Lutsen Township Board Meeting Minutes
May 20, 2025
Lutsen Town Hall
Present: Carl Friesner, Chris Homyak, Lolli Cooper(virtual), Ashley VanDoren, Samantha Mcquatters-Spangle, Sharon Hexum-Platzer, Ginny Storlie, Steve Duclos
Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Chairperson, C Friesner at 7:00 pm.
Approval of Agenda: C. Friesner made a motion to approve the May agenda, C. Homyak seconded. Motion passed.
Approval of April Meeting Minutes: C. Homyak made a motion to accept the meeting minutes, L. Cooper seconded. Motion passed.
Commissioner’s Report: (Ginny Storlie)
· LBAE meeting have been completed by the assessor, no major issues. An equalization and taxation meeting will be held at the court house the first part of June 2025; people can come and discuss any issues with their property assessment.
· Update for administrator candidates; 8 people have made it and will be interviewed on June 16, 2025 at the courthouse.
· North Shore Waste has completed all documents applying to the state; digging will commence and start the complex construction
· Daily updates of the Munger Shaw fire and other fires around Minnesota
· Schroader hosted representees from Lutsen and Tofte while the Emergency Management Mr. Keyport was in attendance to answer some questions and issues the west end has been facing. Mainly communication and chain of command if and when emergency happen along with the proper procedure for difference emergencies. Mr. Keyport advised everyone that plans are in place to start using a claim application called Survey 1,2,3 that would be instantly submitted to emergency management with photos.
Commissioner Storlie distributed small tote “to go” tote bags with a generalized list of important items to take should an emergency or evacuation happen; more bags are available at the emergency management office.
· Covill Township demonstrated a new Fire/EMS drone and the many uses it could provide in search and rescue and fire emergencies.
Lutsen Supervisors and Fire Chief Duclos agreed looking into any grants or fundraising for a drone would be a great discussion to have at the continued annual meeting in August with all the search and rescue calls Lutsen responds to and mutual aid calls.
· May 29 the Gitchi Gami Trail will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening and building of the first part of the Lutsen bike trail at 10am
· Multiple homes and public areas received damage from the sudden storm on last week including many trees down at the Tofte park and Museum.
· The 7-county district will meet in Lake County district this year at their hospital and continue on a tour through their depot and lighthouse after the repairs and updates.
Clerk’s Report: S. Mcquatters-Spangle Deputy Clerk: S. Hexum-Platzer
1. Correspondence: Correspondence: 12 phone calls forwarded to fire, 6 new townhall rentals booked, 4 special assessments forwarded; Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Project and Expenditure Report and Associated User Guides, CCHE April Newsletter, Navigating SLFRF Reporting the in 2025 Annual and Q1 P&E Report Workshop Series, City of Grand Marais Weekly Update, 2025 donation request for Tofte senior lunch, Half-Staff Alert, Celebrating National Community Development Week, Coastal Program Quick Survey, E-Updates Notification: Planning Commission, Notice of Public Hearing on and Intent to Enact Amendments to the Cook County Zoning Ordinance #37 and Cook County Subdivision Ordinance #50, PERA Member Newsletter: Spring Edition, AAAA Newsletter, May Update, Webinar May 9th for support with Clean Energy Direct Pay Tax Credits | State of MN/Deloitte Tax LLP, Schroader inquiry of Lutsen pay rate; forwarded April meeting minutes, Invitation to Schroeder's May Meeting(Mr. Keyport will be in attendance);forwarded to supervisors, Paid leave and requirements updates; reviewed, Community Stabilization: Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) – Multifamily Rental Housing Program, Notice back door was being left open at townhall; created signage and informed all reoccurring rental groups, Town Law Review Event Invitation, Camp House Fire Updates, June Monthly Public Hearing Notice; forwarded to supervisors, Jenkins Creek Fire Updates, Superior NF Brimson Wildfire Closure Order Notice, Invitation to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail Ribbon Cuttings; forwarded to supervisors, Brimson Complex Fire Updates, Munger Shaw Daily Fire Update,
· Talked with representative about playground grant for August
· Mowing bid posted and sent to interested parties
· New mop and cleaning supplies ordered
· Special tax-exempt orders/ generator and defibrator case
· EMS supplies ordered/ tax exempt EMS store account created
· Sharon finalized 2024 tax year forms
· LBAE meeting prep and minutes/zoom
· Internet extended to fire meeting hall
· Letter head/approval of fire key duplication
· Attended Schroader meeting
Treasurer’s Report; Ashley VanDoren: As of April 30, 2025;
North Shore Federal Credit Union-Checking $137,154.73; General Building Fund-savings $35,773.72; Fire/EMS truck fund $81,996.34, General Money Market $85,566.73 totaling $340,491.52; CD investments;
o 7 Month CD at Grand Marais State bank-$100,000 at 4.5%
(The 7 Month CD accrued interest will not show until the CD matures because of the short length of time but is earmarked to return to the fire truck fund)
o 29 Month CD at Grand Marais State bank-$104,512.33 at 4.5%
o 7 Month CD at Grand Marais State Bank-$10,000 at 4.25%
Matures 10/20/25
o 7 Month CD at Grand Marais State Bank-$10,000 at 4.25%
Matures 10/20/25
Total funds including CD investments $224,512.33
Year to Date Receipts $20,949.23; Year to Date Disbursements $123,209.35.
