Alexandria Township
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Minutes of the meeting of April 4, 2016
A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Alexandria Township was held on the 4th day of April, 2016 at the Alexandria Township Conference Room, 324 Broadway.
ROLL CALL: Supervisors present were Jul Feuling, Jeff Oberg, Joel Dahlheimer, Rod Eldevik and Russell Niskanen. Also present were Gregg Raisanen, Clerk, and Mona Billmark, Treasurer. As said members formed a quorum and the meeting was called to order by Clerk Raisanen at 6:00 p.m.
Clerk Raisanen called for nominations for chairman. Niskanen nominated Jul Feuling as chair. Nominations ceased and a unanimous ballot was cast for Feuling as chair. The meeting was turned over to Chair Feuling.
Chair Feuling called for nominations for vice-chair. Oberg nominated Joel Dahlheimer as vice-chair. Nominations ceased and a unanimous ballot was cast for Dahlheimer as vice-chair.
Dahlheimer, seconded by Oberg, made a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Niskanen, seconded by Eldevik, made a motion to approve the minutes of the 3/21/2016 regular board meeting as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Eldevik, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to authorize payment of claims 16060 – 16067 in the amount of $14,667.90, net payroll $5,229.46 for a total of $19,897.36 and no transfer of funds from savings. Motion carried unanimously.
CITIZEN’S CONCERNS: none
PLANNING AND ZONING: Clerk Raisanen reported he had discussed with Hometown Planning the possibility of entering into an agreement for utilizing the township office/ services of the township’s administrative assistant for his other communities. Hometown Planning has preliminarily agreed to guarantee the township ten hours/month for administrative services, reimbursing the township at the rate of $25.00/hr. Most of this work would be performed outside of normal township business hours. Clerk Raisanen to draw up the paperwork.
ENGINEER’S REPORT: Engineer Kuhn reported he will be setting up a pre-con meeting soon for the Neewana Beach road project.
Annual road inspection was set for 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, 2016 commencing at Alden Just Road Maintenance.
Supervisor Dahlheimer reported that he had been in contact with the homeowners at 2920 Wilderness Ridge Rd. They want to clean up the brush, clippings, limbs and junk in the wetland area on their property and are asking permission from the town to do so. Engineer Kuhn to check into it.
Supervisor Niskanen made mention of the condition of Wilderness Ridge Road with respect to the laying of the gas line in the right-of-way. He stated that it has not yet been returned to pre-construction condition.
Supervisor Niskanen reported on the DPW public informational meeting he and Chair Feuling attended on March 30, 2016. Topics covered were the county highway system, 2016 construction funding and bridge replacement priorities. Douglas County Engineer Robley had stated that asphalt pricing is the lowest in many years. Niskanen stated that the Neewana Beach underpass will be on the bridge inventory, which is a database with the State of MN. The county is required to conduct annual bridge inspections every four years. The township could apply with the county for repairs, replacement, etc.
Construction projects for 2016 include: 1) widening the shoulders and overlay from County Road 23 to 30th Avenue and 2) putting in a left-turn lane off County Highway 82 at the Liberty Road intersection. The road will be closed during construction and the detour will be on Hope Road and it will be maintained by the county for the duration. Engineer Kuhn will check on inclusion of a bike trail from this area to the Central Lakes Trail.
OLD BUSINESS: none
NEW BUSINESS: Clerk Raisanen reported we received one RFP for summer road maintenance from Alden Just Road Maintenance. The proposal includes all the requested information. The prices quoted are the same as last year, with the base fuel price for dyed fuel being ten cents less per gallon than last year. The fees quoted for services are as follows: blading and maintaining of township roads – $85/hr.; mowing weeds and ditches – $64/hr.; spraying of weeds – $62/hr; sweeping streets/roads – $63/hr; sign installation/tree removal/other maintenance – $35/hr/worker. Base fuel rates are as follows: $2.399/gal for dyed fuel and $2.599/gal for highway fuel with a $1/hr. fuel adjustment for $0.12/gal increase in fuel prices. Dahlheimer, seconded by Niskanen, made a motion to award the 2016 summer road maintenance contract to Alden Just Road Maintenance at the fee schedule provided above for the period of April 5, 2016 – September 30, 2016. Motion carried unanimously.
REORGANIZATION MEETING:
1. The following Board appointments were made for 2016:
LAR – Supervisor Oberg, with Patrick Running serving as the township representative
AAEDC – Vice-chair Dahlheimer, with Mark Watkins serving as the township representative
Planning & Zoning Subcommittee – Chair Feuling and Supervisor Niskanen
Roads – Vice-chair Dahlheimer and Supervisor Niskanen
Sewer District – Vice-chair Dahlheimer, with Rod Eldevik serving as the township representative
Transportation Subcommittee – Supervisors Eldevik and Niskanen
Parks and Recreation Subcommittee – Clerk Raisanen and Supervisor Oberg
2. Planning commission term expirations – Consensus to re-appoint Mary Hacker and Larry Steidl to 3-year terms expiring March 2019.
3. Per diem rate – Feuling, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to have the per diem rate remain at $80/meeting with an extra $20/meeting chairing a meeting. Motion carried unanimously.
4. Inspection rate – Dahlheimer, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to have the inspection rate remain at $40/inspection. Motion carried unanimously.
5. Incidental labor rate – Eldevik, seconded by Niskanen, made a motion to have the incidental labor rate remain at $15/hr. Motion carried unanimously.
6. Administrative Assistant salary – Niskanen, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to increase the administrative assistant’s salary by 5%, raising it from $18.50/hr. to $19.43/hr. Motion carried unanimously.
7. Treasurer’s salary – Feuling, seconded by Niskanen, made a motion to increase the treasurer’s salary by 5%, raising it from $700/month to $735/month. Motion carried unanimously.
8. Clerk’s salary – Dahlheimer, seconded by Eldevik, made a motion to increase the clerk’s salary by 5%, raising it from $700/month to $735/month. Motion carried unanimously.
9. Mileage rate –Niskanen, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to adopt the IRS millage reimbursement rate. Motion carried unanimously.
10. Official newspaper – Dahlheimer, seconded by Eldevik, made a motion to designate the Echo Press as the township’s official site for legal notifications. Motion carried unanimously.
11. Township bank – Eldevik, seconded by Niskanen, made a motion to designate Bremer Bank as our depositor of funds. Motion carried unanimously.
12. Attorney – Oberg, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to designate the Pemberton Law Firm as legal counsel, with Paul Johnson serving as the township attorney for general township matters and Charlie Good serving as the township prosecution attorney. Motion carried unanimously.
13. Weed inspector – Niskanen, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to designate all town supervisors as weed inspectors with Vice-chair Dahlheimer as chief weed inspector. Motion carried unanimously.
14. Deputy clerk – Clerk Raisanen appointed Bonnie Fulghum as deputy clerk.
15. Group life insurance – Oberg, seconded by Eldevik, made a motion to retain coverage at the silver level. Motion carried unanimously.
Being no further business, Eldevik, seconded by Oberg, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m.
Respectfully submitted….
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Gregg Raisanen, Clerk
Approved this ____ day of ________, 2016
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Jul Feuling, Chair