Topic: County Board meeting
started by: Liberal
Posted by Liberal on Sep. 14 2006,5:48 pm
FREEBORN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSMEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA
September 19, 2006
Notice is hereby given that the Board of Commissioners of
the County of Freeborn will meet in session on Tuesday September 5, 2006
at 8:30 a.m. in the County Boardroom of the Freeborn County Government
Center at which time the following matters will come before them as well
as other general items which might be presented but are unknown at this
time.
1. Approval of Minutes of the August 16, 17, and 19,
2006 workshops, and September 5, 2006 regular Board meeting.
2. Reports of the Board Committees.
3. Consideration of issues presented by persons of the
general public and/or other general items.
Persons wishing to address the Board concerning matters pertaining to
this agenda as well as any other matters of County concern should ask to
be recognized by the Chair at this time. All presenting items of
consideration shall address the Board of Commissioners as a whole, and
shall not direct comments to individual commissioners, attempt to engage
Commissioners in conversation, or solicit a Commissioner to respond to
the speaker's comments. All speakers are limited to 5 minutes each.
4. 8:45 a.m. -Public Hearing
A. Proposed amendments to Freeborn County Land Use Ordinance 15 -
Planning & Zoning Inspector Wayne Sorensen
5. Reports of various Departments.
A. Report of the County Ditch Inspector.
1) Consideration of repairs to County Ditches.
B. Report of the Auditor/Treasurer Department.
C. Report of the Environmental Services Department.
1) Consideration of Ordinance amendments on Density Limits.
2) Consideration of authorizing assessments on (2) properties for
removal of hazardous structures.
3) Consideration of Scott & Jeannie Jackson lot consolidation,
Manchester Township.
D. Report of the Public Health Department.
1) Consideration adjusting fee for influenza vaccinations.
2) Consideration of WIC (Women Infant & Children) staffing request.
E. Report of the Highway Department.
1) Consider authorization of final payment of CP 06-M-01 (Seal
Coating).
2) Consider authorization of final payment of SAP 24-645-06.
F. Report of the Sheriff's Office.
6. New Business.
7. Old Business.
A. Review, discuss and consider County Attorney's opinion regarding
membership in the Albert Lea/Freeborn County Chamber.
8. Report of the County Administrator.
A. Correspondence.
B. Personnel.
C. General.
D. Finance.
9. Other items as necessary but unknown at this time.
10. County Commissioner's items.
11. Approval of Claims.
12. Adjournment
General Procedures for Conducting a Public Hearing
The Presiding Officer will introduce the agenda item, open the public
hearing, and announce the following Rules of Order.
All comments by proponents, opponents, or the public shall be made from
the speaker's rostrum and an individual making comments shall first give
their name and address. This is required because an official record of
the public hearing is being made.
It is not necessary to be a proponent or opponent in order to speak. If
you consider yourself neither a proponent nor opponent, please speak
during the proponent portion and identify yourself as neither a
proponent nor an opponent.
No comments shall be made from any other location, and anyone making out
of order comments may be subject to removal from the meeting.
There will be no demonstrations during or at the conclusion of anyone's
presentation.
These rules are intended to promote an orderly system of holding a
public hearing, to give every person an opportunity to be heard, and to
ensure that no individual is embarrassed by exercising their right of
free speech.
BARRIER FREE: All Freeborn County Board of Commissioners meetings are
accessible to the handicapped. Attempts will be made to accommodate any
other individual needs for special services. Please contact
Administration (507) 377-5116 early so necessary arrangements can be
made.