2025 General town Budget $40,850.00, 2025 Fire District Budget $363,795.00 for a total budget of $404,645.00.
2025 General town Levy $40,000.00, 2025 Fire District Levy $300,000.00 for a total 2025 Levy of $340,000.00.
C Friesner made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. C Homyak seconded. Motion passed
Review and Approval of Claims:
· Clerk S. Mcquatters-Spangle provided the invoiced May Claims. Details; 17 claims for a
total of $16,539.79 This included $698.73 for electric at both the townhall and town park, $1,900 for EMT training, $1,082.58 for turnout gear, $897 for annual fire extinguisher inspection and services, $1,018.40 reimbursement for Training fire 1,2 and EMR classes over the last quarter, $8,867.43 for generator, ink, EMS supplies, cleaning supplies and an AED cabinet for townhall use in case of emergency.
Cash Control matches both clerk and treasurer reports
C Homyak made a motion to approve claims, L Cooper seconded. Motion passed.
· Clerk provided May 2025 payroll; 4 claims totaling $2,089.52
C Friesner made a motion to approved payroll. C Homyak seconded. Motion passed
· Claims approval and Payroll distributions were signed by Supervisors; copies are on file
in the town office.
Fire and EMS Chief’s Report: (Steve Duclos)
· EMS responded to 4 calls and Fire responded to 3 calls in the last month
· Training; EMS focused on stokes and anaphylaxis, splinting and diabetic car while fire focused on search and rescue and forcible injury. Preplanned Bluefin training with Tofte fire crew.
· One new part time EMS for the summer; Ben Obinger. He will work on patient interaction with the EMS crew.
· Request to purchase new pagers which is within the current 2025 budget
· Lutsen’s type 5 truck was sent to help with forest fires for a night shift with James Colemen and Nic Renisscuss
· Request to start a conversation on fund raising and planning to purchase a new heavy-duty truck; when sending the brush truck to aid in the fires this last week a problem of space has become more apparent as a lot of time is taken up unloading what storage space is currently available in the trucks storage to reach and search for emergency items. The idea would be to buy a heavy-duty truck that would be able to carry all car accident equipment’s such as road signs, cones and other items needed for emergencies. Every tool that is carried in the trucks is needed for different emergencies but with everything packs so tight retrieved one item at a time is time consuming and slows down emergency response times. Fire Chief advised the best option would be a F550 or similar; it does not need to carry water, only supplies. An estimated cost of $400,000, it is something to think about fundraising, grant writing, looking over possibly used trucks if good emergency vehicle can be found over the next few years with the end goal being a heavy-duty emergency hauling truck. Fire Chief Duclos will reach out toRosenbauer to get an estimate of cost (this company has supplied all of the current fire trucks)
· Cascade system will need to be hydrotested in August to stay in compliance as it has been 10-12 years. Tofte will be testing theirs in August and possibly save some money to have them both tested at the same time.
· Tofte purchased the older mop-up masks for $50 each
Supervisors’ Report:
C Friesner:
· Attended the LBAE
· Helped receiving the generator
· Worked with contractor in setting up interior paint of Lutsen townhall
· Met with the bluefin crew who plan to play adult soccer Tuesday night after parent pitch
· Talked with KTM about resurfacing the townhall blacktop and possibly line stripping
· Had a master fire door key made in Duluth
L Cooper:
· Attended the LBAE virtually
C Homyak:
· Attended the LBAE
· Email correspondence about water district owning the Lutsen fire hydrants
· Gitchi Gami trail; updates and progress; contract renewal with ARDC
Old Business:
· Consideration to make Lutsen township suitable for emergency shelter; generator has been delivered and is currently stored in the emergencies bay. Lutsen already has a working kitchen, cots, blankets, showers and has already talked with other emergency shelter groups on needs. As it currently stands Lutsen Township has pledged $10,000 and Tofte Township has donated $7,000 and the commissioners have pledged $8,500.; Supervisor L Cooper will be the main contact for Mr. Keyport about his hazard mitigation request. Supervisor Friesner will be working with contractors on pouring a slab for the generator and start setting up the necessary work to have propane tank installed and new heater put into bay. Clerk Mcquatters-Spangle with contact MATIT to have new generator insured.
