Alexandria Township
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Minutes of the meeting of April 5, 2010
A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Alexandria Township was held on the 5th day of April, 2010 at the Alexandria Township Conference Room, 610 Fillmore Street.
ROLL CALL: Supervisors present were Bryon Alstead, Louis Ross, Jul Feuling, Joel Dahlheimer and Roger Thalman. 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 board chair. Bryon Alstead nominated Roger Thalman to be the board chair. Louis Ross asked to cease nominations and a unanimous vote was cast for Roger Thalman as chairman.
The meeting was turned over to Chairman Thalman.
Bryon Alstead nominated Louis Ross to be Vice-Chairman. Julie Feuling asked for nominations to cease and a unanimous vote was cast for Louis Ross as Vice-Chairman.
Alstead, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to approve the minutes of the 3/15/10 regular board meeting as written. Motion carried. Joel Dahlheimer abstained.
Ross, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to authorize payment of claims 100083-100099 in the amount of $21,194.32, payroll in the amount of $3,324.17, totaling $24,518.49. Motion.
carried unanimously.
Clerk Raisanen informed the board that the auditor stated the clerk’s internet service charges must be treated as part of the clerk’s salary, not as an expense.
CITIZEN’S CONCERNS: None
PLANNING AND ZONING: Resolution 10-04, Adopting an Amendment to the Official Township Zoning Map. Alstead, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to adopt Resolution 10-04, a resolution adopting an amendment to the official zoning map. Roll: Alstead, Feuling, Ross, Dahlheimer, Thalman – yes. Opposed: none. Motion carried unanimously.
ENGINEER’S REPORT: Neewana Beach Road. Clerk Raisanen asked if this is a project that the town wants to pursue. He stated that the town typically pursues a paving project upon petition by landowners. Southside Drive had been slated as the 2010 paving project; however, the project was denied after landowner concerns were raised at the public hearing. Clerk Raisanen said that we have received two other blacktop petitions, Deer Lane and Remington Road. The Deer Lane project has the potential of being rejected as the project would have some of the same landowner concerns as Southside Drive. Remington Road costs would be high due to large 10-acre parcels. The other concern is that Remington Road is not sewered.
The transportation committee had concluded that Neewana Beach Road serves the area residents and the general public and therefore should be considered for blacktop. If the town were to do this as an assessment project, the increase in property values would have to exceed the proposed assessment amount. This would require a 4/5ths vote of the board. Chairman Thalman inquired if the township has paved a road and paid the whole cost? Clerk Raisanen reported that he was not aware of any former projects of this type. Supervisor Ross asked if the cart path is considered a public safety issue. Clerk Raisanen responded it is not since the road is gravel and thus the speed is lower, however if it is paved then it could be a concern. The town board requested Engineer Kuhn to check into how far the sewerline extends on Neewana Beach Road.
Supervisor Dahlheimer requested that at a later date the town check into the steep ditches on S. Lake Jessie Road.
The town board directed Engineer Kuhn to advertise for gravel quotes.
Kurt Street. Engineer Kuhn stated that Kurt Street has a number of frost boils and is in poor condition. He stated that Kurt Street is roughly 1000 feet long and an estimate for a skin patch would be approximately $5,000 – $10,000. Did the town want to apply a skin patch or reclaim the asphalt and put down new bituminous? Projected estimate for the latter would be approximately $40,000. The town board directed Engineer Kuhn to contact the City of Alexandria regarding a joint venture project since a portion of Kurt Street is owned by both entities and in 2012 would be entirely annexed into the city.
OLD BUSINESS: LAHS update: Supervisor Ross stated that he and the Humane Society director, Christin Klimek, were at the county commissioners meeting on March 23rd . The county commissioners chose to take no action at that time. The commissioners did not wish to match funds by the largest three entities represented (Alexandria City, LaGrand Township and Alexandria Township) nor did they want to institute the $1 per capita funding for the spay-neuter program. The three governmental entities are all supportive of the spay-neuter program. The question was raised about the three governmental entities instituting the funding of the $1/capita themselves rather than wait for the county to do it. Consensus of the town board was for Supervisor Ross to continue discussions with LAHS.
NEW BUSINESS: Board appointments were as follows: LAR – Alstead, with Dahlheimer as an alternate; AAEDC – Dahlheimer; Zoning Subcommittee – Feuling, Ross, John Knowles and Russ Niskanen from the Planning Commission; Roads – Dahlheimer, with Alstead as a back-up; Lakes Regional Planning Agency – Alstead; Water Planning Task Force – Alstead; Park Inspection – Alstead; Transportation Committee – Engineer Kuhn, Dahlheimer, Feuling, Russ Niskanen and Larry Steidl from the Planning Commission; Parks & Recreation Committee – Clerk Raisanen, Alstead, Zoning Administrator Oleson, Lyle Hammerschmidt and Julie Haar from the Planning Commission; Flood Board –Dahlheimer.
Clerk Raisanen reported that he is appointing Bonnie Fulghum as Deputy Clerk.
Alstead, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to maintain the per diem rate at $80/meeting and an additional $20/meeting for the chairman where minutes are recorded. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to maintain the inspection rate at $40. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to maintain the incidental labor rate at $15/hr. Motion carried unanimously.
Dahlheimer, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to increase the Administrative Assistant’s salary from $15.25/hr. to $15.75/hr. Yes: Alstead, Fueling, Dahlheimer, Thalman. No: Ross. Motion carried.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to maintain the current salary of the Treasurer at $630/month. For: Alstead, Fueling, Ross, Thalman. No. Dahlheimer. Motion carried.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to maintain the current salary of the Clerk at $630/month. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to set the mileage rate at the federal reimbursement rate. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to designate the Echo Press as the official newspaper for notices. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to designate Bremer Bank as the official depositor of funds for the township. Motion carried unanimously.
Dahlheimer, seconded by Ross, made a motion to designate Julie Haseman as the township attorney and Michelle Clark as the attorney for prosecution as well as ordinance enforcement for planning and zoning ordinances. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Ross, made a motion to appoint all supervisors as weed inspectors, and to appoint Joel Dahlheimer as chief weed inspector. Motion carried unanimously.
Alstead, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to recognize the issuance of a charitable gambling permit to United Way for a one-time activity at Geneva Golf Club. Motion carried unanimously.
Being no further business, Ross, seconded by Dahlheimer, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted….
______________________________________
Gregg Raisanen, Clerk
Approved this ____ day of ________, 2010
_______________________________________
Roger Thalman, Chairman