Tag: wilma township

Wilma Township Board of Supervisors Meeting, January 6, 2010

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Wilma Township Board of Supervisors Meeting, January 6, 2010
(Record Amended February 3, 2010)

Chairman Glenford Williamson, Sr. called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.   Also present:  Supervisors Gary Vink and Michael McCullen, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, and Scott Quady, Eldon and Marjorie Schmedeke, and, briefly, Grader Operator Mark Pallow.

Paul read the record of the December, 2009 meeting.   Gary moved to approve; Mike seconded.

Patrice asked that the Board approve her voiding the last 15 of the old pre-CTAS checks, so she could start the new year using only computer printed checks with the CTAS program.  Mike said we don’t need a motion for this, and the board has no problem with her doing that.

OLD BUSINESS:   Schmedeke Road Meeting: Glen gave a report of the meeting at Schmedeke Lane on December 21.  All three Supervisors from Wilma attended either or both the meeting at the road and/or at the store.   Also present were County Commissioners Curt Rossow, Steve Hallan, Steve Chaffer, and Ed Montbriand, County Surveyor Robin Matthews, County Coordinator Mark LeBrun, County Crew Chief Cliff Jones, County Attorney John K. Carlson, and landowners Bruce and Merle Greenly and Eldon Schmedeke.  The group looked over Schmedeke Lane and surveyed the land for about 1 ½ hours, and then moved to the Duxbury Store to discuss the issues and solutions, because there was no coffee at the town hall.   Schmedeke Lane will remain where it is, although the County has claimed that it is not on the originally surveyed section line, but approximately 60 feet west.  The big conflict that remains is Eldon’s request from the County to purchase a strip of land two 40’s long (2,640 feet) by 132 feet wide so he can extend Schmedeke Lane to reach his land, but without having an open public bid for this land.  The County is willing to sell the first 40 that way, but not the second, but there could be a special session of the legislature to allow this.  Robin Matthews said he found an official government finding that he says cannot be changed.   Glen said that the Commissioners and Co. Attorney said that possibly the Jensens can be given a few acres of County land on the north end of their property to compensate them for the land they believe they lost to Schmedeke Lane, but this will have to be settled by them with the county, and they will still have to deal with the Greenlys for access to their land.  Eldon said that 20 years ago the county was willing to sell him the length of 3 40’s, or one mile, but they had a stipulation that they could close the road at any time, and he would not sign that.  He has a drawing from 20 years ago showing where he was going to put the road.  He doesn’t understand why, if he can build a road on the first 40, why he can’t on the second 40.  He said the County effectively took 12 acres of his land, and he just wants his own property back.  He felt that the Supervisors were agreeing with the County on the second 40, and he wanted them to side with him so that the road can be a straight road instead of zagging off crookedly.  Glen said that the board did endorse and send Eldon’s recommendation to the County Commissioners, but that the consensus is that this is now between Eldon and the County, and the board can’t do anything more.  Eldon said that the North Duncan Road is on the official section line and that it was surveyed, even though Robin Matthews says it never was.  Glen said the board would sign a petition to have a private sale if he wanted.  Eldon closed by saying that this issue is not over.

Snowplowing: Gary asked Paul to bill Arna and New Dosey for plowing the town line roads for the Christmas storm, plus escrow deductions:    New Dosey, December 26, ½ hour plowing, $75, New Dosey’s half $37.50.  Arna, 1 hour, $150, Arna’s half $75;  Mona Drive, Dan Emmerfol’s escrow account, ¼ hour, $37.50; Lost River Road, Leighton Quinn’s escrow, ¼ hour, $37.50.   Danforth is still plowing Crooked Lake and Eagle Head Roads.  Glen moved that we continue the agreement with Danforth Township; Mike seconded.

PERA: Gary said that after he researched PERA to substitute for Social Security he felt it is not a good deal.   Gary, Glen, Mike, Patrice and Paul all declined to enroll in PERA for 2010.

NEW BUSINESS:  North Pine Rider’s Road Permit: Scott Quady presented a request from the snowmobile club for a permit for the club to groom and use the rights-of-way on Wilma Township roads.  Glen moved to approve the request; Mike seconded.   Scott asked that the township not plow the Vink Road past the last house.  He said the plow is scraping off the snow all the way to the gravel.  He also requested that the town not plow the Mayfield Road.   Gary said we have cabin owners all the way at the end of the road.  We don’t plow their private drives, but we do plow our road so they can reach their drives.  Scott asked if the plow could just leave a little snow on these roads and the Duncan Road, so that snowmobilers can use these roads.  Gary said he will talk with Mark so this can be done.

