Oh yeah. Okay. Good morning. That long. Okay. >> I'll call the Cook County Board of Commissioners regular meeting to order. On this uh Tuesday, July 14th at 8:31, we begin our meeting with the pledge. Please rise. I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Are there any adjustments to the agenda? [clears throat] Madam Chair, I have one
adjustment and that is that Kyle Strover um from the DNR is able to stop in this morning. um we don't know what time. He's obviously very busy right now with the forest fires, but um kindly offered to stop in and provide an update to the board. Great. >> Okay. Thank you. We'll work him in
whenever. Um and you can recognize him, so we'll know. >> Yeah. >> Um then [clears throat] a motion to approve the agenda. >> I'll make that motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second. All in favor?
>> I oppose. same sign. Motion passes. At this time, we do take a few minutes for public uh comment period. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to come up? Doesn't look like we do have anybody here in the room, but have the commissioners received any comments?
>> No. Okay. Very good. [clears throat and cough] Um moving on to the consent agenda, which is a motion to approve as whole. In the uh consent agenda, the items are claims. We have minutes from the June
23rd meeting. A final request um CR24 for the toy park improvement. Approve commencement of Toy and Grand Marray transfer stations. Uh 2026 US Forest Service Grant, a donation for um search
and rescue. CCIT brewy event donation. Would anyone like to pull anything? >> Okay. Commissioner Sullivan. >> Madam Chair, I'd like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. [clears throat] >> Is there a second?
>> Support. >> All in favor? >> I I >> opposed. Same sign. Motion passes unanimously. [clears throat] Now we're going to move on to Northshore Roadway Network Resilience Study.
>> [clears throat] >> Good morning everyone. >> Morning. >> Um uh I just wanted to take a chance to to introduce two people to you um that you're going to hear a lot from today. Um if you're not familiar what this is, uh you know, kind of like it says a
roadway network resiliency study. Um the number of times we've talked about redundancy in this county, what happens if Highway 61 blows out, this is exactly what this study is. And so, um, it's a it's a great partnership between several counties along the Northshore, Mindot,
um, and and a few other entities as well. But I'll I'll let Erica and Joe introduce themselves. >> Thanks, Robbie. Um, good morning everyone. My name is Erica Shepard and I am a transportation planner uh, with MDOT District 1 uh, based out of Duth.
>> Good morning, commissioners. My name is Joe D'vor. I'm with KLJ Engineering, uh the project manager for the consultant team on this project. And Jana, did we have the PowerPoint up? [clears throat] >> Perfect.
Great. Well, I'll kick us off and then I'll let Joe kind of get into more of the details. But, um, uh, as Robbie mentioned, this this study, uh, has been kind of years in the making. Um, as you all are well aware, there are no
official identified alternate routes to Highway 61, which can really cause some major issues in the event of a Highway 61 closure. Um, uh, the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission is also, uh, a partner. They were the originally the ones who kicked
off the study. So, we're glad that uh they're still involved and a good partner in kind of helping uh keep this study moving. Um the study is really extremely multifaceted there. It's it's part emergency management driven, part
climate resilience driven. Uh we're looking at Highway 61 itself and we're also looking at the alternate routes. So that's also looking at some of the local um forest service roads, um township roads, city roads, things like that. So um it's it's a lot to kind of wrap your
head around. Um the study area itself is on the screen here. It's 125 miles long. Uh and we're kind of looking in that uh light orange crescent shape. That's kind of the portions of Lake and Cook counties that we're looking at the alternate routes in. So, not the full
counties, but basically it's looking from two harbors all the way to the Canadian border. Um, and to better organize that large of a study area, we've divided the um the uh study area into 10 overall segments and 140
subsegments that follow roadway breaks and mile markers. Um, and generally speaking, uh, we're in the the middle of the data collection phase. Um, so we're looking kind of at existing conditions, doing some uh data collection, and then
uh kind of identifying local concerns and vulnerabilities. Um, in the fall, we'll move into some detour analysis, kind of evaluating some of the um alternate [clears throat] routes that we're identifying. That's kind of looking at both the the regional and the local detour distinction. So, some sort
of like large scale rerouting as well as some community level access and circulation. And then also obviously looking at practical feasibility like seasonality when detours work uh depending what time of year it is. Um and then in uh this
winter we'll be kind of moving into concept development um reviewing some of those vulnerabilities and identifying some uh recommended improvements um that we can make. Um and then the end goal uh in the spring we'll be wrapping up with some closure action plans. So that's
kind of uh certain segments of the the whole corridor will have some um detour strategies looking at uh options both um in terms of like the length timewise and lengthwise what what those kinds of uh
detours make most sense for what the closure situation is. Um and then the investment prioritization um and recommended improvements. So, kind of at the end of this, we're hoping that the takeaway will be um that we can identify what the most vulnerable areas are, what
the recommended improvements are, and basically we're hoping that uh our local, federal, and tribal partners are able to leverage this study to apply for grant funding to make those improvements. Um so, some of the project goals, I I don't want to read all of them. You can
all [clears throat] read them on the screen there. Kind of what I was look kind of already outlined. Um but basically um evaluating the existing and future conditions of the whole corridor, identifying those alternate routes, developing those recommendations, and of
course engaging um with partners, stakeholders, and the public to build a shared vision uh throughout the uh whole project process. So with that, I'll hand it off to Joe to get into some more of the specifics. >> Thanks, Erica.
So, as we came into this study, we had some examples. We didn't expect to get examples all from this year of different ways that 61 could be closed as we started the project. Um, but we we saw some examples that are are going to be
happening this year. Uh, a blizzard uh closed Highway 61 in February when you guys saw 18 plus inches of snowfall. Um when we start looking at alternate routes uh during a blizzard, there really aren't any cuz 61 is usually that
first uh roadway that's um plowed off. But as we start looking at uh a wildfire, uh the Stewart Trail fire back in May, uh this was a 4 and a half day closure of 61 between Two Harbors and Silver Bay. Uh which really threw into
uh kind of a highlight why this study was so needed. um right away a a shorter route was open. That was the shortest detour route. Uh Lake County had issues with that county road right off the bat. Um with uh just not great conditions on
the roadway. Um, so then we did have an official published detour that was a much longer route but was on paved roads the entire way and we got a lot better feedback from freight that was using that road versus trying to use a underdeveloped um county roadway. So
that's the exact issue we're we're coming to uh the county board with today. And then uh later this summer uh we are looking at a 12-day detour in Hovland for some culvert replacements. This is going to be a much shorter uh detour route on just that little
triangle segment uh in around Hovland. Um so it'll be much less of an impact but still a a good example of when 61 needs to be closed um for just re routine maintenance on MDOT system.
So, as we start looking at that example for the Steuart Trail Fire, um we did have that official published detour um going uh back uh to County Road 2 and then back down into Two Harbors. That was the 56minute detour that can be seen
in the middle. Um however, those shorter routes, traffic's going to want to take that. Um they they want to take the shortest route that they can get from point A to point B. Um we face this all the time in road planning where unless there's reasons why uh traffic will find
that shortest route. Um so what we want to look at with the county system uh in Cook County is identifying where those shortest routes are and if they can be improved um to kind of match that shortest route for a detour route while taking into
account an evacuation area. So, with the Stewart uh fires, there was a a pretty big evacuation area where if we had a detour route routed through there, that creates issues, too, because now our detour route is being detoured. And so,
we have to take all of that into account as we're starting to put together these closure act action plans. Um, just accounting for all of the different layers on top of this EMS response. So, as we start getting into what we're
doing with our data collection, we're looking at several uh aspects of data into this study. The first is roadway asset data along these potential detour routes. Um so, you can see from the map um we have kind of our full project area
um and a lot of paved and gravel roadways that we're collecting this data on. And what we're looking for is roadway condition. Uh so for gravel roadways, we're looking at the solidity of that gravel. [clears throat and snorts] Uh how wide that roadway width is. Uh that came up
as a a big issue as we started identifying what routes could be used as two-way traffic for freight and what routes could only be used as one way for a detour. Uh line markings, uh being able to see at night uh during these
detour routes is an important aspect. And then traffic signs directing traffic uh to 61 at the end of those detour routes having good signage where uh cell phone service could be spotty throughout
all these detour routes off of the 61. So as we also look at risk factors for closing 61, uh culverts came up as a big issue. Uh where if a culvert washes out, it can wash out a section of roadway and then
that replacement of that culvert would take weeks to then get 61 back up. So we really wanted to look at some of the culverts along 61. We have very good data for that, but we didn't have the best of data on the county road systems
and local systems especially. Uh so we did a culvert inventory to kind of complete the missing aspects of our kind of culvert database both for 61 and a lot of those local routes um in our detour route system. And so this summer
we are going through we're looking at the condition of those missing culverts any road settlement along the routes uh erosion uh from those culverts where they might be in poor condition and need to be replaced uh and then any plugged
or obstructed culverts that could create a wash out as well. So, as we start taking in all of these elements of data, we're looking at the dams, culvert, and bridge information, understanding life cycles with those, when those would need to be replaced, if
any are in poor or fair condition. Uh, coming up, coastal erosion has been a big one where there's uh lakeshore uh coast uh regression towards Highway 61. In some instances, it's within 50 ft of the Mandotway.
Um, so looking at a potential linear trend of when that could be an issue. Are there alignments that uh might get us out of that range um for the near future? Uh, landslide risk uh especially
around some of the uh tunnels and cliff areas where we've seen rock slides in the past. Wildfire risk, which I uh went into detail on. And then crash risk if there's a fatal crash on 61. uh that scene can be closed down for hours to a
day. Um the state patrol needs that kind of daily uh detour route around that area and being able to understand where that area is is is important. Uh as we start looking at these detour analysis routes, um it's going to increase travel
time. uh it's going to increase to that Highway 61 detour volume, which in some cases is 50 times more traffic than these county roadways or local roadways see, which if that detour is 3 days to 7
days, that's a year's worth of wear on that roadway just from that 61 traffic in a couple of days. Uh distance to trauma center centers and EMS response. This has been a big um portion of our
study is just looking at where those are in Grand Marray and uh Duth and then Two Harbors does also have the the hospital there. Uh being able to get to and from those with a 61 detour and then looking at some intelligent transportation
systems as well to guide traffic during these detour routes. So for Cook County, there's several gap areas that we've already identified where some of those detour routes could add 30 plus minutes of detour if a
certain segment in those areas are closed. Um there's even some segments where there's a gap today. So if 61 has an issue in that gap between Ky Road 69 and 17 or up in Grand Portage
Reservation uh between Grand Portage and the border, there isn't a good detour route existing that you can actually take to get around that closure. So 61 could be closed for days as a temporary shoulder is made or some emergency
um gap is filled there. Um so we are looking at analyzing these routes in detail once we have all that data collected. Um just some some top names in in Cook County of some of those detour routes. The grade is that US
Force Service Road that the county um has been bulking up in in recent years um down near Tafty and Schroeder. Uh 600 road uh is used a lot but again isn't in the best of condition. A lot of those
tan roads um or kind of orang-ish roads, those are all gravel roads of varying width. Uh the the lighter they get, the narrower uh those roadways are. Um so just looking at kind of a zoomed
in area of a couple of um areas, Tufty Schroeder. Um, some of these detours are ranging from 10 minutes where that's a little bit easier to uh digest as a a detour route, but a lot of these routes are, you know, 30 minutes to 60 minutes
uh if we are detouring around certain segments and utilizing those routes. Another example around Grand Marray, um Kai Road 7s, only a a seven or a two-minute detour. Um, however, as you start getting out into some of those
other segments, we're seeing 10 to 15 minutes uh to the west of Grand Marray, uh, taking Ward Lake Road or Pike Lake Road. That's adding a half an hour on the west side as you come out of Grand Marray just due to the length of those detour routes, uh, around Cascade River
State Park. So kind of looking forward and looking back um we we have met with a lot of focus group meetings back in April. Uh emergency management really looking at uh responding to forest fires where they're utilizing detour routes today.
Uh the multimodal business and tourism aspect of closures. Uh being able to wayfind back to popular destinations along the corridors. uh the environmental risk factors of potential closures along 61. Uh and then getting
an idea of border crossings. Uh we we had a meeting with uh the province uh up in Canada to really discuss are there alternate border crossings if something happens to that bridge. Um the the feedback we heard from them is they've
really provided a lot of resiliency in that border crossing in Grand Pidge because the nearest one is over in International Falls. Um so they really expect that bridge to to be maintained. They have the the width available to uh
maintain it under traffic uh and really keep that as a a critical link as well. As we start looking into the summer of 2026, we're really reaching out to all the boards, Cook County and Lake County today, uh, as well as a lot of the town
boards and councils along the corridor just to get input on what are we missing with this study, what haven't we considered and be able to kind of change our scope to to match some of the the deliverables that that Cook County is
also looking for. Uh we're also getting input from the public. Uh this last weekend we were at Bay Days down in Silver Bay. Um we are trying to get on the rendevous days up in Grand Portage in August. Um just to get some input
from kind of the the tip of Minnesota there um where we we've had a couple of meetings with the tribe as well. So, our next steps, as Erica laid out, um we have a lot of data analysis this fall and detour screening uh to get to
those closure action plans. Um really looking for board feedback on how often you want updates, um what input you want to provide through this process, understanding that we're trying to get those closure action plans by by next summer.
Um and then lastly, [clears throat] um what other risk factors um you know, have we missed? Really, this is a time for the board to give us feedback, ask us questions with this study, and uh we'd be happy to answer them. So, with
that, any questions from the board? >> Thank you. I really appreciate it. One of the areas in Cook County are four townships, and they're in the West End. Luden does not maintain any roads, but Schroeder and Toy do. And you'll be at
Schroeder tonight. So, we'll hear the repeat again tonight. But I think it's concerning because of their limited budgets, too. So, hopefully in the future if you decide that Sheriff has to be widened or another little road has to be widened or maintained better, that
they'll have help with that. Yeah, I think that's a a big part is understanding what those detour routes are, what the best ones are, understanding what needs to be bulked up on them to handle two-way traffic, and
then identifying grants both federally and through the state that could help um with those costs. Because yes, the the townships don't have the budgets to convert a a gravel road to a paved road for 20 miles,
>> unlike the county, right? >> That's great. [laughter] >> Or the county even. Yes, Robbie has uh given us great feedback with that throughout the [laughter] study. But the the point you bring up, Commissioner Stoley is very true and it's one that, you know, my counterpart in Lake County
and I have [clears throat] brought up is that's great for a plan. Now what? like you know we can sit here and and make these plans and that road AI tool that you saw with the colored line I mean I need to spend more time with it but it's fascinating but to the point yeah so great we need to upgrade Sugarloaf or
you saw Murmur Creek on there or name any other one well cool at the end of the day we need money to do that and so I think what this does though is gives us a plan and a direction and then also to say hello federal government or state you know legislator whatever um we we
did this huge planning effort we've identified these roads for, you know, that are important to us and we already have three instances this year um that showed what happens when 61 closes. So, it's not like some crazy what if. It's it's happening. We know it happens.
>> Um but it gives us a tool to say this is why we need money. >> Mr. Sullivan, >> thank you, Madam Chair. Um, one thing I noticed on the map that was right before your engagement schedule is um, it didn't identify one of what I understand
to be an evacuation route or an alternate route and it would be from the east end of Devil Track Lake to the Gunflint Trail and it doesn't identify Pine Mountain Road um, which is a US Forest Service road. I think Kyle can >> Yeah.
