Tower City Council approves recreation investment for HooDoo Point campers

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016 — HooDoo Point Campground managers Julie Kranz and Randy Pratt appeared before the Tower City Council asking the city to approve an investment in building a basketball court and volleyball court for the enjoyment of campers. According to the managers, campers have been paying a one-dollar-a-day fee for infrastructure improvements and there is currently adequate funds available for these projects. Competitive quotes were obtained from C & C Winger, Inc., of Embarrass, Minn. and Broten Construction, Tower. Both recreation projects are to be constructed adjacent (northeast) of the existing playground facilities, on the public space at the campground.

The C & C Winger quoted $15,300, for both the volleyball court and the basketball court. The basketball court would cost $8,500, out of that total, for a 30 foot by 40 foot, six-inch-deep concrete slab. The volleyball court prep quote, included site preparation (sub-cutting the soil and filling it with sand).

Broten Construction quoted $5,590 for a 30 foot 40 foot concrete slab, five-inches deep with eight-inch footings, and reinforced with one-half inch rebar. According to Pratt, Broten Construction said that it could cut the court at the same time, but, “he did not say if there would be any additional cost for the volleyball court site prep, but, he also did not say there would not be a charge,” Pratt informed the council.

These quotes do not reflect the total expenses, Pratt emphasized. Sand could be obtained from Greg Dostert, Soudan, for about $300 and the basketball hoops cost about $250, Pratt said. There will also be some cost for paint, between $75 and $100, to mark out the court and a hopscotch court on the slab. “We can take care of the painting work,” Pratt said.

Discussing the improvement proposals Mayor Josh Carlson said that he supported the project, noting that other than fishing and swimming, there were not a lot of activities available for campers. The council unanimously decided to approve both projects. Alderman Lance Dougherty made the successful motion and Alderman William Hiltunen seconded the motion.

The campground is already open and filling with campers, and Pratt and Kranz expect a busy season. There are already 43 total rental months booked by seasonal campers, compared to 26 or 27 months last year, Pratt reported. He also reported that opening up the campground had proceeded smoothly, with few problems, the only real issue encountered being some electrical problems with the septic pumping infrastructure.

The campground managers also noted that three popular lake shore sites did not offer electricity and that the campground was loosing potential revenue. The nightly charge for a non-electric site is $34 and an electric site is $40. If the sites offered electricity, and reflecting 200 rental nights each season, $1,200 additional could be generated annually, Pratt reported. He presented a competitive quote of of $3,4oo to install the electricity in conduit, buried one foot deep. “This will pay off in three years,” Pratt said, however his calculations neglect to note the actual cost for electricity, which would need to be subtracted from the total income increase, before it can be determined how much of the proceeds can be earmarked for paying for the infrastructure improvements.

Kranz said that there was already a booking waiting list for many nights of the season and that calls for more bookings were coming in at a rate of two per day. The managers also proposed creating seven new sites in the area currently occupied by the existing picnic pavilion. They suggested that the pavilion could be moved to an existing slab near the public beach and the Department of Natural Resources fishing pier. The current pavilion area is used for overflow camping, but if developed, electric sites could generate significant new income for the campground and city, Pratt and Kranz told the council. Overflow camping currently brings in about $4,000 a year, and with $2,500 being the current seasonal rate the additional seven sites could generate $17,500 a year.

Looking toward the future Pratt suggested that it might be time to consider a bonding issue to completely update the old electrical system. Pratt said that he expected a complete update would cost about $167,000. About $25,000 could be earmarked annually to pay off the bonds over 10 years, Pratt suggested. “Last year we came in at $13,000 under budget, and with those funds, and with taking 50 cents out of the existing $1.00 infrastructure improvement fees, the bond expenses would be met,” Pratt said, “I think it’s a very good idea to look into it.”

Mayor Carlson said that he would like to see more than one quote for the project adding electricity to the three existing lake shore camp sites. Alderman Brad Matich agreed. “All these suggestions are something, as summer moves forward, to give consideration to,” Matich said, concluding discussion on HooDoo Point Campground.

Tower Vision 2025, LLC has published its promotional brochure advertising the  pre-sale of the 20 townhomes planned for the Tower Harbor site. Ten units need to be pre-sold prior to the project moving forward and the company has set an August 1, 2016 deadline for accomplishing these pre-sales. City engineers Jason Chopp and Matt Bols of Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH®), Virginia, Minn. reported that the city was looking at three projects to be completed in anticipation of the construction of any town homes. According to the engineers, additional utility work, road work and block work needs to be completed, but funding was approved for two of the three projects. The engineers reported that they were looking forward to working with St. Louis County to seek funds for the trail head and boat launching area.

Tower aldermen learned that a new design had been approved for the Iron Ore Bridge and it is expected the the county will be letting bids in October, for autumn, or spring 2017, construction.

The city engineers also outlined three options the city might take in repairing the deteriorating concrete steps at the entrance of city hall. The first option would be to patch the steps “as is,” a repair which was completed in the past and is typically of short duration. The second option is to cut, drill and peg the steps, and reform and pour new concrete, and the third option being to completely replace the steps, first removing the old ones. According to the engineers this option would, unfortunately, eliminate the classic art deco styled concrete orbs, a significant feature of the 1920s era building. Echoing what would be almost universal local sentiment, Alderman Matich said, “We can’t loose the balls.” Indeed, for a large variety of reasons this architectural feature of city hall is important to generations of Tower residents.