Township Cartways: Mike said he spoke with the County Commissioners about people gating off old Township Cartways, and they told him that if the township posts cartways as Minimum Maintenance Roads they will remain township roads without having to do maintenance on them.

Pine Co. Soil and Water Conservation District Meeting: We had a notice of a meeting on January 30 for county and township officials on road maintenance and wetlands and waterways.   We could not find the notice but Paul will call the District office and find out the time and location and tell them that we intend to attend, and then call Eldon and the Board.  Glen moved that any township official who wishes to attend be allowed to.   Mike seconded.

Fire Department: Mike said the fire department needs to buy some diesel fuel from the township.  Glen said that they should take what they need and give Patrice a record so she can make a claim; she is treasurer of both organizations.  The next fire training is Tuesday at Duxbury; Mike will give the time on the pagers.

Treasurer’s Report and Bills:

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

Pine County Courier                         $        39.48

Eggan’s Bulk Service (diesel)                      777.21

Patrice (mileage)                                           19.80

U.S. Treasury (4th qtr. Taxes)                     277.02

Pine Co. Auditor, Truth/Taxation                39.45

Pine Co. Assn. Of Townships (dues)                   327.70

Glen Williamson (mileage)                              3.30

Duxbury Store                                              20.00

Joe Vink (Contract Plowing)                      225.00

The Evergreen                                                6.00

Mike McCullen                                             55.41

Mark Pallow                                               214.26

Gary Vink                                                  152.38

Patrice Winfield                                          117.74

Total Bills                      $     2,429.38

Mike moved to pay all the bills and to approve the Treasurer’s Report and to transfer $2,450 from savings into checking.   Gary seconded.   Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Glen seconded.   Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk

WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING DECEMBER 9, 2009

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WILMA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING DECEMBER 9, 2009

Chairman Glenford Williamson , Sr., called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.   Also present were Supervisors Michael McCullen and Gary Vink, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, and Clerk Paul Raymond, plus Eldon and Marjorie Schmedeke and Dennis Schmedeke.

Paul read the record of the November board meeting.   Gary moved to approve the report; Mike seconded.

OLD BUSINESS:  MAT Insurance Coverage:   Paul said that the jeep and old grader were dropped from our insurance policy, and that they refunded several years of our payments for them, $1,400.

Northern Corridor Railway Meeting: Glen said that there will be a meeting regarding the future high-speed railway from the cities to Duluth in Hinckley on December 10 at 5 p.m. at the City Hall.   Mike said this doesn’t really affect our township.

Road Report: Gary asked Paul to bill New Dosey for half of one hour of blading Heller Road on November 11,  $75.  Short Road/Mink Farm Road:  Gary inspected both roads after T & T Logging finished their activities.  Despite our request that they meet with us so there are no questions about the escrow deductions, no one from T & T  has contacted Gary.  He said they rutted up the Short Road pretty badly, and cut up the Mink Farm Road with dozer tracks.   Gary said that at the spring road inspection the board can make a determination of the damages.  We can contact T & T to be present then.     Dollar Lake Road:   Mike said Eric Vathne has had loggers on his land, and they have torn up Dollar Lake Road.  Mike and Gary thought Eric was doing the work himself, but before hunting season Mike saw a logger and truck in there who wasn’t Eric.   Mike said we shouldn’t treat this any differently than other loggers, and he moved that we write to Eric Vathne and ask for a $500 escrow deposit for the road if there is going to be any continuing logging activity on that road.  Glen seconded.   Mike said he could be done by now with all the logging.

NEW BUSINESS:    Pine County Soil & Water District Meeting:   Glen said that the Pine Co. Soil and Water District is having a public meeting on January 30th for training county and township officials on road maintenance and the Wetland Conservation Act.  Mike said we should probably attend this training, especially to discuss the issue of people gating off old cartways so people can no longer use them to access waterways and state land.  He said the south end of Crooked Lake Road has been gated off; at one time the Mayfield Road went all the way to Crooked Lake Road as a state snowmobile trail, and Crooked Lake Road went two more miles south.  Also Heller Drive is posted at the end, when it used to cross the Tamarack River to the Vink Road.   Even though the township does not claim these cartways or maintain them as township roads, they should be kept open for public use after years of serving as cartways.  Glen asked how we can remove a gate?  Mike said that’s why he wants to go to this meeting.   Mike said we should discuss attendance at our January 6th Board Meeting;  they need to be notified by January 20th.

