WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING,    OCTOBER 2, 2013

          Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Also present were Supervisor Gary Vink, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Road Manager Mark Pallow, and Steve Grabau.  Paul read the record of the September meeting with the correction that the county took a quarter of a million dollars of timber from the whole county.  Gary moved to approve; Glen seconded.

OLD BUSINESS:  Schmedeke Lane Extension Update:  We so far have not heard back from any CountyCommissioners or from Cathy Clemmer, only from Greg Beck.

Road Manager Updates:  Lost River Road Cul-de-sac: Mark met with Pat Story and they determined that there is room in the cul-de-sac on Lost River Road for two trees, but not three.  They have been planted.

Lost River Road Driveway:  Leighton Quinn said it is probably Tom Foster who put in the driveway access at the end of Lost River Road, which filled in the drainage ditch and has caused flooding damage on the road. Mark has not been able to reach him so far.  Gary moved that Mark be authorized to cut a groove and restore the drainage and repair the road, and we will bill whoever is responsible when we can reach them.  Glen seconded.

Mayfield Road DNR Logging Project:  Mark said Betheaume Logging has been hauling logs out of Mayfield Road and gave Mark a $500 escrow deposit.  Gary said he had issues with them before, and had to barricade a road.  Gary said they also damaged Crooked Lake Road.  Mark said he will need almost all of the deposit to repair the road, plus $200 from Carlson’s Timber; Betheaume was hauling further west of Carlson’s logging who mostly hauled before the snowmobile trail.  Gary inspected it and said the damage could be as much as 2 or 3 thousand dollars.  Glen moved that Mark be authorized to repair the road and detail the damages and gravel and grading, and we will bill Betheaume for whatever goes over their deposit.  Gary seconded.  Paul said he will need a detailed accounting for the companies.

North Duncan Road Project Update:  Mark had Duane Glienke put in two culverts, and he had to apply two loads of gravel.  He hopes this will satisfy Bill Peno for now, and alleviate the flooding issues on that part of the road.

T&T, Crooked Lake Road:  T&T is logging on Crooked Lake Road, as well as up on the Vink Road.  We have a deposit from them for the Vink Road, but Gary asked Paul to write to T&T and inform them that we require a $500 deposit for every township road that logging or hauling is done on.  Mark spent 3 hours grading and repairing Crooked Lake Road, including routine maintenance.  Mark has tried to reach T&T to arrange a joint inspection of the Vink Road, so we can determine if there are any damages, but hasn’t been able to.    Paul needs to write to T&T and tell them about our Ordinance and that they need a deposit for every road, and ask them to arrange a meeting with Mark to inspect Vink Road.

Little Tamarack Lake Road:   Mark bladed the road but it rained before the road could set, and ruts were caused.  Kari Holter has called to complain about the road.  The Holters do not live in our township, yet we maintain the part of the road in our township.  Glen told Paul to write to OgemaTownship and ask for some financial support to keep this road maintained.

Eagle Head Road:  Steve Grabau has a place up at the end of Eagle Head Road.  He said he has heard scuttlebutt that the board intends to build up and open Eagle Head Road.  Glen said the road was established as a township road at the beginning of the last century, but we now maintain only one-half mile.  Glen explained that the township attorneys said that once a road is established as a township road, it remains a public right-of-way even if it is no longer maintained, if it has not been formally vacated.  Glen said we are working out the dispute with James Doody over the two gates he has put across the road at his boundaries, but because most of the road is now in swamp, the township cannot afford to build it up further.

NEW BUSINESS:  Snowplowing fees:  Snowplowing fees for this season are due November 6.  Glen asked if we are breaking even with snowplowing, or losing money, charging only $75 and $100 per season.  Patrice said some years we only plow once, but last year we had several plows.  Glen said we need to address this at the 2014 annual town meeting next March.  Paul will post and publish this.

Pine Co. Township Officers’ Association Meeting:  Saturday, October 26, 9 a.m., Hinckley American Legion Hall.  Glen said it is not practical to car pool.

Mona Drive Escrow:  Gary said that Mike Scott has told him the town can use the balance of the Tamarack LLP escrow account to put gravel on and grade Mona Drive.  Gary moved that we transfer the $887.50 in the account into the Road and Bridge Fund to finance repairs and gravel for this road. Glen seconded.  Gary said Rybergs have 1000 yards of gravel and asked if we want to buy it.  Gary said we don’t use the gravel we already got from them, and it is not prime quality, so we should not buy any more.

Town Hall Meeting Preparations:  Glen said the hall was cold and dark and full of flies when he opened it tonight.  Paul had set off three bug bombs on Tuesday.  Glen moved that Gary be authorized to open up and prepare and heat the hall before board meetings, up to an hour if there is a lot of snow to shovel.  Since Mike wasn’t present, there could be no vote, but Glen authorized Gary to do this for the next meeting.  We will have a clean- up day on the Friday before the Wilma Fall Fest to clean up and prepare the hall.

Crooked Lake Road Billing:  Mark asked Paul to bill DanforthTownship for half of 1 ½ hours of grading at $100/hour, $75.

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

Paul (expenses)                       $        110.00

Mark (expenses)                                 11.30

Patrice (expenses)                               22.81

US Treasury (3^rd Qtr. Taxes)            363.76

ECE                                                    59.48

Mark Pallow                                     210.55

Patrice                                               115.44

Glen                                                    47.33

Gary                                                  141.75

Paul                                                   151.45

Total Bills                               $    1, 133.87

Gary moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, to pay all the claims, and to transfer $1,200 from savings to checking.  Glen seconded.  Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Glen seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

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

Paul read the record of the August meeting.  Mike moved to approve; Gary seconded.

OLD BUSINESS:  Schmedeke Lane Extension:  The Schmedeke Lane Committee report was adopted by the Board as the Board’s minimum requirements for the adoption of Schmedeke Lane extension as part of the township road.  It was sent from the Wilma Town Board to the three county commissioners and to Cathy Clemmer, Pine Co. Land Management, David Minke, Pine Co. Administrator, and to Greg Beck, Pine Co. Land Commissioner.  So far we have received a response from Greg Beck:  “The extension was never meant to be built per Township Road Specifications.”  Eldon attended the CountyCommissioners meeting after they received the report, but Steve Chaffee was on vacation.  Eldon said he didn’t get a lot from the Co. Board.  Eldon said Steve Chaffee had agreed to come out and inspect the road; he’s the one in the driver’s seat.  “If he goes to sleep on this the county will just sit on it and do nothing.”

Eldon said he did talk with Cathy Clemmer, the new Pine Co. Land Manager, and said she is a sincere person.  He wants her to come out and see the extension personally.  Eldon said the county is only concerned about collecting taxes and not really looking after our interests.  Eldon said Wilma is only asking from the county what they would do for any larger township that they wanted to take over a road. Eldon said we need Chaffee to come to a Wilma board meeting and speak to us personally.  We had at least three votes, but then Doug Carlson died and hasn’t yet been replaced.  The $30,000 the county said they spent on the extension is “chicken feed,” he said.  Loggers took a quarter million dollars of timber from behind Eldon’s property.  Glen said we have to wait until the county commissioners meet.  Eldon asked for a copy of our documentation of rulings that original surveys are the authority, even if they are later found to be wrong.

James Doody Gates:  Jim Doody responded to our letter to him about the gates over Eagle Head Road’s public access and rights-of-way, on the old Eagle Head Road north of what we maintain now.  Mr. Doody said he did agree to remove the locks after rifle hunting season, but he retained the right to gate the road during hunting season.  He said he had no problem with snowmobilers using the old Eagle Head Road as long as they stay on the public right-of-way, but has had so many problems with trespassing hunters that he has to lock the gates during hunting season.  Mike said he had a different take on their meeting, and Jim Doody needs to come to a board meeting so we can deal with this face to face.  Paul will email him.

Propane Prebuy:  Patrice said the board needs to decide about the prebuy.  Last year we bought 1200 gallons, and used all of it plus.  Mike moved that we again prebuy 1200 gallons at the current rate of $1.49/gallon.  Gary seconded.  Passed.

Escrow/Road Hauling Permits:  We got payments from Carlson Timber for Mayfield Road; from T&T Logging for Vink Road, and Mark talked with Warmersquish Logging for Dollar Lake Road about the permit and deposit; the county bought some land so Warmersquish could get access to the county timber.

