Due to the initiative of the Cook County Broadband Commission and visionaries throughout the community, Cook County is making its way onto the communications superhighway. On March 26, 2013, Cook County Information Systems Director Danna MacKenzie brought a report to the county board, which chartered the Broadband Commission in 2009, on broadband projects in Cook County.
Arrowhead Electric Cooperative Inc. (AECI) resumed installation of fiber optic lines in March. According to John Twiest of AECI, the lines will be in place by the end of the summer and connections to homes and businesses will be done after that. AECI has until 2015 to complete the project. “They’ve been encouraged to take their time and make sure everything is done right,” MacKenzie said.
AT&T is working on increasing its coverage with towers in Taconite Harbor and Grand Portage and up the Gunflint Trail, and Verizon is upgrading its service in Grand Marais. This will increase coverage for mobile broadband users.
A 2011 Blandin Foundation grant has spawned a host of initiatives intended to foster economic growth and enhance the community.
Over the last two years, Cook County Higher Education hosted 23 workshops attended by 359 people on topics related to computer technology and maximizing opportunities available through use of the Internet. The Grand Marais Public Library acquired numerous mobile devices for use by the public, and computers are now available for use at the Cook County Senior Center. Cook County Schools (ISD 166) started live streaming basketball and football games, concerts, and graduation, and county board meetings are now videotaped and available on the county website. Boreal Access has been working with WTIP Radio and ISD 166 to create a local television channel, boreal.TV.
New cell tower in Grand Marais
The county, through Information Systems Director Danna MacKenzie, County Attorney Tim Scannell, and the county board, has been working out agreements with Verizon Wireless for a new cell tower above Grand Marais that will provide 4G service.
Verizon will build the new tower, but the county will own it and the land it is on. Verizon will also take down the old WDIO-TV tower it has been leasing space on. In exchange for this, Verizon will receive an abatement of 50 percent of its rent for 20 years. It will pay $990 a month ($11,880 the first year) and 3 percent more each year thereafter. After expenses for insurance, electricity, and plowing, MacKenzie expects the county to have a net gain of about $10,000 a year.
Verizon hopes to have the new service available by the end of the year.
Highway Department purchases
Out of three bidders for Highway Department aggregate stockpiles, Edwin E. Thoreson Inc. came in lowest with a bid of $175,450 that was accepted by the board.
The board approved a Highway Department capital purchase request for a trailer to move culverts ($11,900.53). The old one was not heavy duty and when as many as three culverts were piled on it, the back tires of the pickup pulling it would raise up from the ground.
Two other purchase requests were approved, one for gravel testing equipment to replace worn out equipment that included a noisy tapping shaker and sieves that had been repaired but still had holes in them ($3,741 plus freight and shipping), and the other for survey equipment, which at $2,476.29 will cost almost half of what was budgeted. The old survey equipment will be used by the Highway Maintenance Department for inspecting pipes.
Spring load restrictions will be in effect in northern Minnesota as of March 20. Highway Engineer David Betts said this date ties for the latest spring load restrictions on record.
Child Abuse Prevention Month
In line with National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the board proclaimed April to be Child Abuse Prevention Month in Cook County. The proclamation states that commissioners “call upon all citizens, community groups, religious organizations, medical facilities, and businesses to increase their participation in efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect, thereby strengthening the community in which we live.”
Cost of winter YMCA construction
The cost of working through the winter on the Cook County Family YMCA facility to be attached to the Cook County Schools complex did not take owners’ rep ORB Management by surprise.
According to Project Manager Wade Cole, the timetable for construction was a result of the county board’s decision to get the new hockey rink built for use this winter and the Duluth Area YMCA’s financial and fundraising plans. Cole said costs were reduced by allowing contractors to stay onsite after the hockey rink was done and start working on the building. In regard to building a large facility during the winter months, Cole said, “It’s done all the time here in Minnesota.”
Cole reported that he would be taking over for Mark Kragenbring as project manager. Kragenbring accepted a job offer from a company in Morris, MN. Cole said Kragenbring worked for ORB for six years and will be missed.
Following are the projected costs related to working under winter conditions:
. K Johnson Construction
$5,911.87
Protecting rink slab from
freezing
. Como Oil & Propane
$776.33
Fuel for ground-thawing
equipment
. County Plumbing & Heating
$ 1,370.00
Connecting equipment for a
temporary heating system
. Veit & Company Inc.
$3,148.45
Temporary partitions and
fencing for snow removal
. Heater Rental Services
$17,254.60
Equipment rental
for thawing ground
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