EXAMPLES WOULD INCLUDE A COMPRESSED WORKWEEK OR NON-TRADITIONAL START AND END TIMES.
THEY'RE BECOMING COMMONPLACE AS WORKERS STRUGGLE WITH BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS AND EMPLOYERS ARE SEEKING TO ADD VALUE TO THE EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AT THEIR ORGANIZATION.
AT NICOLLET COUNTY, WE REALIZE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS PARAMOUNT SO ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO STAFF IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE ALTERNATIVE SCHEDULE WOULD HAVE NEUTRAL OR POSITIVE EFFECTS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE.
A FEW NICOLLET COUNTY'S COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN WORKING ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES FOR YEARS AND WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE WOULD MAKE THE OPTION AVAILABLE IN A CONSISTENT MANNER AND TO ALL STAFF WHO QUALIFY.
SO TODAY I'M ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULE PROGRAM POLICY.
WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR ME? POLICIES IN THE PACKET.
>> SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION.
WHAT WILL THIS DO TO ATTRACT FUTURE EMPLOYEES TO NICOLLET COUNTY, IF ANY?
IT MAKES US A MORE ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYER.
ANY AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY THAT WE CAN HAVE IS ATTRACTIVE.
THINGS THAT WE LEARNED OVER COVID IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN THE OFFICE TO DO THEIR JOBS WELL, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THIS POLICY, AND PEOPLE CAN WORK DIFFERENT SCHEDULES OR STILL GET THEIR WORK DONE VERY EFFECTIVELY AND BE PRODUCTIVE AND PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I THINK THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS JUST REINFORCED THAT THESE THINGS CAN WORK FOR BOTH EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS IN A POSITIVE WAY.
>> I WOULD FULLY INTEND TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT IT TREATS DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES DIFFERENTLY THAN FROM SAY, PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE SNOW OR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEPUTIES OUT ON THE ROAD, RIGHT?
>> THAT IS TRUE. BUT IN MY OPINION, THAT SHOULDN'T STOP US FROM OFFERING FLEXIBILITY TO FOLKS WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE.
>> AND AGAIN I JUST WANT TO SAY, IF THAT CREATES THIS DISPARITY, WOULD WE BE SUBJECT TO BEING HOLD ON THEM BY THOSE OTHER EMPLOYEES? JUST ASKING.
>> PART OF THE REASON WHY I HAD OUR EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY REVIEW THE POLICY WAS TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T HAVE CONCERNS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC WORKS.
[Public Works]
ALWAYS FUN THINGS FROM PUBLIC WORKS. KEEP US HAPPEN, SIR.>> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND STAFF.
COUPLE OF ITEMS REPUBLIC WORKS TODAY, THE FIRST BEING CONSIDERED AWARD OF OUR 2022 HIGHWAY STRIPING PROJECT.
YESTERDAY, WE OPENED BIDS AT 11 O'CLOCK.
FOR THIS PROJECT, WE RECEIVE TWO BEDS AND WITH UPDATED INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET,
[00:15:04]
YOU HAVE THE BID ABSTRACT WITH THE RESULTS OF THOSE BIDS.THE LOW BIDDER WAS TRAFFIC MARKETING SERVICES WITH A LOW BID OF $125,278.18.
BIDS WERE RIGHT AROUND WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING SO I'M ASKING BOARD TODAY TO AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR 22 HIGHWAY STRIPING PROJECT TO TRAFFIC MARKETING SERVICES FOR THE LOW BID AMOUNT.
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT?
>> REALLY CREATIVE NAME FROM THE SECOND BIDDER.
>> YEAH, I LOVE THAT ONE. COMMISSIONER.
>> YOU'D LIKE THESE PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME GOOD RESULTS.
>> YEAH. OVER THE YEARS, IT'S PRIMARILY BEEN TWO COMPANIES THAT HAVE DONE MOST WEAR STRIPING, TRAFFIC MARKETING SERVICES AND AAA STRIPING, PROBABLY TRAFFIC MARKETING SERVICES HAVE PROBABLY DONE THE MAJORITY OF THAT AND THEY ALWAYS DO VERY GOOD WORK.
WE'VE ALSO DONE WORK WITH [INAUDIBLE].
THEY DID THE STRIPING ON THE CURRENT ROUTE 13 CONCRETE OVERLAY PROJECT LAST YEAR.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> MY NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT NUMBER 2, TO AMEND THAT AGREEMENT NUMBER 1045974 IN A CORRESPONDING RESOLUTION.
THERE IS A COPY OF THE AMENDMENT TO THAT CONTRACT IN YOUR BOARD PACKET ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE RESOLUTION.
THIS AMENDMENT TO THE OVERALL AGREEMENT THAT AGREEMENTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING SERVICES AND EXPENSES RELATED TO THE ROAD 21 SLOPE SLIDE PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND OF COURSE THIS IS A FEDERAL HIGHWAY EMERGENCY RELIEF DISASTER PROJECT.
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS ENTERED INTO WELL OVER A YEAR AGO WITH MNDOT AND HOW WE GET TO ACTUALLY EXECUTING A CONTRACT WITH MNDOT IS WHEN WE HAVE A DISASTER PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO BE A FEDERAL HIGHWAY DISASTER PROJECT, FIRST STEP IS HAVING FEDERAL HIGHWAY APPROVE A DETAILED DAMAGE INVENTORY REPORT.
ONCE THAT REPORT, YOU FILL IN WHAT THE DAMAGES ARE, WHAT ARE ANTICIPATED ENGINEERING COSTS, EMERGENCY REPAIR COSTS, AND THEN THE PERMANENT REPAIR COSTS.
THE FIRST ITERATION AND APPROVAL OF THOSE DDIRS USUALLY YOUR INFORMATION SOMEWHAT GENERALLY, YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILED FACTS AND SO YOU HAVE JUST BALLPARK ESTIMATES THAT GET APPROVED IN THERE.
AND SO THE INITIAL DDR WAS APPROVED FOR INITIAL ESTIMATE, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AMOUNT.
THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THE BASE AGREEMENT WITH MNDOT TO GET US OUR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FEES.
WE GOT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE PROJECT REPAIR WORK.
AND OVERALL SCOPE OF THE PROJECT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE WELL-KNOWN.
OF COURSE, THE ANTICIPATED ENGINEERING COSTS WENT UP AND SO WE REVISE THE DDIR AS AMENDMENT NUMBER 1 WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD APPROVING THAT ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT OF PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FEES.
LAST YEAR, WE WENT INTO DETAILED DESIGN AND WE CAME UP WITH VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR THE PERMANENT REPAIR.
AT THAT TIME, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IS THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PERMANENT REPAIR.
IT WAS A FAIRLY HIGH CONSTRUCTION DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND SO FEDERAL HIGHWAY CAME BACK AND TOLD US WE WANT YOU GUYS TO DO SOME MORE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS PERMANENT REPAIR OPTIONS.
WE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ARE WILLING TO PAY OUT MORE IN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FEES IF IT REDUCES THE OVERALL COST OF THE PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
AND SO WE EMBARKED ON THAT AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WAS A BIT LESS THAN WHAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING AT.
BUT OF COURSE IT TOOK MORE ENGINEERING TIME AND OF COURSE FEES.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE GET BACK TO AMENDMENT NUMBER 2 TO RAISE THOSE OVERALL ENGINEERING FEES AND REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE COUNTY.
I'M ASKING BOARD TODAY TO APPROVE
[00:20:02]
THIS AMENDMENT NUMBER 2 AND THE CORRESPONDING RESOLUTION.>> HEARING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO DO A ROLL CALL.
>> OKAY. SINCE IT'S A RESOLUTION, I GUESS, SIR, WE NEED A ROLL-CALL.
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR LAND CAMERA.
[Administration]
[NOISE]>> GOOD MORNING MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
[NOISE] I HAVE THREE ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION BEGINNING ON PAGE 44 OF YOUR PACKET.
THE FIRST ITEM IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM NUVERA.
NUVERA IS A COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN NEW ULM, MINNESOTA.
NUVERA IS IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING A GRANT APPLICATION TO EXPAND BROADBAND SERVICES WITHIN NICOLLET COUNTY.
APPROXIMATELY $95 MILLION HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE BORDER TO BORDER GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE APPLICATION CONCERNS AN AREA WITHIN NICOLLET AND CORTLAND TOWNSHIPS.
