WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 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 May 2nd Board Meeting. Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.
ROAD REPORT: Alden reported that he graded several roads, but most were still too wet. Steve Menth was going to go out grading today, but it rained last night. Alden attended Arna’s road inspection and they plan to put two loads of pit-run gravel on Langstrom Road and as many as 15 loads on the Pete Anderson Road to cover the corduroy that’s poking up. Alden still hasn’t gotten anyone to give an estimate for our $3,000 ditching job on the Pete Anderson Road. Alden said he has not been putting the two loads of pit-run on the end of the range-line roads and Arna hasn’t either. He says there is no way to spread it if he does. Mike said we can lose roads if we don’t keep extending them beyond the amount that we maintain and claim for gas-tax. Paul said these roads are recorded as certain lengths, and we only own what we have claimed and recorded. If Alden grades the full length of township roads, this satisfies our obligation to maintain the roads. Doug Wiita will remove a tree on Pete Anderson Road.
Road Inspection: Alden asked if the board could review the road inspection report with him. Crooked Lake Road: Alden said the part of the road where the water pools has to be ditched so it will drain. He will have Hopkins come out and ditch Crooked Lake Road and also Pete Anderson Road. He said he would like to try the black matting under the gravel bed, but said you need a cat to push the gravel over the matting.
Brushing Roads: Alden said Sandstone and Danforth sometimes rent a brush rig and he will call Jeff Shute to see if we could go in with them so we can use it for a day or two to brush roads.
Little Tamarack Lake Road: The board recommended we put three loads gravel on the boat landing and the entrance to the landing. Glen said to use ¾ “ crushed rock at the landing. Alden said even better would be to use 1 1/2” dirty screened rock for the landing; it’s cheaper.
McCullen Drive: Alden said a 24′ culvert is long enough instead of 30′.
Grease Gun: Steve Menth went over the grader and greased some fittings using his own grease and grease-gun. Glen said Alden can use his judgment to buy grease and paper towels and supplies. Alden said we need an automatic grease-gun and it would make it much easier to grease the grader. Steve said they cost around $200. Glen said Alden has the discretion to buy it.
OLD BUSINESS: Pine County Board of Commissioners Local Govt. Meeting: Was Tuesday, May 29, 2018, 6 pm, Pine County Courthouse. Glen and Paul attended. Very good presentation about the Mille Lacs Band Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures which oversees the Mille Lacs Band’s gaming and non-gaming business enterprises to assure a secure economic future for the tribal members. Before the casinos, the unemployment rate on the Mille Lacs Reservation was more than 80 percent, making it one of the poorest reservations in the nation. Today, the unemployment rate is approximately 14 percent. The tribal spokesman shared a vision for diversifying the Band’s economy beyond gaming including a housing development, printshop, laundry, a bakery, many hotels, a soap factory and other businesses He said the Band’s non-gaming businesses are becoming an increasingly important part of the Band’s economic enterprise.
The tribal representatives addressed the boarded-up and abandoned homes on the Lake Lena Reservation and said the big problem is transportation; it’s too far to drive to work so people abandon their homes, and they have built new low-income townhome housing near the reservation that people are moving to. Mike said he has a very good friend who has been on the waiting list for a long time for one of the Lake Lena homes, but they don’t want a home that has been trashed. He said there are good homes that are vacant.
NEW BUSINESS: Election Judge Training: Clerk/Head Judge Training, Wednesday, June 27, Askov Community Center, 9 am – noon. Regular judge training Wednesday, August 8, 1 – 3 pm, Askov. The primary is August 14. Gary Vink will judge and get the training and Patrice said she will drive and pick up him and Toni on August 8. All judges must be trained every two years. Minnesota law says, “To maintain certification to administer elections, township clerks need to complete four hours of election training during the election cycle following their initial certification and every two years thereafter.” Cathy Clemmer said that Paul should take both election trainings, but he said he can get the extra hours at the summer short course.
Summer Short Course: Will be Thursday, June 28 at the DECC in Duluth. Must register by June 18. Patrice, Gary, Paul and Glen plan to attend. Board of Appeal and Equalization training will be offered so Glen can be certified. Registration starts at 12:30 and the course runs until 5:30. Patrice is paying for three people and they will bill us for Glen. He had to pre-enroll in the assessor training.
MATIT Consolidated Coverage July 1, 2018 -July 1, 2019: MATAT has sent our insurance coverage plan for the next year. Check for errors or omissions. Glen said it seems like the fire hall is very uninsured at $70,000 and we couldn’t replace it for that. The town hall is insured for $170,000. Glen moved that we increase coverage to $100,000 for the fire hall. Mike seconded; passed.
Duxbury Store 3.2 License: Gary had an application for a 3.2 liquor license with the county. The chair and clerk had to sign and notarize it. Glen moved that the application be approved; Mike seconded. Gary abstained. Paul and Glen signed it.
Roof Leak: The roof still leaks over Patrice’s desk under the stove pipe. Clay Heller had started a repair but never finished it. Steve said he will get a chimney cap and seal the pipe this week.
Pancake Breakfast: Mike said the Fire Department breakfast was a big success; our best ever. No one had to wait for a table or for refills, but we made more money and sold more pancakes than ever before. As always we had terrific teamwork and cooperation.
Pat Story Concerns: Pat had three questions. 1. How are Patrice and Gary going to benefit from the spring short-course training? What effort has been made to inform them of what Paul and Glen learned? Paul said he already gave Patrice a pile of power-point and training documents on CTAS and things relevant to Treasurers. Glen had materials on roads for Mike, Alden and Gary but forgot to bring them to the last meeting. He will look for them. 2. Who is in charge of a cost-benefit analysis for what it would cost to upgrade the town hall with better insulation and heating and heating in the outhouse? Glen said Alden is in charge of the research, and he welcomed Pat to join a committee for the town hall improvements. Alden said every contractor he has contacted is just too busy to come out right now. 3. Pat said he called Kelly Schroeder and she said there is no opt-in or opt-out provision in the proposed future county-wide zoning plan. Paul said that is incorrect; she has emphasized in writing that this will be strictly opt-in, and even them a township can later opt-out. We are going to be part of the deliberations for the zoning even though we have opted out of joining it.
Treasurer’s Report and Claims: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report which will be posted on the website. Total bills for June are $4512.80 and she requests a transfer of $4.500 from savings to checking. Gary moved to approve; Glen seconded.
060618WilmaTownshipTreasuresReport
Gary moved to adjourn; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned 8:45 p.m.
Report by Paul Raymond____________________________________
Attest: GlenWilliamson, Chair________________________________