While the Cook County Planning & Zoning Department had received five letters objecting to a proposed cell tower in Tofte, it had received no objections to the one proposed for Schroeder as of the September 11 Schroeder Township Board meeting.
AT&T is planning to put up the Schroeder tower, which would be located on Minnesota Power/Allete property above Highway 61 in Taconite Harbor. It would allow other companies to locate equipment on its tower, such as Verizon Wireless, which is trying to put up a tower in Tofte.
The Cook County Planning Commission will consider a request for the Schroeder tower site at its October 10 meeting, which starts at 5 p.m.
County Commissioner Bruce Martinson told the Schroeder board that the towers being planned would have equipment at the top that would allow numerous companies to share the best reception possible.
Planning & Zoning has on file a letter of support from the Schroeder board for the proposed tower in Taconite Harbor.
Minnesota Power plant
Commissioner Martinson said he has been talking to U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack about trying to keep the Minnesota Power plant at Taconite Harbor open.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has required Minnesota Power to analyze the impact of bringing three of its coal-fired plants into compliance with pending EPA regulations. One of those facilities is the one at Taconite Harbor, and one option to deal with the new regulations would be to close the plant.
Martinson said they have been told keeping the plant open would be feasible as long as it was not subject to a carbon tax, a proposed tax that would require payment for carbon dioxide emissions.
The township board voted to send out a letter of support to Minnesota Power for continued operation of the plant.
Fire and rescue
One hundred and ten people attended the fire department’s pancake fundraiser in August, reported Fire Chief Phil Bonin. A spaghetti fundraiser is planned for November 3.
The only call the fire department got last month was a false alarm at Cross River Heritage Post, Bonin said. The rescue squad went out on two calls.
A training for all county fire departments on dealing with gas lines had “a good turnout,” Bonin said. It was held at Lutsen Resort, which provided dinner for the attendees.
The fire department recently received another $1,300 in training money, Bonin said.
Township park area
A Coastal Waterways grant of $5,000 has been awarded for erosion control in and around the township park, including the walkway to Father Baraga’s Cross and adjacent property owned by Skip and Linda Lamb. In-kind labor and a $2,000 donation will provide the required match.
The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission and the U.S. Forest Service are considering grants for more work on the shoreline. “So, we’re kind of coming along,” said volunteer Jim Norvell.
A master plan for the area is in the works.
Maintenance
The town hall has new keys, installed by Phil Bonin. He agreed to find someone to install a heater that has been sitting in the fire hall ready for installation.
Bonin reported that Cook County Emergency Management Director Jim Wiinanen was working on a grant for the county’s town halls and fire halls to get backup generators.
Road and bridge
Fire Chief Bonin said that he helped a truck carrying a large piece of a wind tower navigate through the West End. The load was too large to fit under the three Taconite Harbor overpasses.
Against the recommendation of the woman driving the car in the back, the drivers of the front car tried to go down the Sugarloaf Road, which proved to be not a good route.
Bonin said the front car drivers didn’t believe the rear car driver, a Cloquet resident who had done this trip a dozen times before.
Bonin directed them through the gravel pit.
The convoy was travelling west from Nova Scotia, Bonin said.
Leave a Reply