--------- window. >> Okay, we are live. >> Okay, we're good to go. >> Tracy, we're on. >> Oh, we're ready. Okay, >> we are so ready. It's 5:37.
>> It's not too bad. >> And we'll begin our work session. Oops. Helps me start the front page. So, with us tonight is Craig Schulty, Bill Ovis, myself, Michael Gary,
Mike Roth, Kim Vanbeck, and Mandy Layman. And uh first up tonight is a report from our municipal liquor, Chris Lavine. golf club. >> Hello. >> Hi.
>> Hey. >> So, we want to drink a lot of twisted tea. Is that what you're saying? >> Uh, that's not what we want to, but a lot of people do. Yeah, >> it's popular. >> Twisted tea. This is kind of busy.
>> I mean, there are a lot of cool things going on. >> So, you're finally able to take advantage of that pricing. You know, you'd always wanted to do like volume >> pricing, I should say. >> We kind of know what we need to get now as opposed to last year. What helps a
lot. >> Oh, that's nice. And just do that and some fun events. What happens with tasting? Did they they come up and run it? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. So, it's just a brewery. We have each brand has a brand representative
>> and they come up and >> and do the tastings. >> How many do you are you just trying to do them during the busy season like or you've been doing them all the time? >> I mean, we do we've done them throughout the year, but it makes more sense to do
them when we have more people to reach. For sure. >> Yeah, because I suppose some of them it's just unexpected, right? They just come in and then you're doing this. >> Excuse me. No, I mean I know when they're we they schedule them ahead of time. >> No, I meant when the people come in the
store, they're not aware and they're like, "Oh, look, you're having a test tasting or whatever." >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Sounds good. How obviously for those vendors, those are good marketing for them. find is that
>> absolutely I mean it helps get products their products to the customers without them having to buy it which >> works pretty good for them. >> Yeah. Well, like you said, you know, a lot of the breweries are not having good days. >> No.
>> So, it's probably they can do >> Yeah. It's kind of a crazy time. Uh, one number that's kind of crazy is like Castle Danger beers were down like 40%. And that used to be one of the biggest ones. >> Mhm.
>> But I mean, other things have replaced it. You know, there's just that one's not as popular as it used to be, but we're selling a lot more Ursa Miner. We're selling a ton of Bell's beer. or something. I mean, it's been replaced, but that's just weird to me how something that's been that strong for
that long >> has just kind of >> Wow. >> Yeah. It's bizarre. >> Isn't that crazy? >> Did they have any ideas? Like, >> I mean, people aren't drinking as many IPAs and strange beers and Yeah.
>> people's tastes have changed, right? >> Um, and where does where does cider land? Is that under beer? >> Beer is beer and cider are together. Yeah. So, I have are I haven't paid attention. Is Castle
Danger packaging their own THC like so many of them? >> They came out with one about probably 7 months ago. >> Oh, so pretty recently. >> Very recently. Yeah. >> Cuz a lot of the like Wild State, a lot of the closer ones have already been
>> Well, so like if you look at Bent Paddle or Fulton, Ryan Pett. >> Yeah. They're at about 50% THC manufacturing and 50% beer now. >> Wow. >> Yeah. So, if if things don't change in
November, those companies are going to lose a lot. >> Yeah. I was reading they were trying to even decide what to do and how much to manufacture up to that magic date. people want to like buy a bunch and >> you know before it ends or what would be
>> Yeah. Nobody really knows right now what's going to happen. It's kind of a strange world with that stuff. >> Yeah. So that like speaks to the flip of what people want to, you know, use this or whatever. >> THC sales have probably hurt the wine
side of things more than anything. >> Yeah. >> That explains because you said that was down. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I've read, you know, a lot of other liquor stores really say that's really picked up like up to like 30% of their sales and stuff.
>> It's like it's a huge Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It'd be tough to see it go away. And the way everybody's treating it, I don't think it's going to go away. You know, they're still making just as much. They're coming out with innovations.
They're still going ahead like it's going to be here. So I mean I feel like we have to kind of operate the same way. >> Well, yeah. I mean, yeah, you're just buying it, you can control it, but if you're manufacturing, it's a bigger risk, right? >> Absolutely.
>> So, I mean, I'm pretty sure too that if it if if if they are not legal anymore, there's going to be kind of a sundowner period where you have, you know, you're allowed to get rid of your merchant. They're not going to just oh >> say, "Dump all your stuff down the drain on November 5th.
Yeah. >> Well, well, it's a lot to keep track of that, you know, and keep on top of what people want and, >> you know, where where things are going. >> It's a little easier after a year >> Mhm. >> than it was the previous year to do these things.
>> And Canadians are coming back a little bit. >> Yeah. Yeah. Much more. >> Oh, nice. That's good to hear. >> Yeah, we have some every day. It's nice to see. Yeah, you start to wonder if the relationship was more permanently affected, but it's good to know that
>> Fourth of July was crazy with Canadians. >> Do they have an unrelated long holiday on that weekend, too? >> Isn't their Fourth of July like a day or two earlier? >> So, it goes on the other side of that's why. >> Yep. >> So, they were able to attach it. >> Mhm. >> Okay. I knew there was something close
by that it to How could they forget? >> Well, that's good to know. What else do you want us to know? >> What else do you want to know? >> Tell us something like Okay, so you're like inching up like you said. Sales
have actually gone up, which is good to know because like you said, it's the articles are that alcohol consumption is down, but yet you're still managed to your gross has still gone up the last few years. I think we found out this year that
we're still very a very seasonal place even though we have a big store >> and maybe in some of those off times we're we just don't have I mean we learned a lot about inventory this last year >> and what to carry during different times
and yeah like I mean April and May were just horrible this year. >> Yeah, it was everywhere. It was cold. >> Yeah, it was just crummy. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And then June came and things got better.
>> The first chart's showing sales, not revenues, but actual numbers of sales. So that's a good indicator of the amount of business that's happening there. And >> pretty clear pattern that it was down when we were in the Beaver House, but not a lot. And it's up quite a bit over
where we were before building. just a number of sales. >> The dollar amount is quite a bit higher than that, but that some of that's price increases in three or four years. >> Well, you have a good system to track all that, run reports, see where sales are at, keep everything, you know, so
you've got all the tools >> to really, you know, be able to do that. Well, >> you can tell them about uh big day July 4th weekend, too. like total sales were >> almost 28,000 >> which that's
>> that's a record. >> Yeah, we maybe broke 20 a handful of times in the history of the store. So, >> and I think we maybe broke 20 again this Saturday. >> Yeah, we were right there. >> Indicator that the the floor is still pretty low for slow times, but the
ceiling's quite a bit higher with the bigger store when it is busy. >> We just need that revolving beer can and the roof and then it'll be >> we never needed >> Yeah. >> the blanking beer sign, right? >> It could do the weather like all those
big buildings always did for the you know WCCCO St. Paul had one or Salt Lake had one. Yeah, that's what we need. And then just get somebody to rewrap it for you. >> Little homing beacon. >> Mhm.
