Fire district board chooses leaders

Jana Peterson | Feb 03, 2023

Cloquet Area Fire District board members started the new year by taking care of official business: selecting the Pine Knot News as the district’s official newspaper, and Frank Yetka as its official attorney. The board also elected officers for 2023.

Leadership of the CAFD board will remain the same, with Brevator Township representative Linda Way serving as board chair, Fond du Lac Band rep Bruce Blacketter serving as vice chair and Scanlon rep Marshall Johnson serving as treasurer.

Fire chief Jesse Buhs thanked the board members for their service, noting that the positions are not compensated.

Buhs reported that Fire Service Day at the Capitol went well, adding he made a lot of contacts and continues to stress that the fire district needs legislation.

“We need the same support that cities and counties get from the state to be sustainable,” he said, adding that the day is for all fire services — volunteer and professional.

Buhs also noted that a recent two-hour meeting with the Fond du Lac Reservation Business Council included an excellent discussion and left both sides with a better understanding of interests and service needs. Buhs added that FDL Chair Kevin Dupuis offered his help, and Buhs got a call from U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s office as a result.

“I believe the benefits [of that meeting] will be ongoing,” said the excited fire chief, expressing hope that the district and tribe can “pursue mutual interests and funding sources as time goes on.”

In other notes, Buhs said the CAFD received $3,600 from the state for reimbursement of expenses associated with PTSD retiree insurance costs, or about 10 percent of the $36,000 in annual costs. He is pushing to get that amount increased.

The fire district is still looking for people to work as paid on-call firefighters, Buhs said.

Cloquet Area Fire District board contacts

• Chairwoman Linda Way,

Brevator Township

C: 218-348-3944

Email: [email protected]

• Vice chairman Bruce

Blacketter, Fond du Lac Band

C: 218-481-5994

Email: [email protected]

• Treasurer Marshall Johnson, Scanlon

H: 218-879-3810