NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING- AUGUST 11, 2008
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. Present in the audience were Jerry Hanson, Scott Olson, Wes Cemenski, Don Proffit and Al Wolf.
Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to approve both the minutes of the special Board meeting on August, 4, 2008, and the minutes of the regular Board meeting of July 14, 2008, as printed. Carried.
Treasurer Vicki Elliott presented the August treasurer’s report. (attached to file copy).
Fund Balances were: General Fund $27,693.98
Road & Bridge Fund 5,552.36
Cemetery Fund 84.59
Fire Protection 0.00
Fire Hall Fund 309.07
CDs $91,568.59
The treasurer said that she had cashed in CD 124417 this month to pay for the truck the township purchased. Clerk suggested not doing a fund transfers until the September meeting when CD 124417 will be included in the Road & Bridge Fund. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to approve the treasurer’s report. Carried unanimously.
Clerk Fran Levings presented the Claims List and the Net Pay List for approval. (Attached to file copy). Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to pay these bills. Carried unanimously.
CLERK’S REPORT:
1. Clerk called Pam Oslin, 911 coordinator, about road signs for Ennerstrom Road, Little Fawn Drive, and Bee Hive Lane. Ms. Oslin said the requests are now “in her computer” so we should get these signs eventually. She said she notified landowners on these roads of an address change.
Clerk mailed copies of the Ice & Snow Removal Policy to all landowners on the 2007 Plowing Private Drives list so they will know that the fee for 2008 is $120 and the deadline for payment in Nov. 1st.
2. Report on Short Course clerk attended on July 18th in St. Cloud.
a. Annual meeting minutes must be signed by clerk AND the election judges.
b. Board of Supervisors sets salaries for board members as long as it does not exceed what electors designate. Most Boards DO pay for attending Annual Meeting because both clerk and treasurer work at the meeting and the supervisors give input on professional business.
c. Cannot transfer $ from Road & Bridge Fund to General Fund until Gas Tax amount has already been spent.
d. The only items that are binding at the Annual Meeting are the levy and the maximum spending amounts. Otherwise, most decisions are advisory.
e. For publishing notices-all 7 days of the week and holidays and Sundays do count, not just the 5 business days. The 1st day of publishing does not count, but the day of the meeting does.
f. Planning Commission meetings do not need to be published, just posted.
g. Sealed bids must be solicited for contracts over $100,000. Special assessments have a threshold of $50,000.
h. Clerk attended a session of budget and will report on that under New Business.
ZONING REPORT:
1. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to accept Jim Allen’s resignation from the Planning Commission. It is hard for him to get around now. Carried.
2. Call from Gale Kespohl, Township Septic Inspector, who said that our Township does NOT require a septic inspection at the point of sale, except for shoreland property.
3. Call from Edina Realty in North Branch saying that a survey was done on Helen Feldt’s former home and her garage is 2.4 ft. on the road “right of way”. We will get a copy of the survey.
Before continuing with the agenda, Don Profitt, Jerry Hanson, and Scott Olson (representing Sno-Camp) presented the Board with a Petition for a Cartway. Dave Baker explained that a bond must be posted and money from the bond will be used to pay all expenses and any balance would be refunded when a cartway has been determined. Motion by Dave Baker, second by Dave Fornengo, to set bond at $5,000. Carried unanimously. Clerk will notify the affected landowners and have legal notices published. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to set Sept. 13, 2008, at 10 a.m. as the date for the special meeting to consider the cartway petition. Carried.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Al Wolf explained that the Wind Meter study is on hold at present. He plans to call Davis Instruments and have them help him walk through the problem.
2. The snowplow truck will be picked up this week from Larson Implement in Cambridge.
3. Consensus was that the special August 4th meeting of the Board went well-That the so-called Kirchberg Road is a private road and will be handled via a Land Association being formed by those in attendance.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Clerk explained that there is a movement nationwide to do away with local governments (i.e. townships) and let the counties do the governance. A Land Stewardship group is active in MN to prevent this. She will keep the Board apprised of developments.
2. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to contract once again with Robert Brewster to do the assessment work for the township at a price of $2964.50 Carried.
3. Budget Discussion-The Clerk presented a list of receipts and disbursements for 2007. She said the township is spending more than it is taking in. She learned at the short course of MAT (MN Ass’n of Townships) that this is quite common for many townships. Townships, since they no longer get state timber sale monies, are taking from reserves and cashing in CDs to meet expenses. She made some suggestions for cutting expenses and raised the specter of possibly trying to raise the levy at the annual meeting next March.
4. Chair Fornengo said he has gotten some requests from weekenders to consider closing some Minimum Maintenance roads during the spring mud season.
ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD?
1. Don Mishler suggested getting fuel tank for diesel fuel for the truck. Jerry Hanson said he would like to donate a 500 gallon gas tank to the township. It is on his Kingsdale property and he would deliver it. Motion by Don Mishler, second by Dave Fornengo to accept his offer Carried. The Board thanked him. Scott Olson said that tanks on stands are no longer legal and he offered to help get the donated tank up and running for the township. He also said the township can get a rebate on taxes on undyed fuel. Dave Fornengo asked about standards on gas tanks. Scott Olson said the MPCA has them.
2. Dave Baker reported on a phone call from Deloris Schirmer stating that she thought the gravel placed on Squib Creek Drive by her driveway had too many rocks in it. Dave went to look, then told her that the rocks were necessary to help prevent frost boils in the spring.
3. Dave Baker also reported on a phone call from John Frank, who owns property on School House Drive asking when gravel would be put on the road. Mr. Baker told him that School House Road is on the work list for 2008.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Fran Levings, Clerk__________________________________
Also signed by the Chair. ______________________________
Date Signed _______________________________