>> um, confirm that. But >> and that's you know as we collect data and we're going through this like what you saw is just what's been done to date and so it's definitely a process that you know even I can stare at that map and you know Ward Lake Road got brought up you and I both know I'm sure you're
aware you know like that's not a road that's a glorified four-wheeler trail. So you know and so there there's things like that that we have to go through and tweak but >> it kind of illustrates the point too [clears throat] of just how massive this is. You saw it's 120 miles of Highway 61
on top of you know how far inland are we going and now catalog every single route that is through there to and then assess can you take it or not. And then the other hard thing too is define what what line do we want to draw to say yes
that's a detour. No that's not because if you're going to if we get too specific boy we're going to have no detours. And so then you're going to go, okay, well, let's dial it back. Can we technically use Sugarloaf? Yes. Can you technically use Murmur Creek? Yes. Are
they great? No. [laughter] But, you know, Pine Mountain is one of those where at least that's one that actually is kind of built um and and could get added to that for sure. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Big process. >> Good point though. >> Represent administrator Treble.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. you mentioned um collecting community um input and we do have an event coming up in a few weekends fisherman's picnic and we'll have a county booth so if there's some information that we can share during that event I don't know if you're
collecting if you have a survey tool that you're perfect so we we would be willing to share that and Jana would be your contact for that >> yes we will uh certainly send some materials along for you guys to have at the booth >> great thank you for offering that >> thank
Commissioner Gamble. >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. Well, this is a topic that continues and it's good to be proactive to anticipate and to try to figure out so we're not reactive. Um the question I would have for you, Joe,
is um if you've worked on similar projects in different regions. >> Uh I have. Um, so we did a trunk highway 61 corridor study in Two Harbors uh back a couple years ago and we had been
working with uh the city of Two Harbors just to identify kind of that shorter detour route around their city because 61 was closed down to one lane in one direction. And so for southbound traffic, the shortest route was routing
people through a neighborhood. And you know, it's a residential neighborhood. houses are, you know, 50 feet set back from the road. No one wants 61 traffic that close to their front yards. And so we did a pretty extensive detour
planning of trying to find another county route that shifted traffic away from that residential neighborhood. We ended up finding a route where we replace maybe 100 to 200 feet of pavement and that created a shorter connection. Um, so I've done a lot of
these origin destination studies where we're trying to put traffic volume demand to these different destinations to these different sections of 61 and understanding well if you have a detour route and all of your traffic is going
to Finland instead, you know, or some other location, how do we get a detour route that's shorter to Finland than back to 61 if traffic's not going there. So, there's a lot of different elements of this that kind of work into that origin
destination aspect of this study. Um, you know, just the recreational peaks that Grand Marray and the surrounding communities see during the summer. Um, just being able to access Grand Marray from all of those fingers coming out
into the different lake areas is going to be important. And if there's a construction project that's severing off half of those, the detour router has to incorporate all of those different fingers going out. And that's the hardest thing is 61's that only main
regional connection with just a whole lot of fingers coming out. As a followup, Madam Chair, the uh um when you take a look at your options and in your presentation, you mentioned that
um the improvements to be made that are recommendations and the resources required in order to make those improvements. And um take example when when a road that uh is a gravel road that sees more traffic
than it normally would see considerable traffic and that means that you know Robbie and his department has to work on that. There is no, and maybe Erica can answer this, there's no funding that is set aside that reimbures
when something takes place that is unanticipated. In the federal line of things, when there's a um an event that qualifies as a disaster, then there's availability because it
falls into that threshold and you can receive funding. But I guess the question to Erica is does Mandot provide a pool of dollars that are there to compensate when we find that we have those additional expenses and part of
that question is also the question on the recommended improvements and the costs associated and you reference it's getting grant money and and things like that. So, as commissioners, we're looking at something that is
thoughtfully considered and proposed and then the, you know, if that informed process presents something that makes sense, how do we pay for it? So, >> yeah, thank you, Commissioner. I think that's a excellent point. Um, I think,
uh, that's one of the things we're hoping to look at. I think, um, this is something we've kind of talked about. I don't know if it's part like an official approach, but um we've talked about if there's maybe like from the state
funding perspective, if there's enough recommendations or um things that rise to the top as necessary improvements, that that might be something Mandow would be willing to go to the legislature and ask for funding for for that. That that's I'm not committing to
that right now. Uh but that has been something we've talked about as um like Robbie mentioned this this is happening right now and it's in mind's best interest to have redundancy. So um I think right now I don't think there's
like a established funding pool that's tied to this study necessarily, but I'm not saying that there couldn't be. I think that's something that we would consider as part of the implementation um plan and looking at how to actually
make the improvements happen and not just have this be a study that sits on the shelf. So, I think that's um an excellent point. We're not trying to just offload all of this on to be a a local funding issue, but I I will say that's something that we're has been
tossed around as an idea to potentially kind of include that as one of MDOT's requests to the state legislation. and part of the study. That's [clears throat] that's a big component being able to >> do what you've spent and invested all this time in. >> And um
>> so setting up some kind of criteria that would allow access to those funds when uh when it's realized that the burden can't be borne locally. And so that's just a big component and there's a lot
of um enterprise that takes place with thinking of things to do but the money source is is a big issue. So I appreciate the the uh investment of energy and thought that goes into this process because it's something like I say being we need to be proactive but we
need to be empathetic to who bears the burden. I I think you made a great point there, Commissioner, is being able to understand what the thresholds are for uh federal disaster funding. And then where is that gap where maybe we
identify that there's a state portion if a certain type of disaster or closure or something affecting state roadways is affecting you know the counties how the legislature could [clears throat] potentially cover that.
Um we're we're really looking at all options with this study and um I think there's a way to tie that need in um in addition to just trying to fund roadway improvements. >> Thank you.
>> Any other questions or comments? Thank you so much. Really appreciate it putting it on our radar because it's been in the background for a long time. But thank you for pursuing the study and we'll look forward to more info. >> Thank you so much. Really appreciate
your time and thanks to Robbie for all of his help with serving on our project management team. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you all. >> We're going to pause in our agenda right now because we do have a representative from the Forest Service. If you'd like
to step up to the microphone, please. [cough and clears throat] Good morning. >> Good morning. Hi Kyle. >> Morning. >> It's been a busy week. [laughter] >> I greatly appreciate the invitation come before the board. Madam Chair, thank you
very much. So I will share the latest of what I know. Um uh we did have several representatives uh had a call with uh Sheriff Ben Halberg last night as well as uh several others from the county as well as Gunfund Trail Volunteer Fire Department.
Overall, um, we're looking at somewhere around 20 plus fires across the Superior National Forest in northeast Minnesota. So, I don't think I need to tell you too much about the extreme weather conditions that we're having and the context that we're we're dealing with.
We have less over here because we haven't had the ignitions, but we do have the the drought and the dryness. So, I will kind of go through and lay out what we have in terms of uh uh restrictions out there. I'll go through um kind of the incidents and fires we
have one by one and I'll invite I can I can either stop for questions or you can follow up at the end however you may like. So, so right now um may have all seen we have forestwide fire restrictions. We entered those uh handinhand with the
state. So anywhere on the Spir National Forest uh or state lands, no open burning and you must have a [clears throat] uh a fuel source that you can turn on and off. So that's Boundary Waters and outside. Starting at 12:01 a.m. this morning, we
implemented we are implementing our Boundary Waters area closure. So we are cancelling we have canceled all overnight permits through f at least Friday where we'll re re-evaluate again. But we did this in the effort of public safety and the amount of complexity,
limited resources, and the amount of sheer amount of fire we had on the landscape for public safety. So, we had crews going in as of yesterday, moving through priority areas, and I just briefed another set of wilderness rangers that have are going in by boat, by air, working their way
working their way through the lakes and evacuating those routes to to the nearest entry points or clearing those routes, I should say, um with a closure, not evacuation, excuse me. So with the fires that we have here in Cook County
that are on the landscape, there is the Sunfish prescribed burn. That is a prescribed burn at this point. As of this morning when we checked it again, um that burn is still within its burn perimeter boundary and footprint.
That is a 775 acre prescribed burn that we uh that we implemented back in May 28th and 29th for ignitions. And due to the dry weather that we've continued to had, it is continued to put up smoke and in some case put up flames. And we've
been getting a lot of calls about it as I'm sure you're all all aware. And it's burning through the unburnt mosaic portion of that of that burn, especially along the shores of of Greenwood Lake putting up a lot of smoke. So, there's been a lot of active heat uh especially in the last couple days with
the with the fire weather that we've had. Uh yesterday we had a type one helicopter in there doing bucket drops uh cooling hotspots along the line. That was successful. We have a sprinkler system implemented on the western boundary of that line along private
property and working with those land owners and that was successful and we are there daily with engines, watercraft and having it checked by aerial detection that we have regularly [clears throat] every day at this point. So doing what we can are going to still
use aircraft and they've been giving them to us when we need them when we feel that they need to need to cool down. but as of uh as of today and it's it's it's it has stayed well within its well within its unit boundary. [clears throat] The other one we have
out there is the airport pitfire or the fires brush disposal site by the airport. So that was uh uh that started July 4th with a human cause undetermined. It is still smoldering. It's a big ash heap at the moment. Um
we're classifying it as 95% containment. We are checking it daily. The uh brush disposal site is is uh managed by the county. So they've closed that site and we followed up with a forest closure order for that same area just to give
our law enforcement officers the same the same teeth to uh make sure we keep people out of there. People have been going and continuing past the barricades to put brush in the in the burn area. So, we are visioning that daily. It did
have some fire on it yesterday. We ran an engine up there, uh, put water on it, and then we brought up, uh, a fire tender from Maple Hill Fire Department. They put a tender worth of water on it, too. Dowsed it down. That will continue to smoke likely till fall, to be honest.
So, the other one we've had, uh, a smaller one we've had was the Long Two Fire. This is up by Pine Lake that started uh, July 2nd. It was about four acres. That fire is classified as contained and controlled.
We did pull our people off of there um for the to use elsewhere this weekend. They were really successful. We had a crew of 12 all together. A mix of both uh Superior National Forest, Shipwa National Forest and Grand Portage Wildfire.
So, that one is looking good and we feeling good with that where that is. And I think the big one I think most folk most folks could imagine we're we're uh eagerly watching is the uh Canadian FOR 028 fire out of Ontario. So
and that is its official name. Um, what we still know, we as of 7:00 last night, we had a a a uh a flight through the through the area and it is still in Canada along Otter Track Lake on the far
far it's actually in Lake Lake County just over the Cook County line, far northwest portions of uh our district here. I am I have a person that probably I have a firefighter that took off about 10 minutes ago from the Cook County Airport, one of our fire management
staff to go take a look at it himself. And what we're trying to do there is confirm where it is. I know there's a lot of apps out there and you can satellite detection software and apps. You can you can take a look at that show heat in different places, but we really
need that on-site uh you know a trained a trained observer to take a look really confirm for us is where where it's at and which side of the border it's on. So, but as of yesterday, it was guessed it was estimated there was still a lot of smoke yesterday, but they were
looking at around 6,000 acres. So, these fires are growing overnight, not nearly as much during the day, but we'll see what uh what I have when I when I get back when he gets back and down on the ground and gives me a call. But, um this fire is more likely than
not to cross over to the to the United States at some point. So when it comes over, we're going to have uh a more assortment of tools in our disposal to have because it will be then it will be a federal fire. We'll have an
instant number. We can start assigning resources. There's going to be a lot of aircraft involved just because the nature where it's at. That area looking down south of Otter Track, we're looking at Esther Hansen Lake. If anyone's all familiar there, it uh it's been a long time since we've had any fire history in
there. somewhere around the 1890s was probably the last fire history. Um it is an area that was affected by the 99 blowdown with balsam fur that came up underneath. At some point as you move east, you know, if this fire does move uh east
towards the gun trail, it's going to hit the uh Cavity Lake burn scar and that fuel type will change that burnt on 2006, excuse me for cavity. So anyways, we're waiting. We're uh we're
we're really just looking for that confirmation. When we initially uh there was initial washd duty app that there was confusion. Something came over the radio that this crossed over and you know was it was getting people concerned, excited and then we had to go take a look out there and made sure we
can confirm that. So that's what we're trying to work off of. We got several 911 calls within the last week of um looking at [snorts] that plume from Seagull or excuse me the column from Seagull and with the uh how the perspective works looks looks out there
it looks a lot closer and with the with the size with the size that it is. So but we did confirm that there was no fires um in the immediate vicinity of Seagull. This was smoke from from this Ontario fire.
So, uh, with that, the next 48 hours, um, we're going to we're expecting a cold front to come through today. Shift this morning. We're still it's been at west to southwest winds u ongoing. We'll have that in the morning, but we will shift
to north to northwest winds starting this afternoon. and this town will become very smoky including the gunfund trail. So I inspect my front desk call volumes to go up and as you know maybe Cook County Dispatch could might might
experience as well. Um I would defer to your public health human services for you know public health impacts that might might have. But what we've been doing um Ben uh Sheriff Ben Halberg has been wonderful to work with. We've been in we've been in regular contact. Uh we've started
doing some meetings um last night where we expanded the group with Mike Keeport. Um then gunfund trail volunteer fire department Jim Morrison um another another number of others on there. We're going to get a standing meeting going. It's a little different because since this is a Canadian fire without an
instant number yet to it's we're still man once it comes over we'll we'll engage in active suppression assign a team and then kind of go through our normal paces that we've trained for with Cook County and what we've done through before but we do have
resources that have come into Grammaray we picked up three more engines we're going to like we're getting a helicopter today um we're still we have asked and advocated for aircraft craft released from the western side of the forest to come over and so far so good. We've been we've been getting them um not without
yeah having to make ourselves known but we have been able to get get stuff but um overall that's where in our conversations with the county and giving our recommendations to to the sheriff um they implemented a ready status for the
end of the gunfund trail and end of in Polygon. So when it comes over to the yes into the US, we'll look at you know next steps of what that set status looks like in constant contact and we did talk about some lines um lines in the coming days for what is where does where do we
get to go for the ready set go protocols implemented by the county. So anyways we're taking this very seriously. I am trying to be do my best to be present um and and all of our staff we're we're we're out there daily.
We've got we're feeling we're fielding a lot at the moment. Um but I'm certainly available. Um we're trying to make our front desks and public information available. There's a lot coming through our Facebook page, news releases and such. So, uh trying to keep that sorted. We're we're our public affairs team are
doing their best with with all that. But I'll stop there. I apologize for for going on as long as I have. Are there any are there any questions I can answer? Well, we certainly appreciate your update, especially, you know, when you think about the forest,
the people fighting it, the people who live in the areas all the way up through Elely, everything. As a former outfitter, I I understand the closures. I understand trying to help the public understand that no, you can't enter right now, but hopefully in the future,
make other plans all. So, it's a it's a big group of people trying to um assist in all of this. Any questions or comments? Administrator Treble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I would um just like an opportunity to thank Kyle and his team. They have done an excellent
job of communicating with the county, keeping us up to speed. We had a meeting yesterday morning with St. Louis and Cook County that was incredibly helpful to receive updates and ask questions. And then, like Kyle mentioned, we had a meeting last night um with a broader
Cook County team as well. Um, so I just want to thank you for your work and keeping everyone informed and also want to echo what he shared regarding Sheriff Hullberg and how helpful he has been um during this process as well. So, thank you for your service. >> Thank you,
>> Commissioner Sullivan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd just like to also express my gratitude for the work that [clears throat] Kyle has done and his entire team. Um, I've spent the last few days up the Gunflint Trail trying to calm people, helping them to get prepared, run their
sprinklers. Um, and I think the communication has been excellent. That has been echoed by residents up there as well as seasonal people. And again, just gratitude to all the hard work that you're doing. Appreciate it. >> Thank you,
>> Mr. Gamble. >> No, go ahead first. [clears throat] >> Thank you. appreciate the update under duress. Um I two questions. One is um uh controlled burns. Um our highway
departments uh our departments overall have long range plans and so we put on the calendar of what we're going to do based upon an assessment. So when it comes to control burns, I imagine that's sort of how it works. And um my question
is when we look at a particular season and the weather and the condition of the forest, do we alter our plans based upon that assessment? That's one question.
And the other part of the question is um when we're looking at fires and assessing the region that is being affected by a fire, given all the diseased and dead trees, um we we're more susceptible uh and the the
fire risk is uh exacerbated by the fact that we've got a lot of dead trees. If you look at the history of the Hinckley fire, the Hinckley fire had a lot of slash that was dead lying on the ground. So it it just became a timber box. So
[clears throat and cough] >> no, I appreciate the question. With our prescribed burning pro program that we done, we do a we first off we do a a NEP analysis national environmental policy act projects. You've you've seen that
from us and those get uh analyzed by our interdisciplinary team. And when it comes to burn plan writing, it is a burn plan is written with a certain set of environmental parameters for the prescription and it defines you know what we we tend to use uh Canadian fire
u uh fire behavior indices here because that matches our fuel matches our fuel [clears throat] type. So we map out what those conditions are. We do look at uh drought status and long-term drought status. We did have an instant meteorologist that we brought in
specifically for our our prescribed burns that we did this year. We did uh the ones that we did on the side of the forest were Sunfish up by Greenwood and then we did another 445 acre one over off the sawwell trail. Um that one went
really well. But um with our predictive services um branch of our inter agency fire fire group, it we it did not show us going into long-term drought through the summer. That's so that was something that we did not have mapped out to the
best that we were using the best data available. So as things continue to dry out, we do have a remote area weather station up there at uh Greenwood Lakes to monitor things in real time. And we did cons continue to see that dry out.
And when those that fire just kind of sits in that uh that duff or that organic organic top layer of soil, it can just sit there and smolder. And we just did not get the the rains anticipated. So we do build for that. Um you know,
it's not uncommon for a prescribed burn to burn for for uh for days and then we go into monitor. we still continue to monitor until until declared out. But yeah, I will rec I will recognize that this one with just the the state of
conditions and then putting up um the smoke and flames that it is, it's you know, it's certainly not what we hope for, but I've been working my way around the lake with a lot of phone calls. I've sat at dining tables and talked about this at length and uh understand the
community's concern. Administrator Trouble, did you have a comment? >> Thank Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a few updates as well. Um, but if I can provide those now or during the administrator update, it's up to you. >> Later. Okay. >> Any other question?
