SOUDAN- There was much ado about gravel at the Sept. 28 Breitung Township Board meeting. During the normally routine road and bridge report, Maintenance Supervisor Tom Gorsma reported that he had made several deliveries of gravel to township residents this summer.
The gravel was sold to residents for ten dollars a yard. Gorsma said when he was first hired, he was told that delivery of the gravel was a service the township provided to its residents and requests only came in sporadically.
But after a large demand this summer Gorsma brought it to the town board because of the significant pressure it was putting on the maintenance department’s time and funds. The board agreed that free gravel delivery needed to stop, but the board never came to a consensus for an alternative.
Options included having residents hire a private contractor to deliver the gravel, or to have township employees do the delivery and charge the regular equipment rental fee of $100 per hour, with a half hour minimum.
The board will discuss it again at the next township meeting .
Police
The board approved two new police department policies, one requiring part-time officers to work at least one weekend per year and another to require officers to carry Narcan to prevent opioid overdose deaths. A third policy will need to undergo some more edits before approval, the policy designates an acting administrator for the Breitung Police Department should the chief of police be required to take an extended leave of absence after a use of deadly force incident.
Police Chief Dan Reing said the township is considering enacting a 15-mph speed limit for ATV’s on township roads, similar to the existing one already in place in Tower. Reing will write the ordinance and bring it to the next township meeting.
The Breitung Police responded to 138 calls for service including an arrest for DWI, an arrest for theft-related charges, and issued seven citations including one for expired registration, four citations for driving after revocation, and two citations for speed.
Other business
In other business, the board:
• Agreed to purchase a Bobcat Toolcat for $80,000 to replace the township’s lawn tractor. The lawn tractor will be sold after the tool cat is received. This model can also be used for snow removal.
• Breitung Supervisor and Wastewater Board Supervisor Matt Tuchel said that the wastewater board’s PFA loan, serviced by the township, would require an outside audit that could cost anywhere from $6,000 to $35,000. To save costs, the wastewater board is exploring whether the city of Tower could be the loan servicer instead, since they already do an external audit, or if the audit could be restricted to just the water commission fund, instead of the entire township, to save on costs.
• Heard that a representative from Flagship Recreation was here to take measurements for McKinley Park playground. The old playground equipment has been removed and site prep has begun to install a new playground next summer. The township is waiting to get drawings back from the company.
• Heard that two neighbors were both interested in a small township-owned lot between their properties on an alleyway behind Jasper St. The lot is North of 61 Jasper St. and part of an odd-shaped township lot. The piece the landowners are interested in is about 5,000 sq ft. The township will sell the property to the highest bidder, with the buyer paying the fees for recording, survey, and subdivision. Bids will be opened at the next meeting.
• Passed a resolution to accept donations from Eric Norberg in the amount of $40 for the police department and from the Tower-Soudan Civic Club in the amount of $50 for flowers.
• The next regular board meeting is Thursday, Oct. 26 at noon at the Breitung Community Center.
Stolen park signs recovered
When “numerous” signs were stolen on a snowy weekend last March from the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, there was no physical evidence left behind to help the Breitung Police locate the stolen items because any potential footprints or tire treads were covered in snow.
But on Aug. 10, the Breitung Police received a call from the East Range Police Department saying they had received information on the location of the stolen signs. A search warrant was issued on a home in Aurora, and later that day, all but two of the state park signs were recovered.
An adult male suspenct was located shortly after, and he was arrested and charged with felony theft-related charges.
“The case is now working through the court process,” said Breitung Police Chief Dan Reing. “It is always satisfying to have cases brought to a closure. So many thefts go unsolved.”
Reing said he wishes to thank Officers Erickson, Mathison, and Garrick from East Range, and to Officer Zupancic for his assistance conducting the search.
“I would also like to thank the park staff for their detailed property descriptions and their patience,” Reing said. “I am happy I was able to contribute to the positive conclusion of this case.”