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

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING AUG. 7, 2013 

          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, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Joe Vink and Eldon and Marg Schmedeke.  Paul read the record of the July meeting; Patrice corrected the funds transfer:  $2,400, not $2,500 was transferred from savings into checking.  Gary moved to approve the record; Mike seconded.  Approved.

OLD BUSINESS:  Schmedeke Lane Committee Report:  Eldon met with the Pine County Commissioners yesterday and presented the committee report that will be presented to the Wilma board, and some of the Commissioners will be coming out to see the road personally.  Eldon said that back in 1987 the county first started talking about extending Schmedeke Lane to a full mile length.  Eldon refused to allow them to close off and gate the road and did not accept a 12’ width for the road, so it was not extended at that time.  Eldon gave Paul the specifics of his committee report, and Paul wrote it up to present to the Commissioners and to the Wilma board for final approval. Essentially,  it says that Schmedeke Lane extension must be completely built up to county road specs to the full length of 2 more 40’s and ok’d by the board before the township will acquire it. Eldon said Paul did a good job with the report, and he added some photographs and further detail, and wants it clearly stated that if WilmaTownship adopts the extension as a township road that the county must give the township full ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the 2,640’ extension.

Glen said that Cathy Clemmer called him and said that she has added new duties as county land commissioner, and that we will be presenting the board’s report to her as well as the commissioners.  Mike moved that the board adopt the committee report and rewrite the heading as coming from and representing the will of the Wilma Board of Supervisors, and to forward it to the appropriate county people.

Road Report:  The Crooked Lake Culvert project was signed off on by Danforth Chairman Jeff Shute, and the work came to $3,360; we will bill Danforth for half of this, $1, 680.

Mark graded Schmedeke Lane, North and South Duncan Roads, Little Tamarack Lake Road; Mayfield Road,  Mink Farm, Lost River, River Cabin and the Short Road.  Mike asked Mark to carry a notebook with him when he does road work so he can specify which roads got which work on which dates.  Mark cut trees on Little Tamarack Lake Road and moved one on the Mayfield Road.  Gary told Mark that Carlsons are starting to log and haul on the Mayfield Road, and they will need to get a permit and pay into an escrow account for this road.

Gated Public Rights of Way:  Mike met with Jim Doody on Tuesday, Aug. 6, to see the gate Doody put up at the far north end of  old Eagle Head Road.  Doody said he has also put a gate up on the lower old Eagle Head Road, north of the maintained part of the road.  Doody had the road surveyed and determined that the original county surveys were wrong, so his gate is on his land, not on the public right-of-way.  Mike explained to him Minnesota court and official rulings that original surveys have the authority, even if they are wrong, and the road as originally platted and built remains a public right-of-way and therefore cannot be gated off by private individuals.  It has never been vacated by the township.  Mike got Mr. Doody to agree to remove the padlock from the north gate, and also from the south gate after hunting season is over.  Mike directed Paul to write to Jim Doody, spelling this out, and stating that the board will cut any further padlocks on the north gate once he removes it, and stating that he will be liable for any damages caused by the gate, and that the lock on the south gate will be removed after deer season.

Vink Road Damage:  Jim Doody said that the piled up debris and dirt at the end of Vink Road was not caused by him.  Mark said he could have done it with the grader when he was plowing snow.

North Duncan Road Damages:  The board directed Paul to write to Jim Bredesen and cite state laws that forbid private parties from damaging or attempting to maintain public roads, and that he must cease and desist any grading or plowing on the public road, and to tell him the repairs cost us two loads of classs 5 gravel, and any further repairs will be billed to him.

N. Duncan Road Repair Project:  We still have close to $1,000 worth of work to reach the $7,000 budgeted for this road.  Mark said we need to put a culvert on the north end of the road.  The board directed him to do this and any gravel to equal the $1,000 budget.

