It was long township meeting, with 16 Fall Lake residents present.
First up, was a zoom meeting with Lake County Emergency Management Director Warren LaPlante. He gave an overview of the evacuation zones and the county’s emergency alerts.
LaPlante said Lake County worked closely with the Incident Command Team. He said one of the tools they use that the county also followed was the matrix for the weather.
“It provides a lot of information,” said LaPlante. “It gives us some forward planning. It helps fire behavior and helps us determine risk as we’re working together. The one big thing you’ll see from fire behavior is humidity. Rain does help, but rain only helps a couple top inches. But humidity will dry the duff out really quickly, along with the winds.”
LaPlante said they watch the weather very closely. There was a 1.6 acres contained fire that jumped its borders and ran about five miles in a couple hours.
“The Camp Fire right now is 4,559 acres and is 64% contained,” said LaPlante.
From the Camp Fire to the Winton Power Dam, it was about three and a half miles. From another area of the fire to the Fernberg was about four miles. There was great concern when the five-mile run occurred.
To stay informed on the Camp Fire go to https:// lakecountymn.gov/ LaPlante said the county is keeping an eye on the Section 30 brush pile. It is getting quite large and needs to be restacked.
Super visor Hudson Kingston thanked LaPlante for the alerts.
“I do think it would be great if you could come around and talk about Fire Wise,” said Kingston.
Next up, was Laura Ostlie with the Bolling Funding Group. She spoke on funding for a community center.
“What that allows us to do is to be able to have the green light to go and pursue any funding sources that may come into play that may fit into this project (community center),” said Ostlie. “It’s actually any project that follows working on behalf of the township. We would be able to not only go there and research and advocate and apply for these different funding sources. We would also be able to do the back end of the administration side of things.”
Ostlie presented an extensive Funding Administration Scope of Work document. She said the funding sources started July 1. The board approved moving forward with the task order.
The board continued with the agenda and transfer station attendant Dean Barrett. He said the site has been very busy, and there has been a lot of brush brought into the site. He said there have been several deer coming in to munch on the branches.
“The containers are filling up faster than usual,” said Barrett.
Supervisor Craig Seliskar said he would order more bags.
Seliskar said beaver extermination on the Cloquet Line has been contracted with the USDA.
Several road issues will be readdressed in the spring of 2027. They include the Winton Point Road, and brushing for the Voyageur Road and Snowbank Road. Gravel will be hauled on Voyageur Road and Garden Lake Road.
The board approved a bid from Robinson Lake Trucking to put a twelve-inch lift on the Cloquet Line consisting of eight inches of coarse aggregate and no less than four inches of compacted Class 5. This is in the area at the county line extending for a thousand feet.
Lake County Commissioner Joe Baltich mentioned the possibility of getting FEMA money for the road due to the fire trucks on the road causing more wear. He said to ask LaPlante if there is money available.
Seliskar said we need to keep the multiple road issues in mind at budgeting time.
Treasurer Don Stocks said the township had to buy four lots when a road was changed. The land is not need now by the township, and Stocks suggested offering the land to the adjoining property owners for assessed value.
Clerk Cheri DeBeltz said she would like to work with Warren LaPlante on an Evacuation Plan. She said seeing that the town hall was in a Set status at one point, an evacuation plan is needed.
“What would we need to historically make sure to get out of here or take from here,” said DeBeltz. “Some things were put in the fireproof safe, and Don is working on getting a fireproof file cabinet.”
DeBeltz would like to work on a formalized evacuation plan, so it is in writing for future generations, specifically for Fall Lake town hall. The board agreed.
“A contingent plan was to take the computer and any files needed to be moved and stored at Morse town hall,” said DeBeltz. “Morse was open to this, but we need something in writing.”
Seliskar said the Sunset Road project is moving along but there was an incident with one of the contractors hitting a power pole. The truck operator had to stay in the truck for one and half hours.
“A transformer fell and broke,” said Seliskar, “and created an oil spill. Power was out and Minnesota Power was contacted.
There was no report on the community center, but if the township had a new building it would have been utilized for the past few weeks with the wildfires.
Kingston said he attended the Tuesday group presentation by RAMS about the constitutional amendment on school trust funding. He also attended the emergency fire meeting. He said it was amazing to hear how much the fire department members have put in during the last month.
Supervisor Roger Murawski received a bid for a new flagpole with a solar light, along with a new flag. This was approved by the board.
Seliskar said the roads will be graded and chloride would be applied to the Cloquet Line and Sunset Road. Kingston said he would escort the chloride truck when applied.
Elsie Jorgenson with Northwoods Partners said individuals and small businesses affected by the wildfire can apply for NE Minnesota United Way grants. Applications are due by Aug. 10. Application forms are at: www.unitedwaynemn.org/ firehelp In correspondence:
• Received Bollig Engineering’s newsletter
• Received an invitation from IRR&R to the State of the Range to be held on Wednesday Sept. 9 at Minnesota Discovery Center at 4 p.m.
• Received a thank you from the Ely Golf Club.
• Received a letter from Range Cooperative with information about their propane prebuy plan.
• Received information from Frontier, a Verizon Company, about updates to traditional copper-based and time-division multiplexing services. Services will be delivered using modern fiber or wireless technology.
• Information received from Minnesota Association of Townships on the District 10 meeting to be held on Thursday, Aug. 27 at Grand Lake Town Hall in Saginaw.
• A letter from RAMS with information about a bipartisan constitutional amendment that modernizes the Minnesota school trust fund. This will be on the November ballot and voters are encouraged to vote yes. Leaving the question blank is considered a no vote. You must flip and fill the ballot to vote yes.
• Information was also included from RAMS about what the Permanent School Fund is. Mining and timber sales on school trust lands create the base of the fund.
• A request for funds was received from the Ely Watercross Association, $500 was approved.
• A request for funds was received from the Prospectors ATV Alliance, $1,000 was approved.
