Meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chair Donald Swanstrom.
Attendance:
Town Officers: Chair Don Swanstrom, Vice-Chair Scott Mead, Supervisor Charles Kuettel, Treasurer Raymond G. Barnes. Number of resident/s present: 6, number of non-resident present: 3
Clerk’s Report: Kuettel motioned to approve October Minutes, seconded by Mead motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report
October 2018
Total Cash on hand as of 10/01/2018 – $171,120.90
Plus: Deposits – $78.78
Less Disbursements (October) – $5,162.35
Total Cash on hand as of 10/31/2018 – $166,037.33
October Check # 1385 – 1394
Kuettel motioned to approve October Treasurer’s Report, seconded by Mead, motion carried.
November 2018
Claims (November) – $1958.92
November Check # 1395 – 1404
Swanstrom motioned to approve November Claims, seconded by Kuettle , motion carried.
Old Business
- Clerk’s Report on general Election held on November 6: Pequaywan Township Precinct 0875 was open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It had 128 registered voters with 20 absentee ballots and 86 voting in person, a total of 106 votes. Three judges conducted the election. Manual counting was done which lasted until 11:30 p.m. results were relayed to St Louis County.
New Business:
- Mead reported that Townships are not required to provide financial information on employees (information asked for by American Transparency Employee information.)
- Karen Zeisler, tax-forfeited Land Coordinator, with Saint Louis County was present to discuss options of the township gaining access to township property off Rossini. There is approximately 3.4 acres that the county can: 1) allow township to purchase the property at market value which is allowed for public purpose; 2) township can apply for a free conveyance use permit for approximately $500 which half goes to Department of Revenue and other half to the County (need approval from near neighbors), 60 day review and after 30 years of land being used as proposed the land would be owned by township; and 3) apply for easement with cost being calculated by the foot.
- Swanstrom will mail letter of thanks to Commissioner Tom Rukavina for his assistance in seeking solutions for access to township land off Rossini.
- Mead reported on various follow up calls he made. Future Forests were contacted about the effectiveness of the spraying they did on township land. He was advised that the spray will remain on the plants until spring and further material will die. With discussion of coordinating two fire departments and the volume of yard brush involved it seems too complicated for township to piggyback on Northstar brush pile.
- If option to chip instead of burning brush pile was to be considered Mead sought estimates. Wastewood Recycling with chipping on site would be $2500 for set up plus haul away or to set up a semi in which brush would be loaded into would be approximately $300-400 dollars (semi would hold about 50 pickup loads), Bark Tree estimate was approximately $1500 to chip for one day and haul chips away. Another option to be considered is to charge residents a fee for disposal of yard waste.
- Mead received a call from Kevin Olson with a suggestion that his son Alex would like to consider a eagle scout project of a picnic shelter on the township land. Mead will invite him to a township meeting to present his proposal.
- Motion was made by Mead and seconded by Swanstron that a letter be mailed to John Wilson, per his request, outlining the use of and the restrictions on the township land, motion carried.
Correspondence
Received:
- Minnesota Data Practices Act letter of request from American Transparency asking for employee salary information of Pequaywan township employees in 2017
- Email from St. Louis County Election department with instructions on conducting a Public Accuracy Test of the Automark Machine before the General Election
- Email from a concerned citizen that gravel is washing out on the 9300 block of West Branch Road where the new road work was completed
- Email with April and May 2018 Meeting Minutes from St. Louis County Association of Townships
- Email of November Newsletter from Minnesota Association of Townships
- Email from St. Louis County Planning and Community Development notifying townships of the continuation of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan public hearing scheduled on November 8th in Virginia, MN
- Bill from MAT- training registration for Treasurer Ray G. Barnes (CTAS payroll training) and Deborah Pomroy (Weed Inspector training)
Sent: None
Public Comment
Kuettel motioned to adjourn at 8:50 p.m., seconded by Mead, motion carried.
Next Meeting: December 11, 2018, 7:30 p.m., Pequaywan Fire Department, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road, Duluth MN
Respectfully submitted by,
Marialice Arndt
Posted online by
Lita Wallace, Town Clerk