LAKE VERMILION – More than three dozen residents gathered at the Lake Vermilion Fire Brigade station last Thursday to consider a question that could reshape local governance on the western end of Lake Vermilion: Should Unorganized 63-17 become its own township?
Facilitating the conversation was John Jordan, a longtime area resident and one of the organizers behind the effort. Jordan opened the meeting by acknowledging the work that had gone into exploring township formation and the legacy of those who got the idea rolling in the past.
“This started with my dad and a couple others,” said Jordan. “We’ve just tried to carry it forward.”
A move toward local control
Much of the discussion centered on the benefits of moving from unorganized to organized township status – most notably, local control over tax dollars and decision-making.
In a township, residents – not the town board – vote on the tax levy during the annual meeting each March. That distinction was described repeatedly as a key feature of township government.
“You are the only people who get to do that in a township,” said Maddie Cash, a representative of the Minnesota Association of Townships who was on hand to answer questions. “It’s why a lot of people move to townships. That often means lower taxes – but either way, it’s your call.”
Jordan reiterated that the township levy would not be added on top of current taxes but would replace the portion of county taxes currently going into the general county road maintenance fund.
Following the money
St. Louis County Commissioner Keith Nelson attended the meeting on behalf of vacationing Fourth District Commissioner Paul McDonald. Nelson, who lives in Fayal Township, explained that under the current unorganized system, tax revenues from 63-17 are pooled with those from other unorganized areas and spent collectively – sometimes outside the immediate area.
“When you form an organized township, you get to keep the money your township raises,” said Nelson. “Right now, that money is shared across all the unorganized townships in the county.”
Nelson pointed out that with a sizable property tax base and just over seven miles of road to maintain, the new township would be in a strong position to manage its finances efficiently.
“It’s a pretty good equation,” he said. “The levy stays here. The roads are yours. And you decide what gets spent.”
Jordan added that the organizing group has already sketched out a preliminary budget and expects no surprises.
“We’ve got a decent idea of what we’ll need,” he said. “But this is your township – it’ll be your budget.”
Additional funding
Many had questions about road responsibilities. Jordan clarified that township formation wouldn’t affect private road associations, and that contracting services – such as snowplowing and grading – would likely still be done through the county.
Most of the state’s organized townships take a similar approach.
Cash noted that townships also become eligible for grant programs and funding streams that unorganized areas can’t access. Nelson added that includes DNR assistance for roads leading to public water accesses.
“If your township road leads to a public access, the DNR will pay you to maintain that road,” said Nelson. “That money doesn’t come to you right now. With a township, it could.”
Cash added that grant opportunities go far beyond roadwork.
“There’s money out there for sidewalks, broadband, emergency services, bike trails – even pickleball courts,” she said, drawing a laugh from the crowd. “The only catch is, you have to be a government entity to apply.”
Several people present indicated they didn’t want their tax dollars going to pay for a pickleball court.
Some residents asked whether forming a township would mean taking over the Lake Vermilion Fire Brigade. Jordan was quick to dispel the idea.
“The fire brigade is a separate nonprofit, and it’s going to stay that way,” he said.
The brigade building will serve as the host for secure storage of township records and monthly and annual meetings. The brigade had offered to donate the space, but state law requires the new township to pay market rate for rent, calculated to be about $14,000 annually.
If the measure passes
Cash explained that if the vote passes, the county would set an organizational meeting within 20 days. Residents at that meeting would elect three supervisors, a clerk, and a treasurer to serve until the regular township elections next March.
“You’ll run the meeting, elect the board, and get rolling,” she said. “From there, it’s up to you.”
To encourage voter participation, Jordan said he had asked the county not to schedule the election during the winter.
“That was important to us,” he said. “February’s not the time for this kind of vote.”
Protecting identity
One of the motivations behind the push to organize is a concern about possible annexation. Residents expressed unease about neighboring townships eyeing expansion, especially as budget pressures mount elsewhere.
“Greenwood already annexed part of us,” said one resident. “Beatty just took a big budget cut – what do you think they’ll be looking at next?”
Cash offered a blunt assessment of the risk.
“Cities are eating up townships like a snack,” she said. “You want to control your destiny? Now’s the time.”
What’s in a name?
With the formal structure still to be determined, discussion near the end of the meeting turned playful – what would the new township be called? A name would be selected at the first organizational meeting, but people had already given it some thought.
“Wakanda has a ring to it,” someone suggested. “Or maybe Lucky?”
Someone suggested it be named Vermilion Dam for the area’s signature structure. That got a quick response from the crowd.
“Dam Vermilion,” someone called out from the back, drawing hearty laughter.
Regardless of the name, Jordan and others stressed that the decision is about building a foundation for long-term local decision-making.
“It’s not about adding bureaucracy,” said Jordan. “It’s about having a say in what happens here and keeping what’s ours, ours.”
Voting
Ballots asking residents to approve the creation of a new township are expected to arrive by mail beginning this week, although those at the meeting were told not to expect all of them to arrive on the same day. Voters will have until May 13 to return them. In-person voting will be available on Tuesday, May 13, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Virginia Government Services Building, located at 201 S. 3rd Ave. West in Virginia, and the St. Louis County Courthouse, at 100 N. 5th Ave. West, Room 214 in Duluth.