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Commissioners heard from the census committee at the board’s March 8 County board meeting. Based on the 2020 census results, in all likelihood all five county commissioners will be up for reelection in 2022.
Regardless of the census, commissioners in Districts 1, 3 and 5 are up for reelection in 2022.
A committee made up of Auditor/Treasurer Braidy Powers, commissioners David Mills and Stacey Hawkins was tasked with looking at the census to see if the county needed redistricting of unorganized territory precincts to meet the requirements of Minnesota Statute 375. That statute requires commissioner districts whose population varies more than 10 percent from the average district population to be redistricted. Counties have until April 26, 2022, to redraw the lines.
The census results showed that populations in districts 1 and 2 varied by more than 10 percent, and redistricting is required to bring them in compliance. The goal is to make populations in each district as equal as is possible.
Cook County has a population of 5,600, so 1,120 is the goal population for each of our five districts.
Commissioners were presented with three options by the census committee, who recommended the second option. The second option included the five percent rule. That rule says that if additions and deletions exceed 56 (5 percent of 1120) commissioners must run in 2022. It was noted by the census committee that Districts 2 and 4 exceed the five percent rule and therefore also must run in 2022.
Commissioners weighed the information and will make a decision about the census committee’s recommendation at an upcoming meeting.
In other action taken by the county board:
*Commissioners approved the Community Center Bridge Project with North House Folk School.
The 10×26 foot timber frame bridge will span the gully between the tennis courts and the community center playground. The project will be done in cooperation between North House and industrial art classes at I.S.D. 166 high school.
Not including roofing materials or foundation work, the band sawn white pine timber bridge will cost $19,294. North House Folk School will provide space to build the bridge and provide instruction at a discount rate of 40 percent.
*Todd Ford, Lutsen, has been hired as the new Public Information Coordinator. This is a shared position with Cook County and North Shore Health. He replaces Nick Cusick, who left some months ago to take a job with Visit Cook County. In his new position Todd will work twenty hours for North Shore Health and twenty for Cook County.
Commissioners approved Todd’s hire at the board’s March 8 meeting.
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