Schroeder Township may be getting some help getting rid of the invasive tansy that has established itself along the “welcome walls” lining Highway 61. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), which built the walls and holds the right of way, is not interested in doing the work.
MnDOT is, however, issuing a permit so that township volunteers can do the work. At the Schroeder Township meeting on June 11, 2013, Board Chair Tina McKeever reported that she had asked MnDOT why maintaining the vegetation lining the walls is not their responsibility. She said the state told her that either Schroeder Township or the West End Garden Club had told them they would keep them maintained.
Garden club member Linda Lamb said the club did not want to take care of the walls. She and former town clerk Carol Tveekrem have each been maintaining a section of wall. Lamb has been maintaining the section outside the entrance to her family’s business, Lamb’s Campground. She said she doesn’t think any plan for upkeep was made when the walls went up.
McKeever said she and Deputy Clerk Gale Ring were organizing efforts to clear out the weeds and replace them with something that could be more easily maintained. She said MnDOT “clearly” did not want any responsibility in helping them do the work.
The good news is that the Minnesota Conservation Corps, with funding from the Minnesota Wildlife Fund, will be in the area August 5-12 and is available to help clear areas of invasive species. McKeever said Ring would be calling to reserve a day of their help with the tansy along the welcome walls.
In other Schroeder news:
. Linda Lamb reported that quite a few people had been in to see the new forest fire exhibit at Cross River Heritage Center. She complimented Barbara Livdahl for the exhibit boards she created. Paying a graphic artist to create them would have cost thousands of dollars, she said, but they took Livdahl’s designs to Kinko’s and had them printed for $505.
Lamb said a lot of people helped with research for the exhibit. She noted that Dionne Cicak helped fourth and fifth grade students make fire towers out of Popsicle sticks that would be used as table centerpieces at the Schroeder Area Historical Society’s annual dinner on June 15.
. County Commissioner Bruce Martinson said that AT&T wants fiber optic lines to be operable before they install equipment on the communications tower that is going to be built in Tofte.
. Commissioner Martinson suggested that the township consider drafting a letter opposing the border crossing fee being considered by U.S. Customs & Border Patrol. The issue is currently under study. The board passed a motion opposing any border crossing fees. A letter regarding the motion will be sent to legislators.
. Fire Chief Phil Bonin said that seven Schroeder firefighters sprayed over 35,000 gallons from two water tenders at the recent fire at Bluefin Bay. He estimated that a total of at least 150,000 gallons of water was used to put out the fire.
“We did the best we could with what we had,” Bonin said. Minnesota Power’s Taconite Harbor Energy Center helped in the effort, allowing them to fill up two trucks at once. “That was pretty nice of them,” Bonin said.
Getting all the tankers in and out was tough, Bonin said. “I was there for eight hours. …It was kind of stressful.” He said a lot of toxic gases were released in the fire.
. The board passed a motion authorizing Clerk Doug Schwecke to start ordering the new highly reflective road signs the Federal Highway Administration is requiring government entities to start phasing in.
. Tina McKeever asked if the new flagpole was up yet outside the town hall. “No, but it’s here!” said Clerk Schwecke.
As of press time, the flagpole was still not up, but Schwecke told the Cook County News-Herald that Greg Johnson had agreed to install it. We’ll see what’s flying as of the Fourth of July.
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