>> No, not a question. Just want to thank you, Kyle, for coming here and giving the update. It's um unusual and really appreciated. >> Well, anytime I I can make I certainly make myself available. It's not an imposition for me. So, thank you. [clears throat] We have a good rep, we have a good relationship with Cook County and we want to keep that going
forward. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. The next item on our agenda is the YMCA presentation with information. >> Oh, I I get to control it. Okay. [laughter] >> Good morning.
>> Hi, Amanda. >> My name is Amanda. If you don't know me already, I'm the executive director of the Cook County branch of the YMCA. I've been in that role for about six months. Next week will be six months. Um, but relatively long-term member of the community. So, thanks for the invite to
be here. What a busy day. Busy week. Um, all right. I won't go into detail on every slide. I'll just try and pull out some highlights. Um, so this is looking at our number of memberships by type. And you'll see that we have units of a
membership. And then depending on the unit type, there's going to be more than one human being associated with that member type. Um, so by far our two biggest categories of membership are um, Renew Active One Pass and our um, Silver
Sneakers. Those are both insurance subsidized um, older adult and senior membership categories. Um and then followed by our family with two adult membership category. Um we currently
have 62 members on financial assistance. We have given out in 2025 we gave out um $41,000 in scholarships. Oh, and one one other thing I'll highlight. You can see down at the bottom um age distribution within
memberships. And by far our largest category of members are the 65 plus um category. [snorts] Um we see a little bit of a different picture painted here when we look at check-ins. So our highest number of check-ins are people um with a family
with two adults pass um a family with two adult membership category. Um and then on the right hand you're seeing check-ins by discount group. So, of our discount groups, um, Silver Sneakers and Renew Active One Pass, um, by far have
the most check-ins. Um, this just gives an overview of the amount of scholarships that we give to any individual member type. So, um, 60% financial assistance with this is to say people with high levels of assistance
are in fact using the Y. they they're four four and a half% of our total check-ins uh in this snapshot and this is a January through May of this year snapshot. Um but those memberships are being used um by scholarship recipients.
Um this is kind of a fun one. It's looking at patterns of usage. So if you look at the box grid on the left, the white column is Sundays and we're closed Sundays so you don't see check-ins on a Sunday. [clears throat] and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday. So, Wednesday is a high usage day for us, highest usage day for us. Um, contributing factors to that would be drop in basketball, a very popular program. Lots of uh people in the building on Wednesdays as well as it
being a water fitness day. Um, we have a lot of passionate water fitness um participants. Uh and then also during the school year, we also see dance check-ins on that on that night. Um periods of the day when we see peak
check-ins, that's the graph down on the lower right. Um so we see an uptick uh in that kind of 8 to 9 period of the morning and then again in the afternoon and then tapering off significantly as we get towards the dinner hours. So in
the winter we're open till 8:00. in the um summer were open until 7, but we still we're seeing a drop in check-ins even before um that closing marker. And then probably not surprising, a small uptick in usage in the muddy season when
nothing outside is is doable. I decided to to look at our visitor data more um anecdotally rather than as a as a graph. Um, so we see a pretty incredible range of visitors from both around the state but also around the country. So we see people checking in
from Texas. Um, we hosted a family I've seen them a couple times this week, family of four from Muny, Indiana. Um, I was very uh thrilled to see when you know when we check IDs of visitors had a family from Paskki, which is this tiny little farm community. I'm not even sure
if there's a center of town in Papaski, but it's over by Baiji. And she was thrilled that I knew where the heck Papaski was. I was thrilled to see that we had check-ins from Papaski. Um, and the ways we see sort of non-member check-ins are, uh, we have day pass agreements with a number of local
businesses, so lodgings, um, places like that that will underwrite day passes and just give paper passes to their, um, their folks. Walk-in day pass sales, of course. So, we have a number of um long-distance hikers who will come in for showers. So, I met a woman last week
who was doing the North Country Trail, which one runs from Vermont to North Dakota, I think, and she was doing her second stretch this summer and was very happy to have a shower. Another woman couple weeks ago, who had um inadvertently hiked, I can't remember if it was the whole SHT or the whole border
route trail. She kind of just went out and then was like, "Well, I've started. I guess I'll finish." and she was like, "Oo, that was a little longer than I [laughter] realized." But she was also ready for a shower. Um, of course, we have our free Fridays for community members who are not otherwise members. Uh, we also do short-term memberships
for um seasonal workers, most of those being J1 visa holders working in the community. Um, but they have uh memberships as well. Uh, and then like I said, drop in basketball, very popular night. We've also started offering drop-in volleyball this summer. that's
um open to all ages, but it's primarily primarily used by youth volleyball players in the community trying to get some extra time in. Uh and then we also have hosted school group visits, not only from local school groups, but uh also school groups as well as some church groups who will be coming up in the next couple of weeks um from the
Twin Cities and from Wisconsin. Um we have a number of ways in which we serve the community with child care. So we have a child care program for kids birth to five. Um we have served 38 children in that program since last
summer. So um that does not mean that we have had 38 children all at one time but rather that 38 total in that time period. We offer afterchool care and uh this past year we served 24 individual children in that program and then last
summer we served a total of 76 um kids in our day camp program. Um we do our best to meet community needs. We think of that as a critical part of our role and responsibility. Um, and the Y, you know, many people
think of the Y as sort of a gym and swim location, but really our our mission is broader than that. Um, and I think you can see that reflected here in our efforts at meeting community needs. So, we have a free snack program. Um, anyone off the street can walk in the front door and grab a snack. Uh, we also offer
that to we offer free snacks for kids in our afterchool program. Those are both grant-f funded programs. Um, we provide youth scholarships uh across program types. So, dance, jiu-jitsu, cheer, as well as memberships. Uh, and then like I said, offering drop in volleyball this
summer. Uh, pickle ball during the fall through spa spring. We host pickle ball uh a number of times throughout the week. Um, we have some good collaborations with the tennis and pickle ball association. Um
we have tried to understand sort of how we can as a second tier organization support the fact that so much of our um economy runs on tourism. So, one of the things we do which both supports water safety but as well as some of our more
tourist driven um industries is hosting using our pool to host uh lifeguard trainings for summer camps and wilderness water safety trainings um for uh guides working in the area in the summer. Every April we host an annual kids day
event. We doubled our number of participants this April compared to last April. We had people who were still felting uh stuffed animals uh as we were closing down the event. So, we had a great turnout this year. Lots of community agencies come in to offer
activities and support that event. Uh and I'm looking forward to that next year. Um this is the second year that we have uh offered a free mini camp session at Camp Miller for Cook County youth who have just finished fourth grade. Um, all
Cook County youth of course are welcome to attend Camp Miller, but the this is the second year of this subsidized program. Um, part of the rationale for having a week when fourth graders can be from Cook County can be together at Camp
Miller is because that's just before the age when uh we start merging kids into middle school from uh excuse me uh all of the various elementary schools in the community. So, it's a chance for them to get to know each other outside of well, you're in this school and you're in this school and you're in this school. So that was part of the rationale there.
Um, of course we partner with the school district ISD 166. Um, we host their afterchool athletics during the school year. Um, this summer because of their construction projects, we've done extra hosting. So um, volleyball and basketball practices uh will be taking
place at the Y once their gyms are shut down. Um we regularly host uh ECF, early childhood family education groups throughout the year, both on the playground and in the gym. Um and then we also serve as a summer rain play space uh for Sawtooth preschool as well
as the summer school program. And those are things that we're, you know, we're sort of pivoting in the moment. The schedule says open gym, it's pouring rain, summer school kids need a half hour break and can't get outside. we pivot and let them come over and have the gym so they can run around, stretch
their legs, and be ready to learn again when they go back inside. Uh, and just a quick overview of the kinds of programs we offer. Depending on what any one of us might do at the Y, it may not be obvious all the other things that are happening at the Y, but of course, we have dance, cheer, jiu-jitsu, swim
lessons, group fitness, uh, we have a master's swim group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, uh, gymnastics. We got a lot of new equipment this year. So, uh, late fall, uh, we got a new Pelaton bike, very exciting, but also some updated upgraded equipment, um,
which we're excited about and members have been excited about. Uh, one thing I really want to highlight is our food shelf table. So, we were about to that was intended to be temporary and we were about to phase it out um earlier this winter and that was right around the time that the county needed to close down their popup food um shelf and that
was right around the time that Ruby's Pantry suddenly stopped operating. So, we recognized that there was a need to have some sort of space and were able to offer um an easy access facility with a little more hours than maybe other businesses might have. And so, we've continued to offer that food shelves uh
table space right in our front lobby. anyone can come and access it. It is supported by donations, but we also just recently through the Y um received a $2,000 grant that we'll use to um you know add additional food to the table.
Um we are just now uh piloting a program working together with Karen of the Cook County Veteran Services Department. So, she's veteran services officer. Uh, and we'll be funding some, uh, discounted memberships. It'll be free to veterans going through this program. Um, and
we're really excited about that. The Legion is supporting it with funding. Um, we're under underwriting the cost of those memberships to subsidize them as well. Um, we have 67 staff and they range in 18
from 16 to 81 years old. I think that's incredible. Um, the Y doesn't function without these amazing people. And I will say that staffing is our Achilles heel, right? When we talk about wanting to add more hours, wanting to
offer more pro programs, that is a significant challenge. Um, these people really are the glue that make that organization function. Uh, and we are so grateful for them. uh we have had lifeguard positions posted since I arrived in January and we have had one
application one and we've we've reconfigured the post we've reconfigured the position we've you know we've played with all the variables we think we can play with so we really in order to continue to offer the services we want to offer we continue to have to engage as a community and how how on earth we
staff um these these great programs that we offer. Um this is just an overview of grants we've been awarded in 25 and 26. Um this of course varies from year to year. We might get grants from you know an organization for one thing one year and
from the same organization for something else the following year. Um really just depends on the year but this is just a quick glance at that. Um some things we are working on. We're really excited to have begun a collaboration
with Northshore Health's um physical therapy department to offer some safe weight training and overall health and wellness workshops throughout the year for um youth. The the starting impetus was young weightlifterss, teen weightlifterss. Um but we've met with
their folks and we're all very excited to be seeing that um coming down the pike. Um we are accredited by an organization called Prescidium. That's all wise in the country are accredited by Prescidium. their primary focus is prevention of child abuse and specifically child sexual abuse. So we
have been um phasing in some of their newer age guidelines. So we'll have that in terms of supervision of youth. We'll have that fully in place um this year. Um we are working to expand our weekend hours beginning in the fall. Again, a piece of that comes down to staffing,
but we see the need. We have the desire um and we're we're working on how we might be able to make that happen. We are adding more parents nights out. So those are periodic drop-in care nights for parents and they can be offsite during those nights. We provide dinner
for kids and activities. Um one of the events that we paired parents night out with this year was the um fundraiser uh the eats fundraiser at the school district, right? So parents could drop off kids and enjoy that. It's not it's not an event designed for children particularly. Um, so we're
[clears throat] trying to think more strategically about what are the kinds of events in the community that parents would benefit from and therefore a parents night out would be helpful. Um, we're hoping to add back in some drop-in child care hours so people can drop off kids and work out for an hour or two.
Um, that's a service we haven't had for a while. We'd like to get back to that. We are adding youth sessions of jiu-jitsu. It's a very popular offering and we are working with the school district to try offering afterchool care for preschool children. So we offer it
for um K through five children right now and we're hoping to expand that to preschool age children. The the how that's handled uh and licensed is a little different than school age care. So takes a different approach. Um, you've been provided with the budget
and there is the structure of the Y USA. That is what I have today. Any questions? >> Thank you. This is great updating. Thank you. >> Questions or comments, Commissioner White? >> I have a whole list. Um,
you talked about these scholarships and um uh helping to pay the cost on a number of of opportunities. Who's paying for that? The taxpayer. Is this coming from the county or? >> No, these are Y subsidized programs. So,
we have a financial assistance application. People fill it out. It's based on household income. And then the Y as an organization is providing that. >> So, the greater organization, not just the local. >> Okay. For parents, um, drop in night or
whatever the is there a fee for all of this? >> That's a good question. And I don't remember. I want to say there's maybe a $5 fee. I can't remember. I can find that out. >> Okay. I don't know what I can't read my
writing. Um, are there fees for B drop in basketball? >> Uh, it's free for members and it's $3.50 for community members who don't have a membership. >> Okay. And if students want to participate in a class like jiu-jitsu and they are not Y members, can they
participate? Yes, all of our programs are open to community members. The there's a price differential between members and non-members and those programs are also scholarship eligible. People can apply for program scholarships. >> Okay. When um when you when the camp when the camps
send their staff down here for water training, uh are they charged a fee? >> Yes. >> Okay. uh your staff um do they get benefits and I'm sure they
get workman's comp, but are they um hourly with benefits? >> Full-time staff get benefits. Part-time sta and yes, workers comp, that's I think that's required by law. Yeah, we have that for sure. Um and all staff are eligible for a
membership, free family membership for their household. H I thought I had more questions for >> I think that's my phone which I thought was Let me just [laughter] >> That makes sense. >> I didn't even hear that >> is much lighter than >> it is time to offer someone a bathroom
break. Sorry about that. [laughter] >> We do it all. Okay. Excuse me. >> Oh, I know. I have one more question. You just recently changed your license for daycare. >> We haven't yet, actually. We're in the process, but it hasn't changed yet.
>> And the reason for that is >> um gives us it gives us if the change goes through, it gives us more flexibility to mix across ages and ages and have a smaller, more compact program with more compact staffing. >> So, it's a staffing issue.
>> Yeah, staffing has been very challenging in child care. >> And we don't have the demand that we've had at our peak um usage of childare. Yeah. >> Now, I think Thank you, Commissioner Gamble. >> Go ahead. >> If Dip's done,
>> I'm done. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Quickly. >> Yeah. Thank you for the presentation. Um it's informative. Uh I would say in um the time that I've had interaction with
the Y that this probably has been the broadest of the overviews. my fellow commissioners could speak to the issue whether there's been something with as much detail. Um I I think it would be beneficial to show in dollars
realistically uh the the value that is contributed when we ask um entities that come and ask for taxpayer dollars to demonstrate what their value is to the community.
that to present an honest realistic uh when we look at subsidy, when we look at various programs that are meeting needs that exist that aren't dependent on dollars but there is a value associated with it. It'd be good to represent that.
>> Sure. Thank you. >> Um the question I think you reflected in your presentation that 38 youth are participating in child care >> over the last 12 months. Yeah. >> Yeah. And um this child care issue is an
issue that we've been addressing uh as leaders within the county and it's an ongoing discussion throughout the state. Um when we look at uh the provisions that are in place for child care within our
county, we would want to assess who the providers are and uh the programs that are available, the costs associated with those programs. And um I I know when the the Y began
that child care was a a focus um and some of the private enterprises were concerned about that. um at this point because of the funding through through the county and the funding that
we have in place to subsidize child care that I think stepping back in this evaluation is finding out uh and the change that's happened in the legislature relative to schools that affects child care that an assessment of
this should be done and show which providers are uh um available that might be most cost effective. Mhm. >> And u so when you say that if we were to look at
the total number of potential youth that uh parents require child care for and what percentage the Y is serving of that um it just it's just something I know that is vacasillated but sometimes
the YMCA as a whole as an organization has done an excellent job in that regard in different communities and so it's it's part of this assessment we need to look at >> Sure. Yeah. >> what what's the Y doing and what could
they maybe do um that would alleviate some of the pressure that we find in this area. >> Sure. >> So thank you for the presentation. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Any more questions? >> Yes. Go ahead.
>> They're not negative. I'm just curious. Um, Amanda, you said about um the does the school still offer um programming for three and four year olds during the course of the school day
educational programs? >> Does ISD 166? Yes, they have a preschool program. >> And then do they offer after school? We offer the afterchool care >> and that's the place where you're having a problem or is that >> no after no afterchool care is is well
staffed and that's a well-coordinated effort. We're looking to expand into preschool age after school care which would also be a collaborative effort with the school district. Um where we're having the most difficulty is child care birth to five. And so if all with
staffing >> if we have children in this county birth through five um Head Start is up in Grand Portage. Do those kids travel to Grand Portage? >> Head start. No. No. This is a more basic U. Cook County. Do kids from Cook
County, if parents want them enrolled in Head Start, are they allowed to to participate in Head Start up in Grand Portage? >> This might not be something you have. I just thought this went up was a curiosity. >> Yeah. Interesting. I don't know the answer to that, but I would assume uh
Head Start would be available. I don't know how it's geographically bound, but >> Okay, quickly. Administrator Treble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and um Commissioner White, we can get an answer for that to you. I just sent a message to Grace Gander. Um so, we'll we'll find
out. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Thanks. Let's continue. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I just want to say thank you Amanda for your presentation. It was incredibly helpful. Um, I also understand in the past this has been a presentation where it has
been a collaboration with the Y and the county. Um, and so I did gather some information as well. I wanted to, as all of you know, the the the facility is owned by the county and so we're responsible for several aspects of it. Um, and so I did ask Rowan how many
tickets we've received since the beginning of the year, and we have had 38 tickets from the Y, which is about >> one for every kid. [laughter] >> There you go. >> It's about 3% of the total tickets. So, um, that's what our support looks like.
