Grant Township appoints new treasurer; land use committee to meet Eileen Plescher will resign as Grant Township Treasurer on Jan. 31, 2001. She is assisting newly appointed Treasurer Karen Trucks during January and February until the Pleschers’Äô relocation to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, where Dan Plescher is the new Manager. COPPER HARBOR ’Äì Grant Township appointed a new treasurer at its meeting earlier this week, thus beginning the year 2001 with all new board members. Karen Trucks, new owner of the Brockway Inn, was approved as Township Treasurer, replacing Eileen Plescher, who submitted her resignation effective January 31. Eileen and her husband, Dan Plescher, are relocating to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, where Dan has been appointed manager, after managing Fort Wilkins State Park for 11 years. During January, Eileen will be assisting Trucks to acquaint her with the position. Trucks’Äô background in accounting will be an asset to the township in consolidating record-keeping and upgrading computer systems. Eileen said Trucks will be deputy treasurer until the end of January. In February Trucks will become treasurer and Eileen deputy treasurer temporarily until she moves. At that time, Trucks will appoint a deputy treasurer. With township board approval, Trucks and newly elected Township Clerk Kelly Coltas attended this week a one-day training program on Quick Books, a financial software. The cost was $130 each. The first meeting of the Grant Township Land Use Study Committee is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 23, at the Lac La Belle Fire Hall. Those who expressed an interest in being on the committee include: Art Davis, Pete Pietri, Janet Shea, Paul and Anita Campbell, Tom Collins, Carl Parks, Sandy Collins, Barb Battersby, Ted Johnson, Tom Mottonen, Guy and Betty Snyder, Barbara Ash, Diana Jones, Vern and Sue LeBlanc, Mike and Judy Hill and Fredi Cotˆ©. Anyone else wishing to join the committee is asked to contact Ken Korhorn, township supervisor. Said Korhorn, "I was pleased at the amount of support shown by the number of volunteers." Korhorn introduced to the board Janet Kuru, First National Bank of Calumet-Lake Linden, and Cathy and Troy Westcott, new owners of the Lac la Belle Lodge. The board approved a resolution transferring the liquor license for the Lodge. Cathy Westcott said she expects the Michigan Liquor Commission in Lansing will soon approve the license. Cathy reports a successful beginning for their business, which opened Dec. 15 (the store and gas facility) and Dec. 22 (the Seasons at Lac La Belle Restaurant). "The first few weeks were excellent, better than we expected. The ski hill has helped us immensely. The snow has been great for the snowmobilers, and that’Äôs helped too," Cathy said. "We’Äôre looking forward to a great winter here." The Seasons Restaurant hours are seven days a week: 8 a.m. ’Äì 11 a.m., breakfast; noon ’Äì 3 p.m., lunch; 3 p.m. ’Äì 5 p.m., soup and sandwiches served in the bar area; 5 p.m. ’Äì 9:30 p.m., fine dining in the nonsmoking dining room area only. Korhorn reported Fire Department concerns about berms vs. gates for access to unused roads. While the berms are intended to prevent damage by vehicles, they are obstacles to fire equipment access. Korhorn said he contacted Lake Superior Land Company to see if some arrangement could be made for access, but the company seems to think the fire risk is minimal compared to the erosion problems caused by vehicles. "(The company’Äôs) assessment of the risk is that they have a greater concern for erosion and stream sedimentation than fire suppression," Korhorn said. "It seems to me a very reasonable response." However, both Lac La Belle Fire Department Chief Gary Barker and Copper Harbor Fire Chief Richard Tester said they would like to see LSLC consider an alternative to the berms. Said Tester, "If (the company) wants to do something to keep people out, they should put a gate on with a universal lock and give keys to the mutual aid fire departments that answer calls for those areas. With berms in the way, the only way to get in is to wait for a bulldozer; and that’Äôs too long to wait." After hearing about Grant Township’Äôs problems with the berms, Eagle Harbor Township Fire Chief Mike Radigan said the key arrangement would certainly be better as long as the keys weren’Äôt lost. "We haven’Äôt had the problem yet," Radigan said, "but it’Äôs a potential problem." The Lac la Belle Fire Department announced the tentative date for their Pancake Breakfast is April 29. First Responders answered two calls this month, a ski accident and a heart attack. In other business the board: Approved Korhorn’Äôs attending the Michigan Township Association meeting in Grand Rapids next week. Expenses approved include $140 meeting fee plus 30 cents a mile for travel. Tabled action regarding the township building use policy until Dick Powers, Rich Jamsen and Don Kauppi can review insurance requirements, make recommendations and draft a use policy that would replace current guidelines. Heard Mt. Bohemia (Black Bear, Inc.) has expressed interest in either buying or renting the old fire hall in Lac la Belle. Ken Korhorn has called the township’Äôs legal counsel and expects to have soon an estimate of the cost of moving the building. Approved payment of bills. Editor’Äôs Note: The South Shore Association will meet in the Lac La Belle Fire Hall at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. See the Keweenaw Today Commentary under Upcoming Meetings for details. John Kaleita, the Town Crier for Lac La Belle, said he has recovered from his recent accident and plans to be at the meeting. -Janet Shea and Michele Anderson January 12, 2001