Minnesota Session Laws - 1988, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1988 

                        CHAPTER 491-H.F.No. 2446 
           An act relating to St. Louis county; providing duties 
          of the county board and the county administrator; 
          regulating finances; providing for property 
          assessments; repealing obsolete laws; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1986, sections 383C.031; 383C.034; 
          383C.091; 383C.094, subdivision 1; 383C.131; 383C.133, 
          subdivision 1; 383C.135; 383C.16; 383C.161; 383C.162; 
          383C.17; 383C.231, subdivision 1; 383C.232; 383C.26; 
          383C.261; 383C.36; 383C.422; 383C.482, subdivision 1; 
          383C.74, subdivision 1; 383C.75; and 383C.78, 
          subdivision 2; Minnesota Statutes 1987 Supplement, 
          section 383C.035; proposing coding for new law in 
          Minnesota Statutes, chapter 383C; repealing Minnesota 
          Statutes 1986, section 383C.075; 383C.076; 383C.095; 
          383C.132; 383C.13; 383C.133; 383C.171; 383C.174; 
          383C.175; 383C.20; 383C.202; 383C.203; 383C.291; 
          383C.292; 383C.339; 383C.361; 383C.362; 383C.363; 
          383C.392, subdivision 2; 383C.423; 383C.424; 383C.45; 
          383C.481; 383C.52; 383C.521; 383C.523; 383C.55; 
          383C.551; 383C.552; 383C.553; 383C.554; 383C.555, 
          subdivision 2; 383C.556; 383C.557; 383C.61; 383C.611; 
          383C.612; 383C.613; 383C.64; 383C.641; 383C.642; 
          383C.643; 383C.644; 383C.645; 383C.646; 383C.647; 
          383C.648; 383C.649; 383C.65; 383C.651; 383C.66; 
          383C.67; 383C.671; 383C.672; 383C.673; 383C.674; 
          383C.675; 383C.676; 383C.677; 383C.77; 383C.80; 
          383C.801; 383C.802; 383C.803; 383C.804; and 383C.805; 
          Minnesota Statutes 1987 Supplement, section 383C.76. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.031, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.031 [CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS; APPOINTMENT; 
QUALIFICATIONS; COMPENSATION.] 
    Within 30 days after a majority of the voters of the county 
voting upon said question elect to come within the provisions of 
sections 383C.03 to 383C.059, the board of county commissioners 
shall by majority vote, appoint three persons as county civil 
service commissioners to serve for designated terms of one for 
two years, one for four years, and one for six years.  Each 
alternate year thereafter the board of county commissioners 
shall appoint one person as successor for the county civil 
service commissioner whose term shall expire, to serve six 
years.  Any vacancies shall be filled by the board of county 
commissioners for the unexpired term.  No person shall be 
appointed or shall act as a member of the county civil service 
commission at any time while holding any public office or while 
standing as a candidate for any public office, notary public 
excepted, or any public employment or position in a political 
party within the two years immediately preceding appointment.  
Each member of said commission shall be a resident in the county 
and on becoming a nonresident, thereby forfeits the office.  
Within 15 days after appointment, each commissioner shall 
qualify by subscribing to an oath for the faithful discharge of 
duties and file said oath with said court administrator of the 
district court and such oath shall include a statement of belief 
in and desire to support the principles of the merit system.  If 
an appointee fails to so qualify, another shall be named.  Each 
commissioner shall hold office until a successor has been 
appointed and qualified, except in case a commissioner shall 
stand as a candidate for elective public office, whereupon the 
filing of candidacy thereby automatically results in forfeiture 
of the office.  Each member of the county civil service 
commission shall be paid $20 per day for each day actually 
devoted to duties as a member of the commission, but in no case 
shall any member be paid more than $600 in any one year; 
provided that in addition thereto each member of the commission 
shall be paid actual and necessary expenses on itemized and 
verified bills, and provided further that during the first two 
years after any county has availed itself of sections 383C.03 to 
383C.059, each member of the commission may be paid not to 
exceed $600 in each of said two years.  The county civil service 
commission shall organize by electing one of its members as 
presiding officer and the civil service director hereinafter 
provided shall serve as secretary. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.034, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.034 [DUTIES OF DIRECTOR.] 
