Commissioners go back to school, share meeting with students

Every year the Lake of the Woods County Board of Commissioners hold their second regular meeting of February in the ITV room at Lake of the Woods School. Starting at 8:15 a.m., students in junior and senior high school social studies classes can observe county government in action. After introducing themselves to the students, the commissioners started their February 28th meeting this year by unanimously passing Resolution 2023-02-01 honoring Shelley Pepera, retiring on March 3rd after fifteen years of service as a Case Aide in the Social Services Department.

Pepera told the assembled seniors in Mr. Frerick's first-hour social studies class that she has 46 years of work experience at various jobs, including the past fifteen with the county. Board Chair Ed Arnesen presented a plaque, thanked Pepera for her service, and said she would be missed.

In other county related business:
• Paid the Social Services claims as presented by Social Services Supervisor Jodi Ferrier. Ferrier then explained to the students what the Social Services Department does, and outlined the education levels required for an entry-level position in Social Services, telling them; "You need a Bachelor or Master of Arts degree to qualify for a Social Worker's position, and you need to be accountable, dependable, and reliable."

The Commissioners also unanimously approved hiring Mariah Rothfork as a new Social Services worker at grade 13, step 1 for $24.73 per hour.
• Approved the Auditor/Treasurer's claims as presented by Auditor/Treasurer Lorene Hanson. Hanson then outlined for the students the Auditor/Treasurer's Department duties which include various county functions like payroll, property taxes, providing customer service at the licensing counter, paying the county's bills, and putting together the agenda and board packets for commissioners meetings.
• County Engineer A.J. Pirkl then explained to the assembled students how the Public Works Department is responsible for the maintenance and repair of about 800 miles of county roads, 139 bridges, two landfills, three parks, and numerous Judicial Drainage Ditches. "We also deal with the DNR, MPCA, and Army Corps of Engineers," he concluded.

"What's happening with the MPCA?" asked Board Chair Arnesen.

"We're very close to getting the permit to operate the Demo Pile, for the remaining three years of its life," responded Pirkl.

The commissioners then unanimously accepted KGM's low bid of $4,336,705.15 for culvert replacement and paving along County Highway #8 from CR-4 (the Graceton Beach Road) to CR-2 (the county road heading north from Williams).
• Lindsay Marshall from the Historical Society then told the commissioners and assembled students about the county museum telling students she could always use volunteers to help with exhibits, paint floors, and prepare for the county's one-hundred-year celebration. "We need to raise $60,000 to replace the roof," Marshall told the commissioners, "we're going to have a fish fry, a silent auction, and a medallion hunt."

"What are the hours now?" asked Board Chair Arnesen.

"We're open May 19, through October," Marshall responded.

Marshall went on to describe a grant the Historical Society is applying for to add space. "It's a grant for $300,000 with a $30,000 local match," she said.
• Heard a Department of Corrections presentation by Probation Officer Cody Underdahl who explained the steps and levels involved in the probation program. Underdahl explained to the students, "Our district includes Lake of the Woods, Roseau, Kittson, Marshall and Pennington counties. We have one supervisor, 14 agents and four support staff. We have 628 clients within these five counties. The agents are split with 12 agents supervising adult offenders and two supervise juveniles."

Underdahl went on to explain the difference between probation and supervised release, and the steps a prisoner must take to be considered, and granted each, and then explained the Department of Corrections system. "The intake facility is Saint Cloud. Every prisoner enters the system there, and then is transferred to other facilities, including our super-max facility in Oak Park Heights."
• Heard a presentation about the Borderland Treatment Court from County Attorney James Austad, Probation Officer Sarah Achen, and Judge Jerry Shermoen. Achen showed several videos explaining the Treatment Court system. Judge Shermoen explained that participation in the Treatment Court Program is strictly voluntary, with those completing the program having a higher recovery rate than the national average. "85% of the cases appearing in front of a judge will involve alcohol," he told the students.
• Unanimously approved removal of trees north of Jim's Corner deemed too tall to allow a safe approach to a private airport being constructed on private property on the North West Angle. Only a few trees on county property called Northerly Park will need to be cut back to ensure an FAA-compliant approach slope.
• The students heard a presentation from Lake of the Woods Deputy Craig Severs about the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force. Severs told the students that the task force targets sellers and suppliers of illicit prescription and illegal drugs. "We don't see heroin anymore," Severs told the students, "Now we're seeing Fentanyl."

Severs told the students that in 2022 the task force dealt with 292 cases, made 217 arrests, and seized 24 firearms. They also seized 221 grams of cocaine, 191 pounds of marijuana, 1125 doses of Fentanyl, and 1925 grams of methamphetamines.
• Heard from Land and Water Planning Director Josh Stromlund about what his office does. "We're looking into removing buckthorn from the gun range property," he told the board.

Buckthorn is an invasive species which will be removed by Minnesota Conservation Corps crews brought into the area for that purpose at little to no cost to the county. The commissioners unanimously approved having the Land and Water Office remove the buckthorn from county property.
• Heard a presentation of the Toward Zero Death program from County Engineer A.J. Pirkl, Coordinator Sue Johnson, MNDOT Engineer JT Anderson out of Bemidji and MNDOT District 2 Assistant Engineer Brian Ketring. Johnson emphasized wearing seat belts and avoiding driving distractions like cell phones to the students. Also discussed were engineering programs to reduce deaths like cable barriers, more roundabouts, rumble strips, recessed highway striping, and lighting at rural intersections.
• Heard from Brenda Nelson about new 4-H projects for the coming year. The new programs will include a Shooting Sports and Wildlife Club and a Dog Obedience Clinic. Nelson said the local 4-H program serves about 90 kids in the area.
• Heard a presentation from DNR Fisheries Assistant Supervisor Matt Skoog, who described sampling procedures and fish populations over the last twenty years in Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. Skoog then discussed the education requirements for a position in the DNR, his schooling, and told the students and commissioner, "this is my last day as Assistant Supervisor. Tomorrow I will be the Supervisor."

After a few more fish stories, Mr. Frerick dismissed the students to go to their lockers, and there being no further county-related business to conduct, Board Chair Ed Arnesen recessed the meeting at 3:05 p.m.