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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Committee - Minutes - 2/11/20211 Minutes of the Bayfield County Executive Committee Meeting 4:00pm, February 11, 2021 Meeting was held Remotely through Microsoft Teams Members Present: Brett Rondeau, Jeff Silbert, Dennis Pocernich, Fred Strand, Mary Dougherty, Larry Fickbohm Members Excused: Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison-County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Human Resources Director, Mike Cariveau-Bayfield Wireless, Brady Steigauf- Focus on Energy, Joshua Strauss- Bluesource, Jason Bodine, Kim Mattson, Marty Milanowski, Paul Swansen, Katie Jones, Meeting Called to Order at 4:00pm by Rondeau. Public Comment: None Received Motion Silbert, Fickbohm to approve minutes of the January 14, 2021 Executive Committee meeting. Motion Carried (6-0). Brady Steigauf-Focus on Energy: Save to Give Challenge Overview. 3 goals: A way to save energy and to give to local non-profits (up to $25,000) and Build Community. Xcel Energy is the only company in Bayfield County currently participating in this program. There are 7 non-profits that can benefit from this program. Goal to get 25% of households to participate. This is a pilot program with Bayfield County being selected as the first community to participate. Two 8-week campaigns (one winter, one summer). 1) Sign up on-line with xcel energy account information on their bill. 2) Save to give button to enroll. Record weekly actions taken. 3) Each week may choose certain actions to save energy. 4) Non-profits awarded based on results. Hoping to launch first campaign in late March. Everyone encouraged to spread the word. Will also be promoted through many other social media and other media methods. Bayfield County Forest Carbon Opportunity Summary and Proposal. Joshua Strauss, Vice President, Bluesource: Jason Bodine provided a brief overview of the forest carbon project, which is a potential to harvest and sell standing carbon as a 2 potential revenue source for the county. Forestry Committee unanimously approved supporting this program and moving forward. Josh Strauss 7 steps: Feasibility Analysis Contracting and Listing Inventory Modeling and Documentation Verification Credit Registration and Issuance Credit Sale 40-year commitment to the American Carbon Registry. Must track the carbon inventory each decade, must have a bi-decadal inventory by a third party, annual reporting is also required. BlueSource receives a percentage of revenue generated. Projected revenues are approximately $10million over a ten year period. Bodine commented that Bayfield County’s Forestry program matches up very well with this program. Strauss explained that there should not be any additional burden on current staff. Bayfield County Forest - Forest Carbon Offset Project. Discussion and possible action regarding participation in the voluntary carbon market under the American Carbon Registry Improved Forest Management program. The Forestry committee has been studying this project proposal for many months and supports the County moving forward with this project. Motion Strand, Fickbohm to forward this proposal to the County Board with the following recommendations: • That the Board approves the establishment of a forest carbon offset project for all appropriate County Forest and other County owned lands excluding all county owned lands within the Red Cliff Reservation, and • That the Board authorizes the County Forest Administrator and the County Administrator to negotiate and execute an appropriate agreement with Bluescource for a forest carbon offset project. Motion Carried (6-0) Bayfield Wireless Year End Reports: Mike Cariveau provided a summary of activities for 2020 and plans for 2021. The county will be receiving revenues related to 2020 service expansion. Resolution regarding SBA, Rural Development Block Grant Application for the Bayfield County Business Park Utilities: Ag Station Business Park does not currently have water or sewer available for potential businesses. The RDBG Grant does not require a cost share. Deadline for application is the end of February. 3 Motion Pocernich, Silbert to approve the resolution regarding SBA Rural Development Block Grand Application for the Bayfield County Business Park Utilities and forward to the County Board for consideration. Motion carried (6-0) Budget Amendment Resolutions 2020 a. Highway: CTH E and B Construction. Some costs also associated with the White River Ag project. Total overages are about $273,000. Revenues came in about $580,000 over anticipated, so offset the additional expenditures. Motion Pocernich, Fickbohm to forward the 2020 Highway Department Budget Amendment to the County Board for approval. Motion Carried (6-0) b. Jail: In 2019, $676,000 was budgeted for the Jail project. The majority of expenses were spent in 2020 rather than 2019. Motion Pocernich, Silbert to approve the Jail Project expenses resolution and forward to the County Board for approval. Motion Carried (6-0). Land Donation, UWS Foundation: UW would like to donate 5 lots in the City of Bayfield to Bayfield County. The lots are currently vacant and undeveloped. They are also in close proximity to other parcels owned by Bayfield County that are being sold. Suggestion was made to give a courtesy notification to the City of Bayfield. Comments that the parcels should be surveyed and inspected for contaminants or other concerns. Abeles-Allison will look more into the parcels and will bring a report back to the next meeting before taking action. CDBG Project Design.: Rental Assistance $200,000. Options for participation were discussed. Business Assistance $250,000. It was reported that it is recommended to initially focus on businesses that have 5 or fewer employees due to much higher liability with businesses of 6 or more employees. Continuing to work on assistance for the Nursing Home Assistance. Application will be submitted in about a week. Pocernich commented that in the future agendas must state the anticipated duration of closed session. Motion Pocernich, Silbert to move into Closed Session pursuant to §19.85(1)(c,g), to consider employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility and to confer with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. c. Delta Landfill Update: d. County Admin Evaluation / Contract 4 Motion Carried. Entered closed session at 5:37pm. Motion Pocernich, Strand to return to open session. Returned to open session at 6:00pm. Meeting was adjourned. Reports will be provided at the county board meeting. Meeting adjourned at 6:00pm. Respectfully submitted by Kris Kavajecz.