|
|
Cook County Commissioner Chair Dave Mills began the September 28 County board meeting by reading the original proclamation of Indigenous People’s Day passed October 12, 2015, by the county board.
The proclamation ends, “Indigenous People’s Day shall be used to reflect upon the ongoing struggles of Indigenous People, and to celebrate the thriving culture and value that indigenous nations add to our county.
“The second Monday in October shall be recognized exclusively as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Cook County.”
Cook County Commissioners passed a resolution 4-1, so the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) could acquire and designate a 25-acre Icelandite Coastal Fen as a Scientific and Natural Area (SNA).
Molly Roske, a scientific and natural areas supervisor for the Minnesota DNR, made a presentation to the commissioners.
The proposed Icelandite Coastal Fen SNA is on a 25-acre site ten miles east of Grand Marais on Lake Superior. The area can be accessed by Highway 61 or a small side road; the Superior Hiking Trail runs through the site. It is one of two fens adjacent to Lake Superior along the North Shore in Minnesota and has been discussed for the last 23 years to become an SNA site.
The site was first proposed to become an SNA in 1998. Roske said the SNAs protect Minnesota’s remaining natural heritage and are managed into perpetuity. They are open to the public for compatible nature-based recreation, education, and research.
The land is surrounded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation Land (MNDOT) to the east and west and a state Wildlife Management Area to the north. The bedrock is icelandite formed from lava. The rock is distinct from other bedrock found along the shore, and two state-endangered orchid species are known from nine different locations in the state, and two state special concern species exist in this area. The Minnesota Biological Survey ranks the Icelandite Coastal Fen as an “outstanding” biodiversity of significance.
Two fen communities are located behind the beach ridges and Rich Tamarack (Alder), Swamp, and Alder (Maple-Loosestrife).
The cost to purchase the property from the Minnesota Department of Transportation is $300,000. Because the DNR could not use typical funding sources to buy the SNA, Roske said the DNR used funding from the Great Lakes Restorative Initiative ($100,000) and other matching funds to make the purchase.
Commissioner Stacey Hawkins asked about the beach area that fronts the fen, inquiring about what people could do and not do on the beach. Roske answered that the SNA went down to the high-water level, but people would be able to access the beach. Still, swimming and taking rocks from the beach wouldn’t be permitted, and under the SNA designation, conservation officers could enforce the rules and regulations in place to protect the area. But Roske wasn’t sure about all of the public permitted uses of the land under the SNA guidelines and Hawkins said that although she favored protecting the land until she could know what those rules and regulations were for the SNA, she couldn’t vote in favor of the resolution.
In other county news:
*Cook County commissioners accepted the resignation of HR Director Pamela Dixon and County Zoning Administrator Bill Lane. Both resignations were accepted with regret. Dixon’s last day on the job was October 1, 2021, and Lane, who served the county for 15 plus years, left September 10, effective October 1, 2021.
*Neva Maxwell was hired to become the new Cook County Zoning Administrator, replacing Bill Lane, with a start date to be determined.
*Commissioners voted 4-0 with Bob Svaleson recusing himself to approve a loan of up to $100,000 for the Hovland Fire department so they can complete their fire station. Svaleson is a member of the fire department.
* A resolution to approve MNDOT to administer $99,744 of FAA funds for the Crack Seal and Seal Coat project at the county airport was approved. Auditor Braidy Powers said all of the money for the improvements at the airport came from the FAA, and no county funds were needed for the work completed in September.
*A public hearing was set for Tuesday, October 12, in the commissioner’s room at 9 a.m. to receive input from the public about a request for an economic development tax abatement for the proposed Sawbill Village mixed-use development in Tofte.
If approved, the development would create six new units of ADA-compliant, market-rate housing. The request is only for abatement of County taxes and would not impact the revenues for other taxing entities.
Administrator James Joerke said the requested abatement would be for 15 years and would total approximately $706,630. The reduction would not reduce County revenues because the abatement would apply only to the increment of taxes attributable to the new development. Joerke said the county would continue to collect taxes on the unimproved value of the parcel, and after 15 years, the county would collect property taxes on the full value of the property.
Leave a Reply