Fall Lake wants 50/50 deal in townships’ fire department

Eighteen faithful Fall Lake residents were in attendance for the business of the June regular township meeting, completed in record time. Maybe it was the sun peeking through the clouds after a long Memorial Day weekend of dreary, rainy weather that put everyone in a very contented mood. All business was addressed in 32 minutes, with no complaints or additional business offered to the Fall Lake Township board from the citizens. The biggest news was a request from the Lake County Recreation Board to hold a meeting at the Fall Lake town hall, which they have never done before. That meeting will likely take place in September or October. Morse Township supervisor Lenny Cersine was in attendance and said that he was willing to meet with the entire Fall Lake Township board or with each member individually to discuss the drafting of a Volunteer Fire Department and First Responders contract. Cersine said that Morse needed a draft contract by its July meeting. Supervisor Rod Gruba said Fall Lake Township was looking for a 50/50 deal. “We want a say in how things are operated,” said Gruba. Cersine said the contract would amount to a joint powers agreement between the two townships. “We need to draft what we expect of our firefighters,” said Cersine. “Another Morse board member will be working with Ely.” “Just as long as they don’t try to put the new fire truck over in Ely,” said Supervisor Mary Tome. “They know we would lose the truck if that were to happen, right?” When asked by Cersine if Fall Lake planned on using chloride on township roads this year, Milkovich agreed to do so and to coordinate the spraying with Morse Township. Regarding the status of road improvements to the Cloquet Line, Cersine said this would not happen this year, but more than likely next year. “The road maintenance exchange between roads in Morse Township for St. Louis County taking over the Cloquet Line will hopefully be completed by the end of the year,” he said. Supervisor Nick Milkovich said the roadwork and new culvert on Sunset Road had been completed. Del Chartier said the problem of road runoff onto her property had been corrected. “You did a good job,” said Chartier. “Small aggregate had been put under the gravel to help the road dry out better,” said Gruba. Several other Sunset Road residents complimented the job well done. Correspondence included numerous land use applications for new or addition construction in Fall Lake Township. In other correspondence the board received:• A letter from Lake County Road Engineer Al Goodman regarding the reconstruction of Hwy 1 and the need for an Environmental Assessment. • A petition to settle a dispute between neighbors regarding storm water runoff. The board had no objection to the parties diverting the runoff onto public lands.• A letter from the Ely Public Library about attending a library board meeting which Mary Tome will do. • A letter from Planning and Zoning citing that a previously accepted variance would require a plat hearing. The only other news Milkovich had to offer was the replacement of the batteries in the wall clock. With no further comments from the audience, Milkovich accepted a motion to have the bills paid and the meeting was adjourned.