Maine Prairie Township
Board Meeting
July 8th, 2008
Chair Loewen opened the board meeting with the pledge to the flag. He recessed to Planning & Zoning at 7:05 p.m.
Board members present: Supervisors John Wicker, Jim Unterberger, & Dennis Loewen, Clerk/Treasurer Terre Harff, Deputy Clerk Beverly Adolph. Others present Chuck Froehling, Lonnie Hendricks, Kevin Libbesmeier, Mark of Knife River, Bob Adolph, Kathy Johnson, Kent Talbet, Gene Merten and Erin Gutwasser.
Chair Loewen asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes. With name corrections, dust control roads numbers corrected and 127th St residents needing correcting. Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s report was reviewed. Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.
Chair Loewen called for old business:
City of Rockville: Gene Mertens was asked: who is the contact person speaking with their lawyer for the detachment resident’s. Merten did not know if it was Mike Loesch or Jim Pflepsen.
Complaint received regarding potholes on East Shore Drive. Supervisors noted a few small potholes near the intersection of Co Rd 146.
Supervisor Loewen reported a hole in the pavement on 73rd Ave, just north of 145th St. Hendricks will check it out.
Phone Conference with Lawyer: Discussion was; do we need two attorneys asking the same questions, how active does the township want to get in the process? Do we allow the residents requesting the detachment to lead the way? Our lawyer was going to request information from the City of Rockville concerning whom was going to be testifying and what information is going to be used for evidence.
145th St: The changes requested by MN DOT, have been submitted by Wenck Engineering. MN DOT is requesting permanent easements to be obtained for the sediment basins. Chair Loewen will meet with residents on 145th.
Comprehensive Growth Plan: The decision to hold two meetings a month,
second Tuesday of the month a regular monthly meeting and the fourth Tuesday
of the month for Comprehensive Growth Meeting. Supervisors Loewen/Unterberger
made a motion to put the legal notice in the paper informing the public.
Motion carried. Clerk Harff will ask Tri Co News to include it in the weekly
calendar section of the paper after the legal has been in for two weeks.
Discussion was that each supervisor comes up with three people from their
road area who would be interested in participating with the process. Bring
the names to the August monthly meeting. Choose seven residents and have two
alternates. Discussion was should they get paid for the meetings and
mileage. The first meeting is to discuss “what the township goals will be”.
Tarring 127th: Clerk Harff said one of the residents did not sign the
agreement. Supervisor Unterberger will take care of it.
Noxious Weed Tour: Names to be reported were: Kevin Donnay, John Donnay, Dennis Libbesmeier and Fran Meierhofer. Supervisors are concerned about the thistles and poison ivy in the road right of way. The decision was to spray the right of way areas that are in need; the clerk was directed to put the legal notice in the paper. Supervisors will call with resident names that need letters.
Newsletters were sent; the cost to the township was less than quoted because the non-deliverable mail addresses were taken out. Time wise was a big savings; clerk gave them a copy of the newsletter on disc and a CD of resident’s addresses she got from county. They did the rest with bulk mail rates.
Review website was tabled for future meeting.
Clerk will attend Summer Short Course.
MOU discussion was tabled for future meetings.
Chair Loewen called for any other old business, with none New Business was called for.
Richard Eckman said he would be interested in paving East Lakeside Farm Road any time a road is being done in the area. This issue was tabled until further notice.
123rd Ave South of 120th St was repaired. The township’s maintenance contractor, Lonnie Hendricks stated 123rd should be repaired in order to remove the numerous frost heaves.
Lonnie was directed to add rock by a culvert inlet on Balsam Road by Dennis Libbesmeier’s. More work will need to be done with seeding.
A gambling permit was requested from Holy Cross Church in Pearl Lake for their church festival in July. Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to accept the gambling application. Motion carried.
Mileage rate has increased from $ .505 to $ .585 per mile to begin as of July 1, 2008.
Bills were presented. Clerk asked if 103rd and 127th were tarred. The supervisors need to sign off on the roads before the bill can be paid. There was a concern as to the shouldering not being done correctly. Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to pay $100,000.00 of the $165,000.00 toward 103rd and 127th to Mid MN until the shouldering and the uneven paving by the tower on 103rd can be addressed. Motion carried. The Road completion reports were signed by the supervisors stating the exception concerning the shouldering.
Disbursements Check #
Hendricks Sand & Gravel Blading,Haul Gravel $26,173.43 4326
Repair road
DiversiCom June Bill/Website 67.21 4327
M-R Sign Co Sign Posts 163.37 4328
Voided Check 4329
MP08-26
City of Kimball 08-09 Fire Contract 45,593.92 4330
Murnane Brandt Lawyers Detachment Legal Advice 126.50 4331
Kinkos/Terre Harff Pd Copy of Lynden Tsp Comp 25.68 4332
Mid MN Hot Mix 127th St-Residents pd 1/3rd 27,150.00 4333
Office Depot Paper, Toner,3 ring binder 47.95 4334
Kimball Community Ed Donation from Annual Mtg 1,500.00 4335
Mid MN Hot Mix Paving 103rd Ave 164,039.95 4336
MN Tsp Asso Short Course 50.00 4337
Stearns Co Recorder Record 4 variances 184.00 4338
2nd Qtr IRS Elec Funds Trans 588.35 EFT
2nd Qtr PERA Elec Funds Trans 700.67 EFT
Receipts Receipt #
Interest Earned Checking $ 246.49 Bank Statement
2006 CD Interest $ 18.52 Bank Statement
2007 CD Interest $ 33.45 Bank Statement
Money Market Interest $ 988.32 Bank Statement
Dust Guard Elmer Hechtel 50.00 074550
Stearns County 1st Half Rev 2nd payment 85,644.98 074549
Dust Control 4 residents 625.00 074548
Residents on 127th St Heid Bros 1,500.00 074553
Gordon Serbus 1,500.00 074554
Pat Arnold 500.00 074555
Carl Liedman 1,500.00 074556
Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to pay the bills with the exception of Mid MN; clerk was ordered to pay $100,000.00 until the shouldering is done properly according to the contract. Motion carried. It was stated that Jerry from Mid MN should come into the August meeting.
Supervisors Unterberger/Loewen made a motion to accept permits from Planning & Zoning. Motion carried.
Supervisors Unterberger/Loewen made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion carried.
Terre Harff,
Clerk/Treasurer