A PREVIOUS LETTER OF SUPPORT WAS PROVIDED TO NUVERA IN 2019 BY NICOLLET COUNTY CONCERNING A PROPOSAL ON COUNTY ROAD 21, JETSON BOTTOM ROAD AND WESTERN NICOLLET COUNTY.
AT THAT TIME, NUVERA WAS SUCCESSFUL IN RECEIVING THE GRANT.
TODAY I'M ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE NUVERA LETTER OF SUPPORT.
>> THE LETTER IS WITHIN YOUR PACKET.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT APPROVAL?
>> ANYTHING WILL HELP. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> I ABSTAINED BECAUSE I'M UNSURE.
>> THE SECOND ITEM I HAVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS OUR RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE SECOND TRANCHE OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,328,661.50.
THE BOARD APPROVED A SIMILAR RESOLUTION ON NOVEMBER 23RD OF 2021, LISTING THE FIRST TRANCHE IN THE SAME AMOUNT.
TOTAL, NICOLLET COUNTY HAS RECEIVED $6,657,323 FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS.
TODAY, I'M JUST REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THAT ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE FUNDS.
>> THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE.
>> I MEAN WITHOUT THESE TYPE OF FUNDS, WE WOULD BE IN A TOUGHER SPOT.
>> IT'S HELPING US IN SO MANY WAYS.
>> SERVICES. LOVELY. SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> LASTLY, THERE ARE THREE PROCLAMATIONS WITHIN THE PACKET ACKNOWLEDGING THE STUDENT ATHLETES AND COACHES FROM THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS, MANKILLO WEST SCARLETT SOFTBALL TEAM, THE CLASS 3A STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS, NICOLLET RATE A SOFTBALL TEAM, THE CLASS A STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS, AND THE SAINT PETER BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM CLASS AA STATE CHAMPIONS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE TEAMS, COACHES, FAMILIES, FANS, AND COMMUNITIES ON A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE.
MADAM CHAIR, I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING PROCLAMATIONS.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> I GUESS OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KIDS AND FAMILIES.
THEY HAVE WORKED HARD TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND HAD FUN ALONG THE WAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY UPDATE.
[County Attorney Update]
>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT UPDATES OTHER THAN TO NOTE THAT IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND OF GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND INTERACTING WITH FOLKS THAT WENT TO THE PREYED ON SUNDAY AT NICOLLET AND THEN ALSO ATTENDED THE TEA AND TALK WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS WITH OUR SOMALI FRIENDS ON SUNRISE DRIVE AND ENJOYED SOME SOMALI TEA AND SOME BOSSA. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CHAIR'S REPORT.
[Chair’s Report]
I HAVE HAD A BUSY MONTH.LET ME GET MY CALENDAR BACK SO I CAN ACTUALLY READ IT.
WE HAD THE REGION NINE FULL BOARD MEETING, I HAD A REGION NINE REVOLVING LOAN FUND MEETING, PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING,
[00:25:01]
DEPARTMENT HEAD AND BOARD WORKSHOP, FOLLOWED BY A TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION MEETING, THE FIRST ONE IN TWO YEARS.I THINK EVERYONE WAS GRATEFUL TO BE IN-PERSON.
BROWN NICOLLET COMMUNITY HEALTH BOARD, COUPLE OF ROAD TRIPS IN THERE TO CHECKOUT PROJECTS AND LIFE WAS BEEN BUSY.
COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS, COMMISSIONER LUEPKE?
[Commissioner Committee Reports]
>> WELL, I TOOK A TRIP, I GOT COVID, DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE WORKSHOP AND DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE TOWNSHIP MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MORROW? YOU HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I DO.
[LAUGHTER] THEY FOUND YOUR REALLY TINY PRINT. ISN'T IT?
>> MVAC, SAME WORKSHOP AND HHS, SAME TOWNSHIP MEETING.
WE HAD A DITCH MEETING, COUNTY HEALTH BOARD MEETING, AND ALSO ENJOYED THE WONDERFUL FOOD AND COMPANY WITH MICHELLE ON SUNDAY.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER KOLARS?
>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, WE HAD TO TRAVERSE THROUGH MEETING, OUR WORKSHOP TOGETHER, THE TOWNSHIP TOGETHER.
I HAVE A DIVERSITY COUNCIL MEETING LATER THIS AFTERNOON WHICH I'M PART OF.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING BACK WHEN I GET THAT INFORMATION, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THERE IS ALSO A MEETING IN ST. PIERRE THIS EVENING.
I WENT LAST NIGHT, WRONG NIGHT, BUT I'LL GET THROUGH TO IT.
[LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THERE WAS A NUMBER OF CARS IN THE PARKING LOT.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES.
[Commissioner Meetings & Conferences]
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY COMING UP.NUMBER 13, APPROVAL OF PREDOMS AND EXPENSES.
[Approve Per Diems and Expenses]
>> NEXT IS THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE WILL COME BACK FOR THE DRAINAGE MEETING AT 9:55 BECAUSE WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:00.
THANK YOU. OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[Call Drainage Authority Meeting to Order: Chair Dranttel]
>> WE HAVE A MOTION, [LAUGHTER] AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
>> NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> NEXT IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING? SEEING NONE.
WE CAN WAIT 2 OR 3 MINUTES FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING TO START.
>> MY COMPUTER SAYS IT'S 10 O'CLOCK. UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> PERFECT. I'M GOING TO RECAP HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY SINCE THIS HAS BEEN A BIT OF A DRAWN-OUT AFFAIR.
I'LL BACK UP A BIT. ON DECEMBER 17, 2019, THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY ACCEPTED THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT AND THE VIEWER'S REPORT FOR THE DETERMINATION PERTAINING TO THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO COUNTY DITCH 79.
THEN ON APRIL 28TH IN 2020, THE BID WAS AWARDED TO MOLNAU TRUCKING COMPANY.
ISG, THE ENGINEER, AND THE PROJECT HAS NOW SUBMITTED THEIR FINAL ACCEPTANCE REPORT TO MY OFFICE AND THEY DID THAT IN DECEMBER OF 2021.
THIS HEARING WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED AND HELD ON FEBRUARY 8TH, 2022 AT 10:00 AM.
AT THAT HEARING, IT WAS REQUESTED BY THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE THE HEARING TO MARCH 8TH AT 10.00 AM TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION FROM ISG AS A RESULT OF SOME LANDOWNERS CONCERNS.
THEN ON MARCH 8TH, IT WAS AGAIN DETERMINED THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS NEEDED TO OFFICIALLY CLOSE THIS PROJECT, MORE SPECIFICALLY TO ALLOW FOR THE WET AREAS TO DRY AFTER THE SPRING MELT AND ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS COULD BE TAKEN ON THE PROJECT AND THE PROPERTY OF RUNNING CORDES.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS AGAIN CONTINUED UNTIL TODAY AT 10 O'CLOCK.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S HEARING IS FOR THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY TO AGAIN CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE ENGINEER'S FINAL ACCEPTANCE REPORT TO CLOSE OUT THIS PROJECT.
CHUCK BRANDO FROM ISG IS HERE AND HE WILL PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT AND IF ISG'S FINAL ACCEPTANCE REPORT AND FINAL PAYMENT TO MOLNAU TRUCKING IS APPROVED BY A MOTION, I WILL PRESENT THE OFFICIAL FINDINGS IN ORDERS AT THE NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING WHICH WILL BE HELD ON JULY 12TH.
AGAIN, IF THE PROJECT IS ACCEPTED,
[00:30:03]
I WILL ALSO BE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE LEVY TO THE LANDOWNERS FOR THE PROJECT BY MOTION.I WILL PRESENT THE LEVY INFORMATION LATER IN THE MEETING.
NOTICE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS GIVEN BY MAIL TO ALL LANDOWNERS BACK IN JANUARY 14TH, 2022 FOR THE ORIGINAL HEARING, IT WAS POSTED JANUARY 14TH, 2022.
IN ADDITION, ON MARCH 8TH, A MEMO WAS SENT TO LANDOWNERS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE MARCH 8TH MEETING WAS RECESSED UNTIL TODAY AT 10 O'CLOCK.
