November 12, 2019, Township Board Meeting

Meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. by Chair Kuettel.

Attendance: Town Officers – Supervisor Charles Kuettel, Supervisor Donald Swanstrom, Supervisor Douglas Dressen, Treasurer Raymond G. Barnes, Clerk Lita Wallace.

Guests: Bonnie Dressen, Lisa Klassen, Deb Pomroy, Scott Mead, Daryl Waldriff, Ted Wallace

Clerk’s Report: The minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting  on October 8, 2019 was presented and reviewed. Motion to approve by Swanstrom, second by Dressen, motion carried, 3-0-0.

Treasurer’s Report:

OCTOBER 2019

Total Funds on hand as of 10/01/2019 (Includes Investments) – $168,852.87
Plus: Deposits – $217.44
Less: Disbursements (October) – $2,351.81
Total Funds on hand as of 10/31/2019 – $166,718.50
October Check # 1482 – 1491

NOVEMBER 2019

Claims (November) – $461.07
November Check # 1492 – 1495
No Fund Transfers Needed

Motion to approve by Dressen, second by Swanstrom, motion carried, 3-0-0.

Old Business

  • Update on the land purchase from St. Louis County – The county approved the special sale of the land reclassifying it as non-conservation, pending final sale approval from DNR. The Town Board approved the acquisition of the land for $5,100 plus the following fees: 3% assurance fee of $153, deed fee of $25, deed tax of $16.83, and recording fee of $46, for a total of $5,340.83 to be deposited into Fund 240 (Forfeited Tax Fund) . Motion by Swanstrom, second by Dressen, motion carried, 3-0-0.
  • Approval of Resolution for speed and weight limit in West Branch Road owned by Pequaywan Township  as follows: weight limit limited to 35 MPH and the vehicle axle weight restricted to 7-ton. Motion  to approve by Dressen, second by Swanstrom, motion carried, 3-0-0.

New Business

  • Both Wallace and Barnes verbally advised the board that their last day will be in March 2021.
  • Request for purchase of new PCs for Treasurer and Clerk: Barnes explained that the current PCs were purchased in early 2015 and both the clerk and treasurer are having issues with them. Too slow and freezing are some of the problems. Swanstrom motioned for Barnes to purchase two new computers at an appropriate amount in his judgment that will meet the needs of the treasurer and clerk, second by Dressen, motion carried, 3-0-0.
  • FYI: Wallace and Barnes will be attending the Presidential Nomination Primary Election training on December 13 at the St. Louis County Courthouse. Wallace reported that St. Louis County Auditor’s Office capped the number of two election judges to attend the training due to space restriction. Wallace will train other election judges, when needed.
  • Wallace proposed to appoint the following as election judges for all elections in 2020: Lita Wallace, Raymond Barnes and Bonnie Dressen. Swanstrom asked if all judges are affiliated with different parties. Wallace responded yes and are affiliated with a minimum of three political parties although not required to declare what their party’s affiliation is. Motion to approve by Dressen, second by Kuettel, motion carried, 3-0-0. Wallace will create the Resolution for signature during January 2020 meeting.
  • March 2020 Township Election:  Public Notice will be posted by December 21 with more information on Township Election. Important dates:
    1. The opening is for a Supervisor position presently held by Donald Swanstrom;
    2. Candidate filing period: Tuesday, December 31, 2019 through Tuesday, January 14, 2020;
    3. Absentee voting period is Friday, February 7, 2020 through Monday, March 9, 2020
    4. Last day for voters to pre-register for March Township election is Tuesday, February 18, 2020. Voter Registration Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. by St. Louis County Auditor’s Office;
    5. The last day to appoint election judges is February 14, 2020 with a Resolution and adding that “The clerk may make election judge appointments to fill vacancies should they occur.”

Correspondence

Received:

  • Email from Secretary of State through Phil Chapman, Elections Supervisor, re-Notice of 2020 Presidential Nomination Primary to be conducted on March 3, 2020
  • Email and postage mail from St. Louis County Land and Minerals Department (Stacy M.C. Melcher, Senior Planner) re-board resolution passing the approval of the special sale of land to the township pending final sale approval from DNR
  • Emails from SLCAT (St. Louis County Association of Townships) with reminder for meetings from October 2019 to May 2020; October 2019 SLCAT Meeting Agenda; SLCAT Bus Reservation form for the November 2019 Annual MAT (Minnesota Association of Townships) Meeting in Mankato
  • Email from MAT/MBA (Minnesota Benefit Association) re-communication changes to directly email officers by MAT sharing email addresses of officers with MBA
  • Email from St Louis County re-election training for March 3, 2020 Presidential Nomination Primary Election for clerks and election judges and also verifying that townships had passed a Resolution designating location for the March 3 election
  • Email from St Louis County Election providing registration for the March 3, 2020 election training
  • Email from MAT with registration form for the November 22-23, 2019 Educational Conference and Annual Meeting in Mankato
  • Email from St Louis County Election about the Notice of filing period and other pertinent information for the March 2020 Township election
  • Email invitation from St. Louis County for officers to attend the Multi-Hazard Mitigation (MHMP) 2nd Planning Team Meeting on December 13, 2019 in either Duluth or Virginia
  • Email from St. Louis County Planning and Community Development (Bradley Gustafson) re-the 2020 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)
  • Letter from St. Louis County Planning and Community Development Department re-proposed revisions for Zoning Ordinance 62 (STR) dated October 15, 2019

Sent:

  • Email of Pequaywan Township recommendations re-Short Term Rental to St. Louis County Commissioner Paul McDonald
  • Email to St. Louis County with completed form re-sale of land to the township

Public Comment:

  • Short Term Rental: Lisa Klassen mentioned that the county’s Planning and Community Development Department held a hearing on October 10 and are planning to have another hearing on December 12. They are requesting more input for discussion at the December meeting. Klassen also mentioned that she was advised to request Pequaywan Township to create a Resolution for submission to St. Louis County by December 10. A long discussion ensued. Swanstrom commented that since the Town Board’s job is to enforce the property structure in our township, this issue should be discussed further. Due to a time constraint between the December 10 deadline to Pequaywan Township’s meeting also on December 10, a Special Town Meeting was suggested to be scheduled before December 10. The Agenda for the Special Town Meeting will be to create a Resolution putting in place a minimum requirements for the township to govern themselves in regards to STR’s. Swanstrom will contact a MAT (MN Association of Township) attorney to help define residential zoned vs allowing generating income STR’s that are popping in the township. Information for the Special Town Meeting will be posted in official posting places.

Next Meeting, December 10, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Pequaywan Firehall, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road

Meeting adjourn at 9:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by,
Lita Wallace, Town Clerk