Where to place the new community center to be built with 1 percent sales and use tax dollars continues to stump the county board, which is where the buck—and the project—will stop until a decision is made.
On August 16, 2011, the county board weighed options once again after the Community Center Steering Committee met one last time before letting the project sit until a location and the question of the City of Grand Marais’ involvement can be ironed out.
Steering committee discussion
The steering committee met August 10 to talk about the ramifications of numerous site options. At that meeting, ISD 166 Superintendent Beth Schwarz took issue with county commissioners Fritz Sobanja and Sue Hakes, saying they didn’t present attachment of the community center to the west wing of the school complex as favorably to the county board as they presented the other options recommended by the steering committee.
Community member Gene Glader pointed out that using the school site would not result in a gain in gymnasiums, which are sometimes in short supply when multiple activities are going on.
In light of some controversies regarding where to put the new community center—such as an outcry over the initial choice that would require demolition and relocation of new tennis courts and the school board’s hesitance to endorse the community center project or take a stand on whether it should be located on school grounds after a major fundraiser for the school objected to the project—architect Tim Meyer recommended that they acknowledge the politics and choose a site that wouldn’t cause as much controversy.
Steering Committee Chair and County Commissioner Sue Hakes said she thought the committee should recommend whatever they believe is the best location, regardless of the politics.
Superintendent Schwarz said she thought the school board might not want Community Education to be in the new building if it were located on the corner of Fourth Avenue West and the new Gunflint Trail, one of the options discussed, because its administrative staff would be too spread out trying to get business done in several buildings including the current Community Center and the school complex.
Architect Tim Meyer said he thinks the site between the current Community Center building and the tennis courts makes the most sense, partly because it’s in the middle of many other recreational amenities. Attachment to the school would probably be best, he said, but that might not be workable because of the politics.
Wade Cole of ORB Management, the county’s builder’s rep, said if he were a taxpayer, attaching the center to the school would be most efficient—a “win-win” situation— since the county could take the burden of extra space off the school district. He thought the next best option would be locating the center between the current Community Center building and the tennis courts.
With a split vote of eight ayes and two nays, the committee passed a motion recommending the option between the current Community Center and the tennis courts but also recommending that the county board further explore the possibility of siting the center on the west end of the school complex.
The county board’s discussion
On August 16, the board considered the steering committee’s recommendations but didn’t come to a decision.
“I think politics has got to be a consideration in the design criteria,” architect Tim Meyer said. He recommended taking options off the table that would require moving larger existing amenities such as the new tennis courts.
Commissioner Bruce Martinson asked ORB President Tom Wachholz what he thought. Access, function, traffic, politics, and programming all need to be considered, Wachholz said, along with the feasibility of reusing an existing building like the west wing of the school. He thought they should find out what the school board would think of remodeling the west wing, rehabbing the Community Ed gym and fitting a pool in. Architect Dan Miller of JLG, one of the firms contracted to build the new facility, said there is no reason to believe this option would be any more expensive than the other options.
County Attorney Tim Scannell pointed out that parking could be an issue if a community center were attached to the school building. Parking is already difficult there when big events are taking place. The option at the corner of Fourth Avenue West and the Gunflint Trail would provide the best access, he said.
“All three of them are good sites,” Tim Meyer said. “It comes down ultimately to where you want to be long-term. …Where’s Grand Marais going to be 30 years from now?”
Commissioner Jim Johnson said they are also dealing with the question of whether the City of Grand Marais will be involved and contributing financially to operating costs. “Everybody in the community says, ‘Don’t hurry. This is something that can wait,’” Johnson said.
The board decided to send a letter to each school board member saying that they would like to address the possibility of siting the community center close to or attached to the school at the upcoming Joint Powers meeting on Thursday, August 25 at City Hall. The Joint Powers board, which meets quarterly, consists of the county board, the city council, the school board, and the Grand Portage Tribal Council.
The county board will sit down with the Grand Marais City Council on August 23 to discuss the possibility of the city collaborating on the community center project. The city is not participating at this point because of a contract it had made with Burbach Aquatics, a design firm, to stay out of any pool construction projects that did not make use of Burbach’s services.
One percent expenditures so far
ORB Management President Tom Wachholz gave the board an update of what had been budgeted and what had been paid out so far on the 1 percent projects.
As of August 1 and rounded to the nearest dollar, $375,880 has been spent out of the community center budget of $11,000,000. On the library addition, $341,399 has been spent out of a budget of $1,490,000. Payments have gone out for the Birch Grove Community Center in the amount of $38,167 out of a $700,000 budget, and $33,369 has been spent out of a Superior National Golf Course budget of $1,800,000. Four million dollars has been approved for fiber optic infrastructure to be installed by Arrowhead Electric Cooperative Inc.
“Uncommitted funds” total $1,010,000. Other projects approved by the One Percent Steering Committee of elected officials that met before the referendum that authorized the 1 percent tax are a biomass district heating plant for public buildings in Grand Marais and outdoor recreational improvements near the current Cook County Community Center.
Commissioner Jim Johnson said they have been getting inquiries regarding other possible uses for the 1 percent funding, such as Gunflint Hills Golf Course improvements, a Cook County Historical Society museum addition, and new Hovland Town Hall playground equipment. Commissioner Bruce Martinson urged the board to give priority to projects already identified at the time of the referendum.
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