2013 April 8 Meeting Minutes

Posted byBobby Culbertson

Wacouta Town Board Meeting
April 8, 2013

April 8, 2013 Meeting

Present: Sue Betcher, Mickey Payne, Ray Bronson, Kyle Mehrkens
Others: Alan Laumeyer (GIS), Jerry Jablonski, Fred Plaas.

Sue called the April 8, 2013 meeting to order at 7:05 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Agenda

Motion was made by Sue and seconded by Ray to approve the agenda with the addition of the Chicken Coop Question raised via email by Janelle Rosales. The motion carries.

There were no Declarations of Conflicts.

Goodhue County Geographic Information Systems

Sue suggests Alan from GIS should speak first. Alan gave handouts on Interactive web mapping application. Alan is from the surveying GIS office. He is involved in cataloging, inventorying, and categorizing geographical township areas. Alan is trying to populate and come up with a list of historical sites. The project is ? complete, and that brings him to Wacouta Township.

Alan wants our help to determine significant historical sites that were here first and can tell the story from the beginning, circa 1870. Sue suggests contacting the historical crew, Nancy Barth, Catherine Johnson, Jill Mehrkens, and Richard Edward Musty for more information and offers to connect Alan.

Alan gives an explanation on how to use the Goodhue County GIS website. Click the link to find out more. www.co.goodhue.mn.us/departments/landuse/gis/historicPlaces.aspx.

Here is information: to contact Alan.

Alan Laumeyer, GISP
Goodhue County GIS Specialist
Goodhue County GIS Department
Goodhue County Government Center
509 West Fifth Street
Red Wing, MN 55066
Tel: 651-385-3094
Email: alan.laumeyer@co.goodhue.mn.us

Old Business

Sue Proceeds to Old Business quotes and bids. The board opens quotes and bids, and discusses.

Sweeping is discussed. Bids are from Aslakson and River Valley Lawnscape. The board decides to contact each bidder and resume discussion after April 24th Boards of Appeal and Equalization meeting. No contract is awarded.

Mowing is discussed. Bids are from J & D Lawn Services (Justin Montgomery) and River Valley Lawnscape. Fred Plaas arrives to the meeting at 7:47 PM and Sue asks him if he knows Justin Montgomery. Fred says Justin was a former employee who has decided to start his own lawnscaping business. Fred says he is a hard worker and has acquired some accounts in Red Wing already. Fred would vouch for Justin. Kyle says he knows Justin a little bit and has been helpful when Kyle has discussed other projects within Justin?s skillset.

Sue motions to go with the cheaper, J & D Lawn Services. Ray seconds. Motion carries. Kyle will contact Justin to inform him the township accepted his bid.

Plowing is discussed. Flueger Construction is the only bid. Sue motions to go with Flueger Construction and Ray seconds. Motion carries. Kyle will contact Barney Flueger to inform him the township accepted his bid.

Trail Maintenance and ditch mowing is discussed. Plaas is the only bid. Sue motions to accept the Plaas bid and Ray seconds. Motion carries. Kyle will contact Fred Plaas to inform him the township accepted his bid.

Fred Plaas? Comments

Fred presents building permit document to Kyle as an FYI, informing the look of the document that will be used for permit applications.

Fred also presents a bill for snowplowing that was not sent in the mail. Kyle added it to the bills to be paid.

Question on having a Chicken Coop in Wacouta Township

Fred discusses Chicken Coop Question. Fred has contacted Mike Wozniak, the county zoning administrator, but has not heard back from him at this time. Sue states the township has no ordinance against chickens, therefore the county would be the governing body and Janelle Rosales may have to check with county. Sue and Ray state we are in a R1 county that may not allow the chicken coops, but Janelle should check with the county. Fred will let Janelle know that Wacouta has no ordinance against it and will check with the county as well. Fred mentions Gary Iocco thinks there is a county ordinance against it, but Mike Wozniak should be able to provide an answer.

Monson Property of HWY 61

Fred brings up the Monson property that is for sale. Fred is contemplating buying the property to consolidate his business into one location and would like to put a sign up and sell diesel fuel to make sense of not having to remove the existing fuel tanks. The property has four 20,000 gallon fuel tanks in the ground. If they are not put into service by 2015, they would have to be removed and Fred wants to avoid removing them if possible due to high costs of removing them. Sue suggests Fred put something in writing and Sue would approach the county land use department. Then the Wacouta planning and zoning committee would meet, without Fred due to conflict of interest, to discuss Fred?s agenda. Ray suggests we need to contact US highway as well. Ray says the property would need to go from industrial zoning to commercial/retail zoning.

Board reorganization

Sue asks if Barb has given Kyle all township documents. Kyle says yes.

Sue opens up nomination for townboard chair. There were none.

Sue opens up discussion and says it is difficult for Mickey to be chair being away for 4-5 months a year. Mickey says he is not interested.

Ray nominates Sue as townboard chair. Mickey seconds. Motion carries.

Sue nominates Ray for vice chair. Mickey seconds. Motion carries.

