Greetings and uh welcome to the monthly meeting of the Cook County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Wednesday, October 15th, 2025. Uh first I note the presence of a quorum including commissioners Lamore, O'Brien,
Hansen, Olsen, and Gabler, and also recognize the presence of county commissioner Gamble. We appreciate the count the county's support and his presence here. Uh the first item is approval of the agenda and I think uh
Jeff would you take us through the addition that we need to put on the agenda modification. >> Yeah, we have an additional um item for consideration today in the agenda and then later on for discussion. That's resolution uh 25-9 that's on each of your desks and I've got a couple of
copies if anybody wants to look at that in the public if they uh come through the door. And what it basically is, it's a re uh revisit of our conversation we had in late August about the Bjorkberg project here in Grammaray. Um there's some additional costs that the city of
Grammar is going to have to incur with this development and they thought it would be common sense and inappropriate for them to be part of the request from the ITR. And so as you'll see there, um they're they're wanting to include
150,000 of the 244,000 and change for that side of their project uh to complete. So basically they're extending two blocks of road curb cuts and that sort of thing um into that project and that uh that is reflected in the resolution. And this is a essentially an
update on the resolution we passed uh couple of months or month ago allowing you to put an application in and this does basically the same thing but different numbers. >> Correct. Yes. Um so that was resolution 25-16 at the time and after talking with
R they just thought maybe it'd be easier for us to start over with a new resolution including another party the city of Grammaray and going from there. Is there a an app uh a motion to amend the agenda including uh resolution 25-9?
Also move. >> Second. >> Is there a second? Uh any discussion? All those in favor of agending the approval of an an amended agenda say I. >> I opposed. Uh second item, approval of the
September 17th meeting minutes. You've had a chance to look at those. Any comments or a motion to approve those? >> I'll move approval. >> It's been moved. Is there a second? >> I have a second. >> There's a second. Any discussion on the
minutes? If not, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Uh, opportunity for public comment, but uh there's no one here to make that comment. So, we'll pass on to new business. Uh resolution 2517
authorizing executive director to apply for grant funds of up to 600,000 from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. It's easier to say deed >> for owner occupied housing rehabilitation. Jeff, would you take us
through that, please? >> Yeah. So, the um deed at um at a conversation that I had with them about their um I looked at what they were offering for incentives or opportunities for some grant funding in the future for
northeastern Minnesota. There hasn't been an application in some years. um and they encouraged us to apply after having this conversation. But what it would be would be for funding uh up to $25,000 per household um in the city of Grammaray is where we're going to focus
our attention on in this in this round of funding. um for energy and envelope improvements essentially the same as what we have currently going with our partnership with the public uh health and human services and the city of Grammaray and beef this up with $25,000
in grants um for things like windows and roof problems and things like that exterior fascia um and what that would do is create some more energy improvements in the housing stock that we currently have and give us some rehabbed housing stock for Grand Marray.
