WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, JUNE 5, 2013

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING, JUNE 5, 2013

          Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m., with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Also present were Supervisors Mike McCullen and Gary Vink, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Road Manager Mark Pallow and Eldon and Marg Schmedeke.

Paul read the report of the May meeting; Gary moved to approve and Mike seconded.  Approved.

OLD BUSINESS:  FEMA Hazard Mitigation Project, Mayfield Road.  We have until the end of the month to complete it.  Mike took the FEMA file to work with Mark on how to bill the work and to explain what the proposal included and what needs to be done to build up the side of the road at the culvert on Mayfield Road with rip-rap and gravel.  FEMA will not allow Mark to do the work as a township employee, but only as a contractor. We have already paid for the gravel, so it is only Mark’s contract labor and the machine and the rip-rap we need a new bill for.

Schmedeke Lane Extension Committee:  Eldon said he was not notified that the board was going to inspect the Schmedeke Lane extension, and he feels he should have been told.  Paul said he did send Eldon a copy of the May meeting record that said the spring road inspection would be May 22, and the meeting time.  The board didn’t have a special meeting on Schmedeke Lane but only checked it as part of inspecting all the township roads.  Eldon said he pretty much agrees with the board’s observations about the extension, although the county didn’t use pit-run gravel but just dug it out of the bank.  Mike said that is what pit-run gravel is, and the board was impressed with the bed the county engineers laid on the road.  The board  recommends that 6” of class five gravel be put over the pit-run before the town  will accept the road.  Eldon said that the County had proposed to make the road the full length of two 40’s, but it is short of that. CountyCommissioner Steve Chaffee told Glen that the county absolutely will not take down the hill, so if that is a final condition of the committee Eldon is heading, we will not be taking over the road.  The board will not act until Eldon gives his final report of the minimum standards the road must meet before the town will take over the extension as a township road, because they do not want to have to do anything further on the road once it becomes a township road, beyond regular maintenance.  The biggest reservation the board has is the culvert that is supported with logs laid across it and is vulnerable to collapse.   Both the board and Eldon say this culvert is unacceptable as it is now.

Road Report:  Mark graded Little Tamarack Lake Road, but it has been very wet. The road is holding up pretty good.  Mike said the Duxbury Fire Dept. wants to put a load of class 5 gravel over the water tank they buried next to the fire hall.  He moved that that the fire dept. be allowed to put a load of class 5 gravel and spread it over the tank; Gary seconded.  Passed.  The ordinance signs are ready to put up as soon as the County can do it.

Town Park:  Greg Beck sent a letter claiming that the county owns the north half of the 36.5 acre Wilma Park.  He says they want to sell it, and we can buy it from the county.  Wilma acquired the park in 1953 from the State and applied for a conditional use deed, but the conveyance deed only shows the south 16.5 acres.  Beck says the town can purchase the north 20 acres orobtain it through a conditional use deed, for specific purposes as allowed by the State.  Greg said the legislature passed a law this year that would allow all conditional use deeded land to pass to full ownership of the jurisdictions that hold them in 2015, and they can then do whatever they want with the land.  The board directed Paul to pursue this with the county auditor, to see what steps we need to take to obtain clear conditional use title to the full 36.5 acres of our park.  The board does not want to give any of it up.

Recording Ordinance:  Tamara Tricas, CountyRecorder, has retuned our road ordinance because the clerk’s notary stamp expired.  Paul said he thought he could hand-write the new date for his commission expiration; he wanted to save the town money and not buy a new stamp every two years.  Mike moved that Paul be authorized to buy a new notary stamp, and to renew it if he is re-elected in March, 2014.  Gary seconded.  Passed.

NEW BUSINESS:  Township Non-maintained Roads:  The Township Attorney with the MN Association of Townships, Kyle Hartnett, said that WilmaTownship retains the rights-of-way on all established township roads, even those that have not been used as township roads or maintained for decades.  This means that these original roads remain open to the public, even if they are now just trails or snowmobile trails, and they cannot be gated off or posted by any adjacent landowners.  Glen instructed Paul to write to James Doody, Eagle Head Road, and Eric Ternes, Mayfield Road, to ask them to remove gates blocking the old rights-of-way on their roads and tell them what the attorneys have said.

Summer Short Course:  Thursday, June 27, at the Black Bear Casino.  We have to pre-register.  Glen will drive, and Paul, Patrice, and Gary will be going.

Attorney Legal Seminar:  Our Township Attorney, Robert Ruppe’s law firm is hosting another free legal seminar.  They have two dates in Albertville, June 13 or Sept. 7, and one in Cotton, October 5.  Both Mike and Paul have attended these seminars, and Mike said they have good information and we should send a representative.  The attorney will give us legal help free during the seminar; last year he read and reviewed our new road ordinance and made some helpful adjustments and recommendations.

Treasurer’s Report and Claims:  Patrice gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached).  Bills were presented:

Mn. Township Agency (Comprehensive Plan)  $ 1,605.00

M-R Sign Company                                                707.08

Pine CountyAssessor (Special Assessments)                   375.00

The Evergreen                                                           10.13

Patrice Winfield (expenses)                                       16.40

Paul Raymond (expenses)                                       155.27

Glen Williamson (expenses)                                      38.42

ECE                                                                          67.03

Ace Hardware                                                             6.99

Mike McCullen                                                        124.67

Mark Pallow                                                           326.69

Glen Williamson                                                     151.45

Gary Vink                                                               252.57

Paul Raymond                                                        197.63

Patrice Winfield                                                        93.28

Total Bills                                 $      4,130.61

Mike moved to approve the report, pay  the claims, and to transfer $4,000 from savings into checking.  Gary seconded.  Gary moved that the meeting be adjourned.  Mike seconded.  Meeting adjourned 9 p.m.

—Paul Raymond, Clerk