COOK COUNTY
Cook County Board of Commissioners
The county's governing board. Sets the county tax levy and budget, oversees roads, land services, public health and human services, and makes the final call on county land use. Five commissioners, elected by district.
Meets: Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m. · Commissioners Room, Cook County Courthouse, Grand Marais
Agendas, packets and minutes at the official portal
Established under: Minnesota Statutes chapter 375
Local: Cook County Ordinances
Spending approved
Spending approved in 2026, on record
$56,448,389.92 · 52 decisions
Counted from these decisions in the record:
- Jan 13, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-07 $5,193,908.12
- Jan 13, 2026 · Firewise Program Coordinator Service Agreement, Paramount Planning Group LLC (annual cost) $44,000
- Jan 13, 2026 · MIS 2026 regular equipment replacement, budgeted MIS Capital funds $96,350
- Jan 27, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-13 $7,510.01
- Jan 27, 2026 · Pine River Bridge construction award, SAP 016-599-004, Redstone Construction LLC $1,779,114.30
- Jan 27, 2026 · Multi-Use Trail construction award, SP 016-612-081 and SP 016-615-004, MJ Companies LLC $841,020.25
- Jan 27, 2026 · Resolution 2026-16, County State Aid Construction Advance (advance of future CSAH allotment, up to amount stated) $2,000,000
- Feb 10, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-18 $5,094,016.19
- Feb 24, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-19 $353,711.04
- Feb 24, 2026 · Loan to the Cook County EDA from county reserve funds (Superior National bridge loan) $200,000
- Feb 24, 2026 · Purchase of Mack tandem axle plow truck $366,507.04
- Feb 24, 2026 · Chicago Bay Rd Reclamation and Culvert Replacement award, CP 016-688-001, Ulland Brothers Inc. $498,700
- Feb 24, 2026 · Arrowhead Trl and Otis Creek Bridge construction award, SAP 016-616-008, Ulland Brothers Inc. $2,098,448.40
- Mar 10, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-22 $2,780,448.85
- Mar 24, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-25 $25,787.15
- Apr 3, 2026 · YMCA cleaning contract award, Morawitz Cleaning ($7,083.00 per month) $7,083
- Apr 14, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-38 $2,131,535.99
- Apr 14, 2026 · Gunflint Trl Between 92s construction award, SAP 016-612-083, KGM Contractors Inc. $3,677,486.55
- Apr 14, 2026 · Aggregate Stockpile award, CP 26-01, Louis Leustek and Sons Inc. $141,000
- Apr 14, 2026 · Liquid Calcium Chloride Application award, CP 26-02, Knife River $195,240
- Apr 14, 2026 · Auditor's Office service window project, Johnson Wilson Constructors $20,614
- Apr 14, 2026 · Purchase of Bobcat Toolcat UW56 $83,992.10
- Apr 14, 2026 · Resolution 2026-37, airport equipment grant agreement, MnDOT Agreement 1062882, 2026 Ford F-250 (county share; total quote $49,580, state grant $34,051.50) $15,528
- Apr 14, 2026 · Sag Landing parking lot services agreement, Voyageur Canoe Outfitters ($300 per week, 2026 season) $300
- Apr 14, 2026 · Revolving loan to East Bay Holding Company LLC, bathhouse construction (not to exceed amount stated, 20-year term) $250,000
- Apr 28, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-39 $117,469.61
- May 12, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-43 $2,275,655.12
- May 12, 2026 · Purchase of equipment trailer, Towmaster T-16DT demo unit $16,122.88
- May 12, 2026 · Loan to Town of Lutsen for rescue truck purchase (ten-year term, 4% interest) $204,334
- May 12, 2026 · Payment to Lutsen Township toward Brinc Drone remaining contract cost $9,000
- May 26, 2026 · Proposal for Professional Services, Cook County Courthouse Building Programming, Security Improvements and Feasibility Study, Architecture Advantage and BKV Team $47,500
- Jun 9, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-53 $3,569,008.55
- Jun 9, 2026 · Active Transportation Program grant agreement, SP 016-612-081 and SP 016-615-004, Gunflint Multi-Use Trail $132,590
- Jun 9, 2026 · Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) grant agreement, SAP 016-612-083 $1,500,000
- Jun 23, 2026 · Hire litigation expert, County v. Upper Midwest Athletic Construction (cost not to exceed amount stated) $10,000
- Jun 23, 2026 · RS&H Work Order 2026-01, Hangar Row Taxilane construction administration services (subject to receipt of a federal grant) $160,968
- Jul 14, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-61 $6,997,028.56
- Jul 21, 2026 · Resolution 2026-67, emergency expenditure authorization, Little Knife Fire (cumulative cap; County Administrator authorized up to amount stated) $100,000
- Jul 28, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-68 $27,319.73
- Jul 28, 2026 · Purchase of Walk and Roll grader attachment $35,000
- Aug 11, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-71 $4,316,410.67
- Aug 25, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-73 $2,953.81
- Aug 25, 2026 · Hangar Row Taxilane Reconstruction contract, KGM Contractors Inc. $1,443,788
- Aug 25, 2026 · Contract with David Drown Associates ($10,550 per year, three-year term) $10,550
- Aug 25, 2026 · Firewise brush pickup funding from 30% Tax Forfeit funds (up to amount stated) $28,000
- Sep 8, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-76 $2,285,058.27
- Sep 22, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-78 $98,992.17
- Sep 22, 2026 · Winter Sand award, CP 26-03, Isak Hansen and Sons Inc. (2,000 yds) $118,600
- Sep 22, 2026 · Loan to Colvill Fire Department for replacement fire truck (up to amount stated, 0% interest under county fire loan policy) $100,000
- Oct 13, 2026 · Claims approval, Resolution 2026-82 $4,736,078.15
- Oct 13, 2026 · Community Center Capital Improvements funding $191,661.41
- Oct 13, 2026 · Ehlers financial management policy review and development proposal (not to exceed amount stated) $12,000
Levy adopted for 2026
$13,780,041 · Levy · +7.57% $2,461 · Per resident
Board Members
Staff Lead
County Board staff support, not a voting seat.
What it decided
County Board sets the proposed 2027 levy at +11.98%
Passed 4–1$1.58 million · Fund balance
The Board voted to set the preliminary 2027 property tax levy at +11.98%, using $1.58 million of fund balance. The preliminary levy is a ceiling: the final levy, set December 15, can come down but cannot go above it. The options on the table ran from +9.87% ($1.87M of fund balance) to +14.37% ($1.25M). The record CCNN checked names the two speakers below; the remaining ayes were not individually recorded.
Source: CivicWeb meeting record: agenda, packet, minutes, video
Approve the hire of Abigail Prom for the position of Environmental Technician with a pay grade of 160 with a pay rate of $30.46 per hour
carried 3-2-0$30.46 per hour · Rate
Approve a resolution granting a property tax abatement for The Heights apartment development in Grand Marais in an amount not to exceed $363,000 for
carried 4-1-0Not to exceed $363,000 · Amount
Approve a three-year contract with David Drown Associates in the amount of $10,550 per year to assist in the review and updating of County job
carried 3-2-0$10,550 per year · Contract