Community member and North Shore Hospital board member Tom Spence talked to the Schroeder Township board on September 13, 2011 about a private company, Spectrum Healthcare, that is studying the feasibility of building an assisted living facility of up to 30 beds in Grand Marais.
If the West End townships would like smaller facilities so their residents don’t have to go 30 miles in either direction for assisted living, now is the time to speak up, Spence said, because putting up smaller facilities around the county would be unlikely if a large one goes up in Grand Marais.
Spence believes that a four-plex facility might be a good size for the West End and that the Birch Grove Community Center property might be a good location. He said the hospital is open to helping provide ancillary services such as a mobile lab.
County Commissioner Bruce Martinson recommended sending a letter to the hospital board and the Tofte Township board if the township board was interested in pursuing this idea.
“Thank you for your time,” Supervisor Ross Willson said. “We appreciate the heads up.” Mowing ditches
“When are we going to get our ditches mowed?” Floyd Johnson asked Commissioner Martinson. “You bought a $50,000 mower,” Johnson said, pointing out that Lake County roadsides are mowed nicely. He also said culverts have been sitting ready to be installed under Schroeder roads for two years now.
“They’re still very shiny, though!” said Deputy Clerk Gale Ring.
“They’ll rust,” Johnson replied.
Martinson did not have a specific answer for Johnson, but according to County Engineer David Betts in a September 19 phone interview, the Highway Department received a new tractor and brusher three days after the Schroeder township board meeting. It was supposed to arrive in May or June but was delayed because of the tsunami in Japan where some of the parts came from.
“We are hoping to get there yet this year,” said Betts, “but I don’t know if we’ll be able to get to it.” His crew had just started mowing again in mid-September after working on the Sobanja Lane culvert replacement project for about six weeks.
When asked how often his department does roadside brushing projects, Betts said, “In theory, I’d love to be doing them every year.” They are presently backlogged because they are in the process of widening open spaces along roadways. They are now brushing to the back slopes of ditches. “It helps with safety, as far as seeing the animals and things like that,” he said.
The department is in the process of planning its fall mowing schedule. “I could have six mowers going at once and not get caught up,” Betts said. “We’re trying hard.”
Regarding culverts waiting for installation, Betts said, “It’s just a matter of trying to get to them all.” Other culverts are in place and ready for installation through the county as well. “They’ll probably have to wait another year,” Betts said. The projects are somewhat involved because they involve re-establishing ditches at the same time.
The culverts, made of aluminum or galvanized steel, will not rust in the near future, Betts said, and wouldn’t rust unless they were sitting in water.
Highway Department Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad contacted the News-Herald saying he knows Schroeder residents are wondering when their roadsides will be mowed. “The fact is, we have been being much more aggressive than in the past and it takes longer to make the circuit,” he said. “The West End has gotten most of the brusher service in years past and the East End has been left out. We changed our rotation this year and started on County Road 69 and 70 this year.” Klegstad said brush on 70 had grown right up to the road.
Regarding culvert replacements, Klegstad reported that the County Road 6 culvert job is complete, and one on County Road 75 is in place, although the ditch work and road lift won’t be done until spring. Park and town hall
The board discussed its desire to put up a picnic shelter where the picnic tables are located in the Harbor Park on Baraga Cross Road. The county, which enforces DNR shore land rules, would require such a structure to be located farther from the vegetation line. A seasonal structure, such as a canvas roof on poles, would be possible, Ross Willson said, although taking it down and putting it back up again each year would cost the township some money. He said he didn’t think this would be the best solution. Commissioner Martinson said the township could request a variance from the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Clerk Carol Tveekrem said complaints have been made regarding dog droppings on the beach in the park. She suggested that they add a notice about picking up after dogs to the sign that is in the park already, since it needs refurbishing anyway.
Floyd Johnson said the sign could say, “Owners will be shot.” Several in the room agreed that the problem is not the dogs’ fault. They also talked about goose droppings on the beach. “Once in every eight minutes!” Johnson said, explaining that a guy in Chicago studied it.
Clerk Tveekrem said a problem with the flagpole outside town hall was with the pulley. Does it just need some grease, and how would a person get up there? Deputy Clerk Ring wondered. “You can hire Tofte to come and grease it,” said Fire Chief Phil Bonin, smiling. “It’s about $400 – the price of a new flagpole!” Eagle Scout award
Tveekrem announced that Judy Gregg’s grandson Austin Cooper-Gregg would soon receive his Eagle Scout ranking. His work on the town cemetery landscape in the summer of 2010 was the large service project that helped him get there. Fire department
Fire Chief Phil Bonin reported that he had almost delivered a baby that day, but by the time he arrived on the scene, the baby had already arrived. Bonin said the young woman had not known she was pregnant before the baby boy was born.
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