City council talks animal shelter update, library budget, and housing developments

The city council met on July 10 and discussed a handful of agenda items, including housing developments, the library budget, and an animal shelter progress update.

In recent weeks, Arrowhead Animal Rescue closed on the Great Expectation School trailer. The large trailer, formerly used as a classroom for the charter school, will serve as the new shelter in the Cedar Grove Business Park.

Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson said the city is moving forward with groundwork and a stormwater plan on the property. “When all the site prep gets done, then they can move over and get it all into place,” Benson said. “We don’t want to hold anything up. Now is the time to get these things done.”

In the meantime, Benson said the city will draft an agreement with Arrowhead Animal Rescue to use the city-owned property, and the council will review it in the coming weeks. “So that’ll be our next step, I think, for the council, and we agreed that we’ll be looking at that at the end of the month.”

During the July 10 meeting, the council discussed two housing developments within city limits and the library budget.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson about the animal shelter, housing developments, and library budget. The audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins July 18, 2024