HAPPY MONDAY!!!

BUT MAYBE NOT FOR EVERYBODY
I’LL EXPLAIN!

965. Welcome to today’s Blog. No sooner than we e-mailed out the last Blog, less than 24 hours later not one but two stories popped up on the Telegram. And our “I’m coming for you and your business” Mayor Paine is at it again. I just wrote an entire Blog showing you how he screwed the Chamber of Commerce out of their tourism division and now he is casting his devil eyes on Centerfold’s and the Superior Public Museums. So I would like to start today with a comment, followed by the Centerfold’s story.


We have a manchild who is impersonating a mayor, or trying to, that should be in some type of deep psychiatric therapy, running the city. So what does that say about our councilors? Not a whole lot. The one big difference is he gets a hundred grand a year, which is ridiculous for the city of Superior, and they get $7,500.00 a year. Can you imagine listening to that idiot for that small of a sum. I would rather chug back a gallon of stool softener and lock myself in an outhouse with 100+ degrees outside temp. with high humidity, with no lights or toilet paper, filled to the brim after a colony of wild monkeys with gastritis used it. More severe gastritis symptoms can include black, tarry stools, stomach ulcers, and the vomiting of blood.


THE FUTURE OF CENTERFOLD’S?
966.When I first visited Superior about 18 years ago one of my many stops that week was Centerfold’s. It was strictly for research purposes and under the clinical supervision of a doctor of course. In Canada we called them “Peeler bars” and we called the dancers “Peelers”. I’m not sure if you used that vernacular in the US.

NOT THIS KIND OF PEELER

THIS KIND

OR THIS KIND
Anyway I could count on one hand the amount of times I went to Centerfold’s and Lady Vi’s in the 15 years I lived there. I don’t know and have never known the owners/management there. I do feel that peeler bars have their place not just for locals but for tourists as well. Hey, some people like Mini-Golf and some like Peelers. To each his own. I’m about Freedom. But it seems that every time I turn around some bureaucrat (usually a no-fun lefty) is trying to take it away. In the case of Centerfold’s there is no secret that Paine has had a hard on (no pun intended) for them for at least a few years. Not much different than he did for the Palace Bar. Here is the story.
Council doesn't renew Centerfolds' Cabaret liquor license
Citing a failure to meet operational hours, the Superior City Council took no action to renew the license on the adult-oriented business.
Centerfolds' Cabaret at 702 Tower Ave. will no longer have a liquor license on July 1 after the Superior City Council took no action on its renewal application.
By Shelley Nelson June 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM

SUPERIOR — The City Council typically sets a public hearing in June to consider not renewing three to five liquor licenses. What’s not common is for the council to hold the hearing or not renew a liquor license. However, the council decided Tuesday, June 17 that it would not renew the Centerfolds' Cabaret’s liquor license, the only license subject to nonrenewal this year.

“We generally set one of these public hearings every single year for a few of the applicants that do not have all of their paperwork together until literally the day of the council meeting,” Mayor Jim Paine said. “They usually bring it in that day … and then we waive the public hearing.”
COMMENT

968.Paine is right and last year (2024) there were 3. Centerfold’s, Izzy’s and Gronk’s. They all were renewed.
BACK TO THE STORY...
Paine said: “City Clerk Heidi Blunt did an excellent job notifying applicants this year that the delays would not be tolerated”.

HEIDI BLUNT

However, Centerfolds' renewal was in jeopardy pending payment of renewal fees, a fire department inspection and for failing to be open 150 hours in the six months prior to the renewal as required by city ordinance.
The renewal fees and fire department inspection were resolved before Tuesday, but the hours of operation still hadn’t been met. “We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration of the current license term,” said Rodrick Peddycoart, the agent for the license. “We have a plan in place … we’re already over 50.”

Peddycoart said the city could verify that at the end of June, when the current license expires.
“This feels like a technicality, but this is a business that has really not been open for months,” Paine said. “They, as you heard from the applicant, he does not qualify for renewal at this moment.”
City Attorney Frog Prell said if the license wasn’t renewed Tuesday, the applicant could apply for a new license on or after July 1. He said the council could also renew the license contingent on demonstrating the 150 hours has been met.


