.jpg)
March is a time for elections and schedule changes for township meetings.
Usually, Fall Lake’s township meetings are the first Tuesday of the month, but due to the Presidential Primary on March 5 and then a township election on March 12, the regular meeting was held on Monday, March 11.
The Pledge of Allegiance was said Monday evening and then treasurer Don Stock gave his report.
The township received $17,727 from Lake County from taconite tax and $13,517.43 for township roads. No dispersal of recreation funds was made. All requests will be addressed in May and October.
Rather than continuing with the agenda, supervisor Eric Hart deferred to Lake County commissioner Joe Baltich. Trying to keep up with all Baltich had to say was something else. He speaks very fast.
Baltich said he has enjoyed being the commissioner and likes the broadness of all it encompasses. He has been busy going to Two Harbors, Duluth and to St. Paul.
Baltich attended a Forest Service meeting that was originally to take place in Ely but then changed to Duluth. The meeting was full of people he didn’t know, and it was his opinion few knew any others. Baltich thought the meeting was going to be about balsam reduction or something related to the forest.
“The meeting was just a lot of word salad from all who spoke,” said Baltich. “I really don’t think Lake County will get anything out of the meeting.”
After this meeting, Baltich was informed about a Mental Health Task Force meeting that was to be on zoom so he found a room and joined in on that meeting. After giving some ideas to the group, Baltich was informed he wasn’t on this board. Township supervisors and all attending laughed. He did ask about having a mental health meeting in Fall Lake to learn what is available.
Another meeting Baltich attended was on community education. He said there are various programs available. He said the gardening program may benefit Fall Lake residents.
Baltich noted that everybody has a community center. Silver Bay, Two Harbors and Finland all have a community center with meeting rooms, full kitchen, bathrooms, and large hall.
He said his idea is to have Fall Lake’s town hall torn down and build a similar community center to hold weddings and other events. It was suggested to incorporate the sheriff’s office in the building too.
“There are grants out there for this,” said Baltich.
Supervisor Rod Gruba said that years ago there used to be emergency preparedness meetings held with Ely. They would have meetings at the Morse/Fall Lake fire hall or the joint public works facility in Ely. He said it would be nice to have a big building in Fall Lake to have those meetings again.
With such a building, events could be held in Fall Lake Township and bring some of the one percent lodging tax monies for events back to the township.
One event in Finland that benefits from the tax is the St. Urho Day Parade which will take place on Saturday, March 16 at noon.
Lastly, Baltich mentioned the promotion of Lake County that Fall Lake is basically missing from any benefit. He said several attractions are highlighted on the North Shore, such and Gooseberry Falls, Tettegouche State Park and the various hiking and biking trails.
All that is mentioned in Fall Lake is the Boundary Waters. No mention of the Kawishiwi Falls trail or the ATV trails in the township.
When the highlights of Cindy Smyka’s Ely Area Lodging Tax Board were discussed, Baltich said the county shouldn’t have to buy software to track where the tax was collected. The state should be able to do this.
Returning to the agenda, Hart said two transfer site attendants had been hired. They are Jerry Jussila and Doug Scheibe. He said they have worked out their schedule for the summer.
Clerk Cheri DeBeltz said she was looking into getting prices for sodium chloride for township roads with Lake County.
Hart said the township currently has chloride applied when St. Louis County does their portion of the Cloquet Line. He recommended the township stay with St. Louis County this year and consider Lake County next year.
DeBeltz went to Two Harbors to pick up materials for the township election and she visited the auditor’s office and inquired about the Power Dam Road. She said there was no record of the road being vacated or if there were any easements on the road.
Supervisor Craig Seliskar talked with Jeff Schulze about brushing the Villas Road but Gruba said to hold off on any brush due to the dry conditions.
DeBeltz said she brought the township’s old flag to Veterans on the Lake and they will dispose of it properly.
The board acknowledge township roads need grading, but road restrictions are on now.
Emily Seliskar asked about getting the North Shore Journal, which is supposed to be free to all Lake County residents. The paper is delivered to physical mailbox addresses in Fall Lake but not to P.O. Boxes. If interested in receiving the North Shore Journal in an email, send your physical address to northshorejournal@yahoo. com. Also, Baltich will see if a bundle of the papers can be sent to the sheriff’s mailbox.
If you have any questions for Baltich, his email address is [email protected] and his cellphone number is 218-235-1951.
Ed Seliskar said some shouldering is needed on the Kawishiwi Trail. Supervisor Seliskar will call Lake County road engineer Jason DiPiazza. Hart said he has reached out to Lucky Boy Services about street sweeping.
Supervisor Hart and Seliskar thanked Rod Gruba for his many years of service on the township board and for staying on longer than he had originally intended to advise both Hart and Seliskar.
In correspondence:
• Information was received for grants available concerning climate change.
• A letter was received with benefits of state electrical inspections.
• Minnesota Association of Townships is having a listening tour.
• Information was received for USDA grants and low interest loans for town hall projects.
• A gift bag and a sweatshirt were received from Northern Lakes Art Association for the township’s support.
• Next Morse/Fall Lake Fire meeting will be held Wednesday, March 20 at 6 p.m.
• The next regular township meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 2 at 6 p.m.
• All supervisors and clerk will attend the Township Short Course on April 5 in Duluth.
• Local Board of Appeal meeting will be held on Thursday, May 9 at 1 p.m.
• Lake County Board of Commissioners meeting as a Whole will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at 6 p.m.
