[Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order: Chair Dranttel]
[00:00:19]
>> THANK YOU. AS USUAL, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES, ANDROID TECHNOLOGY.
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[Approval of Agenda]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Approval of Consent Agenda]
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THIS POINT? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE?>> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES TODAY? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO PROPERTY AND PUBLIC SERVICES. GOOD MORNING, LORIA.
[Property and Public Services]
>> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, PUBLIC BOARD.
I'M HERE TODAY REGARDING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND A BMP.
I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
ON NOVEMBER 21ST, THE PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION MET TO CONSIDER CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR BANCO ELECTRIC.
THE REQUEST WAS TO EXPAND AN EXISTING SUBSTATION ON 356 STREET AND LAKE PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.
THE SITE WAS AN EXISTING NON-CONFORMITY.
THE REQUESTED EXPANSION CAUSED THE NEED TO COME INTO CONFORMANCE WITH A CUP.
THE PROPOSAL NEEDS ALL COUNTY STANDARDS IMPOSED US AND ALL HARMFUL IMPACT.
THE HEARING WAS NOTIFIED AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
NO PERSON SPOKE IN FAVOR OR OPPOSED.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION FOUND UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITIONS YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU.
STAFFS SUPPORTS THE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I HAVE A QUESTION WITH SECOND.
>> GOOD MORNING. WHAT'S THE INVESTMENT? DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THE INVESTMENT IS, WHERE THE UTILITY HERE?
>> WE DO NOT GET INVOLVED WITH THEIR FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS AS FAR AS.
>> THAT REMINDS ME OF A QUESTION I USED TO ASK TO HOG FARMERS AND PEOPLE WHO WERE PUTTING UP A FEEDLOTS.
THAT WAS ALWAYS THE ANSWER TOO.
HE'S CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNTY WANTS TO ENGAGE IN THAT RELATIONSHIP AS FAR AS FINANCES GO.
>> I WILL HAVE TO SAY I'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL CALLS IN FAVOR OF IT JUST BECAUSE ISSUES WITH POWER GENERATION OR POWER TRANSMISSION OUT THERE AND THEY'RE EAGERLY AWAITING SMOOTHER POWER.
>> THEY HAVE EXPLAINED THAT IT WILL JUST REINFORCE ALL OF THE SECURITY FOR ALL TRANSMISSION THAT HAPPENS IN THAT AREA.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NAY AND SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> THANK YOU. THEN THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE AND I AM DUE TO A BMP.
WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU ARE THE FINAL [INAUDIBLE] FOR 2023.
I KNOW MANDY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT MORE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I WAS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PROGRAM FOR THE LANDOWNERS IN THE COUNTY.
>> THE RESOLUTION IS IN THE PACKET ON PAGE 42.
>> FORTY TWO. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION?
>> I'D MOVE THAT, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS.
SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS HUMAN RESOURCES.
[Human Resources]
GOOD MORNING, KRISTI.THANK YOU TO YOU AND WHITNEY FOR COORDINATING THE EVENT THIS MORNING. [OVERLAPPING] IT'S VERY NICE.
>> 99.9% OF THE CREDIT GOES TO WHITNEY ON THAT, BUT THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> HOW MANY YEARS OF SERVICE DID WE ADD UP HERE?
>> FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE.
>> YEARS OF SERVICE, SO THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.
>> KRISTI, COULD YOU PULL THAT MIC CLOSER?
>> TODAY, I HAVE THE REMOTE WORK AND TELECOMMUTING PROGRAM POLICY FOR YOU.
[00:05:03]
REMOTE WORK AND TELECOMMUTING ARRANGEMENTS ARE USED TO ENABLE STAFF TO WORK FROM A LOCATION OTHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL OFFICE SETTING.EARLIER THIS YEAR, YOU APPROVED A PROGRAM ABOUT ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULE WHICH PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHEN EMPLOYEES WORK.
THIS PROGRAM OFFERS EMPLOYEES ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY WORK.
REMOTE WORK AND TELECOMMUTING PROGRAMS ARE BECOMING MORE COMMONPLACE AS WORKERS FACE THE DEMANDS OF JUGGLING WORK, FAMILY, AND OTHER PERSONAL OBLIGATIONS, AND AS EMPLOYERS SEEK TO ADD VALUE TO THE EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AT THEIR ORGANIZATION.
AT NICOLLET COUNTY, CUSTOMER SERVICE IS PARAMOUNT, SO REMOTE WORK AND TELECOMMUTING OPTIONS WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO STAFF WHEN IT WOULD HAVE NEUTRAL OR POSITIVE EFFECTS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE.
THE POLICY IS IN YOUR PACKET AND TODAY I'M ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE REMOTE WORK AND TELECOMMUTING PROGRAM POLICY.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MOVE IT IN AND I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU, YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER MORROW?
>> THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE]. YOU'VE REFERRED TO THIS AS THE REMOTE WORK POLICY BUT IT IS THE MOBILE WORK?
>> JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE BEEN [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'VE BEEN USING THAT TERM INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT YES, THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE POLICY IS MOBILE WORK AND TELECOMMUTING PROGRAMS POLICY.
>> I ASSUMED REMOTE AND MOBILE MEAN SOMETHING SIMILAR.
>> YEAH, I'VE BEEN USING THEM INTERCHANGEABLY, WHICH IS WHY I'VE GOT TWO DIFFERENT TERMS ON HERE.
>> WOULD YOU JUST WALK US THROUGH AN EXAMPLE SCENARIO? LET'S SAY AN EMPLOYEE REQUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELECOMMUTE, WHAT WOULD THEY DO?
>> THEY WOULD FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND GIVE IT TO THEIR SUPERVISOR, AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD WORK, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON THEIR WORK AND ON CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND SO FORTH, AND DECIDE WHETHER THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
THEN IF THE SUPERVISOR AND EMPLOYEE DECIDED THAT IT WAS GOING TO WORK, THEY WOULD GO TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR THE DEPARTMENT HEAD TO APPROVE IT, AND THEN THEY COULD BEGIN TELECOMMUTING.
>> THE DEPARTMENT HEADS LAST STOP ON THAT?
IN THIS SECOND PARAGRAPH DOWN IT SAYS A REQUEST FOR A MOBILE WORK OR TELECOMMUNICATION ARRANGEMENT, I'M I IN THE RIGHT PAGE?
>> IT SAYS THAT A REQUEST CAN BE INITIATED BY THE EMPLOYEE, THE SUPERVISOR, OR THE DEPARTMENT HEAD.
WILL THE DEPARTMENT HEAD INITIATE A REQUEST?
>> THEY MIGHT IF WE HAVE SPACE ISSUES IN OUR BUILDING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE WOULD ASK SOMEONE IF THEY'D BE WILLING TO WORK.
>> OKAY. CAN DEPARTMENT HEADS WORK MOBILE OR TELECOMMUTE?
>> I'M NOT AWARE THAT ANYONE HAS REQUESTED TO.
I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY DIFFICULT IN A DEPARTMENT HEAD SITUATION TO BE A FULL-TIME TELECOMMUTER BUT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL THAT ARE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.
OR IF YOU'VE GOT TO BE HOME TO WAIT FOR THE CABLE GUY TO COME AND YOU'VE GOT A FOUR-HOUR SPREAD WINDOW FOR THAT.
>> I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SURE WILL THEIR REQUESTS GO TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR? THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WANTS TO MOBILE OR TELECOMMUTE, DOES IT GO TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR?
>> GREAT. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION IF I MAY.
I'M AN EMPLOYEE IN A DEPARTMENT AND I WANT TO TELECOMMUTE AND I GET IN MY APPLICATION IN ON MONDAY, AND MICHELLE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TELECOMMUTE.
SHE GETS HERS IN ON WEDNESDAY AND THEN DAVE WANTS TO WHEN YOU GETS IN, I'M WONDERING WHETHER IS IT ALMOST GOING TO FEEL LIKE IN SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVE, WE NEED TO HAVE CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON SITE, AND I JUST HAPPEN TO GET MINE IN BEFORE MICHELLE, WHO GOT HERS IN BEFORE DAVE, IS THERE ANY CONCERN OR DOES THIS POLICY ADDRESS?
>> THE PLAN FOR THAT THERE'S THE POLICY DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT SPECIFICALLY BUT THE PLAN THAT MOST DEPARTMENTS HEADS HAVE WHO EXPECT TO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TELECOMMUTERS AND ALREADY HAVE SOME WOULD BE THEY'D HAVE A CERTAIN TIME OF YEAR WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE TELECOMMUTING APPLICATIONS, REVIEW ALL OF THEM PREDETERMINED HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY NEED TO HAVE PHYSICALLY IN THE OFFICE AND HOW MANY CAN TELECOMMUTE AND WORKOUT, PUT THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER FROM THERE.
[00:10:01]
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MORROW HAD SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS THERE.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS AT WORKSHOP FROM YOU AND ADMINISTRATORS, DO YOU SEE THIS AS A STEP THAT WE'RE TAKING BECAUSE OF PEOPLE ASKING FOR IT OR BECAUSE IT'S A BETTER POLICY TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT EMPLOYEES?
>> THAT'S A BOTH END SO BOTH ARE REASONS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
>> I SEE. DO OUR COMPETITORS, IF WE HAVE ANY, WHICH IS HARD TO IMAGINE, PROVIDE THESE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYERS?
A LOT OF EMPLOYERS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT STAGE OF DEVELOPING THESE PROGRAMS ALL THE WAY FROM COUNTIES THAT I HEAR THAT ARE NOT ALLOWING TELECOMMUTING TO COUNTIES THAT ARE STARTING WITH A PREMISE OF THIS NEW EMPLOYEE IS GOING TO TELECOMMUTE UNLESS THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE OFFICE FOR SOME REASON, SO WE'RE ALL OVER THE BOARD.
>> I'M SURE I DO HAVE ONE MORE THAT REVEALS SOMETHING ABOUT MY OWN PERSONAL LIFE. YOU'RE INTRIGUED NOW.
>> I KNOW THAT HE CAN'T DO MOBILE WORKOUT OF STATE UNLESS YOU'RE ON A WORK TRIP.
>> LET ME SEE IF I'M GETTING THAT WRONG, BUT [NOISE] I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS MOBILE WORK OUT-OF-STATE IS PERMITTED ONLY IF ON A WORK-SPONSORED TRIP.
>> LET'S SUPPOSE HYPOTHETICALLY, MY PARENTS ARE GETTING OLDER AND THEY LIVE IN MINNESOTA, COULD I MOBILE WORK FROM THEIR HOUSE? WELL, I'M CARING FOR MY FATHER.
>> NOT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE MCIT COVERAGE DOES NOT EXTEND OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
>> NO, I'M SORRY. IF THEY LIVED IN MINNESOTA.
>> IF THEY LIVED IN MINNESOTA, YES.
>> IT'S MCIT THAT LIMITS, I'M JUST THINKING MYSELF MY PARENTS ACTUALLY DON'T LIVE IN MINNESOTA.
