At the urging of an accomplished author and historian, Grand Marais city councilors agreed June 10 to submit a grant application to the state Historical Society to facilitate a photographic survey of the city’s oldest buildings.
But council stopped short of committing any of the city’s resource—such as staff time, use of office equipment or other “in-kind” services— to the project, instead agreeing only to act as a fiscal agent and “pass-through” for the grant monies if received.
The request was made by Deborah Morse-Kahn, a public history specialist, photojournalist and author of 11 books who said she wants to document the city’s pre-1945 buildings before it’s too late. “It is my hope to create a photographic index now while many of the city’s residential and commercial buildings remain intact as originally built, or still display the original exterior despite recent identifiable additions,” Morse- Kahn wrote in her proposal.
To do this, Morse-Kahn said she would spend time walking the city and photographing the eligible buildings, and would work with the city to ask permission or contact owners if she wanted to enter the property. The historian stressed that she would only be taking exterior photos of the buildings, and she wouldn’t be going onto private property without the owner’s consent.
Morse-Kahn said she is confident that the project will qualify her for a $10,000 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Legacy Grant, but she needs the backing of a municipality in order to submit the grant. As far as the city’s commitment to the project with in-kind donations of time or resources, Morse-Kahn acknowledged that she would likely do the project with or without the grant money and city’s help, but described the work as “small, easily doable necessary things.”
Following some discussion during which City Administrator Mike Roth said he had concerns about what the city was being asked to donate and the lack of details in the request, council opted to support the project with no matching or in-kind services, but only as a fiscal agent. Councilor Tim Kennedy made the motion, observing that such a project is “new turf for the city” even without an in-kind commitment.
Morse-Kahn said she would take care of completing the grant paperwork before July 10 and would let the city know what transpires.
In other business
. Planning commission member Kennedy reported that the board is interested in moving forward with a zoning change that would allow accessory residential use on six unsold lots in the Cedar Grove Business Park. The request for a zoning change came from the EDA, which owns the lots, last year. Kennedy said there is no action required by council at this time, but the planning commission has set July 1 as the date for a required public hearing on the matter. Council will then act on the planning commission’s recommendation.
. Kennedy said the planning commission also revisited the issue of permitting vacation rentals in residential zones, a use which is now prohibited, and decided to take no action and thus re-affirm the zoning standards. Kennedy cited three factors that went into the decision: that vacation rental is incompatible with residential neighborhoods; zones already exist in the city that allow vacation rentals; and there has been no formal request from the public requesting the change. Due to the planning commission’s decision, Roth said he would notify those people who are known to be unlawfully operating vacation rentals.
. Dene Taylor was hired as a seasonal parks maintenance worker.
. Tobacco licenses were granted to five businesses: Buck’s Hardware Hank, Gene’s IGA; Grand Marais SuperAmerica; GunFlint Tavern; and Mike’s Holiday. The city stopped issuing licenses in 2009, but state Department of Revenue regulations now require vendors to produce a city license. The city does not inspect businesses for compliance and only collects the $12 application fee.
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