    The civil service director as executive head of the county 
civil service commission shall direct and supervise all of its 
administrative and technical activities in addition to the 
duties imposed, elsewhere in sections 383C.03 to 383C.059, and 
shall: 
    (a) Attend the regular and special meetings of the county 
civil service commission, to act as its secretary and to record 
its official actions. 
    (b) Appoint, supervise and direct such employees of the 
civil service department as may be necessary to carry out the 
provisions of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059.  Such employees 
shall be chosen in accordance with and shall be subject to the 
provisions of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059. 
    (c) Prepare and recommend rules and regulations for the 
administration of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059, which shall 
become effective after approval by the commission and the board 
of county commissioners, as provided in sections 383C.03 to 
383C.059, to administer such rules and regulations and to 
propose amendments thereto. 
    (d) Establish and maintain in card or other suitable form a 
roster of all officers and employees in the service of the 
county, which shall show the employment history of each such 
employee.  The director shall have access to all records and 
papers, the examination of which will aid in the discharge of 
duties in connection with such roster. 
    (e) Ascertain and record the duties and responsibilities 
pertaining to all positions in the classified service and 
classify such positions in the manner hereinafter provided. 
    (f) As soon as practicable after the adoption of the 
classification plan, prepare a schedule of salary or wage rates 
and ranges for each class, grade or group of positions in the 
classification.  Such salary and wage schedules when approved by 
the civil service commission after public hearing shall be 
submitted to the board of county commissioners who may approve 
or reject such schedules.  When approved by the board of county 
commissioners, they shall be used in connection with all 
payrolls and accounting records and with all budget estimates 
for all departments or agencies of the county government.  
Nothing in this section shall prevent the board of county 
commissioners from increasing or reducing the salary or wage 
rates of positions to conform to the terms of a negotiated labor 
agreement. 
    (g) Provide for, formulate and hold competitive tests to 
determine the relative qualifications of persons who seek 
employment in any class of positions and as a result thereof, 
establish employment lists for the various classes of positions. 
    (h) When a vacant position is to be filled, to certify to 
the appointing authority the names of the three persons highest 
on the reemployment, or promotional list, or the names of the 
seven persons highest on the employment list for the class, 
provided, however, that if there are less than three names 
remaining on the reemployment or the promotional lists, the 
director shall certify such lesser numbers remaining on said 
lists, thereby using all names of persons willing to accept 
appointment before drawing any names from an employment 
list.  When the director determines that there is significant 
under representation of a protected group with respect to race 
or sex in the class, and the first seven candidates on the 
employment list do not include a member of the under represented 
group, the director shall add the highest ranking available 
individual on the employment list from that group to the list of 
the candidates certified.  If there are no such lists, the 
director may authorize provisional appointments pending the 
establishment of such employment list for such class.  Such 
provisional appointment shall not continue for a period longer 
than four months, nor shall any person receive more than one 
provisional appointment or serve more than four months as a 
provisional appointee in any one fiscal year, nor shall there be 
more than one provisional appointment to any given position in 
any 12 months period; except that, after November 3, 1942, and 
prior to the time that lists of eligibles are available, 
appointments to offices and employments in the classified 
service may be made in accordance with existing laws and without 
regard to the provisions of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059.  
