NOTICE

WILMA TOWNSHIP

MEETING CHANGE 

September Board Meeting Postponed

One Week, Now 9-10-2014

7:30 p.m

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING      AUGUST 6, 2014

          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, Road Manager Mark Pallow, and Clerk Paul Raymond, plus Jeff and Jeanne GrandPre, Mark and Lisa Sisterman and Pat Story.

Paul read the record of the July meeting. Mike said that at the July meeting they voted to pay Pat and Jeff for their participation at the land-sale hearing in Pine City July 15; the record says this was approved at the June meeting.  Glen moved that the non-officer members of the committee who attended the land-sale hearing be paid a stipend of $25, plus mileage.  Mike seconded.  Passed.  Gary moved to approve the July record; Mike seconded; passed.

OLD BUSINESS:  Land-Sale Committee Report:  Pat and Jeff drafted a position paper and presented it with Mike to the Pine County Commissioners at the special hearing July 15. Mike said the Board was very respectful and gave them a fair hearing and an hour of floor time.  Mike said that at the end of the hearing the Board said they were only selling the Schmedeke Lane land at this time, 240 acres in Section 32.  The other parcels will be sold in the future.  We have the letter from Greg Beck which lays this out and which the Board reviewed at several meetings, but it was confusing and the board assumed they wanted to sell all the parcels immediately.  Pat said Commissioner Hallan indicated that many hours had been spent on the procedures and rules to sell tax-forfeited lands, and they tried to balance the interests of Pine Co. and Wilma Township.  They plan to draft clearer rules and procedures for public lands.  For one thing, they hadn’t considered the amount of tourism generated by the County and Wilma Township, attracted in part because of the public access to forests and waterways, and the businesses that benefit from this.  The projected sales, including our park, will need to be approved by the State Legislature because they adjoin waterways.  Mike and the committee said they would not object to selling the 240 acres adjacent to Schmedeke Lane because of the money the County put into the road extension, but Mike fears that we will have this same fight all over again next year.  Jeff said the Commissioners want to stiffen the policy on memorial land to make it even harder to sell this designated land.  Glen thanked the committee for their work and efforts.  The Pine Co. Courier had a good article on the hearing (attached).

Cemetery Report:  Jeff compiled many pages of requirements for making a municipal cemetery.  Because of the need for a Board of Trustees and committees and the number of people required to oversee a cemetery, Jeff recommended that the Board not proceed with creating a cemetery on our park land.  Mike moved that the Board adopt the Committees’ recommendation and table the idea of a town cemetery.  Gary seconded; passed.

Township Legal Seminar:  Saturday, Sept. 27, 9-4 p.m. in Rutledge.  Mike said this is a valuable seminar and moved that any officer interested in attending be  authorized to do so.  Glen seconded.  Mike said we should compile any legal questions we have so we can ask the attorneys.  Seminar is free.

Wilma Fall Fest:  Will be Sat. Oct. 18.  So far we haven’t lined up the Procrastinators.  Paul can email Stephanie and Dennis Hanson to confirm their participation.  Mike said the fire dept. will donate paper plates.  Paul suggested fewer prizes to take up less time with the drawings.  Glen said Paul can be on the committee with Toni and Patrice. Patrice has a group of businesses who she has solicited for prizes in the past to contact.

District 7 Meeting:  Will be Wednesday, Sept 3, the same night as our scheduled meeting.  Gary moved that we postpone the September by one week, to Sept. 10; Mike seconded.  Glen urged officers to attend to vote for him for Director.  He will drive and we can carpool.

Wilma 2015 Certified Township Aid:  We will get $4,424. in 2015, in two installments.  We just received our first installment of our 2014 aid and Patrice didn’t know what it was for or from.  It is to provide property tax relief, and is based on the adjusted net tax capacity of agricultural land compared to other property and our total land and water acreage and population.

Road Report:  Our gravel pile contained 54 loads, 702 yards.  Hopkins total bill to haul the gravel was $3,466.  It was enough to do the designated gravel on all our roads, including South Duncan and the Mayfield Rd.  Pat said he is ashamed at the muddy entrance to our fire hall; Mike moved to purchase 1 load, 12 to 14 yards of crushed granite to spread in front of the fire hall up to our tank.  Pat said he put a layer of minus 1 ½ rock on his drive and topped it with class 5 gravel, and this prevented the mud from coming up.  In order to charge T&T or any other loggers/haulers from their escrow accounts, Paul needs a detailed accounting of what gravel and work was done on any roads that were damaged by logging activity.

Fire Hall Doors:  The Board moved the meeting outside to inspect the fire hall doors, and Glen moved that we replace all three fire hall doors, with an electric opener on the grader bay door, and R12 insulated doors. Mark’s brother does doors, and Mike asked Paul to find another bid to compare.  Paul will work with Mark to find the best vendor.