Um, you know, we we are constantly working collaboratively with the Y on, um, upgrades to the facilities as well. and Brooke has a presentation later today um providing some updates on facilities uh throughout the county. So, I just wanted to share that we're very
appreciative of our working relationship with the Y and um we'll continue to work to improve the facility and work with the Y on programming. >> Thank you. Yeah, and I meant to say, excuse me, that we do have a plan to do a walkthrough, Kristen Brook and I, in
August um to kind of look at facilities more holistically, kind of across operations and facility management. Um and then that will prepare us for the next oversight committee which will be in September and we'll do a walkthrough with that group um at that time and then
we do have some budget conversations on the books for ourselves in August or early September. Yeah. So, sorry, I meant to include those. Yeah. >> Thank you. Commissioner Gamble. >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. Another thing that would be helpful is that um
if we in organizations uh do this when it works well for them, that is comparables. So when uh we look at a Y in a in a rural setting like we have here, I know that we um we speak to the issue that we
have the greatest participation of a of a Y in our area amongst our population. Uh but I would venture to say that we also have the greatest amount of support per capita of a Y in a similar area. And the comparables answer those questions
so that we can see how we're doing from a performance standpoint. And um to um to make as much as possible an applesto apples comparison would be beneficial because it it it it gives us an
indication of where we're at in our in our performance compared to otherwise. And um that would be hugely beneficial. I I know in doing budget for a not for-profit organization, I would do
comparables based upon a number of different criteria that I felt was account a mechanism for accountability so that I as a director would be able to reflect and somebody could say well how come you can do this
when other organizations can't do it and I could speak to the issue but it gave them a context to understand the comparables. So, I think it'd be beneficial if if we could do that. >> Um, because it it's it's a matter of the
accountability factor and and and performance and we can celebrate those things where we show that our leadership is doing a good job. >> Sure. Thank you. That's a great suggestion and I will look into that. That will probably mean tapping into data, why data outside of our association. So, that'll take a little
more thought and figuring things out on my part. >> Yeah, that's that's understandable. It just it's just what what we look at. I mean, we had a presentation this morning on alternative routes if we have a situation where 61 is closed down. And
uh I I use the analogy simply to say that when we're looking at things in different contexts, it gives us a perspective that is beneficial to the community that's investing significant dollars. So, but being patient in that [clears throat] that process,
understanding it's something else that takes time. >> Yeah. Great. Thank you. Yeah, comps are hard in this community. I recall that from our house buying days, the how you price a house when there's nothing comparable that's been sold in the last decade. >> Minister, you're trouble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you
for your question, Commissioner Gamble. And that is something that came up during one of our committee meetings as well. So, I think that Amanda and I can work together on trying to um look through that data and come up with some comparables. And like she mentioned, um we're also going to be working on the
budget as we move forward. So, I think those two align very nicely. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for the presentation. Really important for us to consider and we'll all get a copy of your um presentation,
too. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. At this time, we're going to take a little bit of a break because we have some heavy duty things ahead of us and we want to have our brain really clear. [clears throat] Okay. >> So, we'll resume back about 10:00.
>> Who's heavy duty? That part. All right. So, highways next. >> Okay. We're back from our break and um the next item on our agenda is the 2025 highway department annual report. [snorts] >> Good morning. Good morning again.
>> We're back. >> We're back. [laughter] >> Um I am just here for moral support. Alyssa [laughter] a lot from Alyssa today. So I will turn it over to her. >> Hello everybody. Um for those that might
not know me, my name is Alyssa Stenzel and I am the new highway accountant since Lisa's retirement in April. Um thanks for the opportunity to present a summary of the highway department's 2025 activities. Um, I'm aware that I have some big shoes to fill with Lisa's
retirement. So, hopefully she's enjoying her first full summer at the lake while I present financial reports to you all. [laughter] >> Alyssa, can you pull the mic a little closer? Is this better? >> Yes. Okay. Thank you.
>> To start us off, I'll go over the staffing changes that we had in 2025. The highway department had two retirements and both positions were filled. Additionally, the department promot promoted an engineering tech 2 to an engineering tech supervisor position
and maintenance worker two to a maintenance worker three in anticipation of a retirement in early 26. Um, next we'll review construction projects. In 2025, the highway department closed out three carryover projects and oversaw three construction
projects, including the county's largest project to date, uh, the Mill the Hill on the Conflint Trail. We also continued the striping project from 2024. [clears throat and cough] As mentioned, the department closed out $6.7 million of 2024 projects in 2025. This included
the two listed bridge projects on the slide here and the heated storage building at the highway department's Grand Marray complex. Now [snorts] for 2025 construction projects. We'll start with the toy park road resurfacing. Construction of this $750,000 resurfacing project on the Tufty Park
road began in late August and included grading vuminous surfacing, culvert replacements, and signing improvements. The main objectives of this project were to improve the poor quality base in front of the fireh hall, improve the dual intersection at Sugar Beach Road, and bring the new intersection to 90
degrees with Highway 61. Work was substantially completed in early November. The Spruce Creek Bridge, uh construction of this $790,000 concrete slab bridge with timber railings was completed in late August with the final payment taking place in
December. This project was funded primarily with town bridge and special town bridge monies with just a $10,000 local match for both construction and engineering. And you can see the new bridge pictured here. Uh Milva Hill and Little Devil Track River bridge replacement. Construction
of this 11.2 million contract began in May of 2025. Major components comprise construction of the bridge, a sedimentation reduction and riverbed restoration, the addition of a northbound passing lane, and the addition of a turn lane at the junction with Cassat 8. Work was substantially
completed in late October. Um, there were several different funding sources that made this massive project possible. Some of them being new revenue sources such as the nearly $3 million grant from the Outdoor Heritage Fund. And you can see the video on the slide shows one of
the massive beams being put in place, which is really cool to watch if anyone got the chance to do that. >> Yeah. Who made the time lapse? >> Um I think Jacob had it set up. Okay. Yeah. Thank goodness. Yeah, it's really cool. [clears throat and cough] >> All right. And then um collaborating on
a multi-county striping project has enabled Cook County to save on striping costs. St. Louis County administers the project for just a $1,000 administrative fee. And we were able to stripe all of the p paved county roads last year excluding the Gunflint Trail. And you may have noticed just this past week
that part of the Gunflint uh got striped. So, all right, moving on to our maintenance crews activities in 2025. They plowed for the last time in the spring on April 21st and then for the first time in the fall on November 7th. That's about a
week more of plowing um compared to 2024. Uh here I've provided some info on a few maintenance related things. We implemented implemented roadbs on March 17th whereas that took place on March 11th and 24. So a little later in 2025
but not by much. Similarly, the first bands were lifted on May 12th compared to 24s May 6th with all bands being lifted on June 2nd in 25 and then um June 10th in 2024. In 2025, you can see we applied just
over 125,000 gallons of calcium chloride at a price of $1599 per gallon. You can compare that to the applied 122,763 gallons at $152 in per gallon in 2024.
Go back. We crushed 17,466 cubic yards of gravel at $8 per cubic yard in 25. And um that's compared to 15,716 cubic yards of class 1 aggregate at
[snorts] a cost of 8.25 per yard and 24. So that was actually one of the few things that went down in price um from year to year. Um in 2025 we purchased 131.31 cubic yards of winter salt at $9343
per cubic yard and 1,500 cubic yards of sand at $56.20 per cubic yard. And that was an increase of $36,690 from 2024, which was budgeted. And um while the price did increase per cubic
yard, we also purchased 722 uh more cubic yards of material combined. Um the department paid for the delayed 2023 and 2024 purchases of two tandem axle plow trucks. However, we only paid
for the chassis in 2025, not the upfitting. Um, these are previously budgeted for and the funds have been held in our equipment reserve which we'll see later on in the financial statements. A GMC Sierra 3500 flatbed was purchased in 2025 with payments for
the steamer setup and installation taking place in 2026. We had our final lease payment on an excavator and you'll see that reflected on the accounts payable statement later on in the presentation as well. And finally, we have the board approved purchase of a 2025 Caterpillar skid
steer. This slide provides a brief overview of some of the more major projects and activities from our maintenance division, including but not limited to repairs of washouts on the Gunflint Trail, culvert replacements countywide, extensive shouldering on the Gunflint Trail, and Devil Track Road. Um that's
what you'll see pictured here in a few of the other slides as well. Replacement of 120th of the department's signs per our policy along with the relocation or removal of 88 signs by our sign tech. Additionally, the mapping of aggregate resources was performed by the
Minnesota DNR with 90,000 of 2025's $100,000 cost being funded by the one wershed one plan grant uh through soil and water. And that magic mapping project will be completed in 2026, which it actually is complete.
>> Can I ask a quick question while she's rolling here? >> Um, did we use our own people to use the shouldering machine or do they come with >> No, we just rent we rented the machine. >> Okay, that was it. >> Yes.
We also happened to have the MCIT people here because we had won the award and so we got some great photos because they happened to be here while we were doing that. So that's where a lot of these come from. [clears throat] >> A lot of good ones. >> Yeah, that was great. Okay, on to financial statements.
For assets, the year-end cash balance decreased by $1.25 million in 2024. This is due to several factors, most notably the additional cost on the heated storage building project and the increase in due from state aid. Accounts receivable increased by $31,98.64.
Due from state aid increased by over $1.9 million. Um, this increase is partially due to the Ty Park Road and Mila Hill projects not being finalized in 2025. We carry those carry those payables from state aid until project completion.
As you can see, we are also receiving a large amount of special town bridge funds which will be used on the Pine River Bridge project this summer. Allowment balance increased by $36,221.15 and our inventory reserves decreased by $37,63.80.
Liabilities. The liabilities category fluctuates from year to year depending on what [snorts] bills and payroll are pending at year end. Deferred revenue increased by over $1.2 million from 2024. Again, partly due to a large amount of special town bridge funds that
we have not spent yet. The fund balance section details allocated and unallocated reserves. A quick reminder that we are statutoily required to set aside our inventory balance from the assets statement as inventory reserves on the liabilities statement. So you'll
see that listed year-over-year. Key components to the $646,112.39 decrease from 2024 includes the $ 1.5 million increase in liabilities, including that deferred revenue previously mentioned, along with the use of local project reserves for the heated
storage building. The department had opened construction projects at year end and will receive reimbursements on final design and construction costs as these projects are closed. The $954,000 equipment reserve includes the cost of
upfitting those two tandem axle uh trucks that I mentioned that were purchased in 2023 and 24 that were delayed and that's a cost of $277,000. Um it also includes the purchased but delayed 2025 tandem axle purchase of
$338,000 and $200,000 to replace our outdated armor radios. So, anything that we've budgeted for and even ordered but not received by the end of 2025 will be reflected in this equipment reserve amount on the statement. And with that
said, the actual amount that is unallocated or can be used to purchase equipment in 26 is $139,5610. The 2025 town road distribution includes $48,322.75 for the highway department's unorganized territory or UT roads, categorizing
55.11 miles as UT roads has provided the department with town bridge and special town bridge monies for structurally deficient structurally deficient bridges on those roads. The $ 1.6 6 million mentioned on the previous slides are a perfect example of why categorizing some of our roads as UT has been so
beneficial for our county. We've received millions of dollars that we otherwise would not have >> had accessible to us. Here are our accounts payable. I wanted to mention that any long-term lease payments are now going to be included in our annual uh capital equipment budget.
So, those will be included with the rest of our capital equipment purchase reporting going forward. As previously previously mentioned, you'll notice that the long-term lease payables is zero as we made our last payment on the excavator last year. This page is part of the report for stated finance. So they can see the fund
balance from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. It is not required to include inventory reserves. So you'll notice that this fund balance is lower than the previous pages by that inventory reserves amount. The $2 million fund balance does include equipment reserves and local projects.
However, project reserves, I should say. The undesated fund balance was $820,000, $820,10063 at year end. A little bit of uh maintenance cost information on our roads. Um so for our
CASA roads which are the roads numbered 1 through 23 excluding our MUN CAS roads um it had a cost of almost $13,000 per mile compared to 24's just over $11,000 per mile cost. Our Cassam MUN roads had
a cost of $10,930 per mile compared to 24's $8315 per mile. County roads had a cost of $15,11086 per mile compared to 24's $14,1257 per mile. And lastly, uh our UT roads
had a cost of $5,7722 per mile compared to 24's 6766 cents per mile. Um >> what's the biggest factor in the changes there?
Um, so and actually this slide has a little bit more detail. It breaks down what it is a bit more. A lot of it just comes down to how much uh we're plowing and putting salt down and the material [clears throat] associated with that. >> And then also um if we're adding gravel
or grading. So >> plowing and and grading. [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Um so like I said, this slide provides additional detail on those maintenance costs from the previous slide. As usual, snow removal is the highest category across most of our road programs. Um, UT
roads have a higher cost in smoothing surface, which is grading typically, and brush weed control, which is typical for this road category. to see that every year. [clears throat] In 2025, we were either in design,
construction or final payment stages of six state aid projects, three MUN state aid projects, five county road projects, eight bridge projects, the highway storage building project, and the Little Devil Track River sedimentation project, which that was part of the Milva Hill
contract. Um, a reminder that this list does also include those 2024 projects that didn't get closed out until 2025. Budget. The 2026 construction budget includes quite a few projects including the Arrowhead Trail improvements and Otis
Creek covert replacement, Chicago Bay Road resurfacing, reclamation and paving of a portion of the north road, Pine River Bridge replacement replacement up on the North Arrowhead Trail, Gunflint Trail, multi-use trail, and between the 92s resurfacing and Culvert replacements
on the Gunflint Trail. Several of these will be starting within the next week or so. So, be on the lookout for work taking place in these areas soon. Um, you might have already noticed that as you're coming into town from the trail. Um, they started on the multi-use trail project. Yep.
Um, and then again, the Arrowhead Trail and Chicago Bay Road projects were delayed projects from 2025 that are happening this year. And last but not least, I'm going to keep Lisa's tradition alive by ending with some highway humor. [laughter] So, here's a photo of just a fairly
vague sign um knowing that they're going to have to close the bridge, but they really didn't want to nail down a day. So, good luck to all of the [laughter] drivers. [snorts] And as always, a full copy of our annual report is available under the highway department documents on the county web
page. And thank you all so much for your time. We can now open the floor to questions. Thank you for the great detail report and carrying the humor on. Appreciate it. >> Questions or comments, [clears throat] >> Commissioner Gamble?
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for the report. >> Howie department has good good people in in the accounting department. Um we've seen consistently over the years that uh the reports are very thorough and and uh
appreciate the detail and the command of the subject and his moral support must uh work. So, [laughter] >> yeah, >> I was going to ask a question, but I thought maybe uh uh I should ask it offline and that is uh with all that
you're tasked for in the department and the change of personnel and different things like that, uh what is it that you find the most challenging when you go home at night and think about your department and the things you're dealing with? So, I didn't know if you wanted to
respond publicly to that as a highway humor. >> No, that's fair. Uh, the things that keep me up at night, that's the question. Um, I a lot of it has I mean it can even be the presentation we had this morning about the resiliency of our network. Um, it's infinite work and very
limited resources. And so that's where, you know, having staff and having fantastic staff being able to handle the day-to-day activities of our department. Um, you can see we do a lot of work spread all throughout the county and a lot of it uh isn't just related to
county roads. You can talk about our subordinate district program that that is its own ongoing thing and a myriad of other things that, you know, is related to to highways. But um, no, I think the things that keep me up at night is just what what's going to happen tomorrow. um Canadian wildfires and how does that
relate to our network? You know, I already got some phone calls the other day from some folks in St. Paul that we had met during our lobbying efforts that said, "Hey, uh I'm actually coming into the Boundary Waters and everything's closed. Is this actually something I should be concerned about?" Because
[clears throat] we spent months telling St. Paul this is a thing and now they're and now they're living it and seeing it. Um, so I I would just say, yeah, the the infinite work, the limited resources, but um, you know, that's just the job. And and again, I think it's a testament
though to um my staff and and you all and the support that we have here in order to to do all of it. So, I don't know if that answers your question or not. >> Go team. >> Go team. [clears throat] There we go. Commissioner White, >> um could you please explain, you went
over this at the highway department, um the need for continued because you have new personnel without life experience in behind the wheel of a >> greater. the importance of on not just on-site in equipment
training and where are the different how much are you making use of those opportunities and who are the entities that offer >> because I believe that it costs money to train people up and if you don't train people up it's like not
training your puppy it will never work >> right >> as well as it should so I want people to understand the importance and the value of spending money to teach people how to do the job right. >> Yeah, I I think that's a great way to
frame it. Um you can you look at it like like anything else too, you spend a little bit upfront to then get long-term success. Um and so yeah, lately over the last few years, and I think this is a testament to our uh maintenance superintendent, Matt Nessheim, spends a lot of time um looking at different
trainings across the state. So whether it's, you know, opportunities through the U OFM, they do like a a snow plow simulator. Um, and so virtual reality snowplowing. Um, you know, mixed results on that one, I guess. Um, but then there are opportunities too for like greater
school, uh, for heavy equipment training and those are just spread throughout the state. Uh, and what we do is just try and send people when we can. There's never an ideal time. Um, obviously we would rather have everybody on the roads here. U, but that training is important. you know to the slide you saw earlier in
Alyssa's presentation we have people leaving with decades of experience you know in the last few years we've lost I don't know probably close to 80 years worth of you know behind behind the sticks experience and now we're not starting over but you you notice it you
you're missing it but I think um no the training opportunities that are out there um are really important for us to hit and then also just being willing to be we have to be more patient um with our staff and with with the skills that we have available to us. It
might take grading a road more than once. Um or it might a ditching project might take a little bit longer, but that's just because we're trying to um you know get everybody trained up and we want people to do it right to your point and that takes time. >> And I think it was interesting because
talking about having more initial oversight and going out there with a big level. >> Yeah. and measuring what is the crown. You're shooting for four 4% and an operator comes in at two. Well, now he >> I mean it's it's actual numbers to work
off of. >> Yes. So, >> and when you can show it in real time like that, when you're out there with somebody, it takes more time on our end. Um but again, it's that, you know, like you had said, the training up front is so important and it's going to take more time. Um but, you know, what we're
hoping for is we make that investment upfront. uh that then you know 10 years from now, 15 years from now, we have the same people in those positions that now we're not out there as much. Now we're back to kind of where we had been, you know, we have experience. Yeah.
