The Town of Morse board met Tuesday and talked with grant representatives about how monies for fire prevention can be spent within the township.
Teresa Floberg and Gloria Erickson of Dovetail Partners and Kes Ebbs from the Nature Conservance talked to the board about the community wildfire defense grant.
Floberg said chipping and haul away events are part of the grant program.
She said people on Lindbeck Road and Burntside Ridge Road have approached her about doing projects. Usually, these are haul-away events.
Floberg said having a township-wide event is an option as well. Board chair Terry Soderberg said due to Morse being made up of four geographical townships it is difficult to do.
Supervisor Bob Berrini asked of the $897,000 grant for St. Louis County, how much goes to salaries and how much is spent on the ground.
The answer was $300,000 for salaries.
The amount of money to be spent in Morse is $4,500 for a haul away event, $21,000 for clearing of brush and balsam near the fire hall, and $67,500 for brush removal.
That is for 30 acres of land in Morse with a preference for low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners. There is a cost/share program available to other landowners, including an in-kind labor match.
Ebbs said there is a possibility Nature Conservancy could help fund a township wide or other events. Erickson would be the contact for the hazardous fuel reduction on private lands.
In other business the board:
• Noted Morse received the second half of the Taconite Production taxes totalling $26,862.
• Will contact the city of Ely on a power line extension off Newgord Drive for a home that doesn’t currently have power.
• Passed a resolution to apply for Local Road Improvement Program funds of around $500,000 to pave roads in Romberg Acres. Morse has applied in the past but this time has support from Rep. Roger Skraba (R-Ely) and Sen. Grant Hauschild (D-Hermantown).
• Soderberg said the Lodging Tax board had met and s tarted l ooking a t t he 2026 budget. He said in addition to the Tourism Bureau wanting $334,187 with around $195,000 in wages. He said they also received a $53,000 request from the Chamber plus a $25,000 request for a new website. Also, the city is looking for $20,000 for utilities for the new trailhead building.
