COOK- The Cook City Council spent much of its Nov. 20 meeting working through a series of infrastructure and development issues, including new details about the hidden void beneath the library floor, grant activity from the city’s engineering team, and community engagement efforts tied to the upcoming Economic Development Authority open house.

Library renovation
The library renovation project remains stalled as engineers continue to evaluate a significant void discovered beneath the building’s original concrete slab. The issue first came to light during plumbing work earlier this fall, when contractors uncovered a cavity reaching close to two feet in depth in places.
“The void is actually under that original slab… we don’t know how long it’s been there,” Library Director Crystal Whitney told the council.
SEH engineers recommended filling the area with closed-cell foam, a process they believe could begin by the end of the year or in early 2026. But the library board raised concerns, including the potential for buoyancy during future flooding and the overall project cost.
Council members voiced the same unease.
“We’re looking at $200,000,” Council member Ron Bushbaum said.
“For $209,000 I think we need a second opinion,” Mayor Dan Manick added.
Council members agreed and asked Bolton & Menk, the city’s consulting engineers, to review the documentation and assign a structural engineer to evaluate the proposed fix. The goal is to obtain a quick, independent assessment so the city can determine whether the foam solution is the most responsible path forward. A special meeting is likely once a second opinion is returned.

Engineer report
Bolton & Menk’s report highlighted both grant successes and operational issues tied to Cook’s water treatment system.
The city recently received a $10,000 award from the League of Minnesota Cities grant navigator program, funds the engineering team used to submit a $138,000 application to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
“We received $10,000 and I believe it’s in hand already,” engineer Luke Heikkila said. “We’re not fixing anything with this. We’re just getting data… to make our grant applications stronger.”
Heikkila also flagged persistent challenges at the water plant. Cook’s raw water contains unusually hard mineral content, which has increased operating difficulties and accelerated wear on the filter media.
“Cook has some very hard raw water quality characteristics… it’s causing some really difficult operations,” Heikkila reported, noting that proposed changes in chemical feeds and injection points could lower costs and extend the life of the filters. A more detailed proposal is expected in December.

Water plant
Public works staff warned that the filter media at the water treatment facility is degrading much earlier than its expected five- to ten-year lifespan.
“The media usually takes out the manganese and iron… this is only the fourth year the media has been inside the filter,” Maintenance Supervisor Tim Lilya said.
The city expects to receive quotes for either chemically recharging the existing media or replacing it entirely. The last replacement cost roughly $60,000. Council members will clarify purchasing authority limits before authorizing work.

EDA outreach
Council members discussed growing momentum in the local business community ahead of the Dec. 8 Economic Development Authority open house. Manick had high praise for Cook Area Chamber of Commerce president John Jordan.
“John is really great about driving the engine of chamber and council and the city working together more,” Manick said as he described recent business visits around town.
Chamber representatives shared similar optimism, noting that long-standing concerns about participation appear to be easing.
“It’s encouraging… the Chamber hasn’t done much in the last few years and we’re trying to change that,” Jordan said.

Housing progress
Cook’s long-awaited Eldien housing subdivision continues to advance, with infrastructure complete and lot marketing expected to begin in 2025.
“We’ll be looking to advertise those lots in the spring,” Council member Liza Root said.
The Housing Committee also reported that North Shore Development is providing technical assistance and will host a stakeholder meeting in January.

Blight
The Blight Committee discussed a property in Slab Town that had burned and remained under fire investigation until the fire chief recently confirmed the case is closed.
“That case is definitely closed and we could move forward with… letting the owner… know that it’s time to clean it up now,” Council member Jesse Scofield said.
The committee also discussed concerns about occupied campers within city limits and ongoing efforts to interpret enforcement options under existing ordinances.

Parks and rec
North Woods Community Ed continues to explore using the community center for daytime and early evening classes, especially during periods when school gym space is unavailable.
“A lot of people don’t like driving in the dark… they could hold something like that here,” Manick said.
But scheduling remains tight, especially on Sundays, when a long-term renter has already booked all dates through 2026.
“We do have one entity that literally is grabbing every single Sunday through the whole entire year,” deputy clerk Dawn Kehoe said, prompting discussion about how to preserve access for open skate and community use as winter approaches.

Other business
The council appointed Maddie Cox as interim clerk to handle statutory signatures.
Council approved pay estimates and invoices tied to road and residential engineering work, and accepted two SEH invoices for airport taxiway and taxi-lane design.
Library invoices were approved for Lenci Enterprises, for $120,840, and for SEH, for $6,121.81.
The council also voted to shift its regular meeting date from the fourth Thursday to the fourth Wednesday beginning in January 2026.