County requests Boyle to withdraw representation, By LISA KACZKE, Staff Writer

County reacts to city’s request for help from Pawlenty

A Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust attorney appointed to represent Koochiching County in the Minnesota Highway 332 issue has withdrawn from the case after being challenged by the city of International Falls.
The city sited MCIT attorney Paul Reuvers’ past representation of the Koochiching Economic Development Authority as a conflict of interest.
In response, the Koochiching County Board is challenging a conflict of interest in City Attorney Joe Boyle’s representation of the city of International Falls, KEDA and the International Falls-Koochiching County Airport Commission. The board is requesting Boyle withdraw from representing the KEDA and the Airport Commission.
According to the county board, the city accused Reuvers of hurting economic development in the area by representing the county in the issue.
A second attorney is expected to be appointed by MCIT to represent the county in a lawsuit filed against the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The Falls City Council is seeking a Minnesota Court of Appeals review of decisions made by the MnDOT commissioner and MnDOT in connection with a plan by Koochiching County to relocate the northern entrance of Highway 332.
Commissioners also accused International Falls Mayor Shawn Mason of filling a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty with a number of inaccuracies regarding the Highway 332 issue.
In the letter, Mason requested Pawlenty’s intervention to help the city build a road to the FTZ.
“Every day that we don’t have a road to the foreign trade zone is a lost opportunity for the economic growth of our community,” the letter stated.
Commissioners also jokingly wondered if Mason had sent a letter to Pres. George Bush for intervention, too.
Mason stated in the letter that the city proposed an alternate route that would alleviate business owners concerns and meet the needs of the foreign trade zone.
She also stated the county refused the alternate proposal and “instead, appealed to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for authority to build the route they prefer without following the law which requires city approval.”
Commissioners stated they believe the city is accusing the county of breaking the law with that statement.
If the city is accusing the county of breaking the law, it needs to be “damn factual about it,” Lepper said.
“It’s libelous,” Lepper said.
Commissioners also pointed out as one of the inaccuracies a statement in the letter that “International Falls is the location of the second busiest railroad port of entry in the United States.” Commissioners said Ranier is the second busiest port of entry.
Board Chairman Wade Pavleck said that now is the time to act.
Commissioner Chuck Lepper echoed that statement, saying that the city is driving a wedge between the two government entities. The city has jeopardized all the partnerships the county has, Lepper said.