AGENDA
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chair Scott Mead.
Attendance:
Board members: Scott Mead, Lee Kaplan, Don Swanstrom, Kim Hand, Lita Wallace
Number of resident/s present: 5
Number of non-resident/s present: 1
Clerk’s Report
No changes. Motion by Lee, second by Scott (Scott yay, Lee, yay Don yay), motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report
$245,085.19 — Total cash on hand as of 2/29/2016
+ $7,530.45 — Deposits
– $1,825.32 — Expenditures
$250,790.32 — Total cash on hand as of 3/31/2016
Motion by Lee, second by Scott (Scott yay, Lee, yay Don yay), motion carried.
Old Business
- Clarification of the town clerk’s appointment term – clerk will serve for a term of two years from March 2016 to February 2018. Motion by Scott, second by Don (Scott yay, Lee yay, Don yay), motion carried.
- Road report update – Scott reported that he met with Steve of St Louis County Public Works at West Branch Road and confirmed that the county will be working on West Branch Road this summer. In addition, they can also work on the area owned by the township. They will furthermore discuss what the cost and payment schedule would be. The township will purchase the gravel and the county will do the work. Bad spots in Highway 44 will be patched next year.
- Local Board of Appeal & Equalization (LBAE) 2016 Assessment for Taxes Payable 2017 is scheduled on May 5, 2016 at 5:00-6:00 p.m. at Pequaywan Fire Department.
- Lita reported that LBAE Public Notice was posted in posting places on April 5.
- Levy request submittal – submit the form close to the deadline date.
New Business
- Information sharing on a proposed sale of land owned by John Wilson on Pequaywan Lake Road, south of the Township-owned land – residents voiced concern about the impact of double population in the area, delivery trucks coming and going, public access, peace and quiet. . For information on how residents can register their opinion, see Northern Life Ranch.
- Delivery of Automark for maintenance is either May 11 or May 12 at St. Louis County/Chris Jensen, 2501 Rice Lake Road Duluth, Laundry Facility.
- 2016 Summer Short Course – board members are approved to attend training
- A resident interested in being an election judge and willing to attend the July 19 training – supervisors approved to have an alternate election judge. Lita will conduct training. Another resident present at the training expressed interest in being an election judge. She will be an alternate judge and Lita will also conduct training.
- Direct deposit of county checks – Kim suggested to have state and county checks be paid via direct deposit instead of checks and depositing to the credit union. Motion by Scott, second by Lee (Scott yay, Lee, yay Don yay), motion carried.
- Procedure when a check signatory board member is out-of-town during a meeting; and if clerk or treasurer is out-of-town, how would we handle correspondence received – The board member who expects to be absent can sign a blank check since no one can cash it unless signed by two other board members. As for correspondences, it will be advisable if someone can pick up their mail and be able to call one of the board members if there is any township incoming mail.
- Excerpt of important items from the 2016 Spring Short Course attended by the clerk:
(1) LBAE online training offered again in July – at least two board members should be certified
(2) Workers’ Compensation Coverage update – Minnesota Association of Townships has surplus this year so they are mailing dividends to townships that have Worker’s Comp through them. Lita verified that Pequaywan Township will receive $350 in the mail in July.
(3) State law requires that Clerk & Treasurer maintain duplicate sets of required records; i.e., CTAS claims/disbursements, payroll, receipts/income; and bank statements
(4) Reorganizational meeting – elect Chair and Vice-Chair – During March, Scott Mead was elected as Chair but Vice-Chair was not voted upon. Scott motion Lee to be Vice-Chair, Don seconded ((Scott yay, Lee nay, Don yay), motion carried.
(5) create a Written Policy for compliance with Data Practice Act requests, if none available – Lita will check the files if there was one created in the past. If none, she will put one together.
(6) clerk is required to keep a copy of correspondence/s presented to the supervisors during the meeting with Meeting Minutes – Lita had been doing this since she started and will continue to do so.
Correspondence
- RECEIVED: Minnesota Association of Townships (MAT) re-2016 Spring Short Courses; St. Louis County Assessor documents re-Local Board of Appeal & Equalization (LBAE) 2016 Assessment, and email re-new Appelant form ; St. Louis County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office re-Automark maintenance schedule, and battery replacement; email from the State of Minnesota re-questionnaire on federal expenditures; St. Louis Co Public Works re-new policy on snow plowing in township areas, and letter re-Draft ATV Ordinance Ready for Review; letter and email from St. Louis Co Asso of Townships re-March Meeting Minutes; letter from Department of Treasurer (IRS) re-confirmation of township mailing address
- SENT: New town officers list sent to Minnesota Association of Townships and St. Louis County Election Department; State of Minnesota questionnaire on federal expenditures.
Claims – Check numbers 1047 to 1050 were issued in the total amount of $1,782.98. Motion by Scott, second by Lee, motion carried (Scott yay, Lee yay, Don yay).
Public Comment
Next Meeting: May 10, 2016, 7:30 p.m., Pequaywan Fire Department, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road
Motion to adjourn at 8:35 p.m. by Scott, second by Lee (Scott yay, Lee yay, Don yay), motion carried.
Respectfully submitted by
Lita Wallace, Town Clerk