Council OKs police commander, says no to shipping containers

Slowly but surely, the Cloquet Police Department is getting back up to full strength. On Tuesday, the department got one more spot filled when the Cloquet City Council unanimously approved the appointment of David O'Connor as the new patrol commander.

Police Chief Derek Randall said the appointment will bring the department up to 18 sworn officers (out of 24 budgeted positions), and fill the remaining vacant administrative position. O'Connor comes to the job after working as a police officer for 18 years, starting as a community service officer in the Minneapolis Police Department, then rising through the ranks as a patrol officer, school resource officer to patrol sergeant.

The Duluth native was the unanimous choice for the post after interviews in early July. O'Connor hails from a family tradition of public service. His uncle recently retired from the Duluth Police Department, his father works for the St. Louis County Radio Department and his brother is a jailer at the Carlton County jail. O'Connell is working on a master's degree in public safety leadership.

During a work session presentation on how the department is meeting the goals set by the 2018 police study, Randall said staffing levels remain one of the biggest challenges for the department. Recruiting hasn't gotten any easier in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis, he said.

"People are having second thoughts about going into law enforcement and people are leaving in record numbers," Randall said. The department is interviewing for patrol positions.

'No' to storage idea

Also Tuesday, councilors split on a vote to amend city code regarding mobile storage structures, following a unanimous recommendation by the planning commission to make it illegal to use such structures (think shipping containers) for a mini-storage business.

Cloquet residents and business owners Gerry and Mary Thompson addressed the council during the discussion, as they have a business on north Highway 33 that both sells shipping containers to businesses to use as storage units on their own property and rents them to individuals as mini-storage units on the Thompson's property.

Gerry Thompson compared it to renting out space for people to store boats and RVs, and Mary argued that Cloquet has a shortage of mini-storage units and they are filling a need. Cloquet planning and zoning director Al Cottingham said the debate wasn't over need, it is the fact that the planning commission doesn't want to allow shipping containers to be used for public storage rental versus an actual building other mini-storage businesses in town have constructed.

While several councilors sympathized with the Thompsons or worried that the city was over-reacting, the motion ultimately passed 4-3, with Bun Carlson, Sheila Lamb and Lara Wilkinson dissenting.

"Thank you for supporting our local business. We truly appreciate it," Mary Thompson said sarcastically after the vote.

Also Tuesday, councilors took the following actions:

• Approved giving naming rights to Members Cooperative Credit Union for two reading corners at the Cloquet Public Library in exchange for a gift of $10,000 from the local credit union. The naming rights remain in place for 20 years. The money will help pay for furnishing the 7,000 square foot expansion that is nearly finished.

• Approved the final assessments made to the Pine Tree Plaza Frontage Road and utility improvements in the area. Affected properties were the AmericInn Motel, Perkins, Pizza Hut, Miners/Super One and McDonalds.

The final assessment on six commercial property parcels adjacent to the improvement is $113,855. The total cost of the project was $545,000, which was $35,000 under budget.

• Approved a grant program for homeowners who need to upgrade or repair leaky or decaying lateral sewer lines running from the home to main sewer lines. The program offers financial assistance of 80 percent of costs up to $4,000 for the repairs. There is money for up to 20 grants per year.