Community meetings held with Senator Bakk and Representative Ecklund

District legislators came to listen and answer questions of concern from area political and business leaders of the community last week. From L-R: Senator Tom Bakk, Re. Rob Ecklund, IRRR Commissioner Mark Phillips, and Cook County Administrator James Joerke at the end of the table. Staff photo Brian Larsen

Sen. Tom Bakk and Rep. Rob Ecklund met with public leaders in Lutsen on Friday and on Saturday in Grand Portage to discuss issues of common concern. Joining the legislators was Mark Phillips, Commissioner of the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR).

While a handful of topics were broached and discussed the central theme carried to the legislators by representatives of the three West End Townships and the City of Grand Marais was the need for more affordable, workplace housing. Emphasizing that need was ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm and Great Expectations School Director Rachel Lehman, as well Cook County Administrator Janes Joerke. All said that it was hard to fill positions because applicants— new hires—all too often couldn’t accept jobs because they couldn’t find an affordable place to live in the community.

“That’s a statewide problem,” said Senator Bkk. “This isn’t unique to Cook County. It’s a symptom of a bigger problem, a wage gap problem.” Bakk explained that wages haven’t kept up with the rise in housing costs, and until that happens there was going to be continual problems with people

Mary Somnis, Director of the EDA, discussed various projects the EDA was working on. They included affordable housing, developing a housing and redevelopment authority, working with a company on a potential assisted living facility, redeveloping properties, working with all property owners, and reaching out to potential developers