The Schroeder town board meeting held September 8, 2009 was brief. Theend.
Okay, it was longer than that, but just barely.
Cook County Commissioner Bruce Martinson told the board that he had talked to Cook County Auditor/ Treasurer Braidy Powers about having the township’s share of the West End three percent lodging tax sent directly to the township. “You may want to request that it is sent directly to direct deposit in the checking account,” Martinson told the board. Currently the money is directed to the Lutsen Tofte Tourism Association (LTTA) where it is used to help advertise the West End.
Supervisor Catherine Johnson has been attending the LTTA meetings and she told the board that she would like to see them represent more of the Schroeder businesses.
“It’s important that we pay attention to the LTTA. Our businesses haven’t been getting the support that they need. They[LTTA] should be making sure that our money is being spent to help our businesses in Schroeder.”
She also encouraged more board members to attend the LTTA meetings.
Martinson also shared the lodging report, noting that lodging was down in the West End, Gunflint Trail and Ely areas but up in the Grand Marais area.
He also updated the board about the Nov. 3rd vote on the one percent sales tax. With two questions on the ballot and a wide array of projects that can be funded by the one percent tax (it will run 20 years and generate about one million dollars in revenue per year), Martinson said that he feared the first question might pass and the second question (should the county set up and run a telephone service) will fail. “Thatwould be tragic if the first question passes and the second question fails,” said Martinson, noting the second question will be used to help facilitate broadband in the county.
Roger “Bill” McKeever gave a Road & Bridge update. McKeever said that the work on the Sugarloaf Creek Road and culvert went well, but there were fallen trees along the road that need to be addressed. Brush will also need to be trimmed along Baraga Cross Road, said McKeever, and it was agreed to ask the county to see what they would do the job for, if time allows them to perform the work.
Town Clerk Carol Tveekrem said that the township is working with attorney Fred Dudderar to help the township withdraw from the Tofte-Schroeder Sanitary Sewer District. Tom Spence drafted the letter to Dudderar, and has estimated that attorney fees will probably be less than $5,000. Spence, also an attorney, will volunteer his time to help with legal matters in Cook County.
There wasn’t much news from fire Chief Phil Bonin. Projects involving the sinkhole and fixing and filling the propane tank on the town hall grounds were put on hold. No resolution about how to fix the bent picnic table top in the town’s park was arrived at, however, it was suggested that a heavy rock be placed on top of it or it just be turned upside down for the winter.
McKeever told Martinson that he was getting less and less cell phone coverage in the area and asked him to look into it. Martinson said he would ask around and see what he could find out.
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