>> Smokey ham sign. Smokey would be perfect for right now. >> Smokey the bear. >> The hams bear and smokey the bear in your liquor store together. >> That would really push. >> All right. We need two volunteers to get
the costumes. I'll do it. >> Oh, that's good. I mean, you probably have more important questions to ask than I >> So, you feel pretty good about your new space. Everyone happy over there that
way about the space part of it? Is it does feel a good place to work? >> It's great. Yeah, it's it's much nicer than the other ones, the other two stores. I mean, after being in the Beaver House, too, it's really really nice. Air
conditioning is great. stuff. >> I mean, a couple other things we've seen a big kind of a big surge in volume in are a lot of ready to drink items, camping type, you know, pre-anned >> margaritas or mojitos or Yeah. >> whatever it happens to be. There's a ton
of canned wines. Another big >> lot of graband go kind of packs. >> Did you find that tatter cell yet? >> It's been in there since you asked for it. >> Really? >> Yeah. to come back in. >> Yeah, we usually and we usually have
them. >> Oh, okay. She just didn't know it. Okay, never mind. >> Personal shopping. >> Okay. >> Um, so yeah, it what did you already ask this? What's other? >> So,
>> when when we do inventory, we don't use. So, it's kind of like biology where you got kingdom, class, genus, biome, species, or whatever. We don't use a lot of things weren't categorized into
small subgroups. >> We've got liquor, we've got beer, we've got wine, and we've got non-alcoholic items. So some of those things were just under >> you know maybe Budweiser was just under beer and not under a subcategory which
or was under domestic and because we don't do them by those we don't inventory by the vast qu categories like beer is a main category >> you've got craft beer you've got Minnesota craft beer you've got import beer you've got to you know there's a lot of subcategories under and so what
I've been doing is getting everything into those we've never been asked for this report before. So nothing. So these things weren't in these big categories or the the largest grouping. They're all in the smallest groupings. >> So that's why that other number has
shrunk as as we've got rid of products >> and added other things. They've been classified, right? >> So that's what that's what that is. >> Sure. I get that. >> And we wanted to show it >> because I think it the beer growth is a little misleading because a lot of those were probably just other
>> sales. But the total includes everything and so the total is is a good indicator for what actually happened. >> I mean like something like ice wasn't categorized you know which is a big we we sell it on ice obviously there's yeah so now everything is
>> not only you know it's like the that whole category is filled with all the little subasses and stuff. >> That's what I had to do at the start because then you can run better reports. I think it like for this application you need to see things as departments. You
know, when we're doing things, we don't look at anything that way because they're all the little subclasses of things. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. For you personally, when you're trying to reorder, you need to see that >> like wine is broken down into Cabernet and Chardonnese and you know, when we're inventorying, but in here it's just
wine. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You don't want to see the other report. >> Yeah, I do. >> It's a lot of pages. You want to know Just kidding. >> 172 I think >> pages.
>> You can if you run everything. >> Yeah, >> just teasing you. Okay. Oh, and website soon. >> Yes. >> Who's helping you get all that done? >> Molly is Molly has helped with that. Yep. >> Nice. All right. Then yeah, you'll be
able to do a lot with that to like you said, social media or whatever. You get more people at your tasting events in your distributor. They push it too, don't you? Distributors then like if they're going to come and do that, don't
they help with some marketing? >> So the brand managers push it more like Rich Powell from Castle Danger comes up and says, "Hey, you want to do a tasting this day?" It's not directly through my distributor. It's more through the the individual breweries. >> That's what I know. They would castle
danger and then would do their ownions and blanket party and yeah, >> that's good. That's good. >> Nightmare calendars >> starting Friday. >> You said your wine category is going
down, but People aren't drinking as much wine as they used to sales. It's >> because we're I mean people aren't drinking as much wine as they used to drink, but that doesn't mean people don't drink wine anymore. >> No, I know what I'm saying.
>> Part of that trend is that some of the other sales were actually wine. >> Yeah. And it's also not it's also not like a item for item bottle of wine for a case of beer, you know? the price of of what we're selling. And it's the
like even when there weren't Canadians coming down, they were coming down and getting cases of Cabernet or Chardonnay from California because there's no American wine in Ontario right now. >> Mhm. >> And they weren't buying cheap, you know, they're buying very nice bottles of
wine. >> What? >> That's right. Phillips went um and put a what is a manufacturing up in Ontario because there's that one I don't know if it was like one of the soupy syrupy drinks or whatever. It's
one of their favorites up there so that so since they couldn't sell they just went and put up a >> they built one up there so they can keep making the um >> and keep it in Canada. Mhm. I didn't realize that Martin Phillips, the can, you know, the legislator, that's his
family, >> the Phillips, >> the Johnson Phillips. >> Yeah. I didn't know that. I didn't know that either article >> and they said that's how they were kind of keeping that business going cuz it turns out it's like a specialty icky fl, you know, when you were 16 it was a good
flavor, but now this is a gross flavor, but >> you've grown up. >> And apparently it's still really popular up there. So that's how they circumvented and didn't lose sales. as they went >> like ketchup flavored French fries or some very Canadian thing. >> Yeah, whatever it was.
>> Yeah, >> I don't want to go on the jokes on that. >> That was a good I thought that was interesting. It how they didn't want to lose sales. Yeah. >> So, that's cool. Well, I'm glad our neighbors are coming back. >> I am too.
>> They're just darn good people. I'm not just even talking about liquor sales. It's just nice to have them around. >> Yeah. >> Great. All right. >> Thanks, Chris. >> Thanks, everyone. Have a wonderful night. >> Chris, I really appreciate it.
>> Thank you. >> Library report >> and electric's going after that kickoff of liquor. >> Everybody's thirsty >> and hungry. If it's okay with you, we'll just move the meeting to next door.
>> It would be okay with me. No objections. >> Well, thanks for having us today. I'm looking forward to sharing with you the 2027 library budget. I am Electra Branwin, library director if we're communicating broadly. And I am joined
today by library president Sarah McManis and also library trustee and county commissioner David Mills. >> Hi guys. Um, would it be helpful for me to recap the library performance update to get
started? Sure. Okay. So, this spring when I came and visited, we reported that more than half of Cook County residents are registered library members, and that visitor registration continues
to grow each year. The trends have encouraged the library to explore new ways to connect with residents and visitors. I'm sorry, it's the the dryness of the smoke. >> That's bad. >> It is.
>> Through through existing community touch points, including lodging providers and the Grand Marray campground campground and marina, and conversations with the city about welcoming new public utilities residents. uh customers.
Last year, the library welcomed more than 46,000 visitors, and this June, we had 4,000 people come through, and that's up from last year as well. We held four programs that brought in 248 people from different segments of
our community. And that's intentional planning to make sure that we're providing inclusive opportunities for connection and learning and participation at the library. Library use continues to evolve. And the last time I was here, we talked about
how the library is now on par with national trends where a third of our checkout is digital content. The budget that we'll be showing you today would allow us to pivot and offer a pilot of something called
Hoopla, which expands ebook access and e audios, it also introduces streaming music and video for the first time. And while the physical library remains absolutely a cornerstone of community connection, those digital resources are
going to provide greater flexibility for residents who live further from the city and also who need access to services outside of regular hours. Summer reading participation is also ahead of last year's pace. We've had uh
as of July 8th over 115 children doing the in library activities. We have mascots hidden all throughout the library and they get to go find them and then once someone finds them they have to hide it for the next person and they are very determined to hide it so
good that nobody's going to find it. Um so we had to we had to put a few parameters on the hiding game. Um, but also they are coming in and reading to a plant and they get to see their flower on the wall to help our
garden of readers grow and it's very engaging for everyone. The kids are delighted and just scouting everything out in the library. And uh we also purchased a number of reading trackers based on last year's figures plus a
little growth. and they are flying out the door so fast we've had to place another order. So, what's really special about about all of this is that each completed tracker is
providing a child with a free book of their choice to build their home library, their personal library. and we are creating a space that is safe and supportive for literacy and lifelong learning engagement throughout Cook
County. The trends I'm sharing are reflecting a library that's responsive to changing community needs and that's committed to using public resources thoughtfully. The proposed 2027 budget builds on this
work by supporting the people, the services, technology, and facility investments needed to continue serving the community. That's my piece. And I wonder if you have any questions about the library performance update before we enter the
budget discussion. Anything, Bill? Okay. I'm just not personally very excited. I'm always excited about our library, but I'm also personally excited when I see like kids and they're still there.
And I know it's so important. I mentioned this at the other meeting. My son-in-law took my granddaughter over to your the first thing. I think it was the first meeting of this summer with it in and he heard while he's there, he goes, "My god, the
place is packed in here." and he just couldn't believe that I mean they go to their duth library but he was like wow there's a lot of kids left people so that's great and that's a good point giving people access to materials when outside of you know
and we do have a responsibility to our whole county so I think every time we do things you know to people everywhere it's a huge service >> for them so thank you >> just like Chris you guys are like analing analyzing where you need to be, what's the newer things, what are the
trends. So, >> exactly. So, for the budget proposal, we have a 4.7% overall increase and that is largely reflecting a 10% projected increase in health insurance and the 3%
cost of living. So, we've done a lot of work with keeping the budget as tight as possible and moving funds around so that we could accommodate things like hoopla and staff training and then also capital planning. So, we're here tonight to talk about the budget for 27 which we'd love for you to
approve and then to have a conversation about how we want to look at long-term capital planning for the library. Um, the trustees have been really focused on the the strategic plan and in particular financial stewardship. We had Kim come and spend some time with us. She was
gracious to answer many of our questions in person and many over followup as well. Um, but the library facility is aging and we need to start thinking about long-term replacements like boilers, copers, the ratunda, the roof.