Town Park Land:  Greg Beck said that land with 150’ of river running through it can only be given to townships under conditional use deeds by an act of the legislature.  The TamarackRiver runs through the northeast corner of the north 20 acres of the park land.  The county will bring this to the legislature in the 2014-5 season, and we can get it in 2015 under a conditional use deed, at a cost of about $300.  The 16.5 acres we have now will be given to us free and clear in 2015.

NEW BUSINESS:  New State CTAS Program:  Mike moved that we purchase the new CTAS program, $300; Gary seconded.

Dental Insurance:  Patrice said the quarterly premiums are due now, and she needs them before the next meeting.  $53.31 for single board members.

Old Township Records:  In the report to the Sheriff on our hazard mitigation issues, Paul said that we have off line backups of crucial township records.  Glen asked Paul to go back before the records were computerized and backed up and scan old meeting records so they will be backed up in the cloud like current records are, one hour per month.

District 7 Meeting:  The Board didn’t think this would cover issues relevant to Wilma, and no delegate was chosen.  Glen said he wants to attend the MAT Educational Conference in November.  Glen said that the education would help him be a better leader and supervisor. He said that these educational conferences are where all the decisions are made, and where the proposals are chosen to present to the legislature.

Glen said he is a graduate of the U of M in Psych and Criminology, and he was promoted to the E7 rank in the military in half the usual time.

Mike moved to send Glen to the November MAT educational conference.  Gary seconded.

Couri & Ruppe Legal Seminar:  The board said the subjects scheduled to be covered weren’t issues important to our township.

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

Patrice Winfield                       $           104.35

Glen Williamson                                    42.60

Gary Vink                                            107.13

Paul Raymond                                     157.00

Mike McCullen                                      74.81

Mark Pallow                                        271.51

Mn. Assc. Twp. (CTAS Program)       300.00

Paul Raymond (expenses)                      10.00

Patrice Winfield (expenses)                    10.00

Mike McCullen (expenses)                     11.30

Mark Pallow (expenses)                         35.03

Security Life (Dental)                           426.48

Hopkins Sand and Gravel                 8,149.80

ECE                                                       57.12

TOTAL BILLS     $        9,757.15

Mike moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report, to pay all the claims, and to transfer $9,700 from savings to checking.  Gary seconded.  Gary moved to adjourn; Mike seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk

 

 

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, JULY 3, 2013 

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 Eric Ternes. Paul read the record of the June meeting.  Mike moved to approve; Gary seconded.  Approved.

OLD BUSINESS:  Mayfield Road Access:  Eric took the floor to appeal the letter the township had sent him regarding the gate he put up over the old right-of-way on the west end of Mayfield Road at Crooked Lake Road.  He said he put the gate up because of numerous problems with trespassing on his land from the old Mayfield Road, including hunters and snowmobilers.  Mike said the township’s concern is liability if anyone should be injured hitting the gate.  He said our township’s policy is never to vacate or abandon old rights-of-way so that the public has access,  future landowners not be landlocked, and to preserve our road rights for future generations.  Mike said Eric could post no trespassing signs on the corners of his land, which would make any trespassing illegal and legally enforceable.  Eric said signs he has put up have been destroyed.  Mike said he could gate all the trails and roads into his land, but Eric said he has 12 different access points.  He asked about the fence Roger Nelson has put over Crooked Lake Road.  Sometimes there are as many as 150 deer in Thunder Meadow, and people trespass to see the deer. Mike said we are only dealing with one road at a time, and since Crooked Lake Road is a range-line road, any decisions or action on it would involve three townships.

Glen said the township acted on the advice of the township attorney, and we want to settle this amicably. Mike said we could talk with our attorney about the extent of our liability with the gate, and if leaving it unlocked would limit our liability.  Gary said we have had no problems with the gate or with that road up to now.  The board directed Paul to contact the township attorneys about our liability.  Glen said we will not enforce the letter for now, but Eric needs to acknowledge that the old Mayfield Road remains a public township right-of-way.

