MINUTES-REGULAR MEETING-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD-MARCH 9, 2009

MINUTES-REGULAR MEETING-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD-MARCH 9, 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, Jason Fornengo, and Todd Elliott.

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

Treasurer Vicki Elliott presented the treasurer’s report (Attached to file  copy) .  Dave Baker pointed out that the investment balance should be $47,007.57, not $74,029.00.

Fund Balances:

General Fund                          $3619.72

Road & Bridge Fund             11,166.66

Cemetery Fund                           154.02

Fire Protection Fund                 108.38

Fire Hall Fund                              309.07

Cartway-Proffit, Hanson           1464.27

Savings Fund                              7000.00

CDs                                              47007.57

Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker to approve the treasurer’s report.  Carried.

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

CLERK’S REPORT:

1.      Circulated flyer from East Central Solid Waste Commission regarding a drop-off day.

2.      Presented a status report on the PROFFIT-HANSON CARTWAY petition.  She is in the process of writing up the first part of the Cartway Order-that which deals with the decision and the findings of facts of the supervisors.  Clerk will schedule a mitigation walk-through and plan in the 2nd part of April with Jim Warren, Wetlands Specialist and Supervisor Baker.  The plan will then be sent to the Pine County Soil & Water District for input, modifications, and approval.  The next step will be to schedule an appraiser. Once an appraisal has been conducted, the public hearing will be called to award damages.  When damages have been paid, the cartway order will be recorded in the Pine County Recorder’s office.

3.      Presented the agenda for the Annual Meeting.

4.      Change date of Board of Re-Organization meeting to March 24, 2009, 7:30 p.m.

5.      Gave Bridge Inspection to Supervisors.  Don Mishler and Dave  Baker will fix the minor concerns suggested.

6.      Pine County Township Ass’n Meeting- March 28, Hinckley, 9:30 a.m.

7.      The treasurer and clerk each donated an ink cartridge to the township.

ZONING REPORT:

1.      6 residents in our township have Home Occupations-  Al Wolf, Wes Cemenski, Ken Coveau, Jason Forengo, Dave Baker and Cheryl Fornengo.

OLD BUSINESS:

1.      Clerk reported that the proposed legislation written by Supervisor Baker mandating that an old, “presumed abandoned” town road that has been used by the public be considered a public cartway has been adopted by the Minnesota Asssociation of Townships as one of 2 bills they will lobby for this legislative session.

2.      Supervisor Baker made a strong case for asking the electors at the annual town meeting to raise the levy for 2010.

NEW BUSINESS:

1.      The treasurer and the chair will try to attend Short Course training sessions sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Townships this month.

2.      Chair Fornengo had several mailings that he shared with the board.

ANTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD:

1.      Supervisor Baker asked why the township is plowing a private road- Little Ox Creek Drive.  Supervisor Mishler replied that it is treated like a driveway because residents owning property on the road have paid to have their drives plowed.

Meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Fran Levings, Clerk

Also signed by the chair___________________________

Date signed __________________________________

MINUTES-NEW DOSEY TOWNSHIP ANNUAL MEETING-MARCH 17, 2009

MINUTES-NEW DOSEY TOWNSHIP ANNUAL MEETING-MARCH 17, 2009

Meeting called to order by Clerk Fran Levings.  14  people were in attendance.

The Clerk asked for a moment of silence for Emma Fornengo, who had passed away during the past year.  Clerk announced that coffee and treats were available.

Head Judge Dave Baker read the statement of the results of the Board of Canvass of the township election.  Vicki Elliott received 15 votes  for treasurer and Peggy Coveau received 1 write-in vote for treasurer.  Dave Fornengo received 16 votes for supervisor.

Motion by Peggy Coveau, second by Dave Fornengo, to nominate Ed Carlin as moderator of the meeting.  No other nominations, so Mr. Carlin was elected moderator.

Motion by Beverly Carlin, second by Tony Loun, to approve the agenda.  Carried.

