COOK—The Cook City Council discussed progress on infrastructure improvements, historical preservation efforts, blight concerns, and winter recreation hours during a regular meeting Oct. 28.

Sewer lines
During the meeting, Mayor Dan Manick said he tagged along with contractors using cameras and water-jet equipment to inspect and clean sewer lines. According to Manick, they successfully cleaned built-up manganese from the pipes and added a new resin-based lining to existing clay pipes.
“They were just amazed at how bad it was,” Manick said.
After the discussion, the council approved a final payment of $16,289.70 for engineering work associated with the sewer rehabilitation project.

History preservation
Members of the Cook History Club asked the council to consider funding a website and providing a secure location for historical archives as the city approaches its 125th anniversary in 2028.
Cathi Weber, speaking on behalf of the club, said it is working to document and archive the history of Cook’s businesses and families by digitizing and storing historical materials. She requested approximately $350 annually to cover website hosting costs and asked whether the city had a location where the historical materials could be safely stored.
The materials were moved from the library following flooding in 2024. Weber said she has digitized the collection and stored the files on a donated computer, but she wants to ensure the original documents are preserved in a secure location. They are currently in her basement, she said.
“I don’t really want to store that in my basement forever,” Weber said.
Council members discussed several potential storage locations, including city facilities and the Minnesota Discovery Center.
The council did not approve the annual funding at the meeting, instead requesting that the club submit a formal project proposal.

Blight
Cook resident Tina Cassavar asked the council for help addressing conditions at a neighboring trailer that she said had become a source of health and safety concerns.
Cassavar described broken windows, mold, unpleasant odors, rodents, and suspected illicit activity at the property. She said the conditions had affected her ability to comfortably remain in her home.
She acknowledged that the property’s owners have made improvements, but said additional action was needed to secure the building.
“At least somebody come and put a lock on there and seal up the windows that are broken,” Cassavar said.
The council acknowledged the concerns and said the city’s blight committee would review the property.
Councilmember Ivette Reing, speaking on behalf of the blight committee, also reported progress on developing procedures for addressing blight in Cook.
Reing said the committee is working on a set of guidelines to allow for consistent documentation of potential blight and nuisance violations. The proposed “toolkit” would help officials distinguish between the two categories and maintain records of complaints.
The committee is currently working with the city attorney to finalize the guidelines into a revision of the official blight ordinance.

Recreation hours
The council approved posting a seasonal position to assist with winter recreation at the community center and decided on operating hours for the winter season.
The position will begin when the ice rink is ready and continue until the skating season ends. Officials said the duration of the season will depend on weather conditions.
The approved schedule includes hours from Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
In other business, the council:
Received an $11,082 workers’ compensation dividend from the League of Minnesota Cities.
Discussed cybersecurity training for city employees following an attempted email scam in which someone impersonated the mayor and requested that employees purchase gift cards.
Approved the Little Fork River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan.
Accepted a $35,000 donation for the airport project from the Jordan Family Foundation.