Maine Prairie Township
Board Meeting
March 6, 2008
Chair Wicker opened the board meeting with the pledge to the flag. He recessed to Planning & Zoning at 7:05 p.m. The board reconvened to the town board meeting.
Board members present: Supervisors John Wicker, Jim Unterberger, & Dennis Loewen, Clerk/Treasurer Terre Harff, Deputy Clerk Beverly Adolph. Others present Chuck Froehling, Mickey Brower, Doug Joseph, another member of their group, Joe Hendricks, Tina Dietrich from the assessor’s office and Greg Stroeing.
Supervisor Wicker asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes. With a couple changes, Supervisors Unterberger/Loewen made a motion to accept the corrected minutes. Motion carried.
Treasurers report was reviewed, Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.
Tina Dietrich, Stearns County Assessor’s office, went over the information gathered regarding the sales in the township and the impact on the sales. 2007-2008 EMV increased by 3.22% and 2007-2008 New Construction decreased 21.81%; township wide Ag land went up 5%, Residential 0%, Commercial 4%, and Green Acres 15%. As far as lake property, Goodner Lake went up 8.13% and Pearl Lake dropped 4.27%. Tina explained the Dept of Ag is trying to determine the true green acre values of the state. They took an average of sales from five different counties in the SW part of the state which they claim are true Ag. With the different calculations the green acre values need to reach $2100.00 an acre and Stearns Co is at $1700.00. Stearns Co is trying to phase it in over a two year plan. Tina thought it could be another increase of 15% next year unless something is done at the legislative level. The Anderson shed will not change in value because the value on the shed is call a farm shop and his other land is in CRP so it does not justify a Recreational rating. Board of Appeals is set for April 14th to begin at 3:00 p.m.
LUCA Census- Clerk Harff will work with the information received. Harff will contact the supervisors if she has questions. She asked the supervisors to look at the 911 addresses closely because there are errors or missing 911 addresses.
Chair Wicker signed the Rockville & Watkins Fire Contracts to be paid April 1, 2008.
Clerk Harff attended township day at the Capitol and felt it was really informational. Harff gave supervisors a copy of info for gas tax and clean water act.
City of Rockville: With the state requiring the township to meet with the city, the meeting was set for Wed. March 12th at 7:00 p.m. All supervisors will attend. Supervisor Wicker explained that the members gathering the petition together received 93 out of the 95 signatures required with one resident on vacation. Some questions they will look for answers to are: how much will it cost the township for additional fire protection, can the township assess the residents a special assessment to pay the additional cost for fire services until the fire station is paid, can they reset the property lines to exclude the shoreland area and will the city be requesting an additional portion of taxes for years to come. Supervisor Unterberger wondered if Lawyer Thede should be involved. It was decided in time he might have to be but not at this first meeting. Two other meetings will have to be held before the hearing.
Short Course: Mon., March 24th at the Holiday Inn. All three supervisors
will attend at $40.00 each. Clerk Harff will be on vacation so will catch
one of the other meetings when she returns.
MP08-09
Annual Meeting Agenda Reviewed: Road to be looked at for tar this year is
103rd Ave. down to Kingston St (approx. 3 miles) and 127th if the residents
are willing to pay for their own road. Wicker would like to do a long range
road plan. Dellwood was up for discussion because of the traffic on the
road. Loewen was wondering what it would cost to pull the ditches to reclaim
some of the gravel. With a couple items removed from the preliminary agenda
the new agenda was approved.
Board of Audit: Audit books were reviewed and discussed. Total Value of township as of 12/31/07 $645.025.97. Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to approve the Board of Audit. Motion carried.
County Comprehensive Growth Plan: It was decided that the board should start working on its own comprehensive growth plan and work section by section. The board discussed inviting Jerry Finch from Lynden Township to the April meeting to explain how they planned their growth plan.
Chair Wicker called for any other old business, with none he called for new business;
Land Dedication – MOU: Clerk Harff went online to review the county minutes and noticed that a township is using their MOU to direct their Land Dedication money. It was tabled at the county meeting but felt it should be followed instead of the cost of drawing up a Resolution. She was directed to watch for a conclusion in the county minutes.
Chair Wicker explained he received a call from a woman interested in purchasing a home on Elderado Rd by Pearl Lake. She wanted to know if she could get a kennel permit in that area. With the location being so populated, Wicker said that it would be difficult but she could bring it before the board.
Town Officers Association meeting will be on April 26th; need to make reservations by April 16th. Tabled for the April meeting.
Pearl Lake Recreation Club applied for a liquor License. Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to approve. Motion carried.
Clerk Harff explained that she will need to do something with the $5,128.32 Certificate of Deposit that matured on March 5th. She also has about another $6,900.00 in the Town Hall Fund checking account. Harff checked out the rates to be 3.4% interest. Supervisors Loewen/Unterberger made a motion to put the maturing $5,145.88 (which includes the March interest earned as of 3/5/08 of $17.56)CD and the $6,900.00 from the town hall fund into a 12 month CD with the total of the CD at $12,045.88. Motion carried
Noxious Weed Meeting: March 27th at 10:00 a.m. or 8:00 p.m. Chair Wicker and Clerk Harff will attend.
Bills were presented to the board:
Disbursements Check #
Hendricks Sand & Gravel Plowing & Sand $ 5,818.00 4267
DiversiCom Feb. Bill 38.25 4268
Tri Co News Legal,date chg & closed mtg 73.50 4269
St Bank of Kimball CD added to mature CD 6,900.00 4270
MN Asso of Township 3 Supervisors Short Course 120.00 4271
Kimball Chamber Expo Booth 100.00 4272
Beverly Adolph Postage 5.33 4273
Terre Harff Mileage, Election duties 291.46 4274
Dennis Loewen Mileage 135.44 4275
James Unterberger Mileage 340.79 4276
John Wicker Mileage 113.05 4277
MP08-10
1st Qtr Payroll 343.55 4278
1st Qtr Payroll 2,109.02 4279
1st Qtr Payroll 886.85 4280
1st Qtr Payroll 1,474.35 4281
1st Qtr Payroll 788.63 4282
City of Watkins Fire Contract – Annual Mtg 4,204.58 4283
City of Rockville Fire Contract – Annual Mtg 8,739.00 4284
Watkins Ambulance Donation – Annual Mtg 2,500.00 4285
KCPlayhouse Donation – Annual Mtg 1,000.00 4286
Stearns Co Fair Asso Donation – Annual Mtg 500.00 4287
Receipts Receipt #
Interest Earned Checking $ 230.76 Bank Statement
2006 CD Interest $ 17.63 Bank Statement
2007 CD Interest $ 17.56 Bank Statement
Money Market Interest $ 1,121.74 Bank Statement
Murnane Brandt Lawyers Refund $ 302.14 074523
Stearns County Gas Tax $22,883.19 074524
Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to approve the Planning & Zoning Permit. Motion carried
Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to pay the bills. Motion carried
Supervisors Unterberger/ Loewen made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion carried.
Terre Harff, Maine Prairie Township, Clerk/Treasurer