Motion by Agnes Sexton, second by Wes Cemenski, to approve the minutes of the annual meeting of March 11,2008, with the correction that the Tri-District Disposal change in fees was from $36 to $30, not from $39.  Carried.

Clerk Fran Levings presented the annual treasurer’s report for Treasurer Vicki Elliot who could not be at the meeting (Report is on file with these minutes)  Motion by Peggy Coveau, second by Fran Levings, to approve the report.  Carried.

Chair Dave Fornengo presented the annual chair’s report.  Said that most of the road work approved in June ’08 was completed and signed off on at the Dec. ’08 meeting. He said road brushing was under consideration for ’09.  He also reported that the township now has a website and has received many positive reactions to it.  Motion by Ed Carlin, second by Peggy Coveau, to accept the chair’s report.  Carried.

Vice-chair Dave Baker brought the group up-to-date on the lawsuit against the township.  Judge Jim Reuter ruled in May that the “trail” under dispute was NOT a township road.  Shortly after the ruling, Don Proffit and Jerry Hanson filed a cartway petition with the township.  The cartway process is still on-going.   Mr. Baker also reported that there have been some technical problems with the Wind Meter, but Allen Wolf, Bob Brewster, and Al Holter have worked them out. The township has only spent $585 on the wind program.  All labor has been donated.  Consensus was that if we did install a wind tower, it would generate 20% more power than registered on the meter because it would be up higher.  Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Peggy Coveau, to accept the vice-chair’s report.  Carried.

Clerk Fran Levings presented a budget report. From looking at the Treasurer’s report, it is obvious that the township is spending more money that it is taking in.  She suggested some budget cuts.  Dave Baker suggested acting on these cuts after the levy has been discussed.   Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Peggy Coveau, to approve the Clerk’s report.  Carried.

Dave Baker coordinated the discussion of the levy.  He compared our township with Arna and Wilma.  We have been levying at a much lower rate for several years.  We were able to do this when we received timber sales money from Pine County, but those funds have virtually dried up.  The share of the property tax that goes to the township is small.

Ed Carlin expressed concerns about work done on the Kingsdale Road and grader driver Don Mishler defended his work .Discussion digressed into a discussion of the snow-plowing policy.  Dave Baker said that road work will be “bare-boned” this year-road projects for ’09 will be scaled back.  Mr. Carlin also asked why the disc that the township purchased is never used.  Mr. Mishler replied that it does not fit with his or Todd Elliott’s tractor.  Mr. Carlin said it would fit with his tractor.  He also supports the idea of cutting back on road work for one year.   Motion by Fran Levings, second by Wes Cemenski, to raise the levy for the General Fund from $5000 to $10000 and the levy for the Road & Bridge Fund from $15000 to $30000.   Carried by a 10-4 vote.

Interim Zoning Administrator Fran Levings presented the Zoning Report.  3 land use permits were issued in ’08- 1 shed and 2 home additions.  Jim Allen has resigned from the Zoning Commission due to health concerns.  Ms. Levings said she thinks a commission of 4 persons is adequate.  Allen Wolf and Todd Elliott were appointed to another 2-year term.  Ed Carlin has one year left in his term.

Consensus was to leave most salaries as they are.  Motion by Ed Carlin second by Tony Loun, to lower the rate of pay for grading and snowplowing from $20/hour to $15/hour for one year, then look at it again in 2010.  Intense discussion followed.  Motion carried by an 8-4 vote, with 2 abstentions.

After lengthy discussion of the Snow Removal Policy enacted in 2008, motion by Ed Carlin, second by Agnes Sexton, to leave the policy as it is.  Carried.  Wes Cemenski’s name will be added to those persons who will plow private drives if hired instead of the township.

Motion by Beverly Carlin, second by Wes Cemenski to send $50 each to Family Pathways and Seven-County Senior Federation as a contract for services.  Carried.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Agnes Sexton, to contract with the Duxbury Volunteer Fire Department again for one year for $3500.  Carried.  Dave Baker said that the Dairyland Volunteer Fire Department and the Duxbury Volunteer Fire Department are working out a mutual aid program.

