PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNTY BOARD

May 5, 2015
The County Board of Jackson County met in regular session in the Courthouse in the City of
Jackson on May 5, 2015 at 9:00am. The following members were present: David Henkels, William
Tusa, Rosemary Schultz and Don Wachal, Commissioners; County Coordinator, Janice Fransen and
Trish Schulz, Human Resources Technician. Commissioner Kim Hummel was absent.
Motion was made by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Tusa to adopt the
Agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Wachal to approve
the Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution 15-140 approving the April 21, 2015 Proceedings of the County Board.
Resolution 15-141 approving all Commissioners disbursements in accordance with Minnesota
Statutes 130.01, subd. 4(b), recorded on warrants numbered 74654 through 74760 in the amount of
$124,955.52 - for Revenue Fund, $47,281.64; Road and Bridge, $69,490.13; Ditch Fund, $2,236.04;
Library, $4,251.71; and Insurance Trust, $1,696.00. A detailed list of claims paid is available at the
Auditor/Treasurers Office upon request.
Resolution 15-142 approving the following utility permits:
Federated Rural Electric bore new service CSAH 9 Sioux Valley Township
Federated Rural Electric bore new service CR 28 Christiania Township
City of Heron Lake repair sewer line CSAH 9 Weimer Township
The County Board finds that according to MS 138.052 the County Board is authorized and
empowered to appropriate, out of the revenue fund of such county or out of the proceeds from a
special tax levy upon all the taxable property in the county, such sum as it may deem advisable, to
be paid to the historical society of such county, to be used for the promotion of historical work
within the borders thereof, and for the collection, preservation and publication of historical material,
and to disseminate historical information of the county, and in general to defray the expense of
carrying on the historical work in such county, and as such the Jackson County Historical Society is
an appropriate recipient of County funds. Chair Henkels directs the Auditor/Treasurer to pay
$25,500 to the Jackson County Historical Society, which is half of the total budget allocation for
fiscal year 2015.
Chair Henkels directs the Auditor/Treasurer to payout the 2015 budget allocation of $5,000 to the
Faribault, Martin, Jackson Multi-County Drug Court.
Chair Henkels directs the Auditor/Treasurer to payout $21,000 to the Jackson County Fair
Association, which is the balance of the $42,000 appropriation in the 2015 budget.
Resolution 15-143 approving Recycling Abatements for 2015 for the following parcels:

R13.025.0500; R13.025.0700; R13.026.0200; R19.023.0200; R05.026.0700; R24.343.0180;

R24.343.0210; R24.200.0900; R24.200.0380; R24.200.0950; R24.005.1850; R24.561.1090;
and R24.343.0260.
Resolution 15-144 accepting a $2,000 donation from Fish Lake Association to be designated for a
new outdoor siren at Fish Lake.
Resolution 15-145 authorizing an increase of change funds for the cash drawer in the Drivers
License Department to $100 to be able to provide appropriate change for customers.
Resolution 15-146 authorizing the painting of a mural on the wall outside the Veterans
Service/Emergency Management/Drivers License Office. Paint will be purchased, time and labor
donated.
Resolution 15-147 approving the septic system loan subordination agreement for Merill C. and
Anne B. Eggestein Revocable Trust.
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to adopt
Resolution 15-148 declaring various computer equipment as surplus equipment and approving the
donation of these items to PCs for People. Motion carried unanimously.
Dennis Fields, IS Manager, provided an Information Systems Department update.
PUBLIC WORKS
Motion was made by Commissioner Wachal and seconded by Commissioner Henkels to adopt
Resolution 15-149 approving the purchase of a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado from Thane Hawkins
Polar Chevrolet of White Bear Lake, Minnesota on state contract # 73898 for a total purchase price
of $30,921.01, declaring as surplus a 2002 Chevrolet Crew cab truck and authorizing the County
Engineer to sell the vehicle through sealed bids or online auction. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Schultz and seconded by Commissioner Wachal to adopt
Resolution 15-150 approving the purchase of a contractors dump box from Crysteel Truck
Equipment Inc. of Lake Crystal, Minnesota on state contract #84877 for $17,725.91. Motion
carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Wachal to adopt
Resolution 15-151 awarding the Contract for SAP 032-030-019 to Pearson Brothers, Inc. of
Hanover, MN for $173,030.20 for Seal Coat projects. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Henkels and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to adopt
Resolution 15-152 awarding the contract for SAP 032-601-005, 032-607-015, 032-615-008, and
032-616-028 to Knife River of Sauk Rapids, MN for $2,041,519.94 for Overlay projects. Motion
carried unanimously.

