One issue overshadowed the meeting this past week for Two Harbors’ City Council: Breakwall Indivisible’s parking at Lakeview Cemetery during their weekly rallies. The group has used the cemetery for parking for over a year, but recently received notice of an ordinance that prohibits them from parking there during their rallies. The meeting room was filled to the brim with members of the group coming to see the Council as part of the Public Comment period.
The attorney representing Breakwall Indivisible, Cindy Kosiak, spoke on the ordinance in question. It dates from 1944, and the relevant section states: “No person shall use the cemetery grounds or roads therein as a public thoroughfare nor drive any vehicle through the cemetery except for purposes of making deliveries in the cemetery.” The city attorney said during a meeting with Breakwall that this section applies to parking within the cemetery. Kosiak disagrees, arguing the mention of a thoroughfare means the use of the cemetery roads as, say, a traffic detour. “There is no language in your ordinance that references parking in any way, shape, or form.”
The idea of a permit to allow Breakwall to park in the cemetery was floated by the group, but rejected by the city attorney. Kosiak clarified that she did not consider a permit necessary in the situation, but that it was considered a way to compromise with the City. With no compromise given, Kosiak covered alternatives open to the group, including organizing a public initiative or continuing to park in the cemetery as-is. “If we go to court with a ticket that says ‘you violated the parking permit in the cemetery’, and a judge reads that language about a thoroughfare, we’re not going to lose.” She also covered safety issues for the group if forced to park across the street, and the potential for this move by the City to be viewed as a chilling of free speech.
Rick Evans, a member of Breakwall Indivisible, spoke next and began by stating the group had come before the Council three times in the past 14 months, a sign of how Breakwall values communication and transparency in its actions. “We have been mindful from the beginning to stage our weekly rallies in a way that is open and respectful of public spaces and area businesses.” The group took care from the beginning to stay respectful of the city, its residents, and its businesses, and consulted with local police early on to decide on the location of their rallies in the public space along 7th Avenue next to Lakeview Cemetery. “We have never held the attitude that we can do whatever we want despite ordinances.” Like Kosiak, he mentioned the mobility issues many of Breakwall’s members have, making it difficult for them to travel far on foot to attend a rally.
“We recognize that there are some folks who do not want us to engage in public demonstrations in the current location,” Evans continued. “We respect their right to that opinion.” Regarding complaints of Breakwall disrespecting veterans by parking in the cemetery, he noted that for veterans resting in the cemetery, “a lot of those people fought against authoritarianism,” and “the idea that we are somehow disrespecting that, to me, is ridiculous.” He reiterated that the group is asking for a permit for one hour a week “to do what we’re doing,” and “what we’re doing is upholding American values.” He ended by thanking the police department, cemetery staff, and the council for being open with the group.
Another member of Breakwall Indivisible, Rennae Houle-Byrnes, was next to speak. Her heritage and values left to her by her departed family, many of whom are interred within the cemetery, are always on her mind during rallies. “My father-in-law was a Purple Heart Veteran of World War II. He fought for what we’re fighting for.” At the rallies, she sees a wide array of locals, including school teachers, fellow church members, those from the medical field, and friends within the community. For those gathering every Saturday, “we aren’t there to be disruptive, we’re here to band together and try to make a change.” She further explained that “as a registered nurse, our code of ethics requires us to stand for justice.” Apart from attending the rallies, she cares for several gravesites and spoke on feeling generally intimidated about parking in the cemetery by the notice given to the group. “It was that feeling of, ‘park at your own risk’.”
Councilor Donna Heil responded to the group by thanking them for their attendance and clarifying that the matter at hand for the Council was not to impede the rallies, but to decide the parking situation in the cemetery, saying, “Please understand that we all support free speech.”
The request from Breakwall Indivisible was handled as a resolution later this session, with a long discussion by the Council. Mayor Lew Conner took the lead, stating that “in three years, of all the different items across the Council list, I’ve probably done more due diligence on this than any that I’ve done before.” He spoke with citizens, particularly local veterans, on the matter and found representation on both sides of the issue. Despite wanting a resolution on the matter swiftly, he acknowledged the importance of taking time to “get the right voices in the room to come up with a compromise” by bringing the matter before committees such as Public Works or Public Affairs.
Councilor Todd Redmann largely concurred, saying that although he currently feels he lacks information on the matter, “I share your goal to try and resolve this” and has hope to reach a solution “as soon as possible”. He thanked the group for their desire to make the process “open and honest”. Councilor Heil agreed, pushing for a solution to be offered before the next City Council meeting on June 8th, stating that “they deserve an answer.”
After some back and forth over how to have meetings discussing the matter, the Council resolved to table the issue for the session and hold a special meeting on the topic the following week on Wednesday, June 3rd.
Committee reports included Mayor Conner covering HRA, which has a new maintenance worker after having the role vacant for 18 months. The committee is also currently dealing with “significant” plumbing issues at Bayview Terrace.
Council President Uriah Hefter went over the Library Board and several statistics from the 2025 annual report by Two Harbors Public Library’s Director, Madeline Jarvis. This included visits to the library just over 33,000 for the year, up a few hundred from 2024; library card holders jumped 400 from the previous year, up to 4,300, which Hefter noted as more than the population of Two Harbors thanks to help from surrounding residents; 43,000 website visits; 66,000 physical and digital items circulated; programming attendance of 3,100 people, up 500 people from 2024; and 1,320 volunteer hours amongst 93 volunteers. Hefter also explained his favorite statistic of Tonieboxes, which he described as “a little box for kids ages 2-8” that “sings songs, counts with you and plays games”. The library has several of the toys and circulates over a hundred a month. “So if you’re a parent,” Hefter said, “we just saved you a bunch of money just by going to the library.” The library also recently received a grant to fund a second year of the artist in residence program and a $25,000 Literacy Bridges grant from ARSL (The Association for Rural & Small Libraries), accepted during this meeting.
Councilor Cathy Erickson, speaking for the Recreation Board, went over preparations for summer sports. Two members of the Board will also be leaving soon, providing openings to join the Board.
Councilor Todd Redmann, for Public Works, mentioned the welcome of the new Public Works Director Mark Rauenhorst. The committee is working through several issues, including the new airport manager contract with tenants of the airport hangar and requests for more recycling receptacles.
Lastly, Councilor Ben Redden covered Public Utilities, with planned updates to solar usage for residents, including reimbursement for installing solar systems. Transient/Irrigation water rates, “for people wanting to fill up tanks off the city water supply,” were also discussed and approved during this meeting.
Consent agenda items of note included: a cannabis microbusiness license for Two Harbors Cannabis, LLC; a low-potency hemp products application for the local SuperOne; and accepting a bid by Gulbranson Excavating for the roundabout project at Highway 61 and County Highway 26’s intersection.
The other resolution accepted by the Council allows the fire department to apply for a Wildfire Prevention grant, allowing for the purchase of equipment to enhance the fire department’s Wildland Fire Suppression capabilities.