Um, and the library has some reserves. So, it makes sense for us to contribute to our own capital funds, but it also makes sense for the city and county to think about how they want to fund
capital repairs at the library as well. So, we've proposed an approach where the library would contribute to the 2027 budget for capital expenses and then ease the city and county into contributing over time so that we
minimize the impact of the levy because we want to be responsible with our taxpayers dollars and keep the increases as low as possible. One of the conversations we had at the library board too was just about the bylaws and where these responsibilities
fall. And it sounded like um it was largely in each entity's each entity had their capital for the library. It was their responsibility to manage that. Um so that was kind of a re revelation at our last meeting just like
oh because we were trying to figure out okay how are we going to approach this? So we thought it might be worth and I know there's other um joint powers agreements that are getting reviewed so it's probably a good idea. I know Commissioner Gamble is very interested in reviewing the library um joint powers agreement and so we'll just put it on the list for
whenever we get through the others. >> Well, we're going to town next week on one, right? >> Yep. >> I remember my calendar on that. >> Step by step. >> Yeah. >> And that's just a start to it. We're on the down side of getting that's
important. >> And which one is this? >> London. Yeah. So, that's good. Um, this isn't maybe a question for you guys. Maybe it's more for Kim and maybe still it's huge unknown, but I mean 10%
I had read a news story that potentially insurance could be higher this year, but do you ever get any kind of news or what what feel for that or is it too early? >> It's too early. We usually hear around September. So hopefully before the preliminary levy
time, but they don't give us any indication until then. >> And that was a total surprise last year, too, >> compared to what happened everywhere else. >> Yeah, last year we had a zero increase. So that was >> there you go.
>> So who knows? >> Okay. >> Yeah, it's usually um employed costs like that. The one thing you can't really well you can control if you want to go shopping but >> yeah even so >> it's hard yeah it doesn't mean you're
going to so the boiler is the immediate what's the most pressing right now it's um reached end of life timewise um so it seems seems prudent to replace it
before it fails. >> I think it was was it three years that we reached end of life ago or was it just maybe I'm getting >> I believe the boilers are 15 years old. Some can last longer, but ours are
showing wear. We had a heating assessment done before we started installing air source heat pumps and they were showing us the um the failing parts. We've replaced a number of them and currently they're stable. But it's something we want to make sure we're
proactive about. >> So 15 years. >> Any questions at propane? What have you What have you got for heating system? Propane. >> Mhm. I do like the capital planning and getting rid of any big spikes that will
come down rather than like and now we have a big expense even though between the county and the city we could split it. We could also be contributing a little bit each >> go around sense
good plan. >> Yeah. here my peaks and valleys and >> exactly that's what we want to avoid is coming in and asking for a huge amount of money because something is failing and then the next year not needing
anything and then it it just that's not good stewardship for us. Do you just use someone local to like assessing the boiler? And I know you said I did a lot of replacement parts, but does someone come in and then say based on where this is at, this is my
recommendation. We're working with Shane Steel about options because we certainly want to take advantage of any opportunity to electrify and join the city in that plan. Um, primarily we've had Jamar provide the assessments. They're the most responsive to our requests and and
calls. um and they've done the most thorough research on our whole um heating system. So, right now our quote is coming from them and our recommendations are from those assessments.
I just saw some great stuff on energy and for government again. I know I sent some stuff to Shane >> recently. Does he can't remember which one I just
sent to him and he was not on that distribution list. It was a thing for the state and >> might have been the energy one. I have to look at it again. But there there could be help that way if you haven't had a chance to do some snooping around
>> and find that out because there were some pieces. And I know like we've talked before that maybe as a city we've done the most we could do with our buildings and different things, but maybe we haven't with some options
there. I don't know. But there's just so many things that way and we don't usually have time or people to con to look into to what there is always but the emails constantly fly
from the state of opportunities. So, >> okay, thanks for that. Nancy Kelly um and whoever her new whoever the new Nancy Kelly is, they've been really excellent at helping us get uh rebates as well.
>> Okay. So yeah, you want to potentially think broadly about your replacement options. Is that what you're saying? Or are you just saying replace a propane
>> system again? Are you thinking? >> We're looking at electric, too. >> That's what Yeah, you're looking bigger option. They're broader. is probably should use. >> So, some of the options that we've looked at are propane, continuing with propane, we've looked at hybrid, and
we've looked at electrify. And right now, our quotes, uh, the expectations whether we go propane or electric will be the same cost. Uh some of the factors that are leaning some of us I believe toward the electric
um is also because we understand that there are city buildings that are succeeding with electricity and also that we are in range of the generator which is pretty successful backing up buildings in town.
We're all looking at you. >> Do you have uh just one boiler or do you have a couple of different systems? >> The library's heating and cooling systems are complex and any plumber who looks at them says so.
Um our boil our boilers in particular we have two and they create a redundancy. Um we also have in flooror heating in part of the newer parts of our building and we use airsource heat pumps especially in the shoulder season um for
heat and then also to uh cool the building in the summertime. They all they're all working together. We hope Do >> you have a followup? I'm I'm curious where your question was coming from.
>> I'm thinking because at the hospital we're also dealing with Jamar on boiler replacements and they are full-blown, you know, propane >> and they will stay that way. But we also have a really complex system too as you
can imagine. >> Yeah. with air handlers and stuff. I remember we had a conversation >> over a year ago, I think, about all the different systems you had playing together there. >> Yeah.
>> And I I thought that you had more than than one. I mean, the size of the building to me would dictate that you would need to have one, you know, two boilers that alternate or kick in was really severely cold. >> Mhm. >> Like we have three.
spot on. >> Just good. >> I'm just sending you looking if I could see some of that like some some of these emails that I had received recently to look again.
Anyways, okay. The boiler is a good example of a current need that a few others they've identified. It's pointing towards the capital approach where we're going to be asked to increase our annual contribution.
So, just want to make sure everybody understands that's the ask to gradually move towards and at this point the target is about 50,000 a year split between the city and the county that would be included in their budget request in the future that we'd be
levying every year, setting aside in an account for capital projects and then using for a project like the boiler. So, this year the library's ask for that. It's pretty small in the levy. That's what it's been historically for the city and the county is not a lot put
in towards capital. I think maybe it was a thousand each. We probably called it the carpet fund when it was created or the capital improvement project fund. >> Um so it's going to grow and I don't know that we know exactly
how quickly it's going to grow yet, but we're aiming for that 50,000 a year and that's based on what their depreciation schedule says their assets are worth. there there might be a way to refine that number over time through study, but
it seems like a really good starting point as a something to aim at. >> You guys talked about this last year, right? I thought there was talk then about switching over some dollars into startup funer
imagination. So we have to win on this. >> We we'd love for you to do it today. >> This is a work session. >> You can this is a regular meeting too. You can take action here. The library budget comes in advance of
the rest of the city departments because we have to send it to the county for their review as well. So, it's about a month ahead of everyone. >> Well, I would make a motion then to approve the 2027 library budget.