FROG PRELL
Councilor Tylor Elm said if the council approved the license with a contingency, it could result in late applications again.

Blunt said she became aware that Centerfolds wasn’t open last year around the time licenses were being renewed. After the license was renewed, she said she never heard about the establishment reopening and delays in issuing the license didn’t prompt a response from Centerfolds.
“They’ve been missing a license after July 1, and it was strange not to have somebody barking on my door right away to get their license,” Blunt said.

She said when renewal notices were sent out in February, Centerfolds was sent back to the city because the business wasn’t open.
Council President Lindsey Graskey said she didn’t understand why the council would accept the agent’s word; she would like to see evidence like daily reports, hours of operation, pay stubs, invoices or credit card transaction slips to demonstrate the business was open.

“What I have found online, their hours of operation are every day from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. They announced a reopening today," Graskey said, expressing doubt that the business could reach the required 150 hours by the end of the month.

Citing the zoning code, Councilor Garner Moffat said the adult-oriented entertainment business wouldn't be allowed to exist if it has been closed 12 months.

A motion to renew the license didn’t receive a second, and the license was not renewed because the council took no action on it.

Peddycoart asked to speak again but was denied because the license discussion concluded.

“Wow,” Peddycoart said. “The license does not expire until the end of the month.”
COMMENTS
Lots, and I mean I got a lot to go over here.

Not a dancer at Centerfold’s, I don’t think
COMMENT #1
959. Paine said the following:
“Paine said City Clerk Heidi Blunt did an excellent job notifying applicants this year that the delays would not be tolerated.”


960. Spoken like a true dictator, or jerk off, or just a dick. Give me a f*ckin break. Explain to me how you do an “excellent job notifying applicants”. Send them an email? Send them a text? Send them a letter? Phone them? Carrier Pigeon? Fed Ex? UPS? Smoke signals? Teletype? Visit them at home? Mental telepathy? Send them flowers with a note attached? Morse code? All of the above?
COMMENT #2
961. So it seems that the only unresolved item is the rule that you have to be open at least 150 hours in the previous year. Keep in mind Centerfold’s has been open at least 18 plus years. And then a “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” appeared over City Council and all common sense went to hell. Here is how it went.

962. Rodrick Peddycoart, the Centerfold’s agent for the license said:
“We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration of the current license term,” “We have a plan in place … we’re already over 50.”
Then Paine said:
“This feels like a technicality, but this is a business that has really not been open for months,” Paine said. “They, as you heard from the applicant, he does not qualify for renewal at this moment.”
Technically he is right but the date of this meeting was June 17 so Centerfold’s has 13 days to go in their current license. He said he has banked 50 hours already. The bar laws allow you to open from 6AM until 2:00AM (2:30 AM on Fri. and Sat.)

963.That means from June 18 till until June 30 he has to bank 100 more hours. If you do the math (I did) and I assume Mr. Peddycoart did,(I don’t assume the Mayor did) that leaves him with 13 days. That comes to 262 hours that he can legally be open to bank his 100 hours and I will assume he will do that.

Actually if he has already been opened for 50 hours, he can just keep his hours as is, 4:00PM till 2:AM for the next 13 days is 130 hours so that would give him a total 0f 180 hours. He only needs 150.
“Peddycoart said the city could verify that at the end of June, when the current license expires.”

COMMON SENSE PREVAILS? DON’T BET ON IT
964.Then as Superior fickle weather kicks in, the “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” lifted temporally, very temporally.
City Attorney Frog Prell had this to say:
If the license wasn’t renewed Tuesday, the applicant could apply for a new license on or after July 1. He said the council could also renew the license contingent on demonstrating the 150 hours has been met.

FROG PRELL

DANCING FROG
Finally some common sense prevails. Frog is 100% right. Not only is he right, it’s the law. Let me bring you through the process of obtaining a liquor license renewal in Superior. Between Shorty’s and the Palace I did it 14 times.

