On Tuesday, June 10, 2014, Cook County commissioners considered two requests from County Engineer David Betts, which he described as “a little controversial.”
First Betts asked to set an informal public hearing to discuss the possible installation of intersection lighting at county state aid highway intersections. Lighting would be installed at County Road 8 and County Road 12; County Road 7 and County Road 6; County Road 7 and County Road 45. Betts said “downcast cutoff lights” will be used to minimize the spread of the light.
The work, if approved, would be done in 2015.
The second topic Betts brought to the table was the possibility of installing a two-foot-wide paved shoulder on the Gunflint Trail from the Grand Marais water tower to the four corners intersection near Gunflint Hills Golf Course.
One caveat to the installation was that it would include rumble strips, said Betts.
Betts said the county received a grant from the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) for 2015 for about $90,000 to pave the shoulders and include rumble strips on the shoulder, but said that the grant was written before all of the controversy erupted over rumble strips.
“As we have certainly seen by the letters in the paper, there’s a real lack of appetite for rumble strips,” said Betts.
Commissioner Garry Gamble said that the commissioners should have a public meeting about the project because they have committed to that process in a workshop held specifically to discuss highway department projects. He asked Betts what he recommended.
“My recommendation would be to turn back the rumble strip money. All we would gain is rumble strips. We wouldn’t gain any useable space,” said Betts, noting that a rumble strip would be two feet wide. “I don’t see a lot of benefit to this.”
“This can’t be parlayed into another grant, or another operation. It can only be used to put rumble strips on the Gunflint Trail,” said Betts.
Gamble said he commended Betts for his recommendation to not take funding just because it was available, joking that “We don’t live in a democracy, but a grantocracy.”
Because Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk was absent and the potential shoulder paving project was in her district, they agreed to hold a public meeting so her constituents could be heard.
“The key is to get the public to the meeting,” said Commissioner Hakes.
The board agreed to set a public meeting at its Tuesday, July 15 meeting at 10:30 a.m. and to hold an additional public meeting on Monday July 14 at 7 p.m. at the commissioner’s room to discuss both topics. Although the meetings would be together, each topic—lighting and rumble strips—would be separated for discussion.
In business related to the highway department, the board unanimously agreed to appoint Charles LaBoda to fill the planning commission vacancy that opened when Jonathan Smith resigned on May 13.
LaBoda resides in the general geographic area east of Grand Marais that Smith lived in, thereby maintaining the level of geographic diversity among the planning commission. LaBoda is also currently participating as a member of the Cook County Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update Committee.
Lutsen highway update scheduled
West End Commissioner Bruce Martinson said he had talked with Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Engineer Duane Hill and had heard an update about the roadwork taking place on Highway 61 in Lutsen.
There will be no rumble strips put in on either the sides or the centerline on this 11-mile project this summer, Martinson was told.
But next summer Martinson said they [MnDOT] might come back with a new version of rumble strips and put them on the centerline.
Martinson asked the board if he could invite Daniel Erickson, a MnDOT engineer, to come to the next commissioner meeting to explain the Lutsen project in more detail. Commissioners agreed with his request and Martinson contacted and scheduled Erickson to appear before the county board at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17.
Firewise funds coordinator position
In other action the board approved a request by the Firewise Committee to use $28,922.22 Title lll funds to compensate Firewise Coordinator Jim Wiinanen for carrying out his duties in the amount of $23,922.22, specifically so he could continue wildfire education and wildfire mitigation assistance to homeowners and for developing, monitoring and updating the Cook County Wildlife Protection Plan.
The Search & Rescue Squad also received $5,000 from these funds.
The board also passed a motion to support an agreement with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa to call on their services during emergencies, disasters, or for routine trail work that doesn’t have to be bid. Wiinanen submitted the proposal and may call on the corps to help with firewise projects that contractors may not have finished, or projects that need a lot of hand tool work.
In one of his last visits to the county board, Sheriff Mark Falk requested $10,000 funds to re-set the 16’x26’ old fire hall (a Morton building) at the Poplar Lake Fire Hall site. The building has already been moved but the site prep and slab work need to be done and are estimated to cost $5,546. Cost to run electricity, internal wiring and off-peak heat is estimated at $2,200. Steel panels and insulation need to be put back into the building and the building will have to be anchored to the slab. Cost for this work is not to exceed $1,254. It cost $1,000 to move the building to Poplar Lake. The building will be used to house Search & Rescue equipment.
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