One of the first items of business at the Lutsen town meeting on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 was acknowledgement and appreciation for numerous donations in memory of former Cook County Sheriff John Lyght, who died January 15. Sheriff Lyght’s wife, Gayle, requested that memorial donations be given to the Lutsen First Responders in appreciation to the First Responders for their care in the last days of Sheriff Lyght’s life.
Donations in Sheriff Lyght’s honor were received from 57 individuals and organizations totaling $3,675. The town board expressed thanks to Gayle Light for suggesting the donations and added thanks to all who contributed.
Before his monthly report, EMS Chief Fred Schmidt added his thanks to the Lyght family and to all the donors. He then reported that things had been relatively quiet for Lutsen First Responders.
Fire Chief Paul Goettl reported that things had also been fairly quiet. He said the Lutsen Fire Department had only two calls in the last month, the first to Lutsen Resort. Employees melting ice around the building with a propane torch accidentally caught the resort’s siding on fire. The employees had the fire out before the fire department arrived. The second call was to Cascade Resort, but was a false alarm.
However, Goettl said there was a little bit of excitement during the countywide phone and Internet outage on January 26, 2010. When it was realized that there was no emergency 911 coverage in the county and that phone service was limited within exchanges, fire departments were contacted by radio and asked to stand by at fire halls for emergencies. Goettl said his firefighters responded and stood ready at the Lutsen Fire Hall for 12 hours. Firefighters were ready to stay as long as needed. “Just one of the things our fire department does that is above and beyond for the community.”
Supervisor Diane Parker said, “We so appreciate all these volunteers.”
Following up on discussion, Parker reported that the Arrowhead Regional Development Council (ARDC) is considering funding the Highway 61 Scenic Highway cairn signs (like those in Grand Marais and Grand Portage) for the Cook County townships. At previous meetings, the town board has expressed a desire for a cairn sign in Lutsen. Parker, noting the $22,000 price tag of the signs, said she lobbied for ARDC’s support. “Thatis a lot of money for these little townships,” said Parker.
However, Parker said something else to consider is maintenance cost. “If we say, ‘sure, we’ll maintain it,’ we need to know what those costs are—is the sign wood or resin? That is something we need to figure out.”
Supervisor Joe Buttweiler said he had contacted Jeff Baham and asked him to sand the parking lot at the town hall/fire hall as the ice was making it very treacherous. Buttweiler also said he believed the township should replace the US flag outside the town hall. “It’s ripped. It’s not horrible, but we should take care of this—it’s the American flag,” said Buttweiler. The board agreed and asked Clerk Amity Goettl to order a new flag.
In other business:
Fire Chief Goettl reported that 13 firefighters from the Lutsen Volunteer Fire Department are continuing Firefighter I & II training in Tofte. The training began in January and will continue through April. Supervisor Buttweiler expressed appreciation to the firefighters who he said were going “above and beyond the call of duty for volunteers.”
The Lutsen Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club asked for a letter of support in its application for a federal grant for trail clearing and improvement. If it receives the funding, the snowmobile club intends to purchase a new four-wheeler to reach areas not accessible by truck. The Trailbreakers are seeking approximately $7,000. The board agreed to send a letter of support, noting that it was not being asked to make a financial contribution as a match.
The board reviewed donation requests that will be considered at the March 9 annual meeting. The board acknowledged a request for an increase in the amount contributed to the Independence Day fireworks in Tofte. In years past, Lutsen has donated $500. The board also acknowledged a letter from the Birch Grove Foundation requesting that the township once again contribute $3,500.
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