It was a short meeting this round, with the focus on Mayor Conner’s largely positive recap of the recent Great Lakes Day and Capitol Days events. The City Administrator covered meetings with several groups, including taking steps to approve an LCCMR (Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources) grant application. This grant, funded by the state’s ENRTF (Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund), could be used for environmental and natural resource projects.
Mayor Conner’s recount of his experiences at recent political gatherings followed, starting with Great Lakes Day in Washington, D.C., on March 5th. The event, which is open to the public, is intended to allow those from all across the Great Lakes region to gather and speak with each other and members of Congress about matters affecting the Great Lakes, whether environmental, ecological, or commercial. Mayor Conner attended as one of a small contingent of six mayors as part of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a multinational coalition of government officials from across the region’s communities focused on protecting the Great Lakes in both economic and environmental matters. The others joining Conner crossed not only state but national lines and included Mayor Sam Cunningham from Waukegan, Illinois; Mayor Eddie Melton from Gary, Indiana; Mayor Mat Siscoe from St. Catharine’s, Ontario, Canada; Marcus Muhammad from Benton Harbor, Michigan; and Statutory Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Matt Johnson from Lake County HRA (Housing & Redevelopment Authority) was also in attendance and was a great help. Mayor Conner praised the nonpartisan group for putting aside party lines to work together for the benefit of the Great Lakes region, noting the Great Lakes Basin area as a whole to be the third largest economy in the world. The group went to their representatives with the goal of presenting a united front on topics needing funding or action. This included discussion of the GLRI (Great Lakes Restoration Initiative), a collaborative effort to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem on which the region is reliant, which is due for reauthorization and funding; also releasing funding for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which concerns preventing invasive aquatic species such as the asian carp from upending the native wildlife of the Great Lakes. Industrial and economic expansion of the Great Lakes region was also a major topic of discussion. Each Mayor led talks with their relevant representatives, including Mayor Conner speaking with Congressman Pete Stauber. Conner also spoke with the Congressman about the City’s recent congressional direct spending request and waterfront development plans. The Mayor was overall pleased with his experience at Great Lakes Day and emphasized the importance of continuing to network and collaborate with lawmakers and others in the region.
He continued on to cover Capitol Days, a similar type of gathering but focused on communities across Minnesota meeting with state and local representatives, held March 18th and 19th. Two Harbors Council members Erickson, Heil, and Redden attended along with Mayor Conner. At the event, they were able to meet and discuss local matters with Representatives Roger Skraba and Natalie Zeleznikar, Senators Erin Murphy and Grant Hauschild, and members of the governor’s office. The team also brought a local offering of Rustic Inn pie for the aides in attendance, which was much appreciated. Mayor Conner concluded his report by recommending further networking with state committee members in April to help further push local initiatives.
Council President Uriah Hefter summarized the Library Board meeting on March 10th, where they are continuing to discuss possible projects to make use of funds granted at the end of 2025. The Carnegie Library Foundation gifted the Two Harbors Library, which is a Carnegie Library, $10,000 as part of a celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary. The library also recently received a $4,400 grant from the Catholic Community Foundation to improve the shelving in the archive room, which Hefter noted is very much needed. Progress is also being made on an e-bike pass program, which will allow the library to check out e-bikes.
The Recreation Board’s last meeting covered several funding approvals in progress, as did the Public Utilities Committee, several of which were attached to this meeting’s consent agenda. Trees & Trails discussed tree removal and future projects. There were no meetings in the interim of the Waterfront Taskforce or the Public Affairs Committee.
Notable items on the consent agenda included: the purchase of new equipment for the golf course, renewal of the scheduled pump maintenance agreement with Midwest Pump Works for City lift stations, renewal of the agreement between Two Harbors and the Friends of the Two Harbors Dog Park, new solar buyback rates, authorizing contingent offers of employment relating to city positions, updates to the City’s Respectful Workplace and Sexual Harassment Policy, denial of a request to extend electrical utilities to certain billboard signs along Highway 61 at the City’s expense, acceptance of gray water from Finnegan Farms (pending acceptance of a formal agreement), updating gray water rates for the wastewater treatment plant, submitting applications for Congressionally Directed Spending through Senators Tina Smith’s and Amy Klobuchar’s offices for fiscal year 2027, expensing Mayor Conner’s attendance of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Conference in May, and signing a letter of support for a capital investment request for $4.5 million for improvements to the Gitchi-Gami Trail. Also added and approved were two items involving accepting proposals for roofing, siding, soffit, and fascia improvements for the Burlington Bay Campground office building.
The first of the two New Business items was the transfer of the Agate Bay parcel from the DNR to the city of Two Harbors. Mayor Conner spoke to representatives about the matter at Capitol Days, and it was highly recommended to not wait on proceeding with the transfer, especially as it would likely be possible to allow a portion of the land to be used for commercial development later on. Although the transfer was a subject of some debate at an earlier meeting, the feedback from Capitol Days appeared to resolve the matter, and the item was unanimously approved. The second piece of business involves the proposal of an Ordinance amending City Code, Chapter 11. This would increase the height limit for multi-family buildings with more than eight units in the R-3 District from 45 ft to 55 ft. It also calls for a public hearing on the matter during the City Council meeting on April 13th.
