The senior housing project in Tofte has hit a bump in the road, but Tofte supervisors were unperturbed when they found out about it on October 11. Project Manager Dick Grabko reported that the developer, Bremer Properties, had pulled out.
Grabko said that Robert Bremer had experienced some health problems and did not have “the energy or the motivation” to continue with the project.
Grabko said another development company was interested in the project but the owner did not want his identity to be known publicly, so he told supervisors Jim King, Paul James, and Alan “D.C.” Olsen that he would call them each individually and tell them who it was. “He’s extremely well financed,” Grabko said.
Grabko had been poised to submit a funding application to the Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) but because of Bremer Properties pulling out, they would miss this funding cycle.
Grabko recommended applying to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for funding. Its current funding cycle would require submission of a pre-application by November 15.
Grabko said he thought they could still pursue the same funding sources with a new developer. “The work that you’ve done to this point is still valuable,” he said. “It has not been a waste of effort or a waste of resources.”
Grabko said he felt confident that the project was still viable and recommended that the board pursue it with the new unidentified developer. “Unfortunately, Bremer just wasn’t able to see this through,” he said.
Things had been moving very fast anyway, Jim King said. This development would give them more time to digest everything.
Bedrock and drainage issues have been identified in the area behind the Birch Grove Community Center slated for the housing development. Paul James said they might need to build the 10 proposed units a bit closer together to minimize the blasting that would be needed. “The plan is not dead,” he said. “It’s just going to have to be modified.”
The board voted to pursue refinancing the land with a new bond at an interest rate much lower than the current rate of 5.75 percent.
Birch Grove Community Center
Most of the Birch Grove Community Center outdoor projects are done, with only some “minor finishing work” still needed, D.C. Olsen reported. Some of the work will be done in the spring. Still left in the contingency fund is $20,000 that could pay for some additional amenities.
The project included construction of new tennis courts, a new hockey rink and warming house, a new playground, a timber frame picnic pavilion and an outdoor brick oven and relocation of the outdoor classroom.
Cook County Community Center
The board weighed in on the Cook County Community Center the county is building in Grand Marais.
The YMCA, which will administer programs in the new facility, will be looking for endowment and ongoing support from Cook County residents, Jim King said. Funding will not be automatically coming in from outside the county, he said.
“I think this is going to be a big boondoggle,” said Paul James. People who pay to use the pool aren’t going to want to give beyond that to support it, he said.
This project, along with the Birch Grove Community Center outdoor improvement project, will have been funded from the county’s 1 percent recreation and infrastructure sales tax that was approved by voters in 2009. Every single 1 percent project would have failed if brought individually to a referendum, County Commissioner Bruce Martinson said. “There are a lot of issues. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.
King said Martinson has done a good job advocating for West End projects.
“I have supported all efforts to downsize the [Grand Marais] facility,” Martinson said.
Park improvements
“You guys have done a really nice job,” Paul James said to John Nelson, Jerry Gervais, and Gary Hansen, who have landscaped and installed a retaining wall and fencing around the town park.
The board discussed removing the existing playground equipment and installing the equipment that was recently removed from Birch Grove Community Center. The park looks so nice, Jim King said, why “junk it up” with playground equipment? Kids find all kinds of other things to do down by the lake, he said, and the new playground at Birch Grove is very close.
D.C. Olsen agreed that the old equipment in the park should be removed and suggested that they sell what can be salvaged from Birch Grove.
The board authorized removal of the old equipment and asked Clerk Barb Gervais to advertise the Birch Grove equipment on the local Boreal Access website. Bids will be accepted until October 20.
Some finishing work still needs to be done in the park, such as placement of picnic tables and a fire ring.
New liaisons
Paul James will now be the township’s park and cemetery liaison and D.C. Olsen will now be the Birch Grove Community Center, foundation, and school liaison.
Snowplowing bids
The board opened snowplowing bids and decided to accept them all, both high and low. One bid was for plowing Birch Grove for $90 per snowfall, and the other was for plowing all the other areas the township needs plowed for $95 per snowfall. Both were from Cooter’s Auto Repair.
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