New river signage will tell story of all city's people

While historical markers dot the heart of Cloquet, replete with photos and historical narratives of places such as the old city hall, the train depot and Pinehurst Park, a large part of the area’s history was overlooked when those markers were installed years ago. The history of the Native American tribes who lived here — some long before any European explorers arrived — is conspicuously absent.

City officials hope to change that with help from a diverse group of area residents and the guidance of a consultant, thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Blandin Foundation.

Cloquet community development director Holly Hansen told city councilors Tuesday that Blandin invited cities to come up with proposals “that might unite and unify rural parts of Minnesota.”

City officials expressed hopes that, long-term, the signs could generate a destination of interest for cross-cultural tourism along the St. Louis River and stimulate cultural tourism interest for the Fond du Lac Reservation’s events such as their local powwows, museum, language center, and featured work of native artists.

“This project provides the unique opportunity to bridge the cultural gap,” Hansen said. “The chance to apply for extra-creative funding, versus a taxpayer necessity, is simply unprecedented from a municipal perspective.”

Short-term, the hope is to bring the different cultures here together. The money will be used to hire a consultant, who will lead a “community engagement process” to decide on the signage together. Hansen said the signs will include both Ojibwe and settler histories.

“What it’s going to say, what it’s going to be, stems from the community engagement,” Hansen said. “That’s the most valuable thing: you work to figure that out together.”

It will also give the city council the chance to work more closely with Fond du Lac elected officials.

“You all have asked on numerous occasions for meaningful opportunities … to engage with the Fond du Lac Reservation,” Hansen said. “When this came up, we thought maybe this is the opportunity to do something cool.”

Councilors Lyz Jaakola and Sheila Lamb, both Native American, moved to accept the grant, which passed unanimously.

Jaakola is excited about the funding, and appreciative.

“Cloquet and Fond du Lac have a robust common history that needs to be shared,” she stated in a news release issued by the city and Blandin. “This grant will allow us to highlight some of our relationships along the river.”

City administrator Tim Peterson agreed.

“This grant opportunity allows the chance to think big, to acknowledge we haven’t told our collective cultural story,” Peterson stated. “I hope this project builds a sense of place and pride in who we collectively are.”

During the council meeting, Peterson praised Hansen for applying for the grant, pointing out that the city would not otherwise have been able to afford the signage and to do the community engagement work without the funding. The signs will likely be erected along the riverfront trail through the Spafford and Dunlap Island parks.

The community engagement process will begin after a consultant is hired.

In other matters Tuesday, councilors:

• Met with officials from SKB Environmental Landfill to discuss a request to change the industrial landfill’s conditional use permit to allow them to dispose of two specific types of waste — paper sludge and coal ash — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The current landfill hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. City administrator Tim Peterson said the city would likely schedule another work session before voting on the request.

• Approved the appointment of former city councilor Chris Swanson to the Citizens Advisory Board, or CAB, which works with the Cloquet Police Department “to assist and provide objective community perspective to the Cloquet Police Department with regard to the handling of disciplinary procedures, public complaints and hiring procedures,” according to Section 4.3 of the City Code.

Mayor Roger Maki thanked Swanson for stepping up for the volunteer board.

“It’s an important role,” he said. “They don’t meet often, but when they do meet, it’s important.”