Morse signs off on airport project
The Morse board of supervisors gave initial approval to fund a share of the $1.8 million project to extend the runway at the Ely Airport.Ely Mayor Roger Skraba pitched the project to the board. Federal funds would pick up 95 percent of the tab, leaving $90,000 in local funds.Skraba said a joint proposal from area governments could entice the IRRRB to supply a grant for up to half the costs. Babbitt, Ely and Winton have already signed onto the deal. In a formula based on population, Morse would be responsible for 23 percent of the cost. At the full $90,000 debt, the township would be taking on $20,700 in debt.However, monies raised from leasing land at the airport could eat up the loan payments on the expansion project.“All this takes is one building at $1,000 a month and it would take care of any loan,” said Skraba.He told the town board that the U.S. Forest Service is looking at building a hanger and leasing the land from the city. “This is an opportunity for all of us including Babbitt and Fall Lake to look at the big picture,” said Skraba. “It gets us at the same table and making decisions together.”The board voted unanimously to support the project through the joint powers board of which Morse is a member. The board was not as friendly over a proposed annexation by the city for the new Forest Service buildings on the east side of Ely.“You need to get somebody to replace them as tenants,” said supervisor Bob Berrini.The Forest Service currently rents most of the second floor of the Kennedy Building from the Ely school district at a rate of $76,000 per year, according to Berrini. “The city and the IRR are working to bring fiber to the school to make that a more desirable space,” said Skraba. “Rather than provide jobs we would provide the infrastructure so the jobs have to come there.”“We should try to leverage our government officials on this because they’re taking money away from the school,” said supervisor Len Cersine.Skraba will be travelling to Washington D.C. soon and the board asked him to look into finding another federal agency to occupy the space at the school. “See if there is another government agency they can put in there,” said Cersine. Skraba said the Forest Service employs over 60 people in town and 10 are scheduled to retire soon. He said that could bring some new families to town. “Roger, you and I know they’re not going to replace half of those jobs,” said Cersine. Skraba said the $9 million project to build offices and other buildings across from the Wolf Center would have an economic impact as well.The board did authorize the Morse Fire Department to proceed with purchasing a $2,600 pump for one of the trucks used to fight brush fires. With a limited amount of money in the budget for fire department expenses, Cersine said Fall Lake Township will need to pay its share. “We’re spending a fair amount of money on fire, very soon we need to talk to Fall Lake,” said Cersine.In other business the board:• Held a study session with Pat Henderson of the Ely Area Development Association. • Heard that a Firefighter I class is being planned for this fall at the Morse Town Hall. The cost is $573 per person for the twice a week, three-month long class.
