WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING NOVEMBER 4, 2009
Chairman Glenford Williamson, Sr., called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present were Supervisors Gary Vink and Michael McCullen, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Mark Pallow, and Eldon and Marjorie Schmedeke.
Paul read the clerk’s record of the October meeting. Patrice asked that the record be amended with a total October bills of $6,485 and a transfer of $6,500. Mike moved to approve the report as amended; Gary seconded.
OLD BUSINESS: Wilma Fall Fest: Glen gave a report on the Fall Fest. He said it was a very successful event with guests from as far away as White Bear Lake, and with many prizes given out. Toni published a story about it in the Courier, and has written thank-you’s to all the prize donors. We kept the expenses to under $200, half of the budget.
County Township Officers Meeting: Paul gave a report on the County Township Officers meeting in Hinckley on October 24. No county officials showed up, but most of the Commissioners spoke, as did Don Sherper, our district MAT Representative, and Brett Grundemeier from the DNR. Don Sherper and other Township officers stressed the importance of attending the district MAT meetings in Cambridge. Mike said that if we do send delegates to these meetings, we need to have our agenda ahead of time and have our issues and questions brought up. There was a discussion on sending representatives to the State Township Officers Meeting in Rochester on November19-21. Because of the mileage expenses that far, plus the need for two nights of motel rooms, it was decided that the costs would be prohibitive, but that we should try to attend the next district meeting. The Commissioners spoke on the County budget, the threat of cities annexing townships, and high-speed rail line, and ATV use on county and township roads. Eldon thanked Paul for his report.
ATV’s on County and Township Roads: Mike asked who enforces ATV use on township roads, when they tear the roads up. He sees a need to call the DNR. He said ATV operators are riding on county roads and on township roads and are not yielding to cars. Gary said anyone damaging a township road should be liable for the repairs. Eldon said he fought to get public trails like the Gandy Dancer Trail, but if ATV drivers use township roads they should stay on the shoulders and drive 20 mph. He said landowners own the ditches, not the county. They aren’t allowed in ditches on the freeway and shouldn’t be allowed to tear up township ditches. Gary said many times he has driven up a blind hill and ATV’ers are right in the road. The County Commissioners are discussing allowing ATV’s on county roads. Even now the sheriff isn’t stopping ATV’ers if they’re riding slowly on the right side in places they can’t use the ditch. Eldon said he sees them riding side by side on county roads.
December meeing change: Mike moved to change the date of the December Town Board meeting from December 2nd to December 9th. Paul will post and publish this.
Road Issues: Eldon said there are some issues in the eastern end of the township. He asked that any comments be off the record. Glen said that the open meeting laws do not allow any off-the-record discussions at township meetings, so the only way to keep anything off the record is not to bring it up.
Public Cartway Issues: Mike asked about the issue Dave Baker raised at the County Officers’ meeting regarding property owners gating off township cartways and denying access to public use on old, established cartways. New Dosey has spent a lot of time and money defending lawsuits on cartway use. He said roads like the Pete Anderson Road and the Mayfield Road used to go all the way to the range lines, but the cartway parts have been fenced or gated off and access denied. Heller Drive is posted at the end, when it used to be a town cartway. Mike said we could lose the use of these cartways.
MAT Township Insurance Coverage: The Board went over our policy and said that we were still insuring a brush-rig jeep and our old grader. The fire department insures their own vehicles, and we don’t use the grader, so these shouldn’t be on the policy. Paul will contact MAT to get them removed and our premiums refunded.
Grader: Gary said that the wing and chains were put on the grader for winter snowplowing. Twelve citizens paid their snowplowing fees for this season by the deadline today.
Mutual Aid Fire Department Meeting: Gary moved that the Mutual Aid Fire Department Chiefs and the Sheriff be allowed to use the Wilma Town Hall on Thursday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. at no charge for their annual meeting. Glen seconded. There will be no fire department training in November due to hunting season.
Treasurer’s Report and Bills: Patrice gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached). Bills for November were presented:
Patrice Winfield (expenses) $ 40.70
Pine Co. Courier 22.56
ECE 43.22
Paul Raymond (expenses) 46.73
John Rioux (Fall Fest) 100.00
Glen Williamson (expenses) 124.51
Scott Quady 56.10
Mike McCullen 20.77
Glen Williamson 70.41
Patrice Winfield 150.06
Gary Vink 76.19
Paul Raymond 143.14
Mark Pallow 141.29
Total Expenses $ 1.035.68
Mike moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report and to pay all the bills, and to transfer $1,050 from savings to checking. Gary seconded.
Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Paul Raymond, Clerk