Motion by Deloris Schirmer, second by Wes Cemenski, to add names to the Roll of Honor plaque that was begun by the New Dosey Homemakers several years ago.  Carried.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Tony Loun, that the Cloverton Cemetery be designated as a “green” cemetery.  Carried.  This means that a body would not have to be embalmed or put in a coffin in order to be buried there.  An employee of the Methven Funeral Home has told the Clerk that this process would still have to be done with a funeral home and the 3 criteria that DO require embalming are:  if a public viewing is held, if burial is NOT going to occur within 72 hours, and for airline transportation.

Motion by Wes Cemenski, second by Ed Carlin, to purchase a new lawnmower.  Carried.

Motion by Fran Levings, second by Beverly Carlin, to continue to use First National Bank of the North-Sandstone as the township depository.  Carried.

As  recommended by the Clerk in a money saving idea, motion by Peggy Coveau, second by Beverly Carlin, to ONLY use the Pine County Courier for public notices.  Carried.  This means that the Evergreen and the Askov American will not be used for public notices anymore.  State law dictates that townships publish notices in at least 1 newspaper and post such notices in 2 places.  We post our notices in the outdoors Notice Board and on the bulletin board in the town hall.  We also try to get our notices on the Webpage

In accordance with further recommendations made by the Clerk as budget cuts, the following motions were made and approved:

Motion by Beverly Carlin, second by Wes Cemenski, that the township  send a request to the Pine County Auditor to go to Mail-In Voting for the primary and general elections in the future.  Carried.  This will save the township about $1500 in an election year.

Motion by Wes Cemenski, second by Beverly Carlin, to charge a rental fee of $25.00 for use of the town hall by private individuals.  Carried.  This does not apply to community events.

At the request of the Clerk, motion by Beverly Carlin, second by Ed Carlin, to reduce the mileage reimbursement from 47.5 cents/mile to 35 cents/mile, for one year.  Carried.

Motion by Beverly Carlin, second by Wes Cemenski, to raise the “filing for office” fee from $2 to $5.  Carried.

Motion by Fran Levings, second by Peggy Coveau, to set the date and time for the next annual meeting as the 2nd Tuesday in March 2010 following the township election.  Carried.

Meeting adjourned at 10:21 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Fran Levings, Clerk

Also signed by the Chair________________________- Date signed _________

Board of Audit and Regular Meeting, February 9, 2009

THE BOARD OF AUDIT (Supervisors Dave Baker, Don Mishler, and Dave Fornengo) MET AT 7 P.M. TO EXAMINE THE FINANCIAL RECORDS OF THE CLERK AND THE TREASURER FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008.  THEY SIGNED A STATEMENT THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER.  THIS STATEMENT IS IN THE FINANCIAL RECORDS BOOK. 

MINUTES-NEW DOSEY TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETIG-FEB. 9, 2009

Meeting called to order at 7:31 p.m. by Chair Dave Fornengo.  Also present were Supervisors Don Mishler and Dave Baker, Treasurer Vicki Elliott, Clerk Fran Levings, Deloris Schirmer, Al Wolf, Todd Elliott and Wes Cemenski.

New Dosey Township resident Deloris Schirmer read a letter (attached to file copy of these minutes) regarding concerns she has about the fact that plowing following snow storms has not always  been approved.  She delineated some township expenditures that she feels may be less important than plowing township roads.  Supervisor Dave Baker responded that for about 5 years, the township received substantial payments for timber sales from Pine County and we no longer get this money.  The township budget is tight right now.  Therefore, the supervisors are adhering closely to the snow plowing policy adopted at the 2008 Annual Meeting and not plowing roads unless there is an accumulation of 4 inches of snow or more in one storm.  The Township had to cash in a CD in January to meet expenses.  Clerk Fran Levings further responded that some of the less important expenditures will be put before the 2009 Annual Meeting for consideration.  Ms. Schirmer differed with the Supervisors’ assessment of less that 4 inches after one snowfall- she said she had measured 6 inches.  Supervisor Baker said that he plans to make a case for an increase in levy at the ’09 Annual Meeting.  The Board thanked Ms. Schirmer for coming in with her concerns.

