WILMA TOWN BOARD MEETING WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 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, Glenford Williamson, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Eldon Schmedeke, Joe Vink, Mark Pallow, and a citizen.
Paul read the record of the December meeting. Glen moved to approve; Gary seconded.
OLD BUSINESS: Fire Hall Door Panels: The door panels are installed. Mike said he would have liked to speak to the door repair guy when he was here, but we didn’t have advance notice.
Range Line Road Plowing: Gary asked Paul to bill neighboring townships for townline roads: Arna Township: (all amounts are Arna’s half of the total cost): 10/25/07, 2 loads (8 yards) of gravel on the culvert on the Pete Anderson Road, $13.60; hauling and loading, $40. 11/15/07: 24 yards class 5 gravel on the Pete Anderson and Langstrom Road extensions, 12 yards per road, as per agreement: $88; blading $150. Snowplowing: 12/5/07, Pete Anderson and Langstrom Roads, 1.25 hours, $187.50 (Arna’s half); 12/24/07, ¾ hour, $112.50. Danforth Township: (all amounts Danforth’s half), 12/24/07 snowplowing Eagle Head and Crooked Lake Roads, 1 hour, $75. Escrow Account, Mona Drive: $75.00.
New Dosey Twp: Heller Drive was not plowed. Clay Heller spoke with Bev Vink and with Mike McCullen at the Duxbury Store and complained about the road not being plowed. He felt that since he pays taxes to pay for the new grader, the road should be plowed. Mike talked with Don Mischler of New Dosey Township to see what they wanted us to do; Don said that their road and bridge budget is already depleted and that if we didn’t have to plow out Heller Drive, that we shouldn’t. Eldon said that he pays $5,000 in taxes annually just to Wilma Township, and that for that he believes that more roads should be plowed. Joe said that in case of an emergency, he hopes that Mark or he are authorized to plow out a township road; for example, if there were a fire at Heller’s place the fire truck would not be able to get in. Mark said he could do all the roads with residents first, and then the next day do roads without residents. Mike said the board wanted to avoid backtracking and the double expense when they passed the motion last month to only plow roads with residents. Gary read the article in the latest Mn. Township News by attorney Eric Hedtke on closing or not plowing township roads. Eric’s point is that the only way to completely avoid having to maintain or plow a road is to close it by resolution and barricade it. This can’t be done if the road is the only access for property owners or roads that may be used during the winter. He says that if a road is not closed it must be “reasonably” maintained, including some snow and ice removal. However, he also states for gas tax purposes roads only have to be open and “reasonably passable” for 8 months of the year. Glen read the township lawbook regarding minimum maintenance roads, which some of our roads are. Eldon said that if someone wants a township road to be plowed that we should do it to maintain good relations with our citizens. Mike moved that at the next major snowfall that Heller Drive be plowed because it is a range line road. Gary seconded; Glen abstained.
Loggers and Escrow Account: Gary said that T&T Logging is going to be logging on three township roads, the Pete Anderson Road and the North and South Duncan Roads, and that Paul needs to write to them again and tell them that they need to pay a $500 escrow deposit for each road or we will barricade the roads to their logging activities, and to tell them that they cannot do any grading or plowing on our roads. If they need the road plowed to get their trucks in they need to hire the township grader and operator at our regular rates to do it. Gary said to give them 10 days from the receipt of the letter to pay the escrow deposit.
HAVA GRANT: Eldon had an article from the Pine City paper saying that Wilma Township did receive a $6,000 grant from the Mn. Secretary of State to upgrade our townhall to make it handicapped accessible with a new ramp. This is more than any other county township, and was based on the estimate Mark Pallow made for the cost. In a related matter, Eldon asked that the town outhouse be locked except during authorized townhall use so that the public cannot use it at other times. Gary said this is easily done; the key is in the townhall and it will be locked after the meeting.
Grader Tires: The tires are ordered but haven’t been received. We borrowed a spare from Sandstone Township. Gary hasn’t had a chance to ask the county if we can get tires with them under the joint purchasing venture.
NEW BUSINESS: Board of Audit: The Board of Audit will be part of the regular February town board meeting. Paul will post and publish this: 7:30 p.m. , Wednesday, February 6. Patrice’s books are all computerized now with CTAS; Paul is still doing the old way, but they can be compared and inspected.
BILLS AND TREASURER’S REPORT: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report (attached). Bills were presented:
FNBN 2,000.00
ECE 56.61
Pine Co. Courier 16.92
U.S. Treasury (4th qtr. Withholding) 306.19
Pine Co. Assn. Of Townships (dues) 335.92
Pine Co Treasurer (Truth in Taxation) 38.01
Hopkins Sand and Gravel 176.00
Mike McCullen 27.70
Mark Pallow 229.02
Paul Raymond 83.11
Gary Vink 334.76
Joe Vink 1,027.94
Patrice Winfield 96.97
Glen Williamson 27.70
TOTAL BILLS 4,756.85
Gary moved to pay all the bills and to approve the Treasurer’s report and to transfer $4,800 from savings to checking; Glen seconded. Mike moved to adjourn the meeting; Glen seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Paul Raymond, Clerk