Wilma Fall Fest:   Patrice said the Procrastinators are scheduled to play, same band as last year.  They have a $500 budget, and Patrice and Toni Williamson will be arranging door prizes and other entertainment.  Will be October 19, starting with a pot-luck supper at 6 p.m.

North Duncan Road:  Bill Peno wrote to Glen about the culverts to be put in North Duncan Road.  Mark had asked for his input on the location of the culverts.  Mark said two 30’, 24” culverts are needed at each end of the gravel and work on that part of the road.  He said it would mitigate a lot of the problems and erosion there.  Mike moved to install two culverts on N. Duncan Road; Glen seconded.  We have the culverts.  Paul will write to Mr. Peno and tell him.

Carlson Timber Escrow Refund:  Mark said Carlsons are done with their hauling on Crooked Lake Road and did no damage, so their escrow should be returned.  Mike said we need to deduct $50 for our time and bookkeeping and Mark’s inspections, and moved to refund $450 to Carlson’s Timber for that road.  Gary seconded. Passed.

NEW BUSINESS:  Plantings on Lost River Road Cul-de-sac:   Pat Story asked the Board for permission to plant three pines (White and Black Spruce) in the cul-de-sac on Lost River Road, to act as a windbreak to keep the snow from drifting and blocking the road.  They have already provided locate service for ECE and Century Link and the area is cleared for digging and planting.  They will also plant wild flowers in the center.  Mike said we need to insure they won’t interfere with snowplowing, and Gary said the town needs to review liability issues if there are trees in the cul-de-sac.  Glen appointed Pat to the Lost River Road Improvement Committee.  Mark said he has no problem with it, but would like to see where the trees will go.  Glen moved that the LRRIC be authorized to plant the trees in the cul-de-sac pending Mark’s inspection and approval.  Mike seconded.  Passed.  Pat said someone filled in the drainage ditch to create a parcel access driveway without putting in a culvert to drain the water, on the west side of Lost River Road just before the cul-de-sac, which created a flooding situation over the road.  Mark will inspect this Friday when he checks on the tree locate, and then Paul can contact Mr. Quinn to see if he is aware of this and asking him to have it corrected.  We will charge the offender for the gravel and grading needed to repair the road, and if the offender doesn’t put in a culvert, we will at their expense.

Pat said he is impressed with the variety and number of problems the board deals with monthly.  In county government, he said, most problems would be delegated and many more people would be working on the issues the board handles.  He thanked the board and Mark for the good condition Lost River Road is maintained.

4-Wheeler Damage:  Pat had another concern:  4-wheelers spinning out and throwing gravel doing wheelies on Lost River Road.  When they call the sheriff, he only gives them the number of the Reservation Sheriff, assuming the offenders are from there.  Pat has a camera that he can use to capture images of the people damaging the road.  Mike asked Pat to inform the other cabin owners to keep an eye out.  We confronted people damaging River Cabin Road and they stopped their activities.

T&T Logging Hauling on Crooked Lake Road:  T&T has been hauling silage for their cows from Roger Nelson’s on Crooked Lake Road and have put some dips in the road.  Mark will inspect the road and determine the damages and repairs needed.  Paul is authorized to notify any haulers as soon as we are aware of their activities of our ordinance and escrow requirements, which is clearly posted at all entrances to our town.  We didn’t get an escrow from T&T before this project, but we will bill them for any damages when Mark determines the cost.

Bug-bombs for Hall:  Mike asked Paul to pick up some bug bombs to fumigate the hall and the attic now that flies are starting to come in for the winter.

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

Patrice (expenses)                    $             10.00

Paul (expenses)                                      26.34

Mark (expenses)                                    26.59

Mike                                                       41.56

Mark                                                      27.70

Carlson Timber                                    450.00

Patrice                                                    87.73

Gary                                                       66.50

Glen                                                       47.33

Paul                                                      170.85

Federated Propane prebuy                1,798.80

ECE                                                       56.87

Victor Lundeen (checks)                                282.60

TOTAL                $        3,092.87

Gary moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, to pay all the claims, and to transfer $3,100 from savings to checking.  Mike seconded.  Passed.

Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Mike seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

 

Paul Raymond, Clerk