Schmedeke Lane:  Eldon said he went to the Pine County Board of Commissioners to explain what he thinks is right for Schmedeke Lane, focusing on straightening the bend in the road and ditching the top of the hill with a 26 foot base.  He told them the road needs to be built up to county standards.  The entire extension needs class 5 gravel over the base.  Eldon said he had assurances in the past from John Stevens and Greg Bennett that they would build the road to specs all the way.  Eldon had a list of his recommendations and requirements for this road, and he will write them up clearly to present to the board, for the board to present to the county.  Glen told Eldon the board backs and supports him 100%; whatever he eventually determines to be the final minimum standards for Schmedeke Lane, the board will present to the county commissioners as our requirements to take over the road.

Short Course Report:  Gary, Patrice and Paul all attended the morning workshop, a jeopardy game on township issues:  roads, resolutions, audits, town debts, and other issues.  In the afternoon, Gary was in the supervisors’ session on bridges:  Bridges can include culverts of 10’ diameter or two 4’ diameter culverts within 2’ of each other, and can be eligible for state bridge funds up to $20,000.  Wilma only has one culvert that is considered a bridge, on Heller Drive.   Paul and Patrice had workshops on clerk/treasurer duties.  Much focus was on records retention laws.  They are releasing a new version of CTAS which will not be free; they need $300 from each town to finance writing a whole new revision.  The fees must be paid by December 15, 2013, and the program will be available the next December.

Invoice for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Project:  Mike worked with Mark to draw up an invoice for the work he did on Mayfield Road to rip-rap and build up the edge of the culvert.  Paul will send it to FEMA so that all our fund balances can be released, over $900.

NEW BUSINESS:  Road Report:  Gravel was spread on Vink Road (2 18 ton loads); Mayfield Road (5 loads); Little Tamarack Lake Road (4 loads); Mona Drive (5 loads); Eagle Head Road, 2 loads; Dollar Lake Road, 5 loads; N. Duncan Rd., 4 loads; and S. Duncan Road, 2 loads.

Crooked Lake Road Ditch Repair:  Hopkins Gravel has given a proposal to fill in the ditch with 52 C.Y. gravel; install fabric 12’ x 180’, and line the ditch with 3”-8” rock, with an option to remove the culvert and add 25’ of  fabric and rock.  The total proposal is $2,960, plus another $400 for the optional additional work, total $3,760.  Mark said Jeff Shute agreed that Danforth will pay half of this work.  Glen said Mark needs to get Jeff’s signature affirming this before the work starts.

Assessor Contract:  Mike moved and Gary seconded to sign a contract with Bob Brewster to do Wilma’s 2014 property assessments, 278 non-exempt parcels at $5.50 each, $1,529.00.  Passed and signed.

Duxbury Road:   The County built up Duxbury Road at the low spot by Keene Creek 18”.  Glen thanked Eldon for his tireless efforts to get the county to remedy the flooding issue on this road.

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

ECE                                                  $          59.97

Patrice (expenses)                                         87.00

Paul (expenses)                                             10.00

Mark (expenses)                                           31.64

U.S. Treasury (2^nd quarter)                         653.80

MN Assn. Townships (tuition)                            100.00

MN Assn. Townships (Gary tuition)                     50.00

Bob Nadeau (mileage)                                  19.78

Mike McCullen (expenses)                           63.00

Pine Co. Recorder                                                  92.00

Mark Pallow (expenses)                             360.00

Mike McCullen                                             58.18

Mark Pallow                                               267.35

Glen Williamson                                           33.14

Gary Vink                                                  200.40

Patrice Winfield                                          185.63

Paul Raymond                                            252.11

Total Bills                      $     2,461.00

Mike moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report; pay all the bills, and to transfer $2,500 from savings into checking.  Gary seconded.  Mike moved to adjourn the meeting; Gary seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk