According to Board Chair Rich Sve, October 27th marks Navy Day, honoring members of the United States Navy and its role in national defense since 1922. The day was chosen as it is President Teddy Roosevelt’s birthday, born in 1858. The date also marks the opening of the New York City Subway in 1904, which Sve added could be ridden for a nickel.
Operation Volunteers for Veterans representative Tanya Bruzek was on hand to give the Board an update on the local organization’s planned events. First, a partnership with BoB-a-Q Smokehouse will provide a free, complimentary buffet for Lake County Veterans on the first Tuesday of each month. These will be held at the American Legion Post 109 from noon to four, with the first having taken place this week on the 3rd. The group is also doing Thank You For Your Service Thanksgiving Meal Kits for the third year in a row, providing free holiday ingredients to Veterans for making a Thanksgiving feast: turkey, a potato dish, a vegetable dish, buns, gravy, and a dessert. Bruzek stated they are planning for 25 kits but can prepare more if requested. Veterans interested in receiving a kit can call the organization’s new phone number at (218) 341-8290. The organization, which is relatively new, is also planning to do work under the name ‘Operation v4v’.
Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District District Manager and Water Planner Tara Solem ran the Board through the current status of the county’s watersheds, in particular the Lake Superior North region. She requested their approval of a plan extension with the state’s One Watershed One Plan program, which they provided. Her office provides several services to the public, including vegetation planting and cost-share availability for those affected by recent fires, grants for low-income residents to take out dead or hazard trees, and free well water testing. For more information, their services can be found on the Lake County website at lakecountymn.gov/523/Services.
Lake County Recorder Lori Ekstrom gave the Board her final annual update for the Recorder’s Office, as she is terming out at the end of the year. Her office covers a wide range of documentation for the County and is kept busy not only processing new records but backing up old records and ensuring they are all easily searchable by those needing related information. She ended the presentation on a positive note, sounding content with the progress the office had made from the start of her career there in 1995.
County Administrator Matthew Huddleston started off his report with a recount of his and Commissioner Rick Goutermont’s time at Gasworld’s Helium Super Summit, held in Houston, TX, the week prior. The event covered all aspects of the helium industry, from producers to end users, and most relevant to locals, featured Pulsar as a speaker. According to Huddleston, a key topic this year was how to build a more reliable helium supply chain for the industry in the next five years, especially given current global uncertainty and “how recent disruptions could affect the market balance.”
The demand for helium has grown dramatically in recent years and, by most accounts, is expected to continue, with arguments centering more around how much and where. The element has found a wide range of applications across multiple fields, with a few examples he listed being semiconductors used in advanced electronics manufacturing, space launches, F-150 gas tanks (with helium used to check for leaks), and medicine due to its use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
Although the United States has historically supplied the majority of helium production in the world, forecasts for the next 5-10 years project this decreasing to around a third of production. Other major players filling in the gaps are expected to be the Middle East, Russia, and China. That said, geopolitics and international disruptions were a hot topic at the summit. Demand well outstrips supply, making the resource a precious commodity on the global market.
In all, Huddleston came away impressed by the expertise and knowledge of those in attendance. “Listening to these experts around the world to helium really gives a much more well-rounded understanding of where helium is, where it’s coming from, what the market is, how much we use, and what the potentials are in the future.” Following the conference, the U.S. Department of Energy designated helium as a critical material, which he found “significant because it may create opportunities for eligible domestic projects to receive funding.”
In other business, the Board reconfirmed the 2027 final budget levy hearing will be on December 1st, with preparations being done beforehand. Following the presentation at an earlier Board meeting, the Forest Service plans to continue with updates on the land appraisals and condemnations of the school trust land to ideally work in the County’s favor with the Thye-Blatnik Act. The Board may soon be hearing details on the Two Harbors Trail Alliance’s plan discussed recently at a Two Harbors City Council meeting.
The Board will be presenting a session on helium development in Lake County alongside Pulsar during the upcoming annual conference for the Association of Minnesota Counties. Members of the Board are also making tentative plans to attend the Minnesota Chamber’s 2027 Session Priorities in January and the Duluth & St. Louis County Days at the Capitol next February.
County Interim Auditor/Treasurer Ronelle Radle detailed a resolution on the agenda for disaster abatements and credits relating to the Stewart Trail Fire. This is a follow-up from an application to the state to receive property tax relief for the emergency event. The resolution includes a list of damaged property owners who submitted an application to receive that disaster relief. The result will be abatement of the 2026 taxes for the loss of structures in the fire, as well as granting eligible properties a property tax credit in 2027 for the amount of taxes associated with the loss of those buildings. In response to a question from Sve, Radle answered that new structures already being built will follow the same rules as any new construction and be assessed in the proper year; the tax relief will be for structures that “are no longer there.” The Board approved the resolution. Huddleston thanked Radle for her work on the issue, stating that the resolution wouldn’t have come so far so quickly without her efforts. Radle also gave a quick update on the November 3rd election, which at the time of this meeting was 10 days into early in-person voting for Lake County with about 350 voters so far. Counting in-person and mail votes, about 15% of the County’s registered voters had voted at that point. She thanked election judges, saying, “It’s been a pleasure to have them here assisting us with the voters.” The subject of the lack of election judge trainees came up, leading Radle to give a reminder that there is a program for local 16- to 17-year-old election judge trainees. Those interested can contact the County Auditor’s office to sign up before an election, where they would work alongside election judges on election day in their polling place. As with regular election judges, the position would get paid.
Land Commissioner Nate Eide went over another agenda item regarding the Bean and Bear Trail and possible improvements proposed by the Silver Bay Snowmobile and ATV Club to expand the parking lot to accommodate the trail’s popularity plus add an equipment storage/maintenance building. More trail upgrades around Silver Bay connecting to the trailhead center would also be potentially under discussion. The Board approved starting plans.
Lake County Veterans Service Officer Brad Anderson had a few matters to discuss with the Board. First, he thanked them for their continued support of Operation Green Light for Veterans this year, making it the fourth year the County has participated in the event. The Lake County Veterans Memorial Association is currently in the process of gaining matching funds from the County, with the help of Radle. At the time of the meeting, $46,681.68 remained on the agreement for matching funds.
He also explained a request from American Legion Post 109 for assistance with the 2026 Veterans Day Dinner. Similar to past years, Anderson explained that Minnesota statutes “authorize Counties to appropriate funds to aid in observance of Veterans Day and help qualifying military service organizations defray related expenses.” Anderson plans to make improvements to the assistance process for Memorial Day and Veterans Day in future years to make budgeting more consistent and improve transparency. He also clarified that funds so far have been used solely for Veterans, not their guests. Lastly, Anderson has been helping plan this year’s State Veterans Day, which the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will be holding in Duluth. The event is open to the public and includes free breakfast starting at 8:30 am and a meet-and-greet with elected officials.
Commissioner Joe Baltich informed the Board that snowmobile grooming is back on track for the Ely to Finland area after a brief possible absence. He is now pushing for completion of the Ely ambulance building, which is currently minimal: “It’s been working, but you wear your parka in there in the wintertime.” The project received a federal grant some years ago, but project costs have ballooned since, delaying completion until an additional $87,000 is met. He met with Minnesota Senator Grant Hauschild to discuss the matter, commending Hauschild for making himself available when needed. In the meantime, he had compliments for the speed of Ely’s emergency crew, saying that after a call, “in 45 seconds flat that ambulance is out the door, lights on.” He and Commissioner Rick Hogenson also attended the recent Heroes Breakfast, though Hogenson was there not in his capacity as a County Commissioner but as Two Harbors Police Chief.
Hogenson, for his part, asked the Board to consider a future resolution of support for the 148th Fighter Wing to replace their current aircraft with updated F-35 Lightning II aircraft. “I think it would just be a good gesture from this Board,” he stated, citing the group’s personal and professional connections to the area as well as the economic and national defense aspects. Duluth, Two Harbors, and Silver Bay have already pledged their support.
Prior to handling the agenda items, the Board heard from Kristi Kane from the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission regarding a resolution on the agenda for the county to enter a Joint Powers
Agreement with the Commission to participate in the Arrowhead C-PACE (Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy) program. The program, she explained, is designed for commercial properties, multi-unit housing developments, and nonprofits who also own the property. The Board approved the resolution.
Notable consent agenda items not yet covered included: a contract with IEA (Institute for Environmental Assessment), Inc. in conjunction with the Northeast Service Cooperative for 2027; signing the Minnesota Emergency Management Preparedness Grant Agreements and Progress Reports for 2027; signing the Lake County Firewise Program Coordinator Service Agreement with Paramount Planning Group LLC for 2027; signing the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Coastal Boundary Grant Acceptance Letter, respective Agreements, and Progress Reports spanning until the end of September 2028; signing an Agreement for Fiscal Agent and Coordination Services between the North Shore Collaborative and Lake County for 2027; the purchase of a snowmobile trailer to replace one for the Sheriff’s Office; a special event permit for Superior Fall Trail Race next September; payment to Everbridge, Inc. for the Public Notification System; and several findings and conditions by the Planning Commission.
An additional third resolution was added and approved authorizing payment not to exceed $158,570.16 to SHI Corporation.
