Trying to make sense of one’s property tax bill can be difficult, especially if it is drastically different from that of the neighbor next door. At a December 15, 2009 truth-in-taxation public hearing, County Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers and County Assessor Mary Black tried to explain the complexities of taxation. The system used in Minnesota has advantages and disadvantages, Powers told […]
Cook County Law Enforcement briefs
It is the policy of the Cook County News-Herald to withhold the identities of individuals in Cook County Law Enforcement briefs. When court proceedings are complete, the Cook County News-Herald publishes a complete accounting of names and penalties in its Matters of Record. Monday, Dec. 21 12:22 p.m., Grand Marais: Anonymous report that a para had brought a knife to […]
School board anticipating referendum
Superintendent Beth Schwarz outlined the school’s FY2011 budget at a truth-in-taxation public hearing December 21, 2009, although no community members came specifically for the hearing. Currently the school does not have an operating referendum to support its budget, but Leonard Sobanja wrote in his December 9 school board work session minutes, “By consensus the board agreed that we needed to […]
U.S. News & World Report recognizes CCHS
Cook County High School has been recognized as a “Bronze” school by U.S. News & World Report in its America’s Best High Schools project. Superintendent Beth Schwarz made the announcement to school staff in December with a congratulatory e-mail declaring, “Thank you all staff, for all you do for our children!” According to the U.S. News & World Report website, […]
County board considers hiring administrator
“You are hiring an administrator. You’re not hiring a god.”At the invitation of Cook County commissioners, Association of Minnesota Counties Executive Director Jim Mulder came up from St. Paul to discuss at the December 22, 2009 county board meeting the possibility of hiring a county administrator, something Mulder openly supported. The board started talking about hiring an administrator after passage of the referendum authorizing a countywide 1% sales and […]
Company chosen to design and manage fiber optic installation
The county received seven “qualified” bids from firms around the country for engineering design and construction management of a countywide fiber optic communications network, Cook County Information Systems Director Danna MacKenzie reported to the county board December 22, 2009. A six-member review committee interviewed three companies and decided Spectrum Engineering Corporation of Auburn, Indiana was the best fit for the […]
Township citizens sought for election
It may seem early, but now is the time for citizens interested in running for office for the townships of Lutsen, Tofte, and Schroeder to file. The filing period for candidates opened December 29 and will remain open until Tuesday, January 12, 2010. At press time, no one had paid the $2 non-refundable filing fee, but several incumbents had announced […]
Photos
Mike Flack with some of the thousands of lights decorating his yard at 317 Third Avenue West in Grand Marais. The festive display spills over (with permission!) onto his neighbor Janet Lindquist’s yard. Included are multiple trees, lighted candy canes and gingerbread cookies, dozens of snowflakes and snow globes, angels and snowmen, a nativity scene, and Santa and sleigh on […]
Senior Center January 2010 Menu & Events
January 1 New Year’s Day-Senior Center Closed January 4 11:30 a.m. Lunch: Pork Chop Dinner, Plums 12:00 p.m. Travel Video January 5 9:00 a.m. Council on Aging Meeting 11:30 a.m. Lunch: Hot Beef Sandwich, Peanut Butter Cookie 12:00 p.m. Identify Senior Center Photos 1:00 p.m. Scrabble January 6 10:00 a.m. Exercise Group 10:30 a.m. Blood Pressure Check 11:30 a.m. Lunch: […]