Silas Permar, of Bolton & Menk, presented the Two Harbors City Council with information and recommendations for upgrades that need to be made at the Two Harbors Airport. Regarding needed upgrades, Permar pointed out that the current terminal building is not ADA compliant. Hallways are narrow and bathrooms are not accessible for people who use wheelchairs and the building lacks an energy efficient design. There are also cracks in both runways and in the tarmac which pose a hazard to aircraft using the facility.
Due to funding sources made available during the last legislative session in St. Paul and funds made available by the Federal Government, there is grant money that can help cover the majority of the cost of these upgrades. Permar encouraged the Council to make an application for funding assistance for upgrades / replacement of the terminal building. The council unanimously approved the resolution.
Replacement of the rotary beacon is currently underway at the airport and relocation of the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) is proposed for 2024.
The goose hunt that was scheduled earlier this month at the airport did not happen. There was one individual who signed up for the hunt but apparently, the geese got wind of the plan and did not show up for the event. City officials will consider plans to deal with the goose situation, if needed, next Fall.
There has been concern among residents who live along the 800 block of 5th Avenue about the condition of their yards in the wake of the road reconstruction that has taken place there. Joe Rhein informed the Council that reseeding work will begin this Fall. Reseeding did not happen this summer due to weather conditions that were not friendly to turf work. City officials will be communicating with property owners soon to let them know when the work will begin. In addition to initial reseeding this Fall, the work will be checked in the Spring to make sure that property owners are satisfied.
The Council authorized City Administrator Patricia Nordean to hire a grant writer who will complete two grant applications for the clean-up of the derelict coal docks along Agate Bay. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has two separate funding opportunities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that can be used for large marine debris removal. As city leaders plan for waterfront renewal projects, the removal of the crumbling docks is good news.
Finance Director Miranda Pietila presented a proposal for the 2024 Property Tax Levy. A 2% tax increase is in the proposal. The preliminary levy can be reduced, once adopted, but can not be increased. The Council approved the propos-al and scheduled a Truth in Taxation hearing for December 11th at 6:00 p.m.
The Airport Commission has not been able to meet for several months due to lack of quorum. The Airport is considered part of the Public Works Department, so the City Council accepted a proposal to abolish the Airport Commission and have Public Works take on those responsibilities. Though the City has been seeking commission members for some time, there has not been enough interest to fill needed positions. As always, there is opportunity for citizen input at any meeting of a city committee so folks that are interested in airport activities will continue to be able to make recommendations regarding the airport.
The next Two Harbors City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 9th at 6:00 p.m.