Posted by Liberal on Sep. 14 2006,6:02 pm
Will the CA come up with the same answer as the Attorney General.| Quote |
Memberships and Dues There is no general authorization for cities to join “private” organizations; but there may be specific statutory or charter authority to join specific organizations. For example, cities and urban towns in Minnesota may pay dues to become members of the League of Minnesota Cities. Similarly, cities, counties, and towns may appropriate money for membership in county, regional, state, and national associations of a civic, educational, or governmental nature. These associations must have as their purpose the betterment and improvement of municipal governmental operations. This authorization also allows public entities to participate in the meetings and activities of these associations. The Attorney General’s Office has determined that local units of government may not pay dues to a local chamber of commerce. However, because cities may appropriate up to $50,000 to an incorporated development society or organization for promotional activities, a city could contract with a local chamber of commerce for one of the purposes authorized by statute, such as promoting the city.2 The chamber’s use of the public funds would be limited to the statutorily authorized activities. We urge cities to review documents submitted by the chamber of commerce to verify that the money is spent for contracted statutory purposes. 1 In addition, EDAs have authority to conduct activities advancing the city and its economic development, and to carry out other public relations activities to promote the city and its economic development. 2 EDAs have broader authority to join an official, industrial, commercial or trade association, or other organization concerned with one of the EDA’s authorized purposes. < http://www.osa.state.mn.us/other....ent.pdf > |
Posted by MADDOG on Sep. 14 2006,7:11 pm
This will be very interesting. I believe the county has paid membership dues in the past to the Chamber. If the county attorney follows the State Auditor's determination, wouldn't the county have to ask to be paid back the past membership dues they've paid to the chamber, or would this still be in direct violation of Minnesota law?
Posted by Ole1kanobe on Sep. 15 2006,8:33 am
Wonder what kind of odds Vegas would give on the board violating this statute?1:1?
Posted by Liberal on Sep. 19 2006,9:45 am
The County Attorney opinion was 5 pages long and more or less said said, "Do whatever you want"The vote was 2-3 with Behrends and Mullenbach wanting to be members of the Chamber.
Posted by Ole1kanobe on Sep. 19 2006,12:05 pm
| Quote (Liberal @ Sep. 19 2006,9:45am) |
| The County Attorney opinion was 5 pages long and more or less said said, "Do whatever you want" |
Ok, remind me again why we pay this attorney so much for?
Posted by Common Citizen on Sep. 19 2006,12:16 pm
| Quote (Liberal @ Sep. 19 2006,9:45am) |
The vote was 2-3 with Behrends and Mullenbach wanting to be members of the Chamber. |
Good! County Board members don't need to be represented as a Chamber member. It should already be implied that they support the Chamber based on their elected position on the County Board and work collectively towards the same goals of improving the future of our county.
If they want it make them pay for it out of their own pocket.
Posted by MADDOG on Sep. 19 2006,4:09 pm
Kinda of funny, too. As we were leaving the Government Center, Liberal and I were standing in the hall and Susie Peterson walked by and said hello.Sorry, Susie, you lost a membership.
I wonder if Mr. Gabrielsen and entourage will still be alllowed at the Business After Hours tonight?
Posted by GEOKARJO on Sep. 19 2006,10:54 pm
< County Meeting September 19 >Entire Meeting Plus 7 Minutes
Posted by MADDOG on Sep. 20 2006,7:02 am
It will be interesting to see how the Tribune reports this meeting.
Posted by Liberal on Sep. 20 2006,1:12 pm
Nothing from the Trib on the web 
I would have thought they would have had a story in there considering I walked over there and gave them a DVD of the meeting, their packet, a copy of the county attorney's letter, and the papers that Belshan handed out.I realize they're shorthanded since they lost a reporter to Worthington but that just makes me wonder why Worthington has 3 reporters, and Albert Lea only has 2, and I think they only had 1 in Albert Lea until Jim, Ole, Maddog and some others wrote letters to Boone Publishing.
Posted by MADDOG on Sep. 20 2006,1:34 pm
Thanks, GEO, I believe the only way we can know what happened at the county meetings right now is on public access. This gives people have another way. Nothing in the paper. Perhaps when the Tribune retains a reporter??
Posted by hairhertz on Sep. 20 2006,3:11 pm
Sounds like you get a nickel's worth of info from a 50 cent paper; what shame that the AL Trib has deteriorated to this level. Maybe the Trib would have greater subscribership [which would bring in more $$$] if they bothered to really report the local news.
