The community’s cold weather testing capabilities could be doubled with action expected by Koochiching County commissioners Tuesday.
The county board meeting is scheduled to begin in committee at 9 a.m. with a 2012 Legislature session review by Sen. Tom Saxhaug and Rep. Tom Anzelc.
The regular board meeting is scheduled to follow at 10 a.m. Both meetings are scheduled to take place in the boardroom at the courthouse. An agenda is considered tentative until the government body begins the meeting and makes additions or deletions to the proposed agenda.
The county board is scheduled to consider funding a portion of the construction of a second cold box that could generate an additional $500,000 annually into the community.
The board reversed its decision this week about funding the cold box. This week, it agreed to ask the International Falls, through its Economic Development Authority, to consider funding the full $640,000 needed to construct the cold box with the city retaining 2-percent interest earnings on the loan.
However, a day later, the board told the city that after considering its budget policy, it will Tuesday consider committing $350,000 of economic development funds for the cold box project. The action is expected to be contingent on the final numbers of the project cost and full loan repayment to each the city and county plus the shared interest earnings.
Should the board move forward on helping to fund the project, it would be matching $350,000 committed this week by the city’s EDA.
A second cold box has been requested by an undisclosed client who has said it will test at the facility for 10 years and pay back the loan over a 5-year period. The cold weather testing facility, owned jointly by the city and county, and managed by the Koochiching Economic Development Authority, generates revenue for future testing and operation of the KEDA.
KEDA staff and its attorney have been negotiating the 10-year contract in an effort to have it signed in time for public bidding procedures to take place and have the cold box constructed by the client’s desired testing start date of Nov. 15. KEDA officials say the contract must be signed by June 1 to meet the deadlines.
Meanwhile, the board is scheduled to handle Community Service Department business at 10:20 a.m. and hear a recommendation from the Planning Commission to rezone and grant a conditional use permit to Ron Peterson at 10:25 a.m.
At 10:45 a.m., the board is scheduled to approve a plan for the county’s Point of Pines Beach and expected to approve an annual noxious weed public notice.
Public comment, when the public may address the board on any topic, is scheduled to follow the weed notice discussion.
At 11:30 a.m., the board is scheduled to again meet in committee to begin preparations for the 2013 county budget process.
