COOK- A wide-ranging Cook City Council agenda last Wednesday, March 25, brought into focus problems with how some city processes have been carried out, including confusion over bid solicitations and ongoing challenges in addressing blighted properties.
One of the clearest examples came in the council’s discussion of the planned demolition of the former Dickson apartment building, a project that has been delayed for months amid confusion over how the bidding process was handled.
The city approved the purchase of the vacant property from Sue Dickson last September for $9,500 with the goal of clearing the site for future housing development.
Council members said two bids were originally obtained for the demolition, including one from Viita’s Excavation for $33,392 and a higher one from Josh Antus Construction. But City Clerk Dawn Kehoe said those bids were never formally brought to the council for approval.
Kehoe said she researched city records extensively for evidence that the bids had been approved.
“It did not get brought to council for approval. I went all the way from August, September, October, November, December of last year,” Kehoe said.
Mayor Dan Manick said former city administrator Theresa Martinson had maintained a project file that was expected to contain both bids, but when the project resurfaced earlier this year, only one bid was readily available. The second bid was later reintroduced with a January submission date.
Manick also said the delay was compounded when the city learned that an application for matching funds through the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board that had been handled by Martinson had not been submitted, despite earlier indications that it was in progress.
As the project stalled, two additional bids were apparently solicited in March, including a low bid of $18,900 from Udovich Enterprises and a $29,000 bid from ACA Excavating.
That left the council weighing whether to restart the process using the lower bids or proceed based on the earlier bid round.
Several council members questioned how the project had advanced without a recorded vote or clear documentation.
In the end, the council voted to proceed with the original low bidder, Viita’s Construction, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a consistent and defensible process despite the availability of lower bids.
Council members said they intend to review how the breakdown occurred and put clearer procedures in place going forward.

Blight concerns
Councilors also turned their attention to ongoing concerns about blighted properties in the city, with members of the city’s blight committee saying current enforcement tools are proving ineffective.
Councilor Jesse Scofield, who serves on the blight committee, said the city has cited a number of properties, but the current system, which relies largely on fines, has not been effective in prompting property owners to take corrective action.
Committee members said they are exploring stronger enforcement options, including the possibility of direct abatement by the city, with costs assessed back to property owners.
Manick pointed to one of the most visible examples, the former Riverfront 76 site, a gas station property at 110 Vermilion Dr. East. He said the city had preliminary discussions with the current owner, Edwards Oil, including the possibility of a property swap, but communication later broke down.
“We’ve had no response,” Manick said, noting that follow-up emails to Edwards Oil about the property have gone unanswered.
Manick said the situation reflects a broader frustration for the city as it looks for ways to address blighted properties more effectively.
The council also spent considerable time discussing plans for a community cleanup effort, which has become an increasingly important tool for addressing blight in recent years.
The event would allow residents to dispose of unwanted materials, with the city coordinating dumpsters and collection efforts. Council members discussed the cost of securing dumpsters, the need for advertising to ensure participation, and how the program would be funded.
There was also discussion about how to structure the cleanup to maximize its impact, including whether to focus on specific types of materials or open it more broadly to general debris, as well as how to manage demand if participation exceeds available capacity.
Council members indicated the cleanup effort has proven useful in reducing visible clutter and encouraging voluntary compliance, even as more formal enforcement tools continue to be evaluated.
Council members did not take formal action but indicated additional recommendations from the blight committee are expected as they continue to look for more effective enforcement options.

Buried fuel tank
The council also discussed a newly identified issue involving a buried fuel oil tank near the city library, a situation that raised a number of unanswered questions about how the project would need to be handled.
Maintenance Supervisor Tim Lilya said the tank had been located near the building, but details about its condition, size, and whether it may have leaked are not yet known.
Those unknowns could affect both the scope and cost of any work needed to address it, particularly if environmental testing or remediation is required.
Lilya said he had received one bid for the work.
“The contractor is already in the area working and he’s gonna have some work to do in that area. But I guess I would like your recommendation if you want me to get another quote,” Lilya said.
Council members indicated they would like additional bids and more information about the tank before moving forward.
No formal action was taken, but the issue is expected to return to the council once more details are available.

Library donation
While the city of Cook has received some government funding assistance in the efforts to restore Cook Public Library back to full operation after the extensive flood damage in 2024, no funding is as sweet and appreciated as that which comes from the citizens.
At the Wednesday, March 25 Cook City Council meeting, that appreciation was on full display as representatives of the Friends of the Cook Public Library were present to make a long-anticipated donation to the cause.
“We thought we'd have a little drama after this long, complicated process with a big check and we have the real one too, actually,” said organization board president Linda Kronholm. “Friends of the Library is very pleased to be able to present this check for $35,000 to the city of Cook for restoration of a library building from flood damage and for other needed repairs.”
Kronholm explained how the gift came about.
“We have received many generous donations from both our widespread local patrons and our many seasonal patrons which have made this presentation possible,” she said. “This is due to their appreciation for the wide variety of library services offered for patrons of all ages and their anticipation to see the library reopen and resume enhancing and essential full services.”
“We thank both the library board and the city council for their support in seeing this extensive process through to completion and look forward to celebrating our public library reopening its doors and service to our community – thank you very much,” Kronholm concluded.
Additional coverage of the March 25 meeting will appear in next week’s edition, including council concerns about long-running shortfalls in the city’s water and sewer funds, along with discussion of investments, housing development, and other business.