MP08-37
Maine Prairie Township Board Meeting
September 16, 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 Dennis Loewen John Wicker, & Jim Unterberger, Clerk/Treasurer Terre Harff, Deputy Clerk Beverly Adolph.  Others present Chuck Froehling, Ron Albers, Lonnie Hendricks, Charles Marohn, Bill Herges, Heidi from Environmental Services, Chris Hommerding, Charles Kraft, and Dave Van Vleet.

Chair Loewen asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes.  With none, Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to accept the minutes.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s report was reviewed.  Clerk Harff asked for permission to move $40,000.00 from the Money Market money into the Road and Bridge fund.  She explained she needs to keep at least enough money in the checkbook to pay for 3 months bills.  Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to move $40,000.00 into Road and Bridge.  Motion carried.  Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report as presented.  Motion carried.

Chair Loewen called for old business:

145th St - Chair Loewen explained that he has all the temporary easements required.  Bids came out at $198,933.16 from Mid MN.  The county is looking at getting additional funding from MN DOT and DNR for the project.  It was acknowledged that the township will have to the funding gap from the bid and what the State will pay.  Supervisor Wicker said that Jodi Teich, Stearns Co Hwy Dept is requesting something in writing stating the township will cover whatever is not funded.  The Hwy department will be staking and finding the sediment basins.  Surveyors Bogart/Pederson will be doing whatever surveying that is required.  Loewen also explained that there will be no more engineering fees coming from Clearwater River Watershed.  The watershed approved $15,000 for engineering costs and it is over $20,000.00 already.  It was a board decision to proceed with the project and pay the difference in cost.

Website was reviewed:  Some items to be looked at are top drop downs instead of side drop outs, remove present email addresses for the board and issuing each board member a township email address, correct spelling and reword some items on front page.  It was also discussed that it needs to be splashier, add a picture from Powder Ridge or Kimball Golf Course, something that will attract people to the site; a seasonal theme that can change as the season changes.  Clerk Harff will share this information with Mary Mueller. 

Edom Road – A letter from Environmental Services was received concerning the discussion out on site about the washing into the sediment basin.  The letter explains that the county will continue to monitor the area.  Supervisor Wicker asked who is on the TEP (Technical Evaluation Panel) and what statutes they say they are enforcing and still has not received the answer.  He intends to call Vince Schaefer to see if he can fill him in.  Wicker said that he did go out and remove the silk fencing as requested. 

Balsam Road – According to the letter received the ditch work on Balsam Road is complete.  Greg Bechtold questioned the impact on the wetland but approved of the work done.  It was brought to the board’s attention that Stearns County Soil and Water could help put a buffer in.  Loewen felt that if the farming practices would change, it would not fill in with dirt the way it did.

Comprehensive Growth Plan:  Committee meeting is on September 25th at 7:00 p.m.

Heidi from Environmental Services came before the board to discuss the counties willingness to work with Maine Prairie on their Comprehensive Growth Plan and offered services from the county with resources, statistics, GIS (Geographic Information System), feed lots, growth trend and Land uses.  Heidi suggested going onto websites for Lynden, Avon and Brockway townships to review their growth plans. 

