Chairman Glen Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present: Supervisors Mike McCullen and Alden Shute, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Road Manager Alden, Stefanie Williamson, Kim Felton, Jim Bredesen, and Stan and Tracy Riley.
Clerk’s Report of September Board Meeting. Paul read the record of the September meeting; Mike moved to approve; Alden seconded; passed unanimously.
ROAD REPORT: Alden’s friend from Hopkins supervised him in changing the belt on the grader. Alden has been getting the roads ready for winter, blading the Mink Farm, Mayfield and Little Tamarack Lake Roads, and the east roads, South Duncan, Fust Lane, Langstrom Lane, Pete Anderson and Schmedeke Roads.
Snowplowing: Alden talked with Lisa McCullen about the obstruction in her drive and she has remedied it. He has had no response from David Storvik, so he won’t be plowing his drive.
Snowplowing Fees, 2022-2023: 2022-23 snowplowing fees due by Nov. 2, 2022. $75/season; driveways over 700 ft.: $100. Driveways 1,000′ up to ½ mile: $175. Driveways over ½ mile: $350. Special plowing $100/hr.
Full-time residents only. Must have turnaround space. No closed gates.
Wilma Township not liable for inadvertent damages while plowing private drives. Checks payable to “Wilma Township.” Mail to Patrice Winfield, 53346 Tamarack River Road, Markville, MN 55072, or bring to Nov. 2 Board Meeting.
Couri & Ruppe Annual Township Legal Seminar: Was Saturday, September 10 in Aitkin Co. and September 17 in Rutledge. Paul attended the one in Aitken and Alden the one in Rutledge. Paul brought back the PowerPoint manuals for Mike and Glen. Mike said he spent two hours reading the power points. Alden gave a report and said it was very good training. He talked with the attorneys privately about gating township roads and people demanding that a road that is no longer claimed be maintained. Mike said we’ve had the gating issue on three roads, the end of Crooked Lake Road entering the old Mayfield Road, Heller Drive, and the north Eagle Head Road. The Mayfield gate is not locked, but Mike has talked with Clay several times about the gate on Heller Drive west of his home, and the Eagle Head gate isn’t locked.
NEW BUSINESS: Wilma Township.com: Glen had asked that the agenda state that Aspire will no longer host Wilma Township.com website. Paul explained how this issue came up, when the Pine County Township Officers’ Association board had voted to give his job of hosting the coffee and doughnuts for the October meeting to Bob Sunstrom because Paul had accidentally missed the board meeting, and in a letter to the board he likened this to the board taking away the PCTOA website from Glen. He did not suggest that the board do this nor the Wilma board, but to show an analogy to what Paul felt was an unethical move which he felt would cause Glen pain and anger like he felt. Glen said if the board wants to get a new web host that he suggests that the board use Town Web.com who charge $900 to set up a site and $500 year maintenance. Paul said that would be insane. Glen said Ogema uses them. Paul said we have an interested web host, Ervin Kleinschmidt who has two or more other websites he manages, but Erv said he does not want to cause any hard feelings or conflict in our town. He would charge far less than TownWeb.com. Glen said if we get another web host we will keep Wilmatownship.com domain name; it belongs to the township. Glen said he only started the website and sold it to the town because no one else was doing it. He said Arna’s site is far more difficult to navigate. Mike said if this comes up it should be at the annual meeting. Alden said if Glen is willing, that he feels we should continue with Aspire. No motion, no change.
Stan Riley: Stan asked to speak. He reviewed the past year of difficulties he has had with Gary Vink and Mike McCullen on the board and how they have made it very difficult for his business, County Store and More since June, 2021. He said Mike has gone to the county and has done a background check on him and has told people about it. He said Paul doesn’t accurately report on meetings, and did not record that Sara Hejny had used the B-word against someone at the last meeting. Paul said he did not hear her use that word but he does not report slanderous comments, just that someone issued an insult. Paul said he got a recorder for the town and is recording meetings in case someone alleges that he slants the record.
Glen asked Stan if he has had any incidents in the last 30 days since our last meeting? Stan said no. Glen asked him and Mike if they would be willing to sit down and talk man to man and try to hash out their differences? Both said they would be willing. What Glen wants and the people at the last meeting expressed is that we want to heal and to put this issue behind us and have peace in our town and for people to get along. We don’t want to keep rehashing this at board meetings.
Alden also said he’d like Mike and Stan to get together and work it out. He said if someone has an accident on that road that it is their fault for speeding. He said this issue has been discussed and settled and he’d like to see Mike and Stan talk man-to-man.
March, 2023, Meeting Change: Glen reminded the board that we agreed to change the March, 2023 board meeting from March 1 to March 8. The Annual meeting is March 14.
General Election November 8, 2022: Paul, Patrice and Tracy Riley will judge. Polls open at 10 am and close at 8 p.m.
Propane Pre-buy: Mike said it is due next week. Patrice did not get a notice. Paul asked if we could just write a check to Federated for more than we paid last year and they can take the pre-buy out of that? Patrice said no, we need to get the notice and decide how much to buy so she will need to bring a check to Glen and Paul to sign when she knows. Glen moved that she find out the details and decide on how much to order and write a check and take it to us to sign it. Alden seconded.
UPCOMING EVENTS: MAT Annual Conference: Will be on October 14 and 15 at River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. Glen said he can’t go and Paul has registered but can’t go. No scholarships were offered by the Pine Co. Twp. Officers Assn. this year.
Pine County Township Officers’ Association Meeting: Will be at the Hinckley American Legion on, Sat. Oct. 22, 9 a.m. Glen said he is trying to line up all the candidates and Commissioners to speak, but Reese Frederickson already said he can’t come because he is doing Crossfit that day.
District 7 Director Update: The MAT election to fill the vacant District 7 position will be January 31, 2023, time and date to be announced.
Wilma Fallfest: The annual Fallfest celebration will be, Saturday, October 22. We will have karaoke this year. Potluck dinner at 6 p.m. followed by prizes and Karaoke. Tracy Riley has joined the committee and says she has some good prizes already. Paul asked that after they set up all the tables and chairs for Fallfest that they leave everything exactly as it is so we can use the hall for the Pine County Wanderers the next week.
Treasurer’s Report: (Attached) Patrice said total bills for October are $1,979.96, and she needs to transfer $2,000.00. She said there is enough in savings to cover the propane pre-buy. Mike moved to approve her report and to transfer the funds. Alden seconded; passed. Alden moved to adjourn the meeting; Mike seconded; passed. Meeting adjourned at 8:50