Persons so appointed shall not be entitled to any of the 
privileges set forth in sections 383C.03 to 383C.059 except in 
the case of appointments made through merit examinations under 
authority of Laws 1941, chapter 476, section 1, but they shall 
be permitted to apply for and take any competitive examination 
for which they may be eligible.  Such employees may continue in 
such employment, notwithstanding any contrary provisions of 
sections 383C.03 to 383C.059, until 60 days after the director 
shall have certified that lists of eligibles are available for 
such office or employment, whereupon the employment of such 
persons shall automatically terminate and such office or 
employment shall be filled from such lists of eligibles as 
provided in sections 383C.03 to 383C.059.  In case of an 
emergency, an appointment may be made of not to exceed ten days 
duration without regard to the provisions of sections 383C.03 to 
383C.059, which appointment shall be immediately reported to the 
civil service director.  Successive emergency appointments shall 
not be made. 
    (i) Establish the length of the probation or working test 
period which shall not be less than six months and not more than 
12 months, during which time discharges may be effected without 
specifying cause or granting a hearing, to enable the appointing 
authority to determine whether new officers and employees are 
able and willing to perform their duties satisfactorily; and for 
the method of removal or transfer of such officers and employees 
whose work or conduct during such period is unsatisfactory. 
    (j) Establish record of performance and a system of service 
ratings to be used in determining increases and decreases in 
salaries and in promotions. 
    (k) Keep such record as may be necessary for the proper 
administration of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059.  
    (l) Provide a system of checking payrolls, estimates and 
accounts for payment of salaries or wages to employees in the 
classified service, as to enable the director upon satisfactory 
evidence thereof, to certify or cause to be certified that the 
persons whose names appear thereon have been regularly employed 
in the performance of the duties indicated at the compensation 
rates and for the periods for which compensation is claimed or 
are on authorized leave before payment may be lawfully made to 
such employees. 
    (m) Make investigations concerning the administration and 
effect of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059 and the rules made 
thereunder, and report the findings and recommendations to the 
commission. 
    (n) Make an annual report to the county civil service 
commission. 
     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1987 Supplement, section 
383C.035, is amended to read:  
    383C.035 [UNCLASSIFIED CIVIL SERVICE.] 
    The officers and employees of such county and of any 
agency, board, or commission, supported in whole or in part by 
taxation upon the taxable property of such county or appointed 
by the judges of the district or probate court for such county, 
are hereby divided into the unclassified and classified 
service.  The unclassified service shall comprise: 
    (a) All officers elected by popular vote or persons 
appointed to fill vacancies in such offices. 
    (b) Judges and receivers, referees, arbiters, court 
reporters, jurors, notaries public, and persons appointed by a 
court to make or conduct any special inquiry of a judicial and 
temporary character.  
    (c) Superintendent or principal administrative officer or 
comptroller of any separate department of county government 
which is now or hereafter created pursuant to law, who is 
directly responsible to the board of county commissioners or any 
other board or commission, as well as the county agricultural 
agents and the home demonstration agents under the control of 
the county extension committee. 
    (d) Members of nonpaid board, or commissioners appointed by 
the board of county commissioners or acting in an advisory 
capacity. 
    (e) Assistant county attorneys or special investigators in 
the employ of the county attorney. 
    (f) All common labor temporarily employed on an hourly 
basis. 
    (g) All inmate or patient help in county institutions. 
    (h) All physicians, dentists, registered nurses and medical 
laboratory technicians working under the direction of a licensed 
physician or dentist in any hospital or sanatorium operated by a 
commission or board of such county. 
    (i) All county commissioners' clerks appointed by the 
county board after the passage of sections 383C.03 to 383C.059; 
but nothing in sections 383C.03 to 383C.059 shall affect the 
civil service status of any person previously appointed and now 
holding such a position in the classified service of the 
county Not more than a total of nine clerks serving the county 
board and administrator. 
    (j) A legislative lobbyist/grant coordinator appointed by 
the county board to act as legislative liaison with the St. 
Louis county legislative delegation and pursue legislative 
concerns and grant opportunities for the county, and the clerk 
for that position. 
    (k) The county recorder. 
    (l) Any department head designated by the county board. 
    (m) One clerk for the county administrator Two 
administrative assistants in the county administrator's office. 
