A committee appointed by the Tofte Township Board has revised the Tofte cemetery policy, which will guarantee that only people with local ties will be buried there. Township Supervisor Alan “D.C.” Olsen believes that allowing families to be able to bury multiple generations in the same cemetery is important.
The Township of Tofte is moving toward keeping its cemetery a place with local significance. At the August 11, 2011 meeting of the town board, supervisors reviewed the cemetery policy proposed by a committee they had appointed to address the issue.
The proposed policy states, “To be eligible to purchase a plot in the Tofte Cemetery, you must be or have been a Cook County resident or have a relative that is or has been a Cook County resident. Final approval is subject to the Cemetery Committee. Lot purchases may not be resold and may only be transferred to family members subject to Cemetery Committee approval.”
The board has from time to time discussed concern that the low cost of gravesites would result in people from out of the area being buried there.
The policy outlines things like the cost ($250 per plot plus a $50 position locator fee), the requirements for markers (they must be made of granite or marble and be in place within one year of burial), and the caretaker’s role in removing things like artificial flowers in the fall. In discussing the caretaker’s role, the board talked about what objects should or should not be allowed on gravesites and how much control they should exert over personal objects left there.
Location of burial sites must be approved by the caretaker and excavations must be done under the caretaker’s supervision. The cemetery gates will be closed from November 15 to April 15, but foot traffic is allowed and burials will be permitted as weather conditions allow.
The township will not be responsible for imprecise requests regarding where burial is desired, and if a person with a plot is buried elsewhere, the plot reverts back to the township and the purchase price is refunded.
Allowing families to be able to bury multiple generations in the same cemetery is important, Supervisor Alan “D.C.” Olsen said.
The Cemetery Committee is comprised of John Nelson (caretaker), David Monson (locator), Roger Michaelson, Mary Jane Huggins, and Jerry and Barb Gervais.
To the committee members at the meeting, Town Board Chair Paul James said, “I think you guys just did a fantastic job.”
The proposed policy is posted at the town hall, the Tofte post office, and the North Shore Market. Clerk Barb Gervais can also email a copy. Her township email address is toftemn@boreal.org.
Birch Grove Community Center improvements
Work on the recreational amenities outside Birch Grove Community Center could begin as early as this fall. Board Chair Paul James said the board wants to see one of the projects—such as the hockey rink—get done so the community can see the fruits of what they voted for in the referendum. A 2009 vote authorized the sales tax that will fund the project along with numerous others throughout the county.
Although firms have yet to be selected for architectural design, soil sampling and construction, the county’s consultant, ORB Management, set a tentative date of November 7, 2011 for groundbreaking. The ground might be too hard to start the project then, however. James said he would like to see groundbreaking by October 7.
Bids for the architectural and technical work came in at $63,580 from The Meyer Group and $95,421 from LHB. The board voted unanimously to hire The Meyer Group.
James said that from what he’s been seeing in the news, “everybody’s out of work, and it should be dang easy to get someone in here to do the work.”
“We’re a small town,” Supervisor Jim King said. “We have a reputation for getting things done.
D.C. Olsen said he would talk to ORB about getting the work on the hockey rink under way.
Park upkeep
The playground equipment needs updating to improve safety, James reported. Olsen recommended that whatever they put in the park be commercial grade. “What Lutsen just put in is perfect,” he said, “but it’s $35,000.”
Supervisor Jim King said, “Maybe we should just put up a sign that says, ‘There’s some really good playground equipment up at Birch Grove’—with an arrow!”
King suggested having a “chain saw party” in the fall for the community to work on projects in the park. Olsen said Americorp workers would be doing some curb painting at Birch Grove and some brushing in the park.
The board talked about the grass in the park, and Olsen said he would obtain some environmentally friendly fertilizer for it. James recommended that he get advice and possibly buy some fertilizer from Mike Davies at Superior National Golf Course. John Nelson, who mows the lawn in the park, said the cold there could be considered a good thing. “That’s the nice thing about the park,” he said. “It’s so cold down there the grass doesn’t grow!”
Bob Boomgard has volunteered to paint the wood surrounding the picnic area retaining wall. Eventually, the plan is to install cedar siding there. Regarding that project, Supervisor Jim King said he is “a little handy” for work like that but had other ideas on what he might be better at. “I could help,” he said. “I could go out for coffee or something.”
Tofte Homestead Road
James reported that the township had received letters from their attorney, Cook County Highway Engineer David Betts, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) regarding what needs to be done on the Tofte Homestead Road.
Four things need to be addressed, James said: grading, drainage, the creek, and the speed bump. All three entities sending letters believed the speed bump is a liability hazard and needs to be removed. The board directed Clerk Barb Gervais to write a letter to property owner Jeff Lynch, who owns the land the road is on, informing him that the speed bump needs to go.
Bids will be solicited for grading the road and for blasting work that needs to be done to improve drainage. A special meeting will be held when the bids are received.
Part of the township’s easement agreement with Jeff Lynch is that the township will keep the road in good condition, James said, and this project will address that requirement.
40 m.p.h. zone
The board discussed what they could do to get a solar-powered speed feedback sign that informs drivers how fast they are going as they approach the 40 m.p.h. speed zone in downtown Tofte. Clerk Barb Gervais agreed to contact the City of Grand Marais to find out how they got theirs.
PILT payment
The township received its annual payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in the amount of $1,933.72.
Website up and running
The Tofte Township website—www.toftemn.com—is fully functional. It includes a brief history of the township and is filled with great photos of Tofte scenes and activities as well as information on township and board meetings, contacting elected officials, park and town hall rental, special events, the fire and rescue department, and the cemetery and has links to other useful websites such as Birch Grove Foundation, the Tofte Fishing Museum, and Cook County government.
Supervisor D.C. Olsen and Clerk Barb Gervais agreed to make sure they both know how to maintain and update the website.
Local government
The board discussed a survey the township had received from the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor regarding consolidation of government services to increase efficiency and reduce costs. All three supervisors concurred that they favor not eliminating local governments such as township boards.
The board passed a motion authorizing Supervisor Jim King to work with Clerk Barb Gervais to fill out the survey on behalf of the board.
James said, “Anything that gets in the way of small towns to govern themselves is not a good thing.”
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