>> And for [clears throat] those that don't know, because we have some new people in the county, could you explain the value of having a crown on your gravel road [laughter] and what it is? >> Sure. Uh water is the enemy there. That of of any road infrastructure system. We want it off the road. we want it into
the ditch. And so a crown is when you're driving and you see a point generally in the middle of the road. Um that is your that's the high point and we want the water to run off the road to the edges. So if you or the other way to think about it is NASCAR, everyone's turning left and you get the super elevation in
the road. That's another way to think about it as well. >> There you go. >> I need a little clarification on the final work of the toy park road. Yeah. So, I'm was understanding you were coming back to do some cleanup or something. Has that been done?
>> Uh, I can double check with our engineering supervisor and see. My recollection is since we just approved the final payment this morning is that we're all done. >> Okay. >> Um, but I'll double check and get back to you. >> There were so many people there on the fourth, I couldn't really look and see if there could [laughter] been anything
really mopped up. >> Yeah, I'll I'll I'll talk to them once we leave. >> We got to clean up from the fourth now. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's a different Yeah. [laughter] Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Well, thank you both, Alyssa and and uh for your report and um looks like you're
fitting in quite well and and talk about training, huh? Wow. [laughter] >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you so much for all your work. >> [clears throat] >> Okay. So, >> oh yeah,
>> talk about maintenance. Oh, >> yeah. >> Sorry, I forgot. >> This forest service. This will go super duper quick, I hope. >> Um, yes. So, in front of you, and I even memorized it. I don't even need my computer. >> Um, but yeah, in front it's a it's a Cook County Forest Service. It's a road
agreement. Um, you might ask why why do we need this? You know, I talk a lot about, you know, on the surface it reads like we're maintaining forest service roads. Um, that's not what this is. What it is is it's very similar to an agreement that we have with the DNR. It's a mechanism that allows us to work
on them and it helps also the Forest Service supply us then with material or with resources in the event of an emergency. And so I think a really good example is if you remember is it one or two years ago ball club road there um we
have a tower um north of the grade and ball club right there and so that um access had washed out. It's not the tower road but part of ball club road had washed out and so the forest service had given us a call. It was actually a lot more hoops to jump through because we didn't have this type of agreement in
place. And so it's it's things like that where they could potentially supply materials. So like gravel and then we go up there uh and and fix it. And so that's that's the extent of what this is. If you read through the agreement, you'll also see, you know, there's provisions in there that say like we're
not beholdened to do it. We can say nope, we can't. We're too busy. Um so all it is is just an easier way for us to kind of help together um in those types of situations. So >> and now I [clears throat] have another question. >> Yes. >> Um do we get um compensated
moneywise? >> It would depend. And so that that's the point is, you know, this agreement, like I had said would allow the Forest Service to like supply gravel. We would s you know, staff and equipment. To me, that's a great I'm fine with that. Um
and and again, it's not routine maintenance. This is like emergency situations. Yeah. >> Commissioner Sullivan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I just um know the importance of this. The B Club Road washing out last year. Um people couldn't get to the boat landing. There
were all we couldn't get to the tower. There were all kinds of issues. This is the type of agreement that we need. Really important. So, with that, I'd like to make a motion to approve the 5-year US uh US Forest Service cooperative forest road agreement.
>> Support. >> I have a motion and a second. Any further questions or comments? All in favor? >> I oppose. Same sign. Motion passed unanimously. >> Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, Brooke, you're going to fill us in
on projects and upcoming projects. >> Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, commissioners, um, just go through a couple quick updates. Uh, transfer station, of course, Toy and Hovind's open. Um, they just completed the punch
list on the Grammar transfer station. about 100 plus items were identified on the punch list and contractors are currently working on their individual punch list. They've been distributing or working on it. I talked to Dustin this morning and
they're still looking at uh last week of July, first week of August for them to start operations and let the public into the new transfer station. They're going to give it a test run themselves with the equipment with before the public gets a chance to get
in there. But looks like one of those two weeks they're going to open it up to the public. Um, any questions on the on the transfer station project? No, we're good. All right. Move on to the LEC. Uh we had uh kind of a first
major hurdle in the construction was that first week last week of June first week of July we did the transformer replacement and that was we didn't have redundancy on electricity and we ran on our old generator uh for those three
days um and that went really well. electrical contractor performed wonderfully and completed it in a little over two days instead of the full four that we were looking that they had scheduled. So, that went well.
Um, the roofing is currently going on now. They are removing the old rock ballast on the existing building and then we'll be getting new insulation and everything completed. Uh, they're looking at a completion date of probably the end of
next week. Um, ceiling grid is starting tomorrow, which I'm kind of excited to see. They during the design phase, they picked a ceiling grid. That's a 2 x two grid that had a wood look to it. And with this
office, it should be a interesting look. Uh, nine pallets of flooring and tile are being delivered today. And so that's just a good process in moving forward with getting flooring on site and tile guys are going to start tiling.
We have um the next kind of big [snorts] electrical hurdle would be the generator replacement coming up the first week of August and that'll be another one where we won't have any redundancy. So we'll just be on house electricity this time and
then we'll have a backup generator in the parking lot in case we were to lose, you know, house electricity. we'll have to quickly wire up, you know, the the backup generator that's on a trailer. And then as soon as that's done, we're looking at office furniture install that
next week. And then we will be doing the transfer of dispatch into a temporary space in the EOC, running dispatch out of there, and then we can start the full kind of remodel project of the existing LEC.
Other than that, you know, haven't had any major financial issues. Couple little things here or there, a little bit of soft um soils that we had to do a small soil correction, a couple misses with architects on just small little items
that we were able to just absorb in our contingency and some of the other things that we've cuten out of the project to create a little extra funds for us. questions if she gets to do it.
>> Commissioner White um moving the uh dispatchers to EOC for for the listening public that hasn't been paying attention or looking at diagrams. The EOC is that's the emergency operations >> senator
>> is over the top of the sallyport. It's a new addition. >> Yes. kind of. >> Yeah. We Well, as you remember, we went to a single level. >> Oh, yes. >> So, we don't have it. We don't have a second a second floor, which I was extremely excited about.
>> So, it's just to the north. >> Yeah. >> Just to the north of of the existing LEC. It's the It's the one largest, you know, >> just to give see who's >> the northeast corner of the new section. >> Yeah. Okay. So, >> where the where there will be a public entrance. Yeah. So, I just think it's
interesting for the people that are helping to pay for this kind of an idea. >> Yeah. And that's going to be an interesting move just because there's so many moving pieces with Rowan's team, >> the dispatch moving one desk, making sure everything works,
>> a team from Central Square has to be flown up because they're the only ones that can touch the 911 stuff. and then um office furniture people to take down one, move one, set up, make sure everything works, and we'll take the second one down and move it, and then we
can demo the grid and the flooring and everything and and get that whole area completed. [clears throat] So, we're looking at, you know, August, hopefully we get them out of there in August, and then hopefully we're moving them back in there October, November, you know, before the
holidays. get the new dispatch furniture in place and and then get them moved back in. >> Thanks. Lots of motion, lots of work doing. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Any other questions? Commissioner Gamble. >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe I
missed it in a previous presentation, but going to a new generator, what's what is the background on that? With the addition and the new air handler on the roof, the old generator isn't sized adequately for the new >> LE.
>> I'm working on some pricing with that, too, because there is some, as I'll mention in the community center one next, they would like to have that whole building generator run. >> So, we're looking at because we own it, >> transferring it over to the community center and then we can have a whole
house generator on the community center so we won't have to >> Yeah. >> Yeah. little and then that generator will be hope maybe possibly moving over to the gas pumps because they have a very small generator at the community center. And then next time we have power outages, we
had issues with fuel pumps with plows and and the and the deputies and and state everybody who uses the fuel pumps up there. So then we'd have a generator backup for the fuel pumps as well. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments?
Thank you for the report. >> Yeah, I've got a couple more to go through. So, we've got the community center then, like we spoke about the generator just now. I'm I would have liked to bring it to the commissioner to you guys today, but I'm still waiting on
updated pricing. And that's the the bond money we have sitting that we've talked about in other committees where we're going to do kind of a refresh in the the flooring in the main room and the arena area. Um, acoustic tile ceiling in the
arena area. Um, added cabinetry in the main room for storage, kitchen appliances, oven, cooktop, some new stainless in the kitchen, and then the log cabin where uh, Northern Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation,
a nonprofit out of Duth, is going to come up and do some work on that. And that's all coming out of the uh the CIP bond that was initially set for for just the community center. >> Administrator Treble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. And and Brooke,
my understanding is that your hope is is you'll bring those bids to the next meeting for approval. Correct. >> Correct. I was hoping to bring it to this meeting, but I'm still waiting on updated updated bids. Okay. >> So, next meeting. trying to get everything just all at once so I don't
have to bother you constantly. [laughter] >> No bother at all, let me tell you. >> Um, >> anything else? >> Yes. And then the next one I want to talk about was the highway department main building. Um, this is the one we discussed in our work session. It was
for the modernization of the HVAC system in the highway department main building. So currently I have a bid to do the engineering and design work so we can get a a package out to get estimates from contractors
and that currently is at $75,980. That was from CRBPS who did the initial assessment of all our facilities. They partnered with another engineering firm that they use regularly
and I was I'm going to bring that to the next one as well. I'm just working on they have construction costs in there and some other things in there I need to get out of there because just in case if we don't approve to go forward once we get the number on the cost of
construction which we're currently estimating anywhere between 500 and $750,000. So, it's a it's a big project, but to get those numbers, I need to have the engineering done to redo, you know, modernize the HVAC, get rid of the oil
fired burners, get rid of the oil boilers, move to fan coil units, high high efficiency condensing propane boilers. Um, so that's just something to kind of give you a heads up and I kind of wanted to discuss that one a little bit with
you. what you think about the, you know, the almost basically $76,000 to have the engineering done and have the design work done so I can get a bid package out to see what the cost is. >> Commissioner Mills, >> what was the o the overall number was
for what >> the 500,000? We're estimating um from CRBPS >> we're estimating that the total project cost >> will be 500 to 750,000 which is a big range. >> What's the scope though?
>> The scope is um complete modernization of the HVAC system. >> Just HVAC. >> Yeah, HVAC and lighting. But the lighting is a small portion. But they have >> so they have a lot of issues over there where they had a they had a makeup area unit in the office area.
Well, the way they used to park vehicles, that was bringing exhaust into the office area. So, they they demoed the controls out of it. It had pneumatic control. So, that's been sitting unusable for quite a few years, is my understanding. >> Um, well, then when you when you take care of that, then you have the large
makeup air unit that's in the shop that they need to use. But because that oil fired unit, if you fire that up without the makeup air unit in the office area, it overpressurizes that and then sends the fumes into the to the office area that direction. So now they can't use
that one. So now we're just, you know, the system has been kind of chopped up. The pneumatic controls, they used to have a building automation system of some sort with pneumatic controls. Those have all been gutted and it's just time to to get it upgraded. I
mean, the ventilation was designed for gas engines instead of diesel. So, the intake is at the wrong elevation that you need it for the new modern diesels they use. >> The welding the welding um exhaust will probably have to look at some
vestibules cuz bringing it' be a code review would also be involved in the in the $75,000 to bring it up to code. We don't have we don't have separation vestibules between the shop and the office area which are also required. Um
some are pretty much in place. We might have to do some configuration with some of them like Matt's office and the tools and the the parts kind of office would work as vestibules. But, you know, there there's just a lot of work that needs to be done if we're
going to bring that up to code and get the get the efficiency better and get it modernized basically. Yeah, >> that that makes sense. I I >> Yeah, >> the different segments and spaces and vestibules, as you say, I think was
>> more of what I was expecting. Um, so yeah, that's good to clarify. Thank you. And yeah, I think the engineering is extremely important if we're going to get it all right, you know. So, because we're not doing I mean I could do the job >> I could get bids myself if we were just doing part for part you know if we're
doing same but we're not going to do >> you know we're not going to replace 50-y old equipment with the same type of 50-y old equipment you know I mean >> commissioner white did you go with uh this firm to give the estimates the
engineering >> CRBPS >> yes >> uh because they had the the scan the scans of the building. They had seen all the equipment and it was just the easiest way to go, you know, and
we've got a lot of work going with BKV Group >> and I didn't want to kind of put everything on them. I kind of want to diversify a little bit and get some pricing from somebody else. >> All right. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's [clears throat] why Yeah.
>> Any other questions or comments? >> Yeah. My only um hesitation was just that's why I was asking about scope was just >> depending on how this building fits into the the everything the all of our buildings plan but it sounds like nope this is staying we just need to
modernize HVAC maybe make vestibules. So, >> yep. Yep. And and after talking with uh Matt and Robbie yesterday, there there might be a couple other things we might >> add on to this larger project um that they're working on right now just to they've got a old lift
>> that doesn't work for the big trucks they have anymore. So maybe we'd put a little small door in it in the garage where they could just bring in their their pickup trucks and and light duty trucks and put it on like maybe I don't know if it's a four post or a two post
or they're going to they're kind of discussing that right now. So it might be a little added scope on that. >> Mhm. >> So I'll be my hope is to be bringing this to the next commissioner's meeting for approval as well. So, I was just kind of hoping to get it out there, get you guys informed and and see if what kind of questions you want me to get
answers to. >> Okay. [clears throat] Will we have any uh blueprints or plans to look at to just >> We won't it not >> not working plans, but just to give a visual of this is where Robbiey's office
is now. This is where these are. is just a basic to help get it in our heads as to >> Yeah, I've got digital copy. So, when I upload the the bid from CRBPS, we can I can put a a plan in, you know, I can put a plan in there that'll show kind of
general location of a lot of the items. Yeah, for sure. >> Okay, no further questions or comments. Thank you so much for bringing us up to date today. >> Yep. I got a couple more. Sorry. [laughter]
>> Okay. Um, I just finished the the YMCA budget numbers with Brady and one of the big ticket items on that is the Cresesco unit that handles the nanitorium has been kind of limping for a couple of years and we're just continuing to get
it to limp through. I currently have a a bid for equipment on that is $377,000 with install. We as install estimate we're at $510,000.
It's a lot of money. I put it on from Brady's recommendation. I put it on as a capex. We're going to we're currently applying for Irb grant that would cut it in half, but
it's still a very large number. So, I just kind of wanted to see what everybody thinks about how you'd like to handle that one. I mean, do we just I'm I've got the equipment and then I've got AG O'Brien who's doing the work on
the on the LEC right now as the mechanical contractor working on the install estimate and then Holden Electric also working on their portion of the estimate. It involves a crane. You crane the old one off. It's got to be a big crane. And then you crane the
new one on, hook everything up. And it's where I'm at. >> That's an air handler HVAC for the >> Yeah, it's the the whole thing. It's been, you know, plugging up, rotting away, you know, it handles the very costic air. The new ones are stainless
stainless steel instead of just coated regular steel. So it's Yeah. broken actuators, broken motors. I had a guy up on the roof today doing a hard reset um for errors and it shuts itself down. So, >> was this a value purchase before, do you
suspect? >> Yeah, when I talked to Sesco um they value engineered the DX cooling out of it. So, that's why I can't uh dehumidify in the summer months. >> Okay. It's just a heating unit and a and a
basically a giant exhaust fan with a preheat and and filters and stuff. Yeah. >> And the new one is the everything. >> The new one's got the DX cooling and everything. Yeah. >> The one basically what they initially designed for that space >> minus the value engineering.