>> Anyone like to second that motion? I'll second that motion. Any further questions or comments about the budget proposed budget for the library? Excuse me. The major increase is major increase is the what if on the
health insurance and the rest of it is not much of a change really at all and that is still the number we can't really control and it could still vary which would vary for
everyone I mean the rest of the city staff as well and the other 3% is just part of the union contract contract for all union employees of the library. So more commentary when you think through
that what's really affecting it and that >> otherwise they aren't really asking for any changes to the dayto-day operational costs other than this thought of moving toward >> no capital >> yeah into the future future not now
>> yeah it's a whole year to think about how we >> it's a good >> all right and with that any other questions or comments? All right. All in favor of the proposed
budget for the library for 2027. >> I I thank you so much. >> Thank you. And that is the end. We get a 10 minute break or so. Part: 2
Okay, no problem. Just letting >> We're good now. >> All right. Thank you very much. All right. The time is 6:30. We begin our regular meeting. Craig Schulty, the Lois, myself, Michael Gary, Kim Banduk,
and Mandy Layman are with us tonight. And city attorney, put on your glasses. Oh, I forgot to put them in. >> They don't need them. They're okay. Oh, that's you. >> Yeah, I'm Jill. >> Yeah, you're Joel. Thought that looked
familiar. Like that doesn't look like the attorney's name. Is Gavin here? >> Not yet. >> All right. Well, we're going to get going without Gavin then. That's the way it rolls. >> Um, time now for open forum. Is anyone
here for open forum? I think I know the answer to this, but heads down. Okay, that will move on from open forum. Next on to the consent agenda. Um for any amendments or approval there. Would
anyone like to make um a motion for the consent agenda? >> Make that motion to >> second agenda as presented. Second. >> Thank you. Any questions, changes to that agenda? >> Seems.
>> Okay. All for approval of the consent agenda. >> I >> I >> I >> All right, we're all set with that. Now we're on to new business. And we were to have an H update with our
H director. >> Should we just push it? Maybe hold. >> I mean, I suppose Is that an amendment? Do we have to amend the agenda? >> Uh to switch those two. Well, let's let
us move on and give him some time. Let's make Okay. Why don't you make the motion that we will move on to Northshore and then come back to this? We'll just motion it. How's that? >> Yeah, I'll make So, I'll make that motion to amend the agenda to move um
switch E and F. >> All right. Second on that. >> Second. >> All right. Call approval for that amendment to the agenda. I >> I
>> All right. Very good. Thank you. Now we can go on to our guests here for Northshore resiliency study and their presentation. Um feels somewhat timely considering our current situation.
And that's interesting thought I reading it um because typically we're just told oh get on the grade and go you know if there's an issue and this really kind of highlights depending on where you're at how you can get up and go or what what
parts we need to do. So with that um if you'd like to introduce yourselves please. >> Sure. Um thank you for having us. My name is Erica Shepard and I am a uh transportation planner with Mindot District 1 based out of Duth.
>> My name is Jod D'vor. I'm a project manager at KJ Engineering. Uh I'm the project manager from the consultant side and I did forward the meeting info to Beverly as well. uh she might jump on, she might not tonight, but um we have
her as part of the team with ARDC who did a lot of work on uh kind of the preliminary of the study coming into this. >> Yeah. >> And um I'm not not paying attention quickly. See if I can get hold of our H director, but I am paying attention just
just from where are you? No worries. >> So, thank you. Absolutely. Go ahead. >> Yeah. Well, thank you so much for having us here today. Um I uh recognize a couple faces from uh another event in Grand Ray earlier this spring. So, I'm
sorry if this is repeat information, but um Mindot is uh leading a study called the Northshore Roadway Network Resilience Study, also known as the Highway 61 Alternative Routes Study, um
looking at uh um what potential alternate routes to Highway 61 could look like in the event that Highway 61 has to close. um because we don't have any official identified alternate routes. So um the study's been in the
works for several years. They it predates me. So I'm uh kind of standing on the shoulders of a lot of folks including I'm sure a lot of people in this room have done a lot of work to um get us to this point. So um it's a super
multiaceted study. Uh it's kind of part emergency management, part climate resilience driven. Um we're looking at Highway 61 itself and we're also looking at um local roadways that kind of connect into Highway 61. Um and it's a
really long uh study area. We're basically looking at Highway 61 from Two Harbors all the way to the Canadian border. So that is uh 125 miles. Uh we're also looking at uh alternate routes, detour routes within that lighter orange crescent shape on the
map. So, the southern portions of Lake and Cook counties. Um, and uh because it's such a large area, we have kind of broken out the the study area into 10 segments and a little over
140 subsegments kind of um following roadway breaks and mile markers to kind of help us organize our data and analysis because it's such a large study area. Um this summer, uh we're kind of in the middle of our data collection
phase. Um we're kind of doing an existing conditions review, uh getting a sense of local concerns and vulnerabilities, um and then collecting data. And then, uh in the fall, we'll kind of get into our detour analysis. So, evaluating the alternate routes, uh
that are identified, looking at regional versus local detour distinctions. So, kind of like large scale rerouting versus local access, things like that. And then looking at things like seasonality and how that impacts um
which alternate routes would be feasible um depending on what time of year the closure would be. Um and then in the the winter, we'll get into um concept development. So um based on the vulnerabilities that uh we find uh we'll
look at what um the potential infrastructure improvements might look like kind of develop out what what those might entail and then the end goal and deliverable uh will come in spring 2027 with a closure action plan. So those
will kind of be um if you by segment the action plans will include um detour options kind of looking at the length of the detour and time versus mileage, what detours might work for what kinds of closures when um and then also an
investment prioritization of um recommended improvements. So really the the end goal here is uh for um local our local and federal and tribal partners to be able to kind of leverage the study to apply for grant funding to um be able to
make some of those improvements that we identify. Um so the project goals I kind of have uh danced around them a little bit um but will be evaluating existing and future conditions uh of Highway 1 or
Highway 61 and the local roadway networks. Um assessing climate, environmental and infrastructure vulnerabilities to Highway 61. Uh big one identifying and evaluating viable alternate routes to 61.
um and then developing those investment recommendations. Um and then of course engaging with partners, stakeholders, and the public to build a shared vision throughout the study. So that's kind of a broad overview of the study and then I'll pass it off to Joe to kind of get into more of the details.
>> Thanks, Erica. Um so when we started this project, uh we had one example of 61 being closed this year back in February. It was a blizzard. Um, when we think of closure impacts with a blizzard, uh, closing 61 between Duth
and the border, there aren't a lot of viable alternative route because 61 is likely to be the first one plowed and kind of that main access point opened up. However, back in May, uh, the Stewart Trail fire down in Two Harbors closed the segment of 61 between Two
Harbors and Silver Bay uh, for 4 and a half days. Uh this was caused by a wildfire and um that alternate route did have quite a long detour uh where there were several shorter cutthrough routes
um that were being used. So it was a good example of what goes right and wrong with a identified detour plan. Uh and then lastly, uh in summer of 2026, uh with a Culvert replacement project up
in Hovland, uh we are looking or MDOT's looking at a 12-day up to a 12-day detour on Arrowhead Trail, uh where 61 will be closed. It's a lot shorter of a detour route. It's a couple of minutes versus some of the numbers we'll be
talking about today. Um, but it's again uh an example of needing to close the roadway to replace a culvert. If a culver gets washed out, there's going to be several days of mind responding to that and having to replace it where that
traffic's getting detourred to the local roadway network, whether that's county, uh, municipal, or township or forest service road. So that Steuart Trail fire gave us a really good example of the 511 posted
detour which came straight from MDOT of going up um connecting into Kai Road 2 and then coming to the south. Uh it was a much longer route 49 miles 56 minutes. Um however just that southern portion uh
was closed due to the fires. So people were finding that fastest route via Google Maps uh via their local knowledge knowing that they could cut across on Gunub Road, save about 10 minutes. However, the roads are in rough conditions on Gun Club Road. It's
narrow. So if there is cross traffic, um those vehicles are are coming in very close proximity having to slow down. So if both directions are detouring on that roadway, it's not a feasible route. If freight and trucks are also detouring on
that route >> and not everyone's cell phone coverage works. Lake County has crappy cell phone. >> Yeah, I actually did drive this so I I remember that one. >> Yep. Oh yeah. >> Another aspect of wildfires is there's
generally an evacuation area or a large acreage that is closed. And so when we're looking at detour routes responding to a wildfire with this study, a close proximity parallel route might also be closed. So we're looking
at several options um with these local route identifications uh for us to study so that we have a plan A and a plan B uh for as many segments along here that we can. So, as we start looking at roadway data
along the county and local system, uh we're using a company or product called Road AI, uh which is cell phone dash cam video that's being uploaded to a software provider and they're looking at
that video and um calculating out the roadway condition, the roadway width, uh line markings, and traffic signs. So what this data gives us is some of that important information when we're considering a detour of can we fit
birectional traffic on this roadway. Uh what condition is that roadway in uh as far as taking freight vehicles? Um when we're considering detours the spring we have a frost thaw cycle uh where there's
a lot of the load restrictions on the county roads. Um, so for freight traffic, we have to take that into consideration. Uh, and then as you said, spotty cell service. Um, if we have traffic signs diverting someone and taking a route they don't have any idea
that they're on, we need signage to bring them back to 61 past where that detour route is as well. Uh, we're also looking at a filling a culvert inventory. Um, both Lake and Cook County have pretty good culvert
inventories. However, the local roadways, forest service roadways, um have very spotty data. Um so you can see a lot of those points up on the grade, which is uh the forest service road that's converting to uh the Cook County
Road. Uh and then a lot of these other gravel roadways that we either ranked that culvert as needing attention or uh it was missing information on where those streams were crossing or potential detour routes. And
so for all those culverts, we're looking at the condition of the culvert, any road settlement that's occurring, erosion or obstructions. As we're looking at reasons why 61 would close, uh we have five main categories.
