Official Proceedings

Pope County 

Board of Commissioners 

Regular Board Meeting

Tuesday, DECEMBER 19, 2023

The Pope County Board of Commissioners Regular Board Meeting duly noticed for Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at the Pope County Courthouse, 3rd Floor Board Room, 130 E Minnesota Avenue, Glenwood, MN 56334 was called to order at 9:00 AM by the Chair, Gordy Wagner, with the following Board Members also present: Paul Gerde, Paul Gremmels, Larry Lindor, and Paul Wildman.  Neil Nelson, County Attorney, and Kersten Kappmeyer, County Administrator, were also present.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Approval of Agenda and Approval of Official Proceedings for December 7, 2023 were presented by Chair Wagner. Motion to approve the agenda as presented, made by Gerde and seconded by Wildman, Carried Unanimously. Motion to approve the Official Proceedings for December 7, 2023, made by Lindor and seconded by Wildman, Carried Unanimously.

Request for Certification of US Fish and Wildlife Service Easements (Feigum, Blue Mounds Township; Lanoue, Barsness Township; and Lewis, Lake Johanna Township) was presented by Blair Mace, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Motion to certify the habitat easements of Richard Feigum, upon approximately 62 acres in Section 16 of Blue Mounds Township; of Todd and Kristi Lanoue, upon approximately 138 acres in Section 34 of Barsness Township; and of Jon (Oscar) Lewis, upon approximately 88 acres in Section 22 of Lake Johanna Township; as presented, made by Gerde and seconded by Lindor, Carried Unanimously.

Approval of the Pope County Emergency Operations Plan was presented by Tim Riley, Sheriff. Motion to approve the Pope County Emergency Operations Plan, on file in the Pope County Sheriff’s Office, as presented, made by Lindor and seconded by Gremmels, Carried Unanimously. 

Annual Report of Clerical Changes made after the County Board of Appeal Meeting was presented as an informational item by Mike Wacker, Assessor.

Equipment Purchase Approval – Mobile Lift System and Equipment Purchase Approval – Used Jetter Truck were presented by Brian Giese, Engineer, and Dave Orlowski, Maintenance Supervisor. Motion to authorize the purchase of a Mobile Column Lift System in 2024 from NAPA Auto Parts of Glenwood for $53,739.86, made by Gerde and seconded by Wildman, Carried Unanimously. Motion to authorize the purchase of surplus equipment also described as a 1987 F8000 jetter truck from Douglas County for an agreed direct purchase price of $4000, made by Lindor and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously.

County Ditch Inspector Stipend was presented by Jackie Stevens, Human Resources Director. Motion for approval of an annual Ditch Stipend in the amount of $4,000 to be paid to the designated individual employee with those duties, made by Lindor and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously.

Consider Adoption of Personnel Management Policy Provisions Related to Earned Sick and Safe Time Law; Approval of 2024 Tobacco Retailer License Applications; Authorization to Publish a Notice of Public Hearing and Intent to Adopt on Draft Ordinance 202401 Establishing a Pope County Housing Trust Fund; and Consider Resolution 202340 Approving the 2024 Pope County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) Final Levy Amount were presented by Kersten Kappmeyer, Administrator. Motion to approve revisions to the Personnel Management Policy, adding Section 6.16 on Earned Sick and Safe Time, and revising Section 6.05 on Sick Leave, as presented, effective January 1, 2024, made by Gerde and seconded by Wildman, Carried Unanimously. Motion to approve the presented 2024 Tobacco Retailer License Applications from the following establishments: City of Glenwood; Casey’s Retail Company (Highway 29 Glenwood); Northdale Oil Co. (Brother’s Market, Glenwood); Casey’s Retail Company (Minnesota Ave., Glenwood); Casey’s Retail Company (Main St., Starbuck); Fuel Express Inc. (Cenex, Glenwood); Fuel Express Inc. (Cenex, Starbuck); DG Retail,LLC (Dollar General, Starbuck); The Hot Box LLC (Starbuck); Buysse Enterprises (Tom’s Market, Glenwood); Pope County Co-op Oil Ass’n (Cenex, Villard); American Legion Post #253 (Lowry), made by Wildman and seconded by Lindor, Carried Unanimously. Motion to approve publication of a Public Notice and Intent to Adopt on Draft Ordinance 202401 Establishing a Pope County Housing Trust Fund, and setting such public hearing for Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 9:00am or as soon thereafter as can be heard at the Pope County Courthouse, Third Floor Board Room, made by Gremmels and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously. Motion to adopt Resolution 202340 approving the 2024 Pope County Housing and Redevelopment Authority budget and corresponding levy of $480,000 as presented, made by Lindor and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously.