I talked to the city of Grand Marray and they were interested in in partnering on this project. Um, and so what we'll do is we'll pass the resolution first and then have the city of Grammar pass the resolution and then at the November 12th meeting, the county has an opportunity
to pass the resolution as well because it'll be actually money that the county will be applying for through our HA. And what that will do is that will give some cohesion to it, but also some real support for our community. And um this is a pre-application. It's due right
before Thanksgiving at the end of November. And then from there, there's there's a second round and more rounds after that to get to the funding of the project. But again, northeastern Minnesota hasn't been represented in in some time. Actually go have to go back many years to find that. And so um
that's encouraged. They're always looking for regional parity when it comes to these programs. And so, um, I hope I didn't tip the hand to anybody else that might be watching from any other part of our region. Competition is always good, but maybe, uh, um, on this round here, we'll get lucky and get that
up to $600,000 in grants. >> Any comments or questions from the commissioners? >> So, I do have one one idea on how to how to really process this. uh our energy and envelope program really does a good job of facilitating and processing all
the different grant requests through the healthy homes program and you might remember that presentation that they gave a couple of weeks ago Andrea Ty and Andrea Orest and so what would we would do is something similar to that I'm envisioning if we get the full 600,000
we'd split it up into three rounds we do a round of seven homes a round of seven homes and then the rest of the money however that chips may fall on a third round um I don't believe that there is any ear marks on specifics on time. It just has to spend the money and we have to report about it. Um because of
course, you know, we want to make sure that every penny is accounted for through the audit process. Um and the other thing I just wanted to point out to you is that um you know, I think at the end of the day, this will really be one of these situations where the city's going to get involved and create a survey. We kind of want to know and so
does deed ahead of time who we're really working with. And so by passing this resolution, this would allow that survey process to happen in grammar and we can get people on a list that will be helping. >> Any further thoughts or questions? Is there a motion to approve uh
resolution 2517? >> I'll move. I'll second. >> Been moved and seconded. Any further discussion? just like to comment that uh you know from my perspective any dollar that is spent uh rehabilitating and improving existing housing stock that's not going to go into a further state of
disrepair uh is worth uh well more than a dollar new construction. So this is uh to me I've got no question in my mind that it's worthwhile >> very much. Thanks for that commissioner. >> Yeah. >> Uh any further discussion? If not all those in favor say I. I
>> opposed. Motion carries. Uh resolution 2518 is before us terminating the amended and restated development and purchase agreement with Temperance Trail Development Company LLC. Jeff, you'll take us through that,
please. >> Yeah. Switching gears to a different topic today. We have um we have a a piece of property that is by the Birch Grove School in um in the Tafty um Schroeder area.
And uh we we've been trying to get some development off the ground there um for some time even before we were involved in that chunk of property going back to I think 2013 according to some schematics for some senior housing >> long before that. >> Long before that okay um senior housing
was one of the focuses back in the day >> 30 years. >> 30 years or so. And now that we own the property, the onus is on us to really produce some sort of housing for the West End for our needs for workforce housing in Cook County. At at the end of
the day, you know, we've extended our contract uh five separate times here at the HA with the current um uh well with the former, I should say, with the former um developer. That last round terminated in uh July 1st of this year.
Um on on the 3rd of July, I requested a feedback about a closing date on the property so we could get that property off and running. Um land services has been involved with the preliminary plat but hasn't heard any real information or interest in creating a final plat which
is part of our discussion on moving forward for the project. And so at this time I feel that we um have the need to um terminate um any agreements that we may have had in the past with the Temperance Trail Development Company as
it's called now. And uh we should have a conversation in the notsodistant future about where we go from here. whether it be the request for proposals process or if we could find another developer that might have some interest or you know maybe by having this conversation a
local developer will step up and show interest as well. I don't know but I think at the end of the day nothing's happening on this site. I haven't heard since July whether or not the developer has any interest and it's expired. the contract that we extended is expired with no interest in extending and so I
think this is a good time for us to part ways and to move forward. >> Uh thanks Jeeoff. I would say I was at the original meetings uh with the town board when they agreed to sell us the property uh that's behind the school
there and uh the it was really a developerdriven proposal to do some single family homes moderately cost and and a couple of senior one-story sidebyside town houses. And uh that was
uh really seemed popular with the town board. And so I think our next move, assuming we do pass this, is to go back to the town board and try to get their input again as to, you know, what really would make sense for them and uh before
we make a another step to proceed, you know, in a new direction. But at least uh I think we owe it to them to get their input because it was their land and now it's ours. The good news is despite all this delay, um it's always been our property until the developer
fulfilled his part of the contract and he just did not. So, >> uh any further discussion? Commissioner Hansen sounded like the voice of experience going back quite a while. >> I was the treasurer on the town board
when when this was going on many years ago. So, it's been frustrating. >> Sure. >> Like to sure would like to move forward. It's a great place for this kind of development. And now there's the added opportunity. The county now owns 80 acres of land adjoining. >> Yes.
>> And uh which would be which could increase the scope of the project and really make it a significant uh piece of the puzzle in the west end which is really where the need is honestly. um we've been developing in in Graham Ray because it's convenient uh because of infrastructure but the need
is in the west end uh majority of the need. So hopefully we can move forward but in the meantime for the sake of discussion I'll move at ad adoption of resolution 2518. >> I will second. It's moved and seconded.