1. You get application forms in the mail from the city. You fill them out with your payment and mail it back or bring it in person which is what I used to do.
2. Then the city sends out the application to the health, fire and police departments. They all must sign off on it. The health and fire departments usually do a yearly inspection of the business and they may just use that or they can also come in and do an inspection. The police have their own vetting procedures as well. In all cases, if there are any concerns or violations they usually need to be taken care of before they sign off. The Mayor is not involved in this part of the process. Supposedly, neither is City Council.
3- Once they sign off on the approval they send that to the City Clerk who then puts on the next council meeting for them to vote yes or no for approval. In the case of Centerfold’s it appears they did get the approvals. And by the way Jordan Wheat, who was the potential buyer of the Palace also had all 3 approvals and you saw what happened to her in that December 2022 meeting.

965.Yes the one when Lying Mayor Paine whose word isn’t worth the used piece of toilet paper he signs, said he was going to step back and let the Council decide and then 2 hours before the meeting unleashed his “Manifesto of a Madman” to every Councilor and of course “Cut and Paste” Shelley “The Hack” Nelson, who by the way wrote this article. Deja Voodoo?

4- And there is a rule that you must have to been opened for 150 hours the previous year. I’m not sure if this is a state or local law. It doesn’t really matter. But as you can see Centerfold’s have a clear pathway to get this done. Paine even said in this article,“This feels like a technicality”. And it is.

966.I kind of understand it a little because liquor licenses are limited and that is a Superior ordnance, so if you keep renewing and are never open, you are in effect blocking a license. I don’t agree with the ordinance. I don’t want some dumb ass know nothing, never owned a business, unaccomplished politician like Paine or bureaucrat pulling a random number out of his or her ass making that decision.


There should be no limit on bar licenses. In the past we didn’t. We don’t put that restriction on most other businesses. Let the market decide. The strong will survive and the weak ones won’t. That’s the way it works with all other businesses that don’t have license limits. I don’t want government making these decisions. Get the hell out of the way and let the market decide how many bars, hair salons, florists, grocery stores etc. there should be and you will have a more robust economy.
But Centerfolds is a unique story. I know they have been in business for at least 18 years and likely more. They don’t have a history of being shut down like this. They have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and have created many jobs. So something must have happened for them to be shut down and I’ll talk about it later in the Blog. So for the city to not renew their license over what the “Satan of Superior” Jim Paine calls “A technicality” just triggered my “Corruption Alarm”. More on that later.

Then the “Lack of Common Sense Cloud” returned

967.And did it ever. Let’s hear from some of, what I believe are the most useless and ineffective City Councilors ever.
COMMENT # 1
Let’s start with current Mensa Member “Tooler Elmo”

This is his statement:
“Councilor Tylor Elm said if the council approved the license with a contingency, it could result in late applications again.”
COMMENT

THREE CHEERS FOR TOOLER-- HIP HIP HOORAY
You can’t be serious. Because if you are then you are whole lot stupider than I thought you were. I know you are a certified Jim Paine Butt Boy but this is a stretch even for you, one that defies common sense. I don’t know the owner of any business that would jeopardize their license and would look at Centerfold’s, if they were granted a license with a contingency and say, “Wow, I think I’ll try that next year.” It really is too bad you didn’t get voted out last election like the Notorious J.V.S. because you really are an embarrassment to this city. And after that statement, to yourself.

COMMENT # 2
NOW THE “PUPPET CALLED MOFFAT” EDUCATES US
The “Puppet”, also a certified Jim Paine Butt Boy, said the following:
“Citing the zoning code, Councilor Garner Moffat said the adult-oriented entertainment business wouldn't be allowed to exist if it has been closed 12 months.”

That’s it? We already knew that. Thanks for nothing. Unlike “Tooler Elmo” who’s level of stupidity surprised me a little, I knew that the “Puppet” called “Moffat” was already that stupid. But you failed to mention that Centerfold’s has a pathway to comply to the zoning code since the year is not up.

I will concede the rest of my time talking about the “Puppet” to Craig Sutherland’s Facebook page entry on Feb 4, 2025 which I agree with more today than I did yesterday. See below.
This guy is fucking nuts.

