WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018

Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the

Pledge of Allegiance. Also present Supervisors Mike McCullen and Gary Vink, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Grader Operator Alden Shute, Assistant Grader Operator Steve Menth and Angie Anderson

CLERK’S REPORT: Paul read the record of the July Board Meeting. Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.

ROAD REPORT: Culverts: Alden said the culverts are ready for the Crooked Lake Road when Summerland can come out do it. There are three other culverts ready to install, one on McCullen Drive and two on North Duncan Road; Hopkins will install these. Little Tamarack Lake Road: Alden said he wants to build up a base for the ruts with 2 loads of minus-5” rock and then put 3 – 4 loads of regular Class Five over that. Alden got an estimate from Hopkins for our ditching job on the Pete Anderson Road. Hopkins will ditch 4/10 of a mile this next week. It will take two days at about $2,000 per day, including 1 1/2” x 4′ trees to be pushed back along with spoil. Alden attended Arna’s July 11 board meeting and they authorized the added cost for the project. Brushing Roads: Alden said the DNR recommends no brushing until nesting season is over August 1, so Alden will have Rootkie brush all our roads soon instead of going in with Sandstone. Schmekeke Lane: Alden was able to get more of the extension smoothed out and graded and ready for them to come out and complete the road. Alden gave Paul the range-line road report for Crooked Lake and Eagle Head Roads for billing. Grader Fuel: Alden said he’s using straight #2 diesel fuel now. Mike said he got the white and red additives for the fire trucks so they can use the #2 fuel. He still hopes the fire department will get their own tank. Help With Roads: Alden said he wants the freedom to call on Gary to help him when he needs help and Steve isn’t available. Glen said the board has given him certain latitude to use his judgment for decisions when he needs help. Fuel Filter: Alden had to buy a fuel filter for the grader.

Fuel Tank: Alden said Mike doesn’t have to ask the snowmobile club to move their fuel tank. Gary said they got permission to put it on Duane Glienke’s land.

Affadavit of Conflict of Interest: Patrice said all township officials who do extra non-official work for the town have to file an affidavit every time they do work for the town, including election judging, mowing, and plowing with non-township equipment. Paul said Gary has been turning in affidavits every month, but we didn’t know they were supposed to go to Patrice with the claim. Patrice gave all the officers blank forms to make copies.

OLD BUSINESS: Town Hall upgrade: Alden and Pat are on the committee to upgrade the town hall with better insulation and heating and heating in the outhouse. Pat was absent and Alden said he’s been too busy. The board said they don’t want to pay for a thermal scan, but Alden and Pat can get someone out to check out the ceiling and what it would take to blow in insulation.

Pete Anderson Road Bridge Legal Billing: Kyle Hartnett never sent a bill for his legal work with Mike Goetz on the bridge dispute on Pete Anderson Road/McDermott Creek. He sent us a letter saying he has resigned from Kennedy & Graven. Mike Goetz has put his place up for sale. Mike McCullen said that is bad news for ever getting the right-of-way to use the old Pete Anderson Road. There will likely be no bridge.

Garage Door Repairs: Work is completed and will be paid by the fire department.

Road Maintenance Written Schedule: Pat Story had said he wanted to see a written schedule for road work and a written policy on how the town maintains roads and deals with vegetation, etc. He had said there were schedules on the MAT manual that we can adapt to our use. Paul searched and no sample schedules were found but some guidance to maintenance schedules were downloaded. The drawback in making schedules is that you are bound to them instead of giving priority to where the work is needed most. Glen asked Alden and Gary to form a committee to formulate a simple schedule of road maintenance and setting some parameters.

Roof Leak: Steve went up the roof but the chimney cap was too small so he needs to go to town and get another one. Gary is helping him with the ladder.

NEW BUSINESS: Election Judge Training: Patrice, Toni and Gary will take the regular judge training Wednesday, August 8, 1 – 3 pm, Askov Community Center. Patrice will drive and they will pick up the Primary ballots and ballot-box. Automark Public Test: Patrice and Paul will run the test on August 9 at 1 p.m. Paul will post and Glen will publish the notice on the website. Patrice and Gary and Paul will judge for the Primary August 14, from 10 to 8 p.m.

