Oberstar has heard the call of the Trail! by Jay Anderson, Joan Farnam News-Herald Staff Appearing in Cook County News-Herald, Grand Marais on 2007-06-01. There might not have been outright cheering on the Gunflint Trail by presstime Wednesday, but there were a lot of smiles, that’s for sure. Four days after an emotional meeting with Trail residents about the aftermath of the Ham Lake Fire and the devastating impact it was having on the people and businesses here, Rep. Jim Oberstar had good news to report. The update was communicated by a phone call to Lee Kerfoot as well as the News-Herald. This is what Oberstar, with the support of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who also visited with Trail residents earlier this week, has accomplished so far: Oberstar met with David Paulison, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who has agreed to expedite the production and installation of new telephone cable on the Upper Trail, which was totally destroyed by the fire. CenturyTel crews will start digging ditches and placing new optical and copper cable on the Gunflint Trail by Monday, June 4, and will work seven days a week to finish the job. At this point, July 15 is the completion date, but hopefully it will be earlier. Currently six resorts — Seagull Outfitters, Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, Way of the Wilderness, Superior North Outfitters, Trail’s End Cafe and Wilderness Canoe Base — are without phones, as well as residents above the Cross River Road. The resorts have set up cell-phone relays through a portable tower provided by Verizon so that calls made to the resort are re-routed to the phones. Many have satellite Internet connections, too, so guests can reach them. The FEMA sprinkler program which saved so many homes during this fire will be reinstated. FEMA will pay 75 percent with a 25 percent participant match for new system installations, existing system upgrades, or repairs to damaged systems. Log on to www.gunflint911.org to register for information regarding new sprinkler systems, upgrades or repairs to existing systems. Oberstar said that the communication system will be upgraded to meet the needs of the Cook County Sheriff and the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department. The director of FEMA and Oberstar will work with the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department on their grant application for a pumper trunk. Oberstar has also been in touch with the Small Business Administration to see what they could do to help businesses and homeowners impacted by the fire. Gov. Pawlenty made an official request for assistance from the SBA, which has been approved, and two regional SBA representatives are in Grand Marais to help people apply for loans. They will be at the Cook County Courthouse starting Monday, June 4. Oberstar and FEMA are working to see if trailers can be provided for temporary housing while people rebuild. “We’re thrilled that Oberstar and Sen. Amy Klobuchar could help us so quickly,” Kerfoot said. “It’s great news. This is what we needed.” He also said he was told that Emergency Mitigation Funds from FEMA will be used for the projects. At this point, the major concern for resort owners is the fact they cannot take credit cards or issue fishing licenses without telephones, although those problems, too, could be solved in short order. The Ham Lake Fire has brought overwhelming support to the Gunflint Trail community since it was first spotted on May 5, Oberstar told the gathering at Gunflint Lodge on Friday. “The government will not fail you.”

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