Plans are under way to fix the entrance sign on the east end of Grand Marais. The rock cairn sign was demolished by a wayward logging truck in August (left) and will be re-built by Superior Sign Works of Lutsen at a cost of just under $9,000. The contractor said he will do his best to restore the sign to its original appearance, above.
The Grand Marais entrance sign that was KO’ed by a truck in August will be back on its feet in the coming months after city councilors approved a bid to repair the rock cairn structure on the northeast corner of the Gunflint Trail and Highway 61 Dec. 18.
At a cost of just under $9,000, Superior Sign Works of Lutsen will do the repair work, salvaging as much of the original material as possible. The cost will be paid by the insurance company of the driver who wrecked the sign.
City Administrator Mike Roth said the city wanted to use a local contractor to rebuild the sign, but due to the specialized nature of the work, only one firm responded positively to inquiries.
In his description of the work needed to restore the sign, Paul Nordlund said: “The actual sign portion of the cairn sign needs to be completely redone. The sign face is completely wrecked. The only salvageable portions are the dimensional letters (all except one letter “s”).
“As far as the structural portion goes, the post and beam need to be refabricated and the boulders re-stacked. There is a 24-by-48-inch pylon footer that was knocked out-of-plumb during the accident. My intent is to excavate around the footer and try to bring it back into plumb.”
However, Nordlund said, if the footer cannot be fixed, a new one will have to be poured in the spring. Nordlund said he will continue working on the other elements of the sign over the winter and resume the outdoor repairs when the weather permits. He also said that if new boulders have to be collected, the cost will rise “dramatically” – but he added that he didn’t believe that would be necessary.
“My intent is to re-erect the sign as close to its original state as possible,” he wrote, with a completion date no later than June 1, 2014.
In other business during their last meeting of the year, councilors:
. Adopted a resolution approving the final 2013 tax levy, collectible in 2014, with no tax increase over the current budget. The property tax levy remains $824,152.
. Heard a report from councilor and newly appointed YMCA board member Jan Sivertson that things were moving along at the new building and getting “very exciting” as the grand opening date approaches. Sivertson said there were some issues with the floor in the entryway and lobby, but the swimming pool looks good and final touches remain on schedule.
. Heard a report from councilor and Public Utilities Commission member Tim Kennedy that the PUC had approved advertising RFPs (requests for proposals) for two components of a proposed district heating facility. “We want to know the price before we proceed,” said City Administrator Roth.
. Learned from Kennedy, who is also a planning commission member, that plans for establishment of a microbrewery will be heard at the commission’s next meeting. Kennedy said the current downtown zoning ordinance will have to be amended to allow businesses that are both manufacturing and retailing in the same location. That meeting is set for Jan. 7.
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