Grand Marais city councilors said Dec. 14 they would approve a 2012
spending plan that is $10,940 less than this year’s levy, and about
$26,000 lower than the preliminary levy set in September. A vote on
the proposed budget and levy is set for Dec. 28.
The revised budget was presented by City Administrator Mike Roth
during the state-mandated Truth in Taxation hearing. As usual, there
were no members of the public in attendance to ask questions or listen
to the whys and wherefores of the proposal.
Chief among the reasons cited by Roth for the reduction were the new
AFSCME contract with the city’s employees, and a change in the
employees’ insurance costs.
Mayor Larry “Bear” Carlson reported that a new two-year tentative
contract had been agreed to with the union the prior week, covering
the years 2012 and 2013. The proposed contract calls for a wage
increase of 1½ percent in each year, which is less than the 2 percent
increase that was penciled in the preliminary budget. Carlson, who is
a member of the negotiating team, described the meetings as “pretty
positive” among both parties. “I’m encouraged by the attitudes of
everybody there,” said the mayor. “I think everybody realizes we’re
all in this together.” Council voted unanimously to accept the terms
of the proposed contract, and a vote of union members is expected soon.
Addressing the medical insurance cost, Roth explained that he has been
budgeting 10 percent annual increases based on history, and actual
changes in recent years have ranged from 25 percent to a slight
reduction. Next year is one of the instances where there will be an
unexpected decrease of 7.5 percent, Roth said, which will have a

On January 27, the gray wolf will officially leave the endangered species list. As early as fall of 2012, there could be a new wolf hunting season in Minnesota.

According to Dan Stark, Department of Natural Resources Wolf Management Specialist, a wolf hunt was not in the state’s management plan this soon, but the 2011 Legislature changed all that.

“That specific language was passed by the legislature in 2000 when they passed a wolf management bill, and it stated at that time that the DNR would have the authority to develop a season five years after the delisting of the wolf, but would have to allow for an opportunity for the public to provide input on any proposals that the DNR would develop. The last legislative session, that five year waiting period was eliminated, so it basically now states the DNR can develop a wolf season once wolves are delisted, but still needs to allow a public input process.”

Stark said the DNR is already looking at proposal options for a wolf season.

“So right now we’re going through an internal staff process developing some season options. It’ll likely be something that’s discussed at the legislature this year. There’ll be an opportunity later in the year for the public to review our proposal.”

Minnesota did allow wolf hunting a number of years ago, but the population grew in spite of hunting.

“It was legal to hunt wolves, but it wasn’t a regulated season. So up until the early 1970’s wolves could be killed, primarily through trapping, was the method people used to catch wolves. Some of the information would indicate that from about 1950 to the early 1970’s that about 200 wolves were killed annually by trappers. During that time we have limited information on population estimate, but there was one estimate done in the mid-50’s that the population was somewhere between 300 and 600 wolves. Then by the early 1970’s we had bout 750 wolves. Even though they were being hunted at that time, the population did start to recover because bounties and aerial gunning had been eliminated and those were probably the two methods that really helped reduce wolf numbers.”

Stark said wolves are not easy to hunt and season would likely be classified as a furbearer hunt.

“In a lot of places they’re managed as furbearers and in some areas where they’re trying to reduce populations they have an extended hunting season. But wolves are really difficult to hunt. They occur at pretty low densities, so that in order to go out into an area that has a wolf pack and be able to figure out where that is over 40 or 100 square miles that they might cover is pretty tough. Then to be able to actually see one…it’s not going to be an easy thing for people to do, so it’s going to require some specialized knowledge of their behavior and biology and some experience doing it. Likely a season would center around them as a furbearer because that’s how we manage many similar species like bobcats and otter, things that do have a good pelt to be sold. I think about the average wolf pelt can be $100 to $300.”
If there is to be a wolf season in the fall, a public comment period would need to be held next summer.

Attached file

A 29 year old Grand Portage man has died in a house fire in Grand Portage. The fire was reported to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 11:40 p.m., Dec. 28.

The structure at 7200 E. Hwy 61 is a total loss. The victim has not been identified pending notification of relatives. He died at the scene.

Responding to the fire were volunteer fire departments from Hovland, Grand Portage and Colvill as well as Cook County and Grand Portage ambulances, the Sheriff’s department and Hovland STOP Team.

The cause of the fire has not been determined and is under investigation by the Sheriff and state Fire Marshal.
 

 The Grand Portage, Hovland, and Colvill Fire Departments were paged to a fire at 7200 East Highway 61 at approximately 11:40 p.m. on December 28, 2011. A 29-year-old Grand Portage man perished in the fire. The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of family. The cause of the fire has not been determined and is being investigated by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

 Do you feel prepared for the next disaster or even a minor emergency? Cook County has had its share of wildfires, floods and wind and ice storms. Are you ready?

The emergency managers for Grand Portage, Cook County and Lake County will be offering Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) in January and February 2012.  The first and last sessions will be offered on two Saturdays with everyone meeting face to face. The four sessions between the weekends will be on Thursday evenings and will be offered locally with the aid of interactive video conferencing and multiple instructors and subject matter experts.

CERT training is not a first aid or firefighting course, but covers a broad range of subjects to help prepare and respond to incidents that could impact your home, workplace or community. This 20-hour training is free and suitable for all ages and abilities. Youth should be accompanied by an adult.

Our area has three trained instructors, and hundreds have taken CERT training in the Twin Cities and across the country. Cook County graduated its first class in 2010. Contact Emergency Manager Jim Wiinanen at 387-3059 or e-mail jim.wiinanen@co.cook.mn.us for more information or to register for this important training.

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The Cook County News-Herald – proud to have provided community news for over 120 years!

 The Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) is currently advertising for a developer who can maintain, update, and host a new stand-alone website for the EDA. EDA board members say they want the site to provide a greater visibility to EDA activities, among other things – especially the Cedar Grove Business Park. EDA board members hoped that a website designer familiar with the local community would apply.

The hope is that an innovative website will help attract new interest in the Cedar Grove Business Park developed by the EDA a number of years ago. So far, three businesses and one church are located in the approximately 60-acre business park.

Guidelines for proposals can be found a www.co.cook.mn.us. Deadline for submission of proposals is noon on December 30, 2011. All proposals should be submitted to the Cook County/Grand Marais EDA, Grand Marais City Hall, 15 North Broadway, P.O. Box 600, Grand Marais, Mn 55604.

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The Cook County News-Herald – proud to have provided community news for over 120 years!

Find us on-line at www.cookcountynews-herald.com