With the busy 4th of July weekend celebration over, transfer site attendant Dean Barrett said the site was very busy, even starting before the weekend.
In fact, he said it was overwhelming with a long line of people coming in to get rid of their garbage. He said overall most were patient. A citizen thanked Barrett for the help he was given.
The dumpsters were moved to the south side of the site, and brushing was done on the corner of the road.
The board received the IRRRB grant, and with Lake County Commissioner Joe Baltich present, he clarified the grant was from mining funds.
He said he spoke with Whitney Ridlon about the grant who will be the point of contact at IRRRB. The money will be used to extend a Sunset Road project for another half mile beyond the reroute LRIP project. Baltich said there shouldn’t be a lot of paperwork involved.
More information is needed though. Clerk Cheri DeBeltz said, “We need to include the scope of the work, project location and infrastructure involved.”
Supervisor Roger Murawski talked about the Bollig Engineering packet received and the Zoom meeting he was on with them concerning the community center.
He said Bollig has a program for searching for funds, and he was very impressed “We did get a IRRR grant to start working on the engineering design,” said Murawski.
The packet included scope of services that Bollig will be doing in the administration of infrastructure funding source. The annual fee will be $5,000 due upon execution of the task order and annually to pursue funding for the township.
The board wants more information for the August meeting before approving the funding application.
The board received three quotes for the Winton Point Road as there was no material available from the Minnesota Power site. The bids would be for gravel from the township pit, class five and culverts needed. This was tabled to see if there are grants available or if FEMA money is available.
Jeff Goetzman made a call in on Zoom and updated the Sunset Road project. He said there was good progress being made.
“We are on target to finish by the end of July or the first week of August,” said Goetzman.
He said the state has another local road improvement program for grant opportunities.
“It was announced last week and is open for application starting in September and due by the end of November,” said Goetzman. “There are opportunities for the township to look at applying for money to make improvements on other roads. This was something we talked about a while back about capital improvement projects.”
Concerning the relocation of Locust Road through the county pit, Baltich said the township needs to make a request to the county. He said the county would like a plan submitted to the county.
“What they want to see is what exactly the township wants to do, what would be done by the township,” said Baltich. “That it will be a township road and there are plans to maintain it.”
Sup er visor Hudson Kingston said as all could see, he is still on crutches. He said he would be on crutches for a few more months as he will be having surgery.
Kingston reported that the environmental document for Silver Rapids update is on available.
“Everyone in Fall Lake Township should know they can now read the document and make comments,” said Kingston. “The comment period is over on Aug. 6, a day after our next meeting.”
Supervisor Craig Seliskar asked if the document was on the Lake County website. It is not. Kingston gave the website for people to download the document. This is a link: https://shorturl.at/aWgJ7 Murawski had a bid for upgrading the security lighting system, but after discussion about the direction of the light for dark sky, another bid will be requested.
Seliskar said chloride hasn’t been applied to the Cloquet Line yet and application will have to wait until the Sunset Road project is complete. The cost for the chloride for the two roads will be around $14,000. The roads will have to be graded beforehand.
Beavers are a problem again on the Cloquet Line and Seliskar will contact USDA.
Baltich reported he had attended an interagency quarterly meeting with the Forest Service and the DNR. Cook, St. Louis and Lake counties were there. He brought up sustainable aircraft fuel made out of balsam at the meeting.
Also discussed at the meeting was the BWCA 30year review that the county wants to have a seat at the table.
The Lake County website was review with county auditor Ronnie Radle and there is a lot of information on it.
“How often have we had three levels of government represented in the same room as the same time,” said Baltich.
He was referring to the fact that Rep. Roger Skraba (R-Ely) had stopped in to the meeting. Skraba was thanked for helping to get the additional grant money with Sen. Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown).
Deb Bradt questioned if a needs assessment has been done for the community center. Her concern was about maintaining the building after it was built. Baltich said they haven’t even gotten to that point yet.
“The community center group has been going on for two years,” said DeBeltz. “The concept will be voted on by the township.”
Skraba said he sits on the LCCMR committee, the Environmental Trust Fund and also on the Legacy committee. He spoke about the funds available.
The DNR rules on helium came out recently so extracting can begin. Skraba said there is a lot of interest in the project. He said he attended the World Helium Summit in Austin, TX last year. There is great interest in the Pulsar project.
“There is a world shortage of helium,” said Skraba. “It’s used for MRIs, for computing, for making computers and more. So, it would be nice to get this one across the finish line.”
In correspondence:
• Received a thank you from the Class of 2026 for the donation for their day in Duluth instead of the All-Night Grad party.
• A thank you was received from the Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club for the donation given.
• Received information from the IRRRB of the Business and Community Development Resources Workshop to be held on Tuesday, July 14 at the Mineland Reclamation Office.
• Received information from IRRRB on the 2026 Outdoor Industry Summit to be held on Thursday, Sept. 24 in Bloomington.
• RAMS sent an application for Point Source Implementation Grant Program (PSIG). Application will be accepted from July 1-31 for grant awards for Fiscal Year 2027.
• A request for funds was received from the Ely Golf Course. $500 was approved.
• A request for funds was received from the Ely Baseball Association. $400 was approved.
• The next Morse/Fall Lake fire meeting will be held at the Fall Lake Town Hall on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m.
• The next regular township meeting will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 6 p.m.
• A resolution approved election judges Teresa Sagen, Nancy McReady, Gary Nevalinen and Cheri DeBeltz for the August primary.
• Primary election will be held at Fall Lake Town Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 11 with polls opening at 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
