SOUDAN — What’s better than managing a campground? How about managing two campgrounds!
That’s the assignment Randy Pratt and Julie Kranz signed up for when they submitted a successful proposal to manage the McKinley Park Campground, owned by Breitung Township. The couple are the longtime managers of Tower’s HooDoo Point Campground and they will continue to manage both facilities beginning with the 2026 camping season.
Typically, campground managers are required to stay on site, and that is what Breitung Township had originally asked for in their proposal. In lieu of that, Pratt and Kranz proposed to have subcontracted employees stay at the manager’s campsite. They’ll also be putting in some office hours, groundskeeping, and night duty. They also plan to hire an office manager to do administrative work for both campgrounds. This will allow Pratt and Kranz to spend more time at McKinley Park.
McKinley Park and HooDoo Point campgrounds are located about 1.5 miles apart and both are located on the same road and the same lake. They will soon be connected by a bike trail as well.
Pratt and Kranz have operated HooDoo Point Campground for the past 12 years and will be overseeing operations at McKinley Park for $36,000 a year.
The only other bid came from Casey Sunsdahl who offered to manage the campground for $80,000. Former manager Susie Chiabotti had a different contract which split duties differently as far as what was required from the managers versus the township. That contract paid the managers by percentage of revenues rather than a flat rate but usually netted the manager between $80,000-$90,000.
In their proposal, Pratt and Kranz said that one of the biggest advantages to having the same managers for both parks is their ability to help campers find an open campsite if one campground is full, thereby increasing the overall occupancy of both parks. They proposed to have the office staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week during peak season and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during spring and fall as well as being available by phone year-round.
Supervisor Steve Tekautz made a motion to accept Pratt and Kranz’s proposal, pending further negotiations of who their subcontracted employees would be and clean background checks of all parties. Supervisor Matt Tuchel seconded. Supervisor Erin Peitso was absent.
The township is exploring the idea of switching to a computer reservation system, recommended by Pratt and Kranz. The program is through Tech Bytes of Eveleth and the cost to the township will be between $125-$600 per month depending on which plan they choose and length of commitment. This system is used at HooDoo Point and other campgrounds in northern Minnesota.
The board voted to keep the campground rental rates the same for 2026. The board also approved adding a new category, seasonal non-electric, for $2,100 at the request of a camper.
In other news, the town board:
• Will purchase a new police squad car from Lundgren Ford of Eveleth. The vehicle will be a 2026 Ford Explorer for a cost of up to $48,500. Decals and equipment will be an additional cost at a later date. The vehicle will arrive in about six months.
• Closed out the 2023 infrastructure projects with payments of $74,977 and $16,611 to Mesabi Bituminous of Gilbert.
• Will receive $9,657 for administrative costs from FEMA The last payment from the 2024 flood.
• Directed Tuchel to negotiate with Kugler Township to provide fire services. The estimated cost is about $90/residence or $7,110 total.
• Will pay $13,250 to Tower Ambulance for providing emergency services to township residents.
• Thanked Josh and Bentley Nevala, and Brian and Amber Zak for volunteering to help flood the rink, and to Steve Tekautz for making repairs to the skating shack.
• Read the November Breitung Fire and Rescue report that stated the department trained on how to deal with frozen fire hydrants and proper cold weather gear. The department responded to a structure fire (downgraded), a three-vehicle accident personal-injury accident which a person had to be extricated, a fire alarm (downgraded) and a structure fire involving a garage.
• Heard that a new Advanced Life Support (ALS) service will respond Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The life support van will float between different Tower-area communities. The service is scheduled to begin Jan. 5. This is a three-year pilot program paid for by the state of Minnesota.
• Approved a three-year police contract with Tower.
• Temporarily promoted part-time employee Zach Poderzay to full-time to replace the full-time employee out on workman’s compensation. Poderzay will receive the pay of a full-time worker but will not receive benefits. If the full-time worker returns, Poderzay will return to part-time.
• Authorized renewal of the tobacco license for Soudan Store contingent on receiving the fee and paperwork.
• Passed a motion to change pay period from Tuesday though Monday to Sunday through Saturday beginning Jan. 1.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m.