Some takeaways from Board Chair Rich Sve this August 11th: it is the birthday of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, the full release date of American Graffiti in 1973, and a recorded temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit in Embarrass, Minnesota in 1979.
The Council was given another nudge this session regarding making certain County records available online. Scott, a local sewer inspector/installer, suggested adding the ability for contractors to make an account with the County’s website to have their permits verified and allow them to quickly and easily access information needed for their work. St. Louis and Cook Counties already have similar systems set up, Scott explained: “Other counties, I can go online and access that public record on Sunday morning, at three in the morning if I’m trying to do some work then.”
Currently, he has to ask Planning and Zoning for information on his work sites, involving a phone call and a return time of up to four or five days depending on how busy they are. This can create problems for jobs that are time-sensitive, especially when the problem comes to his attention on a Friday just before the weekend.
County Administrator Matthew Huddleston acknowledged the County has been struggling to address updates on public records and related documentation for years, with efforts currently focused on improving permits. But aside from permits, “we don’t have the path there yet,” Huddleston said, agreeing that it would be good to have the information more readily available. During COVID, there was a concerted effort to convert or copy physical records to digital formats, but the County now must decide the best way to allow the public to access the digital records they are legally allowed to see and may find useful or necessary.
Sve and the other Commissioners appeared to have some measure of support for making updates, with Commissioner Rick Goutermont noting the good timing in addressing the issue given the budget for 2027 will be under discussion soon.
On the subject of budgets, Huddleston’s update shows the 2026 budget is on track so far, though there will be some general adjustments for wages, which will require careful watching to ensure everything remains steady. The 2027 budget is currently being planned and will be the topic of discussion at a public meeting on August 24th at 1 pm.
The response to the Camp Fire is still going strong to combat hotspots, which are continuing to crop up. “I don’t want people to get complacent,” said Sheriff Nathan Stadler, as despite improvements over the past few weeks, there have been issues with hotspots jumping containment lines. Recent hot and unusually dry weather in the region makes it far more difficult to contain fires, as there is little to no natural dampening preventing fire from spreading. As of this meeting, there were around 750 personnel responding to help try and keep fires in the area under control.
Other miscellaneous updates include the County working towards possible aid from several grants involving recuperating from the Stewart Trail Fire and County Courthouse improvements, and the County starting on its own project resurfacing 15th Street in Two Harbors now that the City’s project on the road is complete. The road construction is slated for September, possibly going into October. The road’s off and on again closures are inconvenient at the moment, but Huddleston noted the improvements should last the road for well over a decade and are being timed to account for other planned projects in the area. Highway 2 is also on the docket to be resurfaced this fall, with details to come at a later date.
Land Commissioner Nate Eide announced that, inspired by the Sheriff’s Department’s recent deep dive into their department’s history, the Forestry Department is looking into doing the same for themselves. “We’ve been having fun interviewing former Foresters,” he commented, explaining they have been recording the interviews for posterity. Eide will also be testifying in favor of fundraising efforts by The Nature Conservancy to reforest areas across the Arrowhead stripped by Spruce Budworm and fires, plus a corridor along Highway 61. The group has already successfully completed many steps of this project, giving faith that their current efforts will be of great help to forest recovery in the region.
Commissioner Joe Baltich recently spoke with several residents affected by the fires up north, discussing ready zones, financial aid, and spreading awareness of the area being reopened to tourists and others looking to visit and enjoy the area once again.
Commissioner Goutermont attended a charity softball game on August 9th between the Two Harbors Fire Department and local Law Enforcement officers, enjoying the chance to have a gathering without an emergency taking place. A shortline railroad between Duluth and Two Harbors is also still being planned for commerce/business use, with Goutermont commenting that while decades in the making, there is progress.
Commissioner Rick Hogenson recently attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Two Harbors’ Northshore Flats. The apartment complex, which will add 80 market-rate units to the City, will take a projected 18 months of construction. Lake County HRA’s Director Matt Johnson, who is in charge of the project, was given compliments on his efforts to improve the County so far.
Board Chair Sve sat through a live webinar given by NACo (National Association of Counties) on data centers, giving pros and cons on their use. He noted that, regardless of your stance, your County should have policies regarding data centers, and that over 450 local governments around the country have a moratorium on data centers while working out policies on how to handle them, with more rapidly joining the movement to give a breather to a process where officials are often pushed to move fast. Sve explained that, given the recent explosion in data center construction and their complexity, it’s a topic “that I want to be prepared for.”
Consent agenda items approved of note included: authorizing a renewal of Lake County’s Enterprise Agreement with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) to support the County’s Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities; signing the 2025 Operation Stonegarden Grant Agreement; a contract amendment concerning development for the Dunka River Road improvement project, Phase II; and a letter of agreement between HMO Minnesota doing business as BluePlus and Lake County for Elderly Waiver (EW) Program services until the end of the year, to be automatically renewed for one-year terms.
The first larger item approved was awarding the resurfacing of 15th Street in Two Harbors to KGM Contractors. The second larger item, added during the meeting, was to put the County’s previous ice resurfacer up for sale. The 1989 Olympia ST95 Propane-Fired Ice Resurfacer was sold via the Minnesota Department of Administration Surplus auction website.