I would just uh make a last comment that and acknowledge that it was a more difficult site to start planning than was originally anticipated because there's easements that people weren't hadn't known about and and wetland delineation and all that. But the good
news is that's virtually all identified at this stage. So, uh, I think anybody coming into the site would have a a a better idea of what can be there and hopefully the town will be supportive of that. So, uh, it's been moved and
seconded. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor of resolution 2518, say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. Uh, it brings us to resolution number 2519.
Uh, Jeff, you want to sum up? one last time what we're doing here. >> Yeah, I should start by maybe clarifying. I I scanned this thing five times and honestly I didn't see it until Bill pointed it out just a few minutes ago before the meeting started. But the resolution should reflect the total of
220,000 from John Peter's side of it and 150,000 as was mentioned in the body of the resolution for the city's portion of it. So that total should still say 220. It should say 370,000. So, I just wanted to clarify that. Um, other than that,
um, this is for that portion of highway that's just west of the courthouse. Um, it's a 14 to 16 ft road right now. It's a substandard road here in Grand Marray with the added traffic flow of building more homes in that particular neighborhood. um the city council, um
the mayor, and of course um if we pass it as well, um believe that that road shouldn't be 14 to 16 feet any longer and we should support having some additional funding to pay for it. Um if we don't do anything, what happens is that the project might not happen. It
might not be a viable project. So square one for everyone. um and or if the project proceeds, what could happen is that each of the homeowners assessed the the most of the value that we're asking for from the ILR. Um I've had a
conversation with the ILR about this being that we already submitted an application for this project, but now we're adding another party to it. Their suggestion is that we have until October 24th to amend it for the December conversation about extra funding. They'll be going through that same round
of of scrutiny in November for each of the projects and then we'll announce the the funding in December. So that's our calendar window for this year. Um and that we would just have to reapply. I've got all the I've got the application sent back. So I have all the information
from John's side of things and the city has been very diligent about if I asked for them for data information about this project there. Um, administrator Roth is very important to this project because he has all that information and he's been sending it to me as I need it. So,
I'll be able to complete that application. I'll be able to have engineers maps and things of that nature built into that application which is really important part of that process. >> When did this come to your attention about adding the city?
>> It was a conversation that was had at a city council meeting. I want to say last week, last Wednesday. Um, and so it was uh, take it back two weeks ago, sorry. The last city council meeting that was there that was brought up in in in the public to the council at
that point. We, Mike and U. Roth and I had a conversation maybe a few days before that. >> Uh, just a comment of a typo on >> the resolution. >> Okay. Uh the last whereas the H
executive director seeks to represent I believe should be in there. >> Ah two. Okay. I'll fix that on the copy that'll do add to the application. >> Any further comments?
If not, is there a motion to approve the amended language that Jeff has already put in and Commissioner Olson uh for resolution 25? >> Two corrections. Yeah. >> Yeah. The two corrections also move. >> Oh, just a quick question. Um does this
then become an all or nothing uh request? You know, we originally had um uh was it 220,000 in the original uh request? Now we're adding an additional 150. is that 370 become an all or nothing figure. You mentioned that this additional funding could be uh
existential to continuing this project. Um I'm just wondering >> if we know at this point does that become all or nothing if we get the 220 but not the 150? Does the project proceed? Do we know any of these things? >> My understanding from my experience in the past the RR has total discretion on
how they want to do that. >> Okay. >> And the 220 is already in place from John Peters. I mean he's expended that. That's his contribution to the to the 370 and >> well that's essentially >> actually he's spent more than that on the project so far from engineers and
and that sort of thing and so he's got a lot of equity in the project. We're not asking for any matching from for the H standpoint on both of these projects like we normally would because he's got a large amount of equity on his side. And on the other side, since these are improvements that will benefit people
that live in that neighborhood, there will be somewhat of an assessment and there might also in the resolutions mentioned uh be some general fund expenditure from the city of Grammar as well as that would be those what you would call the match for Grammar
for the park. I'll second >> been moved and seconded. Any further discussion? >> I I should answer your question as well. I don't know specifically and I don't want to speak for John Peters or for the city of Grammar about whether or not the project happens. I guess it's just wait
and see. Hopefully, you know, we get the funding so we don't have to go through that conversation. But, um, if not and the challenges are still there, um, we might seek some funding at some other venue, uh, or some other resource. But right now, this is the the avenue that
