Tofte Fourth of July festivities have apparently taken on a life of their own. Town Supervisor Paul James told his fellow supervisors, “The last two years, no one has coordinated the parade—it just happened! Nobody noticed there was nobody there to coordinate it.” Apparently the parade has been taking place for so many years now that it took place without any coordination, not even to cross the highway.
” The supervisors talked about how they are too busy with other things on the Fourth of July to be able to coordinate the parade. Jim King offered to check in floats and categorize them and agreed to call Sheriff Mark Falk about traffic and safety.
“You are now the Grand Poobah!” James said to King.
Theparade starts at 1 p.m. and more volunteer helpers are needed. Anyone interested can call Jim King at (218) 663-7409.
A place of its own
The Township of Tofte will soon have a place on the cyber map. At the Thursday, June 10, 2010 Tofte town board meeting, the supervisors voted to obtain a website and an email address for the township. Their two top choices for a website name were Tofte. com and TofteMN.com.
Highway Department news
Cook County Highway Department Maintenance Director Russ Klegstad reported that Dan Berglund replaced Bill Bohnen in the Tofte garage when Bohnen replaced Brian Houglum in the Grand Marais garage.
“Dan’s been wonderful,” Russ said. “I’ve thrown a lot of work at him. He’s a gem.”
The Highway Department hopes to replace at least one culvert in Tofte this year, Klegstad said. One culvert has stopped up a spring leading to the water source in the cemetery, James said, and dried up the wishing well.
James wondered if the county would be interested in getting a list of what the township considers its most pressing maintenance needs. Klegstad welcomed the idea but suggested waiting to submit the list until August or September after new highway engineer David Betts settles into his job.
Klegstad said this year, he will make sure the roads are graded well before calcium chloride is applied. He tried to find more money in the budget for calcium chloride this year, he said.
Roadwork
Funding in the amount of $30,000, obtained with the help of Senator Tom Bakk and Representative David Dill, will pay for much of the cost of roadwork along Good Neighbor Hill Road. Supervisor James said he asked Bakk for help, and Bakk put the request in a bonding bill. A check came in the mail.
“I’ve never seen such a seamless, easy grant to get,” Supervisor Olsen said. “I think you should ask for another one!”
The board discussed paving of the Homestead Road from Sawtooth Outfitters up to the cemetery. The Tofte Township rainy day fund, along with help from Bluefin Bay owner Dennis Rysdahl, could cover the $35,000 cost. A grant has been obtained to pay for part of this project, and the board decided to go ahead with it and provide the cost of labor if Rysdahl is not able to commit funds to the project this year. KGM has offered a good price with no interest until July 2011 because they have equipment in the area right now.
Water for town hall
Use of water in the town hall may be monitored in order to provide information needed to pursue getting an underground water/sewer system to the building. Sink water is now pumped from a tanker in the fire hall and is not drinkable.
Birch Grove Community Center
Supervisor D.C. Olsen reported that new sidewalks and curbs would be going in at Birch Grove Community Center prior to the paving of the parking lot. KGM is doing the work in exchange for the township allowing the company to store rocks on the old airport landing. Scott Robinson would be working on the septic system, Olsen said, and utility lines would be marked so the design of new recreational facilities could be completed. The improvements would be funded by the new countywide 1% sales and use tax. A wetland delineation is also being conducted.
Birch Grove Community Center Executive Director Jess Wallendal will be stepping down from her position on July 13. A new director is being sought.
Broadband meeting
Commissioner Martinson told the board about a 9 a.m., July 7 meeting at the courthouse to discuss a $100,000 Blandin grant that will pay for training and planning for fiber optic communication lines that could be installed throughout the county if stimulus grant funds are awarded to entities that have applied. Supervisor King agreed to attend the meeting, but said, “I would need some coaching. I still marvel at ballpoint pens.”
Martinson also reported that a cell phone tower might be installed at Taconite Harbor. Tofte had been considered as a possible location, but the tower must be 1,000 feet from any residences, he said.
Increasing oversight
Supervisor Paul James reported that Fire Chief Rich Nelson sold a township-owned fire truck that had been sitting in his back yard for years. Thetownship bought it from Silver Bay for $1, and Nelson sold it for $700.
It fought a few fires over the years, John Nelson said.
The township earned good interest on a $1 purchase, Supervisor Jim King said. He suggested implementing a policy under which the board would have to be involved with any sale of township property.
Also calling for oversight in another area was James, who suggested that the board have a policy that would require grant requests to be reviewed by the board before they go out.
Supervisor King told the board he thinks the appearance of the front of Big Joe’s Salvage Yard, owned by Joe Sanders, needs to be improved. “I think we all know Tofte is the gateway to Cook County!” he said, although he said he knows Schroeder might not agree. He said that on Memorial Day, the site looked the worst it had in two years, although it was cleaned up somewhat after that.
“They did get rid of a lot of junk,” John Nelson said.
King said he was not trying to tell anyone how to run his business, but he wanted them to be held accountable for rules and regulations that are already in place. Commissioner Martinson said he had already spoken with Planning & Zoning Director Tim Nelson and County Attorney Tim Nelson. A complaint would be sent from the county attorney’s office soon, he said.
“I believe in doing things through channels,” King said. “There is a structure there, and I want to work with the structure.”
The board passed a motion to send a letter to the county and to Big Joe’s Salvage Yard regarding concerns over whether county ordinances are being followed.
Bucket needed
John Nelson and Jerry Gervais reported that they need a wooden bucket for the wishing well at the cemetery. It doesn’t need to hold water. It just needs to look like a well bucket.
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