WILMA TOWNSHIP ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MARCH 13, 2018
Clerk Paul Raymond called the meeting to order at 8:15, following the township election and the Board of Canvass. 10 citizens voted and Mike McCullen was re-elected Supervisor and Paul Raymond was re-elected as Clerk. Glen, Mike and Gary canvassed and approved the votes. Twelve citizens attended the Annual Meeting: Jeff and Jeanne Grand Pre, Pat and Helena Story, Alden Shute, Glen Williamson, Toni Williamson, Patrice Winfield, Gary Vink, Steve Menth, Zach Hanson and Paul Raymond.
Nominations for Moderator for the meeting: Alden Shute, Pat Story, Gary Vink and Jeff GrandPre were all nominated. All recused themselves except Alden and there were no other nominations. Alden elected unanimously and took the floor as moderator.
Paul read the record of the March 2017 Town Meeting. Glen moved to approve; Gary seconded. Patrice presented the 2017 Wilma Township Financial Statement. She again broke down payroll and other compensation for officers to show what each officer is receiving in salary, and for other compensation like insurance, conferences, short courses, mileage, internet, and for judging elections. At the end of the year the township carried over a balance of $186,932.77 in all funds and CD’s. Balance starting 2017: $145,141.69; receipts in 2017: $99,668.19 in total revenues; disbursements: $57,877.11. Pat said that in the published monthly financial reports the names of the supervisors are redacted. Paul said this was part of the original CTAS program to protect private and personal information of employees, e.g. child support garnishments. Patrice said she will add names from now on. Patrice was commended for her good report. Glen moved to approve the report; Alden seconded.
Road Report: Alden gave the Road Report for 2017. Scheduled work in 2017 included a culvert and ditching and four loads gravel on the South Duncan Road and two loads on the North Duncan Road. Gravel on the North Duncan and River Cabin Road. Four loads gravel on Eagle Head Road. Frost boil on Dollar Lake Road repaired and 3 loads of gravel. The major erosion-control project on Little Tamarack Lake road was expanded with many loads of gravel and rip-rap to build up the south end of the lake on the erosion-damaged road. Heller Drive and Tamarack Pine Drive both got gravel. Work for 2018 will be determined by the board at the May road inspection meeting, but Alden definitely wants to build up the north end of the North Duncan Road because more and more people are using the north end of the road and it is almost impassable. He also wants to build up Dollar Lake Road. He said the people on Dollar Lake Road are there more than we think. Mike said we should ask Kelly at the Board of Appeal if they have homesteaded there. He was able to almost complete the 300′ extension to Schmedeke Lane, but will clean it up in the spring and more pit run or class 5 gravel will be put down. Arna Township agreed to a limit of $3,000 to repair and ditch the Pete Anderson Road, but Alden didn’t get bids from Sommerland and Roberts in time to do the work. 2018 is Arna’s service year on the range-line roads, and Alden will try to attend their road inspection to see what they intend to do to repair the road. Glen moved to approve the road report, and thanked Alden for a good job. Gary seconded. Passed.
LEVIES AND BUDGET FOR 2019: Township Funds: Glen said the Board is not recommending any increases in any of our funds or levies for 2018. Pat moved that we set the Road and Bridge fund at $40,000 for 2019 so we can fix our roads that he said are in bad shape. Mike said we still have over $66,000 in the R&B Fund, plus the $16,000 we will receive this year, so that is more than enough to repair the roads. He said bad weather prevented us from doing more work in 2017. Patrice said she still wants us to build a new town hall. Paul said the Eagle Head house site would be perfect if MN Dot would give it to the township. Steve said if we could insulate the pole barn and buildings at Eagle Head and move the graders and fire trucks there, we could build a new town hall on the fire hall site, but our present hall is one of the last historical town halls left in good condition. Glen said many women in the township do not like using a cold outhouse. Alden said we would still need a septic tank and drain field, but Patrice said we could use a holding tank. Patrice moved to keep the funds and levies for 2019 as proposed: R&B, $16,000; Building Fund at $5,000; the Fire Fund at $4,500; the Park Fund at $100; and the General Fund at $10,000. Jeanne seconded; passed.
Wages for Reports, Moderator, Meetings, Judges, Mechanic, Grader Operator: No changes were proposed in wages except to change half-day meetings from $75 to $100 since they can take up to 5 or 6 hours out of a day. Jean moved to approve the increase for half-day meetings and to leave all the other wages the same. Jeff seconded, passed.
Snowplowing: Patrice moved that snowplowing rates and policies remain the same for the 2018-19 season as this past season. Alden seconded. Passed.
Wilma Fall Fest: Paul moved that the fund remain at $500 for 2018. Patrice seconded. We will hold it this year on the third Saturday,October 20th, and the Procrastinators are already booked. Glen said we need volunteers to make it work.
Donations to Old School Art Center, Pine County Historical Museum, The Seven County Senior Federation and Family Pathways: There was a long and lively discussion on the value of these groups; Paul gave a strong defense of the importance of art in our quality of life and the great exhibitions and concerts the OSAC puts on, with local artists featured. He said people in our township benefit from the food shelf and thrift store Pathways provide, and people in our town have benefited from the 7 County Senior Federation with drivers’ training and help with Medicare and supplements, and the history museum has terrific exhibits of our county history and the work and sacrifices of the pioneers. Alden said we voted last year to cap the donations at$300 and we should not exceed those. If we increase them this year we may increase them much more in future years. Gary read the info from the MAT that contributions must have a public purpose and be in the town’s interest. Money can only be spent on “An activity that will serve as a benefit to the community as a body and is directly related to the functions of government.” Paul said all four of these have been vetted and comply. Pat moved that we cap donations at $300 for the next 10 years. Alden seconded. This passed. The Board of Supervisors has final authority on how to distribute these expenditures at the Board of Reorganization.
Board of Reorganization: The Board will hold the Board of Reorganization to make decisions for the township on wages and notice and posting sites and bank of deposit before the April 4th board meeting. Patrice said the Treasurer chooses the bank of deposit, not the board. Paul will post this meeting.
EAGLE HEAD FIRE STATION: Senator Tony Lourey has a bill in Senate Committee to transfer title to the Eagle Head Fire Station to Wilma Township and Dave Drake is still working with Lourey. Paul said he may contact MN Dot to see if there is any hope of them selling us the site minus the tower.
Board of Appeal and Review: For taxpayers to appeal their property assessments for 2019 taxes, Monday April 9, 1 p.m. At the Town Hall.
Set Meeting Place and Time for 2019 Annual Town Meeting: This is a formality, but is required. Glen moved hold the next annual meeting the second Tuesday of March 2019 and to adjourn this meeting; Patrice seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
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Paul Raymond, Clerk
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Glen Williamson, Chair.
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Alden Shute, Moderator