Returning to the second reading of the amendment to Ordinance 82 zoning map, tabled at the city’s April 25 meeting, the council held the second reading and approved the zoning change. The motion to approve passed on a four to one vote, with Mayor Carlson, Aldermen Dougherty, Hiltunen and Matich voting in favor of the motion and Alderman Joan Broten providing the only dissent.The approval changes three parcels (080-0020-00030, 080-0020-00162 and 080-0020-0035 from their current designation to the Tower Harbor North designation. The amendment is expected to be published in the city’s official newspaper on Friday, and take effect on May 24. This action clears the way for Power Sports of Minnesota, Inc. to seek permits to construct its proposed campground.

The council discussed the appropriateness of finding the correct method to recover any monies spent by the city in its efforts to consider this, or any future proposed development. The issue was taken under advisement and no other action was taken at this meeting.

The city council reviewed the Planning and Zoning Commission’s request that it consider a zoning map change for parcel 080-0020-00010. The change will turn the current Open Lands designation to Commercial 1 on only one acre of the parcel. The acre is adjacent to lands where Vermilion Properties Company, LLC currently offers storage facilities for rent and expansion of those facilities will be possible when the change is made. The first reading of the proposed change was held and passed with a unanimous vote.

Acting on another Planning and Zoning request, the city council approved a letter to Dave Rose of Power Sports of Minnesota Inc. The letter outlines the changes the city has made to the zoning of his property and details the necessary steps, rules and regulations he needs to follow and complete before the Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend his project for approval.

Perhaps, the most important issue to come before the City Council on Monday was the acknowledgement of the bereavement of the Gary Burgess family, felt across the Tower community with the recent passing of former Mayor Burgess last Thursday. Mayor Carlson remarked upon the years of service Burgess had provided the city and its people through his unparalleled efforts as an alderman, City of Tower Mayor, Gunderson Trust board member, Main Street business man, and friend of everyone in the community. Mayor Carlson’s remarks were eloquent, sincere and heartfelt but could only touch upon the many accomplishments former Mayor Burgess made in his efforts to make Tower a better place for everyone. Mayor Carlson’s efforts to put into words the feelings of the entire community was appreciated by everyone in attendance at the meeting. Perhaps it was best summed up when Mayor Carlson simply concluded, “He will truly be missed!”

The Tower City Council unanimously passed as resolution honoring former Mayor Burgess and forever declaring May 5, the date of his passing, as “Gary Burgess Day in the City of Tower.”

In other action, the council:

• Acknowledged the receipt of a letter and packet of over 50 pages from Eric J. Honkanen, of Honkanen Richards, S. C., a Virginia, Minn. law firm. The firm represents Joan Broten, individually and a group of Mill Point residents, and outlined many concerns about the proposed recreational vehicle campground proposed by Power Sports of Minnesota, Inc. Clerk-Treasurer Keith informed the board that a copy of the letter was forwarded to city attorney Andrew Peterson

• Discussed and approved seeking quotes for a new concrete pad at the west entrance of the Tower Civic Center and a sidewalk to extend from the front of the building to the pad. Future plans include extending the sidewalk to the back of the building (the Highway 169 side).

• Learned that the Tower Airport Commission has not held a meeting, since the previous Tower City council meeting, and there was not a new airport commission report

• Acknowledged correspondence from the St. Louis County Fair Association and noted its prior approval of the city’s $150.00 donation to the county fair

• Received the detailed monthly report of the Breitung police Department from Chief Jesse Anderson

• Learned that the joint Breitung and Tower fire department had narrowed site selection choices to two areas. The sites under consideration has narrowed to a location at the Breitung Monument Park on Highway 169 and a location at the intersection of Enterprise Drive and Highway 35 in Tower. It was reported that contact had been made with Jordan Metsa, at Representative Rick Nolan’s office and that Metsa said that funding opportunities were favorable due to the fact that it was an effort involving two communities. Job descriptions had been developed for the new joint fire department and have been posted in-house at the fire departments. may 27 is the deadline for application for the new positions

• Passed a resolution supporting State Senator Tom Bakk’s bill in the Minnesota Senate to restructure the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board

• Acknowledged and discussed citizen concerns on the delay of city minutes being published on the city’s web site and city employees serving on any of the various city boards or committees

• Approved the transfer of airport entitlement monies, and discussed borrowing funds from Walker, Minn., to pay for repairs in a manner established to allow other airport commissions to help other commissions out. Tower has participated in these types of arrangement before and currently has funds loaned to another community

• Approved bank transaction authorizations for Mayor Carlson, Deputy Mayor Dougherty and Clerk-Treasurer Keith

• Approved becoming the official Lake Vermilion Bike Trail depository with unanimous approval by the council

• Increased election judge pay to to $12.00 per hour with unanimous approval by the council

• Approved paying the city’s current bills.