Consider Resolution 202339 Recognizing the Pope County/Pope Soil and Water Conservation District Outstanding Conservationists for 2023 was presented by Holly Kovarik, Pope SWCD Director. Motion to adopt Resolution 202339 recognizing Joe and Melanie Cihlar as outstanding conservationists for 2023, made by Gerde and seconded by Lindor, Carried Unanimously. 

Consider Resolution 202341 Setting the 2024 Pope County Fee Schedule; Consider Resolution 202342 Setting the 2024 Pope County Final Budget and Levy; and Set 2024 Meeting Dates for the Pope County Board of Commissioners were presented by Kersten Kappmeyer, Administrator.  Motion to adopt Resolution 202341 setting the 2024 Pope County Fee Schedule as presented, effective January 1, 2024, made by Wildman and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously. Motion to adopt Resolution 202342 setting the 2024 final levy at $10,579,506, a 6.9% increase over the levy set for 2023, and a total budget of $21,086,114 in expenditures, made by Lindor and seconded by Wildman, Carried by the following vote: Ayes: Gerde, Gremmels, Lindor, Wildman; Nays: Wagner. Motion to set the 2023 County Board meeting schedule as follows, with all meetings to be held in the Pope County Courthouse Board Room, Third Floor, at 130 Minnesota Ave. E. in Glenwood, and each beginning at 9:00am: County Board meetings are set for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, and Committee of the Whole (COW) meetings are to be held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month except for the COW meeting in December, which will be held on Friday the 13th, made by Lindor and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously. 

Value Abatement – Parcel 07-0056-001 – Taxes Payable 2024; November 2023 Trial Balance and Fund Balance Analysis; Auditor Bills – November 15 – December 12, 2023; Pay Bills, Supplemental Bills, Per Diems and Employee Reimbursements; and Year End Journal Entries and Transfers were presented by Stephanie Rust, Auditor/Treasurer. Motion to approve the value abatement for taxes payable 2024 of $5,800 in valuation for David & Clinton Edmunds on Parcel 07-0056-001, made by Gerde and seconded by Gremmels, Carried Unanimously. Motion to approve the November 2023 Trial Balance and Fund Balance Analysis, made by Wildman and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously. Auditor Bills – November 15 – December 12, 2023 were presented as an informational item. Motion to approve payment of bills of $151,289.00 plus supplemental bills of $47.85 plus per diems and employee reimbursements of $4,215.72, totaling $155,552.57, made by Lindor and seconded by Wildman, Carried Unanimously, and were paid as follows: AMC – Association Of MN Counties $2,525.00; Brownies Tire $5,242.00; Counties Providing Technology $6,818.00; Douglas County Jail $11,682.70; GovUnity Websites $2,892.50; Gunion Painting LLC $29,700.00; Minnewaska Lake Association $12,917.00; North Fork Crow River Wtr Dist $7,140.00; Obenland & Nelson $5,575.00; Pope County Tribune $2,390.69; Prairie Lakes Youth Programs $10,950.00; Pro-West & Associates Inc $3,218.64; Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney P.A. $8,228.20; RDO Equipment Co $2,784.87; Roof 1 – RBR $7,500.00; Sand Creek EAP LLC $2,430.40; Sauk River Watershed District $5,122.00; Visa $4,639.91; 39 Payments less than 2000 $19,579.94. Motion to approve year-end journal entries and transfers and direct the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office to make any year-end adjustments and transfers as needed. This motion, made by Lindor and seconded by Gerde, Carried Unanimously.

Informational updates were given by the County Attorney, County Administrator and Commissioners.

There being no other business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned by the Chair at 11:15 AM.

Kersten Kappmeyer, 

County Administrator

Paul Gerde, 

Chair of the Board

Jan. 8