MINUTES- NEW DOSEY TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING- APRIL 13, 2016
MINUTES- NEW DOSEY TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING- APRIL 13, 2016
Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm by Chair Dave Fornengo. Also present were Supervisors Jason Fornengo and Dave Baker, Treasurer Mandy Fornengo and Clerk Fran Levings.
Motion by Jason Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to approve the Agenda. Carried.
Motion by Dave Baker, second by Jason Fornengo, to approve the Minutes of the March 9, 2016, meeting. Carried. Motion by Jason Fornengo, second by Dave Fornengo, to approve the Minutes of the Board of Re-Organization meeting on March 23, 2016. Carried
Clerk Mandy Fornengo presented the Treasurer’s Report (attached to file copy of these minutes).
FUND BALANCES ARE:
- General Fund $3240.25
- Road & Bridge Fund $62435,20
- Cemetery/Landscaping $3582.85
- Fire Protection Fund $16190.73
- Fire Hall $125.45
- Savings Account $1159.90
- Driveways Account $5631.18
- CDs $45750.08
- TOTAL FUNDS $138105.74
Clerk Levings requested permission to go to Becker Township and work with Lucinda Messman to try to ascertain why the checkbook has not balanced for 3 months, despite the fact that all CTAS receipts and disbursements are correctly recorded. Dave Fornengo made a motion that the Clerk should be trained by Ms.Messman. Second by Jason Fornengo. Carried. Clerk Levings also asked for a determination as to what Fund the expense of purchasing the snow truck should have been deducted from- Road & Bridge Fund or Driveways Fund. Chair Fornengo said the Township owns the truck and therefore, it was proper to take the purchase money from the Road & Bridge Fund. All operating expenses and maintenance costs will continue to be deducted from the Driveways Fund and the Road & Bridge Fund. The proportional use of the truck for driveways (66%) and town roads (34%) will have those expenses taken from the Driveway Fund and the Road & Bridge Fund at those percentages. Motion by Dave Baker, second by Jason Fornengo, to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Carried.
Clerk Levings presented the Claims List and the Net Payroll list for approval (Attached to file copy of these minutes). Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Jason Fornengo, to pay these bills. Carried.
CLERK’S REPORT:
- 1. Clerk appointed Cheryl Wickham as Deputy Clerk. Ms. Wickham is currently Clerk of the Town of Arna.
- Summer Short Course will be in Carlton- June 30- 2pm-8:30pm. Pre-registration is available.
- Consensus was to discontinue our membership in the Land Stewardship Program.
- Thank-you notes received from Family Pathways Senior Services and the Seven County Senior Federation.
- Consensus of the Board to NOT renew township membership in the Land Stewardship Program.
- Clerk reported that the outside door by the handicapped entrance opens on its own every so often.
OLD BUSINESS:
- North Pine Area Hospital District report by Fran Levings. She said the District is working on raising $100,000 to help defray the costs of the Assisted Living Center which will be on the new healthcare campus. Perhaps an easement can be established or the District can help pay for future maintenance, etc.
- Election of township officers- Motion by Dave Baker, second by Jason Fornengo, to appoint Dave Fornengo as town Chair. Carried. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Jason Fornengo, to appoint Dave Baker as Vice-chair of the town. Carried.
- Road Concerns- (1) The roads need to be graded again. Chair Fornengo will contact the grader operator. (2) Todd Elliott was hired to do maintenance on Adolph’s Drive. A culvert needed to be installed. (3) May 7 was set for the annual road review (4) Consensus was that Todd Elliott Construction still has the contract for work on Creekview Lane.
- Consensus was to hire Clint Coveau again as the lawn mower operator. He will be paid $25/hour for labor and $25/month for gas. The township will sign an Equipment Rental Lease with Mr. Coveau to pay him $50/month to lease his lawn mower.
NEW BUSINESS:
- Procedure for public input at town board meetings- Clerk Levings recommended that the board develop a policy covering how the public may have input at board meetings. (1) It is important, she said, that members of the public not be allowed to comment on every agenda item. By doing so, he/she has become a “sixth member” of the Board. The Board members are elected to conduct the business of the town. While public input is encouraged and welcomed, it must be given in an orderly and effective fashion. Chair Fornengo read from the MAY website a sample policy and the Board will modify it to fit our purposed, then pass a resolution adopting this policy
- Pine County Officers Meeting Report by Fran Levings and Dave Baker- (1) Katy Overton is the new president of this body. (2) Pine County has 710 miles of roads to maintain. (3) County roads will be open to ATVs. (4) Of the 130 beds in the Pine County Jail, 92% are now filled with local residents and 8% are taken by boarders from neighboring counties (5) The Pine County Land Department is working on a new Comprehensive Plan. (6) September 17 is the date for the legal seminar in Rutledge. (7) The NLX railroad will have 5 stops and run at a speed of 90mph. (8) Congressman Rick Nolan is working on a bill for rural broadband and also working on mental health needs and (9) a presentation on Oakwilt and Emerald Ash was also given.
- MAT Short Course report by Fran Levings- (1) The township will get a Worker’s Compensation refund in July. (2) Net pay is private information and the township can only give the public the gross pay for employees each month. (3) Monthly meeting packets are not to leave the town hall. Have a packet ready for visitors to peruse, but not take home. (4) Road Review “Notes” are actually to be called “Minutes”. (5) Members of the Board have a fiduciary duty to always make decisions in the best interest of the public rather than his or her own personal interest.
ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD?
Chair Fornengo has been in touch with Caterpillar with the idea that eventually the township will be in the market for a new grader.
Meeting adjourned at 8:10pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Fran Levings, Clerk Also signed by the Vice-Chair_________________
Date:_________________________