I'D BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN SOMEONE WHO'S PARENTS DO LIVE IN MINNESOTA BECAUSE OF MCIT?
>> CORRECT. BECAUSE WORK COMP COVERAGE WOULD NOT APPLY IF SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN TO THE EMPLOYEE WHEN THEY'RE WORKING OUT OF STATE.
I BELIEVE MCIT IS LOOKING AT CHANGING THAT, BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS NODDING.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. FULL OF INFORMATION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION HERE.
IN REALITY, PERHAPS I'M ASSUMING WRONG.
THIS ISN'T GOING TO AFFECT A LARGE NUMBER OF OUR EMPLOYEES AT THIS POINT.
>> IT IS NOT. A LOT OF FOLKS HERE HAVE ROLES WHERE THEIR PHYSICAL PRESENCE AT THE JOB SITE IS ESSENTIAL TO THEM BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR WORK.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE POLICY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING, NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS FINANCE RESOLUTION FOR COMMITTING FUNDS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
[Finance]
GOOD MORNING, HEATHER. [NOISE]MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MIC SHOULD BE HERE. GOOD MORNING.
I AM HERE TODAY BRINGING A RESOLUTION FOR COMMITTING FUNDS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
I'M GIVING YOU SOME A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND OF WHERE WE'D BEEN IN THE LAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF OR SO.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, NICOLLET COUNTY ENTERED INTO A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WITH SOUTH CENTRAL SERVICES COOPERATIVE, WHICH MANY TIMES YOU'LL SEE AS SCLC FOR GROUP EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
THIS AGREEMENT CHANGED OUR INSURANCE PROVIDER FROM HEALTH PARTNERS TO MEDICA THIS YEAR, AND IT WAS MAINLY DRIVEN BY THOSE COST SAVINGS.
AT THAT TIME, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO KEEP CURRENT RATES IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
FUNDING THE SAVINGS INTO A RESERVE TO BE USED FOR FUTURE MEDICAL OR WELLNESS PROGRAMS. IN THREE YEARS, THE NICOLLET COUNTY DECIDES THAT WE WANT TO GO BACK TO A SELF-FUNDED PLAN, THEN WE WILL HAVE AMPLE RESERVES TO DO THAT.
THE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS FOR RESERVES IN OUR 2022 BUDGET TOTALED $822,468.
FOLLOWING GASB54 IN OUR NICOLLET COUNTY FUND BALANCE POLICY, COMMITTED FUNDS ARE AMOUNTS THAT CAN BE USED ONLY FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES DETERMINED BY A FORMAL ACTION OF THE BOARD.
[00:15:04]
WE REQUEST APPROVAL BY RESOLUTION TO COMMIT THESE FUNDS ON THE 2022 NICOLLET COUNTY FINANCIAL STATEMENT TO BE SPENT ON THESE FUTURE HEALTH INSURANCE EXPENSES.AND TO NOTE, YOU CAN YOU CAN CHOOSE TO DO THIS AND THEN IF YOU EVER WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, I WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND WE WOULD DO THAT AT THAT TIME.
BUT COMMITTING THE FUNDS, LIKE I NOTED, THEY HAVE TO BE USED FOR THAT SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
SO I'VE INCLUDED THE RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKET AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MOVE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THE RESOLUTION?
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH HEATHER ABOUT THIS $822,468 LATER ON IN THE AGENDA UNDER OUR BUDGETARY MOTIONS MOVING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE DESIGNATED FUTURE FUNDS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE ADDED UP TO 673,908.
>> SURE. YES. WE DID HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AND IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO THE THREE-YEAR JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE IN WITH SOUTH-CENTRAL, THEY HAVE MAXIMUMS FOR THOSE THREE YEARS THAT THEY CAN INCREASE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT 822 AND THE 600,000, I THINK IT WAS, DID YOU SAY SEVEN?
>> SEVENTY THREE. WOULD BE THAT INCREASE THAT WE SAW IN 2023 BUDGET.
THE NUMBER FLUCTUATES BASED ON THE POLICIES THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE CHOOSING.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO YEARS.
>> THAT'S SATISFACTORY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM HER? HEARING NONE, SARAH WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> THANK YOU, HEATHER. NEXT ONE ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC WORKS. GOOD MORNING SETH.
[Public Works]
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND STAFF WHEN ITEM FROM PUBLIC WORKS TODAY AND THAT BEEN TO CONSIDER FINAL PAYMENT FOR PROJECT CP15-22.
THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY A SOFT 15 FEMA CULVERT REPAIR [NOISE] PROJECT.
IT INVOLVED THE REPAIR OF TWO LARGE IN PLACE CONCRETE CULVERTS THAT WERE DAMAGED DURING A FLOOD EVENT IN THE SPRING OF 2019.
PCI RHODES WAS OUR PRIME CONTRACTOR FOR THE PROJECT.
TYPICALLY, WHEN I'M COMING BEFORE THE BOARD TO ASK FOR A FINAL PAYMENT FOR A PROJECT THIS SIZE, TYPICALLY THE FINAL PAYMENT AMOUNT WOULD BE SMALLER THAN WHAT I'M REQUESTING TODAY.
BUT THIS PROJECT WAS VERY SHORT IN DURATION AND SO THE ENTIRE PROJECT ONLY TOOK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND SO WE'RE MAKING JUST ONE LUMP SUM PAYMENTS SINCE THE WORK IS ALL COMPLETE.
THE FINAL PAYMENT AMOUNT FOR THIS PROJECT IS $138,510.01.
ONE ITEM I WOULD NOTE IS THAT THE CONTRACTOR ACTUALLY EXCEEDED THE TIME ALLOTTED IN THE CONTRACT SO WE ACTUALLY ASSESS $9,000 IN LIQUIDATED DAMAGES ON THIS PROJECT.
SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE BROADER PICTURE OF THE FEMA EVENT.
THIS 2019 SPRING DISASTER EVENT FOR FEMA, WE ACTUALLY GOT APPROVED FOR ALMOST $400,000 IN FEMA DOLLARS TO COMPLETE VARIOUS REPAIRS THROUGHOUT NICOLLET COUNTY.
THE PROJECT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY WAS JUST A SMALLER SUBSET OF ALL THOSE OTHER PROJECTS.
THIS PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED A LARGE FEMA PROJECT.
TYPICALLY WE GET FOR OUR SMALLER PROJECTS, THE FEMA FUNDS AND STATE FUNDS COME IMMEDIATELY.
FOR THESE LARGER PROJECTS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO THE WORK AND THEN SHOW THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED THE WORK AND MADE PAYMENTS TO THE CONTRACTOR THEN WE GET REIMBURSED FOR THESE LARGER DOLLAR.
I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE TO TALK ABOUT OTHER DISASTER PROJECTS IN THE COUNTY THAT UTILIZED ANOTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES EMERGENCY DOLLARS AND THAT WAS THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION'S EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM.
WE ALSO HAD DAMAGES ON ROADS FROM 2019 THAT ALSO WORKED ON THAT PROGRAM
[00:20:01]
BUT THERE'S A DISTINCTION ON WHEN WE CAN USE EITHER ONE OF THOSE FEDERAL AGENCIES.FOR FEMA REPAIRS WERE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR ROADS THAT ARE FUNCTIONALLY CLASSIFIED AS A MINOR COLLECTOR AND LOWER TO ACCESS THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY DISASTER FUNDS, THEY HAVE TO BE FUNCTIONALLY CLASSIFIED AS A MAJOR COLLECTOR AND HIGHER.
IT GETS TO BE QUITE THE PROCESS TO WORK WITH BOTH THOSE FEDERAL AGENCIES.
THEY LIKE TO GIVE THE PERCEPTION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS HANDING OUT MONEY LEFT AND RIGHT AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE REAL EASY FOR DISASTER PROJECTS, BUT IT'S A QUITE AN ARDUOUS AND IN-DEPTH PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH BOTH THOSE AGENCIES.
TO GET FUNDING FROM THEM, IT IS A HUGE WIN AND IN THIS CASE, THAT 400,000 THAT'S COMING INTO THE COUNTY FOR THE FEMA REPAIRS DEFINITELY HAS HELPED TO KEEP US FROM HAVING TO INCREASE THE COUNTY LEVY TO MAKE THOSE ESSENTIAL REPAIRS.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THERE.
FOR THIS ITEM, I'M ASKING THE BOARD TODAY, ACCEPT THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE AND IMPROVE FINAL PAYMENT AMOUNT, $138,510 TO PCI ROADS FOR THIS PROJECT.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AND PROOF FINAL PAYMENT?
>> I'LL SECOND IT. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR SOUTH REGARDING THIS ISSUE?
>> THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN 147,000?
>> HEARING AND SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ADMINISTRATION.
[Administration]
[NOISE]>> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY, BEGINNING ON PAGE 64 OF YOUR BOARD PACKET.
TODAY I'LL BE SHARING INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE 2023 ELECTED OFFICIALS COMPENSATION AND PER DIEM RESOLUTION, THE 2023 LEVY RESOLUTION AND THE 2023 BUDGET RESOLUTION.
ITEMS 1, 2, AND 3 LISTED ON OUR MINISTRATION ARE ALL CONNECTED TO THE 2023 BUDGET AND ARE CONSIDERED ANNUALLY BY THE BOARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THESE ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ACCORDING TO MINNESOTA STATUTE 275.065, COUNTIES MUST ADOPT AND CERTIFY THE PRELIMINARY LEVY HONOREE FOR SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THE CURRENT YEAR.
IN ADDITION, THE SETTING OF THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT MEETING.
DURING THE SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022 BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE THE SETTING OF THE PRELIMINARY LEVY AT 5.2%.
THIS IS A PROPOSED LEVY AMOUNT OF 25,518,834 OR A TOTAL BUDGET OF $50,627,929.
FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS AND REVIEW, INCLUDING THE FINDINGS OF THE COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY, THE FINAL LEVY PROPOSAL WAS MAINTAINED AT THE 5.2% OR $25,518,834.
ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2022, THE BUDGET AND LEVY MEETING, OR AS IT IS MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE TNT OR TRUTH-IN-TAXATION MEETING WAS HELD TO ALLOW CITIZENS AND OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE UPCOMING BUDGET AND ASK QUESTIONS.
A FEW RESIDENTS DID ATTEND IN-PERSON AND A MAJORITY OF THEM HAD QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE.
THE MEETING WAS ALSO AVAILABLE LIVE ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND RECORDED FOR FUTURE VIEWING.
THE TWO MAIN FACTORS FOR THE LEVY INCREASE ARE AS FOLLOWS.
THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS HAS INCREASED IN COUNTIES CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
[NOISE] LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE FELT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT RELATED TO BASIC OPERATIONS, TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT, LEGAL AND DATA PRACTICES, COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE, PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICES, AND ROAD AND BRIDGE PROJECTS.
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IS THE INVESTMENT IN STAFF.
THE OBLIGATION TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED SERVICES HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.