COMMENT # 3
UP NEXT: “EVIL” LINDSEY GRASKEY AKA “SPUDS MACGHASTLY”
Here is what Spuds had to say:
“Council President Lindsey Graskey said she didn’t understand why the council would accept the agent’s word; she would like to see evidence like daily reports, hours of operation, pay stubs, invoices or credit card transaction slips to demonstrate the business was open”.

That’s how you call somebody a liar without calling them a liar. Nice work Spuds! And since she is Council President, she works hand in hand with the biggest liar of them all, “My word means shit” Jim Paine. So she has a lot of lyin’ experience. But OK, let’s put that aside. Why not refer back to Frog Prell’s suggestion to give them a conditional license and that will satisfy your request for the evidence. And hey, if they don’t produce it, that’s on them.


I know why and “Evil” Lindsey (I should change that to “Very Evil”) knows why.
COMMENT # 4
A TWOOFER FOR SPUDS BUT SHE CAN’T COUNT THAT HIGH


“What I have found online, their hours of operation are every day from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. They announced a reopening today," Graskey said, expressing doubt that the business could reach the required 150 hours by the end of the month.”

COMMENT
I talked about this earlier in the Blog. They do have a pathway to get the hours. And by the way it took me about 30 seconds to do the math. This is what I said:
“Actually if he has already been opened for 50 hours already, he can just keep his hours as is, 4:00PM till 2:AM for the next 13 days is 130 hours so that would give him a total 0f 180 hours. He only needs 150.”


Spuds, did you actually pass math in school? Did you even go to school? Why should we believe you? We would like evidence. Diplomas, report cards, yearbooks, late slips, bus passes, prom dress receipts, Id cards. Fake Id cards and anything else you could provide that would be helpful.

POTENTIAL GRANDKIDS
I also would like to know what schools you went to. Because in the event I have grandkids, I’ll make sure they don’t go there.
Another Shelley Nelson And Superior Telegram Fake News Failure!!!


No Shelly Nelson story would be complete unless it was incomplete and this one is no exception. And this might be one of the worst. This is the second last sentence of her article:
“Peddycoart asked to speak again but was denied because the license discussion concluded.”

968-Why? Why can’t you give a guy who may be on the brink of losing his business (I will explain my statement as we go along) a few more minutes? Who would do such an arrogant, smug, condescending thing like that? What’s a couple more minutes of your not very valuable time with so much at stake? Or do you have an ulterior motive? Even when somebody is sentenced to death the judge asks the defendant "Do you have anything to say to the court?" But not at a Superior Council meeting.
And Shelly Nelson, why didn’t you divulge the name of this person? We want to know the name of this monster. Oh, wait a minute Shelley, you wouldn’t be covering up for someone would you? Because after all, most people would read this and think that person is a real A-Hole.

OK Shelley, since you won’t tell us, I went and looked at the video of the council meeting of June 17 and I know who did. Do you guys want to take a guess who it was? I’ll give you a hint. This great man, This is a great patriot, This is a man of the people who once said: “Because we help citizens. That is our only purpose. When citizens, businesses, or developers need help, we do everything we can”.

And he also said in this article: “This feels like a technicality.” Yes, it was none other than our Commander of Crap, Mayor Jim Paine. And now you know no thanks to Shelly Nelson.
The following was not in Shelley Nelson’s article.
969. After Mr. Peddycoart asked to speak this what Paine had to say:
“Uh, no sir that would be out of order. This we are finished with this item of business’.”
Then as Mr. Peddycoart was saying the following:
“Wow, “the license does not expire until the end of the month,” The Mayor interrupted him and slammed his Hasbro toy gavel not once not twice but three times with the all the force if a tit mouse and said “Sir you are out of order, we are going to continue with the council’s business.” He shut down Mr. Peddycoart like the US military shutting down an Iranian nuclear facility.
And that was it. I’m sure that’s when reality set in for Mr. Peddycoart. He probably thought he was going to a routine meeting to renew a license only to be faced with the fact that Centerfold’s may not live for another dance. I know the feeling and it’s awful.
UPDATE

