Thomson Township: Fire call means expensive cleanup

The Esko volunteer fire department has sent seven sets of turnout gear to a specialized cleaning company after a messy call on Thursday, Nov. 18.

This mutual aid call involved 50-100 gallons of spilled petroleum that coated 25 sets of gear in total, chief Kyle Gustafson reported to the Thomson Township board of supervisors at its meeting Nov. 18.

Carlton fire department chief Derek Wolf said five other departments were called for mutual aid for manpower and backup water supply. The fire was extinguished in just over two hours. The property owner was put in contact with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and will work with the agency to clean the petroleum spill, according to Wolf.

After returning from the call, firefighters realized that the gear could not be cleaned in-house. The departments decided to send it to a company in Eagan, Minnesota that is equipped to clean emergency turnout gear.

The gear will be cleaned for $105 per set and the expense will be covered by the Carlton department.

The cleaning is expected to be finished by Nov. 24. Until then, the members without turnout gear will use “retired” gear that still meets safety standards.

The Esko volunteer fire department is having another record-breaking year for calls, according to Gustafson.

Gustafson reported that the department has responded to 311 calls in 2021, only eight calls short of the 319 calls reported in 2020. With a month remaining in 2021, the department is on track to surpass the number of calls from last year.

Supervisor upset

Also Thursday, Thomson Township supervisor Jason Paulson made a statement to the board during the meeting about a letter he had received from the township lawyer, David Pritchett.

In this letter, Paulson stated, he was accused of stealing gravel from the township and not having valid permits for various matters on his property. Paulson claimed he had asked the board for help with his driveway in the past, but took matters into his own hands when he did not receive assistance from the township. Paulson also claims that he did not steal the gravel that was used, and that all matters dealing with permits had been previously worked out with the correct parties. “I feel ‘guilty until proven innocent’ in this situation,” Paulson said to the board. Pritchett was not in attendance to respond to comments.

In other business:

-Thomson Township employees are going to receive new safety training through SafeAssure. After Carlton County ended its safety training program in the last few years, the township has been looking for alternatives. The board of supervisors approved funding the training, which will be split with employees of Cloquet as well.

-Township maintenance employees finished installing new panels and pumps in a township lift station this week, according to maintenance supervisor Logan Saline. With this lift station project complete, all of the township’s lift stations are “up to date and good,” said Saline.

- Supervisor Ruth Janke informed the board of new opportunities for future discussion that were brought up by Esko Community Education. The group is looking for the township’s help in exploring the creation of new soccer fields across the road from the town hall and possibly new basketball and tennis courts somewhere in the township as well. Supervisor Janke also asked her fellow board members to consider the possibility of having combined meetings with the Esko school board on the fifth Monday or Wednesday of the month in 2022.

The Thomson Township board of supervisors meets the first and third Thursday of the month. The meetings are open to the public and residents have time to address the board. Those who would like to get something on the agenda must do so by 3 p.m. the Tuesday before the meetings.