MOOSE LAKE THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 TAR AZETTE NO. 20 $1.00 SSERVING CARLTON AND PINEG COUNTIES SINCE 1895 WOODEN BAT BASEBALL: Henry Ribich is Moose Lake/Willow River team’s MVP . P6 Getting the lead out of Minnesota waters ALANEA WHITE eat very little and hide, staying Paul Radomski, Minneso- [email protected] behind when others migrate. It ta Department of Natural often becomes emaciated and Resources (DNR), completed A single pea-sized piece of dies within two to three weeks a study from 1983 to 2004 that fishing tackle can poison a after swallowing the lead. estimated 1 million pieces of loon and cause its death. tackle were lost in Lake Lead fishing tackle left in HOW IT BEGAN Mille Lacs during Minnesota waters causes an The Minnesota Pollution that time estimated 25% of loon deaths Control Agency (MPCA) frame. This according to data provided was conducting a study on equates to by various experts to Steven the impact that mercury approx- Young, Program Coordinator has on water fowl, when imately with Minnesota Pollution they discovered that seven nine tons Control Agency’s Get the Lead out of the 101 dead loons of lost fish- Out program. they were ing tackle Loons like chickens need grit studying resting in or rock to help their digestive had died of Lake Mille Lacs system work. Routinely loons lead poi- over 21 years. swallow pea-sized rocks so soning. Next time you head out that they are able to help di- Since the to the lake make sure that gest food. Lost sinkers, jigs early you collect broken fishing and other fishing tackle 2000s line, unattached tackle, and falls to the bottom of lakes Get other waste before you leave. and is swallowed by loons When you head out to pur- when they pick up these the chase new fishing tackle make rocks. As the lead in the Lead sure to give non-toxic tackle a tackle is exposed to the loon’s Out try. While cleaning out your stomach acid it slowly enters has been a tackle box it is important to the bloodstream and poisons MPCA sup- dispose of lead tackle proper- the bird. ported program. They work to ly. Taking them to your local Poisoned loons behave collect lead tackle and dispose household hazardous waste strangely. Some behaviors that of it safely, and often have pro- facility is the best option. CARROL HENDERSON | SUBMITTED the loon may exhibit are poor grams where those bringing in MPCA has a partnership Above is a map provided by Carrol Henderson, a board member of the Na- flight, crash landings, stag- lead tackle can exchange it for with county household hazard- tional Loon Center. This is a Minnesota Breeding Bird atlas map for loons gering, gasping, trembling, a sample of non-toxic tackle. ous waste facilities. They which shows the areas used by nesting loons in the state. The darkest and drooping wings. As lead squares are the locations where loons were confrmed nesting. poisoning worses the loon will HOW TO HELP SEE LOONS, PAGE 12 Longtime County employee hired as Auditor/Treasurer DAN REED have paid an outside person to [email protected] come in to do that job.” DeVriendt, whose salary is Approving the choice for set by the County Board as is Auditor/Treasurer is easy, but the Sherif’s and the County what to pay as a salary brought Attorney’s, will be hired at a out some dissension on the pay grade of 250 for that posi- Carlton County Board. tion and on step 4. His starting Earlier on Monday, May date is May 24th. As an accoun- 3 all members of the County tant he has been paid $76,830, Board interviewed finalists for and with the $36,000 increase, the new County Auditor/Trea- approximately, he will be at surer’s position and recom- almost $113,000. mended Kevin DeVriendt for The salary motion passed the hire. DeVriendt has worked 4 to 1 with Proulx voting nay. many years as an accountant Commissioner Gary Peterson for Carlton County Health and commented that the decision Human Services before mov- was fair and a good compro- ing within the last two years mise. into the Auditor/Treasurer’s In other County news: Land ofce as an accountant. Commissioner Greg Bernu At the Regular Session of received approval to start the the County Board on May process of acquiring a tax 11 Chairman Tom Proulx forfeit forty located on the asked if the approval of Kevin road into the Soo Pits property DeVriendt could be voted on and situated between the two first and his salary next. The small lakes on the old railroad ALANEA WHITE | MOOSE LAKE STAR-GAZETTE Board voted unanimously for grade now used as an access DeVriendt to fill the position. road for recreational trafc. “I