Um a dam, culvert, or bridge failing uh would likely close 61 for multiple days. Coastal erosion is that long-term risk factor of having to realign 61 if the coastline does take it out. There's several locations along the corridor uh
just to the north of here where uh that coastline's within 50 ft of Midnot rightway and it has been moving over the past 30 years. Um so that is a a big concern as we start looking out 20 30 40 years down the road. Landslide risk
there's a lot of cliff faces uh directly adjacent to the corridor where there have been rock falls um over the years. wildfire risk, uh, which we went into detail on, and then crash risk. When there's a serious injury or fatality,
uh, state patrol may need to shut the highway down for 6 hours to a day uh, to reconstruct that crash scene. Uh, when we're looking at detours, uh, we're looking at that increased distance and time versus travel times on 61. What
traffic volume is being diverted? And so a lot of these county roads have a 100 to 500 vehicles on them at the most. When we're talking about thousands of cars on 61 being diverted to these routes, that's a year's worth of um
roadway damage done in days versus, you know, a year. Um so trying to understand that impact, distance trauma centers, uh EMS responses, uh those are very important to minimize those detour
travel times. And then VMS, uh variable message signs, roadway technology, cameras to quickly identify situations and be able to implement the detour routes. So looking at some of the specifics in
Cook County around Grand Marray, um we are seeing a lot more gaps in existing detour routes um compared to Lake County. Uh we have six of them identified here in that kind of 30
minute range to 90 minute range and then there's even a few north of Grand Marray where there's a gap where there isn't a detour route right now if something happened in that 61 segment. Um, so we're looking at potential
uh new roadway connections or improvements to maybe old county alignments that just haven't been maintained. Um, that's the kind of road 69 to 17 section uh just north of Grand Marray there or north of Hovland.
Um, but then we're also considering where gravel roads might need to be widened out to take two-way traffic or improved so that they can handle that amount of traffic. As we look at Grand Marray uh and start
looking at some of those potential detour route traffic, um the grade adds anywhere up to about 53 minutes uh between Grand Marray and about Silver Bay where you can kind of
connect back down on Highway 1 or I guess Ilgen. um understanding that that type of a detour is there. Some of those shorter routes like Pike Lake Road, Ward Lake Road where they're coming up as saving 20
minutes, um they're in much worse condition than the grade. And so we need to compare that condition of the roadway versus those travel time savings as we start identifying the investment priorities for Cook County and uh the
Forest Service. >> Ask a question. >> Go ahead. So that the county plows that >> and wanted full responsibility for it for this very reason.
So where do things like time priorities go over the fact that you know it is a better well-maintained you know more usable road >> and we're just talking about element of time and where you don't have to like totally answer it but I mean there's
there's a common sense sort of priority when you make these decisions. >> Yep. Is it really make sense to take a road that is not even near usage for this purpose and even consider it? Let alone spending
the dollars to improve it and to ask somebody to maintain it versus taking a road that may take you longer, but it's already equipped to handle this for the most part. And that's the exact question we're trying to answer with some
technical information versus just making a guess at it. Like where is that inflection point of we've spent a lot of money on the grade? It's the more continuous route today.
Um and would likely be that regional detour route if something were to happen between Grand Marray and Ilgen City. Um how how does that transition if certain segments are closed in that area
where one of those shorter routes might be the um you know main route that's going around a onem issue versus a 50 mile issue. Um, so that's what we're trying to work with our our county partners on
is yeah, there's the regional connections and the grade's going to be that regional connection likely, but there's so many different segments along here. If there's a shorter section that's closed that traffic's going to divert to that shorter route, just like the Two Harbors example, it was a 10 to
15 mile stretch that people had to get around. they're going to try and take that shortest route and it wears out the the roadway. Um, I've got a, you know, road AI uh, dashboard I can show you that that was one of the roadways that's showing the most wear because we took
the data right after that detour route. >> Well, I got up. It was so funny. I was on that detour. I got up there to the was it the >> gun whatever it was. Yeah. And then they said, "Nope, this is closed. You got to go." So then I had to go all the way up and then catch There were actually
people out that told you because I've heard stories about people who get through got through. Anyways, >> I think a lot of people went around the local detours. >> Yeah, I could have ignored the side of that. >> Exactly. >> We don't really know the area that well, so go. So, I did end up going back and
then coming into Silver Bay. So, as far as our our schedule, Erica kind of went over our overall project schedule, but really our focus during this phase one engagement has been getting focus group meeting details. Um, back in April, we met with five specific
focus group meetings to discuss emergency management, uh, multimold business and tourism, so like wayfinding signs. Uh, with a detour, you might be going past your destination. you need to know to backtrack to get to Split Rock
Lighthouse or um other uh big destinations. Uh environmental really looking at those risk factors um that we're quantifying with the study. Federal and tribal looking at the border crossing and Grand Portage Reservation, how that
interaction has some existing gaps today. Where that nearest border crossing is is International Falls. So, little bit outside our study area. >> Um, but the feedback we got on that bridge is it's a very resiliently built
bridge to where they can do maintenance and still keep traffic flowing across that bridge barring an entire bridge um failure. Uh, and then lastly, cities, townships, and counties. um really trying to get an
idea of how much uh engagement we we wanted to do with councils which led us to July. Um we've met with the cities and townships of toy, two harbors, Schroeder and Grand Marray and then met with both the counties yesterday just
going through the similar information trying to get as much input as we can um to integrate into this study for what um priorities or deliverables would help the city in kind of planning for
resiliency in the roadway network. And then lastly, public engagement. Uh we were at Bay Days last weekend as well, Silver Bay. Um we're also planning to either do rendevous days or fisherman's picnic uh coming up here at the end of
July or early August as a kind of Cook County event. So as far as next steps, um we're getting a lot of this data collected um and analyzed this fall. uh we'll be starting to sift through these detour
routes with all that technical information and trying to uh compare where those priorities need to be from a county and municipal level. Uh and then lastly, coming up with those closure action plans and investment plans of
which grants are we going after moving forward with always changing federal um roadway infrastructure planning and grants. Um so with that, we'll we'll maybe take a a pause for any other input um you
have on some of these risk factors and potential detour routes. Um, we also have some information kind of showing examples, um, where these are the types of maps that we're looking at for like wildfire
closure risk. Um, we're looking at historical wildfire locations, um, proximity to national forests where tree growth is a lot more dense and, um, could accelerate forest fire. Is there one that's up there now or is that?
>> Yep. This is all kind of the fire risk. >> That's fire risk. Okay. >> Yep. >> And so you'll see areas kind of north of Silver Bay um between two harbors or just north of kind of Silver Creek where the Steuart Trail fire was >> um is kind of in that um four out of
five ranked risk. Uh and then spots around Grand Marray, kind of north and south of Grand Marray, specifically around Loots into the south, >> um where there's the state forest as well. >> Well, I see in this you're looking at
culvert inventories and just items that need to be attended to on the road. I'm sure you heard this in shorter and talked to you, but I'm going to ask it to. Mhm. >> So with the planned repaving next summer of those areas, are those kinds of issues already incorporated into that
plan? I mean, I know it's not your part of the work, but >> I'm assuming you've already done that investigative work. >> Yeah, for sure. Um and I think uh culvert improvements will be um
incorporated into at least the major ones will be incorporated into the um next summer's project. Uh but a lot of it's it's interesting because we we know a lot of the culvert data the condition the size all of that on highway 61 we
don't know that much about on the local road. So that's mostly what this >> uh data collection is. It's to help kind of fill those data gaps so we can help our local partners kind of identify, oh, this one's like grossly undersized based on past flooding data and things like
that. So >> okay, that's good to know because you have probably heard well how important that is to all of us, right, to get that done, not to mention all the people who visit us. >> It's a very bumpy section of road. >> Yeah. nicely.
>> Yeah. >> So, Erica is also the project manager on on that project. >> Well, on the study, the the one next year or is uh one of our uh engineers, but um there will be an open house on August 20th in Schroeder on that
project. So, there'll be more >> already, right? Thought they did have one. Maybe >> um for the study back in February and then now we're coming back and doing a little bit more, but Okay. Yeah, definitely much more information on next year's project at the August 20th
meeting. >> So, just seeing some of the direction and kind of going back to that Grand Marray zoomed in map, County Road 7 really provides a good alternative route directly around
Grand Marray. It's paved. It's in good condition. Um, it's a very minimal travel time ad. Um, what you, if I'm reading correctly, what you're seeing is that kind of regional route down to Two Harbors, down
to Silver Bay, down to the Twin Cities. That connection is kind of the most under served right now. Like with the grade kind of filling that gap, but not really. >> Usually fills in that gap. Yeah,
>> I mean that I don't know. This is me talking personally, but 20 more minutes that gets you on a smooth gra fairly smooth wide gravel road that's straight. I mean, so you know, I mean, you're you're not doing this. You can drive this and then drop back down again. And
if you need to, you can still continue. >> I mean, granted, you're right. There's always going to be some unexpected interruption to it, but >> I think it serves its purpose quite well considering where we live. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> But you guys
>> I think another thing we've heard and definitely I think you're maybe a little bit alluding to this is that locals know this and know the roads around here. And I think one thing at least with the Steuart Trail fire that kind of elevated
the the need for wayfinding and signage more than I initially going into this study thought it would be much more infrastructure improvement based. But the wayfinding aspect is going to be huge especially with how many tourists come up here and don't necessarily know all the back roads that I'm sure all the
locals know. >> Well, I think that's true. Anytime you go anywhere, if you're not familiar, you're just not familiar, right? >> I don't think it's that >> I mean, yeah, you can feel nervous if you're not used to the woods and you're not up there, but I don't think that issue is any different. You can be in
the metro if you don't know where you need to be. >> Absolutely. >> Short of the fact that now you could pull it up on your phone and figure it out. But in a certain amount, we get a lot of people up here now that pull up an app and it's a snowmobile
trail and they do it anyways. >> They do it. >> So, you know, the common sense head isn't always on. Or they just say, "Well, the map told me it could >> and that's not >> and then they're calling a tow truck." >> Yeah. >> If the truck can get there. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, I don't know. You can have all the signs you want, but common sense. >> Yeah. I think it's almost worse. Mhm. >> Sometimes. Yeah. >> Being out on the snowmobile all the time and seeing these lost Subarus are way
down two miles on the snowmobile trail. That didn't have to happen. >> Mhm. >> It didn't happen years ago, but it's happening now. >> Yeah. Now it's almost worse. >> Oh wow. I think it has more to do with plowing more roads that don't need need
to be plowed and signing that you can maybe get somewhere and it's only seasonal. >> I mean, >> yeah, >> a forever effort to try to do the best you can do to help somebody make this easier, but at some point,
>> maybe that's a good question, William, that you brought up. Are a lot of the forest roads used as just snowmobile trails in the winter or Some are >> some are >> historically not all pl. >> So that's where like a summer route would show up
>> as a route. >> Some of the roads into the fend campgrounds aren't plowed in the winter time. >> Right. Some of those drive out and they get packed nice and hard and the car goes by. Oh, we can drive in there >> only to find out >> they get in a half mile and it's no more
trail. Yep. >> You know, >> sink down. >> That happens a lot. or the guy who thought it it my app told me if I just went down here at the skill and he found himself at the bottom of Moose Mountain and got stuck and then no
way to get back out and thought a tow truck was going to come down and get him out, but my aunt told me I could be down here. >> Yeah. >> No, I think that's um really helpful info just the seasonality of some of
these roadways. um has been something we've heard this last week and >> trying to get that integrated. >> They're not maintained. Not all of them are maintained year round and maybe signage that says that like in the off season, you know, might help some of
these people, I guess. I don't >> Yeah, like Valley Creek. >> Yeah, that's a good example there. Snow trail >> right at the beginning. Yeah, people >> and a portion of that ski trailer. Well, that's uh been very helpful info.
Um we we just wanted to kind of open the lines of communication early on in the study. We've still got a year year to go uh where we're going to be doing a lot of analysis over the next three months
um trying to get some of those preferred detour routes identified. probably then touch base again with um all of our agency partners uh and then hopefully get some closure plans next summer.
>> Yeah. >> Great. >> Yeah. Thank you so much for your comments and feel free to reach out or if you have any other thoughts. Um yeah, I think you have Joe's email. Hopefully I can
>> send if her emails in the slides. >> Yes. Okay. >> Well, my version that I >> Your version is Okay, cool. >> Yes. >> Apologies for coming in late. I had internet issues, but um I'll just introduce myself. I'm Beverly Salifer.
I'm the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission's project lead on this project. So, >> thank you. Thanks for the introduction. >> Yeah, thanks for joining, Beverly. >> Yeah. >> All right. And thanks for the time tonight. Thank you so much.
Glad somebody's thinking about this. >> Well, timing is everything and we rearranged it and you're spot on here, Jeff. It's your turn. >> Okay. Well, good evening, mayor and council members. Um I'm just uh in tenants today
to give you kind of an update about what's going on with uh the Highway 61 project at 1800 West Highway 61. Um right next to the city building right across the street from the Aspen on what I like to call the western gateway to
Grammaray. Um so purpose is just to give you that update. um the project would not be possible without your assistance and your help in in making this a reality um in demonstrating the uh what I what I consider to be a long-term
partnership between the HR and the county and the city in terms of making sure that we have housing that's adequate for the workforce that we need in Cook County. Um that planned conveyance of a dollar is something that I still think is very
worthwhile. It will it will really help with um making the housing project more affordable. The EDA, as you know, has a $1.3 million grant through uh the state of Minnesota through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. That $1.3
million only comes once in a lifetime. And thankfully, we um we were able to receive that here and it does have a timeline that is ticking every day. uh we started with uh the idea that it has
to be completed by January 1st, 2028. That has not changed and our assumption is that we are looking to find a developer. I think we found one that's going to meet or perhaps um develop the project to completion before that January 1st, 2028
um deadline. So, I'm really excited for that. over the past uh months, several months, of course, um Mayor Benson's been involved with some discussions about finding a new developer in this area and also discussions about what that means for the impact to this
project and that sort of thing. And um as it stands right now, we have um completed a non-binding um letter of intent and LOI to vision incorporated um to which we have said um
we're going to start working on a developers agreement. We are in negotiations right now with that developers agreement. Um the hope is that the HR will take action in a special meeting on the 29th of J July which is coming up in just a few weeks. We just had our board meeting at 5:00 or
3:00 today. Ended at 5:00 and um we just don't have enough time for us to meet those deadlines for that meeting as we're having a special meeting at the end of the month to kind of keep things going. Um Mayor Benson had asked me about a timeline and I did provide that to you. I don't know if you saw kind of late.
