On June 20, Cook County commissioners approved a contract with the Cook County Grand Marais EDA to sell Spectrum Health Companies two lots in the Business Development Park for one dollar.
The Grand Marais City Council approved the sale at its Wednesday, June 14 meeting, but the sale was contingent upon the county board agreeing to the sale.
In all actuality, said Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk, the EDA had been given the two lots years ago to use for the development of affordable housing, which never worked out.
Spectrum Health has been in business since 1981 and is privately owned by Merle Sampson.
Spectrum Health has shown interest in coming to Cook County in the past. They made presentations in 2011 and 2012, searching for assistance in building a 38-unit assisted living facility in Grand Marais, but they could not secure a “Mutual Exclusivity Agreement” with the city at that time. They also asked for help with getting grants and a donation of five acres of property to build on.
Spectrum Health Companies own and operate 19 Carefree Assisted Living Facilities throughout Minnesota.
Newly elected county commissioner Robert (Bobby) Deschampe said he supported the project but had trouble with the one-dollar price tag because other people in the park had paid a lot more for their lots.
Doo-Kirk agreed that others had paid more, but she added that real estate prices rise and fall with the markets, and while someone might get a good deal on a property, someone else who purchased land at an earlier date for a higher price might feel sorry, but that was how real estate markets fluctuate.
Board chair Jan Sivertson asked Administrator Jeff Cadwell if giving land away to help a business was unusual in the communities he previously worked in. Cadwell answered, “This is a very typical development tool.” He added that communities weigh the jobs gained and property taxes brought to the community when they make these deals.
County accepts Minnesota Buffer Law
Land Services Director Tim Nelson asked commissioners to consider allowing the county to accept and administer the new Minnesota Buffer Law.
Typically, said Nelson, the buffer program is aimed at agricultural counties and places like Cook County that have less formalized activity and where most buffers around shorelines are enforced through Minnesota Department of Natural Resources rules.
Earlier this year Nelson said it didn’t look like the buffer program would be beneficial to Cook County, “so we didn’t bring it before the board.” Since then, Nelson said some changes had been made to the program requirements and funding mechanisms, and it might be a good fit for the county to consider.
Counties and watershed districts are required to use the funds to “enforce and implement the riparian protection and water quality practices under section 103.48 (Buffer Law).” Any expenditure consistent with this statutory language should be considered acceptable.
The state is offering Riparian Aid grant funds of $40,000 for the first year and $50,000 for the second year for counties which adopt the new requirements, but there isn’t much time to make a decision. The deadline for the counties to pass a resolution and notify the state and be eligible for funding is June 28.
No employees would have to be hired to run this program, and the county has essentially been doing this work anyway, Nelson said after the meeting.
The board approved the request.
Leave a Reply