>> Commissioner Gavl. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Mhm. So you mentioned that we've been sort of limping along or making it work kind of thing. >> Yep. >> Um and that is a significant number.
>> Correct. Um, so I I guess my response to the initial heads up is um if we have options, if we basically have moved on from our option, which is
trying to keep it going through patchwork, um, then it's something we're going to have to to look at. But but that would be my question. What are our options? And I'm not expecting you to answer it right now, but
>> yeah, the options I saw when I when I first started this was Seresco offers a rebuild program. So, I brought Seresco up. Um, we looked at the unit and with the amount of deterioration of the unit itself, it is not rebuildable at this
time or just not rebuildable ever. And with the value engineering of the DX cooling, they're like, we can't add that on after the fact anyways. and that's what you really need >> to protect the the rest of the structure from humidity and and everything else we've got going on there.
>> So, it's it's something I'd like to do, something that needs to get done. Does it need to get done next year? We can I can I can probably limp through, you know, it's not a problem, but it's just a big ticket item. it's,
you know, it'll it'll be a little more expensive and but just wanted to kind of put it out there >> and and I would say that as we look at the budget big picture that uh I I appreciate, you know, making us aware of
of these things, but it is a significant number. Um [clears throat] when we're bonding and looking at things that we have on the radar, then we sort of cover it and distribute that impact. But uh anyway, so
>> yeah, >> Commissioner Mills, >> where where does this unit fit into our capital improvement plan? >> Uh it was scheduled to be replaced a few years ago. >> Ah >> yeah, it was when they initially did the design. Right now we have it on a a 2026
um replacement, but the old plans have it as a 2023 or 20, you know, whatever year they completed. They're like >> struck. It was identified then as replace, but as we >> as we move along, it just keeps kind of the date keeps moving on it. So, it's
it's yeah, it's past due. >> What are our funding options for replacing? >> Well, if we don't get the IT RB grant, then it's even more difficult. I mean, we're looking, you know, I mean, yeah. So, I think it it all comes down to if
we identify and get the grant, what the time frame is on the grant to start work and uh then we can look at it from there because then it's down to 255,000 instead of 510 as an estimate, you know, >> and we don't have bonding money we can
use on >> No, we didn't. No, right. No, we launched including the community center. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So maybe it's in if >> I don't know when we talked to RB maybe the grant goes until 2028 2029 and we
can we can limp along until then and then if we do another bonding session we just make sure we include the the funds for that at that time. >> So what's the worst case scenario if the whole system goes down? then the Y will be extremely upset because they have to
close the pool. >> Okay? >> They have to close the pool until it's until until it's repaired. Anytime it goes down during the day, it's kind of a mad dash to get up there because they close down the pool when it when it goes when it goes out. They have to they have
to. [clears throat] >> So, when we're prioritizing allocation of dollars, it's a matter of knowing here's the pros and the cons >> and that has to be applied to everything we're looking at. So, >> right. >> Right. >> Minister of Trouble.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. And Brooke, can you um just talk about how frequently that's happened over the last year? >> Oh, it happens on uh you know, multiple multiple times a month. Yeah. >> You know, a lot of a lot of it has to do with our our terrible electricity here
where we get the little brown outs and the >> and the blackouts. So, whenever that happens, we're always up there. Um Caleb was up there this morning. Did a did a reset on it. part of it fails. So then it overpressurizes
the area and forces the chlorine air to go through the rest of the building. So then you just go up and and do a reset on that and it kind of kicks it back into the way it should. So, Madam Chair, I asked Brooke that question because he mentioned the impact
on the Y, but this also has a significant impact on our staffing level as well because we're frequently called out to assist with this. >> Okay. >> Madam Chair, I would to that point um
it's more work, but we're paying uh little by little. So it's it's a a real cost because of the staffing issue and the inconvenience, the branding perception by a public, you know, of a service that you think you're getting or that you're not getting. So
those uh those costs that we're incurring right now that would go away should be part of what informs our decision. Okay, >> getting to the bottom now of your list.
>> Yeah, last one. Um, the town halls had a had a nice meeting. Apologize to Ann again publicly for not getting the invite, not realizing that I didn't know Kovville Town Hall was in An's district. So, that's my huge mistake. But we had a
very nice meeting with Deb and some of the user groups she invited from Hovind and Town Hall and we identified some some things we wanted to address and it aligned very well with what we talked about at the uh work session for the
town halls. check out the electrical um new pit new pit toilet at Kovville cuz they have just an existing outhouse right now and there might be some funds available through soil and water or something that might might help offset the cost on that and painting and you
know just >> handicapped [clears throat] accessible. >> Yep. Handicap accessible on both of them. So we could do some ramping from the pit toilet >> to the back door >> to the back door and then also some ramping at uh Hovland as well to make that more accessible.
Yeah. But just checking out the electrical, you know, need some paint, some some siding repair, that type of things. All the things we we discussed at the at the work session, they were all in agreement were good things. Couple little minor things. They'd like to see a Wi-Fi booster, which is not a
big deal and very affordable to put in. We can do it ourselves. So, >> and no well and no septic. It's no >> y the way it is. >> Um there were three people there from Hovlin and Brooke has agreed to he
offered he's going to come to Hovind to face or to >> Oh, yes. Yeah. with the people from Hovand so they can talk about uh for that town hall because it is a little different uh because we have a better
floor but it's in way worse shape but um it'll be coming up in August sometime to be determined and it's six to seven or so with finger foods of nutritional value. Yeah, some of the user groups had some
some questions about u financially how it operates that I didn't have the answers to. So >> you get some information on that and so we can let them know. And the one thing and I brought up um like this um well it's not happening there but we have
celebration of lives that happened at the Wholeville Holand Town Hall and you can't hear I mean it's like when people are trying to not cry and they're talking about people that are gone and so to have some sort of a portable
more not expensive but something that will help with hearing because the last time we were filled front to back, standing room only and out the door and it would be helpful. >> Yeah, I think there's some pretty affordable little just little speaker
stands that have a microphone attached with it. You know, they're they're pretty compact now and and >> they even have disco balls on top. >> Really? >> Yeah, [laughter] exactly. >> Wouldn't that be fun? A little inappropriate for >> Oh, for maybe not. [laughter] depends on
>> depends on the individual. >> Commissioner Sullivan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um just thinking about um microphone um as we've presented at both the Hovind Town Hall and Kovville. One thing that we really need, and we used to borrow it from the
county attorney, um, former county attorney, um, is having a computer, a screen, um, and some type of microphone. Um, and it maybe it would be something that can travel from place to place, but it is
very very difficult to present in those spaces. So, it might be something that we work on and that we have a package that commissioners or anybody presenting um any of our directors that are going to those sites could take with them for a presentation.
>> They make pretty sweet projectors now. Little >> Y >> high definition. >> I think that's it for me. >> I do have something to say though. I, as if anyone cares, he should, was most pleased with his presentation. He
listened really well. Here's a performance review. But he was really wellreceived by the people from Kovville and Hovind, and they had really good conversations, and it wasn't big things, but uh he he he was able to add
information that we didn't know. So he gets a little star on that one, but as he knows, I'm watching. >> Star's fault. >> Oh, [laughter] yeah. >> But there was a comment made by a person
in attendance and they said, "How did we get him here? We have asked for years to get somebody to come and talk to us and nobody has come." [clears throat] >> And they really I mean just >> So you get a star, too. Ah, I don't get a star. >> They didn't.
>> Well, the one who set it up, she I mean, >> I just >> Arvis kind of initiated everything and then she had a a medical emergency so she could make it. >> We haven't heard from her since. So, I don't know where she >> So, >> sounds like good communication. >> It was. It was really good
communications. >> One for the team, >> Madam Chair. So, um, just to add to that, I also just want to >> Oh, that's right. You showed up. >> Oh, no. I wasn't there for that [laughter] one. Oh, you were there for the highway. >> For the highway? Yes. I Hey, I don't get a star.
>> No, [laughter] you don't. One observation when she came to the highway town hall thing, someone said, "Who is the person that's all dressed up?" [laughter] >> Is it the administrator? >> It was a little overdressed for the occasion. But I wanted to um thank
Brooke for his work on our two large um construction projects. You heard the details that go into those projects and he has managed these seamlessly. Dustin Hansen as well of Northshore Waste has done an excellent job with the transfer station. But I just want to acknowledge that and and thank Brook for his work on
that. >> Now he goes for a bigger hat. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Then we'll move on to assessor property tax abatements. Good morning. >> Good morning. Thank you, Madam Chair and commissioners. Um, so I have uh five
abatements before you today. Uh, there's three of them at the Caribou Highland Town Homes in Luton. There was a fire back in March. Uh, the fire was determined to be a accidental fireplace fire. Um, so those three are pretty
straightforward. We will be abating um the property was unusable for I guess nine of the 12 months. So we we will abate those 9 months for the current year taxes as well as following year taxes. The value will be adjusted. We
don't know what that amount is yet, but um that just alters the 2026 value. Um and then we have an abatement here for a clerical error. Uh this is for a Cook County employee. Um went through the record and noticed that there was a
septic and well on the property record. This is in town that's on city utilities. So when we enter in a site value, we can, you know, we we typically start with we have a um like a a template that we put in a full site that's a driveway, well, and septic the
um drive or the well and septic should have been removed. It should have just been a driveway. Um I know across the street on Fifth there is a property that's on well water, but city sewer, so it is kind of a unique area. That may be how it was came to be, but um that one would be for the current and two prior
years. That's all we can abate. Um, so that one, you amounts to just under 15. It's about $1,400 abatement. And then the last one is a hardship abatement. This one we had a mobile home on the property. Um, I believe there was somebody actually living in it up to
some point, but uh it is uh unlivable and I think it it has been removed from the property now, but um they wanted that removed from the record for the current and prior year taxes. and they did show that there was a hardship that would have prevented the person from
appealing that uh valuation for the current and prior year taxes. So the total for all five abatements is $6,316. I don't know if there are any questions. I can certainly answer them. Um both Auditor U Powers and I have reviewed
these and approved and signed off for the board to review. >> Okay, questions or comments? >> [clears throat] >> Commissioner Gamble. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for the the information and the thoroughess of it. Um, how does this
process work? I mean, the clerical, if the clerical was an internal review or somebody from the outside that reviewed, but just understanding so that the public is aware when you have a situation that comes up and you want to
challenge it. um that uh how this is different from our assessment process when we have the public meeting. Uh yes, thanks Commissioner Gamble. So our abatement policy is written out uh it's modeled after state statute that um
we can abate current and two prior year taxes when there is a clerical error uh but not for an error based on the judgment of the assessor's office. So, um, you know, if if the assessor's office came and thought that the basement was finished because there were
blinds or curtains in the lower level, uh, and say they were assuming the the basement was finished, added that to the record, and then say four years down the road, somebody says, "Wait a minute, my basement isn't finished." That would not be eligible for an abatement because it's not a clerical error. Um, this is
why it's important that people are reviewing their valuation notices every year so that something doesn't get too far down the road and you know our hands are tied after uh the board of appeal and equalization unless it comes down to a clerical type error like this being entered in as a full site rather than a
driveway site value. Um, I can give you an example in another county uh there was a silo that was being valued. I think they put the decimal in the wrong spot. So, you know, rather than valuing it as a single silo, say for a million
dollars, it was valued as like a 10,000 ft silo and each square foot at a million dollars that made it through the valuation notice and the TNT notice and it got that they received their tax statement and when they had to abate
that, the county's levy was short millions of dollars. So, um, that's an example of a clerical error that, you know, becomes obvious. This was just a transposed number, a decimal in the wrong place. Uh, similar to like the site improvement, it was put onto the
record incorrectly and it was just a matter of when the data entry was done, it it a step was missed. That's good information and it shows that there is recourse for individuals
who feel that something is wrong and it it's administered within the context of the provision of the rule of law which is is uh also another important factor but appreciate the good work on this. Thank you.
>> Don't like to see the revenue but at least it's not millions. Commissioner [clears throat] Sullivan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd just like to make a motion to approve the three disaster abatements, the clerical error abatement, and the hardship abatement presented.
>> Support. >> Any further questions or comments? All in favor? >> Oppos? Same sign. Motion passes unanimously. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you. >> Next item I'll turn over to Attorney Peterson.
>> Um, thank you, Madam Chair. This is a request um from my office. This originally came before the board back in September uh 2025. As I recall, actually the benefited land owner of this utilities easement, it was his birthday.
Uh but the board approved by motion granting this utilities easement. And I must have been so excited about his birthday that I neglected to um request that it be approved by resolution. The resolution was originally included in the packet. Um, and it's not required,
but it does make for a neater package to submit um, to the recorder's office so that everything is clean and concise as a matter of record. So, the request before the board is to approve by resolution what was previously approved
by motion um, back in September 23, 2025. >> Any comments or questions? >> [clears throat and cough] >> I'd like to make a motion to approve by resolution
uh the action we took on September 23rd, 2025. Uh provo approving for good and valuable consideration and the mutual covenants, terms and conditions set forth in the agreement. The receipt and sufficiency of which hereby acknowledged grantor hereby approves grant to grantee
along with its legal representative successors and assigns a perpetual non-exclusive 15t wide underground easement for utility purposes fiber optic and a 40 foot wide overhead easement for utility purposes. Electric for utility purposes, fiber and power
line reconstruction and ongoing maintenance and repair over, under, and across the easement area located on state property pursuant and subject to all conditions as set forth in that certain utility easement agreement. >> Support [laughter]
that was a lot easier to say. Any further questions or comments? All in favor? >> I oppose. [clears throat] Same sign. Motion passed unanimously. Thank you, Attorney Peterson. Okay, moving on to the auditor area,
airport bids. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, uh, the board approved, uh, bids at the previous meeting, June 23rd, uh, with Northland Construct Constructors being, uh, determined to be the low bid at that
time, but RNH did some further checking and and checked with uh, Northland, and they had made an error in their uh, bid. They under bid one line item by $6,200. Um, so in correcting that, the low bid
then became KGM. So they're asking to correct that. KGM is actually the lowest bidder on the project. It was a $10,000 line item. It was pretty uh standard basic utility search. Uh they weren't going to do it for the amount that they
placed on the original bid. Um the the anomaly in this is that each of them they bid different things uh higher and lower and it turns out that KGM will will actually come out better by $4,000
of local cost because of the items they bid and the state and federal government will pay an additional because of the items the the way they were differently bid. So we benefit in that regard. >> [snorts]
>> Questions or comments? [clears throat] Commissioner Sullivan? I'd like to make a motion to approve the low bid of1,443,788 from KGM contractors for the taxi lane reconstruction project at our airport. [clears throat] >> Support.
>> Any further questions or comments? Commissioner Mills, >> do we have to retract the previous award or anything? Um, I wouldn't think so. Um, they're all
aware of it. This is a um I'm not I'm not even sure that you are required to make this. >> Yeah. I'm not even 100% certain, but we that's been our practice. >> Yeah. >> And I think this I think this corrects
it. >> Okay. I think it probably is assumed by motion that this would >> this one is the real one. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any other questions? All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Same sign. Motion passed unanimously.
>> Moving on now to administrator uh updates. Thank you, Madam Chair. If it is all right with the board, I would like to start with my updates and then move to the correspondence with Grand Portage because I do need to step away um around 12:00 for an emergency
meeting. Okay. So, to update on um what we're doing related to the the fires, um you heard the update from our forest service department. I also want to make sure that you're all aware that we are issuing press releases as we have more
information. We're making sure that we're posting information on the sheriff's office page, our Cook County page, as well as our public health page. Um, we are, it's probably gone out while I've been sitting here, but we have been working on some health preparedness due
to the poor air quality and the smoke um with public health. And so, I'm I'm hoping that is out there. If it is not, it will be shortly. So, we're making sure that the community has information about the the steps they need to take during this time for their health and well-being.
So we um we have been actively working on updating um information and we are also sharing it with WTIP and other media outlets as we can. Um we have also added some information to our landing page on our website and if Janna is
prepared I would ask that she pull that up so I can just show the community and show you very quickly um the information that is out there. And while she's pulling it up, I'd just like to add that this was one of the questions. What is available in terms of
code red evacuation routes? How do we access this? So, this is an excellent way to actually show people how to maneuver. >> Thank you, Commissioner. >> So, you can see this is our landing page. And so, on the right hand bottom corner, we have the current wildfire
updates. And you just easily click on that button. And you'll see first if you scroll down Jana you'll see the updated information and so we'll be updating that as we have more information. And then if you scroll down further there are links to a variety of different
useful tools. And the first one is know your zone map. And if you'll click on that you can put your address into this map and it will tell you what zone you're in. So, you heard from um Kyle Strover this morning that we have
implemented the ready setgo protocol which is what we use for evacuations and we do have some community members that are currently in the ready protocol. So, as we if we transitioned um further down that protocol, we would be using code
red to share information with those community members as well as doing door-todoor evacuation um notice not notifications and boat notice um uh notices as well. So, I encourage um everyone in the community if you're
interested in knowing the status for your location to please use this know your zone site. And Jana, if you can go back to the landing page. So, that's the first link. Um that's okay.
