Staff photo/Rhonda Silence Cook County Auditor Braidy Powers steps up to the microphone to answer a question at the WTP Public Forum at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Tuesday, October 13. Moderator Jay Andersen of WTIP and panel members Sue Prom and Sue Davies listen to his response.
Even before the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted in September to authorize a special election, the community was debating whether a countywide 1% sales tax should be enacted to fund a number of projects—improvements to outdoor recreational facilities at the Birch Grove and Cook County community centers; a multi-purpose community center with a pool, gym, fitness center, and meeting rooms in Grand Marais; expansion of the Grand Marais Public Library; installation of fiber optic lines to bring ultrahigh speed Internet, phone, and TV to most people along current electric lines; capital improvements to publiclyowned Superior National Golf Course in Lutsen; and a biomass generated heat and electrical plant in Grand Marais.
On Tuesday, October 13, WTIP Community Radio hosted a live public forum with a panel of proponents of several projects answering questions from the community. On the dais at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts was Sue Prom, Cook County Community Center board member; Sue Davies, Grand Marais Library board member; Buck Benson and Grand Marais City Councilor Tim Kennedy, both representing the Cook County Local Energy Project biomass group; County Commissioner Bob Fenwick; and Jim Boyd of the Friends of Broadband.
WTIP’s Jay Andersen moderated the forum, accepting questions from the audience while WTIP staff took questions on the phone and by e-mail. Dozens of good questions were fired at the panel from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.—the majority regarding the broadband internet project. Time and again, Commissioner Fenwick and Jim Boyd referred to discussion earlier in the day with consulting firm CCG Consulting of Beltsville, Maryland for answers. Read more details about broadband planning on A7.
However, when asked if all projects would receive the same county board support as broadband, Fenwick replied, “The county board is united in its effort to fully fund all of these projects. The board would like to see all of the projects completed with the percentages of funding assigned, as long as it is economically feasible.”
Members of the panel answered questions of whether local contractors would be used, by stating that they would whenever possible. Boyd said it is hoped that Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Boreal Access would be involved with the broadband project. He said the broadband installation could also bring up to 250 temporary jobs to the county.
On-going maintenance of the broadband system and facilities such as a civic center/ pool was questioned and panel members said the city, county, and townships already subsidize facilities—having shared functions would reduce costs, panel members said.
A caller expressed concern that the proposed biomass project would “destroy our beautiful forests.” CCLEP’s Buck Benson gave statistics on the amount that would be required for the local energy project, noting that the materials used are currently being burned in the forest as “slash” or in Forest Service fuel reduction programs.
Concern was also expressed about the possibility of losing green space in front of the Grand Marais Library. Sue Davies said there has been heart-wrenching discussion regarding the elm tree in front of the library. Sadly, she noted that the tree is diseased and must ultimately come down regardless of library expansion. She said the library has very carefully adapted its plans to preserve as much green space as possible.
Numerous questions were asked about the logistics of the referendum, and the Cook
County News-Herald
asked a question many county residents want to know. What is the bottom line? Is there an “average” cost per month for shoppers? Jim Boyd said it is estimated that the 1% tax would amount to $3.50 per month for a couple; $7.50 for a family of four.
To hear a rebroadcast of the October 13 forum or to learn more about the individual projects, visit WTIP community radio at www.wtip. org/onepercentsalestax.html.
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