David Baker March 2010 Featured Resident

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From living frugally in the woods to being an investor in the stock market, Dave Baker is a person of many contradictions.  He has lived in New Dosey Township for 38 years now and has definitely left a footprint.

David Roswell Baker was born on April 22, 1943, in Minneapolis, to Roswell and Vera Baker.  He attended Catholic schools for all grades- 1st through 12th.  Dave has one brother, Don, who was adopted when Dave was one.  After graduating from high school, Dave attended the Minneapolis College of Art & Design.  He graduated in 1966 and was accepted into the Fine Arts program at Yale University in New Haven, CT.  After getting a Masters of Fine Arts, he went to work as an art and architecture instructor at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Dave taught at this school for 3 years, then, having purchased property in our township, moved up in the summer of 1972.  He put up a tepee and with the help of Bob Brewster, who moved up with him, built a one-room cabin, using hand tools and wood from his land.  He lives in that home today, but has added several rooms onto it in the past 3 decades. He has always lived off the electrical grid.

In addition to trying to make and sell his art work, Dave has worked at several different jobs.  The Markville and St. Paul post offices employed him for many years.  He has also worked as an art instructor at the Federal Prisons, both in Duluth and Sandstone.   Dave also worked part time as a veterinarian’s assistant for many years. He is currently working as a fulltime artist out of his home. His work is placed in the Port Wing Gallery on the south shore of Lake Superior and in the Cabin Fever Gallery in Danbury, Wisconsin. He has entered pieces in both the Minnesota State Fair and the East Central Regional Art Show and has won many awards.

Dave married Deborah Hanson in 1977 and they were divorced in 1990.  In 1996, he married Fran Levings whom he had met via mutual friends.  He has 3 children- Sara, 36, (Los Angeles) from a former relationship, Leda, 32, (Minnetonka) and Nic, 28, (Philadelphia) from his first marriage.

Having been elected as the township clerk in 1990, he has served on our town board for 20 years.  He is currently a supervisor. He and Fran continue to enjoy their “back to basics” lifestyle in the woods off Squib Creek Drive.

MINUTES-REGULAR MEETING-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD-JAN.11, 2010

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MINUTES-REGULAR MEETING-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD-JAN.11, 2010

Meeting called to order at 7:30 p.m. by vice-chair Dave Baker.  Also present were Supervisor Don Mishler, Treasurer Vicki Elliott, Clerk Fran Levings, and Jared Behm, plow truck driver.  Absent was Chair Dave Fornengo.

Motion by Don Mishler, second by Dave Baker, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 14, 2009, as printed.  Carried.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to approve the Treasurer’s Report as presented by Treasurer Vicki Elliott.  (Copy attached to file copy of these minutes).  Carried.  Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to transfer $7000.00 from the Road & Bridge Fund to the General Fund.  Carried.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to pay the Claims and Payroll as presented by Clerk Fran Levings.  Carried.

CLERK’S REPORT:

  1. Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to approve the Clerk’s appointment of the following election judges for the township election in March: Vicki Elliott, Head Judge, Marlene Mishler and Peggy Coveau.  Dennis Sherman will be asked if a substitute is needed.  Carried.
  2. The annual audit of the clerk and treasurer financial records for 2009 will be held prior to the February meeting at 7:15 p.m.
  3. The clerk and treasurer will present a tentative 2010 budget to the supervisors for review at the February meeting.
  4. Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to purchase a mailbox to be posted by the town hall door.  Carried.  This mailbox will NOT be used for mail delivery, but for dropping off documents, etc. for the clerk.
  5. Clerk showed the Board what to do if the power is shut off or a power outage occurs and the new power device is making a noise.
  6. Don Mishler will do some makeshift weather stripping by the handicapped entrance.
  7. Clerk was notified of another “pauper” burial in the Cloverton Cemetery.  The deceased was from Minneapolis and the burial was handled by Methven Funeral Home.
  8. Clerk returned a form to the Pine County Auditor saying that the township has no indebtedness.

ZONING REPORT:

  1. Clerk reported to the US Census Bureau that the township issued one permit for residential construction in 2009.

OLD BUSINESS:

  1. Don Mishler and Dave Baker will be attending the Soil & Water Meeting in Hinckley on January 30, 2010.  Dave Fornengo may attend also.
  2. Discussion was held to process the first snow removal endeavor of the township for this winter.  Vice-chair Baker said he wanted to compliment and thank the workers- Jason Fornengo, Todd Elliott and Jared Behm- for their hard work.  He reported on the following calls- (1)  Caller recommended doing 2 plows instead of one when the snow fall is on-going.  The Board will consider doing this. (2) Caller wants his mailbox plowed out.  The Board said it is not responsible for this and cannot afford to plow out every mailbox and clean up every driveway that may be left with snow at the end of it. (3) Caller inquired as to when her mother would be plowed out (4) Plow truck knocked over an electric pole and a bee hive near it.  Clerk called the owner and asked him to let the Board know if damages should be paid.  (5) Caller said that 2 mailboxes had been knocked over.  He would replace his.  Township offered to reimburse him.  (6)  Caller inquired as to why the town site roads in Kingsdale had not been plowed. Grader driver went the next day after this call and plowed these roads.
  1. Chair Fornengo had sent a note to the meeting saying that he has gotten no further information on the Alternative Energy Grant. Since the application itself is 49pp. long, he has not had time to respond to it.

NO NEW BUSINESS

ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD:

  1. Chair Fornengo had sent a letter from Kinship in Sandstone requesting financial and volunteer support.  Clerk said she will put this request before the Annual Meeting in March.
  2. Vicki Elliott reported that she had learned that over 50 logging trucks per day will be using Pine County Highway 32 in the next few months.

Meeting adjourned at 8:14 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Fran Levings, Clerk

Also signed by the Chair _______________________  Date signed _______________

FEATURED RESIDENT-FEBRUARY-2010-JASON FORNENGO

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FEATURED RESIDENT-FEBRUARY-2010-JASON FORNENGO

Last month, we featured John Fornengo in this spot.  This month, we’ll take a look at his industrious and good-hearted son Jason.

Jason Anthony Fornengo was born on May 26, 1974, to Robin and John Fornengo who lived here in Cloverton.

With the exception of being home-schooled for about a year and a half, Jason attended all 12 years of education in the East Central School District.  He graduated from the Sandstone High School in 1992.

After attending Vermillion College in Ely for about a year and a half to study Law Enforcement, he dropped out and has been employed as a concrete worker ever since then.  He has been doing this work since 1994.

He met his wife Erika through a friend and the two of them were married in a church in Sandstone on September 27, 1997.  They have two sons- Dominic (11) and Adam (6).  They live a lovely home that they built on Rutabaga Road.

Jason is also employed by New Dosey Township as our ice & snow removal grader driver.

Jason’s off-work interests are snowmobiling, hunting and fishing.  He and his family also do a lot of camping.  A favorite camping spot is the Rock Lake Horse Camp in Markville.

Our township appreciates the fact that Jason and his family chose to live and raise their boys here.  We have so few young people out here.  Thanks for sticking around, Jason.

Update, January 30, 2012: Jason and Erika Fornengo are the new owners of the Clark Jade Fuel Station in Sandstone.

Update, January 30, 2012: Jason and Erika Fornengo are the new owners of the Clark Jade Fuel Station in Sandstone.