Lakes & Pines Cooperative Agreement: Lakes & Pines has applied for a grant to help low-income home-owners fix up their homes, as well as commercial building owners and low-income rental housing.  The State said that the first 15 months of this program need to be targeted at certain towns and townships in the north part of the county, like Willow River and Sturgeon Lake, but after that any county property owner could apply.  They sent us a cooperative agreement that would permit property owners in Wilma Township to apply for these funds.   Glen moved that we sign this and participate in this program; Mike seconded.   Glen and Paul signed it and will send it in.

Schmedeke Lane: Eldon asked for the floor to discuss Schmedeke Lane and the Memorandum of November 12 sent out to all the board members and to interested parties by County Attorney John Carlson regarding Schmedeke Lane and the history and controversy.  Eldon said that he and Bob and Barbara Jensen attended the County Commissioners meeting in Pine City on December 1st, and he wanted to correct some falsehoods in the document and at the meeting.   He said that Barbara Jensen was lying when she said that she did not measure out the distance for Schmedeke Lane with Marjorie Schmedeke, and that by denying this she was calling him and Marjorie liars because they say she did assist in the measurement.  Eldon said he never put no trespassing signs on Schmedeke Lane, but that Bob Jensen did.  Eldon said that subsequent surveyors have made and perpetuated errors.  He read a document that stated that an original survey has precedence over all subsequent surveys.  Eldon presented charts showing the exact mile measurements between sections, north and south and east and west, and that there is exactly four miles from Tamarack River Road to the Langstrom/Pete Anderson Roads.  He also had charts demonstrating a distorted survey, which he said the county wants to enforce.  He presented a resolution he asked the board to adopt and submit to the County Commissioners which states, “We, the Board of Supervisors of Wilma Township recommend that the County abide by the original govt. records of 1853 and recorded 1899. True measurements from govt. monument 2 miles north of Co. Rd. 141 starting at NE corner of Section 3, running due south between Sections 3-2 and 11-10 and ending at SE corner of 10 and Duxbury Rd.  From NE govt. corner of Section 3 due east one mile (5278’) to newly set monument thence going due south between Sections 2-1 and 12-11, two miles to Duxbury Rd and ending there.  This will be proper and solve a multitude of problems and possible litigation.”  Glen moved that the board adopt this statement as a recommendation, not a resolution, and submit it to County Attorney John Carlson.  Paul asked that the board not take a position on the conflicting surveys until the meeting with the County Commissioners.   Eldon took issue with this, but Paul said he was not taking sides but was only concerned to protect the township from litigation.   Mike seconded the motion, and Paul will forward it to John Carlson.  Glen moved that the Board of Supervisors attend the meeting of the County Commissioners at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, December 21, at Schmedeke Lane, to join them in their survey and deliberations.   Gary seconded.   Paul will post this as a public meeting.

Glen reminded Paul to post and publish the dates to file Affidavits of Candidacy for our Township Election on March 9, 2010.  Glen and Paul are up for reelection.  The filing dates are December 29 through January 12, 2010, and the fee is $2.

Treasurer’s Report and Bills:    Patrice gave the Treasurer’s report (attached) and bills were presented:

The Evergreen                         $        42.00

Pine County Courier                         13.16

ECE                                                  38.40

MATIT (Workers’ Comp.)               770.00

Joe Vink                                           150.30

Paul Raymond                                  106.20

Gary Vink                                          62.33

Michael McCullen                                        66.95

Patrice Winfield                                101.38

Glen Williamson                               24.24

Total Bills            $     1,389.01

Mike moved to approve the Treasurer’s report, to pay all the bills, and to transfer $1,400 from savings into checking.   Gary seconded.

Gary moved to adjourn the meeting; Glen seconded.   Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk

WILMA TOWN BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

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WILMA TOWN BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

Chairman Glenford Williamson, Sr., called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. at the Wilma Town Hall with the Pledge of Allegiance.   Also present were Supervisors Gary Vink and Michael McCullen, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, and Clerk Paul Raymond.