BASED ON RECENT UNEMPLOYMENT REPORTS, THE MANKATO AREA COUNTY, [NOISE] EXCUSE ME, CONTINUES TO HAVE A LOWER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, COMBINED WITH THE CURRENT WORKER SHORTAGE AND THE GREAT RESIGNATION, HAVE CREATED NEW CHALLENGES TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN INDIVIDUALS.
WHAT DOES A 5.2% LEVY INCREASE MEAN FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER? NUMBERS I WILL SHARE WITH YOU COMPARE 2022 TO 2023 IN THE FIVE PROPERTY CLASSIFICATION AREAS.
INCREASED FROM 29% IN 2022 TO 34%.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A SHIFT FROM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO AGRICULTURAL PROPERTIES.
RESIDENTIAL DECREASED FROM 44%-40%.
THE AREAS IN COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DECREASED FROM
[00:25:01]
15% DOWN TO 14% AND NON-HOMESTEAD RENTALS STAYED AT 10%, INCLUDING OUR UTILITIES WHICH STAYED ALSO AT 2%.THERE WAS CONCERN EXPRESSED LAST SPRING THAT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES IN ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE WOULD EQUATE TO THE SAME AMOUNT IN TAXES.
I'LL SHARE THREE EXAMPLES WITH YOU WHAT THAT MEANS FOR A 5.2% INCREASE FOR A RURAL HOME.
A HOME WITH AN ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE OF 375,000, WHICH SAW AN INCREASE OF 5.59%, COULD EXPECT TO SEE A DECREASE IN THE TAXES IN THE APPROXIMATE AREA OF $160.
[NOISE] IN OTHER RURAL HOME WITH AN ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE OF 450,000, WHICH SAW AN INCREASE OF 19.79% IN THEIR ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE, COULD EXPECT TO SEE AN APPROXIMATE INCREASE OF $130.
ONE LAST EXAMPLE, A REAL FARM HOME SITE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A HOUSE, GARAGE, AND ONE ACRE WITHIN A VALUE OF 447,800 OR AN INCREASE OF 14.5% IN THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE COULD SEE A DECREASE OF $18 IN THEIR 2023 TAXES.
TODAY I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE LEVY RESOLUTION, THEN THE BUDGETED RESOLUTION PRIOR TO THE CONSIDERATION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS RESOLUTION.
ALL THREE RESOLUTIONS ARE WITHIN YOUR PACKET, BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS RESOLUTION FOLLOWING THE LEVY AND THE BUDGET.
>> FIRST WE'RE GOING TO DO THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> LEVY RESOLUTION THAT WAS SETTING AT 5.2% OR $25,518,834.
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AS IT'S PRESENTED?
>> MADAM CHAIR, JUST TO COMMENT.
THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION, MANY MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE INVOLVED.
THANK YOU MS. ZION CAMERON FOR STATING WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS WERE.
YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE HIRING ENVIRONMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WE JUST HAD RECOGNITION OF EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, AND 30 YEARS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP AND TREAT EMPLOYEES RIGHT.
I THINK THAT THE COMPENSATION WORK THAT MS. LARSON LED HELPED US AS A COUNTY DETERMINE APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION, SO I THINK.
ALL OF YOU FOR THAT AND I THINK IT'S REFLECTED IN WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO NOW.
>> THANK YOU. TO SHOW COMMENTS.
HEARING AND SEEING NONE. SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> THE NEXT RESOLUTION I WOULD REQUEST IS APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET RESOLUTION FOR 2023 IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,627,929.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET RESOLUTION AS IT WAS PRESENTED?
>> MADAM CHAIR, JUST ONE COMMENT.
I JUST WOULD NOTE THAT THIS IS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY THAT COMES INTO NICOLLET COUNTY AND NICOLLET COUNTY, LIKE OTHER COUNTIES, IN MANY WAYS, SERVE AS A PASS-THROUGH ON SERVICES PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS OF NICOLLET COUNTY.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS, BUT IT DOES HIGHLIGHT HOW MUCH THE COUNTY SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE RESIDENTS IN SERVICES OF ALL SORTS FROM I THINK VIRTUALLY EVERY DEPARTMENT.
>> IT SHOWS THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CARRY OUT THOSE DUTIES AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING TO HELP US DO THAT WORK SINCE WE ARE CREATURES OF THE STATE.
HEARING AND SEEING NO OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> THE NEXT RESOLUTION I HAVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SALARY PAY THAT IS COPIED WITHIN YOUR PACKET ANNUALLY.
THIS IS SET PRIOR TO THE COMING YEAR.
THE RESOLUTION INCLUDES THE SEVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR THE COUNTY, THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS, THE SHERIFF, AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND ALSO NOTES THE PER DIEM RATE OF $70 PER DAY.
I REQUEST APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION WITHIN THE PACKET?
>> THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS?
>> IT'S GOING TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD?
[00:30:02]
>> 2023, NICOLLET COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS COMPENSATION AND PER DIEM RESOLUTION, WHEREAS THE NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ANNUALLY ESTABLISHES COMPENSATION AND FOR DIEMS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WHEREAS MINNESOTA STATUTE 375.055 STATES AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN ALL COLONIES EXCEPT HANUMAN AND RAMSEY SHALL RECEIVE AS COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES RENDERED BY THEM FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTIES, ANNUAL SALARIES AND ADDITION MAY RECEIVE PER DIEM PAYMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNNECESSARY EXPENSES AND PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE AS SET BY RESOLUTION OF A COUNTY BOARD WITH THE SALARY AND SCHEDULES OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS NOT BEING EFFECTIVE UNTIL JANUARY 1 OF THE NEXT YEAR.
WHEREAS MINNESOTA STATUTE 387.20 AND 388.18 STATES THAT THE COUNTY BOARD ANNUALLY SHALL SET BY RESOLUTION THE SALARY OF THE COUNTY SHERIFF AND COUNTY ATTORNEY.
WHEREAS THE PROPOSED 2023 NICOLLET COUNTY BUDGET INCLUDES A 2.5 PERCENT GENERAL WAGE SCALE INCREASE.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY ADOPT THE FOLLOWING FOR 2023.
NUMBER 1, NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, SALARIES WILL BE $37,465 IN 2023, WITH THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL $1,500 ANNUALLY FOR DUTIES RELATED TO THAT POSITION.
NUMBER 2, NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD AND LAYPERSONS SAVING ON COUNTY COMMITTEES, WHICH HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNTY BOARD, ARE APPROVED TO RECEIVE PER DIEMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $70 PER DAY.
NUMBER 3, THE SALARY FOR THE NICOLLET COUNTY ATTORNEY IN 2023 IS SET AT $146,674.
NUMBER 4, THE SALARY FOR THE NICOLLET COUNTY SHERIFF IN 2023 IS SET AT $152,854, DATED AS 13TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2022.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, OH, YOU'RE STILL GOING.
SORRY. I'M TRYING TO BE PAPERLESS AND IT'S JUST NOT WORKING WELL HERE BECAUSE I SHOULD PRINT THE AGENDA.
THE NEXT ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU IS CONSIDERATION OF THE AUDIT ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM AGREEMENT.
IT'S A PROPOSED AGREEMENT BETWEEN NICOLLET COUNTY AND MARCO TECHNOLOGIES.
THE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE AUDIT ASSESSMENT OF OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS. WHAT THAT WE'LL BE DOING WILL INCLUDE AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT.
THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COUNTY'S OPERATIONS AND SYSTEMS. THAT WOULD BE LOOKING AT OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED OR REQUIRED FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE SERVICE DELIVERY, AUTHENTIFICATION AND REMOTE ACCESS INFRASTRUCTURE, ORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICE INCLUDING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS AND TRAINING NEEDS, OUR DATA STORAGE, CYBERSECURITY, RISK MANAGEMENT, DISASTER RECOVERY, REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED MODIFICATIONS TO ADDRESS FINDINGS OF THE AUDIT ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVE THE EFFICACY OF THE COUNTY'S IT OPERATIONS, COMPARISONS OF ALTERNATIVES FOR THESE ITEMS. STRATEGIC AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR TWO YEARS AND FIVE YEARS OUT, AND TACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND THEN APPROXIMATE COST FOR IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AS PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS WAS RECOMMENDED FOR COUNTIES TO PURSUE WITHIN IT.
THAT'S PROJECT WILL BE FUNDED BY AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS IN THE MOUNT OF $13,993.
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED AGREEMENT?
>> NO, CHAIR. I WOULD SIMPLY NOTE THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION EARLIER TODAY ABOUT MOBILE WORKING, TELECOMMUTING, AND AS THE WORKPLACE CHANGES, MAINTAINING SERVICE AND SECURITY SEEMS TO ME TO BE A PARAMOUNT FUNCTION AND AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS?
>> YES, I AGREE. SECURITY IS GOING TO RULE THE WORLD.
HEARING AND SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> MY NEXT ITEM IS FOR THE FEE SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARING TO BEGIN AT 10:00 AM THIS MORNING.
>> WE CAN PROBABLY HOPSCOTCH AROUND AND COME BACK TO THAT AT THAT TIME.
LET'S HOPSCOTCH OVER THE FEE SCHEDULE AND MOVE TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S UPDATE.
[00:35:02]
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S BEEN A BUSY TIME SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING WITH TYPICAL YEAR-END AND WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS ON YEAR END THING MATTERS.
ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE WITH MS. [INAUDIBLE] AN EVENT AT LIGHTHOUSE, WHICH WAS ENJOYABLE FOR THE HOLIDAY.
LAST NIGHT SPOKE TO BOY SCOUTS REGARDING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS AS CITIZENS.
THEY WERE SEEMINGLY MOST INTERESTED IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW OLD I WAS AND HOW LONG I HAD BEEN A LAWYER.
WE HAD LOTS OF INTERESTING GUESSES.
THEN I WAS HONORED LAST WEEK TO BE NAMED PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY. THANK YOU.
SOME OPENING UNION CONVERSATIONS, SOME DITCH WORK.
ONE WATER ONE PLAN IS NOW WHAT IT'S 90 DAY REVIEW AND JUST NORMAL BUSINESS OF LIFE.
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS. COMMISSIONER HAACK.
>> HAD BUDGET AND LEVY MEETING LIKE WE ALL DID.
THE MRCI BOARD MEETING AND THE HRA BOARD MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MORROW?
>> JOINED ALL OF YOU AT BUDGET MEETINGS.
AS COMMISSIONER HAACK JUST MENTIONED, WE DID HAVE A CHANCE TO GET TOGETHER WITH NICOLLET COUNTY TOWNSHIPS OUT IN NICOLLET.
A NUMBER OF DITCH MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ARE THE PRIMARY ONES.
OUR AMTRAK MEETING WAS HELD, ATTENDED AN EMC TRANSPORTATION, GET READY SESSION BEFORE WE HAD OUR TAX MEETING.
CHS, CHB PERSONNEL WAS AT THE ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA COUNTIES ANNUAL MEETING IN EARLY DECEMBER.
