EDA selects 15 individuals to serve on Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee, strategic planning process begins
The Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) has selected 15 individuals to serve on a Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee that will help shape the future of the Taconite Harbor site.
For the next six months, the committee members will meet twice a month to review materials and provide input during the early research and visioning stages of the Taconite Harbor strategic planning process.
“The best way to think about the advisory committee would be to compare it with a focus group,” said John Shardlow, senior principal with Stantec Consulting Services. “A focus group that’s been assembled to share their opinions about the best future for this property.”
The Taconite Harbor site is a 172-acre property in Schroeder that was formerly a coal-fired power plant. It was closed in 2016 and began the decommissioning process in 2023.
In September 2024, the EDA received a $200,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to develop a strategic plan for the transition of the Taconite Harbor Energy Center.
The EDA then hired Stantec Consulting Services, a global engineering and architecture consulting firm, in May 2025 to formulate a strategic plan proposal for Taconite Harbor. Stantec will guide the strategic planning process and work with the EDA, local stakeholders, and the Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee.
Shardlow said the advisory committee kick-off meeting will take place Oct. 29 and will be an orientation session to provide information on participation expectations and explain logistics. Each of the following meetings will be in a presentation format, focusing on the site’s history, physical attributes, environmental issues, the permitting process, funding, and economic and market research. Following each meeting, the presentation materials will be posted on the EDA website for public review.
While the 15-member advisory committee will serve as a focus group to help steer the beginning stages of the strategic planning process, Shardlow said there will be ample opportunities for the public to provide input and feedback throughout the process.
“There’s nothing about this advisory committee that circumvents any of the other zoning or regulatory processes. So any use that would happen on this property in the future would still go through all of the normal public notice, public hearings, and permitting,” Shardlow said.
The 15 members selected to serve on the Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee are as follows:
- Al Tripel
- Amy Brugge
- Hans Krengel
- Jeanne Kegler
- Krishna Woerheide
- Kyle Nelson
- Lucy Carlson
- Mark Buckman
- Mark Pedersen
- Patrick McGrann
- Peter Clissold
- Richard Furlong
- Rose Thoreson
- Roxanne Lillis
- Terry Hartman
While Stantec is guiding the strategic planning process, the EDA Taconite Harbor Subcommittee, which consists of EDA board members Tracy Benson, Dave Mills, and Siri Anderson, ultimately reviewed and selected the 15 members for the Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee. In total, the EDA received 40 applications from interested individuals wanting to serve on the committee.
EDA Commissioner Benson said the 15-person advisory committee is a mix of men and women of various ages with diverse professional experience. Many of the committee members also have knowledge and a connection to Cook County and Taconite Harbor. The selected individuals also represent Lake County, Cook County, and Grand Portage.
The intent during the selection process, Benson said, was to focus on choosing “individuals” or community members in the area, rather than primarily city, county, or township officials.
Benson said the EDA has supplied Stantec with a recommended “contact list” that includes city and county entities, township representatives, stakeholders, and local user groups to complement the input from the 15-member committee.
Once the research and input have been gathered over the next six months, Shardlow said, Stantec will present two scenarios for the Taconite Harbor property. Then, between April and June 2026, Stantec will begin the public community visioning meetings to discuss the two scenarios. In the Fall of 2026, the final redevelopment framework will be complete.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with John Shardlow, senior principal at Stantec Consulting Services, about the Taconite Harbor strategic planning process and the Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee. WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins also spoke with EDA Commissioner Tracy Benson for further insights into the selection process of the 15-member Taconite Harbor Advisory Committee. The audio is below.
Kalli Hawkins October 23, 2025