we're going through. >> Further discussion? If not, all those in favor of resolution 25/19 say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. >> On to other business. Uh, director's
report. We're at the director's report already. Exciting. All right, we're moving this uh along. Um, I just wanted to um give an update a little bit about some of the things that I've been working on and that sort of thing. And one of the things I wanted to mention
was that I was at the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Organizations meeting at the end of September. So since our last meeting in Duth right in our backyard practically had some great conversations with the folks at the Duth
H about what they're doing for housing. I came away with a whole different perspective when it comes to housing in an urban area like Duth. Um they are doing some really interesting things. I hope that we can start looking at housing in Grand Marray maybe from a
different lens. Um if you look at our report or our housing study I should say you know we we're doing okay when it comes to 60 and 80% AMI but the one target that we really haven't touched on was the 50% AMI. That's also a big
portion of what the the need is. I identified need for apartments in Grammar in Cook County. And so, uh, those are opportunities that we still haven't quite found yet for our communities, but they are still there. Um, and if we're looking at
another subject I'll talk about in in a minute here is uh senior housing in in Cook County, especially when it comes to assisted living. um you know, some of the people that traditionally work in that type of housing or in that type of situation, um their incomes are lower
than where our targets are right now. And so at some point, even at the hospital, they're having some trouble trying to place folks. and that nurs's aid type of position. It's it's a uh it's a position that we really need um
in a functional system like ours for healthcare, but we just haven't really met that need for housing yet. So, in those types of conversations, we're still trying to find out ways to get to that point. and um our local regional
area has a lot of different resources that might be available in the future um when it comes to expertise about what they're doing in their communities and that sort of thing. And so when we all get together and have these meetings, it's a great time to bump in the elbows with the HRA from Two Harbors and the HR
from Duth and the one from Ele and Virginia and some other folks because um they're all having different challenges, but there are some similarities between them and these these meetings are really good for that. Um, also when I was at that meeting, I bumped into
um um some developers that have some different development type of techniques for housing. Hemprete was brought up uh more emphasis on solar and housing especially for um you know your multifamily buildings and things like that. And so that's one of the things
that I think we really can focus more on. And I know that you all have put that as one of our priorities is, you know, how do we make our housing stock um affordable but also on the back end affordable to operate as well and more efficient. And so we'll continue down
that path as we continue to develop new projects and have conversations with developers about what those projects would like to look like. Um, as far as uh general updates, um, I don't know, the last time that we were
in this building was about a month ago. I can't remember if I had made the trip to Eve yet or not, but we received a $350,000 grant for the North Skogan project on the east end of Grand Marray, which is 12 single family workforce houses. And in that span of time between
then and now, we've gone through the bid process. KTM is going to be the person that we're going to work or the organization we're working with to get that road ready for uh construction next year. The goal is to get that construction done and to put that road
the road, the waters, sewer, all those hookups together um this year still look out the window. Still a good weather to work, but as we get closer to December, it might I don't know what's going to happen. And so, uh they need that time to do the work. and we're really glad
that we're able to get that funding. Thank you ILR for supporting the project. The onus is on now us to get that done before the winter weather and so we're still waiting to get a contract for us to sign from the ITR. Those folks had a lot of contracts to have to put it
together at once. I don't envy them. I don't I don't want that job right now. But at the end of the day, uh once we get that contract signed, we can get to work. So it's exciting for that project as well. Um other than that um I attended a roundt discussion in
Grammaray on uh Tuesday morning at the higher education u building here in town and the Northshore um oh gosh I can't remember the exact title of the organization but they had a grant is Northshore Healthy Homes I believe and
um they really had a great conversation with members who just were invited to attend if they wanted to about some of the projects they're working on some of the ways to construct homes differently than maybe our traditional ways of putting together homes. And so, a lot of great ideas from that. I'm really
looking forward to maybe incorporating some of those ideas into future work that we're doing here at the HR. >> And that's all I have. >> Update us on the audit. Uh >> oh yeah, >> it's basically done. >> Thank goodness. Yes, the audit is
basically done. um when you get hired into position and uh the first thing folks ask you is what happened before you got hired and and all the financial details. That's quite a project to figure out. But um thanks to Jason Hail's great notes that he left behind.
