Benville roads discussed

The Babbitt city council held a special meeting on Aug. 12 The council heard from LeRoy Aho who had concerns about the road by his house in Benville.

Council member Glenn Anderson clarified that the 6305 road would remain as a class five road.

Aho said at the intersection of 6305 and Hwy. 21 there have been three fatalities over the years. He said there is a danger of the area at the corner, especially when people are driving too fast.

There is also a problem with beavers in the area, according to Aho. He said a culvert was replaced with a smaller size causing flooding.

“All the water is backing up into one strip,” said Aho. “I could have planted wild rice in my garden. We’ve got 12 beaver dams within a mile of my house. And that’s what’s holding the water back on the west end of Babbitt.”

Aho said he would like to see a 15-inch culvert taken out and a 36-inch culvert put back in. “And you probably wouldn’t need a 36inch culvert here if you got rid of the beaver.”

Anderson said the city is talking with the Corps of Engineers if the area from Mud Lake and Hay Lake could be dredged.

“That’s not, unfortunately, on city property to be able to go in there and actually do it. We had permission from the DNR to blow that dam behind there. But we had to have them come in and do it,” said Anderson.

Aho said the city needs to pressure on St. Louis County to help.

“We have,” said Anderson. “We’re not getting anywhere with it. All we keep hearing is they don’t have the funds.”

Mayor Duane Lossing said the city needs to again contact St. Louis County and put pressure on. Anderson said that is happening already.

Anderson said the city had planned to pave roads in Benville in the past and then heard some people didn’t want pavement.

Council member Paul Hoheisel said street supervisor Tony Chamberlin wasn’t able to be at the meeting “but we will address this with him.”

Anderson said the city would rather have roads paved for ease of maintenance and snow plowing.

The council thanked the citizens who were at the meeting and voiced their concerns.