SOUDAN — The Breitung Town Board affirmed their commitment to doing a Joint Comprehensive Plan with the city of Tower at their last board meeting on Sept. 16.
A comprehensive plan is a tool communities utilize to pinpoint community vision, regulate land uses, and guide future investments. Creating a comprehensive plan entails getting feedback from community members, compiling it, and then using it to guide decision-making in the future.
A plan for Tower-Breitung was last completed in 2015. To plan, the communities will partner with the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission which will oversee the process and create the final plan. The cost is $25,000, but there is a grant available from IRRR that would cover half the cost, with the two communities to split the remaining $12,500.
“Our population has changed over the past ten years. Are the priorities of our residents ten years ago the same as they are today? I think it’s important that we know what the priorities of our residents are so we can try to focus on those,” said chairman Matt Tuchel.
The board passed a motion to move forward with the plan and ask Tower to also move forward and share the cost, contingent on receiving grant funding.
The last comprehensive plan included community meetings as well as surveys.
In other news, the Breitung board:
• Heard that the fire department completed six hydrant repairs with MN Rural Water Association. They found one hydrant that needs to be completely replaced on South St.
• Heard that the water plant is now operating completely on its new equipment.
• Heard that the Tower Ambulance Service will have ALS, Advanced Life Support, service Monday-Friday starting in October.
• Will waive boat launch fees at McKinley Park for two weeks beginning Oct. 1 to accommodate the city of Tower at their request while the Hoodoo Point boat launch is closed for repairs. Note that the fee is not waived for the first two days of construction, Sept. 29 and 30, as McKinley Park will have extra traffic. The campground closes on Sept. 30 and the campground is expected to be busy while people are removing their RVs from the premises.
The next township meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.