I just had to find out where they were and thanks to the ability to actually dial up Jason Hail uh to ask some of the questions about how the money was spent and where it was spent from. We're able to essentially complete our side of the audit for the county. So um that part is done. the the binder is being passed
from Megan to Andy, so to speak, which gives us um an opportunity to say all that work had been accomplished. So, here we are. One of the things I I had a discussion with the auditors. They're asking questions of do I know of any loose ends
or, you know, things that I should be that they should be concerned about? And I I didn't know of any. But the one thing that uh we did talk about was uh having renewing our uh conflict of interest uh statements this year. Uh we all signed them
>> a couple of years ago now I think and it's time to redo those. So look forward to that in the future and I welcome Commissioner O'Bri Sullivan to the table as well. Uh
well how about committee reports? any specific >> one question. Um, so Jeff, you mentioned the um uh the AMI funds that potentially available just from for my own education. Are those funds restricted to new projects or
could something could that be part of the financing for a project like Harborview or could that help to rate stabilization for um existing apartment projects? Are you talking about the the Saha funding that we get
from the state? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Um so um I would say not for the Harborview uh apartments because that's HUD funded. Um and and so that's federal funding. The state funding is more for rent stabilization and the 60 and 80% EMI funding that we have. And so uh the
right now we have kind of um we've uh committed to Gunflint View. We've committed to >> the Heights, >> the Heights. Um, and then also >> if the development comes through on Highway 61 at 1800, the Duval project
where the old Tomato Motel used to be, um, that would also be dedicated already to that project as well. So, our our state does give us a certain amount of aid every year for rent stabilization. It started out in 2023 at
83,000. By 2024, that number was dialed back to 35,000. And then I just got a notice for 2026, it's back up slightly to 43,000. So, it's a it's at the the will of the state
of Minnesota and the legislature to figure out how much money they allocate for that. And it does change from time to time. the way our commitments are as we have it is how we spend it. And so we we want to watch that, make sure we're not overcommitting, but also that we are
receiving that number. And also to pass along to our legislators how important it is to keep that funding for rent stabilization >> and our contracts acknowledge that >> we we'll pay when we have it or if we have it. >> If we have it. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Any other thoughts here or any committee reports at this stage? >> I can give a quick quick update on the uh finance committee. The finance committee did did not uh meet but just to give a quick quick update on the u uh
in reviewing the financials uh for the for the month pretty straightforward. Uh, one of the things that was notable was that the income, I think this is a timing windfall really, but that the the income from the 1% uh levy on or 1% uh
um on rental properties uh program was r was about $10,000 which was almost equivalent to our operating expenses for the month. So, so it's you know it's it's a substantial contribution um particularly in this
month. Um no other nothing unusual in the transactions. Um in terms of our balance sheet, we're currently we have about $430,000 $429,000 to total assets. Um, I've been working
with uh Jeff on a uh reviewing the uh project dashboard and I'd like to build maybe before our next meeting review that in a in a finance committee meeting uh just to but but it basically lays out
the um funding for each of the projects that has h happened what what what funding has been has supported these different projects. um uh and and I think it provides a useful tool for all of us. Uh one of the things that I'd
like to do to amend it would be to um get the total investment you to include the include the developers total expense because that you know I think it could be used to very effectively make the case that small amounts of HR contribute
that the H is doing its job as a catalyst for bringing in investment housing investment into the county. So, >> I think that'd be really worthwhile and um because especially in declining federal uh availability of funds,
>> uh we're going to have to do more with less and >> how we do that is important and most thing important thing is knowing what we have to put on the table and uh not uh overtap our own resources. But uh look
forward to going forward in the future. is the 10,000 that from the Cascade Vacation Rental. >> Yeah. It's not a levy. It's simply they're they make a contribution service 1% of their rents that they charge the the tenants for and voluntary service.
>> Yeah. It's a totally voluntary thing. And Commissioner O'Brien, Commissioner Hansen, that brings up the issue of you were thinking of by October, November things >> working on it. Yeah. slowly, slowly,
>> maybe the shortest. >> Yeah, that's still happening. We're still pushing forward with that, but hopefully we can bring in some more. We do have one >> small uh contribution that's added. I don't think they've sent a check yet. >> Oh, nice. >> But um it's a just a single uh Airbnb
uh development and he's contributing I think he's thinking 5% of revenues that come in through direct bookings. So >> that's probably going to be fairly small amount of money to start with because most of his bookings go through Airbnb or VBO, but the people in that business
apparently develop direct bookings because they make more money when they do that. So over time that'll increase and then Jeff and I have a meeting tenatively scheduled with that >> developer because he's interested in doing some more development in Cook County and adding th that those revenues
as well. But >> yeah, and I I've talked to Claire. Claire and I are going to do it at Claire >> senior moment. Sorry. From Cascade Vacation Rentals partner Cascade. >> Yeah. Yeah. She's recently married.
>> Good one. >> And Stoddard. Claire Stoddard. >> Um and I are going to do it as a team. So, it's a matter of coordinating our schedules and then getting meetings with people. We're going to start with the big resorts in the West End because that's obviously the biggest potential,
but uh open to anybody. >> Thanks for carrying that on. It's it's important work and >> yeah, it could be a really >> this is a remarkable thing that uh Cascade Vacation Rental did to start with and it I can't remember the total, but it's hundreds of thousands of bucks
that are contributed to our bottom line. So, >> a great community. >> Commissioner Gamble, you had a Yeah, I just going to make a comment relative to the discussion that you're having now and that is for the community that to the extent that the HA can demonstrate
its resourcefulness on where it's generating revenues to fulfill its mission, that is huge. So that's part of what you're doing. But if you look at contributions that are coming that we're getting from grants, contributions that are coming from those that choose to
participate in this, you know, >> one whatever and um uh developers that step in, all of these things that is the story that should be told because people want to see substance, you know, from organizations that serve them. So that'd
be great. all they deserve is him and that's transparency is one of our values and uh this is a an important part of that and it's needed for our own decision- making but it also is needed to for the community to make decisions
of is this is this entity worth carrying forward with and all that kind of thing. >> Well, this group has done a lot and shame on us if we don't make that public. >> Yeah, that's right. >> Well, and know that the community really appreciates that. Thanks, >> Commissioner Olsson.
>> Uh, how did the Roso um final meetings go? >> Oh, >> those were some really wonderful meetings. Um, there were some really good opportunities to talk to folks about the next steps. We had some really interested parties at the one in Grammar in particular. We had one individual
that was lived in Hovind but made it to the Schroer meeting and then also made it the next day back to this meeting here for a second time. Um, and so, uh, Anva and I are following up with folks that are attending these meetings and showed some interest. And the goal is to
really start small and get some folks that really want to do this thing uh, set up in the right direction and give them any resources we can along the way. You know, we don't have our local housing trust funds set up yet that we're still working on that process. We'll have a resolution I think by year's end for our board to consider.
But um I think at the end of the day um people are really kind of waking up to the idea that maybe they have this opportunity in their own backyard to create some passive income by building a second dwelling and and having a renter or selling that off and having a new neighbor. And um there's some
opportunity there. There's some real potential with the people who showed up to these meetings. >> Any updates on Heights Rentals? How are they how they're going? Don't know. I I I missed there was a call this week and I miss I missed that. So, >> well, they're underway anyway and
they're getting some publicity. So, >> uh and where is the view at this point? They still have a sign there's 12 units left. That's that's obsolete. >> Yeah, it is a little obsolete. I want to say they're down to single digits now. I want to say nine is the right number,
but last time I talked um um it sounded like maybe they were getting closer to that uh lower number. So, we'll see what happens. >> I think they're actually putting the final touches on a few units still. So, >> they are drove up there today and there couple of construction trucks.
