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Maine Prairie Town Board Meeting
June 8, 2010
 
Chair Wicker opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with the pledge to the flag. 
 
Town Board members present: Supervisors John Wicker, Dennis Loewen, Ronald Kuechle, Clerk Terre Harff & Deputy Clerk Bev Adolph.  Others present were Zoning Administrator, Chuck Froehling, Bldg inspector Ron Albers, Lonnie Hendricks, Karen & Dick Chapman, Richard Schlangan, Steve Mertens, Travis Mills, Lori Doering, Glen Schindele, Duane Fruth & his wife, Richard Fuchs, Roland Donnay and John Frischmann.
 
Chair Wicker reconvened the Board meeting at 7:55 p.m. and called for any corrections or additions.  A  name correction for DNR representative, Fred Bangston. Supervisors Wicker/Kuechle made a motion to accept the minutes with noted correction.  Motion carried.
 
Chair Wicker called for Treasurers report.  Clerk Harff explained the levy money has not come yet.  Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to move $30,000.00 from the Money Market Road and Bridge Fund to Checking Road and Bridge Fund and to accept the treasurer’s report.  Motion carried. 
 
Supervisors Loewen/Kuechle made a motion to table item #6 – Gravel tax & remove #7 – policing the township off the agenda.  Motion carried.  Policing the township has been addressed by the county doing more reported drive around in the township.
 
Old Business was called for:  Comprehensive Growth Map – Reviewed the comments made by the county.  The township is in agreement with some suggestions but feels comfortable with decisions made and will write up descriptions as to why they chose what they did.  Some suggestions are:  103rd Avenue growth has the infrastructure, shows some growth already and is not good agricultural land, Sec 34 going NW of Hwy 15 staying with growth because of the discussion to extend Elm Street to 93rd Ave.  Supervisor Wicker will work with Clerk Harff to come up with a written statement from the board to be approved at the next meeting. 
 
Whispering Pines Resorts CUP passed at the county hearing.
 
The Preserve – Steve Mertens presented signatures in favor of the hunting preserve.  After review, it was noted that many of them were from business owners and only a few neighbors.  Victor Schlangen was there to talk about Golden Meadows Hunting Club by Cold Spring.  He talked they have about 500 acres, noise is not an issue, and can hunt year round.  There was a concern the land that Mertens is looking at is not enough acres, not land conducive to pheasant hunting, many acres surrounded by residential.  Mertens explained he is also looking at some land by City of Rockville and he doesn’t need to get all the permitting from the city.  He stated they are looking at raising 500 pheasants.  He also stated he spoke with the county and they issue a conditional use permit.  It was explained that this is a township permit and the conditions from the county need to be met first, then the townships conditions need to be met.  The township will issue an interim use permit for each township property he plans on using for the preserve.  So a hearing would be required for each permit.  It was explained that if the proper papers were presented, the hearing could be in July but legal notices would need to be given.  Clerk Harff will get the interim use application to the land owners.  Further discussion will be with a township lawyer on June 25th.  Clerk Harff will contact him to inform him that the board would like to speak with him concerning interim use permits and hunting clubs.
 
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Richard Fuchs said that when Edom Rd and 131st Street was reconstructed, the survey markers were removed.  He also stated that silt fences are still in the ditches along with the rock barriers.  Fuchs stated this discourages land owners from mowing the ditches.  The township will cover the cost to replace the survey markers.  Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to have Lonnie remove the stone barriers and silt fencing.  Motion carried.
 
Repairing Roads –Road quotes were received from Coldwell Asphalt, Mid MN and Central MN Paving. 
Roads discussed were: 83rd Ave, Caisson Rd, and 155th St.  With a discussion as to the difference of opinion of what needs to be done, it was decided that the board will drive around with a representative from Independent Testing Labs at 1:00 on the 25th of June to see what the best strategy for these roads. 
 
Lonnie explained that Ron Yanish did a good job patching some roads on Stearns/Meeker line.  He also explained that the culvert needs to be fixed by the intersection on 155th and Caisson Rd. 
 
Fire District has not met yet. 
 
Town Hall Committee is in need of a female representative. 
 
Wind Tower Hearing at the county– Supervisor Kuechle went, meeting was too crowded, and he didn’t stay. 
 
Clerk Harff was ask to post a legal notice for the meeting with Lawyer Gilchrist on June 25th at 9:30 a.m. at the fire hall.  Items to be discussed: Orderly Annexation, Interim Use Permits/Hunting Clubs and Road Issues/Fences in right of way. 
 
Dust Guard Complaint – Marquardt complained, their road was dust coated, then they bladed it.  Supervisors Loewen/Kuechle made a motion to refund the cost they paid for their dust control if the issue could not be reconciled.  Lonnie was directed not to blade over dust controlled roads unless discussed with a board member. 
 
Fencing Right of Way issue – Supervisor Loewen was concerned of the liability issue with the fence posts right next to the road.  Supervisor Wicker asked Roland if he would be willing to sign a statement releasing the township of any liability.  Roland asked if the township would enforce the full 33’.  Supervisor Loewen stated yes and Supervisor Wicker stated if the lawyer suggested so.  Supervisor Loewen made a motion to have the fence removed immediately to remove the township of liability.   The motion died for a lack of a second.  It was decided to discuss it with an attorney.
 
Summer Short Course is July 12th in St Cloud.  Clerk Harff signed up Supervisors Kuechle and Wicker for the Board of Appeals class. 
 
Sign Reflectivity was discussed.  The board felt it was good to have an engineer prepare the resolution required.  Deputy Clerk Adolph felt most of the new signs already meet the reflectivity requirements. 
 
Clerk Harff presented the figures for the tax levy using the 2% increase voted by the residents.   
Supervisors Loewen/Kuechle made a motion to accept the figures presented.  Motion carried. 
 
A couple complaints came in for an irrigation system on Powder Ridge Rd by the 93rd Ave intersection.  With a danger there, the clerk was asked to send a letter out to ask it to stop. 
 
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Census-Clerk Harff received the final papers for the census.  Clerk Harff was given the option to send it to them to destroy or to destroy it herself.  Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to destroy the materials by shredding them.  Motion carried. 
 
Clerk Harff went to the clerk’s election class and she needs a motion from the board to accept her as clerk to the election.  She is asking Alice Robinson to be head judge for the election.  She chose Alice for her experience and knowledge.   Supervisor Kuechle/Wicker made a motion to have Terre Harff as Clerk for the general election.  Motion carried.
 
Weeds-Clerk Harff received a call from State Weed inspector, John Waldorf.  He had received complaints because of the thistles.  Clerk Harff was directed to send out letters to the owners of the land. 
Spraying weeds will be done with a lot of thistles in the right of way.  It was mentioned that Stockinger might have a license to spray. 
 
5 year road plan – With a new law going into effect, all paved roads are considered 10 ton roads unless marked different.  The township will need to look at posting township roads.  Clerk Harff was asked to check Paynesville Twsp website.
 
Carnelian Lake Road Shouldering – By the intersection of 163rd & Carnelian Lake Rd by the stop sign needs to be repaired.  Lonnie will take a look at it. 
 
Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to accept the permits from Planning & Zoning.  Motion carried.
 
Supervisors Loewen/Kuechle made a motion to pay the bills.  Motion carried.
 
Balance Brought forth:     $ 50,089.43
Money received             +  236,375.70     
Balance total                   $286,465.13
Expenses:                     -     59,468.10
Balance in Ck Bk              $226,997.03     
Total Investments         +  574,425.15   
Total Value of Twsp         $801,422.18
 
Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to adjourn.  Motion carried. 
 
 
Terre Harff
Clerk