970. It is Monday morning June 30. Today is possibly Centerfold’s last day in business. I have not heard any news since what I posted earlier on this blog but when I went on their Facebook page this morning I noticed their updated hours.
Hours
- Monday
- -
- Tue - Thu
- -
- Fri - Sat
- -
- Sunday
- -
Unlike City Council and Paine, they seem to know math. Also their website and Instagram pages are down. So rather than go through any more analysis than I’ve already done, I’ll wait till there is news on the fate of their license and then I’ll dig in.
971. In the meantime I would implore you to watch the Council meeting below and you can see corruption and stupidity at work. I will do a full report on this meeting on the next Blog. Go to the beginning. It is the first item on the video. It really is must see TV. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/umoxDMSGeZw
972. Our friends at Soupnutz.net had this timely article just the other day.

June 17th City Clowncil Meeting – Stripper Hours Debated While Mayor Forms Committee on Duck Farts
June 25,2025
“Centerfolds Clipped: When a Strip Club Fails and Golf Wins—Welcome to Superior”
City Clowncil Meeting June 17th 2025 Golf Committees, Strip Club Denials, and Mayor Paine’s Magical Mystery Tour of Pointless Panels.

Welcome to another episode of “Superior: Where Time Goes to Die”, brought to you by Mayor Jim Paine—the man who never met a committee he couldn’t invent out of sheer boredom or a need to pretend he’s governing.
While the council tied itself in a bureaucratic knot over whether a strip club open for 20 hours a year should serve alcohol (spoiler: nope), Mayor Paine was busy sprinkling more make-believe into his favorite municipal sandbox: committees nobody asked for.
Strip Club Shutdown: We’ll Get There, Probably Not
Let’s recap the real issue of the night. Centerfolds Cabaret came to the council like a guy with no pants trying to get into the opera—underprepared, overconfident, and very confused about what “open” means.
They needed 150 hours of operation in six months. They had… maybe 50? Depending on how hard you squint. Councilor Graskey brought actual math to the table (shock!), proving they’d fall short even if they opened 24/7 with a GoFundMe for lightbulbs.

Real Quotes, Real Head-Scratchers
“We’ll actually hit our 150 hours prior to the expiration… I figured you guys could just figure out a way to verify it at the end of the month.”
—
Roderick Pettycourt, Centerfolds applicant, confidently outsourcing math to the city
“I never lose a golf ball because I never hit them far enough. I can find them.”
— Councilor Jack Sweeney, providing insight into his short game and even shorter patience
“It’s just like a series of naps if you’re lucky.”
— Councilor Tylor Elm, defining both new parenthood and council meetings
“I want nothing to do with you, Tyler.”
— Councilor Anderson, opening the meeting with pure vibe-based hostility
“You didn’t leave your writings on the wall, did you?”
— Councilor Graskey, referencing jail graffiti like it’s local art appreciation
“I’m GQ worthy.”
— Councilor Tylor Elm, clearly dressing for the job he wants—fashion icon of dysfunction
Mayor Paine added a TED Talk for no reason:
“It’s almost like a jury where you determine the standard of evidence… Keep in mind, these are not things that we hand out, as I’m sure you know. We don’t hand these out to just anybody.”
— Jim Paine, making sure everyone remembers the strip club license isn’t a cereal box prize

Mayor Paine’s Dumbest Committees (So Far)
Let’s take a detour down Delusion Drive and review some of the mayor’s greatest committee hits:
The Dog Poop Committee
Yes. This happened. An actual committee formed to address the epidemic of dog droppings in Superior’s parks. Because picking up poop is apparently a legislative matter now.

Mayor Paine’s Land Trade Committee
This is the one where the city swaps prime real estate like kids trading Pokémon cards, but everyone’s blindfolded and half the cards are blank.
The “Jenny for Council Again” Committee
Not officially announced, but it’s as obvious as Jim Paine’s committee addiction. Rumor is the mayor’s forming a soft-launch campaign group to get his old ally (wife) Jenny Van Sickle back on the dais. Honestly, if this turns into a spinoff, we’ll need popcorn.
Priority Space Budgeting Committee
This wasn’t a typo. Mayor Paine said this with his whole chest:
“This is what I call the magic wand exercise. If money were no object… you can suggest everything. Be free of responsibility.”