do not know why there This Moose Lake property will Barnum City Council celebrates groundbreaking should be much of a ques- be exchanged with a parcel tion on salary,” commented of land equivalent in value Prior to their May meeting, Barnum City Council celebrated breaking ground on the new Barnum City Com- Commissioner Dick Brenner somewhere else in the County. plex. The building is estimated to be completed in October of this year. A community center, city ofces, a via phone. “About a $36,000 A public hearing will be called municipal liquor of sale and a bar will be housed in the building. Barnum Mayor Jason Goodwin, Council- increase for Kevin’s new job men Justin Dinger, Council men Dale Riihiluoma and City Clerk Shelley Hagen joined engineers from the duties is at a figure we would SEE AUDITOR/TREASURER, PAGE 2 project in a ceremonial groundbreaking on May 10. NEWS ADVERTISING SUBSCRIPTIONS & PUBLIC NOTICES CLASSIFIEDS (218) 485-4406 (218)384-1855 (218) 485-4406 (608) 733-8105 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2 MOOSE LAKE STAR GAZETTE MAY 13, 2021 www.MLStarGazette.com CARLTON COUNTY PINE COUNTY COVID UPDATE COVID UPDATE AUDITOR/TREASURER: Kevin DeVriendt Total number of cases: Total number of cases: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 from .6 to full time. Of local interest, the first 3,441 3,265 The County Board is consider- section of the ordinance reads: New cases last week: 40 New cases last week: 45 to get public input on June 28 after ing approving a Carlton County “No person shall park a vehicle legally publishing the notice. Parking Ordinance which will or permit it to stand, whether at- Positive cases Deaths: 22 The county’s IT staf continues receive a public hearing on May 24 tended or unattended, any vehicle incarcerated at MSOP in People with at least one to face more and more time de- at 4:30 p.m. The County Highway upon the right of way of a county Moose Lake: 0 vaccine dose: 9,984 mands from county departments. Engineer will have the authority highway, county state aid highway Barnum cases: 266 Percentage of Pine County The County Board approved to designate any sections of road- or other roadways . .” Moose Lake cases: 449 residents 16+ vaccinated: increasing a Help Desk position way no parking zones. Deaths: 53 41% People with at least one Percentage of Pine vaccine dose: 18,834 County residents age 65+ People who have vaccinated: 74% completed the vaccine $5 million payback to utilities looms series: 16,992 Register to receive a vaccine locally? The settlement Kathy Korteum. Final decision was made at through https://mn.gov/ DAN REED EVERGREEN@MLSTARGAZETTE. of what is called “State Board approval will not this time. Register to receive a vaccine covid19/vaccine/connector/ COM assessed payback” has take place until the May Carlton County IT through https://mn.gov/ index.jsp covid19/vaccine/connector/ the potential to reach 11 Regular Session of the Director Peter Gould re- Contact the Pine County The Carlton County $5 million for Carlton County Board. ported that live stream- index.jsp COVID-19 Hotline at 320- Contact the Carlton County Board of Commission- County to pay 47% of that The Auditor/Trea- ing of covered meetings 591-1690 or public.health@ ers scrambles at the figure, school districts of surer salary is set by could see 300+partici- COVID-19 Hotline at (218) co.pine.mn.us 499-6312. Committee of the Whole Carlton and Wrenshall to the County Board and pants listening in and at meeting May 4 to support pay 10%, townships such is public information. times the number has Statistics provided by Carlton Statistics provided by Minnesota Legislative as Perch Lake and Silver County Coordinator risen to about 900. Gould County Public Health and Minnesota Minnesota Public Health. action to have the State Brook are on the hook Dennis Genereau asked for an increase of Public Health. Updated May 6. Updated May 10. of Minnesota cover tax for 12.5% which would be answered a number of stafng due to the heavy collections in the last few more than they get in tax questions from County work load. It was recom- Visit the Moose Lake years in which the MN revenues in a given year, Board members but no mended 6.2 staf be in- Tax Court ruling was and the special taxing decision was made. The creased to 7 staf for the Star-Gazette website, that state utilities and districts are at 2%. The discussion centered remainder of this budget www.mlstargazette.com pipelines have had to remainder about 30% is around which step to year depending on Board pay on too high assessed paid by the State.