Zmyslony returns to county board

Commissioner Susan Zmyslony was sworn in as the new commissioner from District 4 of Carlton County this week, representing the southeast portion of the county, including Carlton, Barnum, Wrenshall, Mahtowa and Holyoke.

Judge Rebekka Stumme officiated over the ceremonies Tuesday, which also included the swearing in of re-elected District 2 Commissioner Marv Bodie, County Attorney Lauri Ketola and Carlton County Sheriff Kelly Lake.

The annual county board organizational meeting saw District 1 Commissioner Dick Brenner elected as the chair with Zmyslony now the vice-chair. Historically, chair and vice-chair positions are rotated each year.

With some exceptions, the county board will continue to conduct its actionable meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m., and the fourth Monday of each month at 4 p.m. at the Transportation Building in Carlton.

Exceptions to this meeting schedule format are:

• December's regular meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 12, with the Truth in Taxation to start that same evening at 6 p.m.

• December's second session will be moved to 4 p.m. Dec. 26, so it won't conflict with Christmas.

• The County Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting and the Board of Review for the Unorganized Townships will start at 3:30 p.m. June 13, and if necessary 3 p.m. June 26, at the Transportation Building.

"It is good to set this schedule early so people can make all these notes on their calendars," said District 5 Commissioner Gary Peterson.

Now in her second board term - although not consecutive - Zmyslony is the Committee of the Whole chairperson with Marv Bodie as vice-chair.

The Committee of the Whole will meet the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. with no scheduled meeting in July or December, due to July Fourth festivities and the Dec. 5 Association of Minnesota Counties conference. The Committee of the Whole processes business before it heads to the board for approval, and often features more robust discussion of issues.

The Pine Knot News and the Moose Lake Star-Gazette will continue to publish the official public notices for the Carlton County government proceedings. The two papers are the only two newspapers that maintain offices within the county, and offered the board a joint bid so readers countywide will see the notices.

Negotiations between the county board and the local unions will commence soon for the 2023 and 2034 budget years. District 3 Commissioner Tom Proulx will serve on the negotiations committee with Zmyslony as the alternate. Peterson thought that it was important for two commissioners to be intimately involved with the negotiations.

Approval was given for creating the software to upgrade the permitting system in the zoning department to handle vacation rentals. The $5,000 cost is being covered by revenues generated by Recorder's Office fees.