Earlier this year, Grand Marais City Council authorized a public works space need study in an effort to learn the details of what it will take to build a public works facility to house the city’s fleet of vehicles and maintenance equipment.
On July 25, representatives of the engineering firm that did the survey were on hand to present the results, specifically to provide a preliminary budget and location recommendation.
Dave Bjerkness and C.J. Fernandez of LHB Architects explained the process they used to examine and summarize the pros and cons of each of three sites proposed for the storage facility. Among the prerequisites were that an area of about 4.5 acres would be needed, the site would have to be close to city utilities and the city itself, and the building(s) would have to be large enough to accommodate the city’s two dozen vehicles and large pieces of equipment—roughly 15,000 square feet of heated space plus 2,500 square feet of cold storage.
“None of the sites really fit exactly,” said Fernandez, who did some of the site inspection work. However, he said judging by proximity to utilities, topography and amount of grading needed to prepare the site, one site “rose to the top.” That site is located in the Cedar Grove Business Park. The two other sites that were looked at were a city-owned parcel near the former burn pile near the water tower off the Gunflint Trail, and a cityowned lot just north of the hospital, also off the Gunflint Trail.
Bjerkness noted that there are still “challenges” to the preferred site, namely grading and working around wetlands. Use of a site in the business park would also take a sellable lot off the market, another consideration that needs to be factored into any decision, Bjerkness said.
Bjerkness estimated the cost of the main facility at about $1.9 million, plus another $250,000 for the cold storage building. Both would be steel frame structures with metal siding.
In addition to providing indoor vehicle storage, the proposed new facility would also include a small office for three PUC employees, a restroom and shower, workshop area, eight parking spaces and an area for storage of sand and salt.
Fernandez outlined the other costs that would be involved, such as design work and contingency funds, and estimated that the total cost of the project would be approximately $3.7 million.
City Administrator Mike Roth said the proposed size is not significantly larger than the existing buildings in the Rec Park. Only some office space, a restroom and shop area are being gained, but the project remains mostly garage space for vehicles. “And it’s just enough space for what we have now,” he added.
Mayor Larry Carlson agreed that the proposal did not seem exorbitant. “It seems like this is what we need,” he said, noting that council has already met with the affected department heads, and their requests were conservative.
Councilors Jan Sivertson and Tim Kennedy also said the plan was a good one. “We can’t go any smaller unless we park stuff outside,” said Kennedy. And Sivertson commented that getting the public works vehicles and equipment off of the beachfront is a “really good idea.”
As far as financing the project, Roth said the city would undoubtedly have to bond and borrow money. There may be a chance for grants through DEED or some other state agency, but that is probably unlikely. “The safer assumption is that we’re paying for this ourselves, so we need to get a workable number,” Roth said.
With that, council authorized the architects to proceed with a schematic drawing and more detailed proposal and said that finding a way to pay for the facility, now that a cost is known, will be included in upcoming budget talks.
A new public works storage site is needed so the city’s PUC and Streets Department can move their stuff and raze the old buildings along the Lake Superior beachfront in the Rec Park to make way for a new public dock, boat launch and other beach improvements planned by the state Department of Natural Resources.
In other news:
. George Wilkes of the Cook County Local Energy Project requested that council make a formal funding request from the state Department of Commerce to help pay for a proposed biomass district heating project in Grand Marais. Councilor and CCLEP liaison Tim Kennedy said he met with representatives of the governor’s office and the Commerce Department, and they are “very interested” in the project. Kennedy stressed that by making the application for $4.5 million, the city is in no way making a commitment but just getting in line for state appropriations in 2014. Kennedy also said he wouldn’t support the project unless it is risk-free for city taxpayers and acknowledged that more information is needed until that can be determined.
By a 4-1 vote, council decided to support the request. Mayor Carlson cast the vote against the funding request, saying it is “way too early” for the city to become involved in such an expensive undertaking, especially with so many unknowns and other projects that are already under way or being planned.
. Council granted a request from the Cook County commissioners to allow Roth to work with the county as a human resources consultant in the event a need arises before a new county human resources professional is hired.
. Bradley Peterson of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities paid his annual visit to council and gave an update on the last legislative session and the projects the Coalition was undertaking on the cities’ behalf. He said the Coalition has worked with the governor to make some changes in the formula for Local Government Aid, and as a result foresees Grand Marais maintaining its allotment of $96,422 from the state at least for another year.
. A request for a letter of support backing Mark Sandbo’s application for a position on the Governor’s Council on Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program was okayed.
. A Street Use Permit was approved granting permission to the Superior Cycling Association for use of Broadway and Third Avenue East for the annual Sawtooth Challenge bike race on Sept. 8. The streets will be closed only about 10 minutes at the 10 a.m. start of the race.
. Councilor and Animal Advocate liaison Bill Lenz pointed out that with the impending removal of the dog pound along with other public utilities buildings at the Rec Park, council needs to decide if a replacement should be built elsewhere as priorities are considered during budget talks. “Do we want to continue supplying a dog pound?” he asked.
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