Posted by Ole1kanobe on Sep. 21 2006,10:31 am
The fish wrap did a write up on the meeting.| Quote |
| Chamber Executive Director Susie Petersen on Wednesday said she is disappointed with the decision. “We apparently have not made all the commissioners as aware as we should have of the number of things the chamber does in Freeborn County,” she said. She noted forums the chamber holds forums for county issues as well as helping to raise funds after natural disasters. She noted the Web portal the chamber hosts, which drives traffic to county Web sites at no expense to the county. |
So in a nutshell, she thinks that because the chamber does things in the county, they should be reimbursed for it with membership and due fees from local governemnt??
And the remark about driving traffic to the county web site, does she think the county makes a direct profit by how many people visit that site? That logic would only be valid if the county was actively selling something on the site, which they are not. Using that logic, then this site should be getting kick backs from the county too, since this site drives a lot more traffic to most local sites than the chamber's site ever will.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Sep. 21 2006,10:39 am
| Quote (Ole1kanobe @ Sep. 21 2006,10:31am) | ||
|
Like the damn site has any information worth reading! Last time it was updated I think Gabe was still breaking tape recorders.
Posted by fauxtweet on Sep. 21 2006,10:43 am
Fish wrap..... 
Posted by MADDOG on Sep. 21 2006,12:15 pm
The article fails to mention that in Attorney Nelson's report he said he felt the State Auditor was overstepping their bounds with the statement saying | Quote |
| The Attorney General’s Office has determined that local units of government may not pay dues to a local chamber of commerce. |
Posted by hairhertz on Sep. 21 2006,3:12 pm
Well, Nelson would likely be much more informed that the state's attorney general.
Posted by Ole1kanobe on Sep. 22 2006,9:44 am
Ouch!
Posted by ICU812 on Sep. 22 2006,10:09 am
| Quote |
| Editorial: County’s decision is wishy-washy Friday, September 22, 2006 9:44 AM CDT Freeborn County Commissioner Dan Belshan made the argument, based on a report from the state auditor’s office, that the county shouldn’t join chambers of commerce and similar groups, though it can contract with them for services. He said some taxpayers do want not their money spent on the chamber. He also called six other counties and found those county governments do not belong to their local chambers of commerce. Commissioner Mark Behrends, on the other hand, cited the work of County Attorney Craig Nelson, who had investigated whether the county can join chambers of commerce and similar groups. Nelson, checking several sources including the state attorney general’s office, found county commissioners are free and clear to join chambers and community groups. Behrends added that Freeborn County government benefits from its relationship with its chamber; different counties might find themselves in other circumstances. The Freeborn County commissioners on Tuesday made their decision, on a 3-2 vote, to not renew the membership based on those reports. During the discussion, many commissioners mentioned how well the Albert Lea-Freeborn Chamber of Commerce performs. Belshan mentioned how he favors the work the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce has done. So did Glen Mathiason. So it appears the split wasn’t so much on whether the chamber is doing a good job. Rather, the split was over whether the county should join the chamber because some taxpayers might not agree with their tax dollars being spent on joining an organization they oppose. That’s a wimpy reason to not join the chamber. If a few taxpayers opposed spending tax dollars on gravel for roads, should the county respect those wishes? Should the county drop out of the Association of Minnesota Counties because a few taxpayers oppose that organization? If a few taxpayers have a problem their tax dollars going toward the county’s chamber membership, tough. It’s not up to the taxpayers. It’s up to the county commissioners. Voters elect commissioners to make decisions of merit. If the chamber was doing a poor job, then fine, don’t join. But if the chamber is doing a good job — and it is — and if the county has any interest whatsoever in the well-being of local business, it should join. The county commissioners on Tuesday forgot that 99 percent of local businesses pay their taxes without complaint and on time. And they pay more taxes than the few boisterous folks who complain all the time. Those businesses and their employees will remember Dan Belshan, Glen Mathiason and Jim Nelson in the voting booth. |
Why do I get pissed when I read this?
| Quote |
| The Attorney General’s Office has determined that local units of government may not pay dues to a local chamber of commerce. |
Doesn't the above basically trump all?