    The classified service shall include all other positions 
now existing and hereinafter created in the service of the 
county or any board or commission, agency, or offices of such 
county. 
     Sec. 4.  [383C.081] [HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.] 
     A resolution of the St. Louis county board under section 
469.004 may provide that the board will constitute the county 
housing and redevelopment authority or it may provide for the 
appointment of members.  If members are appointed, the authority 
shall be composed of seven persons and individual members of the 
board may be appointed to be members of the authority.  
    Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.091, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.091 [CHAIR'S CONTINGENT FUND.] 
    In addition to the amount authorized by Minnesota Statutes, 
section 375.16, the county board of St. Louis county may 
annually appropriate from the county revenue fund a sum not 
exceeding $1,000 $5,000 as a contingent fund for use by the 
chair of the county board, or any member of the county board 
acting in the capacity of the chair, at the chair's discretion 
to pay for incidental costs and expenses incurred in expediting 
the business of the county of St. Louis.  The fund shall be 
under the exclusive control of the chair of the county board or 
any member of the county board acting in the capacity of the 
chair, subject to postaudit by the county board. 
    Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.094, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY.] The county board of any In St. 
Louis county in the state of Minnesota, having an area of not 
less than 5,000 square miles, now or hereafter having a county 
or judicial drainage system, where the state of Minnesota holds 
title pursuant to tax forfeiture laws or other laws to at least 
30 percent of all the land in any one district of said a 
drainage system subject to chapter 106A, is hereby authorized 
and empowered to the county board may clean or to make repairs 
on any drain or ditch in any one district in said system when 
said drain or ditch, due to lack of repairs or cleaning, has 
caused or is causing great damage to county roads, property, 
crops or lands; to.  It may appropriate and expend from the 
general revenue fund of said county a sum not to exceed $10,000 
annually for the cost of cleaning and repairing said drains or 
ditches.  Said cleaning and repairing may be done by the county 
with its own equipment and employees, or by contract, but if 
done by contract and said estimated cost exceeds $500, then bids 
for same shall be called for and the contract shall be let to 
the lowest responsible bidder pursuant to law. 
    Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.131, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.131 [ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEYS AND CLERKS.] 
    In all counties having an area of more than 5,000 square 
miles and a population of more than 150,000, The St. Louis 
county attorney may appoint, with the consent of the county 
board, assistant county attorneys and clerical help at such 
salaries as may be determined by the board.  Those heretofore 
appointed shall be designated assistant county attorneys.  They 
shall take the official oath of office and execute a bond in the 
same manner as the county attorney, said bonds to be paid by the 
county.  The assistant county attorneys shall be fully 
authorized to do and perform the duties pertaining to the office 
as directed by the county attorney.  The assistant county 
attorneys shall be paid semimonthly as is now done, and shall be 
reimbursed for their actual expenses and mileage according to 
law when on official business for the county. 
    Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.133, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [CERTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES.] In any county 
in this state now or hereafter having a population of more than 
150,000 inhabitants, and having an area of not less than 5,000 
square miles, in which said county board of said county 
maintains St. Louis county may maintain a county highway 
engineering organization, composed of a chief highway engineer, 
assistant engineers, office clerks, drafters, surveyor's 
assistants, and other employees, all under the direction of the 
county board of said county, the said county.  The board shall 
by resolution duly adopted at its first meeting after the taking 
effect of section 383C.133 and at its annual meeting in January 
in each year, and as additions and changes shall occur in the 
personnel of said engineers and employees in said county road 
engineering department, certify to the county auditor of said 
county the name, position, compensation and the date from which 
said compensation shall be paid, of each of such engineers, 
clerks, surveyor's assistants and other employees engaged in 
said engineering department.  On the receipt of any such 
resolution of said county board certifying the name, position, 
compensation and date of appointment of said engineers and 
employees, it shall be the duty of the county auditor of such 
county to enter the name of every such road engineer and 
employee in said engineering department on the records of said 
county auditor, kept for the recording of the names of county 
officers and their employees and said county road engineers and 
all their assistants and employees in said road engineering 
department shall be paid their compensation or salary 
semimonthly in the same manner as county officials are now paid; 
and the same shall be in full compensation for all services 
rendered to such county by said county road engineers, their 
clerks, assistants and employees. 
    Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.135, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.135 [SURETY BONDS.] 
    That in any county in this state, now or hereafter having 
an area of over 5,000 square miles and a population of over 
200,000 inhabitants, The St. Louis county board of any such 
county shall allow and pay a reasonable amount paid by any 
county elective or appointive officer of such county as an 
annual or term premium on the officer's official corporate 
surety bond in the amount required by law or fixed by such 
county board, said premiums to be paid out of the revenue of 
such county for terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 
1935, as legal claims against such county, and after the 
repayment of such reasonable premiums to any such officer for 
the current year or years in said term of office, said county 
board shall pay the reasonable premium on any such bond after 
the termination of existing terms of office. 
    Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.16, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.16 [COUNTY FAIR; MAINTAINING.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [APPROPRIATION.] That in all counties in 
this state now or hereafter having a population of 150,000 and 
having not less than 40 percent of their area consisting of 
vacant and uncultivated lands, The St. Louis county board may 
annually appropriate not to exceed $2,000 to assist in the 
maintaining of a county fair, which fair shall be under the 
management and control of a county agricultural society.  Such 
appropriation shall be made either to the treasurer of such 
society or to some other suitable person, but before such money 
is paid to such treasurer or other person, the payee shall file 
with the county auditor a satisfactory bond in double the sum of 
said appropriation, conditioned upon a faithful disbursing and 
accounting for all of said funds so appropriated.  Said funds so 
appropriated shall be used solely for the purpose of obtaining, 
preparing, and arranging exhibits and paying premiums to 
exhibitors.  The treasurer or other person to whom said 
appropriation is paid shall within four months after the holding 
of any such aided annual fair, file with the county auditor a 
verified and detailed report showing the name and address of 
every person to whom any of said money was paid, together with 
the date of payment and a full description of the purposes for 
which the money was so paid and shall attach thereto receipts 
and subvouchers for each payment so made and shall return to the 
county treasurer all of the unexpended portion thereof.  After 
said report and receipts and subvouchers have been audited by 
the county board and found to be correct, they may by resolution 
release said treasurer or other person and sureties from all 
further liabilities under such bond. 
    Subd. 2.  [SITE APPROPRIATION.] The county board in any 
such county may also annually appropriate such further sum as it 
may desire not exceeding $7,500, for the purpose of procuring a 
suitable site and the erection of a suitable county building 
thereon, for the building or repairing of a race track and for 
grading and improving the grounds, to be used in connection with 
such county fair, but said site and said building and 
improvements shall be and remain the property of such county and 
such annual appropriation shall be used only for the purpose of 
so acquiring such site and building and grading and for the 
necessary care, repair, maintenance and upkeep thereof. 
    Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.161, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.161 [COMMUNITY FAIR ASSOCIATIONS; APPROPRIATION.] 
    In counties having a population of more than 200,000 and an 
area of 5,000 square miles or more, The St. Louis county board 
of county commissioners, in addition to the power it now 
possesses to appropriate money to county agricultural societies, 
is hereby authorized to appropriate, to not more than ten duly 
organized community fair associations of its county, not to 
exceed $500 each.  In no event shall more than twice the sum 
paid out in premiums by any community fair association be 
appropriated to it by the county board.  Where there is more 
than one community fair association in a county, the county 
board in determining which association shall receive county 
funds shall consider the geographical location of the fair 
maintained by each and shall so make its appropriations to such 
associations that each different community and part of the 
county will share therein and be equally benefited thereby. 