You were on it, but Oh, let me try again. There you go. Perfect. So then we're also putting information from WTIP on the site. Um that third um link is
the code red to get emergency messages. So again, please sign up for code red. Um this is what we use for emergency management notifications for our community members. Um, and then we have evacuation reminders, tips for preparation, wildfire smoke readiness,
information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, information from the Forest Service, um, Superior National Forest updates. Um, Watchd Duty is an app that will show you the status of all of the fires in the location, the size,
um, and and other information. So, that's something that is helpful to look at periodically to see the status. Um and then the National Weather Service updates on the DUTH Facebook page. So, this should have most of the critical um fire or weather information that you
need, but again, we'll be working to update the community as we learn more. Um again, if evacuation is needed, we will be communicating that out to the public via Code Red and through our Facebook pages. and then also have um individuals
assist in notifying everyone individually at their homes of that evacuation. We are meeting um daily. Uh you heard that from from um Kyle Strover as well, but we're meeting internally as a team at noon today and so we hope to have
more information soon. >> Did I miss anything from anyone who's also been engaged in these efforts? >> That's great. Okay, >> great. Yeah. >> Okay, great. Very good. Stober. >> Okay. [clears throat] Thank you.
>> All right. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. Is it okay if I move on? >> Okay. So, the next agenda item is um related to a correspondence that I received from Grand Portage. Um and it's regarding the Lake Superior Popppler
River Water District. And so I've received two notifications and you'll see them in your or two letters and you'll see them in your packets. Um the first one was on uh April 30th and then I responded as well. um Luton
Mountain and we have um Molly Higgins from Luten Mountain here as well uh responded to me related to the letter and then I received a second letter on June 11th and um I have let Grand Portage know that we would be I would be bringing it to the board today for
discussion. So just to summarize some of the information in their letter and then I'll turn it over to attorney Peterson is that the from their perspective the board may be operating without statutoily required quorum and membership which is impermissible. That
was um their concern raised in the first letter. In the second letter um again the same concern but then they outlined some actions that they would like to see the Cook County Board of Commissioners take. And the first one is engaging the district in a direct conversation about
the timeline and the plan for fulfilling the multi-user multi-purpose mission for which it was created. The second is when the district returns to the board for ratification of its pending election, exercise that ratification authority with full awareness of the governance
history. The third is formally initiate a government-to-government consultation process with Grand Portage. And the fourth is if the enabling legislation makes it genuinely difficult for the district to fulfill its multi-user public mission, the county and the district should pursue a legislative
amendment rather than allowing the current situation to persist. So I summarized I didn't read all of um all of the content that they provided, but just summarized the two letters. And with that, I will turn it over to Attorney Peterson. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. Um,
so I'm going to move backwards a little bit in time back to the enabling law or the um establishing legislation back in 2012, which is when this water district was created. I don't know why the original
um board was a non-conforming board. It's my understanding that the board only ever had one member. Um regardless, even if the um county board had appointed somewhere between 3 and 13
members reading um the elections procedure set forth in 110A, they would not have been able to the originally appointed members would not have been able to elect um successive directors because they are
not subject to a current contract. So there are no as so far as I'm aware there are no additional contracts within the district. Um the the issue comes with chapter 293 or
the the the law that created this district gives the board um the authority and actually requires the board to ratify the district elections. That's not a
regular um obligation of the board in the other rural water districts under 110A. However, that um authority is limited to ratification of the elections. There's no governing or supervisory power.
There's no I'm not aware of how the district was engaging in their work or meeting quorum requirements or anything like that. and that is because that kind of oversight is not required or authorized um in the legislation. So
if you look at increasing oversight from the county if that is the goal, you could look to section or chapter 116A, which is a public water district. And so I was contemplating whether the county
could create a public water district. I don't think so. Um, if you look back to the the law from 2012, it does say in there that no person shall be obligated to purchase or or be entitled to receive water from the district unless that
person is a party to a contract to purchase water from the and then it would be the the popular river water district. Um, so there was e exclusivity um contemplated when this water district was created,
but the lack of oversight does not mean an unwillingness to partner. And so I think if there's some way that the county can meet or partner, I see former county attorney Hickin is here today. And if there's um a willingness to meet
moving forward, that might be the way to find an answer here or to find some common ground on how we move forward. >> Okay. [clears throat] Anyone have questions, comments? Um Commissioner Gam.
>> Thank you, [clears throat] Madam Chair. Um, I appreciate the information, appreciate the correspondence that we had a chance to review. Um, [clears throat] I think that the points that uh, Grant Port are making are one that we should
obviously um, take a look at. Um, but I think it steps back farther than that. um and that is that the original discussion with the department of natural resources for water appropriation in 2012. We
should understand the context in which the um that discussion moved forward um to review the House File 1810 um the enabling legislation enacted in 2012 and the follow-up appropriation in
2014 as to its intent. um what was proposed to the Minnesota legislature that informed their decision to authorize 3.6 million in state general obligation bond proceeds and a second appropriation of 1.11 million to
serve domestic water users, irrigation water users and commercial stock watering and industrial users. In other words, that is in quotes in the correspondence we received. So [clears throat] if that intent is
understood in the enabling legislation, I think that's important. And then uh what statutes were referenced in the enabling reg uh legislation. If if there's reference to specific statutes, then obviously that would be
the context in which we understand application. And my understanding that um if the EDA declined to move forward um to use this water source because the
costs were prohibitive, we as a board addressed this issue with the sale of the golf course. Now that the irrigation system is another thing that had to be addressed and part of the ask was monies to make that happen. In the context
of how that relates to this then they obviously the golf course would become a potential participant in the board as a contracted user. But we as a governing body need to understand I would
recommend all of these component parts. The origination, the discussion, the direction, the proposal that enabled the legislation relative to House File 1810. And then in that context, we'd have a
basis for recommending how we move forward and how we address the issues that have been brought to us by Grant Portage. >> Yes. >> Um, thank you. I thank you for that context, too. I think it's important to look at the context. Um, when you look
at things like legislative intent, it may [clears throat] explain. I think it's curious that the um that back in 2012 they were contemplating these residential users and all these different groups of users and we've ended up with only one um commercial user. However, the legislative intent
from um a statutory interpretation perspective, you only go back to legislative intent where the wording of the statute is unclear. So it frames our discussions, but the actual interpretation of the language is confined to the lang the language of the
statute where it's clear. >> Seems like there's a lot of details and a lot of innuendos and a lot of past history that has to be looked at as you are. Um, Attorney Peterson, Commissioner Gamble.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. [clears throat] So, um I think moving forward it'd be my recommendation that um as Grant Portage has requested that if we have intergovernmental
relationships that affect them that we are more mindful of that and I think we've been working on attempting to do that so that uh we're inclusive in those discussions. But I I would say that that we should have a discussion
u to address the points that they've raised and to be mindful of you know the the history of uh how we've operated to this point and what we're going to do to address those issues to be in compliance
and make sure that there's just an understanding that is clear on that and moves to establish healthy relationships and response when concerns are brought.
>> Commissioner Sullivan, >> thank you, Madam Chair. I I would agree with Commissioner Gamble that what we're looking for is some common ground. um you know if it's a consultation framework uh regular reporting some joint planning but what can we and the water district
and Grand Portage do together to improve governance and strengthen consultation and advance the district towards their purpose. We do have a lot of water needs there from the ski hill, you know, down to the golf course. You have homes around
there, you know, it's all part of the whole picture. It's interesting that it just recently came up. [clears throat] So, you know, Grand Portage initiated this and I think we'll should go ahead and as Commissioner Gamble says, move forward
on some of these entities to have better clarification. Commissioner Mills, >> thank you. Yeah. Um, so what who are the current users? >> The ski hill >> just one, >> but we need three.
>> Correct. Three to 13 directors. >> Yeah, >> we have two members of Loots and Mountain as directors. >> Yeah. Please come forward and Yeah. >> May I ask the conversation >> please? [clears throat] >> And hi. Hi. Hi, commissioners. Uh, thank
you so much, Administrator Treble Halmerson, for bringing this forward and um for your comments, Attorney Peterson. And hi, Brady. >> Um, good to see you all. Um, I just wanted to add some clarification about
the users of the uh, water district's um, infrastructure, which the main component of that infrastructure is a 24-in pipeline that goes from Lake Superior um, up all the way up the ski hill through the golf course and then up
to one of our snow making ponds at Looten Mountain Ski Area. Um, Luton Mountains is the sole commercial user of the pipeline, but our local fire departments also use that water for
firefighting purposes. Um, in fact, as recently as this last winter, um, those fires at Caribou Highlands that, um, Assessor Smith um, excuse me, that um, >> Thompson, >> Assessor Thompson, wow, my brain went way back with that one. um that assessor
Thompson was referring to uh we use the snow making system and the water from that pipeline to fill fireighting trucks. So, uh yes, the local volunteer firefighter um units have also been a user. Um the size of our board has always been
limited by the eligibility requirements for directors of the board for the water district. So the minimum requirement as attorney Peterson referred to is that um the they be a water user contracted with
the water district for use of water. Um, and then additionally, chapter 110A, which is the rural water user um, district law. Um, oh no, I'm sorry. The minimum requirement under 110 is that they be a
contracted water user. Our enabling legislation that has been referenced by Commissioner Gamble um, defines different categories from which directors should be elected. That includes domestic water users, irrigation water users, commercial water
users, stock water users, and industrial users. Firefighting departments or public users are not part of those categories. So, um, despite that, as I understand it, there have been historical discussions with Looten Fire
Department about adding a representative to our board of directors, but they respectfully declined. they're already stretched as a volunteer fire department. Um the bulk of the work of the board this year has been to find a connection
design to connect the golf course to the pipeline. Um, and we are hoping to add a member. Um, as you anticipated in your conversation and as I put in my correspondence, um, we are hoping to add
either the EDA or the new owner for the golf course as a third member. The reason there are two members from Loots and Mountains is because the board um well it would be a one member board
if not um for the qualification that any commercial water user with more than that uses more than 50% of the water supply is entitled to a second user. So, >> at least we have two, I guess. But we're
in this position where um either we are uh we have a board that's inconsistent with um the law by having fewer than three board members because we don't have anyone else who's
eligible. or we're inconsistent with the law by um voting in a member who's not eligible under the legal requirements. Um we hope that um you know our
correspondence with the tribe uh reaching out and requesting that they let us know how they wish to be involved, whether they wish to be involved and inviting them to be an advisory uh have an advisory role if they're
concerned about um the limitation of treaty rights by the water district actions. We're hoping that that opens a dialogue. Um, we're certainly willing to communicate with the board. I also am uncertain what authority the board has
to um get involved in the water district, but I don't have a problem with coming to the board to report what we're doing on a, you know, on a periodic basis. >> Minister Turbo. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So I think the
issue for the the board [clears throat] the board of commissioners is the fact that as as u Miss Hickkins has stated um the water district is not in compliance with the statutory requirement for three members and as as you've stated there are complications for that. Um, Attorney
Peterson and myself have been trying to determine what authority does the board have, which I think is limited. But my question, so I think that's issue number one. But my my second question that I have not been able to determine the answer for is whether the tribe is
eligible as a water user under the 1854 treaty. Yeah. >> Um, and could they be that third member? And that's a piece that we have not been able to determine at this point. So, in terms of next steps, I think the best next step would be um the government-togovernment consultation um
and also um engaging the water district as part of that conversation. And that's certainly something I'm willing to do on behalf of the board is communicate to the tribe and see if they would be interested in uh sitting down having a meeting to discuss this further.
>> Okay. Commissioner Gamble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. [clears throat] and having not looked at the documentation that uh enabled this and then the requirement for the water district but Molly
um can speak to it because you referenced in the letter that there's a difference in the state between a water district and a rural water district. this I'm assuming then because of the requirement for contractors to be the
only ones that can be on a water district board that this is a rural water district that meets that requirement. Um, and just from the public standpoint that
the distinction between a watershed district and a rural water shed district is is important because the appointments are based upon that eligibility requirement when you're talking about a
rural water district. And if we were talking about a water district, then the authority of the county board is important in the administration of that
process. So just that clarification and for those of us that are coming into this without the history it in that discussion that we would have we would want want to understand all of those component things and the statute that
determine you know what can and cannot be done. The responsiveness to Grand Portage is an important component that we held as hold as a value and the points that they raised are valid points. And so um
[clears throat] I in in in my experience in dealing with government over the years have said as they have said in their response that if we are not complying with legislation that we should change the
legislation but we can't subjectively interpret legislation. And so this is why I think the conversation moving forward should just be sure everybody's clear and that the points that are addressed have will be addressed in that conversation.
>> Commissioner Sullivan. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I just am appreciative that our county administrator is willing to um you know engage with Grand Portage. I can see from their perspective concerns about water quality, treaty protected
resources is is really an important issue and so many times they're left out of the conversation. And so I think that that we can all work together to improve the relationship and to get them engaged. So, we'll look forward to administrator
trouble working with um attorney Peterson and maybe with the representative from the water district, too. >> Anything else, Commissioner Mills? >> Um yeah, just to um I guess follow up with the request from um Grand Portage.
Um there was there was four steps um requested and I thought they're pretty um reasonable and doable. And so the first one is to engage the district in a direct conversation about its timeline and plan for fulfilling the multi-user multi-purpose mission for which it was
created and funded including a commitment to pursue domestic water user contracts consistent with the original public p purpose of the project and not merely the addition of the golf course as an irrigation user. So I'm doing that. Do you have any um timeline or
plan um for for engaging uh the residential or the domestic side of things? >> Sure. So, in the original um as as uh Commissioner Gamble referred to in the original uh funding for the water
district, um there was funding included for um the domestic water use. And using that funding, the water district constructed a water treatment plant, partially constructed a water treatment plant. It actually sits um within one of
the condominium units at Caribou Highlands. Uh the same condominium unit where the water district meets uh and where the offices for Luts and Mountains are. Um and but but the water treatment plant was not completed because of
construction cost overruns um some errors made by uh the contractors at the time is my understanding. Um, so it sits. It requires additional components to be added. It probably requires that an
engineer review the current components to make sure that they're still in operation. They were installed now 10 years ago. Um, the there needs to be a connection made between the pipeline and the water
treatment plant. There needs to be external storage added. Um the all of that takes money. Um our current focus as I mentioned has been to find a connection solution for the golf course.
Um that feels like it's coming to um an end or that we're almost there. We're going to I'm going to be at the EDA meeting next week. Um and so is Mike Larson to kind of talk about the um conceptual design that we've approved.
Anyway, once that project is complete and behind us, our next focus uh is going to be to seek funding to complete um the water treatment plant. So, there are some funds available through the department of health um that I think we
would pursue initially to fund a feasibility study or an engineering study uh to find out what needs to be added to the plant. Um and then we could seek uh other funds for to finish the
construction. Um fortunately the most expensive and um biggest part of what the water district needs is that pipeline. The fact that it was built um and that it's currently bringing up
water from Lake Superior um is a huge was a huge accomplishment. um and is really has the potential to source our needs. Um Lootsen Mountains needs backup drinking water. Um Caribou
Highlands needs backup drinking water. All the current property owners and potential property owners on the ski hill road um would could benefit. Um that being said, it is not the role of the water district to go out and solicit
users um for the water district. We are um just like the golf course did um we invite users to come to us and and propose that they be connected and then we can work with them for a connection
um plan that doesn't impede the other purposes of the water district. So, >> okay, Commissioner, >> that was a I mean a very rough timeline, but it gives us the sequence and order events. So, that's really helpful. Um, and and a
rough plan, too. So, I find that helpful. And um and so if uh say Caribou Highlands gets hooked hooked up, then that would be a domestic water user. Is that still a commercial? Okay. That would be a commercial, but
>> Mhm. So, how do we get the domestic individual? >> I think it's actually helpful to have um commercial users that have uh bigger funding than a household budget to >> begin to fund or at least match grant
funds [clears throat] to get that treatment plan up and going. And then it should be less cost prohibitive for each sub um sequential uh user after that including domestic water users to add into the water
district. Um the statute chapter for rural water user districts um determines how costs are to be split between water users. Essentially um the ongoing operational costs of the
water district are split between users in proportion to their water use. Um however specific um the specific infrastructure that uh connects a water
user to the water district that needs to be funded specifically by that water user. So you can see that like as as we had more users, it would become more affordable for more users to be added. Um, but there's always going to be that
initial outli out outlay of expense, which is exactly what the EDA encountered back in 2012 2013 um, when they realized the cost that it would take to actually hook their irrigation system into the pipeline. And
since they had a uh more affordable solution in place at the time, they were likely obligated to go with that. um the calculation may have changed now, but >> yeah, I'm uh we'll see what the EDA board says as
a whole, but I am guessing that uh the new owner uh would would be much more open than the current owner of of the golf course. Just putting it out there. So, might take a little bit longer, but um that's just my
my guess. So, um, thank you. It sounds like it's going to be a challenge to get the domestic side of things, um, and and a longer timeline. Um,
but I feel like we've checked off the first item on the list and um and I guess there's just more to talk about as administrator Treble said and then um and then when we get to the elections too, we'll have more more to do then.
