Township Day takes place March 14. Residents of Lutsen, Tofte, and Schroeder should attend their annual town meeting. It is a chance to conduct business, elect new officials, set your levy, meet and greet friends, and meet your new neighbors.
In Schroeder, there will be a discussion about whether or not to keep the Tofte Schroeder Sanitary Sewer District (TSSSD) in place and how to fund the Cross River Heritage Center. And don’t forget Birch Grove Charter School. That is always a warm topic for discussion.
Tofte has the ongoing housing project, and newly appointed supervisor Craig Horak hopes a lot of people attend the meeting so he can explain where the supervisors are with the 12-unit planned development. Birch Grove Community Center, and how to fund the maintenance and other upkeep of the grounds and building will be discussed, as well as a myriad of other topics.
In Lutsen, a hot topic might be the fire department and EMS squads. Recent elections have shaken things up. The levy and where to set it are always important, and Birch Grove School will come with a proposal of one kind or another, seeking help with finances. Can townships donate money to the school? Come and find out. And what about putting in park planters and the Lutsen town celebration?
Townships were formed in Minnesota as part of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Today there are 1,790 townships across the state.
As with most American political ideas, town meetings have their roots in colonial America, which in turn carried those over from Europe. Early town meetings gave locals a way to conduct local business. These meetings were important in forming democracy because it emphasized problem-solving through group efforts. Thomas Jefferson called township meetings the “wisest invention ever devised by the wit of man for the perfect exercise of self-government.”
Most townships, like Lutsen, Tofte, and Schroder, have small populations, but being small doesn’t mean being ineffective. All three townships are masterful at figuring out how to get big things done with the least possible cost to taxpayers.
Don’t forget to come early and vote. Polls open at 5 to 8 p.m. in the three townships. Bring your questions. If you don’t attend, your voice is lost.
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