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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Breitung board hears ambulance issue, DWI arrests updates

Rachel Brophy
Posted 2/2/23

SOUDAN – At the Jan. 26 Breitung Township regular meeting, Supervisor Chuck Tekautz gave an update on Tower Ambulance Commission issues.“As far as the ambulance, Greenwood still …

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Breitung board hears ambulance issue, DWI arrests updates

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SOUDAN – At the Jan. 26 Breitung Township regular meeting, Supervisor Chuck Tekautz gave an update on Tower Ambulance Commission issues.
“As far as the ambulance, Greenwood still isn’t paying,” he said. “I guess they got their summary from their draft study for the ambulance and it didn’t come out the way they wanted it, so I don’t know what’s happening there.”
Tekautz went on to say, “Now I see they said they want nothing to do with supporting the ambulance. Right now, Tower is running the ambulance, and some months there’s a fairly good loss depending on maintenance and if they need some equipment.”
Tekautz reported on the progress of the ad-hoc ambulance committee formed to look into future options for the service.
“Would it just be better to have the TAAS with everyone contributing?” Tekautz asked. “The state says you have to do this, and you have to do that, but they don’t tell you where you’re going to get the funding.”
“We’re trying to figure how to keep the ambulance going while keeping up with what the new laws that the state wants,” he continued. “As far as our BLS [Basic Life Support] service I think we’ve got a good service here, but it’s not ALS [Advanced Life Support]. I know when I was on the ambulance for 25 years, we used Virginia even back then. We’d meet them by the Y Store or the Lutheran church and get the paramedics in there. It worked out good. But I guess Greenwood wants ALS and wants it for nothing - I think.”
Tekautz reported that TAAS has ordered the new ambulance for a cost of $250,000 which is “standard price these days – unfortunately.” Tekautz also noted changes in leadership of the Tower Ambulance commission.
“Kevin Norby is resigning from ambulance commission and Bob Anderson is taking over,” he said.
DWIs top police report
Police Chief Dan Reing reported the department is seeing quite a bit of snowmobile and OHV traffic running through town. Reing reported four DWIs for the month of December, three of which were on the Towards Zero Deaths (TZD) enhanced enforcement shift. There were two fourth-degree DWI arrests, one third-degree and one second-degree that included a forfeited vehicle and test refusal.
Supervisor Chuck Tekautz asked for clarification on what each degree meant. Reing explained that fourth degree is a first offense DWI, and third degree is a gross misdemeanor with one prior DWI in 10 years or a BAC of 0.16 or above. Second degree is two priors in 10 years. All who were arrested lived outside of Tower-Soudan. In the second-degree violation, the driver actually hit the ditch. Reing explained that TZD enhanced shift covers areas outside of Breitung-Soudan, but are still within about 30 miles. Reing also reported that the school bus driver who has been having trouble speeding through Soudan has had a governor put on his bus.
Other business
In other business the board:
• Discussed a bench purchase and placement along the trail. Clerk Dianna Sunsdahl will look at costs and options.
• Approved changes to fire chief and asst. chief education and experience in the job descriptions and deleted one of the formerly required classes. According to Assistant Chief Tuchel, “It’s a difficult and expensive class to get. You’d probably have to leave the state to find one.”
• Approved making formal application to the county for a formal 911 address for the skating rink/shack.
• Approved the CTC internet contract.
• Approved having the clerk research broadband information and funding.
• Approved authorizing making an application and accepting funds from IRRR FY23 Culture and Tourism program for McKinley Park and Stuntz Bay projects.
• Designated township election hours as 10 a.m. -8 p.m., appointed election judges, and the absentee ballot board.
• Approved ordering a Ring doorbell system with the basic package for enhanced entrance security at Breitung Community Center.
• Approved making application for a noise ordinance sign as well as the ayment of $1,508 for sign.
• Discussed township equipment replacement costs.
• Approved transferring $100,000 to a 9-month CD at 3.5 percent.
The Breitung Town Board next regular meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 23 at 12 noon.