HERON LAKE WATERSHED DISTRICT

Jan Voit, Heron Lake Watershed District Administrator gave an annual update.
Katherine Pekarek-Scott of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency gave an overview of Watershed
Restoration.
COUNTY COORDINATOR
The Board reviewed the Preliminary Work Plan for the Search Process to replace the County
Coordinator and scheduled a meeting for June 2, 2015 at 1:30pm in the County Commissioners
Board Room to review the Coordinator or Administrator position.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Wachal to adopt
Resolution 15-153 dissolving the Racing Advisory Committee due to the sale of the Jackson
Speedway effective April 24, 2015, and thanking current and past members for their service to
Jackson County. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to adopt
Resolution 15-154 authorizing the transfer of $19,696.70 of the proceeds from the sale of the
Jackson Speedway from the Capital Projects designated fund to the Racetrack/Fairgrounds account
(Department 114) to pay off the drainage project authorized by the Board on November 12, 2013 by
Resolution 13-384 and to cover the expenses related to the sale of the Jackson Speedway. Motion
carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Schultz to adopt
Resolution 15-155 in Support of HR 2050 - "The Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act."
Motion carried unanimously.
RESOLUTION 15-155
IN SUPPORT OF HR 2050
THE MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT
WHEREAS, when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted into law in
March, 2010, one of the provisions of the ACA was an excise tax which would be levied on the
aggregate amount of employer-sponsored coverage exceeding thresholds established in the law
($10,200 for individual coverage and $27,500 for family coverage) and would take effect in 2018;
and
WHEREAS, in Minnesota, local government employers are required to maintain the minimum
aggregate value of benefits provided to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement,
unless the employer and the bargaining unit agree to a reduction, which may require the
maintenance of existing plans that could be subject to the excise tax; and
WHEREAS, it is important that counties are able to offer competitive health benefits to employees
in order to remain competitive in the job market; and
WHEREAS, this excise tax could have a major financial impact on county finances and taxpayers.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Jackson County Board of Commissioners

supports H.R. 2050, the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act which seeks to repeal the
40 percent excise tax on employer-provided health benefits.
Adopted this 5th day of May 2015.
_____________________________
David Henkels, Chair
ATTEST: ___________________________________
Janice Fransen, County Coordinator
Motion was made by Commissioner Henkels and seconded by Commissioner Tusa to adopt
Resolution 15-156 Opposing New State Legislation Mandating 50' Buffer Strips. Motion carried
unanimously.
RESOLUTION 15-156
OPPOSING NEW STATE LEGISLATION MANDATING 50 BUFFER STRIPS
WHEREAS, The Governor and Legislature of the State of Minnesota have proposed legislation
mandating establishment of buffers adjacent to perennial waters; and
WHEREAS, said buffers would require a 50 wide strip of perennially rooted vegetation adjacent to
all perennial waters; and
WHEREAS, said buffers must be in place by September 1, 2016, or within one year of designation
of new perennial waters designated by the Commissioner of Natural Resources; and
WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Natural Resources must establish and maintain an inventory map
of each county that shows the waters that are subject to the buffer requirement; and
WHEREAS, exemptions from the buffer requirement would be allowed for areas adjacent to
perennial waters including such areas used for public or private water access or recreational use
areas; and
WHEREAS, soil and water conservation districts must implement the buffer requirement with
duties including planning, technical assistance to landowners, follow up complaints, approval of
alternative practices, and tracking progress of implementing the buffer requirement. The soil and
water conservation district may delegate all or part of the implementation to another local unit of
government by written agreements, and
WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Natural Resources may issue orders that require violations of
said regulations be corrected or administratively assessing monetary penalties for violations; and
WHEREAS, financial assistance for landowner reimbursement may be in the form of local, state or
federal cost share grants, contracts, or loans that may be available to establish buffers.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Jackson County opposes any mandate that does not
fairly apply said regulation to all properties urban as well as rural adjacent to perennial waters of the
state are not open to public access.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Jackson County proposes that property owners subject to a
mandate for buffer strips shall be justly and fairly compensated for loss of their property rights by
permanent or perennial payment from the governing authority implementing such mandates and that

local units of government receive payments in lieu of taxes commensurate with the reduction of land
valuation under said regulation.
(Details of this resolution drawn from HF 1534 and SF 1537 as published by the Legislature of the
State of Minnesota, 4-17-2015)
Adopted this 5th day of May 2015.
____________________________
David Henkels, Chair
ATTEST: ___________________________________
Janice Fransen, County Coordinator
COMMITTEE AND BOARD REPORTS
Commissioner Schultz reported on video conference on Public Health, Historical Society, South
West Minnesota Housing Partnership, Benefits Committee, and Policy Committee.
Commissioner Hummel was absent.
Commissioner Tusa reported on Hunger Team, Rubys Pantry, and National Weather Service Storm
Spotter training.
Commissioner Wachal reported on Highway 71/Interstate 90 Project meeting.
Commissioner Henkels reported on Heron Lake Watershed District meeting, and Des Moines Valley
Health and Human Services Wellness Committee.
Motion was made by Commissioner Tusa and seconded by Commissioner Henkels to adjourn
the meeting. Motion carried unanimously.
JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
_____________________________________________
David Henkels, Chair
ATTEST: _______________________________
Janice Fransen, County Coordinator