    That before the county auditor of any such county shall 
deliver a warrant to any community fair association for any 
funds allowed under this section, the treasurer of such 
community fair association shall file a bond in the amount of 
$500 running to the said county, to be approved by the county 
board as to form and sufficiency of sureties thereon, 
conditioned that said treasurer will disburse said funds 
according to law. 
    Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.162, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.162 [APPROPRIATION FOR COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN CERTAIN 
COUNTIES.] 
    In every county in this state now or hereafter containing 
not less than 80 full or fractional congressional townships, The 
St. Louis county board of county commissioners is authorized to 
expend annually from the county revenue fund, out of any moneys 
not required to defray other expenses chargeable against such 
fund, such amount as the commissioners may determine to be 
necessary for the purpose of improving the county fairgrounds 
and erecting buildings thereon to be used for county and 
agricultural fairs. 
     Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.17, is 
amended to read: 
    383C.17 [COURTHOUSE BUILDING COMMISSION.] 
    In St. Louis county, the courthouse building commission The 
board of county commissioners of St. Louis county shall have the 
authority to assign and reassign space and rooms to the various 
offices in the courthouses and county office buildings in said 
county. 
    Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.231, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY.] In any county in this state, 
except St. Louis county, now or hereafter having a population of 
not less than 175,000 nor more than 225,000 and having a land 
area of more than 5,000 square miles, and in any county having 
over 33,000 and less than 35,000 inhabitants according to the 
1950 federal census and an assessed valuation over $20,000,000, 
the board of county commissioners of any such county shall have 
authority and may by resolution provide for removal of snow from 
roadways as hereinafter provided, and upon such conditions and 
terms and under such restrictions as the board may deem proper. 
    Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.232, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.232 [CERTAIN COUNTIES MAY NUMBER STATE AND OTHER ROADS 
ROAD NUMBERS.] 
    That The St. Louis county board in any county in this state 
now or hereafter having an assessed valuation of over three 
hundred million ($300,000,000) dollars exclusive of money and 
credits and an area of over five thousand (5,000) square miles 
is hereby authorized, may by resolution duly adopted, to provide 
a suitable method of numbering or otherwise describing the state 
roads, county roads and town roads within its boundaries, 
erecting and maintaining an adequate system of road signs 
thereon and preparing and causing to be circulated an accurate 
road map of said county, showing thereon such of said roads as 
said county board shall deem in the public interest.  That said 
The county board may distribute said road maps free of charge, 
or may sell the same at cost to civic organizations, automobile 
clubs or other parties desiring to purchase same for 
circulation.  That The expense of any and all such acts and 
things herein authorized may be paid for by said county board 
out of the county road and bridge fund and any collections made 
by said board for any such maps so sold shall be credited to 
said fund. 
    Sec. 16.  [383C.234] [REMOVAL OF SNOW.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY.] The St. Louis county board may 
by resolution provide for removal of snow from roadways as 
provided in this section, and upon conditions and terms and 
under restrictions as the board may deem proper. 
    Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION.] Any person desiring to have snow 
removed from the person's roadway during the ensuing winter 
shall on or before August 31 of each year, file a petition in 
form approved by the county board with the board, providing 
among other things for the payment of the expense by the person, 
requesting it to render the service.  The county board shall 
forthwith submit the petition to the county engineer who shall 
inspect the roadway to determine whether or not it would be 
advisable to permit snow removal equipment to work on it.  The 
determination of the county engineer as to advisability shall be 
final and not subject to review.  The engineer shall file a 
report with the county board approving or rejecting the 
petition, on or before October 31 each year. 
    Subd. 3.  [FILE OF PETITIONERS.] The board shall, if the 
report of the engineer is favorable to the removal of snow from 
the roadway, place the name and address of the petitioners on 
file and shall forthwith notify each petitioner of the report. 
    Subd. 4.  [EQUIPMENT NOT TO BE USED UNTIL PUBLIC HIGHWAYS 
ARE CLEARED.] No snow removal equipment shall be used for the 
purposes of this section unless and until snow is removed from 
all roads and highways which the county is charged by law with 
keeping clear. 
