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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

EMS building security tops city agenda

Council hopes to eliminate more intrusions, possible sabotage

Marshall Helmberger
Posted 5/13/20

TOWER— Fire and ambulance hall security was on the city council agenda here on Monday in the wake of apparent vandalism to department vehicles earlier this month. Council member Dave Setterberg …

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EMS building security tops city agenda

Council hopes to eliminate more intrusions, possible sabotage

Posted

TOWER— Fire and ambulance hall security was on the city council agenda here on Monday in the wake of apparent vandalism to department vehicles earlier this month.
Council member Dave Setterberg has been gathering quotes on both a new door locking system as well as security cameras that city officials hope will discourage future attempts to disable emergency vehicles.
The recent incident at the hall remains under police investigation.
Setterberg said it appears that the combined cost of both security measures could be up to $10,000, but Mayor Orlyn Kringstad compared it to an insurance policy. “What we’re protecting is not only personnel but a lot of very expensive equipment,” he said.
Clerk-Treasurer Victoria Ranua asked about criteria for selecting among several options, but the council left it up to Setterberg, Ranua, the fire chief and interim ambulance director to make the determination. Ranua also noted that the expense for the security items was not in the city’s 2020 budget, but she said she figured there was room elsewhere in the budget to cover the cost. Council members also suggested some grant possibilities that they would explore.
The new door locks will record each entry and the identity of the individual entering either the fire or ambulance hall. And Setterberg said he wants a security camera system that is high enough resolution to be able to distinguish faces or read vehicle license plates.
In other hall-related business, Setterberg lauded the city’s maintenance staff for work they’ve done at the hall in recent days to replace a number of lights that had gone out over time and had not been replaced.
In other emergency services action, the council established its process for the hiring of a new ambulance director. Council member Mary Shedd will take the lead in establishing a hiring committee to review the applications, conduct interviews and background checks and, ultimately, make a hiring recommendation to the council. Council member Rachel Beldo, who also serves on the Ambulance Commission, volunteered to serve on the committee, but it will be up to Shedd to select other members of the panel.
The city has received three applications for the part-time position, which currently pays $24,000 a year.
In other ambulance discussion, Ranua noted that the month’s claims included a $10,291 bill from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust in additional charges for worker’s compensation as a result of the 2018 shift to paid on-call staffing. Ranua noted that the worker’s compensation expense is based on payroll and the shift to paid on-call more than doubled the wage costs for the ambulance service. The expected additional cost for worker’s compensation was among the issues raised by the Timberjay in 2018 when the previous city council and former ambulance director Steve Altenburg approved the shift to paid on-call without a clear understanding of the costs involved.
In other business, the council approved drafting a trail agreement with the Wagoner Trails Club, the Friends of Vermilion Country School, and the Tower Economic Development Authority, which are partnering on the development of the Ancient Cedar Forest Trail, located just south of the East Two River, near the Mesabi Trail. The groups already have trail agreements with St. Louis County and private landowners in the area.
The trail is set for construction this summer, funded by outside grant dollars and volunteer labor. The trail will traverse an extensive area of primary forest, dominated by white cedar, dating back to approximately 1880. Besides deep forest, the site includes rugged topography, fern-draped rock faces, and scenic overlooks of both the city of Tower and portions of Lake Vermilion.
“It’s really a unique resource when you go back in there,” said Shedd, who is also president of the Wagoner Trails Club.
While the bulk of the trail is upland, the initial 500 feet of the trail will include a boardwalk through a wetland area located on city property. Shedd and Ranua both noted that the trail is consistent with the Tower-Breitung Comprehensive Plan, which cited the desire of residents for more recreational opportunities, specifically hiking trails.
In other business, the council:
 Approved preparing a bid solicitation for construction of a new 40 by 40-foot heated storage building at the city airport for snow removal equipment. The city spent almost $60,000 on design of the building last year, but the council had held off on approval of construction due to the estimated construction cost of $350,000. While the Federal Aviation Administration was slated to pick up 95 percent of that cost, the city’s share of $17,500 was still a concern given the city’s financial situation. But as a result of stimulus funding in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FAA has announced it will now fund 100 percent of the cost of construction of such facilities. Council member Sheldon Majerle called the project “a no-brainer” and motioned to approve. Council member Dave Setterberg joined others in approval, but not before expressing his sticker shock at the price. “$350,000 is a lot of money for a heated garage,” he said.
While the FAA is providing 100 percent of the funds, Ranua noted that the grant operates on a reimbursement basis and that it could present a cash flow issue for the city depending on the timing of the project. The city faced a severe cash flow crunch last year as a result of mismanagement of an LCCMR grant for trails work around the harbor, which forced the city to borrow funds to meet its operational needs.
• Approved a possible presentation of a new trail agreement for the Prospector Loop ATV Trail for the next council meeting. Shedd, who oversees the city’s ski trails, asked that council members be given a copy of the agreement at least several days in advance to review. “I would like a couple councilors and the lawyer to look it over,” said Shedd. “We want to make sure it protects the city’s interests, like the ski trails.”
• Discussed but took no final action on a possible special meeting later this month to go over the city’s 2019 audit with Devin Ceglar, with Walker, Giroux, and Hahne.
• Approved a water conservation ordinance, as is now required as part of its water appropriations permit from the Department of Natural Resources. The measures would only take effect in the event of a declared state water emergency.
• Approved reports and this fall’s city deer hunt as part of the consent agenda.