Board of Directors

Bigfork Valley is owned and governed by the Northern Itasca Hospital District, an entity formed under Minnesota statute in 1975. Today the district includes the cities of Bigfork, Effie and Big Falls, 6 organized townships and 6 unorganized townships in Itasca County, and unorganized territory in Koochiching County along Highway 6. Voters of the district are represented by 13 board members, including 2 at-large positions.

The board meets monthly in a public meeting, currently the first Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the board room at Bigfork Valley.

Board Members

• George Rounds, Chair
  Stokes Township
  Term expires 2020
  P:  218-743-3312
  E:  grounds@arvig.net
  A:  40742 Turtle Lake Road
  Bigfork, MN 56628
• Dan (Casey) Sursely
  City of Big Falls
  Term expires 2022
  P:  218-276-2330
  E:  bsursely@hotmail.com
  A:  1412 1st Street E
  Big Falls, MN 56627
• Tom LaMont
  City of Effie
  Term expires 2020
  P:  218-244-1163
  A:  105 Hwy 1 E
  Effie, MN 56639
• Dianne Bakke
  City of Bigfork
  Term expires 2022
  P:  218-743-6623
  E:  getfitbigfork@gmail.com
  A:  P.O. Box 187
  Bigfork, MN 56628
• Linnette Davidson, Secretary
  Wirt Township
  Term expires 2020
  P:  218-659-2737
  A:  53081 Davidson Road
  Wirt, MN 56688
• Ken Porter
  Bigfork Township
  Term expires 2020
  P:  218-910-0475
  A:  38719 County Rd 225
  Bigfork, MN 56628
• Marie Lovdahl
  Unorganized Townships –Itasca County
  Term expires 2020
  P:  218-743-3686
  E:  lovdahl@bigfork.net
  A:  34486 County Road 40
  Effie, MN 56639
• Meredith Morneau
  Itasca County At-Large
  Term expires 2022
  P:  218-832-3211
  E:  pinetree45@earthlink.net
  A:  41929 Turtle Lake Road
  Bigfork, MN 56628
• Greg Cook
  Unorganized Townships
  –Koochiching County
  Term expires 2020
  P:  218-244-8044
  218-212-1008
  A:  11786 County Road 5
  Effie, MN 56639
• Matt Huju
  Marcell Township
  Term expires 2022
  P:  218-832-3899
  E:  mhuju@bigforkvalley.org
  A:  P.O. Box 123
  Marcell, MN 56657
• Heidi Watson, Vice Chair
  At Large–Koochiching County
  Term expires 2022
  P:  218-244-2186
  E:  heidiwatson525@gmail.com
  A:  P.O Box 262
  Big Falls, MN 56627
• Larry Salmela, Treasurer
  Carpenter Township
  Term expires 2022
  P:  218-780-9712
  E:  meadlake.larry@gmail.com
  A:  22838 Rollercoaster Road
  Effie, MN 56639
• Vacant
  Pomroy Township
  City of Effie

Recurring Meetings:

Recurring monthly board meetings are held the first Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Room.

Recurring monthly finance committee meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month at 3:00 p.m. in the Board Room.

Recurring quarterly governance committee meetings are held at 1:00 p.m. in the Board Room.

2019 Governance Committee Meeting Dates

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the board of directors of the Northern Itasca Hospital District will hold recurring quarterly governance committee meetings at 1:00 p.m. in the board room at Bigfork Valley.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Should a change in a meeting date occur, proper notification will be made.

Special Meetings:

As part of Bigfork Valley’s strategic plan, its Board of Directors is researching options for alternative governance models, specifically dual governance.  Click here for more information. 

Official Notices

Notices and meeting changes are posted to this web-page.  If you have questions regarding meetings or meeting minutes, contact us at (218) 743-1772.

The Bigfork Valley Board utilizes the Grand Rapids Herald Review for its official newspaper.

Bigfork Valley will host a public meeting to discuss the 2020 proposed levy on Monday, December 2, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room.  The Bigfork Valley Board set the certificate of proposed tax levy amount at $700,000 for 2020.  The final property tax levy is due on or before December 30, 2019.  Click here for a statement from the Board Chair, George Rounds, regarding the tax levy.

Board Meeting Minutes

October 2019 Regular Meeting