FEATURED RESIDENT- JANUARY, 2010- ANTHONY JOHN FORNENGO

Members of the wonderful and extended Fornengo have lived in our community for many years.  This month we are featuring a longtime contributor in many ways to our township.

Anthony John Fornengo was born to Doris and Tony Fornengo, who lived here in New Dosey, at the Siren, Wisconsin, hospital on April 28, 1951.  He was the last of their six children.

John attended the Cloverton Grade school for grades 1-8, then went to the Sandstone High School, from which he graduated in 1970.  During his senior year in high school, John started working for the railroad in Superior, Wisconsin, and went back to work there upon high school graduation.

John was drafted into the U.S. army in January of 1971.  (He recalls that he and his family were gathered listening to the numbers and his was the last number called!)

He served 2 years in Frankfurt, Germany, as a Railway MP.  He was one of a very small number of MPs serving in the entirety of Europe at that time.

Upon getting out of the Service, John picked up his job with the Canadien-Pacific Railroad and has worked there for over 42 years.  In the meantime, he had met Robin Merritt, from California, when she was staying with friends in Sandstone and attending school in Duluth.  They met at the old A& W Root Beer stand in Sandstone.

John and Robin were married in his mom and dad’s backyard under the lilacs on September 11, 1971.  They have  two adult children, Jason and Brannan, and three grandsons.  Jason and his wife Erika and sons Dominic and Adam live next to John and Robin right here in Cloverton, while Brannan and her husband and son Elijah live in Finlayson.

Carrying a strong religious faith, John has been very involved in church activities for many years.  He and Robin are members of the Siren Assembly of God congregation.  John is part of a Men’s Group that meets every Thursday evening to discuss and deal with many issues, including addiction and recovery.  A recovering alcoholic, John is proud of the fact, and rightfully so, that he took his last drink in January of 1981 and met the Lord during the same month.

Spending time with Robin, his children and grandchildren is another joy of John’s life.

John served on the New Dosey town board for 12 years, six of which saw him in the role of Town Chair. He laughingly recalls the crisis in the early 1990s when a supervisor election came in as a tie and he, along with Clerk Dave Baker, made the call to draw straws to determine a winner.

John hopes to retire in about 18 months and add hunting and fishing to the list of activities that he enjoys.

A grateful and admiring township wishes him well in all that he does.

MINUTES-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING-DEC. 14, 2009

Meeting called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chair Dave Fornengo. Also present were

Supervisors Don Mishler and Dave Baker, Treasurer Vicki Elliott and Clerk Fran Levings.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of  November 9, 2009, as printed.  Carried.

Treasurer Vicki Elliott presented the Treasurer’s Report. (Attached to file copy of these minutes).  November receipts were: MN State Aid-$132.19, Doug Ohlrogge-Land Use Permit-$25.00, 2^nd ½ of property taxes-$6553.19, Interest-$12.44 and Reimbursement from Duxbury Fire Department for gas-$30.00. FUND BALANCES:  General Fund-$2243.22, Road & Bridge Fund-$21,511.73, Cemetery Fund-$247.77, Fire Protection Fund- $108.34, Fire Hall Fund-$309.07, Proffit-Hanson Cartway-$1428.41 and Savings Account-$7,000.00.  Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to approve the Treasurer’s Report.  Carried.

Clerk Fran Levings presented the Claims List and Net Payroll for approval. (Attached to file copy of these minutes).  Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to pay these bills.  Carried.

CLERK’S REPORT:

1. The new desktop computer is up and running.  With the exception of the Filing for Office notices, nothing was put on the Website for December.
2. The IRS mileage reimbursement rate is now .53/mile.  Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker to raise the township mileage rate to .53/mile beginning in January, 2009.
3. Letter received from Diane Steen, granddaughter of Gustav Ristrom, Jr. that the family has purchased a marker for Mr. Ristrom’s grave and it will be installed by Memorial Day-2010.

ZONING REPORT:

1 .Letters were sent to 3 property owners requesting that they complete an application for a Land Use Permit and send it with a check to the township.

2.  Letter sent to Karel Properties informing them that the township requires permits is they should do any development.  Clerk received a phone call from Dave Karel that they may construct a pole barn in the summer of 2010.

