By Tim Douglass

tdouglass@pctribune.com

Glenwood City Administrator Dave Iverson is nearing completion of a city-wide plan for dealing with emerald ash borer (EAB) in Glenwood.

The plan, though not yet finalized, was provided to city commissioners and they are expected to take formal action at an April meeting. 

The plan addresses ash trees on public property that are or will be victims of the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that kills ash trees.   The insect was confirmed in Pope County last June.  The city, with the help of Barsness Buckthorn Brigade volunteers, conducted an inventory last fall and identified all the ash trees on city land, recorded their condition and provided an informational starting point for the plan that will be proposed to city commissioners.

“We want to be proactive on this,” Iverson told city commissioners last week, “before we have a large number of trees that are dead and have no leaves and start dropping branches.  That’s a liability issue for the city,” he added.

 He called it a long-term plan estimating that the city could be treating or removing about 100 ash trees each year for the next five years.  “And unfortunately, it wont be cheap,” he added, stating that the city commission my have to look at forgoing a street project to fund the ash tree plan. Iverson said the city may even establish a committee that would decide a number of issues, like how many trees could be removed in a year, how many trees could be treated, what trees would replace the ash trees and more.    

EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often trees will show several signs of infestation because of this, according to MDA.  There are now more than 50 counties in the state that have confirmed the infestation of EAB. 

Other actions taken by the commission included:

•Making the final payment to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the work done on Highway 29 in Glenwood.  The payment was for $16,202.27.  The city paid $203,728.69 before that final payment.  

•Appointed Brent Cochran to serve on the Glenwood HRA/EDA  board.

•Approved the 2025 license for Lake Minnewaska Marina.  The fee paid for the license is $2,800 per year.

•Approved  a permit renewal for Baker Property Rentals LLC to operate a short-term vacation rental at a home on shared property located at 1040 South Lakeshore Drive.  

•Purchased a Caterpillar  Model 938 Wheel Loader from Ziegler CAT for $78,946.64.  The Caterpillar was scheduled for trade and purchase and was within the budget plan, according to Iverson.  

•Approved  permit for the Glenwood High School Class of 1980 to conduct a class reunion at Glenhaven Building at Barsness Park on Aug. 2.

•Approved permits for the Easter Egg Hunt, Music in the Park, Pope County Farmers Market and Kids Day events for the Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Welcome Center.