CHUCK BRANDO IS HERE IF HE WANTS TO SPEAK ON THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR AND THEN PRESENT THE FINAL ACCEPTANCE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU. I'M NOT GO THROUGH THE WHOLE REPORT SINCE WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
JACKIE JUST WENT THROUGH THE TIME-FRAME.
JUST AN UPDATE, [NOISE] THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS 77, JUST UNDER 78,000.
ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS WERE SET JUST UNDER 74,000.
WE DID HAVE A LIQUIDATED DAMAGES BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR WAS 35 DAYS LATE, WHICH IS A NEGATIVE 14,000.
WITH ALL OF THAT, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 6,177.30, WHICH IS DUE TO THE CONTRACTOR, WHICH IS THE FINAL RETAINAGE.
MR. CORDES DID BRING UP SOME GRADING ISSUES ON THE EAST SIDE OF HIS LOT ADJACENT TO THE DITCH.
DERREN [INAUDIBLE] FROM OUR OFFICE, WENT OUT AND MET WITH MR. CORDES AND AFTER THE SNOW WAS GONE AND DID A SURVEY AND THAT'S A HANDOUT THAT WE HAVE.
HE RESURVEYED THE BERM AREA, THE GRADING AREA, AND THE SLOPE TO THE RIP RAP OVERFLOW.
THEN I REVIEWED THE EXISTING CONTOURS AND THE ORIGINAL GRADING PLAN.
I'VE GOT AN EXHIBIT THAT IS A HANDOUT BUT ALSO ZOOM IN ON IT HERE.
FIRST OFF, IT'S THE OVERALL PLAN.
ZOOMED IN THE ORIGINAL [NOISE] LAND IN THIS AREA HAD A DITCH NEXT TO IT.
THIS IS THE, YOU CALLED THE HUNTING, IS IT A HUNTING CABIN?
>> THE HUNTING CABIN. THE LAKE IS ON THE TOP SO THE DITCH RUNS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.
THERE WAS MATERIAL THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE DITCH IN PLACE NEXT TO IT.
THE EXISTING CONTOURS OR EXISTING GRADE HAD A SMALL BERM AVERAGING HALF A FOOT TO EIGHT INCHES TO 10 INCHES DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE AT.
THE GRADING PLAN, WIDEN THAT AND ESSENTIALLY DOUBLED THE HEIGHT OF THAT BERM.
LOOKING AT THE HOW THE SITE WAS GRADED, THERE IS POSITIVE DRAINAGE TO THE RIP RAP AREA.
THE GROUND WAS VERY FLAT BEFORE.
JUST ZOOMING IN, THIS IS A CROSS-SECTION OF WHAT HAPPENED.
ONE OF THEM IS JUST STRAIGHT EAST OF THE CABIN, ONE IS JUST NORTH OF THE CABIN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE LINES, THE DASHED LINE IS WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE.
IT'S HARD TO SEE BECAUSE THE BLACK LINE IS WHAT WAS BUILT AND THE RED LINE IS WHAT WAS PLANNED OR AT LEAST WHAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS PLANNED.
HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD COULD SEE IT ALL RIGHT.
THERE WAS A SLIGHT BERM HERE AND THEN WE PROPOSED TO FILL THAT UP AND THIS IS WAY ZOOMED IN.
EACH ONE OF THESE LINES IS A FOOT.
IT'S EXAGGERATED JUST SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE WERE PLANNING ON FEELING ABOUT A FOOT TO 18 INCHES AND THEN GRADING THAT DOWN, THAT'S THE RED.
THE BLACK IS WHAT WAS CONSTRUCTED.
WE DID WALK THE SITE WHEN THE CONTRACTOR WAS BUILDING THIS, MYSELF, HENRY, STEVE, AND THE CONTRACTOR AND WE DECIDED TO SHORTEN THIS UP.
I THINK WHAT WAS BUILT IS BETTER THAN WHAT WAS PLANNED.
WE DID TALK WITH MR. CORDES AND PUT TOGETHER WHAT HE WOULD LIKE.
[00:35:05]
THIS IS WHAT WAS PLANNED, THIS IS WHAT WAS IN THE CONTRACTOR'S BID.BASED ON THAT, THEY BUILT IT VERY CLOSE TO PLAN.
WHAT MR. CORDES WOULD LIKE IS IF THIS MATERIAL AND THE RED IS A BERM, THAT'S WHERE THE MATERIAL WAS PLACED.
IF THAT WAS SPREAD OUT SO THERE'LL BE LESS OF A BERM.
THAT'S WHAT HE REQUESTED AND WHEN WE MET ON SITE THAT WOULD WORK ALSO.
TYPICALLY, WHEN YOU DO AN OPEN DITCH, YOU PUT THE MATERIAL RIGHT NEXT TO THE DITCH AND THAT'S STANDARD DESIGN.
I DID TRY TO REACH OUT TO MANOR.
THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING ANY ADDITIONAL WORK.
WE'RE NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE ANY EQUIPMENT.
WE DO KNOW THAT EQUIPMENT WAS TAKEN FROM ANOTHER SITE OF THERE'S, REBUILD.
THEY DIDN'T TELL US IF THEY WERE STILL IN BUSINESS OR NOT.
I DID TALK TO A FEW OTHER CONTRACTORS, NOBODY WAS INTERESTED IN DOING THIS SMALLER PROJECT RIGHT NOW.
I PUT TOGETHER AN ESTIMATE THAT IT'D BE ABOUT $4,100 TO GRADE OUT THAT SITE TO MEET WHAT MR. CORDES WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
BUT BASED ON THE ORIGINAL PLANS, THE TOPO, THERE WAS A LOW AREA HERE.
IT DOES NOW HAVE POSITIVE DRAINAGE, STILL VERY FLAT.
[NOISE] MY OPINION, IT WAS BUILT VERY CLOSE TO THE PLANTS SO WE COULD ACCEPT THE PROJECT AND PAY THE CONTRACTOR.
I THINK THE BIG QUESTION FOR TODAY IS, DO WE WANT TO LEAVE IT AS IS OR NOT CLOSE THE PROJECT OUT AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK? AGAIN, I TRIED TO GET A BID FOR IT.
I DIDN'T ADVERTISE, I JUST MADE A FEW CALLS AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN EASY TO WORK WITH THE EXISTING CONTRACTOR BECAUSE WE HAD A CONTRACTOR, BUT THEY WERE NONRESPONSIVE.
I THINK I'LL MAYBE LEAVE IT THERE.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS MET THEIR DUTIES, WE COULD PAY THEM.
I THINK THE QUESTION TODAY IS, HOW DO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD? DO WE WANT TO LEAVE THE PROJECT AS IT WAS PLANNED AND DESIGNED OR MAKE MODIFICATIONS? I OPENED IT UP AND WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION IF THAT WORKS.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT DRAINAGE DITCH.
I MEAN, THAT'S USUALLY A FIELD THERE AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN INTAKE FROM THOSE HOST SPOT.
THEY'VE TITLED IN. THIS IS DIFFERENT.
[NOISE] THIS IS ALMOST RESIDENTIAL.
SHOULD WE CLEAR THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST?
>> YEAH. WE SHOULD DO THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE HEARING FIRST. HOLD THAT THOUGHT.
>> NEXT WE CAN OPEN UP THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE MEETING.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME, PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE SO THE RECORDING CAN PICK YOU UP AND WE CAN ALL HEAR YOU.
YOU ALL HEAR ME? I'M GLAD HE ACTUALLY HAS THIS SECTION A AND SECTION B UP THERE.
IF YOU COULD PUT THAT BACK UP ON THE BOARD FOR US, PLEASE? NOW, WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, WE PAID SOMEBODY TO COME OUT THERE AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A BERM THERE FROM THE PREVIOUS CLEANING.
WE PAID SOMEBODY TO COME OUT THERE AND LEVEL THAT OFF, WHICH IS WHAT IT SHOWS ON THERE, YOUR DOTTED LINE.
>> ON SECTION A. [OVERLAPPING]
>> ON SECTION A, FROM THE DITCH PARTWAY DOWN TO ABOUT WHERE SECTION B CUTS ACROSS HERE.
WE PAID SOMEBODY TO LEVEL THAT OFF SO THAT IT WOULD DRAIN INTO THE DITCH THAT WAS THERE AT THE TIME.
IT'S A PUBLIC PROJECT, IT HAS TO BE PUT BACK TO WHAT OUR PROPERTY WAS BEFORE THE PROJECT.
