|
|
The Grand Marais City Council held a short but productive meeting on June 20.
During the public comments Tyson Smith came before council with two minor changes to the Grand Marais Lions Club permit for the Fisherman’s Picnic. Both involved making it easier for parking and for vendor trucks to service businesses during the four-day event. Council added Tyson’s request(s) to the agenda and approved both changes.
Barbara Jean Meyers came next. She introduced One Small Step, community healing project that’s been happening across the country for the last four years. The One Small Step project was started by StoryCorps to get two people with different political viewpoints together to discuss their different viewpoint’s. Meyers appeared before council with information; she wasn’t requesting funds or asking the city for anything.
Barbara Jean said WTIP Radio is just one of six radio stations selected nationally to host the One Small Step project for 2022.
Conversations are not a debate or a chance to argue but are held to break the ice between people. The 50-minute talks allow individuals to share who they are and what they care about and to share their dreams for the future.
One Small Step conversations are hosted virtually by a trained facilitator. The conversations are never shared without your permission. To date, 1,500 people across the country have participated in these talks.
Meyers said One Small Step conversations help folks move beyond political labels like “Republican” or “Democratic” and into a world where people can share their life experiences and see the world through someone else’s perspective.
Vesta Preliminary Plat
Local home builder Chris Skildum came before the Grand Marais City Council with an application for Vesta Preliminary Plat, a 15.5 acer piece of land he would like spilt into 24 lots intended for single and multifamily structures, three common out lots and one additional real estate out lot.
The Planning Commission met with Skildum and a representative on June 1. Questions were asked about the potential for vacation rentals (none will be allowed), utility access, and a dead-end street. As Skildum stated during some of the questioning, he didn’t have all of the answers, but he would seek them out as the process moved forward. The planning commission voted 3-0 to approve his request and asked Chris to prepare engineered plans for stormwater and infrastructure that complies with the city ordinances.
There are no existing utilities currently on the land which lies along County Road 7 within city limits. Skildum asked for access to city water and sewer which are available at the southwest corner of the property at the mains located at the northeasterly Grand Marais power plant. The only vehicle access to the property is from West 5th Street. Because the land is irregular there isn’t room to build an additional through street. The dead-end street would be 1,657 feet long.
At the June 29 meeting Chris brought preliminary plans for public utility hook-ups and he took questions from the council. Tracy Benson asked Chris if someone bought a lot and put up a home on it, if it was okay if they used that dwelling as a “town cabin.”
Chris answered that if the homeowner was following the city ordinances and the covenants for the subdivision, he wouldn’t have any say in what they were doing. He added that he needed to sell some lots to help finance the project.
Anyone buying/building a home or duplex in the subdivision would have to have an association membership with common expenses shared.
Council unanimously approved the Vesta Preliminary Plat, but it was noted that Skildum and his team have a lot of work ahead of them before any housing is built on the Vesta site.
Grand Marais Library budget request
Council listened to a 2023 budget request for a 7.8 percent increase for the library, just under $17,000. County board liaison to the library board Dave Mills came with the request. Mills said the increase was largely due to an increase in health insurance. Mills also reminded the council that the county board has to approve any budget request above five percent. Both the city and county work through a joint powers agreement to help fund the library.
Mayor Jay Decoux questioned Mills as to whether the library board considered using some of its financial assets to cover the 30 percent raise in insurance rates. Mills replied that the library board preferred using financial gifts for purchases of things the library would need, and not use those monies for budget purposes.
• City Administrator Mike Roth said the city needed to purchase a 17-foot sectional snow pusher with attachments. “We need a new pusher because the one we have doesn’t work anymore,” said Roth.
Roth added that the city’s Bobcat is 22 years old, and it has been breaking down after heavy use; it is currently getting fixed right now. “We are starting the process of replacing it,” he said. Council approved the purchase of the sectional snow pusher.
• Myron Bursheim was appointed to the Cook County/ Grand Marais Economic Development Authority to fill the term of Bev Green, who recently resigned.
Leave a Reply