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Public comments at the Lake County Board meeting on April 23 included two residents lobbying for a ban on short term vacation rentals on private roads.
They emphasized they purposely live on a private road to insulate themselves from the busyness of a short term vacation rental and that they are responsible for what happens there.
They also shared their belief that it goes against the intent of the regulation that keeps commercial businesses out of the neighborhood to allow short-term rentals there.
Another public comment came from Cassidy Gow, a local resident who owns and operates the Two Harbors Cannabis store in the Landing Building, Two Harbors.
She was requesting that there be no municipal or county cannabis dispensary, which she stated would quickly put her out of business.
“There is not enough business for us both,” she said, and as a small locally owned business she hopes the city and county will support and not compete with her and her five employees.
Body camera comments In other business, the public was given the opportunity to comment on the body camera purchase by the county for deputies, which several citizens present strongly supported.
Master Gardener and 4-H programs attract more kids Keri Cavitt, regional director for University of Minnesota Extension, and Tracey Anderson, Extension Educator 4-H youth development, made a presentation to the board as well.
Cavitt highlighted the Master Gardener program in which 12 active members, including seven firstyear members, contributed 622 volunteer hours leading events like an apple pruning workshop, composting and fall cleanup classes, a project for the food shelf, and classes in food preservation, perennials and annuals.
Anderson spoke of what makes 4-H unique, citing the engagement with youth over many years, out of school, with individualized activities and the pursuit of individual passions.
She said there were 94 youth in the program this past year, a 23% increase from last year. She said 72% of the kids stay for an average of at least seven years, sometimes finding passions that they continue into adulthood.
Three quarters of 4-H youth are engaged in the civic world in some way as a result of 4-H, she said.
One million trees planted Land commissioner Nate Eide stated that the tree-planting in the county started on April 22, with over a million trees (two semitrucks full) to be planted this season.
Helium testimony
Chairman Rich Sve is testifying in St. Paul regarding the helium bill, and commissioner Goutermont will follow up the next day with a hearing in the Senate. “It goes better if we are there,” said Sve.
Savings from a snowless winter Jason Dipiazza, chief highway engineer for Lake County, told the board that while the historically mild winter did not lead to an immediate large cost-savings for the highway department, it did allow county workers to tackle long-needed projects like clearing brush while they didn’t plow snow.
Additional savings will be had later in the fall when the workers don’t have to haul sand or buy salt for next year’s snowplowing. He is still looking to fill two positions in his department.
Lake County attorney resigns
Lake County will be looking for a new county attorney. At the Lake County board meeting on April 23. County administrator Matt Huddleston stated that with county attorney Russ Conrow’s resignation effective May 31, postings for the job would begin on April 24. No other information was available.
