Koochiching County commissioners will express frustration of time lines and locations of meetings intended to advance the long-term protection and enhancement of Minnesota’s wetland resources.
The wetland plan comes from an executive order signed by Gov. Mark Dayton in May.
“The issue for us is paramount,” said Commissioner Mike Hanson Tuesday.
Hanson received an email Monday about the governor’s order and the work plan from John Jaschke, executive director of the state’s Board of Water and Soil Resources .
Jaschke said that meetings are planed for Mankato, Bemidji, Iron Range and Twin Cities and notes that agendas will be tailored to address issues and concerns pertinent to those regions.
The county board Tuesday agreed to respond to Jaschke’s email stating their concerns about the time lines and requesting a meeting in Koochiching County, which contains much of the state’s wetland resource.
Dayton’s order directs the BWSR to work with various agencies, with the participation of stake holders, to assess potential changes to current polices that maintain and restore the integrity of Minnesota wetlands and to evaluate and develop recommendations to improve current wetland protection, restoration and mitigation.
Hanson said he’s concerned about time lines, which call for the work to be completed Oct. 31 and ready to present to the governor by Dec. 15.
“In six weeks we could have recommendations to change wetlands rules,” said Hanson.
Commissioner Wade Pavleck, who has taken the lead on many wetland issues for Koochiching County, said he’s troubled that no meetings are scheduled to be held in Borderland.
“We have the most wetlands in the lower 48 states,” Pavleck said of Koochiching County.
Pavleck said the time lines alone are enough to concern Koochiching officials. “In my opinion, that tells the story of an agenda that’s already been set,” he said.
Commissioners said they would contact organizations that represent Koochiching, including the Northern Counties Land Use Coordinating Board for input.
In other land matters, the board Tuesday heard a three-quarter year review of county timber sales from Land Commissioner Dennis Hummitzsch.
Hummitzsch told the board that through mid-August, 82,352 cords of wood have been sold at a value of $2.1 million, with gross receipts reported at $1.9 million. This year’s sales compare with 76,041 cords sold during the same time period in 2011 at a value of $1.9 million, with gross receipts at $1.6 million.
“We’re close to last year,” Hummitzsch told the board. “With normal freeze-up this year in November and December, we should exceed last year by $100,000 to $200,000.”
Hummitzsch told the board the county has never had so much wood sold and still on the stump. He reported that 164,713 cords at $4.1 million is sold, but cuts not yet opened. He estimated that after the November auction, 195,000 cords at $4.8 million value would be sold, but not yet cut.
Meanwhile, the August timber auction sold 24,510 cords of wood for a total sale of $626,325. The price of aspen ranged from $16.75 to $36.80 per cord and the average aspen price was 28.50 per cord. The average of all species sold was $25.55 per cord.
The board heard Nancy Lee of the Health Department urge that more county staff and officials take part in higher levels of incident command training that would be used in the event of an emergency.
Lee assisted Carlton County officials July 1-2 following flooding. The experience, she said, helped her gain knowledge of how Koochiching’s emergency preparedness plan could be carried forward.
The board Tuesday agreed to seek an attorney’s opinion on whether houseboats could be exempted in collecting a lodging tax.
Tom Dougherty, representing Rainy Lake Houseboats, met with the board to follow up on a letter sent by his brother, Bill, regarding the collection of lodging tax.
Bill Dougherty said collection of the tax has had a procedural flaw since the beginning of the inclusion of houseboats in the taxing district. He also said that the local Convention and Visitor Bureau, which receives the tax, has little oversight in its spending of the collected taxes.
“The amount we are collecting from customers has directly impacted our business negatively,” said Dougherty’s letter.
The letter said that from 2007-2011, Rainy Lake Houseboats has paid lodging taxes in excess of $135,000, with the next closest amount collected from one business at $43,000 during the same period.
Pete Schultz, director of the local CVB, attended Tuesday’s meeting but gave no comment to the board.