    Subd. 5.  [REGULATION.] The manner and number of times 
which machinery shall be used on the roadways shall be 
determined by the county board, and no person shall have the 
right to compel the removal of snow from any roadway as 
described in this section. 
    Subd. 6.  [EXPENSES.] The amount of the expenses shall 
constitute and be a lien in favor of the county against the land 
involved, and, unless paid by July first following, shall be 
certified by the county engineer to the county auditor, and the 
auditor shall enter them upon the tax books, as an assessment, 
upon the land.  They shall be collected in the same manner that 
other real estate taxes are collected.  The amount of the 
expenses, when collected, shall be used to reimburse the county 
for its expenditure.  
    Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.26, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.26 [IMPROVEMENT OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.] 
    In St. Louis county the board of county commissioners may 
appropriate and expend from the general revenue fund, such 
amount, not to exceed $15,000 $75,000 annually, as it shall 
determine for the following purposes:  
    (1) for the improvement of trails and portages on 
established canoe and boat routes dedicated to public use lying 
wholly or partially within the county;  
    (2) for the cleaning, deepening, widening and straightening 
of the bed of any river or creek to prevent flooding of lands; 
and 
    (3) to improve navigable lakes within the county and to 
mark by buoys and other means, reefs and shallow places in such 
lakes.  
    The powers enumerated in this section shall be exercised in 
accordance with the requirements, if any, of chapter 110.  
    Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.261, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.261 [WATER IMPROVEMENTS.] 
    The St. Louis county board of county commissioners in any 
county in the state of Minnesota now or hereafter having a 
population of more than 150,000, and not more than 240,000, 
inhabitants, and an area of more than 5,000 square miles, is 
hereby authorized to may appropriate and expend out of the 
revenue fund of said county a sum not exceeding $10,000 annually 
in addition to any unexpended appropriation heretofore 
authorized for the improvement of navigable lakes and streams 
lying wholly or partly within such county, which improvement may 
include the marking of dangerous reefs and shallow places in 
said lakes with proper buoys.  
    Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.36, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.36 [COUNTY BOARD MAY EXPEND COUNTY FUNDS WITHIN CITY 
LIMITS.] 
    Any county of this state, now or hereafter having a 
population of 150,000 or over, and an area in excess of 5,000 
square miles, The St. Louis county board of county commissioners 
shall have the authority to may appropriate and expend within 
the limits of any city of the first class located in such county 
such sum or sums of money from the county road and bridge fund, 
as said board shall deem proper, not exceeding one-half the 
amount that may have been assessed and collected for such road 
and bridge fund on the taxable property within said city, for 
the building, repairing, maintaining, or otherwise improving of 
any road, highway, street or avenue, including the construction 
and repairing of any bridge thereon, within the limits of any 
such city, but said county shall in no event and under no 
circumstances become liable to keep up or maintain the roads, 
highways, streets, avenues or bridges, or any of them within the 
limits of such city, constructed, repaired or otherwise improved 
by said county board, or be liable in any manner for their want 
of repairs.  
    Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.422, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.422 [BONDS.] 
    In every county in this state having an area of more than 
5,000 square miles, a population of more than 150,000 and having 
deputy sheriffs appointed by the sheriff of said county, under 
the rules and regulations of the civil service commission of 
said county, The St. Louis county board of said county is hereby 
authorized to may bond such deputy sheriffs as the sheriff 
requests at the expense of the county; when such deputies are so 
bonded, the sheriff shall be relieved of all financial 
responsibility for the acts of said deputies.  
    Sec. 21.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.482, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [AUDITOR TO SEARCH RECORDS; 
CERTIFICATES.] In any county having an area in excess of 5,000 
square miles and a population in excess of 150,000, The St. 