Translation: We’re budgeting like it’s a middle school vision board.
Meanwhile in Golfland…
The council formally recreated a golf committee that already existed. Because when in doubt, make a memo. Even Councilor Sweeney gave a little speech:
“I think people have done a good job on the golf committee. It’s a good committee. It just has some good glory to it.”
“Glory” and “committee” in the same sentence? Sir, please.
Mayor Paine, who originally opposed the committee, did a full 180:

“It’s been an extraordinarily valuable partnership… more than my golf advice.”
A humble brag no one needed, especially the taxpayers.
In Summary: The Soup Bowl Runneth Over
- Centerfolds: Closed for lack of evidence that they exist outside a dusty liquor license.
- Council: Argued like it was the U.N. Security Council but about strip hours.
- Mayor Paine: Formed three new committees before lunch, two of which involve fantasy, and one that may just be a cardboard cutout of Jenny Van Sickle.
Mic Drop
Jim Paine’s Superior isn’t run by decisions—it’s run by distraction. You want lead pipe replacement? You get a golf committee. You want economic development? You get a task force to discuss dog turds. You want transparency? You get a committee with no meeting notes and a Dropbox link that hasn’t worked since 2021.

973. SINCE WERE ARE TALKING ABOUT SEX
I HAVE SOME BAD NEWS


BEACON OF RAUNCH WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS
Adult entertainment destination SexWorld became a rite of passage in Mpls.
By ELLIOT HUGHES The Minnesota Star Tribune


SexWorld, Minneapolis’ adult entertainment store that was once three stories tall, featured a live peep show and became a rite of passage in the Twin Cities, will close its doors permanently June 29. The closure was confirmed by Hailey Buchanan of DB Graphics, which owns the store and the THC Joint, a downtown Minneapolis smoke shop also slated to close. Buchanan indicated the closures were the result of economic stress and regulations on the sale of THC. SexWorld, at 241 2nd Av. N., opened in 1993 and for nearly all of its run was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, attracting customers but also bachelorette parties and newly christened 18-year-olds wanting to explore its confines. An employee at the store on Tuesday, who declined to give her name, said she cried for three hours upon learning of the closure. The store became famous locally for its extensive collection of adult films and toys, and for a 6-foot-long penis that patrons can ride like a mechanical bull.

The store’s most famous employee was perhaps Diablo Cody, the Hollywood screenwriter best known for the 2007 film, “Juno,” who once performed in the live peep show. In her biography, “Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper,” Cody described the shop as “the Wal-Mart of sex” and a place that was “perpetually jumpin’.” But the business showed signs of strain over the years, shrinking from three floors to one. Eventually, it struggled to keep customers coming back, employee Jay Limbacher wrote on Facebook. Earlier this year, the store ended its 24-hours-a-day business model. “If SexWorld has had an impact on you as a Twin Cities resident, don’t hesitate to share your memories … and stop in for one last hurrah before they close forever,” Limbacher wrote.
COMMENT

I never heard of this place until yesterday. Dammit. All those trips to Minneapolis. Oh well. I couldn’t help but think of all those road trips across the USA over the years and you would see all the billboards and signs along the highway for sex stores and fireworks stores. And every single time I’d say to my wile “Can we stop here?” Needless to say, the answer was always the same with the customary smirk and eye roll. I wonder if they still have them? The good old days right?

HE IS ALWAYS WATCHING..ALWAYS!!
Superior council opts for in-house museum management

974. Councilors split 8-2 in favor of city taking over management of Fairlawn Mansion, SS Meteor and Old Firehouse and Police Museum.
By Shelley Nelson June 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM
SUPERIOR — The city will take over management of Fairlawn Mansion, SS Meteor and the Old Firehouse and Police Museum.
After almost two hours of public comment and council debate on Tuesday, June 17, the City Council split 8-2 in favor of the Finance Committee’s recommendation to handle museum management in-house after 25 years of management by a nonprofit, Superior Public Museums.

