WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, MAY 5, 2010

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, MAY 5, 2010

Chairman Glenford Williamson, Sr., called the meeting to order at 7:30 with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Also present were Supervisors Gary Vink and Michael McCullen, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Eldon Schmedeke.

CLERKS REPORT;   Paul read the record of the April board meeting and the Road Inspection Meeting this morning.  Mike moved to approve the meeting report; Glen seconded.  Gary moved to approve the road report; Glen seconded.  Eldon said that road inspections should be done after a good rain because some roads are clay and get slippery after a rain, but are good when dry.  Mike said we have to publish the meetings five days ahead, and can’t predict rain.  Glen said that Gary can be authorized to check the roads after a hard rain.  Eldon said that officers used to do township business for free, and now want to be paid for everything they do.

Langstrom/Pete Anderson Roads: Gary moved that we list Langstrom Road as ½ mile and the Pete Anderson Road as a full two miles north on our next county gas tax report.  Mike seconded.  Passed.    Kenny Peterson Road: We have been claiming ½ mile for the Kenny Peterson Road.  After the first quarter mile the road is under water, even with our current drought.  Gary said the only way to keep it dry is if the DNR gets rid of the beavers.  Mike said he is against vacating any roads, but moved that we claim ¼ mile for gas tax, not ½ mile for the Kenny Peterson Road; Gary seconded.  Passed.

North Duncan Road: Glen said that this year we could put in two or three culverts and some pit-run gravel, about $5-7,000 worth, to build up the road after the mile and a half mark, and then every year do a little more.  Mike said that we want to keep a balance in the Road and Bridge fund for breakdowns and emergencies, and should not use more than 10% of the fund for the N. Duncan Road, about $7,000 this year.  Mike moved that we claim the full two miles for the N. Duncan Road on the gas tax report; Gary seconded.  Passed.   Glen moved that we spend a maximum of $7,000 to improve the North Duncan Road this year, with pit run gravel and two culverts, and that Gary be authorized to coordinate this project.  Gary seconded.   Gary said we put 14 loads of gravel on this road last year.  Glen also said that Gary should be authorized to cut the tree that has fallen across the road at the 1 mile point.

OLD TOWNSHIP GRADERS:   Mike said scrap prices are going down, but we could sell the 140 grader as a working grader, since Joe got it running this week.  Gary said the Cat-12 grader also runs, but not very well.  Glen asked where the graders are; Gary said up at the ponds.  They moved it so it wouldn’t be in Glienke’s field.  Glen said township property is all over and we need to keep better track of it.  Glen directed Paul to get the specs for the two graders and advertise them for sale in the Evergreen; Paul will talk to Joe to get the specs.  Mike said that we may get more as scrap than as a sale.  The 140 is the one with the new cutting blades; they are worth at least $500.  Mike said there are two V blades up at the farm; Gary said Joe bought one and Arna gave the other one to Joe.  Mike said he believes that this V-blade was part of one of the graders we bought from Arna, and it belongs to the town.  Glen said Dave Drake told him the blade belonged to Wilma; if it did, how could they give it to Joe? Gary said Mel Elliot said it belonged to Joe, and Dave is wrong.  Glen said that Arna told him we had to move it, so he thought it belonged to Wilma Township. Glen said he doesn’t understand how anyone can take township property and move it without authorization, and we need a way to keep track of our equipment.

Gary said we don’t have the land to store all our equipment.  Mike said that Mike Glienke had said he would donate the land next to the hall and the store to the town, but that Duane likely would not give or sell the town the land.   Gary had told him that the town could condemn the land by eminent domain for a fire hall, and this upset Duane.  Glen said that it is the supervisors’ job to protect town property, and if people can take equipment without permission it becomes anarchy and causes animosity and could lead to a liability.   Glen said  most people are good and have good intentions, but we need an understanding that except for emergencies no one can take or use township property without being duly authorized by the town board.  Mike made a motion that no township property or equipment can be moved without being duly authorized by a quorum of the town board.  Glen seconded, and said that in an emergency situation someone can call all three supervisors to get permission, and as a last resort, if none can be reached, they can call the clerk.

EQUIPMENT INVENTORY:   The Board made a list of the graders and equipment that belongs to the town:

Grader 1, at the Fire Hall

Grader 2, the 140, currently at the Pond

Grader 3, the Cat-12, at the Pond

3 Wing Blades, one on the current plow, #2 in the front yard,

And #3 on the Cat-12 plow.

1 or 2 V-plows; one in the front yard, 1 at the farm (if it belongs                                       to Wilma Township)

1 tank that came with the blue truck that Eldon bought

1 culvert, in the front yard

HOURS/WAGES:  Glen said that the remarks made at the last meeting that Gary was using the Supervisors job to make a living were hurtful and inaccurate, and that they should be retracted.  He said Gary works very hard for the township and provides an invaluable service.  Mike said he was only quoting what at least two townspeople had told him, and he is accountable to the citizens and their concerns, to allow them to be heard.  Paul and Patrice said they didn’t think Mike was specifically singling Gary out, but was referring to all the officers, and that they also took the remarks personally.  Patrice asked who could make a living on $1,000 a year?

Glen said he felt all the board members have the best interests of the town and township citizens at heart and as first priority, and we don’t have to be ashamed for being paid.