WE HAD DRAINAGE BEFORE INTO THE DITCH AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE DRAINAGE.
WE HAVE A PILE OF DIRT ALONG THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF THE DITCH.
I WOULD THINK THAT YOU'D HAVE TO AT LEAST PUT IT BACK TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
NOW I CAME TO THESE PLANNING MEETINGS AND STUFF, AND NOT ONCE DID I HEAR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT
[00:40:02]
A SPILLWAY IN OR I WOULD HAVE OBJECTED TO IT WAY BACK THEN.WHAT I WAS TOLD IN ALL THE MEETINGS AND I'M ASSUMING WE RECORD THESE MEETINGS AND YOU'D PROBABLY FIND NUMEROUS TIMES WHERE I WAS TOLD THE DIRT WOULD BE LEVELED OFF ON OUR YARD, AND THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT THE DRAINAGE WOULD BE INTO THE DITCH, NOT THAT WE'D BE HAVING WATER POOLING UP IN OUR YARD.
WE KNOW THAT WE MAINTAIN A PORTION.
NOW I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE REST OF THE DITCH ALL THE WAY OUT AROUND TO THE SOUTH AND STUFF.
BUT WE JUST AS A PORTION OF OUR YARD FOR OUR CABIN OUT THERE AND STUFF AND I EXPECT AT LEAST THAT TO BE ADDRESSED THAT WE HAVE DRAINAGE AND STUFF THERE.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT, YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE HAVE PROPER DRAINAGE THERE TO THE SPILLWAY.
WELL, WE HAVE PICTURES OF THIS LAST SPRING WHERE THERE'S WATER STANDING IN THE YARD.
EVIDENTLY WE DON'T HAVE PROPER DRAINAGE INTO THE SPILLWAY BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GO TO THE SPILLWAY.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG HERE AND I WOULD THINK WE WOULD AT LEAST BE PUT BACK TO NORMAL WHERE WE WERE BEFORE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE WHOLE DITCH TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT THE PART THAT WE HAVE AS YARD UP TO FROM THE HULBERT TO AROUND THE CORNER OF OUR PROPERTY THAT THAT'D BE LEVELED OFF TO WHERE IT DRAINS INTO THE DITCH.
THE REASON WE HADN'T DONE THE ENTIRE DITCH, YOU'LL SEE SECTION B THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LIP THERE, THAT GRADUALLY WENT HIGHER PREVIOUSLY BEFORE THE PROJECT.
THE REASON FOR THAT WAS IS THAT WE HAD A SHOOTING.
WE SHOOT FROM THE CABIN THAT DIRECTION.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT DIRT MOUNTAIN THERE.
THE DIRT WAS RAISED UP ON PURPOSE SO THAT WE PUT THE TARGETS AND WE SHOT INTO THE DIRT BEHIND THAT SECTION.
THE OTHER SECTION FROM THEN ON AROUND THE CORNER WAS ALSO LEVEL.
THERE IS THE HIGHEST SPOT THERE WITH THE LIP WHICH HIS DRAWING SHOWS, BUT THAT LIP ACTUALLY DID GET HIGHER ON PURPOSE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO HAVE IT AS A BACKSTOP, WAS WHY WE DIDN'T STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE PIPE IT DOESN'T COMPLETE.
I WAS TOLD IN ALL THE MEETINGS THAT THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE LEVELED AND IT WASN'T.
IT ISN'T WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THESE GRADES ON HERE WHERE THE RED LINE IS, WHERE THEY WERE SHOWING AND THEN WE WOULD STILL HAVE A LOW SPOT IN OUR YARD, THAT WASN'T PRESENTED BEFORE THAT WE'RE EVER GOING TO HAVE THE LOWEST SPOT IN OUR YARD.
THE THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WOULD BE BACKUP AND TAPERED, SO THEY'RE ALL RAN TO THE DITCH LIKE IT PREVIOUSLY DID.
THE OTHER THING AS FAR AS CLOSING THE PROJECT TODAY, MY PREVIOUS TITLE BEFORE I RETIRED, I WAS A PROJECT SUPERVISOR.
ONE THING I KNOW FROM THAT EXPERIENCE IS THAT IF THERE'S NOT DEADLINES, IF CONTRACTORS ARE MISSING DEADLINES ALREADY, YOU DON'T TAKE THE DEADLINES AWAY.
IF YOU CLOSE THE PROJECT NOW, WHAT'S TO SAY IS THIS PROJECT EVER GETS COMPLETED.
ALSO IF THEY DO COME OUT THERE AND THEY DO THE WORK, WHAT IF IT'S NOT SATISFACTORY, THEN HOW DO I ADDRESS IT? AT THIS POINT I WOULD PUSH THAT WE LEAVE THE PROJECT OPEN, GET THE JOB DONE PROPERLY, AND THEN CONSIDER CLOSING IT.
>> ONE OTHER THING. WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE INVITED THE BEAVERS TO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THE DITCH ALL BLOCKED UP.
>> [BACKGROUND] CAN YOU TELL ME THE ADDRESS THAT YOU LIVE, PLEASE?
>> I LIVE IN NEW ULM, IN BROWN, 62664, COUNTY ROAD 21.
>> IS THAT ZEROING ON THIS PROPERTY?
>> DO YOU HAVE AN ADDRESS FOR THIS PROPERTY?
>> WE HAVE A FIRE NUMBER AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
WE GO THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY TO GET TO OUR PROPERTY.
>> IT HAS A FIRE NUMBER, BUT I'M NOT BOTHERED WHAT THAT IS RIGHT NOW.
>> OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY AT THIS TIME? [BACKGROUND]
I ECHO WHAT RONNIE SAYS, DO IT RIGHT.
YOU GUYS ARE GIVING COUNTY EMPLOYEES A BAD NAME BY NOT DOING YOUR JOB.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENT, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
[00:45:03]
>> THANK YOU, MR. QUIRK? MRS. QUIRK, THE REASON I MOVED BACK WAS SO I COULD SEE THE SCREEN.
>> I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU GOT IT.
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE YOU A MISSING IMPRESSION OF WHAT I WAS DOING.
>> MADAM CHAIR, IF I COULD TRY TO DISTILL WHAT I THINK WE'VE GOT.
IT SOUNDS TO ME AND MR. BRANDO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MOLNAU, PERFORM THE WORK ACCORDING TO THE PLANS UPON WHICH THEY BID AND UPON WHICH WERE DESIGNED.
I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE TOLD IN THAT MEETING, BUT PER THE PLANS, IS YOUR OPINION, MR. BRANDO, THAT MOLNAU PERFORMED UNDER THE CONTRACT?
>> YES. THERE'S A LITTLE TINY LOW SPOT RIGHT BY THE RIP RAP, VERY SMALL.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YES, THEY PERFORMED WITH THE PLANS.
IT DOES HAVE POSITIVE DRAINAGE TO THE SWELL THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THEM AND THE CROSS-SECTIONS ARE VERY CLOSE TO.
THEY MOVE THE DIRT, THEY JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT WIDER OF A PILE INSTEAD OF A MORE OF A WEDGE.
>> MR. CARTER'S AGAIN I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH ANYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE TOLD.
I'M TRYING TO DISTINGUISH WHAT THE CONTRACT CALLED FOR AND WHAT YOU SAY YOU WERE TOLD ABOUT LEVELING AT ALL.
THE PLANS DON'T SHOW THE LEVELING OFF.
AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING IS THAT CORRECT, MR. BRENNAN, THAT THE PLANS DID NOT SHOW A LEVELING OFF OF THAT BURN.
>> THE PLANS ALWAYS SHOWED THAT THERE'D BE DRAINAGE TO A SPOT TO DRAIN OUT THERE.
>> THAT'S THE PASSIVE DRAINAGE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO?
>> YES. MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS WHEN AND WHY MR. CORDES WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WOULDN'T BE LEVELED OFF?
>> I DON'T RECALL TALKING ABOUT LEVELED OFF.
I TALKED ABOUT THAT WE'D HAVE DURING THE JUMP TO THE DITCH.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME MISCOMMUNICATION, BUT I'D HAVE TO GO BACK IN THE RECORD TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
>> MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, IF I MIGHT.
BUT THERE WAS STANDING WATER IN MR. CORDES'S LAND, WHATEVER THIS SPRING, I SUPPOSE.