Motion by Dave Baker, second by Don Mishler, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of Jan. 12, 2009.  Carried.

 Clerk Vicki Elliott presented the treasurer’s report (attached to file copy).  She said that she created a new Fund- Savings Account- $7000.00 with money from the CD she cashed in.  

Fund Balances are: 

General Fund                            $4061.04

Road & Bridge Fund              11303.17

Cemetery Fund                            154.02

Fire Protection Fund                    108.34

Fire Hall Fund                              309.07

Cartway-Proffit, Hanson            1464.27

Savings Account                         7000.00

CDs                                           70501.46

Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Dave Baker, to approve the treasurer’s report. Carried. 

Clerk Fran Levings presented the Claims List for Approval and the Net Employee pay( attached to file copy).  Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to pay these bills.  Carried.

CLERK’S REPORT: 

  • 1. Presented the names of Dave Baker, Marlene Mishler and Helen Allen to be judges for the township election on March 10th. Motion by Dave Fornengo, second by Don Mishler, to approve this list of judges.
  • 2. Board of Review and Equalization Meeting-April 13 at 1 p.m. in the town hall.
  • 3. Reported on a conversation with Cathy Clemmer, Pine County Auditor, regarding mail-in voting for 2010. The township would save about $1500 with this program. Ms. Clemmer said she would approve such a request if it is passed by motion at the Annual Meeting.
  • 4. Supervisor Baker has completed and submitted the Census Report on geography.

NO ZONING REPORT

OLD BUSINESS:           

  • 1. Dave Fornengo reported that he had received a crank from Scott Olson and that Don Mishler installed it on the fuel tank.
  • 2. Dave Baker reported that the wind meter “kicks out” periodically. Perhaps voltage is a problem. Dave Fornengo, an electrician, said he will look at it and get help from ECE if necessary.
  • 3. Clerk Levings led a discussion of budget concerns. She has outlined some ways to save money in the General Fund and will present them to the Annual Meeting. These include using only ONE newspaper for public notices,no training, Mail-in Voting, reducing the amounts for Contracts for Services, a “Perpetual Care” program for the cemetery, spending less on office supplies, charging a rental fee for use of the town hall, raising the filing fee, a salary freeze, and not increasing the mileage reimbursement rate. Supervisor Baker noted that the township will go broke in 2 years without an increase in township taxes. He also said that maintaining roads is our first priority and money will be needed to do this. Todd Elliott said the township needs to look at brush and tree control along the right-of-way also. Discussion of the possibility of mandating a deposit from loggers who use our roads. Will not do so at this time, because logging companies have been cooperative so far in reimbursing the township for damage done to township roads. With one exception (not doing any training at all), the Board agreed to go with the Clerk’s suggestions for cuts in the General Fund.
  • 4. Clerk said that she met with webmaster Glen Williamson and brought all features up-to-date.

NEW BUSINESS: 

  • 1. Clint Elliott, who has been hired by the township, to do the mowing of town hall and cemetery lawns, has requested a newer lawnmower for 2009. Clerk will put in on the agenda for the Annual Meeting.
  • 2. Motion by Dave Forengo, second by Don Mishler, to approve a resolution submitted by the North Pine Riders Snowmobile Club, Willow River, to support their efforts in applying for a grant(Letter attached to file copy). Part of this club’s trails are in our township. Carried.

ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD

  • 1. Resident Wes Cemenski said he still wants a stop sign put up on Pine Cty Hwy 32 at its intersection with Pine Cty Hwy 31. Vicki Elliott recommended that he appear at a Pine County Supervisors meeting to speak at the “Public Concerns” part of the agenda and bring copies of all dates for calls and conversations already made on this issue.

Meeting adjourned at 9:34 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted,

Fran Levings, Clerk

Also signed by the Chair_____________________________________

Date signed _____________________________________