WILMA TOWNSHIP APRIL 3, 2013 BOARD OF REORGANIZATION AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING
Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Clerk Paul Raymond administered the oath of office to newly reelected Supervisor Glen and Treasurer Patrice Winfield. Gary Vink nominated Glen to serve as Chairman of the Board for 2013; Mike seconded. Passed. Supervisor Mike McCullen moved that the board approve the budget that the voters approved at the March 12 Annual Town Meeting. The change for 2014 was an increase in the building fund from $1,200 to $5,000, and for 2013, an increase in the treasurer’s meeting pay from $70 to $80. Supervisor Gary Vink seconded. Passed. Mike moved that we retain the same bank and posting as last year, Northview Bank, The Pine County Courier and The Evergreen, and posted notices at the town hall and the Duxbury Store, and that next year’s annual election and Town Meeting be the second Tuesday of March, 2014. Gary seconded. All passed.
Also present at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting were: Eldon and Marg Schmedeke, Road Manager Mark Pallow, and Joe Vink. Paul read the record of the March meeting. Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.
OLD BUSINESS: Seven County Senior Federation contract. They had asked the town to contract with them for $100 for their work on senior issues. Mike moved that the board approve what the voters had approved at the annual meeting and Glen signed the contract.
Old School Arts Center: Gary said he has had complaints since the annual meeting about the vote to donate $100 to the Old School Arts Center in Sandstone. One complaint is that more and more organizations are asking for township support, and where will it end? Mike said that people who don’t come to the annual meeting shouldn’t complain about the votes of those who do, but he also questions the need to support the OSAC. Gary said he heard that the Lourey’s got a grant for $46,000 and he moved that the board not approve the donation. Mike seconded. Passed.
Pine County Historical Museum: Last year the voters and the board voted to send $1 per resident, and the voters did the same at this year’s annual meeting. Patrice said we never sent the donation last year. Mike moved that we do send $1 per resident for this year, or $67. Glen seconded. Passed; Gary voting no.
Pine County Township Officers Meeting: Glen was the only officer from Wilma to attend. He gave a report on the commissioners’ and county officers’ reports. He said that Sheriff Cole said that the EagleHeadTower will definitely be put up this spring as soon as it warms up, and the state will pay for it. Telephone companies will likely be allowed to use it for cell phone relays. Cole said he is short three deputies, and has 23 out of 26 posts. People feel the north county is being neglected in coverage. The new Assessor Kelly Schroeder spoke on the Green Acres Program. Lenny Bonander spoke about the light rail express train from the cities to Duluth. He believes the project is still on track and will happen.
North Pine Area Hospital District: Glen said Curt Nelson said that CloverTownship wants to get out of their membership on the board, but they can’t resign. The district board taxes $215,000, or $7.50 per person for towns that are members of the board. Essentia signed the new contract with the Board and will not attempt to take over the district and hospital. They will go ahead with plans to build a new hospital west of Sandstone, behind Gateway Clinic. Discussion on what to do with the old hospital/nursing home.
DNR and Other Officials: There are 3 DNR officers in Pine County. There were 9 wolves harvested last year. The big concern is aquatic invasive species. Tim Faust spoke on gun control and the legislature. There is talk of increasing the gas tax. Glen said Don Sherper encouraged more participation in state township meetings. Mike said we should research if the East Central Regional Development board may have grants for building a new town hall, and he moved that Paul research this. Glen seconded. Passed. DNR Fire Wardens Meeting: Glen said that after last month’s meeting, he got a notice about a meeting on March 26 with the DNR for area people on burning dangers and permits and fire warden activities. There was no opportunity to get authorization to represent the township, but he went anyway because it is an important issue with the blowdown fire danger. They said the 2011 blowdown affected 186,000 acres with $12-$14 million in stumpage loss in our area. Forty roads were damaged and thousands of acres need to be replanted. They are issuing burning permits by zone. The DNR bought a new dozer and chopper for our service area. Last year 239 fires affected 69,000 acres. Any fire wider than 3’ diameter with a 5’ clearance zone must have a permit. These can be obtained online or from Duxbury Fire Warden Joe Vink at the store. Glen said he did not add this meeting to his claim, but he asked the board to approve retroactively that he represent the township at this meeting. Mike said there was no information given that he and Gary don’t already know, and moved that the board pay for Glen’s mileage, but not for a half-day meeting. He said they did provide a meal as part of the evening. Gary seconded. Glen abstained. Passed. Glen said the DNR is having a meeting on the snowmobile trail system in the county on May 25 at the AskovCommunity Center.
