December 13, 2016 | Township Board Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 by Chair Scott Mead.

Attendance:

Supervisors Scott Mead, Lee Kaplan and Don Swanstrom; and Treasurer Kim Hand
Number of residents present – 5. Nonresidents – 1

Clerk’s Report

The minutes from the November meeting were approved following a motion by Don and a second by Lee. Motion approved, 3-0

Treasurer’s Report

$238,770.92 – Cash on hand as of Oct. 31
$20,083.83 – Deposits
$1,548.17 – Expenditures
$257,305.98 – Cash on hand as of Nov. 30,

Motion by Scott, seconded by Don, to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Motion carried, 3-0.

Old Business

• Township property. Lee will contact Beth Peterson, Southern St. Louis County Soil and Water District, to have her prepare a proposal and contract regarding her liaison with the county on necessary permits to access the property off Rossini and other coordination with the county as necessary, coordination of the work of Waste Wood Recyclers who will be clearing/logging the property, marking of the eastern boundaries of the township land, and a conservsation plan for future  plantings.

• Discussion of the contract with Waste Wood Recyclers. It was recommended that an end date be added to the contract to make sure the work is done.

•  Township Road. The county has required that work be done on West Branch Road to facilitate its plowing of the road. It has agreed to plow this year but said the work must be done by next winter. Scott will contact possible contractors to see if he can get a cost for the removal of various banks along certain parts of the road to prevent the plowed snow from falling back on the road and also to expand the turn around at the north end of West Branch Road. The cost is needed in time for the annual meeting in March and discussion of the annual levy.

• Treasurer’s Position. Residents will be notified that the position of treasurer is open for the upcoming term through an email/mailed letter right after Jan. 1  A job description of the position will  be attached. If there is not a qualified candidate, Option B will be voted on at the annual meeting which allows the township to appoint a treasurer. There is a treasurer in another township who has agreed to serve if no resident can. The job description is also posted on the township website.

New Business

• Don agreed to be the Weed Inspector. The State has required that the township complete  a weed control report and appoint a weed inspector regarding noxious or hazardous weeds.

• Scott reported on his attendance at the annual Minnesota Township Association meeting on broadband internet on Nov. 18.

• Scott read a letter to be sent to the St. Louis County Commissioners stating the township’s support of Normanna Township’s land use plan. Scott made a motion to approve the letter. Lee seconded. Motion passed.

• January agenda – items for inclusion should be sent to Kim Hand in the absence of clerk Lita Wallace.

Claims and Payroll

• Check numbers: 1097 to 1110. in the total amount of $2,271.51

Next meeting: January 10 at 7:30 a.m., Pequaywan Fire Department, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road

Motion of Adjourn meeting by Scott, second by Don. Motion passed, 3-0.  Meeting adjourned at 8:35.

Minutes submitted by Judy Strom.

June 14, 2016 | Township Board Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 by Chair Scott Mead.

Attendance:

• Board members Scott Mead, Lee Kaplan and Don Swanstrom, and Treasurer Kim Hand

• Number of residents — 10
• Non residents — 1

Clerk’s Report:

Chair Scott Mead read the minutes from the May meeting. Motion to approve by Don, seconded by Lee. (Scott yay, Lee yay, Don yay.)

Treasurer’s Report

$249,413.46 — Total cash on hand as of 4/30/2016
$216.57 — Deposits
$1,561.85 — Expenditures
$248,068.18 — Total cash on hand as of 5/31/2016

Motion to approve by Scott, seconded by Don (Scott yay, Lee yay, Don yay.)

Old Business

• Scott reported that logging had not started yet on the township land. The contract to do so expires this summer.

• Jonathan Trexel had not filed an application for a conditional use permit for his Northern Life Ranch as of June 3.

New Business

• Discussion on obtaining material for signs to inform residents of township meetings, voting times, etc. The new Fire Department sign has a “holder” to the road side on which such signs could be attached.

• Discussion was held on a request from a resident for a resolution opposing Minnesota House Bill HF 2415 on various gun control measures. Since the bill was not heard in any committee before the legislative session ended and so is considered “dead,” there was no need for any action on a resolution.

Much of the discussion was about how information had not been passed along from the St. Louis County Association of Townships regarding the bill. Lee noted that the discussion at the SLCAT took place because someone from Colvin Township wanted to use the meeting to rally support for a resolution on the part of townships. It was not part of any legislative action on the part of townships or the SLCAT itself. Short of attending all meetings of the SLCAT, we have no way of monitoring what takes place there on a regular basis.

• Discussion on a group called Positive Energy Outdoors. Don Swanstrom had received a call from a township supervisor from Normanna expressing concern about this organization and its use of trails in the area.

• Discussion from a resident on whether the Fire Department could post No Burning or Burning Bans to alert property owners that no outdoor burning was allowed.

Correspondence

There was no correspondence to report since the Clerk was not present.

Motion to Adjourn, made by Scott, seconded by Don; (Scott yay, Lee yay, Don yay).

Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

Next meeting:

July 12, 2016, 7:30 p.m, Pequaywan Fire Department, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road

Submitted by Judy Strom, Pequaywan resident

August 11, 2015 | Township Board Meeting

The meeting was called to order by Rick at 7:30 a.m.

ATTENDANCE
Board members – Rick Fry, Scott Mead, Lee Kaplan, Kim Hand, Lita Wallace
Number of residents – 28, non-residents – 10

CLERK’S REPORT – read by Rick. Motioned to approve by Scott, seconded by Lee. Motion carried.

TREASURER’S REPORT (was not read and approved)

July 2015 Treasurer’s Report (not read and not approved)
$247,671.46 Total Cash On-Hand on 6/30/15
       7,892.50 Deposits
–      1,248.20 Expenditures
 $254,315.76  Balance as of 7/31/15

OLD BUSINESS

DNR response to 7/17/15 Township letter requesting extension of public input from August 15, 2015 to November 21, 2015, re-metallic mineral lease sale – request was denied.

Discussion on the State’s proposed nonferrous metallic minerals lease sale – Victoria Sellner and Dave Dahl, guest representatives from DNR described the process that will be used in reviewing the lease applications in the unincorporated area to the west of the township. Supervisors and residents requested more notification of future actions on mining leases. Lee will send a request to Victoria Sellner to put Lita’s email address on the “Interested Person’s list for future notification. Folks will have until August 21 to send comments to DNR at Division of Land and Minerals, 500 Lafayette Road, St Paul, MN 55155-4045.

Review of a proposal for a Preliminary Engineering Consultation from Northland Consulting Engineers for road repair at West Branch Road.

The cost of paving the road is estimated at $100,00 to $380,000 depending on the type of repair: patching and fixing the bad areas, or paving the road.

Road Report/Striping – The County will conduct yellow striping in the middle of the road at West Branch Road. They will not do white striping.

Tree give-away project for replanting on the township land at Rossini Road – Logging company has scheduled the project in the fall and we will discuss again about tree planting afterwards. There was a talk about devoting a spot for helicopter landing but instead of being in the logged area, it will most likely be at Pequaywan Lake Road and will require involvement by St Louis County and Pequaywan Fire Department/First Responder.

Laptop update – 2 Dell computers were purchased.

Authorization to grant Superior Choice Credit Union  for the following transactions to open an accounts (e.g., money market, share certificate, savings, checking) :

o   Access account information

o   Endorse checks

o   Make deposits

o   Make transfers

o   Make withdrawals

o   Open accounts

o   Receive mailings (e.g., bank statements)

Motioned by Rick that Kim, Lita and Lee will be signers for the checks, Kim will receive bank statements, Kim or Lee will have the authority to conduct the other listed transactions. Seconded by Lee. Motion carried.

Other Old Business – None

NEW BUSINESS

Discussion on vacating the 33-foot lot the State owns on Big Pequaywan Lake – evidently the township has some control over it – Rick motioned to approve a request to vacate the lot. Seconded by Scott. Motion carried. A letter signed by the supervisors will be sent out.

District 10 Meeting and Election – will be held on August 27, 2015 in Grand Lake Townhall, St. Louis County, Highway 53 N in downtown Twig.

Report on Fire Department Sign – Pequaywan Lake Association proposed putting a sign by the road and was originally discussed that the Fire Department and the Association will share the cost of $830.00. However, after careful considerations, the Fire Department decided that they will bear the cost since the sign is located in the property owned by the Fire Department.

2015 Minnesota Election Laws (from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State Elections Division) new publication – available if anyone is interested to review.

Claims Report totalling  $1567.61.

Other New Business – None

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

Cleaning brush on the road – Rick suggested to call the County Commissioner’s Office.

A request was made that the supervisors send a letter to St. Louis County Planning and Community Development to support the construction of two wireless internet towers in the township by Coop Light  Power (CLP) and urge the County to approve CLP’s land use application as quickly as possible. – The supervisors agreed to send a letter.

Next meeting: Tuesday,  September 8, 7:30 p.m., Pequaywan Fire Hall

Rick motioned to adjourn at 10:00 p.m., seconded by Scott. Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted by,

Lita Wallace, Township Clerk

March 10, 2015 | Annual Town Meeting

The annual meeting was convened at 8:15 pm.

17 residents were present.

Clerk Smitke called the meeting to order. Volunteering to be citizen monitor is Brian Landstrom.

2014 annual meeting minutes read. No treasurer’s report was given.

Road report: Patching is continuing to be done on the road.

The levy for taxes was motioned/seconded to be set at $13,500 for the year. Motioned/seconded/carried.

The annual elections were reported on that Lee Kaplan was elected for a 3-year term as supervisor and Kim Hand was elected for a 2-year term as treasurer.

