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NewsHopper TM December 22, 2007 9
Aitkin County Board highlights for December 11
BY CONNIE PETTERSEN
After a discussion with
Aitkin County Land Commissioner
Mark Jacobs, the Commissioners
approved a job
description, pay equity points
and hiring of a recreational
forester. Jacobs explained
that even with the current
timber situation in the state,
Aitkin County sold more
timber this year than last year.
“I think in the long run, this
position will more than pay
for itself,” said Jacobs.
Jacobs said that a recreation
forester will bring consistency
with about 80 percent
of the position already budgeted
for after a position was
transferred from their department
to the auditor’s offi ce.
“It’s not a new revenue draft,”
explained Jacobs, adding that
the forestry position will be
paid for by forfeited tax sales,
not levy dollars.
The Commissioners also approved
right of way plats #13
for CSAH 32 and #6 for CSAH
#10 presented by County
Engineer John Welle. They
approved Welle’s purchase of
a Caterpillar 312CL excavator
from the state bid for a total
cost of $81,143 before tax
and delivery, which is already
budgeted for in 2007.
Aitkin County Soil and
Water Conservation District
Manager Steve Hughes presented
information on a conservation
easement proposed
on property in Turner Township
owned by Murray and
Carol Mills (Bass Lake). The
Mills said an easement would
keep their sensitive lake
from being subdivided in the
future. An easement would
protect wildlife habitat, water
quality and the lake’s natural
beauty. An easement will not
reduce property value or take
it out of private ownership.
It won’t take it off the tax
roles or limit hunting, fi shing,
trapping, and forest management.
Funding is available
from the Board of Water and
Soil Resources and Big Sandy
Watershed.
Other business:
• The Board renewed a
contract for 2008 septic system
inspections with Joe
Fuhrer.
• Sheriff Scott Turner was
given approval by the Commissioners
to accept low bid
The gentle laughing owl
BY WARREN NELSON
Nearly every winter I get
a call or two from someone
who has an owl sitting on
top of one of their bird feeders.
They usually want to
know if the owl is a threat to
the birds coming in. The dialogue
goes something like
this: “No. This time of year,
owls will come into yards at
night and hunt around your
bird feeders because seed
will fall on the ground and
that will attract mice and the
owls are just hunting the
mice. They are doing you a
big favor. And sometimes
they will just hang around
into daylight. What is the
owl doing right now?” “Well,
it seems to be just sleeping.
But occasionally it will look
down.” “It’s probably listening
for mice under the snow.
What are your other birds
doing right now?” “They
seem to be getting seed out
of the feeder right below it.”
Needless to say, it’s not bothering
the other birds. After
a few more questions about
the size and color of the owl,
it is usually determined that
it is a Barred Owl. That is
the most common owl to be
found near feeders in our
area in the winter, however,
smaller owls can also show
up – like the Saw-whet Owl
or Screech Owl.
One of the most common
of the owls in our area, the
Barred Owl is an owl of
the deep woods. There are
ten species of owls found
in Minnesota on a regular
basis, with two others seen
on occasions. The Barred
Owl is the only owl found
in Minnesota that has dark
eyes (actually dark brown).
All other species have yellow
eyes. This is the quickest way
to determine it as a Barred
Owl. It is grayish brown
in color and at eighteen to
twenty-four inches long it is
considered a medium sized
owl. It has a puffy rounded
head with no ear tufts. They
get the name “Barred Owl”
from the markings on the
breast and belly – cross
barring on the breast and
lengthwise barring on its
belly. Its back appears kind
of spotted in white.
They are sometimes referred
to as a nine-hooter.
Their normal call is a hoohoo-hoo-hoo,hoo-hoo-hoohoo-ah.
Bird books describe
the call as “Who cook’s for
you? Who cook’s for you all?”
It is a beautiful and eerie call
usually made after dark, but
it may occasionally call during
the day too. During the
spring courtship period, it
is known to make all kinds
of strange calls. That is
why the early settlers often
from Martin Communications,
Inc. of Brainerd for
$31,098 over Radio Systems
$32,125 for the Jacobson Radio
Repeater project.
• The Board had a discussion/debriefi
ng on the AMC
(Association of Minnesota
Counties) conference they
attended in the Twin Cities.
• The Commissioners went
to Long Lake Conservation
Center for lunch and an open
house/ribbon cutting event
for the newly remodeled
Marcum House.
Committee Updates:
• Regional Radio Interoperable
Advisory Committee
- Scott Turner will be a delegate
from Aitkin County.
• Aitkin County Historical
Soc. – They are moving
forward with land purchase
of their present site and making
a grant application to
MN State Historical Society
to qualify for a possible 50
percent matching grant. The
application has to be in by
Jan 11.
• RC&D Council – the committee
met in Carlton County
and toured a company’s
high tech root cellar that is
referred to it as the “laughing
owl”.
Here in Minnesota, Barred
Owls nest in the eastern twothirds
of the state, primarily
because this is where the
heavier woods are located.
Nesting is mostly in hollow
trees beginning in early
May. There are usually two
or three white eggs (cavity
nesting birds nearly always
have plain white eggs since
they don’t need to be a
camouflage color). They
hatch out in about a month
and fl edge in about another
month and a half with the
parents watching over them
for a couple of months. Besides
mice, they also feed on
chipmunks, squirrels, small
rabbits, frogs, snakes, insects
and rarely a bird (most birds
are just too fast to be dependable
food sources).
With the heavier snow falls
this winter, it is possible that
more people will be lucky
enough to have owls show
up around their feeders.
They are the perfect mouse
trap. Sit back and enjoy one
of the wonders of nature.
On Dec. 11th, Long Lake Conservation Center held their open house and ribbon cutting
ceremony for their newly remodeled Marcum House. Pictured L-R front row: Commissioners
Paul Bailey and Mark Wedel; LLCC Exec. Dir. Todd Roggenkamp; Board Chair Brian
Napstad. 2nd row: Aitkin Co. Land Commissioner Mark Jacobs; Rep. Loren Solberg;
Comm. Gaylen Tveit. 3rd row: Ross Wagner, Economic and Forest Industry Coordinator;
Sheriff Scott Turner; Asst. Planning & Zoning Administrator Pete Ganzen. Back 2 rows
L-R: Chuck Wayt (CAM); Larry Ladd (LLCF Volunteer); Warren Lofgren (Mille Lacs Energy);
Hugh Janzen (LLCF Board); Paul Johnson; Cindi Hills, Aitkin Co. Human Services
Director; County Administrator Pat Wussow; Carroll Janzen (Park Commission).
controlled by electronic temperature/climate
conditions
where the company stores
vegetables they grow and
market to the Cloquet/Duluth
area.
• ECRL Board – A 2 percent
raise for employees was approved,
which was already
budgeted for 2008. They
continue working with the
previous computer software
company regarding compensation
over time loss, etc. and
why their previous software
didn’t safeguard better.
• Mental Health - They
may have three individuals
with mental health concerns
write their personal experiences
regarding job diffi culties
for a future report to the
governor.
• McGregor Airport Commission
– They reviewed
MN DOT’s required 5 year
capital investment plan; they
are looking at some potential
building projects such as new
fencing required after 9-11
and discussed possible local
fi nancing available as well as
grant possibilities.
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