OLD BUSNESS:

1. All 3 supervisors indicated an interest in attending a Soil & Water District meeting in Hinckley on January 30, 2010.
2. Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to sign the completed road work order for 2010.  This order will be filed with the Clerk.
3. Chair Fornengo had done extensive research on the issue of having logging companies post a bond before logging in the township.  He presented copies of the policies used by Wilma and Arna Townships.  Clerk Levings distributed copies of timber sales by the county.  Chair Fornengo will ask Bill Foss, State Forester, for a copy of state timber sales in our township.  Consensus of the Board was to not ask for bond postings at this time. The township will deal with any concerns as they arise.
4. Supervisor Dave Baker that he had spoken with Kent Solum, attorney with the MN Associaton of Townships and learned that our proposed legislation regarding cartways was going to be pursued in the State Legislation again in 2010.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Chair Fornengo and Clerk Levings had each received information of a grant that Pine County is applying for via Lake & Pines to refurbish homes for low-income residents.  Pine County is asking the townships to sign in support of their application. The Board did so.

ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD”

1. Chair Fornengo announced an upcoming Boundary & Annexation workshop.  He also said that he will continue to look into an Energy Conservation Block Grant.

Meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Fran Levings, Clerk ________________________________

Also signed by the Chair___________________Date signed _______________

MINUTES-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING-SEPT. 14, 2009

Meeting called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chair Dave Fornengo. Also present were Supervisors Don Mishler and Dave Baker, Treasurer Vicki Elliott, Clerk Fran Levings, Jared Behm and Todd Elliott.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to approve the minutes of the August 11, 2009 regular meeting as printed. Carried.

Treasurer Vicki Elliott presented the treasurer’s report.(Copy on file with these minutes) Receipts for August were Land Use Permit- $25.00, PILT-$6189.49, Duxbury Volunteer Fire Dept Reimburse Diesel- $57.80, Interest- $15.31. FUND BALANCES were: General Fund-$2827.13, Road & Bridge Fund- $24,506.26, Cemetery Fund-$394.01, Fire Protection Fund-$108.34, Fire Hall Fund- $309.07, Cartway Fund-$1428.41, Savings-$7000.00 and CDs-$48,063.19. Motion by Dave Fornengo second by Dave Baker, to approve the Treasurer’s Report Carried.

Clerk Fran Levings presented the Claims List and Net Payroll List for approval. (Copy on file with these minutes). Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to pay these bills. Carried.

CLERKS’S REPORT:

1. Meeting date change- Because October 12th is a federal holiday, the next meeting will be Oct. 14th. Clerk will post notices in Pine County Courier and on the Website.

2. A community landscaping committee is being set up. Members are Clint Elliott, Marlene Mishler, Peggy Coveau, Mandy Fornengo and Robin Fornengo. Cemetery Sexton Fran Levings will also help. A meeting is planned for Sept. 17th.

3. Motion by Dave Fornengo second by Dave Baker, to send postcard notices reminding last year’s persons of the payment for plowing private drives this winter. Carried.

4. Announced an Enhancement Projects meeting on Sept. 16th.

5. Letter from Census Bureau asking for names of new construction projects in the township.

6. The township laptop is not working really well. Clerk will try to get as much use as possible, but a new one may need to be purchased.

ZONING REPORT:

1. Permit # 69 to Don Schirmer to build a principle dwelling.

2. Letter sent to Doug Ohlrogge about zoning concerns.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Chair Fornengo received an e-mail from the State Office of Energy Security about grants for local governments to do an alternative energy project. He learned that stimulus money is only available for government entities having a building of at least 5000 sq. ft. We do not meet that requirement.

2. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to hire Jared Behm for the position of Snow Plow Driver for the winter of 2009-2010. Carried.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Chair Fornengo reported on a letter from the Pine County Soil & Water District asking if there was interest in a meeting about regulations regarding road projects. All 3 supervisors and our road contractor expressed interest. Mr. Fornengo will contact Soil & Water.

2. Clerk directed to send a letter to Carlson Timber Products regarding the poor condition of the ditch after they had worked off Hay Creek Road and asking for a reimbursement of $400.00

ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD:

1. Chair Fornengo reported that he has received an access code from the Cooperative Purchasing Venture.

2. More road work authorized for 2009: Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to add 15 more loads to School House Drive and to leave Creek View Lane order at 5 loads as set up in June, but extra loads if needed. Carried. Todd Elliott reported that most of the work in the eastern end of the township has been done.

Meeting adjourned at 9:07 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Fran Levings, Clerk _____________________________

Also signed by the Chair ___________________________

Date signed______________________________