Deonn Cicak gets ready to vote at the Schroeder annual township meeting as election judges (L-R) Judy Gregg, Lavonne Anderson, and Jan Dillon look on. All told, 17 Schroeder residents cast their votes at the meeting. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
There weren’t a lot of hot button topics at the annual West End township meetings held this past Tuesday, March 12, so attendance was lower than it has been in the recent past.
In Schroeder Tina McKeever, running unopposed, was reelected to serve a threeyear term as township supervisor with 17 votes. Carla Mennsen, also running unopposed, also received 17 votes and will serve once again as treasurer.
Sarah Somnis, Tofte supervisor, and Tofte treasurer Dan Shirley were both reelected to their positions. Shirley didn’t file, but was voted in by write-in ballot, and agreed to serve another term.
In Lutsen, Carl Friesner defeated incumbent Rae Piepho for a supervisor seat.
Several write-in candidates received votes for treasurer, but the winner wasn’t at the meeting so until it is known whether they will accept the position, the position is still open.
Lutsen:
Two donation requests were approved, one for the town of Tofte’s fireworks for $1,500 and one for the Lutsen Junior Alpine ski team for $1,000.
Lutsen citizens also approved a $7,000 donation to the Birch Grove Community Center.
Ben Peters appeared before the public to discuss the proposed $5 million law enforcement expansion and refurbishing of the 20-year-old law enforcement facility. Peters presented a lot of information about why the county shouldn’t pursue the development or try to become a Class 3 jail.
Cook County commissioner Ginny Storlie and Cook County/Grand Marais EDA director Mary Somnis appeared before the township with reports, information, and updates about their boards.
John Groth was thanked for his 14 years of service to the community for his detailed and very timely work as township treasurer.
The tentative Lutsen budget for 2020 is $176,622 but was tabled until the annual meeting is completed in August where the 2020 levy will be set.
Tofte:
Fire chief Rich Nelson reported 28 calls in 2018. He said the department replaced all of its protection gear at the cost of approximately $30,000 to comply with OSHA regulations.
EMS chief Kim Jahnke said Rescue responded to 53 calls last year, 10 were car accidents.
Donation requests from Sugarbush Trail Association for $1,500; Lutsen Alpine Junior ski team $1,500; and Superior Timberwolves Snowmobile Club $1,500 were approved.
Commissioner Ginny Storlie gave an update about the commissioners’ work, noting two important public meetings coming up. One was to discuss the proposed vacation rental ordinance and the other to talk about the proposed expansion of the county law enforcement center. She asked people who had questions to attend the meetings.
Tofte township supervisor Craig Horak gave an update about the long-discussed housing that may or may not be built behind Birch Grove Community Center. The township agreed to spend $15,000 on a study to see if the project is feasible or not. The township doesn’t want any responsibility to own, operate or maintain a housing project, noted Horak.
Cook County/Grand Marais EDA director Mary Somnis gave a review of the 2018 EDA projects in the county. She gave the same report to all three townships, which is included at the bottom of this report.
Approval of the 2020 levy will be made at the continuation of the annual meeting which will be held in August. Tofte’s 2019 levy is $184,122.
Schroeder:
Schroeder fire chief Phil Bonin, who was elected moderator, reported the fire department was called out 12 times last year, a new record, and the Schroeder/Tofte rescue squad received 53 calls, which was also a new record.
An unexpected OSHA inspection of the fire hall last year resulted in the fire department upgrading its record keeping and replacing some equipment, said Bonin. “That took quite a bit of money, but it shaped us up a little bit.”
The fire department will look to replace the 1979 fire fighting truck, Bonin said, because it is getting too old and needs a lot of repairs.
Currently, there are 11 volunteer firefighters in the squad. The last item Bonin mentioned was replacing the defibrillator with a new one. “We will look for a grant. A new defibrillator cost $30,000, which is a huge cost.”
Schroeder deputy town clerk Gale Ring was nominated and voted Schroeder Citizen of the Year.
Township supervisor Rick Anderson gave the 2018 Road & Bridge report, noting the township was bustling and productive in its efforts to upgrade its roads. Anderson said the township received a grant for $43,000 to apply to the road work but if it were accepted it would have called on the municipality to spend an additional $200,000, “so we turned it down.”
He praised his predecessor for leaving plenty of money in the road and bridge account to get a lot of work done without impacting the township’s levy.
Last year the Sugarloaf road received 2,693 yards of a combination of class 5&7 gravel. Skou Road received approximately 72 yards of Class V gravel, Baragas Road and the Schroeder Tote roads were repaved, and the township signed a 15-year lease agreement with Minnesota Power to store culverts and gravel in the company’s gravel pit.
Deonn Cicak introduced the temporary director of the Cross River Heritage Center and asked people to volunteer at the center. She said Visit Cook County was working with the Schroeder Area Historical Society on ways to promote the center.
A donation request from the Township of Tofte for $1,500 for the Tofte Township Fourth of July fireworks was approved. Also approved was a motion to spend up to $100 on awards.
The levy for 2020 was tabled until the continuation of the annual township meeting on August 14, 2019, at the Schroeder Town Hall at 7 p.m.
2018 EDA projects
Cook County/Grand Marais EDA director May Somnis gave a summary of the 2018 EDA projects to all three townships. Here it is.
The Nordic Star housing development in Grand Marais has seen four new home sold with four more completed and on the market. New property tax estimates show the houses will be taxed at approximately $2,500 per year. Somnis said IRRRB mining tax funds of $292,000 were granted to the Nordic Star development. Cook County donated a match of $100,000, and the City of Grand Marais gave $75,000 for the workforce housing.
Two more homes will be developed in 2019, she said.
Twelve of 16 apartments at the Four Directions Dwellings in Lutsen are completed, said Somnis, with some of the units now rented. The rental apartments should generate about $15,000 per year. IRRRB mining tax funds of $558,000 were granted to the project, with DEED supplying a housing grant of $446,000 and a local match of $215,000 from the Cook County/Grand Marais EDA.
A fourth apartment building will be constructed this spring, she said.
IRRRB mining tax funds granted for site cleanup and a new water line to Village North totaled $124,000 with a $45,000 grant from the EDA grant funds
Three lots were sold in the business park last year. One to Kim Linnell for $30,000, one to Nesgoda Services for $35,000 and one to the Cedar Grove Veterinary Clinic for $28,000.
This past year business at Superior National golf course was good, said Somnis, with enough money generated to carry the club through the winter.
Operating revenue and sales at the golf course generated $932,210. Payroll, supporting three full-time jobs and 40 seasonal jobs was $409,708 for 2018.
Property taxes paid in 2017-2018 for development around the course generated $130,410 for the county.
Property taxes paid from 2002-2017 for development around the golf course have generated over $900,000 in taxes to the county, she said.
A grant for $300,000 to North House Folk School to help purchase the Dockside property came from IRRRB mining tax funds.
Somnis highlighted other IRRRB grants generated from the tax on mining: $50,000 for entrance street lighting along Highway 61 in Grand Marais; $70,000 to improve YMCA childcare bathrooms; $375,000 for mountain bike trail at Britton Peak to Lutsen Mountain and $10,000 for a WTIP radio emergency back-up power.
“We are really grateful for all of the support we have received from the Iron Range Resources Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and from the community,” Somnis said.
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