Use of the county’s 1 percent Recreation and Infrastructure Sales Tax is a regular discussion item on the county commissioners’ agenda. At the Tuesday, November 8, 2011 county board meeting, a group of citizens brought up the 1 percent tax during the public comment period at the start of the meeting. Hal Greenwood of Grand Marais was the group’s spokesperson and he made an impassioned appeal for use of the funds for renovation of the existing municipal swimming pool.
Greenwood said, “We’ve been hearing that it would cost millions to fix the pool. I talked to AquaLogics, one of the largest pool companies in the northwest. I think the public should know that the cost of renovating the existing pool facility is far less than has been stated.”
Greenwood presented a packet of bids that he had gathered for potential repair and renovation of the Grand Marais Municipal Swimming Pool. The total of the bids that he had gathered totaled $447,793. The packet included bids from AquaLogic for $121,000; Bay Glass for $25,000; Superior Heating for $271,793 and a verbal bid from an electrical firm of $30,000.
“I know you’ve had a lot of discussion about keeping the cost of the community center under $10 million. The pool is a big part of that. If you took the pool out of it, you could maybe build it.
“I’m not opposed to the community center. I think indoor tennis courts would be great. If you worked with the ski hill, it is something that could work. I think it could be an economic benefit to the community,” said Greenwood.
Former County Commissioner Gene Erickson said he didn’t think the people who voted yes to the sales tax referendum wanted to see the pool at the community center. “If we have a $10 million building, you’ll be spending about 10 percent of that for maintenance. I don’t think anyone wants that. Hal did a lot of work here, I think you should take a look at it.”
Greenwood pointed out the people with him at the meeting, noting that the group included another former county commissioner, Chet Lindskog; former Grand Marais mayor Evelyn Larsen; and several pool users. He especially pointed to well-known community volunteer Eleanor Waha. “I don’t ever remember Eleanor objecting to anything— and she is here. I think this is really something to think about.”
The county board thanked Greenwood for the information and Commissioner Bruce Martinson said, “It makes sense to look at this.”
County Board Chair Jim Johnson noted that there is still a legal issue for the city of Grand Marais regarding its 2005 agreement with Burbach Aquatics Inc. of Platteville, Wisconsin, in which it promised to use Burbach for any “repair, renovation or replacement of the municipal swimming pool located in the City of Grand Marais….” The contract included a statement that it would be in effect until either the project was completed or until it had been suspended for five years.
The group did not have the Burbach contract in front of them, but Evelyn Larsen said the proposed work is not covered by the 2005 agreement. “This isn’t reconstruction. The city’s already bought new boilers. This is maintenance,” she said.
Johnson said, “I agree that what you’ve brought to us needs to be explored. I for one appreciate all the thoughts that have been coming from the community, asking us to give all this second thoughts.”
Commissioner Jan Hall suggested having another special meeting with the city to learn the status of negotiations with Burbach Aquatics.
Working toward a warming house
Tackling another 1 percent Recreation and Infrastructure Sales Tax issue, the county board made a phone call to Tim Meyer of the Meyer Group about a warming house project.
While waiting for Meyer to come to the phone, Commissioner Sue Hakes, who serves on the community center committee, said that recent meetings with the “ice people”— the citizens working to get an ice rink built on the community center grounds—had been productive. She said plans for an ice rink are pretty straightforward, but what the warming house should look like is a different matter. Hakes said the group agreed the warming house did not need a kitchen, since one exists at the current community center and the proposed new community center would have one as well. However, there was no consensus over whether there should be bathrooms and where the warming house would be located— attached to the present community center (in back or on the east end) or as a stand-alone structure closer to the proposed rink. “We decided we should have the professionals look at this,” said Hakes.
Meyer reported that after a meeting with the ice people he felt he had a pretty good idea of the needs of the group. Meyer had sent the board a “fee proposal” to provide “three predesign conceptual plan sketches, three exterior concept sketches, a ‘ball-park’ opinion of probable cost, and one review meeting in Grand Marais” for a cost of $5,000.
Commissioner Bruce Martinson speculated on the possible cost of the structure and said, “If this is going to cost more than $20,000, I really think it must be a multi-user facility, shared with other users, like the tennis association.”
Meyer agreed that a multi-use facility, with space for concessions for tennis in the summer as well as for hockey in the winter would be beneficial. Joining the commissioners at the meeting were representatives from the local hockey and tennis associations. Hockey supporters shared their thoughts on what they would like to see, but Gene Glader and Rod Wannebo of the tennis association deferred comment, stating that they didn’t know enough of what had been discussed to date. “Maybe we need another meeting with the hockey group, the tennis group and Diane Booth of the Community Center—she has the best feel of how the community center is being used.”
Commissioners and community members debated the merits of the three potential locations, as well as the need for plumbing and storage space. Commissioner Martinson noted that if the ice Zamboni was stored in the building, ventilation was an additional issue. Commissioner Hakes said the county needs to keep in mind maintenance and operation costs of the building. “That’s why I lean toward sharing,” she said.
Commissioner Sobanja made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Martinson, to approve the $5,000 expenditure to have the Meyer Group develop the conceptual sketches. The motion carried unanimously. Tim Meyer agreed to hold an additional meeting with both the tennis and hockey groups, at no extra charge. Community Center Director Diane Booth agreed to schedule that meeting.
In other business:
. Commissioners accepted the recommendation of Maintenance Director Brian Silence to purchase a new furnace for the Cook County Community Center. Commissioners passed a unanimous motion to purchase the furnace and have it installed by Chuck’s Heating and Refrigeration. The cost is $2,816.
. Commissioner Fritz Sobanja questioned a charge for $276.48 to Land’s End for coffee mugs. Auditor Braidy Powers produced the invoice where it was noted that the charge was for 36 coffee mugs to be given to citizens conducting water monitoring for the Soil & Water Conservation District. He said the Soil & Water board approved the expense. Sobanja questioned whether this was a good use of county funds.
It was noted that this is to thank volunteers. “I don’t mind them getting a $6 coffee mug,” said Commissioner Hakes.
Commissioner Martinson agreed, “It is a small gesture. It’s better than having staff do this work.”
Sobanja acquiesced, “It was just my opportunity to philosophize.”
. The meeting ended in a closed session to discuss upcoming labor negotiations with the Cook County Employee Association, Law Enforcement Labor Services and Local 49 Operating Engineers (the Highway Department).
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