WILMA TOWN BOARD MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
Chairman Gary Vink called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present were Supervisors Michael McCullen and Glenford Williamson, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Eldon and Margorie Schmedeke, Beverly Vink, Mark and Lisa Sisterman, Mark Pallow, Rick Dunckley, and three citizens.
Paul read the record of the April meeting. Mike moved to approve; Glen seconded.
Rick Dunckley, Area Supervisor for the DNR Division of Forestry, took the floor to explain the town’s involvement in obtaining the easement for Mark and Lisa Sisterman, who have purchased the Parrish place on Grace’s Lake. Rick said that this land is DNR State Trust Land, which is held in trust for school districts, and any revenues from these lands go into this trust. Since private citizens cannot purchase DNR Trust Land, the town would have to purchase the easement property. He said several townships own easements that the DNR maintains; he has never had a ruling from the Attorney General on liability in this. Rick said the township would purchase just the land for the easement, and the Sistermans would pay all the costs and fees. The state owns 250,000 acres of land in our area, and hundreds of landowners are landlocked. This land would be a town road and the town would have to work out the gate issue. Mark said he would prefer to leave the gate there because of people driving in and dumping. Glen asked the Sistermans if they would agree to an agreement where the town would have no liability for the road or any maintenance. They said yes. Mike said the gate could be a town liability issue, and if they moved it to their property line this would remove the liability. He said he hates to have public roads gated off. The public should be allowed on public land.
Glen moved that the town adopt a resolution stating that the Town of Wilma intends to continue the process of obtaining an easement from the DNR for the preexisting driveway in the NW ¼ of the NE ¼ of section 36 in Wilma Township, approximately .4 of an acre, to give the Sistermans access to their land; and, that the Sistermans will hold the Town of Wilma harmless from any legal action on stated property; and, that the Sistermans will be responsible for all maintenance on this easement; and, that this easement will be labeled a minimum maintenance cartway; and, that the Sistermans will pay all costs and legal fees for the survey and purchase of this property. Mike seconded.
Beverly Vink took the floor to have the Chairman and Clerk sign the permit for the Duxbury Store for a permit to sell 3.2 beer. Mike moved to approve the application; Glen seconded.
CTAS PAYROLL CHECKS: Patrice said that at the Spring Short Course they said we need to separate payroll from non-taxable expenses on our checks, and that she would like to purchase computerized checks for payroll, so the CTAS program could print them out, with all the deductions. They gave her three suppliers; one didn’t answer, one she hasn’t contacted, and the third charges $199 for 1,000 checks, plus a $40 setup fee. Glen said this seems high and Mike asked Patrice to check on the other supplier and to report at the next meeting.
ROAD INSPECTION REPORT:
Gary reported on the road inspection held earlier in the day.
Crooked Lake Road: Glen and Gary met Jason Palme at Crooked Lake Road. Glen said Jason Palme complained about our charges for roadwork, and he said that Danforth may contract with Sandstone to do roadwork; he said they would only chage $65/hour. Mike said fine, if they want to be responsible for it and bill us half.
Bob Johnson needs to install a culvert at his field road driveway. They will get a bid on ditching the side of the road. Someone pulled out part of the second culvert, and the third culvert is bowed from logging trucks. The fourth culvert by Jason Palme’s is plugged again and is barely draining, and needs screens. Both Eagle Head and Crooked Lake Roads need brushing; Jason talked about Danforth renting a boom brush mower. Eagle Head road needs some gravel at the culvert where it washed over, and some pit run at the end of the road. Glen said Bob Johnson has been dragging the road and bringing up rocks. Glen moved that we send a letter to Bob Johnson telling him that we have reports that he has been dragging this road and telling him not to do any dragging or maintenance on this road. Mike said dragging isn’t always damaging to roads; the McCullen Drive is dragged and is probably the best township road.
Dollar Lake Road: Some of the trees need to be trimmed on the sides of the road. Mike asked Paul to write to Alan Seley who bought Fliegel’s place and tell them we will be trimming trees in our road right-of-way, and to give them the option of trimming the trees for firewood. We need to see if Eric Vathne will widen the road entrance. The road needs gravel on low spots.
Vink Road: Needs gravel at the beginning and up by Mannings.