“These three museums are the sole purpose of SPM,” said Suzi Olson, a member of the board. “They get our entire attention and all of our funds. If the city takes over operating these museums, they will have to compete with all the other departments in the city for funding each and every budget cycle.”
Olson, a captain with the Superior Fire Department, said while city operation of the museums may be OK now, it’s not clear what the future holds.
“I’ve been a city resident my entire life and a city employee for 23 years,” Olson said. “I’ve seen some lean times that the city has had to sustain. I’ve been witness to department heads having to make very difficult decisions based on budget cuts, shared revenue cuts, tax levy limits, hiring freezes, you name it. The museums may not always be a priority to the future council or mayor, but they will always be a priority for SPM.”
Katelyn Baumann, SPM board president, said after a
crack opened in the SS Meteor earlier this year, museum staff were in contact with the Public Works Department to report the issue and have remained in active and ongoing communication throughout the repair, which allowed the Meteor to reopen to the public Wednesday, June 18.

“Our commitment to preserving these historic sites is clear,” Baumann said. “We’ve raised the alarm when needed, proposing solutions and welcoming partnerships every step of the way.”
However, members of the finance committee and the mayor have expressed a desire to provide better pay and benefits to museums staff, and a better museum experience for the public.
After months of negotiations, the finance committee concluded the way to do that was to bring management in-house. Under a transition plan drafted by the mayor, museum staff would become city employees, and the museums would operate under a museum director if that’s the direction the council chose.
“Once that decision is made, the administration has the task of doing that. There will be many policy decisions to be made along the way,” Mayor Jim Paine said.

The plan outlines the first year of operation, which is expected to begin Aug. 5 when the current memorandum of understanding with SPM is set to end.
“I think the timeline of taking over Aug. 5 might be a little disruptive to the current format, the current museum operations, taking over in August vs. Jan. 1,” said Councilor Mark Johnson. “So I guess I would prefer to wait a little bit longer.”
By giving the transition more time, Johnson said it could go more smoothly and give the city a chance to hire a museum director. Johnson joined Councilor Brent Fennessey in voting against the city taking over management of the museums.
“I think the one thing that we can all agree on is that we want to take care of the current employees and staff, and then moving forward, we want to provide the best museum experience for Superior residents and tourists alike,” Fennessey said. “I think where the disagreement comes is what path gets us there the fastest.”
Fennessey pointed out the city-owned marina on Barker’s Island and Nemadji Golf Course are privately managed and thriving, and the museums could thrive under private management with more support from the city.
“We can’t keep growing our government without it impacting other areas,” Fennessey said. “So, for me, when it comes down to allowing the private sector to manage our museums or our local government to take this on in-house, it’s an easy choice and I chose private management.”
Councilor Jack Sweeney, chairman of the finance committee, said the committee reviewed their options carefully over the last nine months, and sought and received two management proposals.
Sweeney said in whatever the city does, whether the marina, the golf course or the museums, it has to be in the top three in the market, or the city shouldn’t do it.

“It became clearer and clearer to me — and it was a unanimous vote — that neither proposal for the long-term were going to do the job for us,” Sweeney said. “Some of them were in their control. They could have controlled them. They didn’t. Others were out of their control.”
Sweeney, and Councilors Nicholas Ledin, Sarah Anderson, Garner Moffat, Tylor Elm, Ruth Ludwig, Mike Herrick and Lindsey Graskey voted in favor of bringing museum management in-house.
Comments


I think the last time I went to a museum is about 50 years ago but I do have a personal museum story. True story. When I was in high school in Ottawa, the city’s french high schools organized a 10 day trip to Paris and London during Easter break 1970, and they chartered a plane and over 200 students went. I was 15 years old. While in Paris we went to the Louvre and I was face to face with the Mona Lisa. I was struck at how small it was. I’m not an art guy other than my Elvis velvet paintings. The Mona Lisa is 30 inches tall and 21 inches wide. And get this, 5 nights in London, 5 nights in Paris, hotels, 3 meals a day, all tours and museums and air fare. Cost-$285.00.

975. As far as this story goes I’m no expert in museums of art but I am totally against this failed incompetent administration taking them over. In fact I would be more in favor of the museums taking over the city administration.

