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As reported in last week’s Ely Echo, Fall Lake Township supervisor Sheila Gruba has resigned.
Clerk Cheri DeBeltz contacted Minnesota Association of Townships about how to handle this resignation. She was informed the board can appoint a person to the board for one year of the remaining two years of Gruba’s term. Then an election would be held to fill the remaining one year.
The board asks that if anyone is interested in this appointment as a township supervisor to call DeBeltz at the Town Hall at 218-3653835. Interviews of candidates will take place on Tuesday, March 18 at 6 p.m.
Paul Peltier, Executive Director of RAMS (Range Association of Municipalities and Schools), attended Fall Lake’s township meeting to inform the board about what has been discussed at RAMS meetings. Gruba has been attending RAMS meetings.
Peltier gave a history of RAMS which was formed in 1939. The organization serves 27 townships, 27 cities and 15 school districts all in the Taconite Assistance Area. He was happy to hear Fall Lake had received one half of the Taconite Tax allotment of $16,696. He said this is money to be used by the township that does not have to be levied.
Peltier’s main issue to discuss was about broadband and what money is available. He said the BEAD Act (Broadband Equity Access & Deployment) has $652 million federal funds available to the state of Minnesota. He will try to get as much money north as possible. RAMS connects communities that want broadband that are underserved and unserved with providers.
Peltier had an interactive tool that showed what areas would qualify for funds, areas that showed a cluster of properties that a provider may consider to provide service.
One area on Sunset Road showed they were declared served because Lake Connections had received a grant for broadband in the area. This area is not served.
Another area is at the end of the Fernberg were there is a cluster of properties that are unserved. Peltier is willing to work with areas to see if they can tap into the BEAD Act funding. There is less than 30 days until the first volume of applications is due.
The tool will be put on the Fall Lake Township’s website.
Peltier asked what are the township’s priorities, other than broadband. The supervisors listed off roads, housing, the community center and ambulance concerns.
Also attending the Fall Lake Township meeting were George and Mary Kay Spaulding who have offered to donate their land that the new reroute of Sunset Road would go on.
George Spaulding asked Jeff Goetzman with MSA Professional Services to come to the meeting to discuss updates on the Sunset Road LRIP (Local Road Improvement Program).
Goetzman said they have the design 90-95% figured out, and ready to send to Jason DiPiazza at Lake County, and then to the district state engineer in Duluth for their approval for the funding.
He said there was some shifting around of the route to avoid wetlands. The route has been flagged to have the trees cut for the road right-ofway. One of the permits deals with an endangered species, the northern long eared bat. The trees need to be cut by the end of March before the bats become active.
At issue is the Spauldings haven’t legally donated the land to the township. Hart said he was hesitant to spend township money, estimated at a cost of $15,000 to cut the trees on property that is not township land, even though the board had already approved the money to cut trees. Supervisor Craig Seliskar agreed, especially if the township doesn’t get the permits and project approval.
Mary Kay Spaulding spoke from the back of the room. She said the safety of the road has been the main reason for rerouting Sunset Road. She said she was all in to do whatever it takes to move the project forward. Her husband agreed.
At this, Hart proposed that Spauldings cut the trees to clear the right-of-way. When all the permits are met and state approves the plan, the township would then purchase the right-of-way for the cost of cutting the trees. The Spauldings agreed, and Mary Kay said she would like the name of the short spur road to be named Fortier Trail.
Moving along, Hart said the next item on the agenda was WICOLA, but they were a no show.
Hart suggested tabling Hegfors’ Snowbank Road bid until after the spring road inspection.
Lake County Commissioner Joe Baltich said he spoke with Lake County HRA director Matt Johnson, about any help he could offer in obtaining funding for a community center because Fall Lake didn’t get the U of M grant.
Johnson talked to Lake County Commissioner Rick Goutermont who is on the grant committee. They felt the county should put some money away to see HRA money come up our way.
Johnson said it would be better if the community center was a redevelopment, which Baltich told him it was. An amount of $25,000 will be set aside by the county and the township will have to get a match. Baltich said he will talk with IRRRB.
Peltier suggested a cultural and tourism grant for the facility, park and trails grants, and also a multiple of DNR grants are available as well as Legacy LCCMR grants.
Baltich asked about emergency grants for a building to aid the Forest Service in the event of a fire or wind storm. He said it could be a staging area for the Forest Service, or to put up crews that come to the area to help. Peltier said there may be FEMA federal dollars available.
Baltich said he hadn’t heard anything on the purchase of the parking lot, but he will check again with Lake County administrator Matt Huddleston.
Seliskar said the clearing of trees in the shaded area on the Cloquet Line would be done later in March.
DeBeltz received a correction of the salt/sand bill from Lake County. The county had billed the township for the wrong material. Seliskar suggested checking the price with Ely next year.
In correspondence:
• Received a thank you for the donation made to the Wolf Ridge Trip.
• Received a request for a donation to the All-Night Grad Party, $400 was approved.
• Received an email from RAMS about their partnership with IRRRB in hosting an Iron Range Brownfields and Land Redevelopment Conference to be held in Virginia on Thursday, April 3.
• Received an email from WICOLA seeking a letter of support for a grant application to validate methodology to treat discharge from mine ponds, to reduce sulfate levels to natural levels. A flyer was included from Northern Lakes Scientific Advisory Panel and the Friends of the Boundary Waters. Mines mentioned are Arcelor Mittal, Minntac and Northshore mines.
• Received information from Minnesota Association of Townships about several dates for upcoming Short Courses to take place in Winona, Rochester and Mankato from March 17-21. The board approved paying for the cost of hotel, meals and mileage for those attending one of the courses.
• Township election for one three-year supervisor position will be held on Tuesday, March 11. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. The annual meeting will follow the canvasing of the ballots.
• Morse/Fall Lake Fire meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. at the Morse Town Hall.
• Next regular township meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 2 at 6 p.m.
• Local Board of Appeal will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 1 p.m.
• Lake County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at 6 p.m.