Heller Road: Needs trees cut by the culvert.
Tamarack Pine Rd.: Needs gravel and brushing.
Little Tamarack Lake Road: Needs gravel and grading from the ECE escrow account. Mike asked if ECE graded it with a flat blade and removed the crown. Gary said it is flat.
Mayfield Road: This road is soft and has frost boils. Glen said it looks like it’s going to erode. We need to do frequent checks on this road and it’s possible the culvert will need to be dug up and replaced.
Short Road: (at Arna townline, off 25) Nothing needs to be done.
River Cabin Road: Regular grading.
Mona Drive: Regular grading.
Kenny Peterson Road: Needs branches cut and a load of pit run at the end. Mike said we’d agreed to put a load of pit run on this road every year.
Mink Farm Road: Regular grading and some brushing.
Pete Anderson Road: Both culverts are good on Pete Anderson and at Schemedeke’s. It needs some gravel from T & T’s escrow account.
S. Duncan Road: Needs some gravel from T & T’s escrow account for some soft spots and at the landing.
N. Duncan Road: Needs gravel from Tri State’s escrow account on the ditch by Barret’s. Someone got stuck up by Barret’s and we need to do some grading there.
Escrow Account: Glen said that $500 is not enough to cover the damages loggers are doing on our roads. Costs are going through the roof and we haven’t increased the escrow fee since it was established. There was a discussion on increasing the fee. Mike said we don’t want to increase it on the small loggers, as they couldn’t afford $1,000. He suggested setting the fee based on the number of acres logged. Glen said we could require a logging permit which would specify the area to be logged. Mike said this could open up a can of worms, and if they don’t use township roads we would not need a permit. The board decided to table this for futher discussion.
Schmedeke Lane: The board said that because the county has ruled that this road is in Jensen’s property and will be moved, that we would not do work on this road at this time. Eldon asked about the tree across the road, if the board intends to remove it. Marg said this issue is not resolved and may go to court, and it is still now a township road. Eldon said all he’s asking is that the tree be cut. Mike moved that we cut the tree on the road and blade the road until the county makes the final decision on this road and the sign is removed. Eldon said he pays $2,700 a year in taxes to Wilma Township and feels he should not have had to bring up the tree in the road.
JUNKYARD ORDINANCE: Eldon said no supervisors attended the Junkyard Ordinance hearing. He spoke up at the hearing and said the government will be coming after old barns next, considering them health hazards. People need to know who reports them for junkyard violations.
SCHOOLHOUSE: Glen said there is a lot of concern about the litter and garbage at the schoolhouse, and asked if there is anything we could do. Ken suggested talking to their father and letting him talk to them. Marg said a letter is the wrong approach; it would be better to go personally. Glen moved that Paul write a friendly and non-threatening letter from the Town Board of Wilma Township asking them to clean up their yard. Mike seconded. Gary abstained.
TOWN PARK SITE: The Park Committee surveyed the site today and Eldon said that the driveway and culvert goes into a part of the land that is low and soggy; he said that since Duane has to build up the driveway into the park to do the logging, could we ask him to move it about 200 yards west where it is higher ground and where it drains naturally, and where he would not need to put any gravel at his landing. Gary said there is no salable wood at the driveway site and that Duane wants to go in from the private road where the trees are. Gary said he will ask Duane if he will build up a new driveway and culvert into the park land, and if he is still interested in logging the land under those conditions. Glen said that the supervisors need to always be aware that they represent the people and not their own agendas, and that they need to be able to see all perspectives.
TREASURER’S REPORT AND BILLS:
Patrice gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached).
Bills were presented:
Mark Pallow $ 271.04
Paul Raymond 275.49
Mike McCullen 69.26
Patrice Winfield 227.76
Glen Williamson 373.87
ECE 46.59
Gary Vink 179.15
Pine Co. Courier 15.04
The Evergreen 7.50
Federated Coop 116.97
MAT Insurance 2,380.00
FNBNS 2,000.00
Total all Bills: $ 5,962.62
Mike moved to pay all bills, and to transfer $6,000 from savings to checking, and to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Glen seconded. Glen moved to adjourn the meeting; Gary seconded. Meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Paul Raymond, Clerk