Wilma Township Weight Limit Ordinance: The Board reviewed the revised Ordinance Establishing a 7-Ton Axle Weight Limit on Wilma Township Roads Without a Permit. Mike moved to approve the revisions and to publish and record the ordinance. Gary seconded. Passed. Mike asked that the signs be ordered and that they read:
ROAD RESTRICTION
PERMIT REQUIRED OVER
7 TONS
AXLE WEIGHT ON
WILMA TOWNSHIP ROADS.
WILMA TWP. ORDINANCE
Schmedeke Lane Committee: Glen asked Eldon if he had made progress on drawing up clear requirements and minimum standards and specs for the Schmedeke Lane extension for us to present to the county before Wilma will agree to take over the road. Eldon asked that no one talk with the commissioners until the committee gives their report. He said he missed the annual meeting but he is very glad the voters approved going ahead with researching a new town hall. He said he still feels the town park land is the best location, and the only reason the board is considering building it on the existing site or near the existing hall is because of the Duxbury Store. Eldon said security could be guaranteed at the park site, and the southwest corner is high ground. If Duane Glienke had built a logging road there when he logged the poplar, we would have a cleared site now. He said that the town hall site does not have enough parking area.
New Town Hall: Glen spoke with Ron Proffit at the East Pine Co. Wanderers’ meeting, and he is asking what has been decided. Mike said he is very unhappy with the job on the fire hall; he said shovelable snow came in through the cracks on the repaired wall and he thinks it was a terrible job.
Glen said when the board does the spring road inspection, that they should check the park land for a feasible building site, and that the board should also inspect the fire hall repairs to see if the contractor needs to do more. Joe asked if there has been a decision on the square feet for the new hall. So far only with the proposal and blueprints that Rod Wilson gave before the annual meeting for a 42’x56’ (2352 square feet) building. Mike said that for 30 years we have talked about the small field between the hall and the store. Mike Glienke had said he would give the town that land, but it never happened. Mike asked that we research whether we can trade a portion of our town park land that is next to Duane Glienke’s farm for the area between the fire/town halls and the Duxbury Store. He said the county recorder should have a record or deed for the land that may have any restrictions on what the township can do with the land. We got it donated from the county. They should also have a record of the east boundary of the town hall land. Mike moved to have the clerk write to the recorder and auditor to determine our township land boundaries and our rights regarding the 36.5 acre park. Glen seconded. Passed. Joe said that any new hall should have a slab with in-floor heating.
NEW BUSINESS: Township Dental Insurance: Premiums have gone up, starting in the May quarter. $53.31 for single officers, $159.93 for Glen and Toni, due at the next meeting.
Grader repair: Mark said the grader needs a new cylinder, and the cost to transport and repair the grader will be $1,440 round trip to Park Rapids, plus $7,000-$10,000 for the repairs. Mike said we have to have the grader fixed for the roads and he moved that Mark be authorized to have the grader transported to Park Rapids and to do repairs up to $15,000. Mark will have them check the fuel lines and the engine missing. Anything over $15,000 will require a special meeting. Gary seconded. Passed.
Spring Road Inspection: Still too early to set a date for when the roads will be dry enough to do an inspection.
Fire Hall Doors: The doors are in bad shape and will need to be replaced. No action taken.
Treasurer’s Report and Claims: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report (attached), and claims were presented:
Patrice Winfield (expenses) $ 13.33
The Evergreen 15.75
Pine Co. Courier 18.80
U.S. Treasury 454.20
ECE 76.75
Aspire (website) 300.00
Paul Raymond (election/expenses) 58.91
Gary Vink (election) 45.00
Glen Williamson (mileage) 55.37
Pine Co. Historical Museum 67.00
7 County Senior Federation 100.00
Barb Smith (election) 35.00
Ace Hardware 17.08
Gary Vink (election training) 20.00
Frank Rehberger 41.56
Glen Williamson 150.30
Mike McCullen 78.96
Paul Raymond 234.57
Gary Vink 241.96
Mark Pallow 457.13
Patrice Winfield 156.07
Total Bills $ 2,665.44
Mike moved to approve the treasurer’s report, to approve and pay all the claims, and to transfer $2,700 from savings to checking. Gary seconded. Mike moved to transfer $10,000 from the Road and Bridge Fund to the General Fund, as Patrice said the General Fund is $300 in the hole. Gary seconded. Passed. Gary moved that the meeting be adjourned; Mike seconded. Meeting adjourned at 10 p.m.
Board of Equalization and Review: Paul reminded the board that the board of reorganization and review will be Wednesday, April 24, at 1 p.m.
Paul Raymond, Clerk