Commissioners briefed on what may happen in St. Paul

Carol Lovro, a representative of the Association of Minnesota Counties, talked to the Crow Wing County Board Tuesday about issues the association expects to address before the Legislature this session.

Lovro said Gov. Jesse Ventura will not be pushing transportation this session but said legislators do support some action. She said the governor will propose a reduction in income taxes try to broaden taxes in other areas.

Other issues that may be addressed include welfare issues, services for the elderly, solid waste management and bridges.

In other business, the board:

Approved the contract for a geological atlas of the county. The contract is for four years and the county will need to contribute $108,000. The state contributes 80-85 percent of the total cost of an atlas. Dale Setterholm is the principal investigator.

A county geological atlas is a compilation of geologic and hydrologic information in map form that is intended for use by county officials and citizens dealing with environmental and natural resource issues.

Agreed to hire a part-time technical clerk/secretary.

Accepted a forest stewardship assessment proposal from Smart Wood from Richmond, Va., for $24,716. McKnight Foundation funds will cover the cost of this assessment.

Approved a land exchange application with a $250 application fee submitted by North Lakes Company that involves private ownership in Perry Lake Township and tax-forfeited land ownership. Both tracts are located on the shores of Deer Lake.

"This is an excellent exchange which I have contemplated for years," said Tom Cowell, land commissioner. "We will be trading away an isolated tax-forfeited tract surrounded by private land with no access and will receive a tract on the southwest side of the lake which will consolidate existing holdings of county-administered memorial forest land."

Approved out-of-state travel for Duane Blanck, county highway engineer. He will be attending a board of director's meeting Feb. 25 in San Diego with traveling expenses of $1,130. He also will be attending a National Association of Counties legislative conference March 1-6 in Washington, D.C. The cost of this trip is $1,200.

In 2000, the county had about $43.02 million in expenditures and $46.68 million in revenues.

Agreed to sign a letter of support for a Region 5 Development Commission's grant application to build affordable housing.

Agreed to change the name of data processing department to information systems department.