Sue motions to adopt current meeting schedule. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Sue motions to accept current compensation for township employees. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Sue motions to have Ray on the roads and bridges committee. Mickey Seconds. Motion carries.

Sue motions to keep Mickey on the townhall committee. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Sue motions to keep Mickey on the planning and zoning committee. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Sue motions to designate Merchant?s Bank as the township?s bank. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Sue asks Kyle if the list of offices has been sent to county. Kyle states it has.

Sue motions the board has been reorganized. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Sand Removal

Sand clean up. Ray to look into Aslakson and River Valley Lawncare.

Plow Damage to Personal Property

Ray will contact Barney Flueger for damage done to personal property. Ray will talk to Glenn Cravin as well.

Potholes

There are potholes on Intersection of Sevastopol & Hwy 61 and on Gadient lane across from mailbox at 27805. Sue has quotes from Barney Flueger to fix them. Ray will give John Schuler a call and setup a time to go out for a ride. Sue motions to tell Barney to fix Intersection of Sevastopol. Ray seconds. Motion carried. Sue suggests the other potholes should be looked at by the board with Barney, which is to be done before next meeting.

Falk Information Statement

Sue and Ray state there is nothing in the information statement and the township will not respond nor get involved. Sue states that if township ever receives a summons the township will check with the county so that an attorney can be appointed on behalf of the township for free for certain issues.

Internet connectivity.

Kyle suggests that the townhall could have basic connectivity for providing access to our meetings online. Kyle suggests options like getting a phone line to the townhall for use with a DSL account, which could be brought from a board member?s house for the meeting only, thereby costing only monthly phone access and not internet. Other options where broadband wireless service, possible wireless service from HBC, and HBC fiber if the area is serviced by fiber in the future. Sue motions to hold off on this discussion until we know more about HBC fiber. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

Township Financials Reconciliation

Kyle suggests having Laura Lutjen to help shore up the books as she as experience with the township and is a certified accountant. The accounts have not been reconciled accurately in Quickbooks and Kyle would like Laura to help get them to a clean state before taking over the books for the township. Laura has offered to do it for free, and given her expertise, the township should accept. Kyle says any changes and amended financial reports will be shown in the next meeting.

Pay Bills.

Motion was made by Sue and seconded by Ray to approve paying bills and payroll on April 8, 2013 in the amount of $12,247.49 as presented. The motion carries.

Sue motions to sign bills after the books are reconciled and presented after the April 24th meeting at 6pm. Ray seconds. The motion carried.

Kyle is to call Xcel about consolidating the bills on the street lights.

Treasurer?s Report

Kyle suggests to run the treasure?s reports after the accounts have been reconciled. The reports will be brought up in the next meeting.

Sue motions to recess meeting at 8:40 pm until April 24th at 6pm to sign the bills. Ray seconds. Motion carries.

April 24, 2013 CONTINUATION OF APRIL 8, 2013 WACOUTA TOWNSHIP MEETINGPRESENT: Sue Betcher, Mickey Payne (via phone), Nancy Barth, Deputy

Secretary/Treasurer (for Kyle Mehrkens)

Meeting called to order by Sue Betcher at 5:30 p.m.

 

SAND REMOVAL: Two quotes were received for services to remove winter sand from roads.

A Rochester firm, owner Craig XXX, had 3 sweepers and provided an hourly cost. Aslakson has proper equipment and was deemed to be the best choice for this job. Ray Bronson was asked to make the decision in this regard. A third vendor, River Valley, is undersized and does not have the proper equipment to undertake this job. Mickey made the motion to have Ray Bronson make the decision and Sue Betcher seconded the motion.

USG Maintenance of their road to dumping grounds:

A meeting would be required between USG, the City of Red Wing and Wacouta Township to discuss how best to handle ownership and. Wacouta maintains it, and we have determined that we are paying more to maintain the road than the township receives in tax compensation from USG. Perhaps we could ask for a special assessment from USG in this matter. Sue Betcher discussed this with Ron Rosenthal who was on the board 20+ years ago when this was also discussed. The road has one actual residence on it just past the railroad tracks. The dump site is located approx. ? mile further up the dirt road. There was a question about whether Randy Vieth whose property adjoins said property on the back side actually uses this road to access that property. His property is on Lehrbach, thus in Hay Creek Township and has a small parcel of land in Wacouta Township.

Mickey Payne to email the Minnesota Association of Townships to ask for their opinion on the matter. The golf course also would come into play as it adjoins the property at the south end.

Checks were signed per last meeting and dispensed by Nancy Barth. Meeting was adjourned at 5:55 p.m.

The issue of who pays for the street light near Graner?s property to be added to agenda for the May meeting.

CONTINUATION SUBMITTED BY: Nancy Barth, Deputy Secretary/Treasurer

Respectfully,

Kyle Mehrkens, Wacouta Township Clerk/Treasurer

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Upcoming Dates*:

April 24 Wed Board of Equalization at 5:00 PM

May 13 Mon Town Board Meeting at 7:00 PM

*Meetings at the Wacouta Town Hall unless otherwise noted

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