OLD BUSINESS:   T & T Logging Escrow: T & T Logging said they would pay the escrow deposit for use of the Mink Farm and Short Roads.   They also paid $720 for the damages to the South Duncan Road.   Paul said the DNR Logging official Rick Dunkley said that T & T has concerns about our escrow requirements, and he said that T & T has always built up DNR roads after use.   Mike said that we should have inspections of township roads with the loggers both before and after they use the roads, so that there is no misunderstanding.  Mike moved that we ask that loggers notify the Board before they start logging activities and that Gary do a joint inspection with them, and that Gary also do a joint inspection with them after the logging and hauling activities cease, the cost to be deducted from their escrow accounts, a minimum of one hour per inspection.  Glen seconded, and asked Paul to write to T & T and notify them of this requirement.

Schmedeke  Lane: Paul had two calls with County Attorney John Carlson about Schmedeke Lane.   He said that the county agrees that Schmedeke Lane is exactly one mile from Pete Anderson Road, but that the original survey has precedence and that survey showed the section line across from Fust Lane, and that is where the markers were.   They have talked with Bob Jensen about giving him a comparable piece of county land adjacent to his land to compensate for the land he and his mother lost when Schmedeke Lane was built on their land, and that he has agreed to this settlement.   If the County Commissioners approve this, then Schmedeke Lane will not have to be moved.  The County wants to extend Schmedeke Lane to get more access to County land further north.   Attorney Carlson said that if Wilma Township has done maintenance (gravel and/or grading) on Schmedeke Lane for six years, that by default it becomes a township road where it is.

Keys/Armchair: Paul went to the family who borrowed town hall chairs and did not find the missing arm chair.   Gary said that when they were shutting off the power for the painters that they found it up in the records closet.  Paul distributed keys to the Board members, plus one for the Fire Hall.   Both doors will be locked from now on.

Boy’s Camp: The DNR sent us a certified letter saying they are going to try to auction off the Boys’ Camp again on October 21, with a minimum bid of the appraised value plus sales costs.  We don’t know what the appraised value is at this time.

C.D.’s for Township Funds:  Patrice researched our past budget and fund history and the returns on CD’s.   In the past two years, our lowest balance was $32,000, with an average of $38 – $39,000.  She feels that we could put up to $20,000 into interest-bearing CD’s without endangering our available fund balances.   Three month CD’s pay 1 ¼%; 6 month 1 ½%; 12 month 1 ¾%, and 18 to 24 month 2%.  Gary moved that we put $5,000 into a 3 month CD; $5,000 into a 6 month; $5,000 into a 12 month; and $5,000 into an 18 month CD, and that every three months the 3-month be rolled over into the 6-month CD, and so on, until eventually all the CD’s are in the 18 month 2% CD.   Glen seconded.  Glen moved that Patrice be authorized to keep the CD documents in her safe-deposit box.  Mike seconded.

PERA: Paul got application forms for PERA pension deductions and a manual online.   Patrice asked if we could wait until 2010 to start PERA deductions, so it doesn’t mess up our books.   The Board agreed.

NEW BUSINESS:  Census New Contstruction Survey: Gary got a form from the Census Bureau asking us if we would participate in reporting new construction in Wilma Township.   Glen moved that we notify them that we do not have the resources to participate.  Gary seconded.

Pine County Soil and Water: Jill Collier from Pine Co. Soil and Water would like to make a presentation to the Township.   Glen is inviting her to the County Township Officers Meeting in October.

Wilma Fall Fest: Glen asked that we get the word out and talk to everyone we can about donations for door prizes.

Ponds for Fire Trucks: Mike said that Rick Dunckley with the DNR in Sandstone has authorized the Fire Department to make a road on state land to the ponds on Tamarack River Road two miles south of Duxbury for access to the tanker trucks to pump water.   These ponds never freeze, and would give us a readily available source of water.   Mike said the construction would be financed with matching grants.

Fire Hall Grant: Mike said that if we  get the FEMA grant to build a new fire hall, that the best site would be the land between the store and the Town Hall.    We will wait until that happens to worry about it.

TREASURER’S REPORT AND BILLS:     Patrice gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached).   Bills were presented:

John Robertson (Painting Town Hall)                  $        1,000.00

ECE                                                                          49.31

The Evergreen                                                             8.25

Glen Williamson                                                       40.41

Patrice Winfield                                                         94.65

Paul Raymond                                                        159.30

Mike McCullen                                                          34.63

Gary Vink                                                                 76.19

Total Bills                                               $        1,462.74

Gary moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report and to pay all the bills, and to transfer $1,500 from savings to checking.   Mike seconded.   Mike moved to adjourn the meeting; Glen seconded.   Mike seconded.   Meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

Paul Raymond, Clerk