WILMA TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS’ ROAD INSPECTION MAY 9, 2012

WILMA TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS’    ROAD INSPECTION MAY 9, 2012

           The Board met at the Duxbury Store at 10 p.m:  Glen Williamson, Mike McCullen, Gary Vink, Road Manager Mark Pallow, and Greg Beck (County Forester) and Jason Palme (Supervisor in Danforth Township) and Clerk Paul Raymond.

          North Duncan Road:  At the beginning of the road Tri-State Lumber had gone off the road and cut a deep rut.  Greg Beck said he repaired that and marked it to keep anyone else from going off the road.  He said Tri-State stopped payment on their escrow payment because several years ago they had a lumber lease onNorth Duncan and paid their escrow, but they never had trucks in to do the work.  They did bring a bulldozer in to clear a trail to the wood. Gary said they must have had the blade down on the dozer because they scraped the crown off the road and we used their escrow monies to restore the road.  It is uncertain whether they were told that we had used their escrow or if we were able to document to them how it was used.  Greg says Wilma has a reputation of taking escrow deposits and never returning them.  He said that as part of the county’s lease with loggers they are required to repair the road to its original state, and if they don’t the county will.  He said Tri-State told him they were never notified that they had damaged the road in 2009. Gary said he didn’t know that they didn’t do the logging then.  Greg said that before any logging or work is done on a lumber lease, we need to have a mutual inspection with Greg and Mark to verify the condition of the road before and after work is done.

Mike said this recentDuncandamage is still not repaired up to specs.  It needs gravel.  Greg said not $500 worth; maybe one truckload.  Mike said that would be $200.  Greg said Todd Elliot would do it for $80-100.  Mike said we also need to include Mark’s time from the escrow.  Greg said that’s not fair and he doesn’t know if it’s legal.   Mike asked why should the town’s people have to pay for it? He said we can redo our escrow notice to include inspections in our costs to be deducted from the escrow payment, and that they must contact Mark before starting work.  Also we need to have a fixed fee for inspections.

Greg said he will talk to Tri-State and if they say they did not blade the road in 2009, then we took their money wrongly.  Glen said we can’t second-guess our earlier decision to take their deposit.  Greg said the county will stand by their contracts and require loggers to repair roads to township specs.

North Duncanneeds two loads ¼ mile up the road.  Also two loads past Tri-State’s log pile.  Tree needs to be cut 1 ½ mile up.  We need to see if we used up the full $7,000 budgeted for this road.  Gary and Mark need to check the rest of the road (where the grass starts) on four-wheelers.

Crooked Lake Road:  The road is good at first, but ½ mile past Bob Johnsons it needs gravel. Road is rutted and has holes and needs more of a crown.  Jason said their grader operator Dave Vader said there’s not much to work with on that part of the road, with no gravel.  It needs gravel, or they will plow up rocks.  There are ridges on both sides of the road that channel water right back onto the road.  They can’t be bladed off; they need to be dozed off.  A dozer would cost about $110-115/hour.  Mark said Wilma should take over the grading so the crown isn’t always  bladed off and we lose all the money we’ve paid.

Mike and Gary will attend Danforth’s board meeting on May 18, the third Friday.  They are authorized to get consensus on what needs to be done.  Jason said the road past Bob Johnson’s has never had Class 5 gravel.  Mark said the road needs 4” of gravel, but the sides need to be dozed off first.  The Supervisors discussed having Wilma take back the road authority.  Jason said the biggest obstacle to that is our high fee for grading, $150/hour.  He said he will make sure Summerland builds a better crown.  Glen said what Danforth is asking for, $10,000-12,000 of repairs and gravel (split between the two towns) is a lot for just two people.

Eagle Head Road:  Culvert will eventually need to be replaced.  The culvert is open, but there is some debris on the bottom of the screen.  Eagle Head needs one load of gravel down at the end and the crown needs to be built up and restored.

Dollar Lake Road:  Five loads pit-run gravel past the area that was graveled before.  Mark wants to do the whole road, 5-6 loads from Sealy’s south.

Vink Road:  Needs 3 loads gravel at the entrance by the highway and 4 loads 1/2 mile up (7 loads total).  Mark said we can use our gravel at Shute’s.  The Board went to Shute’s to inspect our pile. Gary said Rybergs took some of our gravel and then replaced it and took the crown off the pile. Glen said we should use it up and keep track of how many loads we get out of it so we know how much we lost.

Heller Road:  Needs routine blading.  Big beaver pond with dam and lodge. Gary said the trapper said he got all the beavers. Gary will tear a hole in the dam and see if any try to repair it.  If we tear out the dam and blow up the lodge we will need to notify the DNR.  We need 3 load of gravel at the culvert after the dam.

McCullen Drive:  Needs regular blading and maintenance.

Tamarack Pine Drive:  We need to repair the damage done by the surveyor past Mark’s place and document any money we take from their escrow, including the inspection and grading and 1 load of gravel.  The road needs regular grading.

Mink Farm Drive:  One load of pit-run at the washout. We can take it from Vink’s gravel pit across from the washout.  Road needs routine blading.

Mayfield Road:  Halfway towards the end needs 2 loads gravel and another 3 loads further up.  We need to ditch at the swamp and put another 2 loads at the swamp.  The culvert past the first cabin is washed out a little.  FEMA paid to put the new culvert in and gravel it, which included aprons and rocks, but Schlomka never put the apron on.  There is water in the road in places that needs to be ditched.  We need to call in locater before we ditch because of utilities.  Duane Glienke can do the ditching, 100’-200’past the DNR turnoff. Gary said we need to find out what’s making it flood.

Pete Anderson Road:  2012 is an even-numbered year so is Arna’s responsibility.  Road needs routine blading.  There is a tree across the road 1.8 miles up.  We tried to drag it off the road but were unsuccessful. Gary will cut the tree up.  Arna will put two loads of pit-run gravel at the end of both range-line roads.

Langstrom Road:  Routine blading; two loads of gravel at end. Arna’s responsibility.

Fust Road:  Routine maintenance.

Schmedeke Road:  Routine blading.

South Duncan Road:  Routine blading.

Little Tamarack Lake Road:  Needs two loads of gravel ½ mile before Holters’ by the junction box.  Needs one load at the curve by the landing.

Short Road:  Routine maintenance.  There are still trees in the right-of-way at the end; we need to ask Mike to remove them.

Lost River Road:  Routine blading.

River Cabin Road:  Regular maintenance.

Mona Drive:  Routine maintenance.

Kenny Peterson Road:  Routine maintenance.

Road Inspection Meeting completed at 4 p.m., 6 hours.

Paul Raymond, Clerk

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING MAY 2, 2012

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING MAY 2, 2012

          Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Also present were Supervisors Gary Vink and Mike McCullen, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Road Manager Mark Pallow, and Eldon and Marg Schmedeke,  and Jolene Wichlidal, Bob Johnson and Terry Mullins fromDanforthTownship.

Paul read the record of April’s board meeting. Garymoved to approve; Mike seconded.

OLD BUSINESS:  Tri-State Lumber and Land Escrow:  They did not respond to our certified letter requesting a new escrow payment of $500, plus $30 for the bounced check. Gary said the county should be responsible for the charge since they leased the contract to Tri-State.  In a March 9, 2012 letter from Kurt Schneider,  Co. Land and Zoning Administrator, he had requested that the County Forester Greg Beck participate in both any pre and post logging inspections of impacted township roads.  This came after Tri-State had started logging and we had written the county reminding them of our escrow policy.  Mark said he doesn’t think the damage is so severe onN. Duncan Road. Gary said it is at least $500 worth.  Glen directed Paul to write to Kurt Schneider and explain the situation, and also to ask if we can legally confiscate and move the piled timber they left on the road.

Essentia Health Hospital Takeover Resolution:  Our resolution was printed in two newspapers and sent to our State and National Senators, to Essentia, to the Attorney General, the Chamber of Commerce and the Pine Co. Medical Center Hospital Board.  We also gave copies and our address list to New Dosey andArnaTownships and to the Pine Co. Wanderers (who also passed a resolution) so they could use it as a template for their own resolutions.  Glen said the County Township Officers’ resolution has also been sent out.

DNR/Sheriff Meeting on Blowdown Area:  Glen reported on the meeting he and Toni attended in Ogema.  The Sheriff said the fire risk is now the highest it’s been since the great fires of 1894 and 1918.  Evacuations, precautions, fire-wise preparations and the DNR’s, local fire departments’ and Sheriff’s fire prevention and preparation efforts were covered. The Markville meeting was attended by 3 Wilma officers and many fire dept. members.

Pine Co. Historical Society Support: They are a recognized historical society so we can release the support we’d voted on, $63, $1 per citizen.  Patrice said the new census shows 65 residents inWilmaTownship. Gary questioned the Historical Society’s leasing restaurant and private business space in their new building (the old Middle School in Askov). Gary said Jan andGary’s are going in, and they’re owned by Gary Koland who is on the board, and it seems like a conflict of interest.  He questioned why they need our support if they have these businesses.

Town Hall Addition:  Letters were sent to Glen Roberts and Mel Elliot, Jr. on April 14, explaining the project and soliciting quotes and asking them to meet with Patrice and Paul and inspect the foundation and project.  So far neither has responded.  Patrice said she’d give Glen a call, and Paul can contact Mel.

Crooked Lake Road:  Three people fromDanforthTownship who live onCrooked Lake Road asked for the floor:  Jolene Wichlidal, Bob Johnson and Terry Mullins.  After the meeting we had last year about the road, they said the first part as far as Bob Johnson’s was brought up to the best standards it has ever been, but beyond that nothing was done and the road is still clay and slippery, especially when wet.  Jolene lives ¾ mile down the road.  Terry said that a year ago our towns made an agreement to bring the road up to the standards of other township roads.  He sees it as a safety and security issue because it would be dangerous and difficult for emergency vehicles to get down the road beyond the repaired part.  Mark said he got a bid from Hopkins Gravel for 1000 tons of gravel at $9.25/ton, $9,250; our half would be $4,625, plus half of the grading.  Mike said that would be half of our total Road and Bridge Budget.   Jolene said the Danforth board also got a bid from Summerland, but it was higher. Hopkins bid did not include grading and spreading, while Summerland’s did.   They said Wilma has never put gravel on that lower part ofCrooked Lake Road.  Mike said he is sure we have done gravel and maintenance in the years we were responsible for the road.  Mark and Gary will attend Danforth’s Friday, May 18 Board Meeting at Danforth Chapel at 4 p.m. to discuss the proposals to bring the road up to standards.  Mike asked Paul for a report on all the monies we spent onCrooked Lake Road in the years we maintained it.  Paul said he has this, but they may not indicate what portions of the road got gravel.  He will have it by the road inspection.  Mark said Danforth’s grader flat-bladed the road and removed the crown.  He said if we are paying Danforth so much we should have better grading.  Bob said they are working on that, maybe getting a new grader operator.

Road Inspection:   Mike moved that it be scheduled for next Wednesday, May 9, 10 a.m. at the Duxbury Store.Gary seconded.  Mike asked Paul to post it tonight, to be sure we are compliant with open meeting laws.  Eldon said we should do it right after a rain, but Mike said the law won’t allow that.  Possibly Jason Palme from Danforth can join us when we checkCrooked Lake Road.

Vink Road:  Mark said he would like to see that road be brought up to standard at least as far as the Smith’s this year.  He got bids for gravel ranging from $3 to $7/yard, depending on how much we order.  He said if we do the whole road 3” or 4” it would be cheaper by the yard.

Essentia Used AED’s:  They are offering 4 used AED’s to any group or organization that can show them a need.  Mike said the Fire Department have 3 and Arna andNewDoseyTownships each have one.  Paul said we have never been trained on it.  Mike said there is no need, that trained first responders would use them.  Paul told Gary Ament’s story of  being at a Bible Study when the guy next to him dropped dead.  The church happened to have an AED andGary was able to bring the man back to life.  There may be meetings or events where no first responder is available.  Paul said the Pine County Wanderers are considering having the Red Cross or first responders give a training on how to use AED’s.  Paul will apply for one of the AED’s for the township.  Mike said he thoughtTracy was applying for the fire department.  Paul can call him and coordinate with him.

County Flood Plain Ordinance:  The Dept. of Planning and Zoning sent a copy of the new ordinance, similar to the 1991 ordinance.  They are asking us to have our septic inspector review all permits for floodplain referral to their office, if the project is in a floodplain. Paul will send a copy of the letter to Gail Kespohl.  Eldon said the United Nations is targeting all private property and asked the board to reject Agenda 21, a UN treaty that would do away with private property.  He passed out copies of his petition. Patrice objected, saying the law prohibits township meetings to be used for political campaigns or purposes.

Township CD’s:  Patrice said we can’t add monies to our CD’s, only open new ones.  She asked if she should take the money we were going to add to our four CD’s, $2,000, and put it into a new CD.  Our next CD to come due is June 18, 6 month, $5,000.  Two more come due Sept. 11.  Glen said we should open another one, but would it be worth it to just put $2,000 in it for less than 1% interest.  Patrice said we could open a $5,000 one, but we may need the money for the town hall addition, if we do it.  Mike moved that we leave everything as it is now. Gary seconded.

Pancake Breakfast:   Gary moved that the Duxbury VFD be allowed to use the town hall for the annual pancake breakfast on Memorial Day Weekend May 27.  Glen seconded, and asked Paul to get the building use form for the fire department.

FEMA Funds:  We haven’t heard from them since they promised it would be paid in April.  Mike said Sheriff Cole is working on it, to get them moving.

Treasurer’s Report and Bills: Patrice gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached).  Bills were presented:

Patrice Winfield                                                    $        194.36

Glen Williamson                                                            171.72

Jenn Nelson                                                                    33.99

Gary Vink                                                                        90.58

Paul Raymond                                                               358.53

Antoinette Williamson                                                     94.35

Mark Pallow                                                                    52.37

Michael McCullen                                                                     59.44

Security Life (Dental)                                                     391.32

Patrice Winfield (expenses)                                              69.00

Pine Co. Courier                                                              15.04

ECE                                                                                 47.17

Glen Williamson (exp.)                                                  107.72

Paul Raymond (exp.)                                                     131.20

Jennifer Nelson (exp.)                                                      19.98

Mark Pallow (exp.)                                                            4.44

Antoinette Williamson (exp.)                                           50.00

Mn. Assc. Of Townships (Summer Tuition)                           200.00

Total Bills                               $     2,091.90

Gary moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, to pay all the claims, and to transfer $2,100 from savings to checking.  Mike seconded.  Mike moved to adjourn;Garyseconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.

 

Paul Raymond, Clerk