The Lake County Commissioners meeting of the Whole had only eight Fall Lake Township residents in attendance, which included supervisors Eric Hart and Craig Seliskar, clerk Cheri DeBeltz, township treasurer Don Stocks and a few others County chair Rich Sve and commissioner Jeremy Hurd were absent, along with county highway engineer Jason DiPiazza. Present were commissioners Joe Baltich, Rick Goutermont and Rick Hogenson, Lake County administrator Matt Huddleston, interim auditor Ronnie Radle, Lake County attorney Lara Nygaard and planning and zoning/solid waste department director Christine McCarthy.
Goutermont chaired the meeting, turning it over to Huddleston.
Huddleston addressed several issues.
• The board will be taking action on the tax-forfeited parcel the township wants to acquire for a parking lot. Fall Lake Township will cover any charges incurred in this action.
• There will be a closure on Hwy. 2 from July 17 to August 15 as work will be done on the road project which begins on June 23. Updates on the project are on the county website.
• The plans are done for the Sunset Road project. The county will hold the contract project with an agreement with Fall Lake Township.
• The after-action review of the recent fires in Lake County. The emergency manager put together a document to look at things that can be improved and do better.
Huddleston said county emergency manager Matt Pollman is resigning in early July, and the board will be looking to fill that position.
The board of adjustment has recently appointed a new member from the Fall Lake area. This is a three-person board that hears variances related to planning and zoning. The board still needs another alternate member to this board. If anyone is interested, they can call the county.
Goutermont said a veterans’ memorial on the North Shore has had delays due to costs. A new engineer will hopefully save money.
Baltich said he had talked with IRRRB Commissioner Ida Rukavina about obtaining a matching grant to the $25,000 from the county HRA for a feasibility study for a community center for Fall Lake.
Baltich said he was on a Zoom meeting with Bollig Engineering in Two Harbors. Bollig works with smaller communities in pursuing grants.
Nygaard said all Lake County law enforcement officers are now wearing body-worn cameras.
McCarthy said there have been changes to land use ordinances and septic system ordinances, but there were no major changes.
She addressed the number of short-term rentals, which is recommended with a cap of 27 for Fall Lake. A website is being developed to see who has permits for these rentals.
A question was asked about short-term rentals on private roads. McCarthy said there is a change to land use permits that would not allow short-term rentals on shared private road access. Current rentals on a private road will not be allowed to transfer with the sale of the property.
Kerry Davis had comments concerning inspections of resorts by health and human services. He didn’t like the rules that have to be followed. Davis also asked if there was any movement at Silver Rapids. He supports the improvements, but not their entire plan.
Huddleston said there hasn’t been any movement from Silver Rapids.
Seliskar asked if a spot at the burn site on Ernie’s Road could be designated for a compost site for leaves rather than part of the burn pile. McCarthy said compost would have to be turned and someone would have to take responsibility for composting. She said she would get an update on this once the county has a new emergency manager.
Huddleston said the county contracted a person for Firewise tree removal, but now contracts with Paramount Planning. He said there may be grants available. Goutermont said there had been grants for metal roofs and sprinklers in the past.
The meeting lasted less than an hour.
