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QUETICO PROVINCIAL PARK— A former Ely mayor and recent Republican candidate for state Representative in District 3A has been fined a total of $3,550 for violations of regulations within Quetico …
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QUETICO PROVINCIAL PARK— A former Ely mayor and recent Republican candidate for state Representative in District 3A has been fined a total of $3,550 for violations of regulations within Quetico Provincial Park.
Roger Skraba, of Ely, pleaded guilty and was fined $1,500 for unlawfully leaving his motorboat and equipment cached in the park, which is subject to wilderness regulations similar to the adjacent Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Skraba was also fined $1,500 for possessing a chainsaw in the park, $500 for possessing a non-burnable food container and $50 for removing rocks from the park.
Testimony at a Jan. 28 court hearing in Atikokan, described how Ontario conservation officers made contact with Skraba as he left the park on June 12, 2015, at the Black Rope Portage at Lac La Croix. Upon investigation, officers discovered Skraba was in possession of non-burnable food containers and rocks that he was removing from the park. Officers also discovered that Skraba had illegally stored his motorboat and related equipment in the park, and also brought a chainsaw to create portages and cut firewood. Officers seized Skraba’s boat, motor, chainsaw, fuel, rocks, pack, and other prohibited non-burnable food containers at that time. His boat and motor will be returned, but the remaining items were forfeited to the Crown, according to a press release from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
Skraba, who has been convicted on multiple occasions for violations in the BWCAW, served as mayor of Ely from 2010-2012. More recently, he was the Republican candidate to replace the late Rep. David Dill, in a special election held in December 2015.