Louis county auditor, upon written application of any person, 
shall make search of the records of the auditor's office and the 
county treasurer's office, and ascertain the amount of current 
tax against any lot or parcel of land described in the 
application and the existence of all tax liens and tax sales as 
to such lot or parcel of land, and certify the result of such 
search under the seal of office, giving the description of the 
lot or parcel of land, the amount of the current tax, if any, 
and all tax liens and tax sales shown by such records, and the 
amount thereof, the year of tax covered by such lien, the date 
of tax sale, and the name of the purchaser at such tax sale.  
For the purpose of ascertaining the current tax against such lot 
or parcel of land, the county auditor has the right of access to 
the records of current taxes in the office of the county 
treasurer.  
    Sec. 22.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.74, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [APPROPRIATION.] Any county in this state, 
having a population in excess of 200,000 and less than 225,000 
according to the United States Census of 1920, and having an 
area of over 5,000 square miles The St. Louis county board may, 
by action of its county commissioners, appropriate from the 
treasury of the county a sum not to exceed $2,500 each year for 
the promotion of historical work within its borders.  
    Sec. 23.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.75, is 
amended to read:  
    383C.75 [AUTOMOBILE GARAGE AND REPAIR SHOP.] 
    The St. Louis county board of any county having an assessed 
valuation of over $150,000,000 and having at any time an area of 
over 5,000 square miles, whenever it determines it to be 
necessary and for the best interests of the county, may erect 
and maintain on the courthouse grounds at the county seat, an 
automobile storage garage and repair shop with such equipment 
therein as may be found necessary by the county board, and 
without submitting the proposition to a vote of the people of 
said county, for the purpose of storing therein automobiles, 
trucks, and other equipment owned and used by the county in road 
work and for other purposes; and to pay the cost of erecting and 
equipping the building out of the general fund and the road and 
bridge fund of the county in the same manner as other general 
expenses of the county are paid.  
    Sec. 24.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 383C.78, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION.] Application for delayed assessment 
shall be on forms prescribed by the county assessor of St. Louis 
county.  Where delayed assessment is granted, the assessor shall 
record a notice thereof with the county recorder of St. Louis 
county which shall set forth the amount of market value to be 
added at the expiration of each two-year period by reason of the 
delayed assessment.  Filing fees shall be collected by the 
assessor from the person making application, and forwarded to 
the county recorder together with the notice described above 
within 30 days of the granting of such delayed assessment.  An 
assessor may allow only one application per structure may be 
granted with respect to any dwelling unit.  
    Sec. 25.  [REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.] 
    The revisor of statutes shall omit section 383C.231 from 
the next edition of Minnesota Statutes.  
    Sec. 26.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1986, sections 383C.075; 383C.076; 
383C.095; 383C.132; 383C.13; 383C.133; 383C.171; 383C.174; 
383C.175; 383C.20; 383C.202; 383C.203; 383C.291; 383C.292; 
383C.339; 383C.361; 383C.362; 383C.363; 383C.392, subdivision 2; 
383C.423; 383C.424; 383C.45; 383C.481; 383C.52; 383C.521; 
383C.523; 383C.55; 383C.551; 383C.552; 383C.553; 383C.554; 
383C.555, subdivision 2; 383C.556; 383C.557; 383C.61; 383C.611; 
383C.612; 383C.613; 383C.64; 383C.641; 383C.642; 383C.643; 
383C.644; 383C.645; 383C.646; 383C.647; 383C.648; 383C.649; 
383C.65; 383C.651; 383C.66; 383C.67; 383C.671; 383C.672; 
383C.673; 383C.674; 383C.675; 383C.676; 383C.677; 383C.77; 
383C.80; 383C.801; 383C.802; 383C.803; 383C.804; and 383C.805; 
and Minnesota Statutes 1987 Supplement, section 383C.76, are 
repealed. 
     Sec. 27.  [LOCAL APPROVAL.] 
     This act takes effect the day after compliance with 
Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3, by the St. 
Louis county board. 
    Approved April 12, 1988