Charles Marohn, Community Institute representative works with townships on their growth plans.  He felt it was good that the townships work with the county and to hear the county is willing to work with the township.  Our townships reason for wanting to update the growth plan is to work better with planning and zoning at the county.  The board reviewed growth plans from other townships which the Community Institute has guided through the process.  Their company specializes in small town growth.  It was stated that Supervisor Unterberger contacted a company the City of Rockville used and they were not interested.  He also noted they were from the cities and dealt with larger cities.  Marohn starts by asking the township three questions, 1) Who are we (what trends are impacting developing), 2) Where do we want to be, and 3) What do we do to get there.  Their website is communitygrowth.com and he asked the board to review the website.  He explained once the growth plan is set, it becomes an on-going process and needs to be flexible.  The board asked what it would cost for going through the process.  He explained that the cost can be set according to what needs are expected from them.  It could range from $12,000 - $15,000 but can go up if the township is looking for more input.  But the township could set a maximum they would pay and the company would work with that and explain what they could get at that amount.  The company works out of St Cloud, Brainerd and Alexandria.  He did think that the process should take less than a year because community members involved lose interest if it extends beyond that time span.  Marohn suggested inviting all township residents to an open meeting, then to break it down to smaller groups once the public shares their vision for the township.   Marohn did ask about future annexation with the City of Kimball.  As Marohn drove around the city, his concern is cities dealing with stress problems sometimes look to annexation to generate more levy income.  It was suggested to lay out a vision for growth, make the plan flexible, form a task force which covers all the township areas, and keep all meetings open to the public.    It was stated that Ron Kuechle agreed to be on the committee and if more would be needed they could ask Keith Donnay. 

135th Street – Chair Loewen explained that he checked with the county and the variance hearing for St John’s Lutheran Church can’t be recorded because the township can’t prove that 135th street is a township road.  It being a line road, there is no easement rights on the south side of the road so it is out of township jurisdiction.  The maintenance agreement does not make it a township road.  Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to meet with the City of Kimball to draw up some type of agreement on who pays what maintenance costs on 135th St. and 83rd Ave. roads.  Motion carried.  It will be taken up at the next City/Township meeting.  Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to return the $150.00 cost for the hearing back to the church.  Motion carried.  Clerk Harff asked about the $30.00 permit the township issued for the approach.  The board felt that should not be returned. 

Irrigation problems:  Clerk Harff received 2 complaints on irrigation running across the road on 93rd Ave.  She called Supervisor Unterberger and he was going to speak with Zutz.  Zutz said that he had trouble with the end gun.  Clerk Harff also received the unsigned certified letter back from Hurrle’s.  The board asked her to contact the Sheriff and have him deliver it. 

Green Acres was discussed.  With no one able to attend the meeting in August because of the Rockville hearing, not much was known.  Just what was written in the paper?

Chair Loewen called for New Business:

Clerk Harff explained the Primary Election went very well.  She ordered two double standing voting booths for the general election.  She feels that will give 4 more privacy booths and they will be able to run more people through faster.  It is expected to be a very large election.  She has 15 trained judges and Deputy Clerk Adolph as a head judge. 

Penalties, fines and fees will be discussed further this winter.  Things will stay the same until it can be reviewed and will not be put onto the website until discussed. 

Holy Cross Parish of Pearl Lake requested a gambling license permit for their October Fish Fry.  Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to accept the permit.  Motion carried.

Road Counters- Chair Loewen said the county road counters only worked on traffic going one way.  It was discussed should the township purchase its own road counters.  The cost of a new one would be $315-$386.  Supervisor Wicker will check out Ebay. 

Land Stewardship project letter was read, they are looking for local control and participation in the form of donation. 

Hwy 15 Coalition – Chair Loewen stated that he no longer feels a need to be on that committee since the Hwy 15 project will not be discussed for some time.  The cost of being on the committee is not worth it. 

911 Street Signs – Clerk Harff received many requests for street signs from the county and does not feel they all should be ordered at this time.  Deer Run plat will need two street signs and 4-911 signs but with only one house built, should not have to put any other signs up until the other houses are built.  Supervisor Unterberger will check into the signs out there and contact Deputy Clerk Adolph as to what will need ordering.  Another one is Andrea Holtz, the house is not going up yet but they needed a 911 address for the electric company.  Brice Greene was one that has a house on one parcel but no house on the 2nd parcel.  Unterberger will check into that one also.

Clerk Harff brought a credit application from Kinko’s as requested by the board.  Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to fill out the form, have Chair Loewen sign it and send it in.   

Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to accept the permits presented by the planning and zoning board.  Motion carried.

Bills were presented:

Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to pay the bills presented.  Motion carried.

Supervisors Loewen/Unterberger made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried. 

Terre Harff,
Clerk/Treasurer