Tuesday, the county board appointed Mary Jo Cobb as the new director.

 

Cobb had been appointed interim director when former HHS Director Ken Ebel retired Jan. 17 after 30 years with the county.

 

Cobb has been with the county for 15 yrs, and was the lead administrative supervisor before Ebel’s retirement.

 

Tuesday, Administrator Steve Taylor said the process to replace Ebel was unusual. 

 

“When we opened up this (position) announcement there were 18 applicants. There were three finalists and two withdrew,” he said. “Fortunately, Mary Jo did not do that. She weathered the storm.”

 

Taylor said the county might typically get more than 100 applicants for the position. But he felt the low number was a reflection on Cobb’s ability.

 

“I think the most important reason, and this is just supposition on my part, is that people throughout the state know the caliber of Mary Jo Cobb, the skill and the talent that we have in-house,” he said. “So I think that’s a real tribute to Mary Jo. And it’s a tribute to our succession planning.”

 

Board Chair John Riebel agreed. 

 

“They saw she was not leaving here and figured, “we probably won’t get it anyway. It’s just a waste of our time.”

 

The board awarded the following bids for 2014 road construction projects:

 

• Lane construction and culvert replacement on Co. Roads 6, 24, 35, 48, 50 and 73 - Knife River Corp. at $720,074.50. Other bidder was Midwest Contracting at $1,267,276.80.

 

• Bituminous reclaim and overlay on Co. Roads 6, 24, 35, 48, 50 and 73 - Hardrives at $4,303,180.29. Other bidders were Knife River $4,449,067.84; Astech $4,813,334.77; North Valley $5,215,672.38.

 

• Bituminous sealcoat on various county roads - Astech at $478,461,12. Other bidders were Allied Blacktop $484,356.75 and Fahrner Asphalt Sealers $954,019.32.

 

• Reconditioning and bituminous paving on Co. Rd. 11 from Hwy. 10 to Co. Rd. 24 - Knife River Corp. at $2,098,159.91. Other bidders Hardrives $2,299,262.22 and North Valley $2,517,407.62.

 

 

The board approved entering into a contract with Financial Marketing Concepts, Inc. to provide residents of Sherburne County with a discount Coast2Coast Rx card.

 

The card provides discounts on prescriptions, dental, vision, imaging and lab tests and veterinary services.

 

The company will create a private label website for the county to link from its website. County residents will be able to print a card, search for participating pharmacies and search for the price of specific medications.

 

The program will not cost the county any money, and Coast2Coast will pay the county a royalty of $1.25 for each claim paid.

 

 

The board approved a request by Health & Humans Services to apply for funding through the United Way for three programs: Kids Clinic ($6,000), Crisis Nursery ($6,000) and Wright-Sherburne Adoption Support Group ($2,282.)

 

 

The board approved revisions to the county’s smoking and tobacco use policy to include the use of electronic cigarettes. It also defines tobacco use, tobacco products, prohibits use within 25 feet of public building entrances and identifies areas where smoking is allowed.

 

 

The board approved the subordinate funding agreement with the Metropolitan Council for NorthStar operations. Under the agreement Sherburne County will contribute a total of $1,258,365, with quarterly payments of $314,591 on March 30, May 15, August 15 and November 15.

 

In other action the board:

 

• Passed a resolution recognizing April as National County Government Month.

 

• Approved the final payment of $199,529.47 to Knife River Corp. for the bridge replacement project on Co. Rd. 3.

 

• Approved the appointment of David T. Anderson as assistant county attorney;

 

• Approved a payment of $31,954 to Daikin Applied for the installation of a HVAC unit in the 911 Dispatch Center;

 

• Approved a permit for Koch Pipeline to access their easement within the Great Northern Trail for pipeline maintenance;

 

• Passed a resolution reimbursing half the amount paid for gopher bounties, not to exceed $0.75 per gopher during 2014;

 

• Approved a property tax abatement of $484 to Stephen Vieths and Sondra Walters because of a fire that destroyed their home and attached garage in Becker in June, 2013; 

 

• Proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month;

 

• Appointed Marc Schneider as the county agricultural inspector;

 

• Approved advertising for bids for the reconstruction of Co. Rd. 15 from 2,000 feet north of Hwy. 10 to 211th Ave.

 

• Approved advertising for bids for intersection improvements on Co. Rd. 4 at Co. Rd. 39 and Co. Rd. 3 at Co. Rd. 5;

 

• Approved advertising for bids for bituminous overlay projects on Co. Rd. 4 and 16.