At the Tuesday, September 22 meeting, Cook County commissioner’s mulled over three scenarios for the 2021 levy as presented by Auditor/ Treasurer Braidy Powers and decided to set the preliminary levy at 4.16 percent.
The levy can be lowered but not raised before it is turned into the state at the end of the year.
Powers and Assessor Bob Thompson told the board that because the county has experienced higher property values, those unaffected by a raise in property values this past year, could receive a smaller tax statement than they got this past year.
Board Chair Myron Bursheim said he hoped the levy can be lowered from the 4.16 percent to offset the financial pain the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to families and people this past eight months.
Cook County EDA Director Mary Somnis presented the 2021 EDA budget and levy request to the county commissioners at the board’s September 22 meeting.
Concerning the levy, Somnis said the EDA is not seeking an increase from last year’s $360,000 request, which the county board granted.
While there was no action taken on the request, Somnis pointed to projects the EDA has accomplished in 2018-2019. Among those were the expansion at the Cook County Airport; the Grand Marais Art Colony building purchase and demolition; Grand Marais Highway 61 infrastructure and streetscapes; Lake Superior Waterline at Lutsen; Mountain bike trail to Lutsen; Nordic Star single-family homes and 4 Direction Dwellings apartments; North House Folk School campus expansion; Village North water line demolition; WTIP emergency back-up equipment, and YMCA childcare bathrooms.
The EDA also received or helped other businesses receive a total of $2,471,300 in Iron Range Rehabilitation Resources grants.
Other contributions by the EDA included distributing $200,000 in CARES grants to businesses. The funds flowed from the Federal, State, county and then to the EDA for distribution. The EDA also managed the Project Backstop grants to businesses, funding that came from an anonymous donor as well as the IRRR Taconite Area Community Grant for loans to businesses.
Other highlights included selling four lots in the Cedar Grove business park in 2018-2019 with four lots pending in 2020. The 16 units in the 4 Direction Dwellings are full and the Grand Marais Nordic Star Development (10 homes) constructed with One Roof Housing out of Duluth have also all been sold.
Action taken by the county board:
Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing Ehlers & Associates to assist the county with the issuance of $10,455,000 in taxable G.O. sales tax revenue refinancing bonds to refinance the remaining 2011 and 2012 sales tax bonds for future interest savings.
In response to the damage COVID-19 has caused to small business owners who have received revolving loans from the county, commissioners approved a request to defer the loan payments until December 31, 2020.
* A request by Charles VanDoren to build a commercial off-road re-fueling station on family property in Schroeder was tabled by county commissioners on July 28, with a request to have VanDoren submit more information. Because the planning commission didn’t receive that information at its September 9 meeting, the request was denied, but with a caveat.
Land Services has asked VanDoren to submit an engineered “Plan and Procedure” document, which must accompany a new submittal.
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