>> DOES THAT SUGGEST THAT THE POSITIVE DRAINAGE ISN'T DRAINING?
>> IT'S VERY FLAT FROM A SLOPING STANDPOINT.
ZOOM WAY IN ON THIS AND IT WAS VERY FLAT BEFORE.
YOUR STANDARD YARD GRADING ON A HOUSE IS TWO PERCENT, 0.3 PERCENT, BUT IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THAT BEFORE.
IF YOU SEE THIS, THIS IS THE EDGE OF THE FILL.
THIS SLOPE IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS WHAT IT WAS.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF GRADING HERE TO GET IT TO THE SWELL BECAUSE LIKE MR. CORDES, THAT THIS IS WHERE THERE WAS A BAM.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF GRADING THEN.
>> THERE WAS A BERM THAT MR. CORDES LEVELED THE BARMAN SOUNDS LIKE.
>> BUT YEARS AGO, [OVERLAPPING].
>> EVERYWHERE EXCEPT WHERE THEY PUT THE SPILLWAY, WE HAD LEFT THAT HIGHER WHERE THE SPILLWAY WAS BECAUSE THAT THEY PUT THIS GO AWAY RIGHT.
EXACTLY IN LINE WITH THE SHOOTING.
>> I WANT TO THROW IT JUST ANOTHER POINT FOR DISCUSSING.
THIS DITCHES GOING TO NEED TO BE CLEANED PERIODICALLY, THIS IS THE BOTTOM.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT MATERIALS IN THE FUTURE TYPICALLY.
YOU PUT IT IN A BERM AND YOU HAVE A DESIGNATED SPOT STANDARD IF AND FROM A EASEMENT STANDPOINT, YOU HAVE A 6.5 FOOT BUFFER AND THEN YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO CONSTRUCT, IF WE MAYBE DESIGNATED A WIDER EASEMENT AND YOU DID GRADE THIS OUT, ANY CLEANINGS, YOU'D HAVE TO SPREAD THAT MATERIAL OUT INSTEAD OF STACKING IT UP BECAUSE THAT STANDARD DEDUCTION LEAVING YOU TAKE IT OUT, YOU PUT IT RIGHT THERE AND YOU SPREAD IT IN THAT BUFFER OVER TIME, THE BUFFER GETS HIGHER.
THAT'S HOW YOU DESIGNATE SPOTS FOR THE HOMEWORK.
>> WHAT I'M JUST SAY PRACTICALLY IF WE DO ANYTHING WITH THIS, WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THIS LONG TERM BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CLEANINGS UP THE STITCH EVERY 10 YEARS, PROBABLY.
>> RIGHT. MR. MIRANDA, IF I JUST MIGHT AND THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION IS STANDARD PRACTICE IS TO PUT THE MATERIAL ON THAT 14 FOOT OR WHATEVER EASEMENT WHEN YOU CLEANED THE DITCH, THERE'S NOTHING LEGALLY PREVENTING MR. CORDES FROM AGAIN, LEVELING IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
[00:50:01]
IS THAT MAYBE YOU CAN'T GIVE IT, BUT HE COULD LEVEL IT IF HE WANTED.>> AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T PUSH IT IN THE DITCH IN THE DAMAGE.
>> BUT I THINK HE SUGGESTS THAT YOU WOULD EVER DO THAT.
>> DO I NEED TO GO BACK UP HERE AGAIN?
>> I ALMOST CONSIDER HIS RESIDENTIAL.
YOU WOULD NOT GO AND DUMP WHEN YOU GET INTO DEBT, YOU WOULD NOT DUMP THE MUCK ON SOMEBODY'S FRONT YARD.
TYPICALLY NOT. THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO KEEP IT IN THE EASEMENT OR YOU PAY EXTRA TO HAUL IT AWAY, YOU COULD DO THAT.
>> WHAT IT DOES HAPPEN, IT WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO AT LEAST THAT SMALL AREA WOULD HAVE TO BE HAULED AWAY.
THE OTHER THING IS, LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.
IF MOLNAR DID IT RIGHT, DOES THAT MEAN ISG DID IT WRONG, I LOOKED BACK AT LEAST THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT AND WE HAD A GRADING PLAN THAT HAD MATERIAL ALONG THE DITCH.
WHAT WAS APPROVED? THIS IS VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WAS APPROVED.
I THINK WHAT WE HAVE IS MISCOMMUNICATION ON WAS IT ALL GOING TO BE LEVELED OFF? YEAH. IT WAS GOING TO BE LEVELED OFF INTO A BURM WITH POSITIVE DRAINAGE.
IT'S GOING TO BE LEVELED OFF TO ALL BE FLAT.
>> 0.3 PERCENT IS LIKE ONE INCH AND 30 FEET.
>> THIS AREA WAS VERY FLAT BEFORE.
>> IF YOU GO BACK FROM THERE [OVERLAPPING].
>> MR. CORDES OH, I FORGOT TO GET JUST WAIT. I'M SORRY, MADAM CHAIR.
YOU CAN DO THIS, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE YOU AT THE MICROPHONE WHEN YOU SPEAK.
I THINK RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE THE COMMISSIONERS ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE ENGINEER.
>> I JUST PULLED THIS IS ONE OF THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND IT SHOWED THAT WE WERE GOING TO DISTURB AREA AND PLACE THE MATERIAL IN THIS AREA.
>> YOU APPARENTLY YOU GUYS DID NOT THINK THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE HAD A POSITIVE OVERFLOW.
AGAIN, I WALKED THIS WITH STAFF. WE'VE LOOKED AT IT.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLACE FOR THE WATER TO GET OUT, DESIGNATED SPOT FOR IT TO GET OUT.
>> WELL, ONE PERCENT WOULD BE ONE INCH ON A 100 INCHES.
>> CORRECT BUT WE WOULD HAVE HAS A THREE [OVERLAPPING].
>> COUNT SO MUCH ON A 100 INCHES.
>> TO MAKE IT STEEPER, WE WOULD HAVE DEGRADE FURTHER UP INTO THEIR YARD OR THE EXISTING YARD WAS VERY FLAT.
>> OR MAKE YOUR EDGE OF THE DITCH A LITTLE LOWER?
>> YEAH. REMEMBER THE SLOPE OF THE DITCH IS SIX TIMES FLATTER THAN WHAT THE YARD IS.
THE DITCH ALMOST HAS NO SLOPE TO IT.
YOU'VE GOT A DITCH THAT'S FLAT, THE GROUND THAT'S FLAT.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE JUST HAD SOME POSITIVE DRAINAGE.
>> BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU DID INQUIRE ABOUT HIRING SOMEONE TO FIX THIS BEFORE NOW.
>> BECAUSE THAT WAS A REQUEST, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET WHAT MR. CORDES?
>> THAT, FOR GOOD REASON, IT DID NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT FIND PEOPLE TO DO IT.
>> BUT ALSO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
>> WOULD THAT BE ON THE LANDLORDS OR WOULD THAT BE ON ISG BECAUSE THEY DID NOT DESIGN IT WELL ENOUGH?
PER PLAN WE HAD STAFF OUT THERE.
WE LOOKED AT HOW THIS WAS BEING BUILT, PROBABLY THE ONLY THING WE DIDN'T DO IS TALK TO MR. CORDES WELL DURING CONSTRUCTION.
I DID PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO FIX IT AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO DO IT THAT WAY, I THINK THIS MEETS WHAT YOU ARE APPROVED AT THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT, BUT AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MEET WHAT THE LANDOWNER WOULD LIKE.
>> I'M SURE SETH, HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO THIS?
>> COMMENTS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? CHUCK.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I KNOW THAT MR. CORDES HAS TRIED TO SPEAK SEVERAL TIMES CERTAINLY.
[00:55:01]
ORIGINALLY IN THIS PROJECT, THEY WERE GOING TO LOAD THIS DIRT UP AND HAUL IT ALL THE WAY OUT INTO A LOW SPOT IN MR. GIZA'S CASE FIELD.
WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT AND HE SAYS, WELL, IT'S COMING OUT OF THE DITCH ON OUR PROPERTY WE WANT THE DIRT TO STAY ON OUR PROPERTY BECAUSE OF ALL THESE REASONS.
THE DISTANCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, IT'S LIKE 40 TO 50 YARDS.
IF YOU LOOK ON HIS MAP HERE AGAIN, NOW YOU GO TO THE ELEVATION, THE CABIN IS ON A HILL.