Logging on Pete Anderson and Langstrom Lanes: Alden said there may be a lot of logging and hauling done soon on the range-line roads. He said the Pete Anderson Road is in no shape to have logging trucks on it. He wants the board to ban all summer hauling on that road. Mike read our road ordinance and said the board has a lot of discretion as the road authority to not give permits when road conditions are too fragile for logging, but we can amend the ordinance to make this clear and to make it apply to all our roads. Paul said he’d do it. He questioned how the loggers would know about our ordinance if they don’t see the signs? Mike said that’s why we monitor our roads so we can stop any loggers who don’t have permits.

Clearing Lot Behind Town Hall: Steve Menth said he brought his weed-whip up and cleared a lot of grass around the hall. The lot behind the hall has the fire department water tank and the propane tank plus 5 picnic tables. He’d like to go in there with his tractor and mower to get all the weeds cut down and then he can see to remove any rocks and make the area clear so it can be mowed with a lawn mower. Glen moved that we rent his tractor/mower for $45 per hour, and pay Steve as an employee at the regular labor rate of $16/hour. Gary seconded. Passed.

Couri Ruppe Legal Seminar: RUTLEDGE CITY HALL, Saturday, September 8, 2018, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Will cover “How to bid a road project; High speed internet grants; Motion vs. resolution vs. ordinance; How to cleanup junk properties. Plus answers to any and all legal questions you may have. Everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask.” We can prepare any legal questions for free legal advice. Mike said it didn’t sound as helpful as past years but Glen said he should go. Paul also wants to go. We can decide at the September board meeting.

Treasurer’s Report and Claims: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report which will be posted on the website. Total bills for July are $3,615.96 and she requests a transfer of $3,700 from savings to checking. Gary moved to approve her report and to transfer the funds; Glen seconded.

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Gary moved to adjourn; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned 8:45 p.m.

Report by Paul Raymond____________________________________

Attest: GlenWilliamson, Chair________________________________

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2018

Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the

Pledge of Allegiance. Also present Supervisors Mike McCullen and Gary Vink, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Grader Operator Alden Shute, and Pat Story and Steve Menth.

CLERK’S REPORT: Paul read the record of the June Board Meeting. Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.

ROAD REPORT: Steve Menth has gone out with the grader and done some roads. Alden gave Paul the range-line road report for Crooked Lake and Eagle Head Roads, and Heller Drive for billing. Alden got an estimate from Hopkins for our ditching job on the Pete Anderson Road. They want to ditch 4/10 of a mile and it will take two days at about $2,000 per day, including 1 1/2” x 4′ trees to be pushed back along with spoil. Paul will contact Cheryl Wickham of Arna to get their board’s permission to go over their $3,000 limit at their July 11, board meeting.

Town Hall Parking Lot: Hopkins gave an estimate of $6,480 to subcut aproximately 6,600 square feet of the lot 6” deep and replace it with compacted recycled concrete including a shallow ditch on the west side. Alden said he did not think this was a good investment. Mike asked Alden if he couldn’t just put down 3 – 4 loads of crushed granite over the parking area like was done in front of the fire hall several years ago. That is still in good shape. There was a discussion on the boundaries and if the survey marker is an accurate mark of our border; the township has a very narrow piece of land, not much wider than the townhall and grader hall together. Alden asked Mike to ask the snowmobile club to move their fuel tank and said he’d get a price for the crushed granite and do that.

Roads to get Gravel: McCullen Drive: 3 loads crushed red rock. Dollar Lake Road: 6 loads red rock. Little Tamarack Lake Road: 3 loads regular gravel and 1 load 1 1/2” dirty gravel at the boat landing and entrance and at the first private dock area. River Cabin Road: 6 loads of regular gravel at the cul-de-sac and just before it. Pat said the fire numbers cannot be read on that road as the brush is so high. Alden said we will get the brush cutter the third week of July and brush that road and others. Crooked Lake Road: Alden said he thinks he has to ditch at Jason’s side of the road south of Jason’s to drain the water. Greg Summerland will determine if a culvert in there will drain in the right direction or if he needs to ditch the road. Mike moved and Gary seconded to authorize Alden to do whatever work he feels is best. North Duncan Road: Alden said he has to put gravel on three soft spots on the North Duncan Road.

Eagle Head Road Culvert: The culvert was plugged and Duane Glienke was able to push a log through the culvert and clear out the blockage.

Schmekeke Lane: Alden was able to get more of the extension smoothed out and graded, but it has kept raining so he hasn’t completed it.

Brushing Roads: Alden said Sandstone and Danforth rent a brush rig the third week of July and we will get to use it one or two days.