>> Yeah. So, see people working essentially full >> aspects of it. >> That's good. We had a consortium meeting a couple of months ago and I was actually the the tour guide for that one and it looked like there was just a couple of minor things that they still had um to do, but it seems like you the
biggest challenge they have like the bike racks and the grills for instance. >> They have to have the people with the ability to do it, right? And a lot of those folks live far away. And so it's having the resources brought up here and then installed and unfortunately that
takes a little bit of time. Well, those projects are hopefully helping our local institutions, you know, house their employees. And I know the pew for one is houses a very important employee, the county administrator. And Jeff and I met with her earlier this week. And just to,
you know, talk about what's going on and and uh she was very pleased to say she had she thought the best unit. It's right on the corner and got the great view from up there. >> So, that's a good thing. >> Yeah. That's right. >> I have a couple items I um one is um the
in light of the resolution we just passed about the temperance trails development. There's a sign there said coming fall of >> says coming fall of 2024. Uh watch for development. We should get that down. That's bad PR. So I don't know. Jeeoff, is that something you'd be willing to do? >> Yeah, I'll just assemble that and store
it. >> I think it's I think it's the developer sign, so we should store it for him in case he wants it back. But >> Yep. Um, and then there's the billboard, which if you recall when the township transferred the land to the HA, they
accidentally transferred the billboard as well. Uh, which they had been they had built, I guess, maybe, or at least had refurbished and were renting. Full disclosure, the renter, the the renter was my daughter and son-in-law. So, I have no financial interest in it, but I
just I'm aware of it because of that. um they have stopped paying for it. One side is down, the other side's kind of falling down. It looks terrible. It's a bad representation for Cook County and Tafty and it's ours now, so we should deal with it.
>> Um I don't know what to do exactly. Um we should either uh make it available for people again to rent or take it down. >> Um >> is it worth salvaging? >> Yeah, it's in pretty good shape. They uh
uh when when my daughter leased it, they did a considerable amount of work on it, changed the lighting, >> and it's highly visible when you're coming up 61. >> Yeah, it's a good location. I mean, philosophically, I'm anti- billboard. I assume they were banned from Highway 61. But that said, it's in a good location.
It's also would be a great opportunity for us in the future to advertise any development that's there, you know. So, taking it down, I think, is probably a bad idea at this point. But I don't know if Jeff wants to manage a billboard as part of his job. So I was going to suggest that one thing we could explore
is leasing it back to the just the billboard back to the township for a dollar a year and then they can lease it and and keep the income and it would be a gesture of goodwill to the to the township to allow them to do that. Um but
>> well we do get in front of the township now that we've taken the action, you know, as to what's going to be next. It's like that brought up, >> but also with the urgency that something should be done because it's easy for it to just kind of drift into the future and then we have that ratty looking thing there.
>> I think you need to build into Jeff's job description that he needs to wear sandwich signs every now and then. >> He'd be down there with a with a bucket and a paste brush putting up a new billboard. >> He did tell me his first job was building pallets, so he's got some ability to work.
