SOUDAN- The cost of camping at McKinley Park Campground will be going up in 2024. The Breitung Town Board voted Nov. 30 to raise rates at the township-owned campground in response to the cost of recent building repairs and improved services. Electrical upgrades and new fiber-based wifi are among the improved services, while the replacement of the roof on the campground office and store and repairs to the facility’s well and pump are among the maintenance items cited by the board.
Supervisor Matt Tuchel had researched campground rates around the area and said the increases are in line with the other RV parks in the region.
The biggest fee increase approved by the board is for seasonal campers, whose rates went from $3,200 to $3,600. Last year, seasonal campers saw an increase of $200.
Daily rates increased just 50 cents for both electric and non-electric campsites, while the weekly electric sites went up from $300 to $325. Monthly rates for powered sites went from $1,025 to $1,100. Non-electric rates changed as well, with the weekly going from $195 to $200 and monthly from $650 to $700. Rates did not change for winter storage, boat launch and seasonal launch passes.

Other business
In other business, the board:
• Heard that the bid for the Stuntz Bay road project came in at $280,314, or 31-percent less than the engineer’s estimate.
• Approved the lease of gravel pit with Mesabi Bituminous, acknowledged that Mesabi Bituminous owes the township $31,057.

• Rejected two bids for roofing of the McKinley Park Campground office and store. Bids were $16,200 from Vermillion Roofing and $22,000 from Midway Builders. The township will go out for bids again in February.
• Passed a motion to let the Tower-Soudan Historical Society use the township’s copier free of charge for their project memorializing the 143 men who died at the Soudan Underground Mine with a maximum of 1,500 pages. The society’s goal is to have the information archived and available at several locations by June of 2024.
• Renewed the campground management contract with Susie Chiabotti for the 2024 season.
• Approved the police contract with the city of Tower.
• Accepted the resignation of Matt Tomsich from the Breitung Fire Department.
•  Put $90,000 in a Certificate of Deposit at 4.4 percent to mature by Sept. 1, 2024.
The next meeting will be Thursday, Dec. 21 at noon.

Breitung October Police Report
Calls for service: 53
Arrests: 1 felony
arrest warrant
Citations
4 for excessive speed
1 driving after cancellation
1 driving after revocation
1 expired tabs