I did find the following on the city’s website from June 3, 2025.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN
June 3, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
RECOMMENDATIONS: 7.3.1. Approve the City of Superior assuming full operations of Fairlawn Mansion & Museum, the Old Firehouse & Police Museum, and the Whaleback Ship Museum.
MOTION TO APPROVE, by Councilor Elm, was seconded by Vice President Moffat. There was no objection to allowing public comment. MOTION TO EXTEND time for all public comment to 5 minutes, by Councilor Fennessey, was seconded by Councilor Elm and carried.
Suzanne Prochazka – against
Katelyn Baumann – against
Irene Ryder – against
Alyssa Ryder – against
Valerie Burke – against
Susie Betz – against
Dr. Robert Jan Quené – in favor
Brian Finstad – in favor
Louis “Sean” Tennerelli – against
Suzie Olson – against
Bella Olson – against
Spencer Miller – against
Martin Karpa – supports what is best for the museums
MOTION TO POSTPONE to the next Council meeting, by President Graskey, was seconded by Councilor Sweeney and carried via voice vote.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

976. In lieu of Jim Paine’s recent takeovers and closures, a wish list from the Mayor of possible of acquisitions has been leaked to the Blog including the new names for them. Can you guess their former names?
1-PaineMart
2- Super Jim
3-Painards
4-Kwik Jim’s
5-Captain P’S mini golf
6-Jim’s Feed Bin
7-VIPaine’s
8-Centerpaine’s
9-Jenny’s Ribs
10-ShamPaine Pizza
11-SWL&Paine
12-President Paine’s Bar and Liquor
13-PainePort Liquor
13-Painedros (no problemo amigo)
14-Jimmy’s(formally Julie’s) or Jenny’s (formally Julie’s)
15-Jenny Queen
16-Jimmy King
AND MY FAVORITE
17-Lady Jen’s (Why not?)


And much more to come. Stay tuned! It’s Paine’s world and your living in it! And this is just the beginning!!!
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

977. If city takeovers and closures aren’t your thing. No worries. By executive orders from Dear Leader Paine, the following businesses will be opening soon funded 100% by the few subjects (taxpayers) left in Superior.
#1
“The Puppet Called Moffat” Family Clown and Idiots Clothing.
New and used clothing for all the clowns and idiots in your family. Sizes from toddlers to adult 6-XL.


#2
“Tooler Elmos Brown Nose Shop”
For all current and wannabee politicians. Brown noses to fit all Schnozes. Also available in other colors.


#3
“Evil Lindsey Graskey’s Ultra Lounge”
All drinks 5 for 1. Live bands. Karaoke. Free hot dogs. Open Mondays only (Except holidays that fall on a Monday). Open 8:00AM. Last call 8:15AM. Closed 8:30AM. Guaranteed to lose a fortune.


AND MORE TO COME!!!

AND MORE TO COME!!!

The winners will be celebrated at a special event Sept. 12 at Bent Paddle Brewing.
It’s time to nominate the Northland’s Best of the Best.
The Best of the Best nomination period begins Monday, June 23, and runs through Friday, July 11. Voting then runs from Monday, July 21, through Friday, Aug. 8.
Last year, the
DNT’s Best of the Best contest attracted 45,894 nominations and 107,023 votes from more than 100 categories ranging from Best Park and Best Local Band to Best Florist and Best Margarita.
COMMENTS

PAINE IN TRIBUNE’S OFFICE
978. You may be wondering why I am running this story. Well there is a rumor out there that Mayor Paine had submitted a request to the Duluth Tribune to add 2 new categories to the list and was rejected. In a fit of rage, Paine demanded that a vote will take place at the next council meeting that the City of Superior will take over all management of the “Northland’s Best of the Best” edition starting in 2026.
The 2 Categories Were:
1- Best donut shop on Tower Ave. between the Palace Bar and Who’s Bar.

2- Best restaurant in Billings Park.

Stay tuned, maybe in 2026?
979. Well that’s it for this one. As always, thank you all for reading and I’ll see you on the next one as long as Jim Paine and City Council don’t take us over.
Brian

