By IUGLS
May 31, 2011
Mary Morgan, of Superior, Wisconsin, has been appointed to the International Upper Great Lakes Study’s Public Advisory Group, or PIAG. Morgan will bring perspectives from the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a group of U.S. and Canadian mayors. Since 1993, she’s been the Parks and Recreation Administrator and City Forester for the City of Superior, which is named for the basin’s largest lake.
“We have 96 miles of shoreline surrounding Superior,” said Morgan, who grew up in the city, located along the St. Louis River and near Duluth, Minnesota.
“Quite a number of the city properties that I manage have shoreline. There are beaches. There are parks on the water. There are boat launches and fishing piers. So the matter of lake levels is of interest to me.”
Morgan also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Organizational Management from Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota.
She replaces Jeff Vito, also of Superior, on PIAG. Her appointment was approved recently by the International Joint Commission, which oversees the Study.
In relation to the Cities Initiative, Morgan will be communicating with the group’s executive director and mayors of Great Lakes’ cities to pass along information and gather input for the Study.
She said her community has been struggling with low water levels on the St. Louis River for the past few years.
“The lake levels can really impact commerce, recreation, all sorts of things,” Morgan said. “Duluth-Superior is the largest port by tonnage on the Great Lakes. The lake plays a really important role in commerce and recreation in the community.”
Morgan lives in South Range, Wis., just south of Superior. She is married to Mark Schroeder, who manages the Douglas County park system in Solon Springs.