Minutes of the Old Ski Hill Consensus Committee 10/30/2000
In attendance: Vicki Wenz, Kevin Bader, Cathi Williams, Amy Wilfahrt, Philis Anderson, Bob Fenwick, Annie Debevec, Bill Hansen. Guests - Norm Aaseng, Kay Costello.
Meeting convened at 7:05 PM at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts conference room.
Consensus was reached on approval of the 10/16/00 minutes, with the correction of changing "suing" to read "using".
Consensus was achieved to eliminate proposals #4 and #8 from consideration.
Kevin presented the past several year's lodging tax report for the committee's information.
Clarification was made to the consensus reached on proposal #14. The ten year time period is a window in which a vocational school can be developed on the property. After ten years, if a school has not been established, the use of the property can be revisited.
Consensus Proposal #16 - Climbing school on the bluff, as part of a recreational facility.
Cathi will check with Mark Spinler about climbing feasibility on the bluff.
Consensus Proposal #17 - Trade with the state for state lands and create a new state park.
Consensus Proposal #18 - Trade the northernmost county 80 acres for 80 acres of federal land immediately west.
Norm Aaseng, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, presented information on the patterned fen found on the northern part of the property. It is a poor fen. Poor refers to the amount of minerals dissolved in the water that moves through the fen. A poor fen has relatively low mineral content in the water and a slow infiltration of ground water. A rich fen has a high mineral concentration and a faster infiltration of ground water. A bog has no infiltration of ground water and is supplied solely by rainwater. The pattern is formed by a series of peat ridges that form perpendicular to the flow of water. Norm thought there might be interest on the state's part in an interpretive facility (fen walk) on the property. He shared concerns about the design of the walk and of the existing snowmobile trail. He didn't think development would disrupt the fen if it didn't occur within the watershed that feeds the fen.
Next meeting November 6th at 4:30 PM at the Congregational Church, 300 W 2nd St in Grand Marais.
Respectfully,
Bill Hansen