Pretty much every weekend from May to November John Hobday and his partner Matt spend time at their Esther Lake cabin. The cabin is remote and hard to see unless one’s boat is parked right in front of it. In the winter it can be accessed by snowmobile or snowshoes.
“It’s a pretty special place,” Hobday said, adding that Matt’s family has had a cabin on nearby Tom Lake for 30 years.
Two years ago Hobday suffered an appendicitis attack while he was at the cabin. “I didn’t have a car and except for my two dogs, I was alone. It took awhile but I finally got through to a friend in Hovland and they called for an ambulance. I had a nice ambulance ride to Duluth. I understand the need for an emergency communication tower in the area, but I think that the Minnesota Department of Transportation has given very little consideration to what the tower will look like. And once it’s up, there will be very little anyone in the future can do to have it moved.”
Hobday is hoping to collect at least 500 online signatures and present a petition to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) asking them to change the location of the proposed 180- foot Allied Radio Matrix Emergency Response (ARMER) tower on Esther Mountain, the fifth highest point in Minnesota, because he states, if it is built there, fishermen, campers, hikers, picnickers and canoeists will have a clear view of the tower from five area lakes.
The lakes are Chester, Devilfish, Esther, Powers and Tom. Four of the five have public boat access and three have state campgrounds.
“These lakes are only a few miles away from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and offer a Boundary Waters-like experience for those unable to access or portage through BWCAW lakes,” Hobday said. “According to residents, many Cook County families have created lasting memories on these lakes for many years.”
As of now MnDOT is planning to build the tower on a lower portion of the mountain on land owned by Cook County. Instead, Hobday suggests another alternative. It is one he said he has discussed with “quite a few locals,” and he said he has gotten input into his proposal.
Hobday suggests that MnDOT build a tower on top of the mountain near a now existing Department of Natural Resources (DNR) radio tower.
“This alternative location is cost neutral for the MnDOT tower,” said Hobday. “The move would be one-half mile from the present location, but instead of 130 feet visible above the tree line, only 40 feet of the tower would be visible at this spot.”
The ARMER tower program is a state and federal plan to ensure that local emergency services radio communication has 95 percent coverage in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties. The proposed Devilfish Tower on Esther Mountain is part of ensuring that goal within Cook County.
“We understand and we support the need for the tower,” said Hobday.
“These criteria are understandable but do not take into account the visual damage to the surrounding lakes of the tower itself.
“Plus,” added Hobday, “at this location, the tower height could be cut in half to only 90 feet and still provide even better emergency coverage.”
Hobday has met with local and state officials connected to the project. As for MnDOT, he said, “They are nice and I know they have a job to do, but I think MnDOT is trying to placate people while they continue with the process. I hope to meet with the Cook County Board of Commissioners in July and see if I can get their support for this change. I would like to protect this area for future generations. I’m concerned that putting the tower up where MnDOT wants to put it up will cause irreparable damage.”
.To learn more, go to www.tinyurl.com/DevilfishTower
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