The Grand Portage tribe donates to the community in countless ways from financial support for fireworks for Whiteman’s celebrations to financial support to bring school sports to WTIP airwaves.
Whether you support Indigenous Day or not, what the Grand Portage children asked of the community was small and cost nothing. The response by three commissioners, and the aftermath is unacceptable and speaks largely to the lack of good leadership and personal poor choices we make as citizens in electing officials to represent us.
But perhaps it took the pressure off the school board, their alleged bully superintendent and their alleged long term abused teachers.
Change the name of the hospital? New business cards, letter heads, envelopes, computers…at what cost?
And the city’s decision to purchase the Tomteboda property ices the cake. With a shortage of Highway 61 taxable property, along with a bed shortage which has caused an uproar about VRBOs, they want to purchase the property, take it off the tax rolls to build a city maintenance facility that belongs in the industrial or business park. I hardly believe it’s zoned for a maintenance facility. With city crews starting out at 4 a.m., the loud equipment will be cumbersome for neighboring homes. Will we buy them out too?
The children of Grand Portage appear to have better judgment than all our elected officials.
Tod Sylvester
Grand Marais
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