As winter makes its way closer, Silver Bay can look back on a warm season more colorful than normal thanks to the efforts of its recently reformed Garden Club. The club was in attendance at this past meeting to request a new endeavor for the City: a community garden. The garden, which was approved by the Council after some questions and answers, will have up to 20 plots that can be rented by residents and used to grow vegetables, flowers, or any number of plants – though the Council emphasized that this does not include cannabis due to legal issues. The garden is planned to be located near the Rukavina Arena in the horseshoe area.
Mayor Wade LeBlanc is hoping Silver Bay can continue its victory streak this year for the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC)’s “Mayor for a Day” essay contest. The statewide contest for 4th through 6th graders was won this past year by William Kelley 6th grader Everlie Ernest.
The University of Minnesota’s School of Medicine is currently looking at Silver Bay’s clinic in hopes of providing some help in view of Aspirus’s abandonment of services in the region. LeBlanc was cautiously positive, stating they are “pursuing every angle possible to restore some healthcare.” “It’s gonna be way different than it is now in rural America,” he continued. “But if we can be on the leading edge of it, let’s be on the leading edge of it.” City Administrator Lana Fralich added that keeping a physical clinic location open and functioning was a priority for the City.
Minnesota Representative Roger Skraba made an appearance at the meeting in anticipation of the coming election, taking questions from the Council and going over his thoughts on a variety of topics from Silver Bay’s current necessary improvement projects to his optimism on the future of the helium industry in the region to the grim state of rural healthcare and the importance of passing the 340B Drug Pricing Program despite internal conflict within the Republican Party. He is also hoping for the passage of the permanent school fund constitutional amendment on the ballot, which will add much-needed funds to local schools without raising taxes. Overall, he emphasized the importance of different groups working together, across party lines and between all levels of governance, to keep northeastern Minnesota’s rural areas functioning and making improvements. (Read more in this week’s article: Minnesota Representative Skraba Talks with Silver Bay).
After Skraba’s departure, the Council took a moment to acknowledge the Silver Bay Marina winning an achievement as ‘Best Marina in Upper Plains Region for 2026’ by BusinessRate, which declares its winners based on Google reviews, according to them, “drawn from more than 26 million businesses and 1.7 billion reviews compiled over 18 years.”
One larger consent agenda item was approval from the Council for Arrowhead AED Inc. to install an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in Silver Bay along with holding a local fundraiser event to show how AEDs are used. When properly used, an AED can save the life of someone having a cardiac arrest. The Council is considering placing the AED in or near the lower area of the Trailhead Center, with details still to be decided. Councilor Richard DeRosier confirmed their goal is having ready 24/7/365 access balanced with keeping the unit safe from abuse. The AED would be installed in a SaveStation cabinet to provide protection from outdoor elements. Arrowhead AED Inc. previously held a similar event in Grand Marais this past April. Another consent item of note approved was an airport hangar storage lease at the Wayne Johnson Silver Bay Municipal Airport.
Two resolutions passed related to two loan agreements between the City of Silver Bay and the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (PFA). The first is for the Water Treatment Facility and Booster Station Improvement Project, a 30-year loan of $4,327,019 at 2.78% interest, which includes a $10 million Drinking Water State Revolving Grant. This agreement also includes setting up a system replacement fund of 50 cents for every 1000 gallons of system flow per year. The second agreement is for the Watermain Project, a 20-year loan of $4,830,064 at 2.853%. Fralich noted these are low-interest loans at a good rate for the scale of the projects. LeBlanc thanked Fralich and staff for their work securing the updated agreements with PFA.
The Council also approved an amendment to the Purchase and Development Agreement for the Boathouse Bay Project allowing owners to sell each property individually when they have met the agreement’s requirements rather than waiting for completion of a ‘phase’. This change was reviewed and recommended by Silver Bay’s Economic Development Authority.
Lastly, and also supported by the Economic Development Authority, the Silver Bay Golf Course Housing Development project has progressed with approval of work on the final plat. MSA’s completion of the final plat for the housing development will eventually allow the property to be recorded and sold to recoup engineering fees from the development’s construction so far.
