Author: Shane Stolp

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Chair Douglas Nelson.

Attendance:

Officers Present: Chair Douglas Nelson, Vice-Chair Donald Swanstrom, Supervisor James Wilson, Clerk Lita Wallace, Treasurer Carol Nelson, Deputy Treasurer Raymond Barnes, Deputy Clerk Shane Stolp.

Guests: Bonnie Dressen, Doug Dressen, Ted Wallace, Charles Kuettel

Clerk’s Report

Wallace presented the October 2025 minutes. Chair requested a few typographical error on the road report (plan to plant on section 4, life to lift on section 7). Swanstrom motioned to approve the minutes, Wilson seconded, motion carried. Swanstrom yay, Nelson yay, Wilson yay. Wallace presented the minutes from the Special Meeting on Subordinate District from October. Motion to approve by Swanstrom, Wilson second, motion carried. Swanstrom yay, Wilson yay, Nelson yay.

Treasurer’s Report

OCTOBER 2025
Total Funds on Hand 10/1/2025 $269,564.38
Plus: Deposits $48,074.79
Pequaywan Fire & EMS Radio Grant reimbursement 47,959.23
Interest 115.56

Less: Disbursements $12,179.26
Payroll 136.40
941 Taxes 1,001.24
Pequaywan Fire & EMS 9,975.83
Nelson Forestry – mow ditches 750.00
Other expenses 315.79

Total Funds on Hand 10/31/2025 $305,459.91
Checks Written 2192-2199

NOV 2025
Expected Receipts None
Checks Written 2202-2206 $6,300.75
No transfer to checking needed

Nelson motion to approve, Wilson second, motion approved. Swanstrom yay, Nelson yay, Wilson yay.

Old Business

• West Brach Road had the ditches mowed and the snow plow contract has been signed at the same cost as year prior with the County. KGM Contractors, a heavy highway contractor out of Cook, MN plans to walk the road with the board supervisors to obtain more information and recommendations on next steps.
• Approval for web admin to start researching information for domain conversion from .org to .gov with deadline date of June 2026 and decide on the target date for implementation. Nelson motion to approve, Wilson seconded, motion carried. Swanstrom yay, Nelson yay, Wilson yay.
• In the absence of Deborah Pomroy, Weed Inspector for the township, Barnes reported that the inspector has been out but has had a slow start due to items outside their control but to expect a report and an invoice next month.

New Business

• Clerk inquired about township opening a credit card for annual township charges instead of using personal credit cards of employees, i.e. Microsoft 365 Family annual subscription ($129.99 plus tax) and Go Daddy Web Domain Renewal every two years – $72.32. After further discussion including how neighboring township handles credit cards it was determined the treasurer will pay for these items on her credit card and seek reimbursement.

Correspondence

Received:

• Invite from St. Louis County Public Works Department for townships to be a part of the process in developing St. Louis County’s Safety Action Plan (outside of the Duluth metro area). Doug Dressen volunteered to attend and after board agreed, clerk will forward information on the date and time of meeting which is via the internet.
• Invoice from Duluth News Tribune in the amount of $166.04 for publication of Resolution to Establish a Subordinate Service District.
• Invoice from Web Admin Daisy Wallace in the amount of $37.50.

Sent:

• Resolution to Establish a Subordinate Service District was published in Duluth News Tribune on October 29, 2025

Public Comment:

None

Next Meeting: December 9, 2025, 7:00 p.m., Pequaywan Firehall

Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:17 pm by Swanstrom, second by Wilson, motion carried. Swanstrom yay, Wilson yay, Nelson yay.

Respectfully submitted by:
Shane Stolp, Deputy Clerk
Lita Wallace, Clerk

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Chair Douglas Nelson.

Attendance:

Officers Present: Chair Douglas Nelson, Vice-Chair Donald Swanstrom, Supervisor Jim Wilson, Clerk Lita Wallace, Treasurer Carol Nelson, Deputy Clerk Shane Stolp

Officer Absent: Deputy Treasurer Ray Barnes

Guests: Bonnie Dressen, Douglas Dressen, Stephanie Jones, Stephen Jones, Charles Kuettel, Ted Wallace, Lori Gherna

Clerk’s Report: Wallace presented the July minutes. Swanstrom motioned to approve the minutes, Nelson seconded, motion carried. Nelson yay, Wilson yay, Swanstrom yay.

Treasurer’s Report:

July 2025

Total Funds on Hand 7/1/2025 $275,348.39
Plus: Deposits $37,680.11
SLC Appropriations 35,740.35
State of MN – Town Aid 779.00
Interest on Accounts 1,571.40
Donations 1,000.00
Interest 1.63
US Treasury – FICA Tax Refumd 159.13

Less: Disbursements $52,789.11
Payroll 293.15
Legal 180.00
941 Federal Taxes 1,297.06
Motorola Solutions 49,866.30
MATIT General Insurance 1,004.00
Other expenses 148.60

Total Funds on Hand 7/31/2025 $260,239.39
Checks Written 2167-2175

AUGUST 2025
Expected Receipts MN DNR PILT $5,882.23
SLC Taconite Production
Checks Written 2176-2180 $1,022.50

Wilson motioned to approve the Treasurer’s Report, second by Swanstrom, motion carried. Nelson yay, Wilson yay, Swanstrom yay.

Old Business

• Update on Subordinate Service District: Nelson stated that they have collected over 50% of signatures required to increase levy by $30,000 per year by the residents along the road and this will continue until the road is completely repaved. Going forward the list of signatures will be verified by clerk and then a public notice will be published for a public hearing to occur. The plan is to have the public hearing immediately after the September board meeting. The town board will have to vote to accept the Service District and if approved, will have to wait 60 days for objections. If no formal objections are completed the Service District would become legal. The cut off to levy for 2026 taxes is July 1^st so the next deadline will be July 1, 2026 for collection in 2027 tax.
• Community Donation Program (Jim Wilson): There is now a page on the website acknowledging donations and a process to donate for those who wish. We don’t have a way of knowing who gives to the Fire Department but will work with the Department to see if they can share that information for donors over $500.
• State grant to improve parks and trails (Carol Nelson): Carol researched this grant and found that townships are not eligible as only available for county and cities. A different option does exist which recommends funding for environmental protection. In 2026 they gave funds of $103 million to over 100 projects. This is an option that could be reviewed in the future.

New Business

• Public hearing of proposed Subordinate Service District (SSD): Hearing date September 9^thfollowing regular board meeting.
• Phishing scheme exposing our contact information: Clerk stated that information has been exposed of town officers’ contact information. Chair Nelson intends to follow up on an article from the township insider referencing potential federal assistance on cyber security.
• Signage on corner of West Branch Road and Pequaywan Lake Road: Jim Wilson mows the area on a volunteer basis and removes the signs in the area to do the mowing and then historically places them back after completing. Wilson contacted St. Louis County and also read the ordinance that states no signage is allowed in the right of way. Any signage in the right of way will be removed as the abutting property owner has requested no signage be placed in this area as per the ordinance.

Correspondence

Received:

• 2025 Election Manual from St. Louis County Elections
• Invitation from St. Louis County Public Works Department to townships to join the newly developed Safety Action Plan (SAP) with the aim of reducing and ultimately eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on the county road system.
• Invoice from Daisy Wallace for July web maintenance and special project to develop a new web page for the community donation fund in the amount of $250.00.
• 2025 membership Dues Statement from Minnesota Association of Townships (MAT) in the amount of $313.84.
• Email from St. Louis County Public Works Department that township application for renewal for the upcoming snow plowing application is now available and must be received by September 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

Sent:

• Snow plow online application for 10/1/2025-05/01/2026 season submitted and received by St. Louis County Public Works Department on August 11, 2025

Public Comment: The Public Comment section is a courtesy extended to persons wishing to address the Board. If you wish to comment during the Township Meeting, follow the protocol below. One public comment per citizen which is limited to two minutes. Submit request by the first Saturday of the month to peqclerk@gmail.com with your full name and comment information. The board can either address the issue, assign someone to address the issue, or do nothing.

• Douglas Dressen: Stated the Town Board is required to follow letting process as they plan to repair the road. Prior meeting records show Pequaywan Lakes Association was assigned responsibility of the town land in Rossini Road. Dressen also asks when meetings will be video recorded to avoid potential discrepancies in notes.
• Bonnie Dressen: Talked about going to the National Night Out with her poster regarding ordinances. She references from the MAT library a sample ordinance that can be used. A signed paper is required from the board to allow Dressen to obtain the sample. She requests the board sign this so she can obtain the sample ordinance.
• Shane Stolp: Gave thanks to town board for work on West Branch Road including road repairs, ditch work, and other volunteer work. Expressed concerns on any ordinances due to lack of enforceability and potential legal implications of the town board. Defined his view of what a community means.
• Chair Nelson proposes adding language to the Town Board website as follows: “Pequawyan Township and the Pequawyan Lakes Association discourages the use of Wakeboats, also known as wake surf boats or watersports boats, popular for their ability to produce large wakes suitable for surfing and wakeboarding. However, their operation can have several negative impacts on lake habitats primarily through shoreline erosion, disruption of aquatic vegetation, sediment resuspension, and disturbance of wildlife, all of which can degrade the ecological health of freshwater ecosystems. If you want more information on Wakeboats, please do a search and reference the University of Minneosta Wakeboat Study found here: UMN researchers study waves created by recreational boats | St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | College of Science and Engineering.  Swanstrom motioned to put language on the front page of the website, Wilson second, motion carried. Nelson yay, Wilson yay, Swanstrom yay.

Next meeting: September 9, 2025, 7:00 p.m., Pequaywan Firehall

Swanstrom motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:55 pm, second by Wilson, motion carried. Nelson yay, Wilson yay, Swanstrom yay.

Next Meeting, September 9, 2025, 7:00 p.m., Pequaywan Firehall

Respectfully submitted by:
Shane Stolp, Deputy Clerk
Lita Wallace, Clerk