· Citizen request for installation of personal convection oven at town hall kitchen; Tabitha Blanchard requested discussion about installing a personal high end convection oven she has received through a grant to help grow her cottage license baking business but currently does not have the space to house and would require a 240 outlet or a normal oven outlet which the townhall kitchen currently has. As the oven only requires a standard oven outlet which is easily accessible in the open space near the current oven only one shelf will need to be moved.
Judy Motschenbacher advised the board that a full lease with terms of service will need to be drafted and signed along with hand full of Questions including the liability being placed on the community.
o Is enough to cover full loss should anything happen to either the building or if the oven would be damaged by a renting party?
o Where is the line drawn as this is a type of rental?
o What would happen if someone because sick from the food would the town be liable for be sued?
o Is there a timeframe for this rental/lease to be held to?
o What would happen if this person were to move away and left the oven?
o Why use Lutsen Townhall as it is not a commercial kitchen instead of Grand Marais or Birchgrove?
o Legality of hosting a cottage law business in the Townhall?
o Deposit for damage to the kitchen like any other rental with kitchen use?
Supervisor Friesner will take lead in talking to Tabitha about the questioned items and collaborate to draft a legally binding lease to better protect the interests of the community and the Townhall.Supervisor Friesner have been in contact with our MAT attorney to review and talk through liabilities and logistics needed to be discussed and protected and a service agreement and using Smith Law to draw up a legal document to cover all interests.
· New web design for township suggested. Deputy Treasurer Philip Creighton presented the topic of a new web design and layout for Lutsen township as the current webpage is about 10 years old and outdated. The only stipulation Philip mandated was that once the page is approved, designed and personnel trained he would not be tasked with maintaining the page on a daily basis. Supervisor C. Friesner worked with development and will be requesting photos of places and personnel to add the website. The new webpage launch date is planned to happen before the continues annual meeting at the end of August 2025.
· Sound Bar; The approved sound bar was delivered and will be installed after the townhall interior is painted with in the next two weeks.
· Resurfacing: Supervisor Friesner has talked with KTM about resurfacing the townhall parking lot and leveling out all the pot holes during the 2025 summer, he will also talk with KTM about professionally line stripping the parking lot
· Town hall park fence repair: Supervisor Friesner will be working with Matt Kartes and Duluth fencing on repairing the ball park fence that was damaged by a fallen tree.
· Ballpark summer dates for youth sports; Supervisor Friesner responded that the field was open for T-Ball and parent pitch use as they need.Supervisor Homyak shared the listed meeting dates with the board and the Clerk will place notices around the field and inform any hall rentals during those practices as the parking lot fills up quickly.
Season dates: June 9, 2025-July 26, 2025
o T-ball will be every Monday at Lutsen ball park 4:15pm-5:15pm
o Parent Pitch will be every Monday and Tuesday at Lutsen ball park 5:30pm-6:30pm
New Business:
· Superior Cycling association request for letter of support in sale of alcohol at Lutsen 99er; Supervisor Homyak made a motion to approve writing letter of support to Superior Cycling association; Supervisor Friesner seconded. Motion passed
· Mowing bid; Paul Nordlund at Borel Enterprises submitted a bid; Supervisor Friesner made motion to accept the bid, Supervisor Homyak seconded. Motion passed. Clerk was advised to draw up the contract with in the next day as mowing should commence immediately.
· Grandview outhouse door handle repair; Supervisor Friesner will be replacing/fixing the handle within the next week
· Many Lutsen residents questioned the where abouts of the cardboard trailing; after posing risk to cars trying to access it the trailer was moved to Grand Marais however it was advised by the supervisors to have commissioner Storlie contact the owners of the back area of third parking up the Ski hill as that could be a possibly safer place to access the trailer.
Donations: Gemini Inc (Jon and Yvonne Salmonson) Supervisor C Friesner made a motion to accept the donation. C Homyak seconded. Motion passed.
Citizen Comments: Sharon Hexum-Platzer on behalf of other residents requesting an ETA on progress for the emergency shelter, when should the slab be poured or propane tank and heater be brought in and set up? Supervisor Freisner plans to get the slab poured within the next two week and work to have the generator set up with in the next 6 weeks.
Adjournment: C Friesner made a motion to adjourn; seconded by L Cooper. Motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 8:14 pm
Respectfully Submitted, S Mcquatters-Spangle; Townhall Clerk Carl Friesner; Chairperson