March 12, 2019, Township Board Meeting

Meeting was called to order at 9:12 p.m. by Chair Donald Swanstrom.

Attendance: Town Officers – Supervisor Donald Swanstrom, Supervisor Scott Mead, Supervisor Charles Kuettel, Treasurer Raymond G. Barnes, Clerk Lita Wallace. Number of resident/s present: 7, number of non-resident/s present: 2.

Clerk’s Report: The minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting  on February 12, 2019, was presented and reviewed. Motion by Mead to approve the minutes, second by Kuettel, motion carried unanimously, 3-0-0.

Treasurer’s Report:

February 2019

Total Funds on hand as of 02/01/2019 (Includes Investments) – $159,974.88
Plus: Deposits – $4,203.17
Less: Disbursements (February) – $2,417.50
Total Funds on hand as of 02/28/2019 – $161,760.55
February Check # 1423 – 1427

March 2019

Claims (March) – $2,028.39
March Check # 1428 – 1439

Motion to approve February 2019 Treasurer’s Report and March 2019 Claims by Swanstrom, second by Kuettel, motion carried, 3-0-0.

Old Business

  • 2020 Town Levy – At the Annual Town Meeting, residents motion/second $35,000.00 levy with $15,000.00 going to Pequaywan Fire Department.
  • Amount for Pequaywan Fire and EMS from 2020 levy – Kuettel motion to approve $15,000, second by Mead, motion carried, 3-0-0.
  • Update on washout areas on West Branch Road – Mead and Kuettel with a resident worked on fixing the wash-out areas. Kuettel will contact KTM but will wait until Spring
  • Update on land acquisition – Swanstrom reported that the Purchase Agreement is in the process of being finalized
  • Update on who is responsible for plowing and/or shoveling snow at the Fire Department during election – Wallace expressed concern about the safety of individuals when the sidewalk or the front of the door is not shoveled. Supervisors decided that they will take care of shoveling snow during election day.

New Business

  • Town Election result and report: Wallace reported that Douglas Dressen garnered 13 write-in votes; Scott Mead 1 write-in vote; and Ron Sluka, 1 write-in vote.
  • Board of Canvass – election judges and supervisors certified the official town election result
  • Kuettel motion, Mead seconded to extend an indefinite Option B appointment of Ray Barnes, treasurer, motion carried, 3-0-0.
  • Approval for Town officers interested in attending the 2019 MAT (Minnesota Association of Townships) Spring Short Course Training – Mead motion, Kuettel second that officers are approved to attend any future MAT, LBAE, Election and other training required.
  • LBAE (Local Board of Appeal and Equalization) Meeting scheduled on April 18, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Pequaywan Fire Hall
  • Wallace suggested to re-schedule monthly meeting date/time during Federal and State Elections such as the Primary and General Elections that lands on the same date as the monthly town meeting as ballot counting takes longer time to process – will table during election year

Correspondence

Received:

  • Schedule of Township LBAE Meeting from St. Louis County Assessor’s Office
  • January 2019 SLCAT (St. Louis County Association of Townships) Meeting Minutes
  • Email and postage mail from U.S. Census Bureau requesting return of the 2019 Boundary and Annexation Survey
  • January 2019 DAT (Duluth Association of Townships) Meeting Minutes and Agenda for March 2019
  • Email from MAT (Minnesota Association of Townships) re-Annual Town Meeting checklist, March Election, Spring Short Course training, Legislative Update
  • Two Absentee Ballots by postage mail

Sent:

  • Two Absentee Ballots by postage mail
  • Treasurer submitted the Township’s 2018 Financial Information to the Office of the State Auditor-GID (Government Information Division)

Public Comment

Next Meeting: April 9, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Pequaywan Fire Department, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road

Reorganization Meeting: April 9, 2019, after the Town Meeting, Pequaywan Fire Department, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road

Mead  motion to adjourn at 9:39 p.m., second by Kuettel, motion carried unanimously.

Respectfully submitted by,
Lita Wallace, Town Clerk