AS MADAM CHAIR MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH UNION NEGOTIATIONS PERSONNEL, [INAUDIBLE], AND UNION LABOR WITH THE DEPUTIES STARTING YESTERDAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS COMMISSIONER MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES DATA AND OUR LEGISLATIVE THING.
ARE WE STILL COORDINATING THAT?
>> STILL COORDINATING THAT, YES. CORRECT.
>> ALL RIGHT. I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM AMC REGARDING A DITCH CONFERENCE IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY GOT THAT OR NOT, BUT I WILL FORWARD THAT.
WE'VE GOT TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT YET.
ANY OTHER MEETINGS OR CONFERENCES THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE AT THIS POINT?
>> THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING ON DECEMBER 15TH AT 09:00 AM IN THIS BOARDROOM.
>> THANK YOU. MOTION TO APPROVE MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES.
>> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT IS TO APPROVE PER DIEMS AND EXPENSES.
>> DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> I WOULD ASSUME AT THIS POINT WE CAN RECESS TILL OUR PUBLIC HEARING AT 10 O'CLOCK.
[NOISE] WE CAN COME BACK TO ORDER AND OUR 10 O'CLOCK PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING 2023 FEE SCHEDULE.
>> THIS ITEM IS BEGINNING ON PAGE 77 OF YOUR PACKET.
MINNESOTA STATUTE 373.41 ALLOWS COUNTY BOARDS TO CHARGE FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY COUNTY OFFICES.
EACH YEAR, DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THE EXISTING FEE SCHEDULE AND SUGGEST CHANGES AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE.
THESE CHANGES ARE PRESENTED A PUBLIC HEARING WHICH IS SET FOR TODAY AT 10:00 AM TO GATHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
WITHIN YOUR PACKET, COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PROPERTY AND PUBLIC SERVICES, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAVE A RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
ALL CHANGES ARE IDENTIFIED IN RED AND THEY INCLUDE INCREASES, DECREASES, ADDITIONS OF FEES, REMOVAL OF FEES, AND THEN RENAMING OF SERVICES.
FOLLOWING THE CLOSURE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, I WILL BE ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET, APPROVING THEM ENDURANCE, AND MAKING THE FEE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1, 2023.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. LIN AND CARMER? [NOISE] HEARING AND SEEING NONE FROM THE BOARD, I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING TO THE PUBLIC.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE 2023 FEE SCHEDULE? SECOND TIME.
[00:40:06]
THIRD TIME. HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING THE RESOLUTION BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.THE RESOLUTION IS IN OUR BOARD PACKET.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? [NOISE].
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD?
>> IS THERE A CHANGE IN WHAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING PEOPLE GET FOR PER DIEM?
>> NO, THAT'S A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION.
>> MADAM CHAIR, COULD WE JUST PUT SOME MEAT ON THE BONES FOR THE FIRST ONE ON COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COUNTY ATTORNEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER.
ARE THESE RED MARKS BRAND NEW? TELL ME WHAT WHAT THEY PROVIDE FOR PLEASE?
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THE STATEMENTS ON THE GRAPH IF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING NATURAL SERVICES THEMSELVES.
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, THEY ARE REDUCING THREE OF THEIR FEES.
THE COGNITIVE SKILLS FOR ADULTS IS REDUCING FROM 250 DOWN TO 100.
COGNITIVE SKILLS FOR JUVENILE IS DECREASING FROM 75 DOWN TO $50.
THEN THE DRIVING WITH CARE WAS AT $250 AND IT'S GOING TO $100, AND THEN THEY'RE ADDING THREE ADDITIONAL FEES FOR SERVICES.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM AFTER ONE OF THEIR AGENTS BECAME CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE THAT PROGRAMMING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SPEAK TO ADDRESS THE ADULT AND DECISION POINTS JUVENILE.
MY GUESS IS IT WOULD BE SOME TYPE OF COGNITIVE PROGRAMMING FOR ADULTS AND JUVENILES.
>> JUST SO I'M CLEAR, WHO PAYS THAT?
OFTENTIMES THE PARTICIPANTS ARE GIVEN CREDIT AGAINST FINES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY PAY PROGRAMMING FEES, IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE THOSE.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT, THEY HAVE TO PAY THE FINE AS WELL AS THE PROGRAMMING FEE.
BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S AN OFFSET DEPENDING ON WHAT'S RECOMMENDED.
>> IS THERE A COLLECTION SERVICE IF THEY DON'T PAY?
>> I BELIEVE IT'S REPORTED TO COLLECTIONS, CORRECT.
>> I BELIEVE SO. I CAN'T SPEAK WITH CERTAINTY TO THAT, BUT USUALLY THEY COLLECT THOSE FEES AS PART OF THE PROBATION PROCESS AND THEY WOULDN'T BE DISCHARGED FROM PROBATION UNTIL THEY PAY SOME OF THOSE FEES.
>> MS. LANKEMA, ON THE SHERIFF PAGE, IT'S 83 IN OUR PACKET, SAYS JAIL ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE CHART, THE IT SAYS CIVIL PROCESS.
THEN ON THE UPDATES SIDE, THERE'S A FEW ENTRY SERVICE WITHIN THE FIRST THREE ATTEMPTS AND FOLLOWING.
IS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE SERVICE WITHIN THE FIRST THREE ATTEMPTS OR THERE'S NO DOLLAR AMOUNT?
>> MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD BE MAINTAINED AT $65.
IT'S JUST A FURTHER EXPLANATION THAT IT'S THREE ATTEMPTS FOR $65, INCLUDING THE MILEAGE.
IT'S JUST REWORDING THE TITLE.
>> THAT FIRST ONE WOULD BE $65.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MS. LANKEMA?
>> I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THESE QUESTIONS RECURSIVE WE DON'T SEE THIS EVERY DAY AND IT HELPS CLARIFY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. HEARING AND SEEING NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
NOW THAT WE HAVE FINISHED THE BUSINESS OF THE REGULAR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> MADAM CHAIR, CAN I THANK COMMISSIONERS LUEPKE AND COMMISSIONER HAACK FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE COUNTY BOARD?
>> WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY OF WORK WITH YOU OVER THESE YEARS AND WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN RETIREMENT.
>> I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENT LATER ON?
[00:45:07]
>> YES. FOLLOWING THE ADJOURNMENT TO THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING, WE WILL HAVE A RECEPTION FOR COMMISSIONERS LUEPKE AND HAACK.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT THE LAW.
>> THANK YOU. I'M ALL ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY.
I HAVE MY CHEAT SHEET SO I'M READY TO ROCK AND ROLL.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY,
[Call Drainage Authority Meeting to Order: Chair Dranttel]
WE'LL CALL THE DRAINAGE 30 TO ORDER AND START WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA AT THIS POINT? HEARING AND SEEING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ONLY HAS THE MEETINGS OF NOVEMBER 22ND IN IT.
>> NEXT UNDER THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY AGENDA IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES TODAY TO THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY? HEARING AND SEEING NONE WE WILL CONTINUE ON FOR THE FINDINGS.
>> MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AS YOU RECALL, AT THE LAST DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING ON NOVEMBER 22ND, A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD FOR THE FINAL REDETERMINATION APPROVAL FOR COUNTY DITCH 35A, COUNTY DITCH 65, AND COUNTY DITCH 75.
AT THAT TIME, THE DITCHES, THE REDETERMINATIONS WERE APPROVED AS PRESENTED, AND FINDINGS WERE TO BE DRAWN UP BY MY OFFICE.
I HAVE THE FINDINGS INCLUDED FOR EACH DITCH.
EACH FINDINGS HAS AN EXHIBIT A, WHICH ARE THE FINAL BENEFITS THAT'LL BE ENTERED INTO OUR BOOKS GOING FORWARD.
I'D RECOMMEND THAT WE WOULD DO EACH DITCH INDIVIDUALLY AND I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR EMOTION AND APPROVAL, FIRST FOR THE COUNTY DITCH 35A.
THOSE FINDINGS ARE IN THE PACKET AS WELL AS THE EXHIBIT A IN THERE.
>> ON PAGES 89-95 IS THE FINDINGS FOR THE REDETERMINATION OF COUNTY DITCH 35A.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE FINDINGS?
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 35A'S REDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> WE CAN MOVE ON TO COUNTY DITCH 65'S FINDINGS.
>> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL, THE FINDINGS FOR THE RE-DETERMINATION FOR DITCH 65.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND FOR FINDINGS ON REDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR NICOLLET COUNTY DITCH 65. ANY QUESTIONS.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'LL JUST NOTE THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THESE BEFORE.
>> THIS IS THE COMBINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE DRAFTING OF THE FINDINGS.
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT, WE HAVE THE FINDINGS AND FACTS, AN ORDER REGARDING REDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR NICOLLET COUNTY DITCH 75.
THEY ARE ON PAGES 104 THROUGH SOMETHING OF YOUR PACKET.
>> ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FINDINGS FOR THE REDETERMINATION FOR COUNTY DITCH NUMBER 75? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL DAY THAT THESE FINDINGS THAT THE APPROVAL OF THE REDETERMINATION GOES INTO EFFECT, THE 30-DAY APPEAL STARTS TODAY.
FOR 30 DAYS AFTER THAT, THE BUFFERS WILL BE PAID AND THE BILLINGS OUT, WHICH WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
>> 10:30. WE HAVE ANOTHER 15-MINUTE RECESS BECAUSE WE'RE TOO SPEEDY TODAY.
WE'LL BE BACK AT 10:30 FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR 8A, 39, 47, 78, 78 LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4, COUNTY DITCH 82, 84, AND THE RECESSED COUNTY DITCH 71.
WE ARE BACK OUT OF RECESS FOR THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY AND BACK TO
[00:50:04]
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REDETERMINATION OF COUNTY DITCH 8A, COUNTY DITCH 39, COUNTY DITCH 47A, COUNTY DITCH 78, COUNTY DITCH 78 LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4, COUNTY DITCH 82, COUNTY DITCH 84, AND ADDRESSING THE RECESSED COUNTY DITCH 71 HEARING FROM NOVEMBER 22ND, 2022.>> MORNING. MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LIKE MARIE SAID, WE HAVE SEVERAL DITCHES TODAY TO GET THROUGH IN THE FINAL REDETERMINATION PROCESS.
I WILL GO THROUGH THE OFFICIAL MAILINGS AND POSTINGS AND PUBLISHINGS.
NOTICES WERE MAILED NOVEMBER 24TH, POSTED NOVEMBER 24TH, PUBLISHED THE 24TH, DECEMBER 1ST, AND DECEMBER 8TH.
ALL OF THESE DITCHES HAD INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS.
THERE WAS TWO INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS HELD FOR EACH DITCH.
THE FIRST ONE BEING SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2021, THE SECOND ONE BEING SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022.
ALL THE REPORTS AND MAILINGS AND NOTICES HAVE BEEN MAILED AND DISTRIBUTED AND PUBLISHED.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT YOU HAVE AN AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU.
MR. BARRON'S WILL PRESENT EACH DITCH INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN AT THE END OF HIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE, DENY, OR TABLE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
AT THAT TIME THEN AND AFTER THAT DITCH'S COMPLETE, WE'LL GO BACK TO NUMBER 3 AND MARK WILL COME AND DO THE SECOND DITCH.
WE'LL KEEP THOSE DITCHES ROLLING.
THE LAST DITCH THAT WE'LL ADDRESS IS THE RECESSED COUNTY DITCH 71, AND THAT WAS FROM THE NOVEMBER 22ND, 2022.
WE WILL HEAR THAT ONE AFTER THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED REDETERMINATIONS.
DRAINAGE AUTHORITY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE BEGIN?
>> START WITH COUNTY DITCH 8A, MR. BARRON'S. THERE YOU ARE. GOOD MORNING.
WE'VE HAD A BUSY DAY HERE ON DITCHES, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM AS BEST WE CAN.
THANK YOU. THIS MORNING WE'VE GOT BOB HANSEN HERE ALSO.
HE'S A VIEWER AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER VIEWERS THAT WORK TOGETHER AT OUR OFFICE HERE AT FREE LANE COUNTY.
ON COUNTY DITCH 88 THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THIS ONE IS UNIQUE.
THERE'S SEVERAL DITCHES AT ONE FLOWS INTO THE OTHER FLOWS INTO ANOTHER.
ON COUNTY DITCH 8A, WE'VE GOT COUNTY DITCH 82 FLOWS INTO EIGHT, AND COUNTY DITCH EIGHT FLOWS INTO COUNTY DITCH 47A, THEN 47A FLOWS INTO COUNTY DITCH 75.
THESE DITCHES HAVE WHAT'S CALLED OUTLET BENEFITS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THEM IN A BIT, BUT THE DOWNSTREAM DITCH HAS TO BE BIGGER AND CLEANED MORE OFTEN BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA WATER FROM THE UPSTREAM DITCH.
THAT'S HOW WE COME UP WITH OUTLET BENEFITS.
THIS DITCH IS UNIQUE ALSO THAT AT THE OUTLET OF COUNTY DITCH 82 THAT DUMPS INTO 8A.
THERE'S A GATE AT THAT OUTLET THAT SOMEBODY RUNS THAT GATE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BEFORE IN OTHER DITCHES AND IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE HAS BEEN FIGHTS OR ANYTHING OVER THAT GATE ON HOW IT'S RUN.
IT MUST BE RUN, WORK FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
THERE'S JUST SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT IT.
BUT THIS DITCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1967 AND IT REPLACED COUNTY DITCH 8 THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1889 THIS IS 8A THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S 969 ACRES OF CROP LAND AND ROADS WITHIN THIS SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM ENTAILS COUNTY OPEN DITCH AND COUNTY TILE.
THERE 7,800 FEET OF COUNTY OPEN DITCH AND THEN AT THE END OF IT, THE OPEN DITCH DUMPS INTO TILE THERE'S ABOUT 1,800 FEET OF 30-INCH TILE.
AS YOU KNOW, ON A PREDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS, THERE'S A ONE ROD GRASS STRIP THAT HAS TO BE ACQUIRED.
IT'S CONFUSING BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME ONE ROD THAT DAYTON CAME UP WITH A FEW YEARS AGO ON HIS CLEAN WATER ACT.
BUT ON A PREDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS, THE LANDOWNER GETS PAID FOR THAT ONE ROD GRASS STRIP, AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST YEAR AND ANOTHER COUNTIES.
[00:55:03]
IN NICOLLET COUNTY, WE GET INFO FROM THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.THEY HAVE AN ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE FOR THE 2022 AGLAND AT $103 PER CER, THAT'S CROP EQUIVALENCY RATING.
WE USE THAT NUMBER AS OUR VALUE FOR THE ONE ROD GRASS STRIP.
ON LAKE PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP THEIR CER RATING AVERAGE IS 71.5.
WE MULTIPLY THAT BY THE 103, WE END UP WITH $7,364 AN ACRE FOR THAT ONE ROD GRASS STRIP.
THAT'S THE ACRES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CROPLAND BEFORE IT WENT INTO DAYTON'S LAW.
THERE'S 4.09 ACRES AT THAT 7,300 BUCKS AN ACRE, SO WE GOT 30,000 AREA OF GRASS STRIP.
ALSO, IF THE ONE ROD IS IN THROUGH TREES OR THROUGH REM GROUND OR THROUGH A BUILDING SITE THE EASEMENTS STILL HAS TO BE ESTABLISHED.
THOSE ACRES ARE PAID AT 10 PERCENT OF LAND VALUES, 736 AN ACRE.
THERE'S JUST SHORT OF TWO ACRES OF THOSE 10 PERCENT VALUE ACRES THERE AT $1,450.
ALSO, AS YOU KNOW, ON ALL THE DITCHES THAT WE'VE DONE IN MOST COUNTIES AND NICOLLET COUNTY, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED AN ACCESS EASEMENT.
THERE'S 100 FEET FROM THE CENTER OF THE OPEN DITCH AND OUT EACH WAY.
THE OPEN DITCH SOMEONE WAS PAID FOR THAT ONE WHEN THE DITCH WAS ESTABLISHED TO 16.5 FEET IS PAID.
NOW WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE, THERE'S 7,300.
THIS ACCESS EASEMENT IS THE 50 OR 60 FEET THAT'S OUTSIDE THE ONE ROD GRASS STRIP, THAT'S PAID AT FIVE PERCENT OF LAND VALUE.
ALL THESE ARE A ONETIME PAYMENT AND THAT 50 OR 60 FEET IF THEY'RE CLEANING THE OPEN DITCH AND CAN'T GET ALL THE SPOILS ON THAT ONE ROD GRASS STRIP THEY CAN SPREAD IT OUTSIDE ON THAT 50 OR 60 FEET.
ODDS ARE THAT COUNTY WILL NEVER BE OUT THERE BUT IT'S JUST AN INSURANCE POLICY IF THEY NEED MORE ROOM TO WORK.
ALSO IF THERE'S A FEMA EVENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY JUST HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND DO WORK.
THEY CAN GET OUTSIDE THAT ONE ROD GRASS STRIP.
IF THERE'S CORN OR BEANS OUT THERE, IF ANY CORNS OR BEANS GET RUINED, THE LANDOWNER GETS PAID FOR THE CROP THAT IS RUINED.
BUT ON THE ACCESS EASEMENT, THERE'S 23 ACRES THERE.
AT THE 368, WE'VE GOT $8,500 WORTH OF EASEMENT THERE.
THE TOTAL EASEMENT DAMAGES FOR COUNTY DITCH 8A ARE $40,084.
ALSO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ONE FLOWING INTO ANOTHER DITCH ON OUR ESTIMATED EASEMENT, ON ALL THE INFO THAT THE LANDOWNERS GOT, WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT.
ON THAT ESTIMATE ASSESSMENT FOR 8A WE'VE GOT 40,000 WORTH OF GRASS STRIP THAT NEEDS TO BE ACQUIRED.
BUT ALSO COUNTY DITCH 82 DUMPS INTO 8, SO 82 IS PAYING PART OF COUNTY DITCHES EIGHTS BILL.
COUNTY DITCH 82 IS PAYING 31 PERCENT OF THE 40,000.
THEN COUNTY DITCH EIGHT DUMPS INTO COUNTY DITCH 47.
COUNTY IT'S COMPLICATED AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT ONE IS PAYING INTO ANOTHER, PAYING INTO ANOTHER.
ON THE ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT THAT WE USED FOR THE LANDOWNERS ON COUNTY DITCH 8A, WE USE $48,000 AS AN ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT THAT COVERS THE GRASS STRIP COST ON THESE REDETERMINATIONS THAT ALL FLOW ONE TO THE OTHER.
THE BENEFITS ON THIS SYSTEM, 752,514 OF BENEFITS BY DITCH LAW WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, HOW DOES THAT PROPERTY BENEFIT FROM THE DITCH SYSTEM OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD? THAT'S 750,000 IS WHAT THE VIEWERS USE OR CAME UP WITH OUR BENEFIT VALUES.
I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE NUMBERS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE BOUGHT A BOOK LIKE THIS ON EVERY SINGLE SYSTEM THAT WE WORK ON.
ANYTIME WE GET A CALL FROM A LANDOWNER OR THEY WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE DID ON THEIR PROPERTY, WE'RE HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP, SHOW THEM WHAT WE DID ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEIR NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY, SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON ANY QUESTIONS.
[01:00:03]
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE? I'LL CERTAINLY ANSWER THEM DRY.>> DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. BARRON'S AT THIS POINT BEFORE I OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING?
>> HE'S BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF THIS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF THIS.
>> I WON'T GO INTO AS MUCH DETAIL ON THE NEXT ONE.
>> THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT, WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE HEARING.
WOULD ANYONE WISH TO COMMENT ON COUNTY DITCH 8A? ANY COMMENTS ON COUNTY DITCH 8A? FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME, ANY COMMENTS ON COUNTY DITCH 8A? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL OF THE FINDINGS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PREDETERMINATION BENEFITS OF COUNTY DITCH 8A?
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> NOW WE NEED A MOTION AND DISCUSSION TO DIRECT A PUBLIC SERVICES TO PREPARE FINDINGS AND THE ORDER TO BE SUBMITTED AT THE NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. COUNTY DITCH 39.
THIS DITCH IS RIGHT SOUTH OF NICOLLET, QUITE A FEW OTHER DITCHES FLOW IN AND THROUGH COUNTY DITCH 39.
THERE ARE ONLY 328 ACRES WITHIN THIS COUNTY DITCH 39.
BUT THERE'S ABOUT 15,000 ACRES THAT ARE NORTH OF THAT, THAT FLOW-THROUGH ALONG WITH DUCK LAKE AND MIDDLE LAKE END UP GOING THROUGH COUNTY DITCH 39.
THERE'S A LOT OF ACRES THAT FLOW THROUGH THERE.
WE'VE GOT OUTLET BENEFITS ON THOSE OTHER SYSTEMS. WE'VE GOT COUNTY DITCH 4A FLOWS THROUGH THERE.
THEY WOULD PAY 67.7% OF ALL A REPAIR ON COUNTY DITCH 39, AND COUNTY DITCH 11 AND 12A FLOW THROUGH THERE.
THOSE DITCHES ARE 11 WILL PAY 30.1% OF ALL THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON 39, SO THERE IS 97.8% OF ALL THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON 39 IS PAID FOR BY OTHER SYSTEMS. THERE'S ONLY OPEN DITCH ON THIS SYSTEM, NO COUNTY TILE.
THERE'S ABOUT 4,180 FEET OF OPEN DITCH.
THE GRASS STRIP THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THERE AGAIN, WE USE THE CER RATING TIMES AT 103.
WE USE $7,457 AN ACRE TIMES 2.3 ACRES THAT WAS AT CROPLAND.
THERE'S 15,000 THERE THROUGH NON-BENEFITED OR BUILDINGS.
WE'VE GOT 2.26 ACRES PAID AT THAT 10% OF LAND VALUE.
THE ACCESS EASEMENT THAT 50 OR 60 FEET THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S 11.75 ACRES THERE, SO WE GET 4,000 BUCKS THERE.
THERE'S JUST SHORT OF 22,000 WORTH OF EASEMENT THAT HAS TO BE ACQUIRED ON THAT SYSTEM.
BUT ON THE EASEMENT, THOSE OTHER DITCHES NORTH OF THERE THAT FLOW THROUGH THERE, THEY'RE PAYING BY FAR THE MAJORITY OF IT.
ON THE ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT THAT THE LANDOWNERS GOT ON COUNTY DITCH 39, WAS ONLY BASED OFF FROM $1,000 BECAUSE THE OTHER 21,000 WAS PAID FOR BY THE OTHER DITCHES.
ON THIS SYSTEM, THERE'S $427,910 WORTH OF BENEFITS.
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE HEARING FOR COUNTY DITCH 39.
[01:05:07]
WOULD ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS THE AUTHORITY FOR COUNTY DITCH 39? THE THIRD TIME, HEARING AND SEEING NOTHING FOR COUNTY DITCH 39, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING AND SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> I NEED A MOTION TO DIRECT PUBLIC SERVICES TO PREPARE FINDINGS IN ORDER TO BE SUBMITTED AT OUR NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> THANK YOU. WE CAN MOVE ON TO COUNTY DITCH 47A.
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN, COUNTY DITCH 47A WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1952, AND IT REPLACED THE ORIGINAL COUNTY DITCH 47 THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1907.
THIS DITCH HAS NOT BEEN RE-DETERMINED SINCE 1952.
THERE'S 4,130 ACRES WITHIN THIS SYSTEM.
IT'S COUNTY OPEN DITCH AND COUNTY TILE.
THERE'S ABOUT 8.7 MILES OF COUNTY OPEN DITCH.
THERE'S ABOUT HALF A MILE OF COUNTY TILE.
A TILE RANGE FROM 10-14 INCHES.
AGAIN, ON THE GRASS STRIP, WE USED OUR SAME STRATEGY OR THE WAY WE DID IT BEFORE TIMES 103, THE CER WE'VE GOT $7,364 AN ACRE.
THERE'S 28.17 ACRES THAT NEED TO BE ACQUIRED ON THIS SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF OPEN DITCH.
THERE'S $211,000 THERE OF GRASS STRIP.
THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF GRASS STRIP EASEMENT PAID THROUGH.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S A BUILDING SITE OR TREES, BUT THEY'RE JUST SHORT OF 1/10 OF AN ACRE THERE, AND ALSO THE ACCESS EASEMENT.
THERE'S 111 ACRES OF ACCESS EASEMENT PAID AT 5% OF LAND VALUE.
ON THIS SYSTEM, THERE'S A LOT OF EASEMENT DAMAGES THAT NEED TO BE PAID.
THERE'S $252,654 OF EASEMENT FOR COUNTY DITCH 47A.
COUNTY DITCH 8A, DUMPS INTO 47A, SO THEY'RE GOING TO PAY PART OF THAT BILL.
THEY WILL PAY 8% OF THAT BILL.
THE NUMBER THAT WERE USED FOR THE LANDOWNERS ON THEIR ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT WAS $236,000.
FOR THE ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT, THE BENEFITS ON THIS SYSTEM OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD ARE $3,697,000.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> EXCUSE ME. HOW MANY ACRES OF BUFFER?
>> THERE'S ABOUT 29 ACRES OF BUFFER.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? AT THIS POINT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO COMMENT ON COUNTY DITCH 47A? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO COMMENT ON COUNTY DITCH 47A? LASTLY, NO COMMENTS.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PREDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR COUNTY DITCH 47A?
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING AND SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> THE MOTION TO DIRECT PUBLIC SERVICES TO PREPARE FINDINGS IN ORDER TO BE SUBMITTED AT THE NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY.
>> ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO COUNTY DITCH 78.
NOT THE LATERAL, JUST THE BASIC 78.
>> COUNTY DITCH 78 WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1960.
IT REPLACED COUNTY DITCH 7, COUNTY DITCH 34, AND COUNTY DITCH 5.
[01:10:01]
THE OFFICIAL COUNTY DITCH 78 IS SINCE 1960.SOME OF THE OTHERS WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY THAT OLD COUNTY DITCH 5 WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1890.
ON THIS SYSTEM, THERE ARE 9,735 ACRES WITHIN THIS SYSTEM.
IT'S GOT BOTH COUNTY OPEN DITCH AND COUNTY TILE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY BIG SYSTEM.
THERE ARE 16.3 MILES OF COUNTY OPEN DITCH, 8.1 MILES OF COUNTY TILE.
THE GRASS STRIP EASEMENT FOR THIS SYSTEM, THERE ARE 63.5 ACRES THAT NEED TO BE ACQUIRED AT $7,354 AN ACRE.
AGAIN, A VERY EXPENSIVE SYSTEM.
THERE'S 467,000 OF EASEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE ACQUIRED THERE.
THERE'S A FEW ACRES OF EASEMENT AT 10%, 1.5 ACRES.
THE ACCESS EASEMENT THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, 219 ACRES OF ACCESS EASEMENT PAID AT 5% OF LAND VALUE, SO THERE'S $80,000 THERE.
TOTAL EASEMENT DAMAGES ON COUNTY DITCH 78 ARE JUST SHORT OF 550,000.
AGAIN, THEIR ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT, WE JUST BASED IT OFF FROM THAT 550,000.
THE BENEFITS OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD ARE 8,070,000 WORTH OF BENEFITS.
WE'VE GOT COUNTY DITCH 78 LATERAL TOO THAT DUMPS INTO HERE.
THEY WILL PAY 2% OF THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON COUNTY DITCH 78.
ALSO COUNTY DITCH 71 THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH OF THESE HERE TODAY, COUNTY DITCH 71 WILL HAVE A 4% OUTLET BENEFIT INTO 78. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP?
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR COUNTY DITCH 78.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
>> GOOD MORNING, PETER ANTHONY.
I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE NUMBER USED FOR THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION AS FAR AS DOLLARS PER ACRE.
THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THERE IS $7,354 PER ACRE, WHICH IS THE TOWNSHIP AVERAGE.
I THINK THAT ONE OF THE GOALS HERE IS TO REFLECT A REASONABLE ASSESSMENT OF THE MARKET VALUE OF THAT AG LAND.
COMPARING THIS NUMBER WITH OTHERS, THE PREVIOUS RE-DETERMINATION WE WERE INVOLVED IN WAS JUDICIAL DITCH 12 IN 2018.
THAT RE-DETERMINATION, FOUR YEARS AGO, USED TO BE $8,100 PER ACRE.
THE $7,354 PER ACRE IS BASED ON THE ASSESSMENTS THAT WERE IN PLACE AT THE TIME THAT THE INITIAL DRAFT OF THE RE-DETERMINATION WAS DONE.
THE CURRENT ASSESSED VALUES FOR THE AG LAND IN JD78, I WENT THROUGH THEM TRACK BY TRACK, RANGE FROM $8,300 PER ACRE UP TO $9,800 PER ACRE, AND THE APPRAISER THAT THE COUNTY HIRED LAST YEAR FOR COUNTY ROAD 15, RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION CAME UP WITH NUMBERS THAT WERE IN THE BALLPARK OF $12,000 PER ACRE FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION ON AG LAND.
IN LIGHT OF THOSE OTHER NUMBERS, $7,350 SEEMS PERHAPS UNREALISTICALLY LOW.
I SPOKE WITH MR. BARRONS ON THE PHONE ABOUT THIS IN NOVEMBER AND HE THOUGHT THAT THE RIGHT AVENUE WAS TO BRING THIS TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
IN LIGHT OF THAT, I'D REQUEST THAT THE BOARD IN CONSULTATION WITH MR. BARRONS,
[01:15:04]
RE-EVALUATE THAT PER-ACRE NUMBER USED FOR THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION AND PERHAPS ARRIVE AT A NUMBER THAT MIGHT MORE REALISTICALLY REFLECT CURRENT VALUES. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE AT 30 REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 78? THE THIRD TIME, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD [NOISE] REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 78? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION AND FOR APPROVAL.
COMMISSIONER MORROW, YOU LOOK PUZZLED.
>> WELL, MADAM CHAIR, I'M JUST LOOKING AT OUR INSTRUCTION SHEET HERE.
IF THE BOARD FEELS THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MAY BE NEEDED DO WE DO THAT DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION? I'M GETTING A NOD, YES.
>> CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY NOT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> I'M GOING TO JUST BE CLEAR THAT I'M GOING TO ASK MADAM CHAIR, FOLLOWING MR. ANTHONY'S COMMENTS, AND MR. BARRON'S, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY GUY THAT I KNOW.
MR. ANTHONY HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU, BUT IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD AND JUST HELP US UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION VALUE AND HOW AND WHEN THAT'S DETERMINED.
>> THIS NUMBER THAT WE USE FROM THE ASSESSORS OFFICE, WE TALKED TO THEM $103, THIS RE-DETERMINATION STARTED MAYBE A YEAR AGO, I'M GUESSING, FROM THE TIME WE GET APPOINTED, GET THE MAPS, DO OUR WORK, HAVE THE MEETINGS TILL WE'RE HERE TODAY.
BEING HONEST, I CAN'T DISAGREE THAT TODAY'S VALUE IS HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR SHEET, BUT AGAIN, IT'S A MOVING TARGET ON HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE WORK TO BE COMPLETED, AND WE HAVE TO PULL THE TRIGGER AT SOME POINT AND SAY, THAT'S THE NUMBER WE'RE GOING TO USE.
THE $103 IS WHAT WE'VE USED ON THE OTHER SYSTEMS, AND I KNOW THERE'S LAND THAT'S SELLING FOR $10,000 AND $12,000 AN ACRE, BUT I DON T KNOW IF THAT'S THE NUMBER THE BOARD WANTS US TO USE.
WE'LL CERTAINLY DO WHAT WE'RE ASKED TO DO, BUT THIS WAS A RATIONALE ON HOW WE CAME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS.
TOWNSHIPS CER TIMES THAT 103 = X, AND THAT'S WHAT WE USED.
>> MADAM CHAIR, MAY I? I APPRECIATE YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A MOMENT IN TIME WE HAVE TO SAY THAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO MOVE UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF A PROCESS.
SIR, I'M GOING TO USE A PHRASE INDUSTRY STANDARD OF THE MOMENT AT WHICH FOLKS IN YOUR POSITION SAY, WE'RE GOING TO USE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT EXISTS AT THIS STAGE OF THE PROCESS.
IS THERE A COMMON PRACTICE ON THAT DETERMINATION?
WE HAD EVEN ASKED A COUNTY BOARD OR TWO IF THEY WANTED TO SET THE VALUE FOR ALL OF THE GRASS STRIP ON THE RE-DETERMINATIONS IN THEIR COUNTY AND THEY SHIED AWAY FROM THAT, BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS AN OPTION.
THIS WAS AND IS OUR RATIONALE AND [NOISE] CERTAINLY LISTEN TO OPTIONS.
>> PLEASE, NO. I'M NOT CALLING YOU INTO QUESTION.
I JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
>> THEN CONVERSELY, IF WE USE A HIGHER MARKET VALUE, THE CHARGES TO LANDOWNERS INCREASE.
>> THE PAYMENTS TO LANDOWNERS INCREASE.
>> YES. THE GUY ALONG THE OPEN DITCH WOULD PROBABLY LIKE TO HAVE IT AT $10,000.
THE GUY OF 40 AWAY THINKS $10,000 IS TOO MUCH, AND I GET THAT.
>> MADAM CHAIR, THERE'S PROBABLY 10 PEOPLE IN HERE IN THIS ROOM THAT 80 CAME UP FOR SALE AT $7,300 AN ACRE AND THEY WERE READY TO WRITE DOWN PAYMENT CHECK.
>> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD HESITATE IN THIS ROOM.
>> MADAM CHAIR, COULD YOU DO THE MATH JUST TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT MAYBE HE'S TALKING ABOUT, FROM $73,000-$10,000 ON THIS PROJECT, IN A QUICKER WAY AND WHAT THAT WOULD AH.
[01:20:05]
FROM THE $550,000, IT'D BE UP TO $675,000.
IT WOULD BE NEIGHBORS PAYING NEIGHBORS.
>> MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE STANDING AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
I WONDER IF THIS COMPANY, FOR EXAMPLE, MAY HAVE INFORMATION ASSURANCE.
>> THANK YOU. IN ADDITION TO MARK'S COMMENTS, I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT THESE LANDOWNERS STILL DO OWN THAT PROPERTY.
THEY CAN HEVE IT, THEY STILL OWN THAT PROPERTY VERSUS MAYBE A RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION WHERE THE ROAD IS TAKING THE PROPERTY.
IT IS AN EASEMENT, JUST A REMINDER OF THAT SO IF THEY GO TO SELL IT, THEY STILL SELL THAT PROPERTY WITH IT.
I GET IT, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A VALUE DISPUTE.
BUT ALSO IN PERTAINING TO IF IT GOES UP, THAT LANDOWNER GETS PAID MORE BUT THEIR ASSESSMENT IS ALSO MORE.
THEY ALSO ARE PAYING A PIECE OF THE PIE TO PAY FOR ALL THE BUFFERS.
THEY GET CHECKS AND BILLS AND SO THEIR BILL GOES UP BUT THEIR PAYMENT GOES UP AS WELL.
IT'S A CONSIDERATION BUT I ALSO WANTED TO JUST REMIND THEM, MIND YOU ALL, THAT THEY DO STILL OWN THE PROPERTY AND STILL HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.
THEY ARE LIMITED ON WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THE PROPERTY, THOUGH.
>> MS. GOEBEL, IF YOU JUST WAIT ONE MOMENT.
MR. GREEN, I KNOW WE HAD $12,000 FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY ACCESS BUT THAT ARE EASEMENT.
BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF EASEMENT THAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> IN THIS CASE, THEY HAVE MORE USE OF LAND THAN WHEN YOU ARE ACQUIRING LAND ON, SAY, 15.
>> MADAM CHAIR, FOR A LOT OF THESE LANDOWNERS, THEY GOT THEIR STRIP, THEY OWN IT.
THEY ALSO GOT TO CONTROL THE WEEDS ON IT.
SOME OF THEM WILL WANT TO HAVE IT, SOME DON'T.
IT CAN BE A NEGATIVE OR A POSITIVE AND IF IT'S POSITIVE IT'S A PRETTY WEAK POSITIVE.
>> SOME OF IT IS DOUBLE-DIP THEN ENROLLED IN CRP SO THEY'RE GETTING PAYMENTS FOR THAT TOO.
>> THE OTHER THING IS, IF YOU OWN THAT LAND ALONG THE DITCH YOU PAY THE HIGHEST ASSESSMENTS, CORRECT? ON THE FIRST QUARTER MILE? HE'S NODDING YES.
>> YEAH. MAYBE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE AT ON THERE, DEPENDING IF YOU'RE ON THE OUTLET AND HOW MUCH BENEFIT YOU GET FROM IT SOMETIMES BEING ON THE DITCH.
>> BUT ONLY THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO THE DITCH PAY THE MOST.
>> WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THIS TODAY.
>> WHAT ARE THE WISHES OF THE BOARD?
>> DOES MR. ANTHONY HAVE AN APPEAL PERIOD TO APPEAL THIS?
>> YES. THE PROCEDURE IS THAT AFTER TODAY IF APPROVED, THE APPEAL PERIOD WOULD START AFTER THE FINDINGS ARE APPROVED AT THE NEXT DRAINAGE MEETING, WHICH WILL BE ON JANUARY 3RD.
THEN THERE'S A 30-DAY APPEAL PERIOD.
>> MANTRA AND HEARING MR. ANTHONY'S POINTS, TAKING THEM INTO CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I THINK MR. BARRONS IS STILL AT A POINT WHERE HE'S GOT TO CHOOSE DOLLAR VALUE AT SOME POINT IN THE PROCESS AND HE'S TRIED TO BE CONSISTENT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IN THE PROCESS HE MAY USE.
WITHOUT STATUTORY OR JUDICIAL DIRECTION AS TO WHAT DAY AND TIME WE TAKE THAT SNAPSHOT, I'M INCLINED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS THE VALUE AT THE TIME AND IT COULD GO UP, COULD GO DOWN BEFORE THAT PROCESS ENDS.
>> THANK YOU. IS THAT A MOTION?
>> DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO COMMISSIONER MORROW'S MOTION?
>> I'LL SECOND, I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> MADAM CHAIR AND FOLKS HERE, IF A LANDOWNER APPEALS AND WINS THE APPEAL THAT I SAID $10,000, DOES THAT MESS UP ALL THE REST OF THE RE-DETERMINATIONS ON ALL THE REST OF THE DITCHES THAT WE REDETERMINE OR NOT?
>> THE APPEAL WOULD ONLY BE ON COUNTY DITCH 78.
>> JUST ON THAT. BUT THEN WE HAVE AN IDEA HERE THAT THIS IS THE NUMBER WE USED HERE AND MAYBE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE RE-DETERMINATION.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS POINT? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, SARAH, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL?
[01:25:05]
>> YES AND I THINK THE RIGHT THING IS LET PETER PURSUE IF HE WANTS TO APPEAL.
AT THIS POINT, I NEED A MOTION TO DIRECT A PUBLIC SERVICES MANAGER TO PREFER THE FINDINGS IN ORDER TO BE SUBMITTED AT THE JANUARY 3RD DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.
>> HEARING AND SEEING NO COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO COUNTY DITCH 78 LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4.
>> THANK YOU. COUNTY DITCH 78 LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4 DUMPS INTO COUNTY DITCH 78 SO THERE'S AN OUTLET BENEFIT FOR THIS LATERAL INTO 78.
THIS DITCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1963, THERE ARE 750 ACRES WITHIN THIS SYSTEM, IT'S GOT COUNTY OPEN DITCH, NO COUNTY TILE, THERE'S ABOUT 1.6 MILES OF COUNTY OPEN DITCH.
AGAIN, WE USE THAT SAME VALUE, $7,354 FOR THE EASEMENT.
WE'VE GOT 46,000 THERE FOR THE GRASS STRIP EASEMENT AND ON THE ACCESS EASEMENT, A FIVE PERCENT OF LAND VALUE.
WE'VE GOT 21 ACRES THERE OF 7,800.
ON THIS SYSTEM, THE TOTAL DAMAGES WERE 54,198.
BUT LIKE I SAID, 78 LATERAL 2 DUMPS INTO 78, SO LATERAL 2 IS PAYING A PORTION OF 78'S GRASS STRIP.
THE NUMBER THAT WE USED FOR THEIR ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT ON LATERAL 2 WAS 66,000.
THAT PAYS FOR THEIR 54,000 PLUS SEVEN DOLLARS OVER THERE ON 78.
ON THE BENEFITS FOR 78 LATERAL 2, WE'VE GOT 730,868 OF BENEFITS OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD.
[NOISE] AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE FROM THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. BARRONS? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON COUNTY DITCH 78 LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4? LASTLY, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RE-DETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR 78 LATERAL 2 BRANCH 4?
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> I NEED A MOTION TO DIRECT THE FINDINGS FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
>> WE WILL MOVE ON TO COUNTY DITCH 82.
>> COUNTY DITCH 82 IS ONE OF THE DITCHES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
EIGHTY TWO DUMPS INTO COUNTY DITCH 8, WHICH THEN WORKS ITS WAY DOWN THE LINE.
THERE'S 2,347 ACRES WITHIN COUNTY DITCH 82.
WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL THE ACRES WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
BUT WE'VE GOT ACRES THAT OUR TREES OR WHAT WE CALL NON BENEFITED ACRES THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN SLOW.
IT'S NEVER BEEN FARMED, NEVER WILL BE.
WE ACCOUNT FOR THOSE ACRES, BUT THOSE ACRES HAVE A ZERO BENEFIT VALUE TIED TO THEM.
ON THIS SYSTEM, THERE ARE 760 ACRES THAT ARE CONSIDERED NON BENEFITED.
SO BASICALLY A THIRD OF THOSE ACRES OR TREES OR SLEW.
SO THEY'RE INCLUDED BUT ZERO BENEFITS.
THERE IS COUNTY OPEN DITCH AND COUNTY TILE.
THERE'S 3.3 MILES OF COUNTY OPEN DITCH.
ABOUT 4,500 FEET OF COLONY TILE RANGE FROM 8" TO 18".
[01:30:05]
THE GRASS STRIP PAYMENT HERE ON CROP LAND ACRES, $7,364 AN ACRE TIMES 10.6 ACRES.WE'VE GOT 78,000 OF GRASP GRIP EASEMENT HERE.
ON NON BENEFITED OR TREES, THE EASEMENT STILL HAS TO BE ESTABLISHED.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THERE'S A LITTLE OVER AN ACRE THERE AT 10 PERCENT OF LAND VALUE.
ON THE FIVE PER CENT ACCESS EASEMENT.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 44 ACRES THAT NEEDS TO BE ACQUIRED THERE AND THERE ARE 16,000 THERE.
SO THE TOTAL EASEMENT DAMAGES ON COUNTY DITCH 82 ARE 95,000.
BUT AGAIN, COUNTY DITCH 82 IS GOING TO PAY PART OF THE DAMAGES AND COUNTY DITCH 8 THAT DUMPS INTO.
THERE'S ABOUT 13,000 THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE ACQUIRED.
