With the county on the cusp of several potential collaborative projects, representatives of various branches of local government are curious where the others stand. To find out, 23 people attended a quarterly meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the Grand Marais City Council, the Grand Portage Tribal Council, and Independent School District 166 Thursday, February 25 at the Cook County courthouse.
The projects range from implementation of a 1% sales tax that will fund a community center/pool facility to a joint maintenance facility that would pool the resources of up to six governmental and nonprofit organizations.
Sidewalks for safety
First on the agenda was an appeal to build sidewalks in two areas heavily trafficked by schoolchildren. Great Expectations Charter School Administrator Peter James is part of a group of community representatives trying to implement Safe Routes to Schools, a nationwide effort to increase safety and health through walking and biking. He said numerous improvements have already been made with new sidewalks and crosswalk designations. Thegroup has also worked on increasing enforcement of the 20 m.p.h. speed limit in front of the schools along County Road 7 and utilizing the Sheriff ’s Department driver feedback speed trailer. James said increased patrolling at the beginning of the school day has made a huge difference.
Grand Marais has some missing links in pedestrian safety, James said. He asked the city and the county to prioritize sidewalk construction in two places: on County Road 7 from the hospital corner to Birchwood Apartments and on the New Gunflint Trail from the Law Enforcement corner down to Highway 61. City councilor Bill Lenz said the city identified those two areas as needing sidewalks, but they are owned by the county. Money for extending sidewalks ran out when work was done on County Road 7, said county Engineering Technician Bill Parish, and Great Expectations was not there when the new Gunflint Trail was put in.
An ongoing problem is ice on the new sidewalk along County Road 7. County Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad said the county’s new skid steer will help, but water continues to flow across the sidewalk and freeze. The problem is worse this year because the lack of snow caused the ground to freeze deeper than usual, forcing water from under the ground to come up in unusual places.
1% tax projects
Commissioner Fritz Sobanja reported that Cook County was not awarded a federal stimulus grant for fiber optic communications infrastructure throughout the county. A significant portion of the 1% tax was earmarked for installation of lines that would bring TV, phone, and ultra high speed Internet service to most of the county. Commissioner Bob Fenwick added that the county’s fiber optic committee is determining whether the project would fit requirements for a second round of funding.
A committee is meeting with Community Center Director Diane Booth to start planning for a new community center/pool facility to be funded through the 1% tax, Commissioner Jim Johnson said. Commissioner Bruce Martinson said the committee has been asked to determine pricing on various components of the facility so the county board can prioritize what gets included at this time.
Has the county been discussing its priorities for the 1%? Mayor Sue Hakes asked.
No, answered Sobanja.
Why not? asked Hakes.
“We’ve had a lot of other things on our plate,” said Sobanja.
Thecommunity center/pool facility is the first project she wants to see accomplished by the 1%, said Commissioner Jan Hall.
“I appreciate all the efforts the volunteers have done,” said Commissioner Fenwick, “but let’s be honest: Thecounty board needs to get off the dime.” He said the board has a lot of information on what the community wants, and it’s time to get professionals to help make the project happen. City councilors Kay Costello and Jan Sivertson applauded.
Although other projects are equally important, said Fenwick, “There is no priority above the community center.”
The University of Minnesota has approached Commissioner Fenwick about applying for a grant to study issues related to constructing a biomass plant to heat and power government and possibly residential and commercial buildings in Grand Marais. Interested parties, such as the Cook County Local Energy Project, are investigating the type of system that would work best for this community’s needs.
Joint projects
With school enrollment declining, ISD 166 will have more space and less money. Those at the meeting discussed the possibility of using school space or land for things like a community center or a joint maintenance facility.
Several expressed preference for keeping a community center off school grounds but were interested in collaborating. Assessing the possibility of using extra space in the school would be worthwhile, said Commissioner Sobanja. “There’s a lot of potential in the idea,” said school board member Eric Kemp. “Hopefully we can collaborate.”
School board member Leonard Sobanja said the board was split on whether to pay about $1,400 to get more details on a joint maintenance facility. Five other entities—the county, the city, MnDOT, the DNR, and Arrowhead Transit—have agreed to pay an engineering firm to create a preliminary design plan with cost estimates and are waiting to see if the school is “in.” Fritz Sobanja said it might be useful for the school to look into the project in case more stimulus funding becomes available. Such a project could ultimately save all the entities facility and energy costs, he said.
School board member Eric Kemp said he believes the school district has other priorities.
The city’s need for a new maintenance facility, said City Administrator Mike Roth, is more urgent than that of some of the other entities.
School budget cuts
School board member Eric Kemp reported reductions in state funding are expected, and if reductions are greater than what has been included in the next year’s preliminary budget, the board will dip into the school’s fund balance. He also reported that the school would be pursuing an operating referendum.
“I think one of the things the board is doing at this time,” said Kemp, “is being cautious.”
Commissioner Jim Johnson said he would be advocating with the National Association of Counties to avoid reductions in federal aid to schools.
Grand Portage tribe
Tribal Council Chairman Norman Deschampe told the group about proposed legislation that would consider tribes “local units of government,” allowing them to participate as voting members in joint powers agreements. He said he is “pretty sure” it will pass.
Deschampe described concerns about invasive species that could be deadly to the Lake Superior native fish population. A fish virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), that causes death by internal bleeding has been identified in Duluth, he said. President Obama is trying to avoid closing waterways because of the economic impact that would make. “This constant battle between the economy and the environment— there’s got to be a way to come to the middle,” Deschampe said.
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