Vande Kamp is 2002
county board chairman
By MaryHelen Swanson Dist. 2 Chisago County Commissioner Bob Vande Kamp was elected chairman for the year 2002 at the boardís organizational meeting Jan. 8. In his opening remarks, Vande Kamp said he appreciated the confidence the others were placing in him by electing him to leadership for the coming year. He said he expects another good year, although it will not be without challenges. The board elected Dist. 4 Commissioner Ben Montzka as vice-chair. After adopting Roberts Rules of Order, the board agreed to continue with three monthly meetings: the first, third and fourth Wednesdays, but made a change in time. The first and fourth will be at 6:30 p.m. and the third Wednesday will be at 9 a.m. The board adopted a new policy regarding meal reimbursement rates with a requirement that employees and elected officials submit receipts with the expense claim to show the actual amount spent on each meal. The maximum allowable will not automatically be paid to the claimant. Out-of-county, but in-state meals will be paid up to $8 for breakfast, $9 for lunch and $16 for dinner. Out-of-state meal reimbursement will be paid up to $40 per day. The board also approved mileage reimbursement of 36.5 cents per mile, the going federal rate. The board also adopted a resolution setting new minimum salaries for elected offices as follows: County Attorney $59,000; Auditor $51,000; Sheriff $56,000; Treasurer $42,000. The commissioners then reviewed committee assignments. These will be listed next week. They also adopted a resolution confirming Workerís Compensation coverage for elected or appointed officials. And in regular business Tuesday, the commissioners discussed the Overlay and Essential Services Task Force (OES) and their work to date. On a 4-1 vote, (Commissioner Mike Robinson opposed because he said it was not budgeted for) the board extended the OES task force time three more months limiting total per diems to a cap of $3,500. Members of the task force were on hand and informed the board that rarely were the members claiming per diems anyway. It was also suggested that many would probably work without any reimbursement, if necessary, in order to complete their tasks. In the coming months, the task force is expected to work with the planning commission and the new county planner that is to be hired and in place by the end of February. The OES task force was charged with collecting data and drafting ordinances regarding cell towers, wireless communications, and transmission lines plus creating an overlay district for the protection of the St. Croix River and Sunrise River watershed areas.
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