NEW BUSINESS:  Duxbury Store 3.2 Beer License:  Glen moved that the board approve the 3.2 beer license for the Duxbury Store and that Paul be authorized to sign the application.  Mike seconded.  Passed.

Legal Seminar: Our attorney Mr. Ruppe’s law firm is sponsoring a legal seminar for township officials in June.  The board already voted to authorize officers to go, and all three supervisors may attend.  Mike will be at Brad Hannula’s memorial service, and will drive up from there.

Pancake Breakfast: Gary moved that the Duxbury Volunteer Fire Department be allowed to use the town hall the last Sunday in May for the pancake breakfast, without charge.  Glen seconded.

Hall Light Switch: The light switch in the hall was heating up.  Mike moved that Patrice be authorized to buy a new switch.  Gary seconded.  Glen said he will donate a clock for the hall, since ours doesn’t keep good time.

TREASURER’S REPORT AND BILLS:  Patrice gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached).  Bills for May:

Glen Williamson                                    $              165.66

Patrice Winfield                                                       92.35

Gary Vink                                                             202.24

Joe Vink                                                                110.82

Paul Raymond                                                       268.74

Mike McCullen                                                        29.09

Paul Raymond (expenses)                                        15.43

Joe Vink (expenses)                                                 29.25

T & T Logging (Short Road Escrow refund)          500.00

Patrice Winfield (expenses)                                      32.04

Moske Logging (Dollar Lake  Escrow refund)         500.00

Jensen Tractor                                                    7.75

Duxbury Store                                                      2.50

ECE                                                                        42.68

Pine County Courier                                                 24.44

The Evergreen                                                         24.50

Glen Williamson (expenses)                                     34.00

Total Expenses          $            2,081.49

Mike moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, to pay all the bills, and to transfer $2,000 from savings to checking.  Gary seconded.   Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Mike seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9:30.

Paul Raymond, Clerk

WILMA TOWN BOARD ANNUAL ROAD INSPECTION, MAY 5. 2010

WILMA TOWN BOARD ANNUAL ROAD INSPECTION,  MAY 5. 2010

Chairman Glenford Williamson, Sr., called the meeting to order at the Town Hall in Duxbury at 10 a.m.  Also present were Supervisor Gary Vink, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Doug Moske and William Peno.

DUNCAN ROAD NORTH:   Because of Mr. Peno’s concerns for the N. Duncan Road, we went there first.  Wilma Township claims  1 ½ mile in our road report for gas tax, but in 1999 we recorded two miles north as a township road. In the first 1 ½ mile, the road needs routine blading and maybe some gravel in bad spots, but after that, where the grass starts, the road will need a culvert and pit run gravel in three large holes.  Gary said Slama could put a culvert in; it is too soft for a large gravel truck.  Mr. Peno has put corduroy which has deteriorated, and he has packed the holes with old newspapers and magazines to absorb water; Gary said this is why the road doesn’t dry out.  Even with our drought, the holes were wet.

DOLLAR LAKE ROAD:   Doug Moske asked the board to check the road so he could get his escrow deposit back.  The board said the road is in good shape and needs only regular blading, and told Moske we would refund his escrow at tonight’s meeting.

VINK ROAD:  Normal grading.

CROOKED LAKE/EAGLE HEAD ROAD:  Danforth takes care of these roads; they only need regular blading.

HELLER DRIVE:  Regular grading.  The culverts are holding up.

MC CULLEN DRIVE:  Regular blading.

LANGSTROM ROAD:  Arna Township is doing the road work this year.   Dave Drake said they want to do something about the trees in the right-of-way.   We had written to the Erickson Family Partnership last year about the trees, and they said they wanted to take care of them, but couldn’t do it until 2011.   Most of the trees in the right-of-way are past the ¼ mile point that is Erickson and Schmedeke land; past that it is State or County land.  We only claim ¼ mile for road tax, and we will write to Arna asking how much they claim for road tax, and telling them that they can cut the trees after the ¼ mile mark without landowner permission, but they should notify the DNR and county.

PETE ANDERSON ROAD:  Regular grading.

FUST LANE:   Regular grading.

S. DUNCAN ROAD:   At the Board of Review, Kratzke said that the South Duncan Road is on his land, and the Assessor removed the road from his taxes.  He has posted both sides of the road.  We used T & T’s escrow to repair the road and billed them $700 more to repair more damages they did. Now it only needs regular grading.

MINK FARM ROAD:  We still have T & T’s escrow for this road; it does have some ruts and damage from unloading their equipment.  Gary said we should see how much it will cost for gravel and to build up the crown, and take this from their escrow.  Glen said we need to account for any money we put on that road, and any escrow roads.

MAYFIELD ROAD:  Glen said we should cut some trees that are about to fall on the road about 1 ¼ mile in, but otherwise it just needs regular grading.

LITTLE TAMARACK LAKE ROAD:  Regular grading.

SHORT ROAD:  This road is in good shape and we can return T & T’s escrow payment for this road.

LOST RIVER ROAD:  Needs some gravel about ¼ mile up the road; otherwise, regular blading.   We will deduct this from Leighton Quinn’s escrow account.

RIVER CABIN ROAD;  Good shape; regular blading.

MONA DRIVE:  Regular blading.

KENNY PETERSON ROAD:  We have been claiming ½ mile for gas tax; we need to change that to ¼ mile.   After that, the road is under water and it would be very expensive to try to build it up.

Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Glen seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 2 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk