At the Tofte town board meeting Thursday, October 8, 2009, Supervisor Paul James made note of two letters that would be sent out from the township thanking Jerry Gervais and John Nelson for all the help they have given the township on projects related to the park, the cemetery, the town hall, and the fire hall.
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“Thanks, John and Jerry, for donating all your time,” James said to the two men who were at the monthly meeting as usual. “We appreciate it.” Looking to Nelson, James added, “He’s not the citizen of the year for nothing!”
“Pushing for two years!” Nelson replied.
One of Nelson’s recent projects was installing fencing around an area leading to a fire department water pump in the park, using some of his own supplies. At the October 8 meeting, he and Gervais offered to replace concrete blocks underneath the fire hall propane tank so they could be returned to Como Oil. The township switched propane suppliers and the board did not want to pay Como $195 to keep them.
Fire and Rescue
The fire department’s new air packs and compressors work great, Rescue Chief Louise Trachta reported. Their technology and safety features, Fire Chief Rich Nelson added, are “amazing.” Nelson said the new tanks allow him to see how much air a person across the room has in his tank. They want to buy or donate their 20 old tanks because they are still useable.
The fire department is also getting wildfire fighting gear, which is lighter weight and cooler than regular gear, Nelson said. The department is still playing “catch-up” with new laws and regulations, he said. A grant from the DNR helped fund the wildfire gear.
The rescue department has made 44 runs this year, eight short of last year’s total of 52. “It’s been going good,” Trachta said.
Access difficultyat BGCC
DC Olsen reported that the slope from the front door of the Birch Grove Community Center to the parking lot is too steep to allow a legal ramp. The board discussed options for the ramp, which must be no steeper than a 1-12 pitch, according to County Commissioner Bruce Martinson, also at the meeting. Paul James said some senior citizens are having difficulty getting into the building.
Bids awarded
Jerry Gervais was the only bidder for the town’s snowplowing contract and for a contract to cover a pipe and install erosion control measures in the town park. He will be paid $138 each time he plows and shovels numerous public areas outlined in the request for proposals.
Broadband advocacy
Jim Boyd, a local proponent of the initiative to bring fiber optic broadband to Cook County, spoke on behalf of the project and advocated for the 1% sales tax to help fund it. Supervisor DC Olsen asked how the broadband project might affect other projects also vying for the $20,000,000. Boyd said the broadband committee is working with a bond company and expects to need $7.9-9.2 million from the 1% tax.
He said he thought Birch Grove Community Center probably needs $1.5 million to improve its outdoor recreational facilities even though it asked for about half that amount [when costs for all the projects were outlined and cuts were made]. “I saw better tennis courts in the jungles of Viet Nam than the one I saw there,” Boyd said. “…I would be the first to say Birch Grove should get the full $1.5 million.”
Voting yes on the second question on the 1% referendum, whether the county should be authorized to operate a phone service, is vital to getting the federal broadband grant, Boyd said, although getting the required 65% vote on that question will be difficult.
A lot of small towns with populations similar to that of Cook County are successfully operating broadband systems, Boyd said. Broadband connectivity is “absolutely essential” to keeping Cook County’s “ma and pa” resorts competitive, he said.
Wireless could not handle the bandwidth needed for TV service, Boyd said, whereas fiber optic cable will bring Internet, phone and TV service. Wireless is also limited to line of sight, which would not work with all the hills and trees of Cook County, he said.
“The medium of choice today…is fiber optic,” Boyd said.
Highway improvements
County Commissioner Bruce Martinson said he believes now might be a good time to advocate for Minnesota Department of Transportation improvements to Highway 61 that could help Tofte implement its town plan.
Upcoming priorities will be projects promoting safety features and adjacent trail systems. Martinson asked Bluefin Bay owner Dennis Rysdahl if he would be willing to advocate with Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office. “Sure,” Rysdahl replied.
Town Clerk Barb Gervais told the board she had heard that the City of Grand Marais accessed some funding from the county’s recreation fund to help pay for its two new rock cairn signs. She said she would like to see Tofte get such a sign.
Commissioner Martinson said the county board is spending its recreation fund cautiously until they know whether the 1% tax referendum will pass.
Theboard talked about the possibility of using some of Tofte’s lodging tax—a portion of the 5% set aside for administrative costs— to help fund a rock cairn sign now that golf course debt will be paid off.
The board passed a motion to draft a letter to the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission expressing interest in having a Tofte sign.
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