YES, WE USED $109,000 AS THE ESTIMATED EASEMENT FOR COUNTY DITCH 82 FOR THIS SYSTEM.
82 IS PAYING 31 PERCENT OF ALL THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON COUNTY DITCH 8.
ON THE BENEFITS OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD, WE'VE GOT 1,079,000 WORTH OF BENEFITS. ANY QUESTION?
>> WE ARE NOW OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON COUNTY DITCH 82.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 82? THE THIRD TIME.
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PREDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR COUNTY DITCH 82.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING AND SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NOW I NEED A MOTION TO DIRECT TO THE PUBLIC SERVICES MANAGER TO PREPARE THE FINDINGS AND ORDERS TO BE PRESENTED ON OUR NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.
>> HEARING AND SEEING NO COMMENT.
>> AYE, AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO COUNTY DITCH 84?
>> COUNTY DITCH 84 IS A TOTALLY TILE SYSTEM.
THIS DITCH IS AWAY FROM THE OTHER DITCHES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
THIS ONE ENCOMPASSES THE TOWN OF KLOSNER.
THERE'S ABOUT 705 ACRES WITHIN THIS SYSTEM.
THERE'S ABOUT 3.7 MILES OF TILE.
THE TILE RANGE FROM 6 " TO 22 ".
IT BENEFITS ON THIS SYSTEM, 433,000 OF BENEFITS.
AND THE ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT THAT WE USED HERE FOR THIS SYSTEM WAS $3,000.
AND THAT WE HAVE TO THROW A NUMBER AT IT THAT COVERS SOME VIEWER COSTS.
MIGHT BE SOME ENGINEERING COSTS, BUT WE JUST USED 3,000 AS A BALLPARK ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT.
WE DON T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'VE GOT IN THAT ACCOUNT.
WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE BLACK ARE IN THE RED X NUMBER OF DOLLARS.
SO THEIR ASSESSMENT MAY BE MORE OR LESS THAN THIS DEPENDING ON WHAT'S IN THEIR ACCOUNT.
BUT THAT'S THE NUMBER WE USED FOR THIS PROCESS.
>> WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WOULD ANYONE WISH TO COMMENT ON COUNTY DITCH 84? COUNTY DITCH 84? LASTLY, COUNTY DITCH 84? WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
>> WHERE DOES THIS OUTLET? IS IT IN A STREAM NEAR THE PORT ROAD OR?
[01:35:04]
>> YEAH, IT'S TO THE WEST OF GLOUCESTER.
THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE AND THEN SOUTH.
>> SO IT'S A WIGGLY LINE THAT GOES SOUTH?
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HEARING AND SEEING NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NOW A MOTION TO BRING IT BACK AFTER THE FINDINGS THAT ARE DRAFTED.
>> AND LASTLY, WE CAN COME BACK TO COUNTY DITCH 71.
>> COUNTY DITCH 71 IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THEN LEARNED THAT THE COUNTY WAS BUYING RIGHT-OF-WAY ALONG COUNTY STATE AID 15.
WAS IT. WE HAD TO ADJUST SOME NUMBERS ALONG 15 THERE.
WE'VE DONE THAT WORK THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS.
THIS SYSTEM IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1921, HAS NOT BEEN REDETERMINED IN A 100 YEARS SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED, THE WAY WE UNDERSTAND IT.
THERE'S JUST SHORT OF 2,200 ACRES IN THIS SYSTEM.
IT'S GOT COUNTY OPEN DITCH AND COUNTY TILE.
THERE'S ABOUT 2.9 MILES OF COUNTY OPEN DITCH.
THERE'S A LOT OF TILE, 9.1 MILES OF TILE THAT RANGE FROM EIGHT INCHES TO 24 INCHES.
THE GRASS STRIP EASEMENT HERE ON THIS SYSTEM, WE USED $7,447 TIMES NINE ACRES.
SO WE'VE GOT 67,000 OF EASEMENT THERE ON CROP LAND ACRES OR WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CROPLAND ACRES.
AT THE 10% VALUE ACRES, WE'VE GOT 0.4 ACRES AND ALSO ON THE ACCESS EASEMENT THAT 50 OR 60 FEET PAID AT 5% OF LAND VALUE.
THERE'S ABOUT 32 ACRES, SO THERE'S $11,000 OF ACCESS EASEMENT ON THIS SYSTEM.
TOTAL EASEMENT DAMAGES IS 79,288.
ON THE ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT, WE USED 84,000 FOR THEIR ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT BECAUSE COUNTY DITCH 71 DUMPS INTO COUNTY DITCH 78, 71 WILL PAY 4% OF THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON COUNTY DITCH 78.
THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT 84,000.
IT'S INTERESTING PREVIOUSLY THE OUTLET BENEFIT FOR 71 INTO 78 WAS JUST SHORT OF 18%.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THAT, BUT GOING FORWARD, IT WILL BE 4%.
THE WAY WE COME UP WITH THOSE OUTLET BENEFITS, WE LOOK AT ACRES IN EACH SYSTEM, HOW MUCH OF THAT DOWNSTREAM OPEN DITCH IS BEING USED, WE LOOK AT IS THE UPSTREAM SYSTEM TILE OR OPEN DITCH? LIKEWISE, HOW MUCH OF THE DOWNSTREAM SYSTEM IS TILE? ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS COME INTO CALCULATIONS AND WE DO OUR BEST TO COME UP WITH A FAIR OUTLET BENEFIT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE 4% HERE.
LIKEWISE, ALL THE OTHER OUTLET BENEFITS THAT WE DETERMINED, THERE'S A LOT OF CALCULATIONS IN THERE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHOW ANYONE HOW WE CAME UP WITH THOSE PERCENTAGES.
THE BENEFITS ON COUNTY DITCH 71 HERE ARE 1,498,000 OF BENEFITS.
AGAIN, I'LL CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> NOW, WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION FOR COUNTY DITCH 71.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THE REDETERMINATION OF BENEFITS FOR COUNTY DITCH 71? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE RECORDING.
>> PETER ANTHONY. I WANT TO REITERATE THE COMMENTS FROM DITCH 78, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE BACKGROUND COMMENT FOR THE BOARD AND THEN OFFER A SUGGESTION.
WITH RESPECT TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY USE, WHICH CAME UP ON DITCH 78,ONE IS REALLY LIMITED ON THE GRASS STRIP USED TO CUTTING GRASS OR MAKING HAY,
[01:40:04]
WHICH IS ABOUT THE SAME USE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE OUT OF THE COUNTY ROAD DITCH.ONE'S ACTUAL EARNING POTENTIAL USES IS REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN A COUNTY ROAD RIGHT OF WAY IF ONE LOOKS AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
SECOND SUGGESTION AS A POLICY MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE, PERHAPS IT'D BE WORTHWHILE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER JUST USING CURRENT ASSESSOR VALUES AT THE TIME THE REDETERMINATION IS FINALIZED RATHER THAN IN THIS CASE, ONES THAT WERE IN PLACE 18 MONTHS AGO OR WHATEVER THAT NUMBER MIGHT BE IN FUTURE REDETERMINATIONS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FOR COUNTY DITCH 71? HEARING, SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FOR COUNTY DITCH 71 REDETERMINATIONS OF BENEFITS.
>> I'LL MOVE IT, I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER KOLARS.
>> MADAM CHAIR, MR. ANTHONY HAS MADE HIS POINT A COUPLE OF TIMES HERE, BUT [NOISE] MAYBE A QUESTION TO MR. BARRON'S 74, 47 AND CD 71 AND 73, 64 AND ALL THE REST OF THEM.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN OR HOW DO THOSE TRIGGERS WORK?
>> WHEN THERE'S MULTIPLE TOWNSHIPS INVOLVED WITH A DITCH, WE USE THE AVERAGE CBR FOR THOSE TOWNSHIPS.
IF THERE'S ONLY ONE TOWNSHIP INVOLVED, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, ON 71 THERE'S ONE TOWNSHIP INVOLVED SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE LANDED IN AVERAGED CER RATINGS FOR TWO TOWNSHIPS.
JUST MOVING FORWARD, I GUESS I AS ONE WOULD FIND, JUST GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO MR. ANTHONY'S SUGGESTION ABOUT WHEN WE WOULD CALCULATE OR INSERT A LAND VALUE.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO GIVE THAT SOME THOUGHT AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THAT SOME THOUGHT AS WELL.
ON THIS DAY YOU SET THE VALUE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BEFORE OUR SECOND LANDOWNER MEETING.
BECAUSE AT THE FIRST LANDOWNER MEETING, ITS BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.
THE SECOND LANDOWNER MEETING, THE LANDOWNERS GET THEIR SPREADSHEETS WITH THEIR INFO, THEIR ESTIMATED ASSESSMENT, THEIR DAMAGES FOR THE GRASS STRIPS.
WHENEVER THAT YOU PULL THE TRIGGER, IT WOULD NEED TO BE BEFORE THE SECOND LANDOWNER MEETING.
>> I IMAGINED THAT. AGAIN, I'M NOT ASKING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION TODAY, BUT WHEN YOU PULL ONE THREAD, THERE MAY BE OTHER THREADS THAT GET PULLED OR AT LEAST THE CONSIDERATION OF YOU MAY GET THIS MUCH MORE IN VALUATION OR LESS, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE AMOUNT OF THE BENEFIT THAT YOU GET.
I GET THAT THIS IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS I MAY BE PRESENTING IT.
>> MADAM CHAIR. I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED THIS HASN'T COME UP BEFORE.
[OVERLAPPING] I'M SURE I'M THE ONLY COMMISSIONER THAT DID GET PAID ON A BUMPER.
I ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO HIT IT WHEN IT WAS FAIRLY LEVELED VALUES AND I WAS SATISFIED.
BUT I CAN BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF VIEW EXPRESSED TODAY.
>> YEAH AND WE'VE EVEN HAD COMMISSIONERS SAY MAYBE VALUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SET WHEN DAYTON'S LAW WENT INTO EFFECT, THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, MAYBE THAT WAS THE DAY THAT VALUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PULLED THE TRIGGER ON THAT DAY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I BELIEVE IN DITCH CONVERSATIONS, WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION AND ELECTED NOT TO KNOWING THAT LAND VALUES WERE GOING TO FLUCTUATE.
SEVEN THOUSANDS STICKS IN MY MIND FOR SOME REASON THAT WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AT THAT POINT IN TIME AND WITH FLUCTUATING LAND VALUES DIDN'T SEEM REASONABLE.
>> IT WASN'T AS CONTROVERSIAL IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WHEN LAND VALUES WERE PRETTY MUCH IN A CHANNEL.
BUT NOW WHEN YOU GET THE HIGH ONES, I GET IT. IT'S MORE CONTROVERSIAL.
>> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FOR THE BOARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NOW WE NEED THE MOTION TO DRAFT THE FINDINGS AND BRING THEM
[01:45:01]
BACK TO THE JANUARY 3RD DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.>> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> I BELIEVE WE CAN ADJOURN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR BUSINESS.
>> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.