Sorry for that. Um I meant to do that earlier for you. Um but our goal is that u we would continue to get the project rolling along. Um, and so I'm just going to pull that up so everybody's kind of aware of where we're at. Um, so we're
negotiating the final developers agreement now. Trying to get everything inked out and agreed to so that way we can have our legal folks look at it and get everything drafted, that sort of thing. On July 29th, the AT is looking to hold a special meeting um to review that developers agreement and and
discuss it. Um and then of course we're at the July 15th meeting here today to talk to you, give you kind of an idea of what's going on and um to help with preparations for that lane conveyance to the AR as part of the process. On August 19th, we're hopeful that the
city council will um we'll take a look at this project and discuss that land conveyance to the HR area and keep things moving forward. Um on the 31st, we're hoping that we um convey that property to Vision and we're hopeful
that by December of this year, we're breaking ground to start the process of building and constructing 16 units of housing, of which 11 of those 16 units will either be 60 or 80%
um of the market rate in a subsidy. We are contributing $100,000 to the project in upfront costs with the idea that we can get up to 10 years of subsidy on the back end for the renters at that property. And so that's part of
the discussion. Um there's a lot of things I could say. I've been kind of um living this whole um project for the last couple of months as we uh switch uh into a new developer and ease into that process. happy to ask answer any
questions that you might have for me today. Um, and from there I'll just >> just to put it in context, our 1.3 million. Um, can you remind me the total amount the state gave out this year? It's
>> yeah, less than 4 million >> and we got 1.3 back then. That was a historic year and we did very well. They want us to have this money and get this built. We don't want to see this not happen.
>> And that was a major motivator besides the fact I think our council after our last meeting with the original developer, we would love to see somebody else >> in this shoes to do this. Mhm. >> Um, and I know they're not listed here,
but this and and I know Gunpoint View had sort of a reconfigurations of ownerships and had multiple names because of it, but these are this group is part of that bill, right? Even though it's not listed in here. >> These were some of the people
>> business. >> Yeah. That did View. >> So, they've already been up here working. They'll be in two harbors now. >> Yeah. They're also looking at doing a project. I believe it's 75 units in two harbors, but given the fact that there's
a time clock on this project, um they're still looking to prioritize that one and get this one done before the Janu January 1st deadline um as well. So, um of course, you know, there's conversation about the other two parcels
that we have uh for gunf 2, gunfflin 3, those are ongoing conversations. But what we do know is that at the H we have the the housing study that showed we needed a certain amount of housing both in single family and multifamily. I
think we're doing a great job of you know getting the multif family. We still need to work on the single family and we're doing it here and there. What I do know is that the Gunland view is full and the Heights is full and um you know I think that those are indicators that
the study clearly showed what we needed in our community. And talking to some of the people that live in our community, it sounds like we could use more of it for the the the workforce needs that we still have that are unmet. >> Yeah. >> And the original design was only eight
units. Now this has 11. Oh, >> yeah. >> And >> the other piece I liked is that the two bedrooms also have two bathrooms. >> So, if you are a roommate situation or whatever, that just makes a better, you
know, working thing. That's might sound kind of whatever, but if you're living in that apartment, you're going to be a little bit happier. >> Catch that. >> Looking at the layout. Yeah, this is nice. And you're right. We actually, you
know, we're well aware we need family housing and we know we need some kind of assisted living or more things like the um homestead cooperative or the condos. And you've got you just did that
study get sent out? I got stopped today. >> Sorry, I forgot that Mike was not going to be here today. I sent all that stuff to him this afternoon. Actually, we did connect about that, but didn't get to you yet. He's got it. He'll send it out. >> Yeah. So we'll get that because that's the beginning of that looking at that
kind of housing and whatever. So that study how housing >> for that um group is you've got some data and stats on that. I know the H is focusing on that. >> I think that's important to understand that there is that recognition that this
is just one piece of multiples that you're prioritizing. >> Absolutely. >> That needs to be done. >> Yeah, we have a lot of unmet needs in Cook County. the the senior living part of it all. Uh we just talked about now we have a study that shows that we need
a certain amount of housing for assisted living and a certain amount of housing for memory care and that stuff has to show up organically where we never really have had that before at least we haven't had it for a very long time. >> Mhm. Um and uh you know that's going to take further partnerships and I
appreciate everyone um and their interests in Cook County for this process because we're one of the more isolated counties in the state and one of our one of our what I like to think one of our assets is those partnerships. Um some places that just
doesn't happen. It's everybody competing against each other and I think over here in this county we're competing for each other. That's a big distinction. Yeah. >> And then I know the picture is just kind
of a rough whatever, but um >> you will notice there's a certain kind of spaceship element missing from this design. >> Oh, from >> Yeah. So, and then there's >> probably just a rendering of what? >> Yeah. >> They can architecturally do a few things
I think to make it >> Yeah. And that's but that one kind >> exterior. Yeah. >> element is is missing. The artsy part's gone, as I'd like to say. >> And I know it's not in here, but you
they did graciously answer that. So, this >> unit or this concept does have a fitness. So, my question to these this building group was, well, you know, we got our Y and some other private whatever. Is
there a better way we could utilize that space in this building and not look competitive? And they gave a very thoughtful answer back which made sense that it's an an entity an amenity >> that most people want no matter what.
>> Yeah. Expectations. So it was just a a thought. Yeah, it does sound like the one up >> a view has right >> and it sounds like it's being well used >> from what I hear. >> Mhm. >> Yeah.
>> Like how that turned out. >> And I've been involved in their community rooms now for meetings when I actually found my way there. >> Um went to the wrong building the other week >> totally late trying to get in the building like where are you guys at? the
other building. >> Oh, sorry about that. >> Yeah. No, that's okay. That's okay now. Um, but those were nice too to their community space to rent or utilize whatever. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. Other questions? >> That's good. >> Good. >> Other things you wanted us to know, Jeff? Um, you know, I just keeping on the timeline is really important to the final product, I think, and I want to
make sure that I keep the H at least on our timeline that we need to. So, like I said, the 29th is the next big step, and that's the developers agreement, and the developers develop, sorry, it's been a long day. The developers agreement is going to cover things like landscaping.
It is going to cover stuff that's really important just like the other projects have as well. So, um, I'm really looking forward to getting that accomplished and and moving forward on that. >> Oh, are they done with the the pieces they had to send back to Minnesota Housing?
>> Yes, they actually sent us a copy of their workbook. >> There you go. That's >> Yep. And then Minnesota Housing Finance Agency was initially concerned about us, you know, not having a developer, now having a developer. They were able to look at the workbook and it looks like um
they're reviewing it now. I don't see any major red flags or flares that they've shot up in the air yet. So, that's always a good thing. The biggest thing is they want to see us be successful in this project as well. Um they want to be partners however they can. They'd rather not give the money back. Um they don't they do know that
there are other um communities that would use this money. Um but we're first in line and if we don't do anything that substantially changes the elements of the construction of this, one of those is of course the fitness room. um we can
continue to keep this grant and use it for our community and so um it's that was kind of an articulation to the new developer uh and so yeah >> oh and um mention the other organizations that also support will
probably come in financially supporting this >> um yeah so there >> it's not confirmed but >> it's not confirmed yet but they are meeting with a couple of um nonprofit organizations that have expressed some interest with some financing thing. They reached out to me and asked they were
really concerned that this grant was going away and they really do see the need also for housing in Cook County and so they reached out to me independently and said they're very interested in funding projects for housing in Cook County going forward and I'm really
happy to have that. The vision developer is looking to they're having a conversation I believe they actually had it at 3:00 when I was having the HA board meeting today. I don't know what the results of that conversation were, but I'm hopeful that that will mean further participation and further
partnership with with them. >> Excellent. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I was kind of concerned too like if they switch developer, they might, you know, it's good to know they were like whatever you got a good >> good developer, we'll be right there with you.
>> That was good to know. So helpful. >> Yep. It is is nice to have that. Again, there is greater demand. If you look at the overall demand for housing in in the state of Minnesota, it's probably a 65 billion. It's probably 67 billion issue. That's about what the state budget is
for two years. And that's just for housing. Um, and so having a $4 million budget for things like what we're proposing to do here in Cook County for the entire state really doesn't get us a lot of winners, but an awful lot of people competing for those dollars. Um,
but we have competed and we do have those dollars because of our competitive nature that we have in Cook County. Again, we have those partnerships, but we are also pretty isolated and we do need those resources >> because those resources do transcribe into
wealth and uh opportunity for more workforce in our community and the achieving this is really important. >> All right. >> Thank you, Jeff. >> Thank you all. I appreciate it. And if you need any questions answered outside
of this meeting, feel free to give me a call, email, um, stop by the office. Happy to talk. Thank you. >> I'm glad this I feel like the energy is there now between all the different groups, which was not there before.
