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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Breitung to create master facilities plan

Jodi Summit
Posted 6/30/16

SOUDAN- Breitung Township will be working with an architectural team from DSGW Architects to develop a master facilities plan to look at options for future usage of four township buildings– the …

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Breitung to create master facilities plan

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SOUDAN- Breitung Township will be working with an architectural team from DSGW Architects to develop a master facilities plan to look at options for future usage of four township buildings– the current town/fire hall, police station, MINOS building, and storage building. All four buildings are located adjacent to each other.

The board agreed , at their June 28 meeting, to pay for a three-phase study at a cost not to exceed $8,450 plus expenses. The first phase of the project, which will be directed by architect Erik Wedge, will be a complete assessment of each of the four building, including the utility services, lighting, and heating control systems, plus a recommendation for improving energy efficiencies, and costs for possible building improvements.

The next phase of the study will be to work with the township to determine programming and space needs, including future use needs. It will also look at options for leasing space to private tenants.

The final phase will be the development of a master plan, to guide the township’s use of its current building assets in the most efficient manner. This plan will include multiple options, along with expected costs.

DSGW will be working with a design group, along with township officials and staff throughout the process, which is expected to take about two months.

The township is looking at options, such as possibly moving township operations into the MINOS building, which has been leased by the University of Minnesota who will no longer need the building, or else leasing the MINOS building to a new tenant.

“We will be looking at the spaces you need, the spaces you have, and the potential for a lease tenant,” said Wedge. The final phase of the project will look at the costs associated with the most practical options, he said.

Work on the new plan is expected to get underway soon.

Other business

In other business the Breitung Town Board:

‰ Will be sending out letters to approximately 16 township property owners whose lots are in violation of the township’s blight ordinance.

‰ Will have a draft ordinance on outdoor wood burning furnaces to review at their July 26 regular meeting.

‰ Heard that the police department is scheduling a regular part-time officer for the summer, which means more consistent patrolling in Tower and Soudan, along with both campgrounds. The department is also deploying the speed sign in locations in Tower and Soudan. The department will be doing extra shifts of speed enforcement in July. The officers apprehended juveniles who were vandalizing the concession stand at the Tower football field.

‰ Officer Dan Nylund is now a certified firearms instructor, and will be teaching an ATV Safety class later this summer.

‰ Heard that Chief Jesse Anderson has been hired as the Emergency Response Director for the City of Tower.

‰ Will get more information on the costs of upgrading electrical service at the campground.

‰ Passed a resolution saying the township is interested in purchasing a tax-forfeit lot in Soudan from St. Louis County. The county will get back to the township with the cost.

‰ Discussed a change in the campground leases for McKinley Park to comply with new regulations from St. Louis County stating that campers who do not have current vehicle licenses on their RVs will be taxed on the value as personal property. The lease also sets limits on outdoor decks being built at campsites. The new lease will be reviewed again at the July meeting before final approval.

‰ Heard that the township census for 2015 showed a decrease in population from 604 to 588 residents, and from 287 to 280 households.

‰ Set meetings for Thursday, July 14 at 1 p.m. and Tuesday, July 26 at 6 p.m. The Police Commission will meet on July 26 at 5