Posted by Two Bears on Sep. 22 2006,12:03 pm
I think that Nelson needs to loosen up the chin strap on his cooper helmet and let the blood back in the noodle...Then maybe he will start to think a little more clearly.
Posted by Krusty on Sep. 22 2006,1:20 pm
Makes me wonder who the Chamber is suppose to lobby? Do they lobby the government for their members or the people for the government? I never thought that the purpose of the Chamber was to be one big happy county club where membership means we are all on the same page and greatful to the Chamber for showing us the value they bring to us. Maybe Suzzie needs to clear up for all it's members what it is the Chamber does so that we all can appropriately value it.
Posted by Liberal on Sep. 22 2006,1:26 pm
Well they take all the money from the advertising portals and then give us half of our money back. And they are also going to be in charge of the extra money from the veterans memorial. They're supposedly going to set the money aside for upkeep, even though the memorial will sit on the courthouse lawn.
Posted by Krusty on Sep. 22 2006,1:49 pm
Definitions of Chamber of Commerce on the Web:organization that organizes businesses in town
wells.entirety.ca/glossary.htm
An organization of business people designed to advance the interests of its members. There are three levels: national, state and local.
www.powerhomebiz.com/Glossary/glossary-C.htm
an association of businessmen to protect and promote business interests
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Chambers of commerce are business advocacy groups which are usually not associated with government. They are separate from the Better Business Bureau insofar as there is no national organization that binds them under a formal operations doctrine. Chambers of commerce can also include economic development groups, as well as tourism and visitors bureaus.There are basically two models worldwide, 'compulsory' or 'continental', those which companies of a certain area are obliged to belong to. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_of_commerce
Posted by Common Citizen on Sep. 22 2006,2:12 pm
Thank you Krusty!! Like I said before. The County can support the Chamber but it should not get mixed up with its membership. Technically, if one of the county board members joins the chamber via their position they could eventully be voted in to serve on the Chamber's board. Do we really want local government bureaucrats speaking on behalf of local businesses whether it's at the local, state, or national level. To me that's a conflict of interest. The Chamber does lobby congress from time to time on behalf of its members.
The county needs to remain at arms length.
Posted by Krusty on Sep. 22 2006,2:16 pm
Our local Chamber of Commerce does not list a mission statement on their web site, but here is one I found on the web that is fairly typical:The Farmington Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization of business owners working together to advance the economic and civic development of our community. It is a network of local leadership, pooling the skills, talents and resources of each individual to drive and support continued business opportunity and community improvements. As a business owner, participation in your local Chamber of Commerce is vital to your continued success because your membership creates a positive impact for all businesses across Connecticut. The Farmington Chamber has nearly 320 members as of February 2006. And the Farmington Chamber is one of seven Chambers associated with the MetroHartford Chamber of Commerce. Current membership in the MetroHartford and the Associated Chambers of Commerce is over 3,000 strong, and growing. Statewide, Chambers of Commerce have over 30,000 members. Now that's power! Bring your professional knowledge, creative ideas and leadership abilities to the Chamber and make an important contribution to your community. Too busy to attend meetings? Your membership contribution will help other business leaders promote business concerns across the state. Join the Farmington Chamber of Commerce and be a part of the solution!
Perhaps if the Albert Lea/Freeborn County Chamber did have a public mission statement these types of issues would become clearer and be less likely to be so distructive when they come up. You know, FOCUS!
Posted by hairhertz on Sep. 22 2006,3:01 pm
Is a local chamber operating w/o a mission statement similar to a business operating without a business plan?Maybe the chamber has one, but doesn't want to post it for public scrutiny?
Posted by ICU812 on Oct. 04 2006,7:38 am
No new topic needed for this.With the sale of a portion of the GC to ALPD will the 1.3 million be used on whatever the county feels or will they pay it on the money owed to the bank?
Posted by menace616 on Oct. 04 2006,7:41 am
| Quote (ICU812 @ Oct. 04 2006,7:38am) |
| No new topic needed for this. With the sale of a portion of the GC to ALPD will the 1.3 million be used on whatever the county feels or will they pay it on the money owed to the bank? |
Good question....stay tuned.