The City of Silver Bay’s new website is now live at silverbaymn.gov, with the old version also redirecting to the freshly updated one. It contains a wealth of information for residents on city services and current city projects and events.
Several smaller issues approved during the meeting included scheduling the ground-breaking ceremony for the water treatment facility and booster station project on July 7th at 10 am. An approved revised North Shore Management Board Joint Powers Agreement had “nothing major” in terms of changes, according to Mayor Wade LeBlanc, who had earlier heard a presentation on the matter given to the Planning and Zoning Board. The agreement was last updated around a decade ago. Election Judges for the upcoming 2026 Primary and General Elections were also accepted.
The new Multi-Modal Trailhead Center ended up coming in under budget, with the updated contract coming in at $116,265.50 less than expected. As per the new contract, this money will be gained back by the City. These funds will be used by Silver Bay to “add additional amenities that were removed in the initial construction due to the budget,” including security cameras, signage for the area, and more. Mayor LeBlanc took the opportunity to praise the Trailhead Center, saying of the facility, “it’s something we can all be proud of.”
The remaining two resolutions approved on the City Administrator’s docket involve the purchase of new security cameras from Heartland Business Systems. The first area to obtain the cameras would be the new Trailhead Center, with the costs covered by grant funds leftover after the Center’s completion. This would include adding a special Point-to-Zoom (PTZ) camera to cover blind spots in the parking lot and traffic coming on and off the trails. Silver Bay Chief of Police Cole Ernest spoke in support of the PTZ camera as being worth its extra cost, stating that “it would make our job a lot easier” in preventing crimes in the area bordering wilderness behind the Trailhead Center and that “in the long run I think that [PTZ camera] will be very nice to have down there.”
The second area to receive the new cameras would be the interior and exterior of the Liquor Store, including all entrances, many blind spots within the building (excluding the bathrooms), and a view of the exterior of the Reunion Hall. There were some concerns voiced about privacy with having cameras inside the store, but Chief Ernest pointed out the current state of modern life, saying, “Do you really think when you go into Buffalo Wild Wings or any other bar you’re not on cameras? You’re on cameras everywhere you go.”
He clarified further to the Council that “the cameras in there are for your liability and your safety and your investment you have in the liquor store,” adding its use in providing legal protection to employees working in the store, all reasons the cameras were requested by the Liquor Manager and Liquor Commission. He further confirmed that within the Police Department, only he would have access to the camera footage, “and I can guarantee you I’m not at home watching the bar cameras unless I’m called.” No one will be actively monitoring the cameras 24/7, rather the footage will be there for review in case of legal or criminal matters. Cost for these cameras will come from liquor store reserves.
The current camera system used by the City is from IRN with Hanwha cameras. Heartland Business Systems’ bid was preferred this time around largely due to timing and communication issues. Heartland Business Systems has worked with several other communities and police departments in Minnesota, including Virginia, Eveleth, and Biwabik, and has a positive reputation with an excellent record regarding communication. The cameras will be Motorola brand with an open-source system, allowing the City’s current security system to eventually be integrated if so desired.
Continuing on business discussed in a recent meeting, a new version of the 5-year municipal garbage disposal contract for the City of Silver Bay was approved for renewal. The contract renewal between Silver Bay and D&D Services came up during the City Council meeting at the beginning of this month and had several changes of concern to the Council in how it would affect the City and its residents. Since then, Mayor LeBlanc, Councilor James FitzGerald, and Administrator Lana Fralich have discussed the proposed contract with D&D’s owners and ended with an update to the arrangement they hope will work as a sufficient compromise.
In summary and most relevant to residents, the brush and yard waste disposal site at 15 Golf Course Road will remain open, but as of July 1st will only be usable by Silver Bay residents with a City water/utility bill, as garbage collection is covered as part of that bill. Silver Bay businesses or organizations doing work for profit will also no longer be allowed to use the site. In addition, starting July 1st, the residential garbage rate will increase from $27.50 to $30 a month, totaling an extra cost of $30 a year for residents. All trash and recycling must also be out on the boulevard by 8 am, with trash and recycling placed on opposite sides to indicate which is which.
Starting this October, recycling collection will be reduced to every other week on Wednesdays. All cardboard must be flattened and stacked, and all other recycling must be in covered containers. In addition, contract adjustments will be proposed yearly, in February, to give the City time to review and approve changes.
Last but not least, the Council received an update on the Golf Course Housing Development Project from Project Manager David Drown. Due to massive construction cost increases within the past four years, the project has gone from being a $1.2 million project to a $5 million project. This is well over the projected revenue the City would get from eventually selling the completed parcels, valued at roughly $100,000 a parcel, with 40 parcels. “So we’ve got a $5 million project that can be sold for $4 million bucks,” Drown explained. “That’s an infeasible project from the EDA’s standpoint.” After research into possible ways to save money on the project met with limited results, the EDA (Economic Development Authority) concluded that attempting to complete the development as originally planned “is not wise.”
Instead, the EDA proposes a possible fallback for now: sell the three lots in the Development with current street access. This would require minimal additional investment by the City, and if sold, the revenue from the lots would pay for engineering costs incurred so far, to at least allow the City to recoup its losses. Aside from gaining back money spent, Drown continued, this would also get activity started in the region and possibly encourage private developers to consider investing in the area. Turning over the area to private developers would likely have them take on a good portion of the costs, resulting hopefully in residential lots being built without such a high upfront cost for the City.
Drown suggested that any additional revenue generated by the sale of the lots should, at least for now, be tabbed for future stages of the project rather than into the City’s general fund. Aside from the three lot sales, future plans are, as of now, in the air. It was, however, confirmed that every lot purchased must have a residential house built on it within a few years, as the goal of the project is still to gain revenue from said added residences.
The Council officially approved recording plats on the three lots in question and additionally approved placing the parcels up for sale on the market following the advice of the EDA’s real estate consultant.
