The Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) board read a letter of resignation from EDA Administrative Assistant Mary Lou Haas at its Tuesday, October 13 board meeting. After accepting Haas’s notice, the board talked with Grand Marais City Administrator Mike Roth about contracting with the city for administrative assistance.
“We have two options,” said EDA Chair Mike Littfin. “Do we want to try to hire someone to replace this position with someone new? Or do we contract with the city as we have discussed in the past?”
During budget planning, the EDA considered eliminating the administrative assistant position and asked the city of Grand Marais what it would cost to have city staff provide secretarial and support services.
At the October meeting was City Administrator Mike Roth who confirmed that the city was still interested in providing office services to the EDA. He referred to an April 14 memo from the city, which states that city staff could take phone messages, handle walk-in traffic, compile meeting packets, make copies, and provide other services. Roth estimated that it would require about 20 hours of work a month and the city would charge $500 per month.
“I’d like to see the city help us with this,” said Littfin, “especially through the winter months. Maybe in the spring we can look at doing something different.”
EDA Board Member Bruce Martinson suggested working with the city on a threemonth trial basis. EDA Board Member Don Davison said that a six-month period would give the EDA and the city more time to “work the kinks out.”
EDA Board Member Jim Hall asked Roth if the city would track hours expended on EDA matters. Roth said, “For $500 a month, I think it would take more time to track it than it’s worth it.”
” Theboard unanimously passed a motion to contract with the city for six months.
EDA Director Matt Geretschlaeger said he would like to publicly thank Haas. He said, “She has been an asset to the office. I’d like to thank her for all the work she has done for us.”
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