Grease Gun: Alden said he decided not to purchase the automatic grease gun and will continue to use his own gun. He will get Goop and paper towels and any other needed supplies. He said he’s getting #2 diesel fuel soon, so the fire department should use what they need now. He still hopes the fire department will get their own tank.

OLD BUSINESS: Election Judge Training: Paul took the Clerk/Head Judge Training, last Wednesday in Askov. Paul also took Clerk’s election judge training at the Summer Short Course last Thursday, and Patrice and Paul had training on election judge payroll. They said no board members need to have Social Security or Medicare deducted for any hours related to elections, including hours spent transporting ballots or ballot boxes. W2’s or 1099’s do have to be given if total wages, election and non, totals $600 or more, and the person is responsible for income tax.

Summer Short Course: Was Thursday, June 28 at the DECC in Duluth. Glen took the Board of Appeal and Equalization training and he is now certified. Gary took sessions on gravel road maintenance and design and weight limits. Patrice took Best Practices for Treasurers and responsibilities. Gary gave Alden all the road documents and training materials on building gravel roads.

Garage Door Repairs: MATAT said they would pay for repairs to the grader/fire hall doors and will not increase our premiums. MAT Adjustor Deb Provence said “Wilma Township’s Commercial Property coverage for the fire hall has a limit of $70,219 with a $1,000 deductible.  The fire hall has Replacement Cost Coverage.  The policy provides for like kind and quality repairs.” She said, “If the township elects to upgrade, that is fine, however MATIT does not pay for the upgrade.” Since the deductible is almost the full cost of the repairs, we will not submit a claim.

MATAT Consolidated Coverage for Fire/Grader Hall: At the June meeting Glen had said the fire hall is uninsured at $70,000 and the board voted to increase coverage to $100,000. (The town hall is insured for $170,000.) Dawn Zimmerman of MATAT said, “Valuation expert at OSI says the $70,000 amount that the Fire Hall is currently insured for is accurate for today’s market.  OSI is a national survey company and we trust that they provide us with the most accurate information available.  If there were to be a total loss of the Fire Hall, because it is insured for “replacement cost”, we would have to make the township whole again.”

NEW BUSINESS: Election Judge Training: Patrice, Toni and Gary will take the regular judge training Wednesday, August 8, 1 – 3 pm, Askov Community Center. Patrice will drive and they will car-pool.

Roof Leak: Steve said he will get a chimney cap and seal the pipe this week. He wants a partner when he is up the ladder; Mike said they can use the firetruck hook ladder.

Town Hall upgrade: Alden and Pat are on the committee to upgrade the town hall with better insulation and heating and heating in the outhouse. Pat spoke with two contractors, and they want to know what is the wall insulation in the hall, is it newspaper? Since the hall was moved to its current location well over 60 years ago, no one knows. Paul said the board wanted blown insulation put in the ceiling, but not the walls. Alden asked what the foundation is. We don’t know but there has been no warping or sagging or cracks in the hardwood floor, so it appears to be solid. He said they suggested having an infra-red analysis done when it is cold outside and warm inside to see where the hot spots are that can be improved. The cost is around $600.

Fire Hall: Pat asked what we mean by Fire Hall; the one behind the Town Hall? Mike said yes. All three townships maintain a fire hall even though the fire department is independent, and all three towns pay the utilities and maintenance, but because the fire trucks damaged the doors, the fire department will pay for them.

Road Maintenance Written Schedule: Pat wants to see a written schedule for road work and repairs and a written policy on how the town maintains roads and deals with vegetation, etc. He said there are schedules on the MAT manual that we can adapt to our use, Schedule P-2000 he believes. Glen told Paul to research this and we should have an answer in 60 days. Alden said we try to grade or plow every road at least monthly, but much is dependent on the weather and the most pressing road needs.

Recognition of Eldon Schmedeke: Glen said our township lost an important and respected member of our community recently. On behalf of the Board, Glen said we recognize the outstanding contribution Eldon made to our local government and our area. Eldon and Marjorie Schmedeke will be missed, he said. She is currently in the Sandstone nursing home.

Area Robberies: Gary was able to get trail camera photos of an Askov man who robbed the cabin twice, and he is now in jail. Another man on the Duxbury Road had a camping trailer stolen.

Treasurer’s Report and Claims: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report which will be posted on the website. Total bills for July are $3,643.43 and she requests a transfer of $3,700 from savings to checking. Gary moved to approve; Glen seconded.

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Gary moved to adjourn; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned 9:00 p.m.

Report by Paul Raymond____________________________________

Attest: GlenWilliamson, Chair________________________________