The voting hours motioned/seconded/carried for Primary, General and Special Statewide election hours to be 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. The annual township election hours are to be 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The monthly meeting time and day shall be 7:30 pm on the second Tuesday of each month, and the annual meeting shall be the second Tuesday of March after the annual township election.

Local notice postings can be made at the Pequaywan township bulletin board, PVFD bulletin board, pequaywan.com Website and pequaywantownship.org Website.

Meeting adjourned.

March 10, 2015 | Township Board Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 8:45 pm.

Present: Rick Fry, Scott Mead, April Smitke, Lee Kaplan, Kim Hand

Kim Hand and Lee Kaplan were sworn in as new officers prior to the meeting.

Next meeting is set for April 14, 2015.

Assignment of duties: Chairman — Rick Fry, Road report — Rick Fry, Assistant Chairman — Scott Mead.

Monetary rates set: Monthly meeting $25; Election Judges hourly $15; Outside meeting hours $15. Motioned/Seconded/Approved.

Proposed levy for 2016 is $13,500. Motioned/Seconded/Approved

Scott Mead proposed to have Lee Kaplan maintain the pequaywantownship.org Website. Motioned/Seconded/Approved.

Meeting adjourned.

 

 

November 11, 2014 | Township Board Meeting

Meeting called to order at 7:30 PM.

Present: Mark Freeman, Scott Mead, Rick Fry

Absent: April Smitke

Next meeting set for December 9, 2014.

Minutes from the last meeting were not read.

Old Business:

Internet Tower:

Subdividing the township property has issues concerning the size of the parcel to be sold. The property is RES4, which requires 4.5 acres minimum parcel size. A private landowner has come forward offering land for the tower. The township property will be put on hold for now.

Logging has not been done yet.

Demonstration of the ARM-LOC water rescue device was presented. Motion was made and seconded to purchase the ARM-LOC for the fire department.

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.

October 14, 2014 | Township Board Meeting

Meeting called to order at 7:30 PM

Present: Mark Freeman, Rick Fry, April Smitke, Keith Stoneburner

Absent: Scott Mead

Residents in attendance: 12

Next meeting set for November 11, 2014

Minutes from the previous meeting were read and approved.

Treasurer report:  No updates

Old Business:

Internet: Per township’s attorney, the township cannot lease or sell unless at Fair Market Value. Need to determine what FMV is.  No feedback from CLP regarding this.  Resident has proposed purchasing the land from the township with contingencies. Motion made and seconded for the review by township attorney to sell the property to a private citizen.  Motion made and seconded to sell said property for CLP’s tower to private township citizen, providing it meets all legal requirements.  Purchase order may be developed and signed prior to next meeting.

Logging: No action yet.

New Business:

November 4th is general election day.

Meeting adjourned 8:25 pm.

September 9, 2014 | Township Board Meeting

Called to order at 7:30 PM

Present: Mark Freeman, Rick Fry, Scott Mead, April Smitke, Keith Stoneburner

Residents in attendance: 27

Next meeting set for October 14, 2014

Minutes read and approved

Treasurer report:  Checks submitted to Mark for his signature.  Checks received recently; $5,700 from taconite relief, $3,000 from DNR and $300 from Carlson Timber.  Balance is $241,000.  Treasurer report motioned and seconded to approve.

Old Business:

Internet: Statement made by Mark regarding the progress in the past month since the last meeting.  Lease or buyout of the land was discussed between Mark and CLP representatives.  It was decided in the end to discuss with the township attorney which statute is the center point of the compensation of land discussion.  Also, what is considered appropriate compensation?  If two monthly free internet accounts is compensation, can the township “sell” those to residents to receive monetary compensation?  Can the fire department receive internet as part of the annual payment from the township?  Set up meeting with Peggy Kuettel (representative on the CLP board for Pequaywan area).

Logging: The logging agreement has been signed and returned to Carlson Timber.  They have sent a $300 down payment on the contract.

Smokey the Bear sign:  Contact is being made by the fire department on the whereabouts of the sign.

New Business:

Meeting adjourned at 9:40 PM

August 12, 2014 | Township Board Meeting

Meeting called to order at 8:20 PM (after Primary election ended)

Present: Mark Freeman, Rick Fry, April Smitke

Absent: Scott Mead, Keith Stoneburner

Residents in attendance: 14

Next meeting set for September 9, 2014.

Minutes read and approved.

Old Business:

Internet: Statement made by Mark regarding the tower on Pequaywan township land that covered timeline of the past months’ facts regarding the attorney’s review of the proposal and communication with the CLP attorney to date.  Ongoing communication will be made with the attorneys to conclude the issue.

Logging: Carlson logging sent a proposal to log the township land off the Rossini Road.  They are to leave the large red and white pines, clean up the dead trees and leave some brush.  Quote was for $6,700 that the township will receive for the timber. Motion made (Mark) and 2nd (Rick) to accept the proposal.

New Business:

Smokey the Bear sign:  Missing.  DNR states they do not have it and offered to replace it with a new sign.

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM.