Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 164-H.F.No. 502 
           An act relating to counties; allowing counties to 
          charge fees for services; providing conditions for 
          emergency contracts; amending Minnesota Statutes 1986, 
          sections 375.21, subdivision 1; and 375.48, 
          subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in 
          Minnesota Statutes, chapter 373; repealing Minnesota 
          Statutes 1986, section 375A.07. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [373.41] [MISCELLANEOUS FEES.] 
    The county may charge a fee to record, file, certify, or 
provide copies of any instrument, document, or paper that is 
required by law to be filed or which may be filed in any county 
office.  The county may charge fees for service provided by any 
county office, official, department, court, or employee.  The 
county board may, after a public hearing, establish the amounts 
of fees to be charged for the services, unless a statute has 
specified the amount.  There must be a reasonable relation 
between the fee and the cost of providing the service.  
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 375.21, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  When required by the dollar limitations of 
section 471.345, a contract for work or labor, or to purchase 
furniture, fixtures, or other property, or to construct or 
repair roads, bridges, or buildings shall be made by a county 
board only after advertising for bids or proposals in a 
qualified legal newspaper of the county.  For the purchase of 
property or for work and labor, two weeks published notice that 
proposals will be received, stating the time and place, shall be 
given.  For the construction or repair of roads, bridges, or 
buildings, three weeks published notice shall be given.  The 
notice shall state the time and place of awarding the contract 
and contain a brief description of the work.  Every contract 
shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder and duly 
executed in writing.  The person to whom it is awarded shall 
give a sufficient bond to the board for its faithful performance.
If no satisfactory bid is received, the board may readvertise.  
    An advertised standard requirement price contract for 
supplies or services established by competitive bids may contain 
an escalation clause and may provide for a negotiated price 
increase or decrease.  The escalation or negotiated change shall 
be based upon a demonstrable industrywide or regional increase 
or decrease in the vendor's costs.  
    Every contract made without compliance with this section is 
void.  
    In case of an emergency arising from the destruction or 
impassability of roads or bridges by floods, rain or snow, or 
other casualty, or from the breaking or damaging of any county 
property in the county, if the public interests health, safety, 
or welfare would suffer by delay, contracts for purchase or 
repairs may be made without advertising for bids, but in that 
case the action of the board shall be recorded in its official 
proceedings. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 375.48, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [APPOINTMENT; QUALIFICATIONS.] 
Notwithstanding sections 375A.01 and 375A.12, a county board may 
employ a county coordinator upon terms it considers 
advisable.  It may assign whatever title to the county 
coordinator that it decides is appropriate.  It may appropriate 
funds and provide suitable office space for the office.  The 
county board shall set the salary of the county coordinator.  
The coordinator shall be chosen solely on the basis of training, 
experience and administrative qualifications and need not be a 
resident of the county at the time of appointment.  The county 
coordinator serves at the pleasure of the board and employment 
may be terminated by the board without notice.  The board may 
provide for a termination allowance. 
    Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 375A.07, is repealed. 
    Approved May 16, 1987