The Annual Town Meeting was held at Pequaywan Fire Hall and convened at 8:12 p.m. with 21 residents and one non-resident present.
Meeting called to order: Town Clerk Lita Wallace called the meeting to order. Phyllis Mead volunteered to be moderator. Copies of 2016 Annual Meeting Minutes were provided to attendees and read by Phyllis. Correction on March 2016 Annual Minutes, Road Repair – change Cty 44 to Cty 256. Motioned by Kathy Sluka, seconded by Donald Swanstrom, none opposed, motion carried.
Result of Township Election – One Supervisor and Treasurer position were on the ballot this year. Results of the election are as follows:
- Supervisor: Donald Swanstrom (18 votes), write-ins: Dale Brooks (1), Doug Dressen (1), Daryl Waldriff (1)
- Treasurer, write-in (Bonnie Dressen (2) Keith Stonebrenner (1)
- Adoption of Option B: Yes (16), No (2)
Summary: Donald Swanstrom was elected as Supervisor and Option B to appoint a treasurer was voted to pass
Widening of West Branch Road: St. Louis County would like the turn-around for the snow plow to be widened and snow bank pushed further. The county said that they will not plow snow unless the township provide a bigger turnaround. Discussions:
- Ballpark cost is $30,000.00.
- In completing this project, properties in those areas will be affected as trees would have to be cut down which could upset property owners.
- Can the township purchase its own snowplow truck instead of spending the money on the project? Someone offered to plow the snow. However, what happens if the individual is not available to do the plowing? Would there be volunteers to create a committee to study the pros and cons?
- How about abandoning the road? One argues that is not easy to do as what happened to a road in the nearby township.
Logging the township land: Pequaywan township has an agreement with Wastewood Recyclers to clear all dead trees this summer and leave all pine and desirable species. Then, we’ll check next year if we need to transplant.
- Logging the township land – to get to the township land for logging, there is a wedge of land that the county is responsible for between the main road and the township land. The county wanted the town to pay $1078 (the estimated value of the lumber) to allow the township access to the area. They reneged on a deal for them to put an entry from Rossini Road to the town land without getting paid $1078. We offered to purchase the land for $1.078 but they declined as any sale has to be done thru bid.
Report from Pequaywan Fire & EMS: Steve Pelto reported, on behalf of Dale Brooks, that there were 6-7 medical calls and two fire calls. They received two grants including gears for $80,000 worth of equipment.
FireWise: Judy Strom reported that DNR grant was for $27,942.00. Township share was paid entirely through volunteer hours ($20,600.00 or 895.6 hours) most from cutting and removal of trees. The grant was used for:
- removal of trees two times during summer 2016, picked up and chipped at gravel pit, largest expense nearly $20,000.00
- mailing of Firewise materials to all township residents
- website, pequaywantownship.org/firewise
- new 911 address signs for those who did not have a sign or the new reflective 192 signs
- new updated directory mailed to all township property owners
Thanks to the committee: Judith Strom, Lee Kaplan, Phyllis Mead, Scott Mead, Marialice Arndt, Richard Arndt.
Set the levy: Lee Kaplan motioned to set the levy for taxes at $30,000 for 2018, seconded by Doug Nelson, none opposed, motion carried. $13,500 of the levy will go towards Pequaywan Fire Department.
Set voting hours:
7:00 am – 8:00 pm, Primary and General Election
10:00 am – 8:00 pm, Special Primary and General Election
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Township Election
Motioned and seconded, none opposed, motion carried.
Monthly meeting date/time: Second Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm at Pequaywan Fire Hall
Annual meeting date/time: Second Tuesday during the month of March following the Town Election
March Town Meeting: meeting following the Annual Meeting
Posting Places: West Branch Road sign board; Pequaywan Fire & EMS bulletin board; Pequaywan Inn bulletin board; pequaywantownship.org website; pequaywan.com website
Annual Board of Appeals and Equalization date: April 26, 2017, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Pequaywan Fire Hall
Citizen comments/concerns: The Town thanks Kim Hand for her dedicated service as treasurer for the last two years.
Meeting was motioned by Lita Wallace, seconded by Doug Dressen to adjourn at 8:40 p.m. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted
Lita Wallace, Pequaywan Town Clerk