Glen asked Paul to contact Sentence to Serve to see if they will paint the town hall again.  The roof of the fire hall still leaks.  Mike said the Fire Dept. is moving towards parking all rigs at the new Eagle Head Station, once it’s insulated and heated.  They removed the house this week, so it is now all the fire departments for the lease term.

Township Picnic Tables:  Paul asked if Zion Church In Markville can borrow the three green tables on Sat., August 23, for their free corn and bratfest.  Gary moved; Mike seconded.  Passed. Paul put a new bench on one that was broken, and has painted all three tables.

Primary Election  next Tuesday the DVFD training day.  The training will be changed to Monday to avoid a conflict. Paul, Patrice, and Jeff and Jeanne will judge.  Polls open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Pat Story Concerns:  Pat said he understands that Wilma has no zoning, but he is upset and disgusted with piles of scrap left in public view on River Cabin Road.  Pat said the pile is being scattered and is spreading.  He said there is also inappropriate dumping on county and township roads, such as a big screen TV dumped on the Forest Road at Graces’ Lake.  Mike said this is a DNR issue, and it is a crime to dump on public roads.  Jeff will give Pat the phone  number of the person on the County who handles hazardous wastes.  Paul contacted Edward Melzark who told him to call Robert Fischer at 320-216-4221, and they sent the Sentence to Serve guys out to pick up the TV and sofa on other county roads.  Paul will write to the DNR about the TV on the Forest Road.

Pat is also concerned with the level of housekeeping in our fire hall.  Some of the wiring is hazardous and backwards: reversed polarity.  The drain is plugged.  Paul said we can hose out the drain with the fire hose on Monday’s training, and Glen moved that Paul call Chuck Drilling to come out and repair our electricity, and have Chuck work with Mark and Pat and add a new outlet to the big bay for the door opener, and bring the electricity up to code.  Gary said the grader should be cleaned before it’s returned to the garage, to avoid plugging the drain.

Escrow Accounts:  Paul needs details and invoices showing what work was done on what roads and when, in order toe charge against escrow accounts.  Mark will put down in writing the different roads and amounts spent relating to damages.  Mike said there’s a grader parked on Vink Road, and he wants them to understand that they must not grade a township road.

DFD Grant:  Pat said he got a phone call from Senator Al Franken congratulating him on receiving the $46,000 award for fire equipment for the Duxbury VFD, for safety gear.  He told Pat that next time to call him to help with getting the grants.  Pat was disappointed that we lost the $189,000 grant for a new pumper tanker.  Mike said they don’t like fire departments to use political influence to get AEG grants.

TREASURER’S REPORT AND BILLS:  Patrice gave the Treasurer’s report (attached).  Claims were presented:

Jeff GrandPre (stipend, mileage)                          $             72.60

ECE                                                                                    57.25

Mark Pallow (expenses)                                                     24.08

Pat Story (Stipend)                                                             25.00

Patrice (expenses; election)                                                 76.00

Jeanne GrandPre                                                                 51.00

Jeff GrandPre (elections)                                                              80.68

Hopkins Gravel                                                             3,466.00

Security Life Ins. (Dental)                                                 443.52

Gary Vink                                                                         151.91

Patrice                                                                               101.58

Mark Pallow                                                                     297.82

Mike McCullen                                                                 132.06

Glen Williamson                                                                 50.79

Total Claims                  $        5,030.29

Gary moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, to pay all the bills, and to transffer $5,000 from savings to checking.  Mike seconded.  Glen moved to adjourn the meeting; Gary seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

 

Paul Raymond, Clerk______________________

 

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING JULY 2, 2014

          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, Road Manager Mark Pallow, and Pat Story.

Paul read the record of the June 4^th meeting; Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.

Schmedeke Lane Extension.  The deadline for Eldon to take the county up on their offer of the land, which will release the $10,000 to the township to build up the extension, is Tuesday. Aug. 5, before our next board meeting.  Otherwise the offer will be withdrawn and the County will retain the road as an easement to their land, with no further improvements.

Mayfield Road:  Summerlands put enough gravel down and covered the road erosion at the culvert so they could get in to haul gravel to Lou Forenetti’s.  Fornettis  want to know when the culvert will be replaced or fixed.  Randy Michel cleaned out the culvert.  Mark said that Hopkins will use all our gravel at Alden Shute’s pit and have the road fixed before Mark leaves for San Francisco on July 13, depending on the weather.

