The hills are verdant and the weather is warm—it’s a good year for Gunflint Hills Golf Course.
Income is up 19 percent over last year, “mostly because of April,” Manager Mike Kunshier told the Grand Marais Park Board July 6, 2010. The early spring has helped bring income up, from $53,326 at this time last year to $63,311 this year.
Membership is also up—26 percent— over last year. “It’s nice and green,” Kunshier said. “We’re getting rain, and we keep mowing! It’s nice to have a lot of new faces up there.”
The heavy rains on the Fourth of July, however, put a damper on what is usually the busiest weekend of the year.
Pool busy
The people rained out of golfing seem to have migrated down to the pool, which according to Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen had its busiest weekend in two years over the Fourth of July, with $1,500 in sales.
The pool received a “perfect bill of health” recently from a Minnesota Department of Health inspector. “It’s one of the best municipal pools he’s inspected,” Christiansen said.
Park Manager Dave Tersteeg said the chemical balance was correct and the building was clean.
“You done good,” said Park Board Chair Walt Mianowski. “Keep it up!”
Marina policy
Thepark board dealt with a request from fellow park board member Todd Miller. He was unable to attend the meeting but had written a letter to the board requesting that they waive the two-month minimum payment of $1,400 that would be required for him to reserve his 35-foot boat slip for next year even though he is not using it this year.
Miller is trying to sell his boat in Bayfield where, he said, it can be more easily maintained and marketed. He suggested to the board that the purpose of the two-month fee was to discourage people from saving a space year after year without ever using it. Since Miller plans to occupy his space with a new boat next year, he asked the board to consider changing the policy “to a case-by-case basis so that the twomonth minimum charge serves a more focused purpose.”
The policy allows a boat owner to take a one-year leave of absence from their slip as long as they pay a minimum of two months’ rent. Themarina currently has a waiting list for boat slips, and 32-to-36-foot boats are at the top of the list, according to Tersteeg.
Carol Backlund maintained that Miller’s request should not be given any more or less weight because he is a park board member. Bill Lenz said he saw no reason to change how they handle marina policy.
The board unanimously passed a motion to not waive the policy for Miller.
Storage fee waiver
The board did allow a waiver of its $62/month fee for storing softball equipment at the ball field. Cook County High School head coach Jessie Anderson requested that the team be allowed to keep an equipment trailer hooked to the fence without charge from April through August. The team practices once or twice a week and holds a summer softball camp.
Walt Mianowski was in favor of “anything we can do for the kids in town.” The board unanimously passed a motion to waive the storage fee for the school team.
Park in full swing
The Fourth of July weekend was busy in the rec park, Tersteeg reported. Reservations are solid for July and August, with seasonal and water/sewer hookup sites completely booked.
The road leading to the ball field has been repaved, with oversight by Assistant Park Manager Amber Wright and construction by Edwin E. Thoreson Inc. “Good job, Amber and Thoresons!” said Tersteeg.
Campers with more than one car are now required to purchase passes, but to get around this, some are parking their second vehicles in the pool and ball field parking lots.
A gear swap and rummage sale is being planned, something a lot of campers will appreciate, Tersteeg said. The second annual seasonal camper potluck was “hugely successful,” said Tersteeg. “These people know how to potluck!”
Solar panel grant
George Wilkes of the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP) updated the board on the Iron Range Resources (IRR) grant that, if awarded, would help fund solar panels to generate some power for the city. He apologized for not informing the park board before the grant was submitted. When they found out about the grant opportunity, CCLEP had just enough time to get the okay from city council before the application deadline.
The IRR would require that the panels be installed in a highly visible location. Since the golf course is less foggy than downtown Grand Marais, placement on golf course property beside the Gunflint Trail was deemed the most promising. Wilkes said it could generate 3-5percent more power there than it could on city property nearer the lake.
“Hopefully CCLEP can work with the park board on a lot of neat stuff!” Wilkes said. Theboard agreed.
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