Building Relationships (Better Together)

I had the good fortune to participate in two extremely informative and very pleasant meetings this week with the shared goal of relationship building.

Minnesota Land Trust
On December 15, Dave Tersteeg, Park Manager, and I had a very information and productive meeting with Francis "Fitz" Fitzgerald (Northern Region Conservation Director) and Anne Murphy (Conservation Stewardship Director) of the Minnesota Land Trust.

This very friendly and informal meeting gave us the opportunity to get to know one another, and to better understand how the Land Trust and the Grand Marais Land Trust easement work. We were also able to give a general review of the recently adopted Park Master Plan and work being done with the DNR for a Marina/Safe Harbor.

After our meeting, Tersteeg gave Fitzgerald and Murphy a tour of the Rec Park and Harbor Park.

We all concluded that it is important to work closely together for our mutual benefit and agreed to do so.

U.S. Border Patrol
Mike Roth, City Administrator, and I were invited by Richard Fortunato (Supervisory Border Patrol Agent) to tour the Border Patrol Office on Artist's Point and visit with Fortunato about issues of mutual concern between the City of Grand Marais and the U.S. Border Patrol.

On December 17, Roth and I met with Fortunato and Mariano Arguedas (Lead Border Patrol Agent) for 90 minutes or so. This time was extremely well spent as Fortunato and Arguedas gave us a very useful overview of the U.S. Border Patrol, their mission, and their facility.

We also spent valuable time discussing the desire of the Border Patrol to build a positive relationship with elected officials, law enforcement and the Public. The Border Patrol intends to hold an Open House for the Public at their local facility. They are also involved with community service through the Boy Scouts and their Gunflint Trail Outreach programs.

Fortunato encouraged us to contact him with any concerns, and we promised to do so.