Whether or not to hire a director was once again the topic of discussion at the Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2014.
EDA Board Member and County Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk said the county board was very concerned about the director job description on the EDA website. Doo-Kirk said there is confusion because the EDA was previously looking for a director, but is now focusing on using the services of the UMD Center for Economic Development Small Business Development Center (SBDC) business consultant—a position currently held by Pat Campanaro of Grand Marais.
EDA Treasurer Scott Harrison said he had talked to Elaine Hansen of the UMD SBDC about bringing the SBDC consultant to work with the EDA, instead of Cook County Higher Education where the SBDC office is currently located. Harrison said Hansen agreed this would be a good fit. In return for providing a place to work, the EDA would have the small business consultant in the EDA office to work on business development.
Harrison said the EDA had received six applications in reply to the director advertisement, but said it would probably be more beneficial to work with the small business consultant. Doo-Kirk agreed. “We need to do what we can afford.”
A unanimous motion passed to sign a contract with SBDC and Pat Campanaro.
EDA Board President Mark Sandbo said the EDA still needs to talk about hiring a director. He said there are things that need to be done for the EDA that are not necessarily things that could or should be done by the small business development consultant. He said even though the housing contract has been terminated, the EDA still plans to work with Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) on its affordable housing project.
And Sandbo said, things like getting the website updated have fallen through the cracks. “We need a director of some type— full-time, part-time or quarter-time, but we need someone to handle all these things. We’ve floundered without a director. We’ve made some strides, but in order to move ahead we need a director.”
Sandbo said at the end of April, the EDA will get a portion of its levy. He said the personnel committee should look at hiring a director at that time.
Superior National at Lutsen golf course
Superior National at Lutsen (SNL) Grounds Superintendent Mike Davies gave an update on SNL activities. Davies was laid off in December 2013, but has been working on equipment along with Maintenance Worker Jim Zunker. Davies said winter maintenance is very important. “Any success we have in the summer is directly tied to the work we do in the winter,” said Davies.
An example of savings because of winter maintenance is work sharpening wheels. Davies said if Zunker didn’t do that job over the winter, the golf course would be looking at a $6,000 bill for that alone. He said because of that, “I’m working with my ‘new supervisor’ Jim.”
Davies also responded to the EDA board’s inquiry about recycling at the golf course. He said he had brought his own trailer to the golf course to use for recycling cardboard in the past, but he needed his trailer for something else. He said Zunker is building a trailer to be used for recycling next season. “It will take a little more work, but we’ll do it,” said Davies.
Harrison asked about greens conditions. Davies said chemicals were put down in late October. The ground froze and then there was snow coverage, which he said was great. He said he was concerned on a day when freezing rain fell, but added, “I was nervous, but it wasn’t too bad.”
However, he cautioned, “Things can change.”
The board thanked Davies for coming in to give a report and after he left, Sandbo said the EDA needs to find a way to keep people like Davies on staff. “Mike has very graciously continued working. He is an ‘essential person.’”
“We really need to scratch our heads and get creative here,” he said.
Agreement for golf course construction management
Harrison shared a draft construction management agreement with Jeff Brauer of Golfscapes, Inc. He said the agreement was negotiated months ago, but it took some time to complete. Harrison said EDA attorney Baiers Heeren worked on it. A motion passed to approve the $170,000 construction agreement contract.
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