Matthew Johnson

Reporter

The Wolf Lake City Council began its first meeting of the new year by welcoming a new member.

Katie Lake, elected to the vacant council seat with five write-in votes during the November election, took the oath of office and was sworn in during the council’s Tuesday, Jan. 14, regular monthly meeting. She was assigned to serve on the Wolf Lake Community Hall and Wolf Lake Harvest Fest committees. 

Wolf Lake Mayor Michelle Suhsen and Councilor Cassy Makela, who has been named vice mayor for 2025, have been re-elected to the council. Makela has also been assigned to the Wolf Lake Community Hall committee. Councilor Vernette Gilbertson remains on the parks and Wolf Pack Baseball committees and Cody Lake, who was absent from the meeting, retains the coveted assignment of city weed inspector.

The council took action naming the Review Messenger as the city’s official newspaper for 2025 and the Lakes Area Cooperative (LAC) store as official posting place. Community First Bank of Menahga is the official bank depository.

City liquor store still for sale

Efforts to sell the liquor store have so far fallen short but the council remains vigilant to find a buyer.

Discussions included the possibility of interested parties getting a better look at the roof this spring once the snow is gone. At least one interested party had made an offer to the city but withdrew its offer after the city made a counter offer. Wolf Lake City Clerk Becky Lake previously reported that the private party withdrew its offer following a discussion about the offer at the council’s Tuesday, Nov. 12, regular monthly meeting.

Attorney Charles Ramstad worked with the council to review the purchase agreement and draft an ordinance for the city concerning issuing liquor licenses to private parties in the city. 

Fire chief report

Wolf Lake Fire Chief Brock Anderson gave his monthly report to the council. He said the 20 firefighters collectively recommended to the council to keep the department officers, including the chief, the same for 2024 and keep the $15 an hour firefighter compensation for fighting fires the same, as well. Firefighters are not paid for meetings and training sessions.

The council approved keeping the department officers and firefighting compensation the same.

Chief Anderson reported that the department responded to 41 calls for service in 2024, which was down from 53 calls in 2023. The department did, however, have more total firefighting hours in 2024 than in 2023 due in part to some larger fires they helped fight in 2024.

The council approved investing in new sets of firefighting gear and seeking grant dollars to help pay for them.

Anderson said the 2025 budget is comparable to the department’s 2024 budget. He reminded the council that feedback is being sought from the townships concerning the need for a new fire truck. 

So far in January Brock reported that the department has responded to two calls for service; one car fire and one mutual aid house fire in Frazee “on Sunday night (Jan. 12) on the coldest day of the year.”

Regular monthly meetings of the Wolf Lake City Council are usually held at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at city hall.