>> If you're into it, you could do it. It would bring income to the I'm sure I'd make it work. >> My understanding was the lease was about $5,000 a year for both sides of that billboard. So, it's not, you know, it's it's real money. >> Sure. >> Um, so there there may be other ideas to
explore, but I'm just kind of throwing that out there as a way to get it off the ground. >> Mhm. >> Township's management was pretty casual even when they were owned it. Like there was no written contract. It was just a
>> a verbal agreement. Um, but in any case, uh, should be dealt with one way or the other. >> Thanks. >> So, I have that and then, um, >> and then on that same project, we touched on it, but I'd like to emphasize it, um, and kind of maybe informally encourage you, Jeff, to start exploring
fairly aggressively the options for that property in Taftd, including the the chance of getting the 80 acres. If it became 110 acres, that's all of a sudden a whole different scale and a huge opportunity, I think. And given the long
history of that, I'm feeling some urgency to to move forward on it because it's a it's so needed and it's such a great uh location with school. >> It sounds as though the alternative use to housing is a gravel pit and uh my
guess is the township would probably rather have the housing, but >> yeah. Uh, it's at least something that I I don't know if that's a county board >> me current gravel pit on the county property. >> It is just on the edge. >> Yeah. I mean, that would that could still be there probably. You'd still
have a lot of 100 acres say to uh develop, but I I'd like to, you know, just as a single commissioner urge you to stay focused on that project. >> Yeah. So to update to you on that process, u I spoke with Bob Thompson
about it when I found out that the county owned that land and asked him to let me know if that's something we could acquire through the process and um he had sent a letter to land services and the county engineer and a couple other departments to say do you think this
could be anything but housing? My understanding is that Bob got the green light to go ahead with it through the process to have the county commissioners approve or support having it land in our lap through either a sale or through
however it works out um for us to have for housing. And so we'll see how that goes. I don't know that the county does a lot of this and so that's maybe a newer process to go through especially with the Tyler versus Hepen County decision and all that stuff that
happened in the past with um tax forfeitures and all that stuff. Um but at any rate this isn't tax forfeite land that was it's a land swap between the US Forest Service and the county. They got some land closer to the Forest Service land that they already have. We had we
acquired some land very close to the county land that we already have. It's very it's very close to the ranger district that they have there at Tufty uh the ranger headquarters there. >> And so um we well we're starting that process now and as long as it takes or however it takes but um our attorneys
involved as well and if um they they can help out they were interested in helping us out too. So >> great. But yeah, 80 acres makes it a whole different type of a phase one, phase two maybe or or whatever the case is. Um, you know, and I think that
having something there uh for housing sake is really important. >> I'm pretty familiar with that property, you know, off the just because I live used to live there and spent a lot of time back in there and um I do believe that there's probably it's the 80 acres probably has more suitable
building acres than the 30 does. The 30 was really wet. I happen to know. >> Yeah. >> And the the 80 is is more upland. Not to say there aren't wetlands in there because there are. But um >> um anyway. >> Um then the last thing was last meeting
I advised that I applied to be on the Tonight Harbor Advisor Committee and I was rejected. >> Hey. >> As was I. As was I. >> Okay. Why would the H be interested in that? Well, >> that's that's life. And since they had 40 applicants, I think.
>> Yeah. And since that time, the um >> Yes. 40. >> You know, Minnesota Power has been sold to Black Rockck, the Canadian Pension Fund, I think. But Black Rockck, the majority ownership, which may change the whole relationship. It's possible,
>> but but I wish them well. >> That's surprised. >> Yeah, I was kind of surprised, too. at least one of the three of us would >> I was hoping one of you two would get it just because you know I think it's one of those things where maybe the H director >> shouldn't be a part of that and maybe in
the in the later stages yes but >> well we'll still have opportunities I think to to you know have discussions about it housing in that area and what it looks like if it ever happens. Well, I think Minnesota Power kind of expressed that they didn't want housing.
You know, they thought of it as more of a commercial development and around a harbor and, you know, that big big picture stuff. But, >> but they own 600 acres. >> Yeah. There's a lot of housing behind there, the potential of We actually looked at a site that they owned when
Jason Hail was the >> right director and it didn't work for what we needed, but there's plenty of other land there. the um >> if they if say hypothetically a major commercial development was done on the lake shore
there, they'd be fools not to develop housing at the same time because they would not have any employees at >> least, >> you know. So, I think we have a strong case to make that housing would be a very very intelligent addition to whatever happens there. >> Yeah.
>> But time will tell. That's all I have. >> Anyone else with further comments or thoughts for the good of the order here? >> Well, hearing none, is there a motion to adjurnn?
>> I'll move. >> Been moved. Is it seconded? >> I'll second. >> All those in favor of adjourning say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Thanks very much. Good meeting in
less than an hour. That's >> greedy. Oh my god, you know.