At the request of the Cook County North Shore Hospital and Care Center, Grand Marais city councilors agreed March 25, 2015 to support a grant application for $350,000 from the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board in support of the hospital’s proposed $24 million expansion and renovation project.
Kimber Wraalstad, hospital administrator, explained that the council’s action is necessary because awards through the state agency’s Development Infrastructure Grant Program are made only to cities. If received, the funds would be used toward the cost of earthwork, utilities infrastructure including electrical, sewer and water services, and other exterior improvements such as asphalt and concrete work.
Wraalstad stressed that there is no financial commitment on the part of the city in submitting the grant; the city will act only as a pass-through and all of the construction will be performed and supervised by the hospital and its building contractor.
Wraalstad and hospital maintenance director Rory Smith gave an extensive presentation on the 50-year-old facility’s history and subsequent renovations. Wraalstad said serious talks about the pending project began in 2010 and were mostly sparked by a need for more space and privacy due to changing demographics and regulations governing health-care facilities. Currently there are 37 beds in the care center and 16 in the hospital.
Council voted unanimously to submit the application on behalf of the hospital with approval of a resolution. A grant agreement between the state and the city that will require the city to publicly bid the portion of the project funded by the grant and to pay the contractors will also be required if the city wins the funding.
Following some discussion about the project, Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux summed up council’s decision. “This is a great thing we can work together on to ease the burden for all of us,” he said.
In a related matter, Karl Hansen of the North Shore Health Care Foundation asked council to move forward with a market study to help determine the feasibility of establishing an Assisted Living facility in Cook County. Hansen’s request was for the city to send out requests for proposals (RFPs) to companies that do market studies in an effort to find the one best-suited to Cook County’s needs.
Although a similar study was done in 2010, it was noted by Hansen and others that that study was not comprehensive enough. With council’s approval of the request, RFPs will now be sent out to vendors known to the city, and the county board and Grand Portage Tribal Council will be contacted about the effort and to ask their cooperation with gathering information.
City Administrator Mike Roth noted that the request originally came before council in December, and the previous council deferred the matter for the new councilors to decide. Roth said it was important for that decision to be made soon because he has become aware that the IRRRB – which may fund the undertaking – is expressing “a level of frustration that nothing’s happening.” And Hansen pointed out that it’s been five months since council agreed to do something, yet nothing has been done.
Upon hearing the presentation council did do something, approving Hansen’s request by unanimous vote.
Other business included:
. Greg Gentz, speaking on behalf of Lakeview Natural Dairy, asked council to send a letter of support to the state allowing continued operation of the embattled business in accordance with the state constitution. Gentz said he is gathering support for all consumers. “This is for all private farmers and gardeners…not just Lakeview,” he said. Gentz’s request will be put on a future agenda for consideration.
. Randy Sjogren came before council with a request to install high-powered coin-operated viewing binoculars near Artist Point, possibly on city land. Due to the lack of specifics in Sjogren’s proposal, he was advised to put together a more-detailed plan and bring that back for council’s consideration. Roth said that due to conservation easement restrictions, city ordinances and other concerns, the “path of least resistance” for Sjogren would be to work with an existing business in the area and locate the device on private property.
. Councilor and planning commission member Tim Kennedy reported that the developer of Grand Lakeview Development once again appeared before the planning commission regarding the developer’s agreement and was once again sent away unhappy. Kennedy said there are some fairly significant issues remaining to be settled by the attorneys, namely financial security requirements; payment of utility hook-up fees; and provision of as-built construction drawings. The development comprised of 12 twinhome units is set to go on vacant land east of town above Gofer Cabins.
. Councilor and YMCA liaison Dave Mills reported on the Y’s recent board meeting and said there was a lot of “strong” discussion about the facility use agreement with the school. Mills also reported on the latest North Woods Food Project meeting and said an effort to create a food composting plan in cooperation with the city appears to be gaining steam. Such a project would be aimed at utilizing restaurant waste.
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