Thanks for being here. >> Yes. And I'll just add we um we did hold an election this morning. We had um after actually it was be before um the letter from Graham Portage came to light, we had begun talking about adding another
user the golf course. Um we and then received the letter and we said we're going to set an election and hope that somebody will be qualified and eligible by the time of that election. We happened to set that election for July 14th at 9:00 am. >> Um,
not surprisingly, nobody was nominate. Nobody uh nominated anybody for the ballot, nor did anyone show up to be on the ballot, but I'm glad to say we >> How many ballots were counted? >> We made it. [laughter] There were zero votes. >> Okay. Just making sure.
>> Um, but anyway, we'll we'll try it again. [clears throat] >> Okay. >> Thank you, Commissioner Gabble. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I would um make the assumption in agreeing with Commissioner Me's comment
about the present owner of the golf course. If if cost is prohibitive in the beginning when the legislation enacted the opportunity uh and they did not participate, I don't see them participating. Now part of the
fuzziness of this is that um [clears throat] we were under the impression as a board when they came and asked for the funding that it was going to make that connection possible. However, subsequently it appeared that the cost
was prohibitive which is revisiting the first reason that they did not participate. So, um it's it's a bit convoluted and the it would seem that if the sale is moving
forward with the present buyer that that individual should be part of the discussion um if it's going to be eligibility based upon contracted users. Yeah, it's a little tricky. I think
probably because the the potential future buyer can't be really uh in it until they are the owner. Even though we want to or maybe we can. It just that gets very fuzzy. >> You can have a you can have a discussion. >> Sure.
>> Uh of of intent that it doesn't actually happen. I mean, how many times we said this is contingent upon or you know me becoming the owner. But if you want to ask me the question, would I be interested and as a contracted unit
because owner because then we would be in compliance with the requirement for the board. So I think the conversation we had but anyway >> well [clears throat] I mean it wouldn't be in compliance still because it doesn't have non-commercial
users. >> Yep. it if if the golf course is the golf course not considered a commercial >> they're an irrigation user they're in a different category but they would be eligible >> but would that >> if they were if they were um you know if
they had a contract for use of water from the water district they would be eligible as an irrigation use >> and in your correspondence you indicated that uh you were hopeful at least based upon the provisions of the statute for contracted users that the golf course
would beat that and you were going to bring that to the EDA to ask them. >> But I'm saying that I think the EDA is going to say no, this is cost prohibitive. And so where convoluted is the fact that if the new owner could
bring compliance with the statute as far participation and they are a eligible that you can have that conversation without having to sell the property to ask the question. Anyway, um and maybe maybe I'm misunderstanding the statute, but I thought I didn't
understand I guess that an irrigation user is separate than a commercial user because I thought the statute said you need a different or what was the >> Well, you if you're drawing water from the source,
that means you are a contracted user, >> right? But the statute says, I I don't have it pulled up in front of me, but it had multi- um different types of users, including um public um community member domestic use as one of the provisions.
And I think that's one of the concerns that is one of the concerns that Grand Portage has raised. So I their um their concern is that right now it's just commercial users and and I'm hearing um Miss Hickin say that um the golf course
would be in [clears throat] a different category, but it still wouldn't be qualified as a domestic user. >> Right. >> And do we need that? Well, the language that's in the um appropriation is to serve domestic water users, irrigation
water users, and commercial stock watering and industrial users. So, they certainly fall within that. So, correct. I mean having the discussion you know with all parties uh is is
important but it's it to whatever category it it would meet the eligibility requirement based upon that quote from the enabling language. So, >> yeah, I think um I think administrator treble
is hearing my concern >> um about needing to check more boxes. It it certainly qualifies, but in order for the board to be compliant, I thought it had to have more diversity in users.
>> Yeah. but but is not if they're not considered a commercial but they're considered an irrigation >> maybe that that's >> water user >> and that's what's come before us and asking funding for irrigation. So,
>> and this is where I think a conversation with Grand Portage and the the water district would be helpful >> because what I understand from their letter is the concern related having um not having domestic users and having um corporations
>> um or commercial use only which again it would be a different intent for the golf course. they would qualify as an irrigation, but I think the concern may still be that there are they're also a commercial user. So, I think it would be helpful to have that conversation just
to understand >> more what their concern is related to that. >> Yeah, for sure. I I again I think I misunderstood. thought there had to be different and maybe I was [clears throat] just reading into Grant Portage's letter more, but I thought there had to be um and it's helpful to
know that irrigation user is a different type of user than a commercial user, which >> so is interesting, but um >> Commissioner, >> yes. >> Um thank you, Madam Chair. I think the the confusion might be that the question
that I hear being answered is is a commercial user also qualified as an irrigation user and I think your question was is that checking all three boxes and the answer that I see in this enabling legislation is no. the the
original appointment was a domestic water user period, a an irrigation water user, period, and a commercial water user. >> That's what I was trying to refer to. >> Thank [laughter] you for picking it up.
>> So, everyone was correct just answering different questions, >> right? Exactly. Yeah. And so, even if we get the golf course, it still doesn't address that original. And that's what I was trying to like. not going to be the answer to all of our >> right. >> It gets to the three. It just doesn't
get to the different categories. >> Right. >> Commissioner Gavlin. >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, in the joint discussion, um if what we're saying and and the primary factor is is that we're not
complying with state statute relative to the requirement for the number of representatives on the district board. If the water district as of today said here's an opportunity on the 14th come
in at 9:00 and you want to and you meet the requirements you want to be on the board that uh if we don't have if we don't have people that are eligible then that's why Grant Portage is saying then
you need to change the legislation because you can't operate outside of the provision of the rule of law. >> And if we have this discussion and and we satisfy the statute requirement by having irrigation
user, which is a separate entity from a commercial user, then we'd be in compliance. But does that satisfy what Grand Portage would like? they would like to see enterprise other than or I shouldn't even say enterprise
participation by a domestic user group. Well anyway the discussion but uh the important thing is is to understand the context in which the discussion can take place as to the end
result of that meaning that we've said often when we get in discussion it's not free form there are statutes there are policies and things that direct what we can and cannot [clears throat] do so >> okay
and I apologize Madam chair, but I need to sneak away for my meeting. Thank you. >> Okay. So, we are right now waiting for further details so that we can think about this. When it comes to changing legislation, we know that's a long road.
So, >> let's get all our details before that um and consider another step. Okay. Thank you, Director Hicken. [laughter] >> Thank you very much. Have a nice day. When I think about the first pipe that
came up from Lake Superior and broke and totally went down to Two Harbors, I think about this particular pipe. It's been there a long time. I think at least 10 years >> and I think it's substantial. So hopefully, but that was quite a
nightmare when that happened. Okay, let's move on for um [clears throat] any um commissioner reports, uh updates on meetings, commissioner. >> Well, I'll just say that we had a a
Hovind town hall with with the maintenance director to talk about the uh what did we talk about? We talked about uh potential uh improvements or changes to the town hall. We went really well as we heard. And then we had the
other one with commissioner no with um Ravi Ravi Ravi Hess talking about um the uh upcoming uh projects on the end of the uh east
end of the county and we had we had the administrator and we had 32 other people in attendance. So, >> and they really didn't eat anything this time. They just came in and left. But it it was good. I mean, it was well
wellreceived. And then, of course, it goes on with the hub. Um, still a dynamic group of people who are uh seeking some input from the commissioners and the list of what they provide for the county just continues to
grow. And I'm sure I did something else, but I it eludes me at the moment. >> Nothing negative though. >> Good. >> No negative anything happening. >> Anybody else? >> Commissioner Sullivan.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, both Commissioner White and I attended the Cook County Invasive Teams meeting >> and an important event that they're sponsoring is coming up on July 22nd. It's the pole plant and protect the Gunflint Trail event from 1 to 4 at the
Seagull Community Center. Um then Commissioner White and I also attended highway advisory last week and talked a little bit about grading uh calcium chloride. Um and then a a a reminder to
everyone there will be construction on the Gunflint Trail starting mid August >> between the 92s. So, just um pastler lake and um all the way to the Iron Lake uh campground to the road that goes
there. That will be one lane closure at a time. There'll either be a flag person or a light that will be there and it'll be about a 3 to four minute um closure. People will go in one direction very similar to the the uh little Devil Track
River work that was done on the bridge last summer. Um, we had a Boundary Waters Canoe Area Collaborative meeting and just a reminder to the public because we're all thinking about fires in the Boundary Waters, but think about the public comment for the Boundary
Waters. Uh, that ends on July 22nd related to the cancellation policy. So, make sure to go to the US Forest Service website and uh, register your comments. We've had over 200 and we'd like to get a couple hundred more, but again, people are focused on the fire right now and so
we're not seeing those comments all of a sudden coming in. So, just a reminder. >> Um, soil and water conservation district met um at the beginning of the month and talked a little bit about the woodland stewardship plan and um there is a a
match that's going on for some private property in Grand Portage. So, it's really nice that we're working in the reservation boundaries um to help property owners there as well as in other parts of the county. Been busy um
with a number of lake and road and property owners association meetings. Last weekend we had West Bearskin, Voyager Point, and the Midtrail property owners associations. um did a lot of work with go bags,
making sure people had checklists for items that go into those bags. And we'll be making a big push for go bag and emergency preparation and also how to deal with wildfire smoke at the canoe races which are tomorrow up at Gunflint
Lodge. Um from 4 until 700 p.m. We'll be up there starting about 3:00. We have AIS, the Cook County Coalition of Lakes sharing a table and then Andrea Toy for public health and I will be um also sharing a table up there and talk a
little bit about emergency management, what it means to be at that ready um portion. The Gunflint Trail Fire Department is encouraging residents and property owners to start their sprinklers um not only to make sure that they're operating, but run them for about an
hour to kind of create a a a humidity dome over their property that really helps to reduce fire. Um but everybody up at the end of the Gunflin is on edge. It's very smoky. It's very dark even midday. Um, so we'll
just listen to our updates from the US Forest Service and emergency management here. And again, uh, shout out to Sheriff Hallberg for the work that he has done, um, getting us ready at this point. Um, we also had our community
leadership meeting last week. Um, Commissioner Stley, maybe you want to talk a little bit about that >> when I have my turn. >> Okay. Okay. and um Cook County Coalition of Lake Association has met um and they
are sponsoring anformational workshop with Cook County Higher Ed. It will be this Thursday and it is on copper nickel sulfide mining and because it's become a political issue, we want to take the
politics out of it and talk about facts. And so they've asked a mining expert to come and um so there'll be multiple presentations to learn about the process of copper nickel sulfide mining, understand impacts to our waters and the
shorelands here in the Rainy River and the Lake Superior um watersheds and then talk about implications for the county. So that should be very good. That's Thursday 12:30 to 3:30 Cook County Higher Ed. You do have to register on
the county higher ed website for that and it is free of charge. >> Okay. >> Anyone else? >> Well, Ann forgot that we did the uh subordinate district. >> Yep. >> Subordinate governmental service district big meeting yesterday talking
about this talk. We're going to do this once a month for the next eight months, >> right? This was our third meeting. We talked yesterday about kind of looking at costs, taxes, and fairness. Those
were kind of the big themes, right? >> Okay. Commissioner. >> Yeah. Only thing I want to share, I think, is that the Northwoods Food Project is receiving uh a good number of grants to really try to bolster farmers
in our community and both to support the farmers we currently have as well as to um somehow grow our own younger farmers, maybe an internship program or just trying to really get more people into food production. Um and also the um food
is medicine program at the clinic has taken off. Um and I made another plug for the in inhome support. Um and it sounds like it when these prescriptions are given it's also um offered. do you
would you like help in preparing or that sort of thing? And it was every single one of the um patients said, "No, I know how to cook. It's just purely uh affording the fresh food."
>> And so I thought that was extremely interesting and and telling. Um but we'll see how how that goes. And I think there was 10. One dropped out, so down to nine. This is just a pilot program to see how this goes. But I had a
presentation at AMC um about this through health insurance programs. So I think it's going to be more of a thing in the future, but we'll just see how it works here for now with this number. But um so down to nine, I believe, and then two of them are
families uh and the rest are I believe seniors. Um, so this we'll we'll see how where that goes, but it's very exciting and just all the movement and support um on the farming side of things, too. So,
>> Commissioner Gamble, >> were you going to speak to the leadership meeting? >> You could. >> Okay. Thank you. So, um, just [clears throat] for the community's awareness that leadership is, um, all of the entities that have leadership within
our county, which is the city and the county and the hospital and the school and the HR, the EDA, um, we have uh, YMCA. So >> the tribe
>> yeah the tribe are are certainly there and um we have identified topics that we would like to address. So each time that we have this meeting um we will address the topics that we've identified. We've
had child care as an issue and uh this last meeting was um providing for our older population and uh care partners did a presentation and the HR relative
to housing that is specific to an elderly population. as we provide housing um in a workforce focus uh we're looking at um assisted living and provisions that address the demographic
that is a large portion of our population. So um I feel that uh uh these meetings are are beneficial because of their focus and that um other
than just getting together which we have in years past um it hasn't necessarily been when you walk away from it as effective you feel it can be but you hear a lot of comments from people that participate saying these are good meetings I like the direction we're
going so It's it's good for the right hand to know what the left hand is doing. So >> it was um good meeting in regards to the place. We were at Gunfl View into their community room which I had not seen and before the meeting I visited friends who moved in there getting comments from
them. They really are beautiful apartments and um so I wanted that perspective. um when we um were meeting during COVID, we were doing Zoom and now we're in full participation in person and I also have a township meeting that
same evening. So, I have to decide. I look at the agenda for the township and I look at the agenda for this. So, I may not be at every one, but this one this one worked out that I could participate and certainly enjoyed the round table of everybody, you know, filling us all in
with what's going on in their particular area. Um, I also attended the Gigami Trail meeting last week and um, they're moving forward with the trail into downtown Luden, but it's going to take a while because of cost. Um, so probably the end
of next year, early 28, it will be to the downtown area. Whether it ever continues on to Caribou, we don't know. DNR is going to be updating the parking lot at the bottom of Skhill Road. Um eventually they'll put in more
information aboard um latrine um picnic table um fence off the highway 61 entrance and only have an entrance from the ski hill and then working with highway department to perhaps swing through there in the winter with their
plow because it is a parking lot for um snowmoilers also. So um that was good um update. I also attend once in a while when I can Northshore Scenic Drive Council and uh right now they're reviewing all of the potential um
highlights of coming up the Northshore starting with Sugarloaf. If you've not been to Sugarloaf lately, they have a whole new exhibit which is extraordinary, talking about how that was an area for huge logging uh
buildings and piles of logs and and how the um the whole Northshore developed um many thousands of years ago with interactive um resources. So, it's a it's a nice stop if you have an hour or so to stop. Then we stopped uh and
looked at um the heritage center and because I was on the tour, the fish museum was closed, but I said, "Hey, I'll open it up." And so they had a chance to see that. and Royside Rest. How can they be more uh active in helping u people coming up the shore
with a possibility of some type of a little um post with a uh emblem on it that you can hold your phone up to it and then it'll tell you what's coming up and Grand Marray and the Gun Flint and Grand Portage and all that. So, that's
in the works. Okay. Anything else? Then I'll move on for upcoming meetings to note. Um our next board meeting is Tuesday, July 28th at 8:30 a.m. Um also in our packet we have the lodging uh
comparable tax through um 20 April of 26 and also through May of 26. And then we'll also have recognition of our July staff anniversaries. So, first of all, we have uh Cody Wandler, Highway Department, two years.
Andrew Dalstrom, Recycling Center, four years. Christina Matson, public health human services, four years. Matt Nishim, Highway Department, four years. Sean Smith, Highway Department, four years. Plowman Demitri, Public Health and Human
Services, eight years. Brida Moose, LEC, nine years. Christopher Shrup, LEC, 13 years. Then we have milestone anniversaries. Dagmar Smith, public health human services, 10 years. And our auditor, treasurer, Brady Powers, 35
years. >> Congratulations [laughter] to everyone, including Brady. Has time flown for you? >> Um, no. >> NO. [laughter] >> It really seems like a long time ago. [laughter]
See, he's so truthful. Like when you had more hair. [laughter] >> Yeah, I do have hair. >> And there be no further business, we are ajourned. But >> a long time, my battery's running low.