>> Sometimes it takes a something or another to happen for us to kind of do that, have that closeness, and I appreciate that. And we'll just keep working on that, too. Thank you. >> Thanks. All right, administrator report. We checked up the list because we don't have them with us right now.
>> No administrator. >> All right, >> council reports. Michael. >> Okay. >> Well, let's see here. We got animal rescue tomorrow and the tree board is sort of dormant at
the moment. >> Yeah, that's about all I got from >> Okay. I think he's got another joke in there. So, I just >> saving it for next time. That's right. >> Craig had a park board meeting. I didn't
attend it, but I do have Dave's report that I can share with you. Um, just a little information on park. Uh, June's receipts are matching May's the trend that May had. I mean that
we're lagging about 3.5% down roughly 25,000 I think because of the weather. That's through uh June, the end of June. >> Um old business.
Let's see. He had some information here on the with the help from uh someone's texting me. Um, the Duth Archaeology. We were working with Duth Archaeology to work on the
state historic preservation office review that's necessary to secure the legacy funding for the bath house and the sign projects >> and so near they're nearing completion. So that can be submitted um
by a permit to take shovel samples to send in. But anyway, that's getting that process is being completed. Um we had some last minute hiring with uh that helped out the uh park
um immensely because they're short as as you saw today. I think there was two people that got added to the >> excuse me, >> got added to the um >> personnel down there. And um then the only other thing that
the park was talking about was uh we already completed the July art fair weekend. So now we have the fisherman's picnic weekend coming up. Mhm. >> And as you can see, the fishburg sand is already in place, which will operate on
the weekends leading up to fisherman's picnic. So, that's all I have. >> Thank you. I see tonight we approved the pingo time. >> Yep. >> That's good. So, but surely the fireworks is done. >> Fireworks are done.
>> So, we're getting there. >> Fireworks. I think they're already done. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Everything's staged and ready. Just get rid of the smoke. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that's right. >> I don't know if that can happen. And it could get worse. >> Oh boy. Hard to tell. All right. Well,
believe it or not, I really don't have anything. Jeff's deal was my biggest deal. Our meetings, you know, for that >> meeting with them. And I'm just thrilled that they finally got someone, >> you know, that's really wants to be here
and do this and uh energy around it and things are getting done. So that's great. >> And what I read and what I read online sounds like they're good. I mean pretty decent outfit. >> Sorry. >> No, that that should be good. Oh, and
after um Katherine was here talking about Fourth Avenue, I did um get a hold of Sheriff Ben Halberg and he was going to I thought I saw it, but he's been sending me notes. So, this the speed trailer,
>> they had a sign up there. Yeah. But you know what? I drove by that today. It says speed limit 30. >> It is. I know it is. No, I know it's a city speed limit, but I'm driving 20 and it's like I'm going too fast. >> Well, right, cuz I said she >> cuz if I went by a girl said 30, she'd
kind of go, "What the heck?" >> Yeah. >> It's too fast on that road. >> It is. And And I talked to Mike about that. Why can't we make it 20? >> Because there are kids there, >> right? It's It's like the back end of the school. >> Yeah. And that's year round and not
>> No, I think it I think it should be reduced a little bit. I don't know. I came out of the recycling center because I don't I didn't know it's closed on Wednesdays, I guess. I don't >> Is it? >> It's been closed all day. >> Just
smoke because >> they're outside working exposure, right? >> Um yeah, we talked about that and then we talked about even some better signs sort of like, you know, kids that play. Well, they did put out I think she had a
sign out by her driveway, I think. Was it the kids thing or just says slow? >> She had one. There was four of them along the road >> that they put out, right? Yeah. So, I thought, should we get some? >> Yeah. >> And I had my daughter snap a picture of one somewhere in here in town. I said,
"That would be perfect for that." Um, so we talk about signage and then I asked Ben, could you like put it up for a little bit, then take it down, maybe put at the top, like each direction occasionally so people know, you know, you do it once and they forget, right? Oh, wait a minute. They don't care. But if you come and go a little bit and
you're like, "Oh, maybe they are serious about this." But I agree, 30 is like serious. That's >> I was driving 15 and I thought 30, I'll jump on it. >> It's like, no, I couldn't drive 30 on that. There's no way. Yeah. So yeah, there's more work to be done.
>> You don't need to really, you know, >> I mean, yeah, >> but and that brings me back to like, okay, what if we pave it and fix it all up? Then what? >> All right, then he real. >> And then he was supposed to talk to
Robbie Hos with some with some concept ideas, too. >> You know, other things we could maybe do. But um sometime, you know, as Katie was saying too, like that new walking path that they're putting in, maybe that should curb down that street, you know,
it comes all the way down past on maybe it should be coming down there for people trying to walk >> in there. Um >> they might actually get more walkers. >> 30 is Yeah. But you know, when you drive from block to block, you're not driving
30 miles an hour through town. You only got a block. So that's kind of how that should be. Yeah. You know, >> because there's so many. You got two residential, then you got the community center. >> Mhm. >> Then you got recycling center. You got a
ball field, >> and you got another turn off that goes to like the community garden or something. Oh, there's a garage there >> for the county. >> So, there's a lot of little turns there. So, I mean, >> I think we should look at maybe that speed limit shouldn't be 30. It should be posted at a different number maybe. I
don't know. >> Yeah, that was my first thought. And then there is a house to the left, right? Right below the um or whatever. >> You're coming down the >> Yeah, below the >> Yeah, above the >> above the recycling center.
>> Yeah, homestead. There's a homestead area there. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's tucked in on the left. And now there's going to be >> isn't Hamilton Habitat going to be on the other side. >> Potentially. So that could be another driveways there. But that will be some time out would be my guess because that
will be quite a project. >> Yeah. >> Like five. >> There's a few. I'm not sure the number either. >> But nonetheless, the driveway I think is coming off of fourth. It's not coming off of seven, >> right? I don't know.
>> No, I thought it was supposed to I thought it was supposed to come off as seven. >> Oh, I don't know. >> See, that's where I can't talk. So, we don't know. >> Yeah. I don't know. That said though, there's part of the cost apparently is going to be some kind of a lift station. >> Yep. >> Cost to that. Well, you would know better than I am that.
>> I don't know anything yet on that. >> That's the only thing I've heard so far that the infra the infrastructure to get in there could be very expensive. It's not just like literally laying the lines. >> So, um Oh, I do have a couple of updates. So,
>> wait long enough. >> Yeah, it'll start. So Patter currently is very much in the works to um want to put infrastructure up seventh all the way with a joint with potentially another uh
homeowner at the top that is interested and still waiting for a quote to even see the cost of putting that infrastructure up seven as opposed to in the middle of his property. So another
somebody else who's up the up. >> So you know how there was the two lines and then the one that was going to go up the middle a little bit farther back. >> Instead that would go up seven and then go straight across. >> In some ways that would be >> a lot more sense.
>> Yeah, that make a lot more sense. And we were talking about moving well we were doing you know from the middle of that block to seven or not middle but the third that last third we were doing.
>> So there's the cross straight. This third piece was supposed to be coming up here and now he's having the engineers code it just to do what we always learn is go the actual >> cases right there >> a little bit. Yeah. So up the actual so
this center one it would have gone up to the back farther he's getting the quote to have it actually be on seven >> and then they would just be able to you know >> then go that direction. There's a garage on the left side the top of seven >> and then people up here are interested
so then potentially they will >> that's up a hill >> I know. >> Yeah it's a >> you're going to run. >> Yeah. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. Yep. >> So, anyways, that's that's the status on that. Joel St. John is still not set with financing.
>> Maybe that's all I know. All right. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thanks, Gavin. >> Shut up.