THE HILL COMES DOWN, THE ENTIRE YARD SLOPES DOWN TOWARDS THE DITCH AND IT'S ABOUT 40 TO 50 YARDS FROM THE DITCH THAT YOU GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND THEN IT LEVELED OFF.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING THE DIRT 40 TO 50 YARDS TO LEVEL IT OFF.
ORIGINALLY THEY WERE GOING TO MOVE IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE FARM TO SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY.
NOW WE CAN'T GET IT TO LEVEL OUT OVER 50 YARDS.
WHEN HE'S SAYING IT'S NOT LIKE IN THE FUTURE IF YOU NEED TO DO ADDITIONAL CLEANING IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL TO LEVEL IT OFF 40 YARDS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO THE OTHER HILL AND YOU WON'T HAVE ANY HOLES OR LOW SPOTS AS LONG AS IT'S DESIGNED TO DRAIN TO THE DITCH.
THEY LEVELED OFF MR. D'SOUZA'S CASE FIELD WHEN THEY GOT TO HIS FIELD SECTION, THEY DIDN'T LEAVE A BERM ON THE EDGE OF HIS FIELD, THEY LEVELED HIS ENTIRE FIELD OFF AND THAT WENT OUT 80 TO 100 YARDS.
IF THIS WAS THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, NOT TO LEVEL IT, THEY LEVELED PART OF IT ALREADY.
THE GUY THAT WAS IN THE BOBCAT WAS OUR SKID STEER THAT I TALKED TO HIM WHEN I WAS OUT THERE FOR THE PROJECT, HE SAID HE WAS STARTING TO LEVEL IT OFF AND HE WAS TOLD NOT TO, OR TO STOP BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF MONEY FOR THAT WORK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO, OUR EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT AT LEAST WE HAVE WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, SO IT DRAINS INTO THE DITCH.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO BRING UP.
BUT IF THIS ESCALATES, IF YOU GO OUR PROPERTY LINE, WHICH IS REGISTERED WITH THE COMPANY HERE, RUNS DOWN THIS DITCH X AMOUNT OF FEET STRAIGHT INTO THIS LOOP.
THE EAST-WEST PROPERTY LINE RUNS ALONG THE OTHER DITCH STRAIGHT INTO THE SLEW AND IT COMES TO A CORNER.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT AS A WETLAND AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WELL, I TALKED TO THE DNR ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH A WETLAND.
WHEN A WETLAND DOESN'T HAVE WATER ON IT, WE CAN FARM IT.
YOU GUYS BASICALLY TOOK OVER TWO ACRES OR SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO TWO ACRES OF OUR PROPERTY AND MADE AN ISLAND.
I SAY IT'S AN ISLAND BECAUSE IT IS AN ISLAND.
BOTH OF THE OLD DITCHES STILL HOLD WATER.
YOU PUT A NEW DITCH IN AROUND THE CORNER THAT'S FULL OF WATER SO WE HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO ABOUT TWO ACRES OF OUR LEGAL PROPERTY AND WE WERE TOLD IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A CULVERT OR WE'RE GOING TO GET AN ACCESS OR WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME WAY OF GETTING OVER THERE AND WE WERE NEVER GIVEN THAT.
LEGALLY, I DON T KNOW THAT YOU CAN LEGALLY MAKE SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY INTO AN ISLAND WITHOUT PROPERLY GIVING THEM AN ACCESS TO IT.
IF IT ESCALATES OR SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO GET INCLUDED INTO THIS AREA SITUATION.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET ACROSS THE DITCH WE HAVE NOW WITH ANYTHING HEAVY, WE PUT UPON AN OLD PONTOON ACROSS IT FOR A MAKESHIFT BRIDGE, BUT WE CAN'T LEGALLY GET THERE.
RIGHT NOW WE COULD PLOW IT UP.
WE COULD PLANT BACK ON ACCORDING TO THE DNR, BUT WE CAN'T LEGALLY GET TO IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN LEGALLY DO THAT TO US.
>> MAY I MS. MADAM CHAIR? MR. CORDES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PLAN TO SHOW A BERM, AND YOU WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE LEVELED OFF?
>> YES, NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PROJECT MEETINGS.
>> MR. CORDES, I AM GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT MY FIRST ONE IS, DO YOU AGREE THAT IN THE PLANS IT SHOW THE BERM.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT SOMEONE DIDN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING DIFFERENT BUT THE PLAN SHOWS A BERM.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, DO YOU AGREE THAT THE PLANS SHOW THE DIRT [OVERLAPPING].
>> THE PLAN SHOWS A BERM NOW, BUT I HAVE THE ORIGINAL ISG PLAN THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BERM.
WHEN WE HAD ALL OF OUR PLANNING MEETINGS WE BROUGHT UP NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PLANNING MEETINGS THAT THAT DIRT WAS TO BE LEVELED OFF.
>> THAT PLAN THAT YOU'RE HOLDING IN YOUR LEFT-HAND SHOWS IT WASN'T GOING TO BE A BERM?
>> WELL, I'M NOT FINDING ANYWHERE IN HERE THAT SAYS THERE IS A BERM, BUT I WAS IN ALL THE MEETINGS WHEN WE ADDRESSED THAT AND WE SAID
[01:00:01]
WE WANT THE DIRT LEVELED OFF AND WE WERE TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE LEVELED OFF.>> I THINK I SAID THERE'LL BE POSITIVE DRAINAGE AND THERE'LL BE I DON'T KNOW IF I SAID LEVELED OFF.
>> THERE IS A PLAN THERE'S A WAY TO FIX THIS.
>> I THINK WHERE WE'RE AT IS HE WOULD LIKE IT FIXED.
DO WE WANT TO DO THAT? THEN HOW DOES THAT GET PAID FOR? I THINK THAT'S MAYBE WHERE WE'RE AT AND I'M JUST TRYING TO CUT TO THE CHASE.
THE MORE TIME WE SPEND ON THIS.
>> [LAUGHTER] ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A FIX OF ROUGHLY 4,000 DOLLARS?
>> THAT WAS MY ESTIMATE ASSUMING IT WAS A ROUGH COST ESTIMATE.
I TOOK WHAT STANDARD BIDS WERE AND MULTIPLIED IT BY THREE BECAUSE IT'S A SMALL LITTLE PROJECT.
TYPICALLY IT COSTS ABOUT 3 TO 4 DOLLARS A YARD TO MOVE DIRT.
>> AND THEN STANDARD SEATING [INAUDIBLE].
>> MY QUESTION IS, YOU MENTIONED THE ORIGINAL PLAN CALLED TO HAVE THOSE SPOILS HAULED OUT?
>> THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF PLACING SPOILS ALONG THE BERM AND THEN THERE WAS ACTUALLY A PLAN TO PULL IT UP.
>> IF THEY WOULD'VE BEEN HAULED OUT, THERE WOULD BE NO BERM?
>> CORRECT, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A BERM, BUT LIKE MR. CORDES SAID, THEY TOLD US THEY WANTED THEIR DIRT ALL LEVELED OFF.
>> WE WANTED TO KEEP THE DIRT [OVERLAPPING].
>> IS NOT GREATER THAN THE WAY HE THE WAY HE'D LIKE IT.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE DIRT THERE BECAUSE THERE WAS ORIGINALLY A PLAN TO MOVE IT OVER HERE.
IT'S CROSSED OUT. YEAH, THE DISCUSSION.
>> NO, GO AHEAD. I'M DIGESTING.
>> MR. CORDES DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER POINT TO ADD.
I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF, YOU WILL PROBABLY GET ANOTHER CHANCE TO COME UP IF NEEDED.
>> MADAM CHAIR, CAN WE TAKE A RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES?
>> MOTION FOR RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES?
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL COUNT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE GAINED ANYTHING, BUT WE WILL COUNT THAT.
>> WE DID [INAUDIBLE] MADAM CHAIR.
>> MR. CORDES, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS, IS THERE SOME WAY TO MOVE THE DIRT, BASICALLY?
>> I WAS TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION, WE ALL ARE TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION. IT'S NOT JUST ME.
>> I WAS WONDERING, COULD THE COUNTY MOVE THE DIRT? OUR STAFF IS SO BUSY.
OUR PUBLIC WORK STAFF THAT WE CAN'T COMMIT TO YOU THAT THE COUNTY COULD ACTUALLY LITERALLY DO IT.