Wilma Township Land-sale Resolution:  The county is holding a hearing on Tues., July 15, at 10 a.m. on our resolution against any sales of public tax-forfeited lands in Wilma Township.  Committee of Mike McCullen, Pat Story, and Jeff GrandPre was appointed in June to draft a position paper for the officers to take to the meeting, explaining in greater detail than our resolution our reasons.  Mike said he had a long talk with Commissioner Matt Ludwig, and Matt seemed to believe it is a done deal.  Matt said they have been planning for 7 or 8 years to sell this land, and all the paperwork is done.  Pat said he spoke to state officials, and Cynthia Givens said the state gives the county the authority to sell tax-forfeited lands, but that Wilma should have been involved in these discussions back in 2007.  Matt said the county invested in all these easements and extending Schmedeke Lane for the purpose of selling the properties.  They say the only reasons for delaying the sales would be for health and safety or for access.  Pat said the town could file a court injunction.  Glen moved that Pat and Mike be authorized to draft a position paper to present to the County at the July 15^th hearing, and that Mike and Gary represent the township at this hearing.  Mike seconded.  Passed.

Mike and Pat asked for copies of the June meeting record and of our resolution re: tax-forfeited land sales to prepare.

Starowotow Family Reunion:   Mike moved that the Starowtow family be allowed to use the Town Hall for their family reunion on October 11, 2014, from noon to 6.  They sent the deposit and rental fees.  Gary seconded.  Passed.

Carpeting for the Town Hall Stage:  Paul brought the carpeting taken from the Eagle Head DNR house to the stage, and we need a work day to cut it up and install it on the stage before Fall Fest or the Starowotow Reunion.

Mn. Assn. Of Townships Summer Short Course:  Glen, Gary and Paul attended.  Glen said they said, “If a town has not expended any public funds on a road for 25 years, it may be considered abandoned and the town can no longer spend money on the road unless it is authorized to do so by the voters at the annual town meeting.”  This somewhat contradicts what the township attorneys had told us about old town roads remaining public rights-of-way indefinitely, even if the town has not maintained the road for decades.  The Township Attorneys had told us that a public right-of-way is different from a road and does not make it a road, but no one can gate it off.  Gary said we still have issues with gating off Mayfield Road at the end of Crooked Lake Road.  The board questioned if the township can demand that a gate be removed entirely, and not just left unlocked.

Other interesting information:  The Treasurer can choose a bank of deposit and checks if the Supervisors do not designate one.  We no longer need four election judges for state and national elections when we use the Auromark; three are enough. A husband and wife cannot serve simultaneously, but can work different shifts.

Assessors Office Public Records Access:  The Assessor’s Office is offering Townships membership access to all assessment records, including aerial photos, for a one-time payment of $100 for five years.  The usual cost is $25 to join and $25 per month.  Pat said that almost all assessment records are accessible for free, and Gary said we can get aerial photos from the DNR, so why spend $100?  The board decided not to apply.

Annual District MAT Convention:  This is on Wednesday, Sept. 3, the same night as our scheduled board meeting.  Glen said we can change the board meeting date at the next meeting.  He wants as many county township officers as possible to attend the meeting, to vote for him as District 7 Director.  He said one other person is running.  He said he will resign his position as Pine Co. Twp. Officers Clerk/Treasurer if he is elected, and will recommend Paul at the October meeting, if he’s interested.

Mink Farm Road Damage:  Gary said the culvert on the road was torn up, and water is over the road.  He believes this is T&T Logging Damage.  The County took up the road and stop signs to allow access for their logging trucks, but Gary asked them about it and they replaced it this week.  The TV is still in the road and the sofa is still on Duncan Road.  Paul will write Melzark, the head of hazardous waste, about the garbage; we did notify the highway dept.

U.S. Census Survey:  Pat said he got the American Community Survey from the Census Dept.; he believes the town will get one, and can be fined if we don’t fill it out. The purpose is to get information so the govt. can make plans for us and allocate funds to the state, county, and townships.  We did get a Census survey several years ago on priorities in our township, etc.,  and we filled it out.

Treasurer’s Report and Claims:  Patrice gave the Treasurer’s report (attached) and bills were presented:

Gary Vink                                         $        271.97

Glen Williamson                                         198.78

MAT                                                           150.00

Patrice Winfield                                          123.75

Patrice (expenses)                                         10.00

Paul Raymond                                            256.73

Mark Pallow                                                 88.66

Mike McCullen                                             46.17

Paul (expenses)                                             15.88

Glen (mileage/expenses)                                72.80

ECE                                                              65.14

Total                     $     1,299.88

Gary moved to pay all the claims; to approve the Treasurer’s Report, and to transfer $1,300 from savings into checking.  Mike seconded.  Mike moved to adjourn the meeting; Gary seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

________________________

Paul Raymond, Clerk