I WAS TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION.
COULD SOMEBODY MOVE THE DIRT, GET THIS DONE? I'M NOT SURE THAT I THINK THIS IS A MOW NOW PROBLEM, IF YOU UNDERSTAND, I THINK THEY PROBABLY DID WHAT THEY WERE ASKED TO DO, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE IT A SOLUTION FOR YOU.
>> BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT HOLDING MOW NOW ACCOUNTABLE.
>> OH, YEAH. THE PROBLEM MAYBE ISN'T WITH THEM.
>> WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THE GUY HAD ACTUALLY STARTED LEVELING.
I'M ASSUMING THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY NEEDED TO LEVEL IT AND HE WAS TOLD NOT TO.
>> THE OTHER THING IS IN NO TIME DURING OUR PLANNING MEETINGS, DID THEY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE SPILLWAY BEING PUT IN?
>> I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I WENT OUT THERE AND SAW A PILE OF RACK IN THE YARD.
THAT'S SPILLWAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL THE VERY END.
THE ONLY REASON THE SPILLWAY WAS THERE IS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEVEL ALL THE DIRT IN THE ENTIRE AWAY AND, IT'S A CHEAPER WAY TO DO IT, OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM IS IT DOESN'T WORK.
>> WAS THE SPILLWAY IN THE PLANS?
WHEN WE WERE ONSITE, WE DECIDED TO MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER NORTH.
>> ARE THESE MEETINGS RECORDED?
>> YES. THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF IT IS RECORDED, YES.
>> OH, NOT THE PLANNING PORTION.
WELL, I THINK EVEN IN PUBLIC HEARING WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
>> I AGREE WITH MR. MORAL TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION.
[01:05:01]
AM I BEING CONSERVATIVE WITH THE COST? PROBABLY, IF YOU'VE FOUND A SMALL LOCAL CONTRACTOR, IT'D BE A COUPLE OF HOURS ON A DOZER AND THEN IT'D BE SEATING.THERE IS A SOLUTION THAT'S ONE COURSE THAT WE COULD TAKE IS WE COULD PAY THE CONTRACTOR NOT CLOSE THE PROJECT, SO THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS STILL OPEN AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A NUMBER OR A BIT TO DO THIS WORK.
THAT COULD BE ONE COURSE OF ACTION OR YOU COULD JUST CONTINUE IT.
[NOISE] THE CONTRACTOR HAS NOT PUSHED US, HAS NOT REQUESTED ANYTHING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL IN BUSINESS, BUT AT SOME POINT, THEY COULD LOOK FOR INTEREST ON THIS.
BY 103E, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE CONTRACTOR UNTIL YOU FEEL THAT THEIR WORK IS COMPLETE.
YOU COULD LEAVE THE PROJECT, POTENTIALLY YOU'RE THE PROJECT.
THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OPEN WITH AN ITEM TO COMPLETE.
>> WELL, MADAM CHAIR, WE RECESSED THIS IN MARCH, WAS IT APRIL?
>> I PUSH TO GO BACK TO JUNE, SO THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED.
>> WELL, IF I JUST WANTED TO DEFEND A LITTLE BIT, WE WENT OUT AFTER THE SNOW WAS GONE, SURVEYED IT PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND I TRIED TO REACH OUT TO GET AT LEAST GET A BID AND SOMETHING TO BRING FORWARD.
>> DID HE HAVE PICTURES OF WHEN THE WATER WAS STANDING THERE?
>> I WOULD HAVE THEM IN MY PHONE.
>> NOW DERREN WHO HE'S AN INSPECTOR BUT HE ALSO CAN DRAW THESE TYPES OF PLANS AND SURVEYS.
I SENT HIM OUT TO ME WITH MR. CORDES, WALKED THROUGH IT, AND THEN MAKE SURE WE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEEDED.
>> MADAM CHAIR. MR. CORDES, WHEN YOU LEVELED THE BERM LAST TIME, DID YOU DO THAT ON YOUR OWN OR DID YOU PAY SOMEONE TO DO THAT?
>> WE HAD ONE OF THE LOCAL FARMERS COME OVER.
HE HAD A BIG SKID STEER AND HE LEVEL IT OUT FOR US.
>> WAS THAT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO?
WE DID IT LIKE '93 OR '94 AND I BELIEVE IT WAS PROBABLY STEVE REINHARDT MAYBE.
MY BROTHER WORKED WITH THEM AND STUFF LIKE THAT SO I'M SURE HE WAS THE ONE THAT CAME OVER AND LEVELED IT OFF.
>> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OBVIOUSLY WE'RE FACING HERE IS LITERALLY FINDING SOMEONE TO DO THAT WORK.
DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE WHO COULD DO THAT WORK?
>> I DON'T KNOW PEOPLE THAT WOULD HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT.
IT'S SETTLED DOWN, I DON'T KNOW HOW. YEAH.
>> I DID ASK NATE HENRY ALSO IF HE HAD ANY CONTRACTORS THAT GOT TO KNOW, AT LEAST AT THE TIME ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
>> YOUR RENTERS DON'T DO A BOBCAT.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M JUST A LANDOWNER THAT HAD SOMETHING DONE ON YOUR PROPERTY THAT DIDN'T LIKE.
[LAUGHTER] I'M NOT REALLY SURE I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO SOLVE IT.
>> NO, MR. CORDES, PLEASE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME.
WE ASKED THE COUNTY WE ASK PRIVATE CONTRACTORS, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE OPTION IF YOU FAIL.
>> OH, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY PERSONALLY THAT WOULD HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO DO IT.
THE SEATING AND STUFF THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH IT.
JUST IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SHEET, THESE ARE HALF-FOOT CONTOURS, EACH ONE OF THESE LINES AS HALF OF A FOOT, THESE DASHED LINES.
THIS IS 18 INCHES AT THE HIGHEST POINT.
IN HINDSIGHT, I WISH MR. CORDES WAS OUT THERE WHEN WE WERE WALKING ON TOP OF THE BERM AND WE JUST WOULD HAVE PUSHED THIS MATERIAL INTO HIS YARD, GOT PERMISSION FROM HIM TO DO THAT.
BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. HERE'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
BUT IT'S NOT AT THIS POINT HERE.
IT'S NOT A LARGE PROJECT, IT'S JUST STRUGGLES FINDING SOMEBODY WHO CAN DO IT.
YOU NEED A LARGE BOBCAT OR PROBABLY A SMALL DOZER.
>> THANK YOU, JACKIE, YOU HAD A COMMENT?
[01:10:02]
>> THANK YOU. DURING THE RECESS, I DID RUN BACK TO MY OFFICE AND GRABBED THE MINUTES TO THE PRE-CON MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON JUNE 30TH, 2020, AND THAT WAS WITH THE CONTRACTOR ISG IN SOME VARIOUS LANDOWNERS WHICH RUNNING CORDES WAS IN ATTENDANCE.
JUST READING OVER THESE MINUTES [NOISE] THAT WERE TAKEN AS THAT RUNNING CORDES QUESTIONED TO FILL ALONG THE DITCH IN THE GRAY STATION 0-10, FLATTEN IT OUT AND GO OUT AS FAR AS NECESSARY.
ENGINEER BRANDO STATED THAT, THAT WOULD BE FINE WITH THEM AND YET WE SHOULD BE OKAY WITH MONO TRUCKING, LLC AS WELL.
THOSE WERE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT.
>> YES THEY ARE. MS. JACKIE COULD COME BACK UP A SECOND AND I MAY BE ASKING A QUESTION, JACKIE, THAT I'M TRYING TO WORK OUT OUR OPTIONS HERE.
ONE OPTION IS WE KEEP THIS OPEN AND SOMEBODY BE RETAINED TO MOVE THE DIRT.
IF WE CLOSE THIS PROJECT, DOES A COUNTY OF ANY OPTION IN TERMS OF GETTING THAT DIRT MOVED THAT YOU KNOW OF? IF I'M PUTTING YOU IN A BAD POSITION, LET ME KNOW.
>> NO. I THINK THE CONCERN IS THE ADDITIONAL COST REGARDLESS, WELL, NOT REGARDLESS IF IT'S OPEN OR CLOSED.
I THINK IT'S PART OF THE PROJECT.
BUT WHO'S PAYING FOR THAT? THAT'S THE LARGER CONCERN ON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
SHOULD HAVE THAT BEEN DONE, WAS THAT AGREED UPON? AT THAT EXPENSE, ACCORDING TO THE SPECS, IT SOUNDS LIKE MOLNAU DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO ACCORDING TO THE SPECS, BUT THERE WAS NOT A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION HAPPENING BETWEEN THE LANDOWNERS IN ISG ABOUT YEAH, GO AHEAD AND SPREAD THOSE OUT AND THEN NO, NOW YOU HAVE TO GO BY THE SPECS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT LEANED.
BUT I THINK, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THAT ON THAT PROJECT? [NOISE]
>> [LAUGHTER] SORRY. SHE'S RESPONSIBLE.
[LAUGHTER] BUT SHE WAS [INAUDIBLE] THAT I CAN TELL.
>> I THINK THE QUESTION FOR THE BOARD TO ANSWER IS WHETHER MOLNAR GETS PAID FOR THE WORK THAT THEY COMPLETED, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS DONE FOR SPECIFICATION AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE ABOUT KEEPING THE PROJECT OPEN, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE THE SAFEST COURSE TO LEAVE IT OPEN TO FINISH OUT THIS WORK IF THE BOARD IN FACT DECIDES THAT THIS WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
>> YOU'RE TALKING A LOT. YOU CAN CUT ME OFF.
>> NO, I'M MAKING NOTES, SO GO AHEAD.
>> MR. BRANDO, GIVEN THE JULY, 2020.
>> AT THEIR MINUTES, I ASSUME.
DO YOU HAVE A COMPETENT IN TERMS OF THIS WORK GETTING DONE? IT SOUNDS LIKE MR. CORDES WAS TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE LEVELED.
>> LIKE I SAID, I DID NOT RECALL THAT, SO I MIGHT HAVE SAID IT.
I AM NOT DENYING I DIDN'T SAY THAT.
>> WELL, SO MR. BRANDO, LET'S ASSUME YOU DID SAY IT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IN THE MINUTES, AT LEAST IN OUR OFFICIAL RECORD.
IT SAYS THAT WAS SAID TO MR. CORDES AND OTHERS.
MOLNAR WASN'T TOLD TO LEVEL IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE.
>> NO. I MEAN, WHEN I GOT TO THE SITE, THE DAY THAT WE LOOKED AT THIS, THE MATERIAL WAS PILED UP THE WAY IT WAS AND WE WALKED THE BERM, WE LOOKED AT HOW COULD WE GET THE DRAINAGE TO GO OUT.
AGAIN, HAD A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTION TO THAT AND THOUGHT IT'D BE EXTRA WORK TO PUSH IT OUT.
IT WASN'T ALL MY DECISION BUT I WAS THERE.
>> RIGHT. BUT MOLNAR DID IT PER THE SPECS.
MOLNAR WASN'T DIRECTED TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN DO IT BY THE SPECS.
>> MR. CORDES WAS TOLD IN JULY 30TH, 2020 THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE FLATTENED.
IT SOUNDS LIKE I ASKED YOU SHOULD FLATTEN IT.
THEY WERE TOLD BY ISG IT WOULD BE FLATTENED.
>> AGAIN, I COULDN'T RECALL EXACTLY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
[01:15:01]
>> BUT MR. BRANDO, THAT'S NOT REALLY TO THE POINT.
THE POINT IS THE MINUTE SAY THIS AND IT'S THE ONLY RECORD WE HAVE OF WHAT WAS SAID AT THAT MEETING.
>> THERE ARE SOME DIRT THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MOVED.
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME EXTRA SITTING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AS PART OF THAT IF WE WOULD'VE DONE THAT, SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A PROJECT COST EITHER WAY.
>> SOME OF THAT AND ANY DAMAGES WOULD HAVE BEEN A PROJECT COSTS, SO MAYBE WE CAN WORK OUT HOW TO RESOLVE THIS.
IF THE DIRT WOULD HAVE BEEN MOVED THAT DAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS EXPENSIVE.
>> I'M GOING TO ARGUE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SITTING CAUSE SOME DAMAGE HAD COST EVEN IF IT WAS DONE THAT DAY. IT'S NOT ADDITIONAL.
>> CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDITIONAL BECAUSE WE ONLY DISTURBED A SMALL AREA.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS SOME OF THE COSTS WE COULD NEGOTIATE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.
THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING WITH IT. WELL, HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> MADAM CHAIR OF THE BOARD, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE BOARD MAKE A DECISION IF IT'S SATISFIED BASED UPON THE INFORMATION THAT MOLNAU TRUCKING DID WHAT THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO AND GIVE DIRECTION ABOUT PAYMENT OF THE WITHHELD FUNDS FOR THE TRUCKING COMPANY AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THIS ISSUE BE CONTINUED TILL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WITH A PROPOSAL PUT TOGETHER BY ISG OF HOW TO MOVE FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC ISSUE.
>> I'M SORRY. IN CONTINUING IT TO GIVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND DIRECTION TO ISG ABOUT WHAT POINTS THE BOARD WANTS ANSWERED FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
>> WILL THE LANDOWNERS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYMORE OF THIS EXPENSE? MICHELLE.
>> IF WE PAY OFF THE TRUCKING COMPANY, WOULD THE LANDOWNERS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THIS ADDITIONAL EXPENSE OF GETTING MR. CORDES'S YARD THE WAY HE WANTS IT?
>> THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTINUE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING IS BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING MR. BRANDO SAY IS THAT PERHAPS SOMETHING COULD BE WORKED OUT REGARDING THE REFLECTION OF THE COST AND AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT COST WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY LANDOWNERS VERSUS THIS ADDITIONAL COST.
THEN THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
>> OR IT JUST COULD COME OUT OF ISG.
>> THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND PART OF THE PROPOSAL.
>> SARAH, DO YOU FEEL YOU'VE GOT IT?
>> I WOULD MOVE, WE ADOPT THE APPROACH THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS SUGGESTED.
>> PAY THE TRUCKING COMPANY EXCEPT THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE? CORRECT.
>> CONTINUE THE ISSUE UNTIL THE NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING WHICH IS JULY 12TH AND THEN ARTICULATE WHAT INFORMATION YOU WANT TO RECEIVE BACK FROM ISG.
>> CAN I HAVE CLARIFICATION WE'RE CONTINUING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO JULY 12TH?
>> WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
>> WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
HOWEVER, THERE'S CERTAINLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO INVITE COMMENTS, SHOULD THE BOARD DEEM THAT APPROPRIATE DURING THE MEETING.
THERE'S ALSO A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION THAT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY.
>> I HAVE FOUR HEARINGS THAT DAY, SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SEND SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT I COULD SEND SOMEBODY ELSE.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT, SO YOU'RE AWARE BEFORE.
>> JACK, MY UNDERSTANDING OF [INAUDIBLE] THAT YOU'LL INCLUDE CONVERSATIONS WITH ISG AND LANDOWNER TO NEGOTIATE HOW MUCH EACH OTHER IS WILLING TO PAY OR I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT.
>> MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THERE'LL BE DIRECTION GIVEN BY THE BOARD TO WHAT IT'S LOOKING FOR ISG FOR THAT JULY MEETING TO INCLUDE AN ALLOCATION OF THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT.
[01:20:09]
>> LAST YEAR IS GOING TO HAVE TO OFFER FIRST BOARD MEETING.
THEY PUT THEIR IDEA ON THE PLATE.
>> THAT'S PART OF MY RECOMMENDATION, IS THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER THE PROPOSAL FOR HOW THE WORK IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED, THE SEATING COST.
THE DAMAGE IS WHAT OTHER COSTS MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WORK AND THEN AN ALLOCATION OF THOSE COSTS, AND THEN THE BOARD CAN CONSIDER THAT ALLOCATION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
IS THERE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION?
>> MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR TOO.
ARE THE PIECES WHAT I ARTICULATED WHAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING FOR FROM ISG?
>> SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL IT OFF?
>> WE'LL CONTINUE THE HEARING UNTIL THE JULY 12TH AT 10 O'CLOCK.
>> WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS OR ANYTHING SCHEDULED FOR THAT DAY, CORRECT?
>> WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE THE LEVEE PORTION.
I WILL FINISH THE LEVEE PORTION OF THAT AS WELL AT THAT TIME.
[NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.