MP10-25
Maine Prairie Town Board Meeting
May 11, 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, Joe Hendricks, Jim Unterberger, Gene Merten, Karen & Dick
Chapman, Fran Meierhofer, Terry Jacobson, Heidi Winscowski, Steve Mertens,
Travis Mills, Brent Roshell & Kyle Roddy from RSMS Sign Reflectivity Co.
With it being past 7:30, the board opened the bids for road maintenance.
With two bids received, one was for hauling gravel only so did not qualify.
Maintenance Bid
Hendricks Sand & Gravel
Graders – Grading Roads
$77.50 per hour Graders – Snow Removal
$80.50 per hour
Trucks – Plowing snow/sanding 82.50 per hour
Pickup Truck – Snow Plow 60.00 per hour
Bobcat w/Blower
75.00 per hour Tractor w/Blower
75.00 per hour
Tractor/Rd Ditch mowing
85.00 per hour Salt Sand
45.00 per yard
Gravel Hauling
From 145th St going South is 3.80 per yard
From 145th St to Co Rd 147 is $4.10 per yard
Pie shape to the E side S of Co Rd 147 is $4.55
Far W section and all of MP N is $4.75 per yard
Supervisor Wicker/Loewen made a motion to accept the bid presented.
Motion carried. Clerk Harff was directed to draw up the contract.
In the contract, the board requested that before graveling the roads, they
need to speak with the board. The concern was the amount of gravel
being put on the roads. Clerk Harff will email the supervisors a copy
of the contract before sending it to Hendricks.
Chair Wicker reconvened the Board meeting and called for any corrections or
additions. Supervisors Wicker/Kuechle made a motion to accept the
minutes. Motion carried.
Chair Wicker called for Treasurers report. Clerk Harff explained the
bank charged a service charge in error, it will be corrected next month.
Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to accept the Treasurers report.
Motion carried.
Old Business was called for: Sign Reflectivity – Brent Roshell and Kyle
Roddy from RSMS presented the board with brochures and information on what
their company does. Their company does inventory and assess need (not
all signs are needed) for townships and small cities. Their reports
show how many signs are good and which ones need replacing. They feel
they would need to take 2 days with a township the size of Maine Prairie.
The data can be retrieved from their website or you can get a hard copy with
the information on. The cost would be approx $4800.00 for data
collection and recommendations plus $1600.00 to add the street sign
inventory. There would also be a cost to store data of approx $90.00 a
quarter. The gentlemen have engineering and surveying background.
The signs reflectivity became a federal mandate in 2008.
MP10-26
A plan needs to be in place by 2012, warning signs installed by 2015, and
street signs installed by 2018. There was no decision made, tabled for
further discussion.
Future Land Use map was reviewed with Heidi, from environmental services.
She explained what the county suggested, where their concerns are and why.
The map was redone and Clerk Harff was asked to complete a new map for
review at the next meeting. When the map is approved by the
township, it will be sent to the county for the planning board’s approval.
Whispering Pines Campground - Heidi, from Environmental Services, explained
the Conditional Use Permit needs to be amended through the process of a
hearing. There are 8 camp sites on Kunkels property and the new owner
needs to record the new lease. Nothing else has changed.
The Preserve – Steve Mertens and Travis Mills are looking at starting a
hunting preserve on the Joseph’s property. They would have small
groups come in; they would release the pheasants for hunting. Travis
also is looking at raising dogs and training them. The county
ordinance requirements they need 100 acres (they have 240 acres), and they
would also need to stay 500 feet from a residence. They are also
looking at renting other properties to take people out hunting on.
Mertens stated the tax classification would not change because they would be
running the preserve business out of the sporting goods store in Kimball.
Mertens has spoken to Fred Banks and Brian Mies at the DNR. DNR
doesn’t have an issue with what they want to do. Discussion is they do
not intend to put people up over-night at the lodge. They were asked
if they would have set hours. Heidi, from environmental services,
stated that they would need a separate conditional use permit for each
property they would rent so a hearing would need to take place for each
permit. Neighbors would need to be notified in all the areas.
They were asked about CRP land, and Mertens stated they could rent CRP land.
Clerk Harff explained the process; they would need to fill out an
application and the supervisors would act upon that permit application
within 60 days. If the board still needed more time to get legal help
or time to investigate, they need to get the extension before the 60 days.
It was suggested they go out and get signatures from the neighbors affected.
Clerk Harff received a call from a resident in the township wanting to know
if there was an ordinance for planting trees on the property line.
Heidi stated, there is not, it is common sense to not plant trees right on
the property line. She felt they need to work it out with their
neighbors.
Repairing Roads – Roads that need some type of repair are: redo culvert on
135th Street, South 83rd Ave needs better drainage to the North, 155th St
needs a patch where a frost heave is every year, 83rd Ave needs a patch,
Caisson Road needs seal coating, 93rd Ave-North of entry to Powder Ridge
Road, 83rd Ave-South of State Hwy 55 needs seal coating. Supervisors
Wicker/Kuechle made a motion to check into the company from Cold Spring to
retain service for road maintenance inspection. Motion carried.
Clerk Harff will get name and number to Supervisor Loewen. Road
Graveling was also discussed; need to fix 123rd St-South of Kimball,
Cobblecrest Rd on main road, and East Shore Dr.
Gravel Tax, Policing the Township (Discussion was to send the list of roads
to Sheriff Sanner), and Fire Districts – Tabled for next meeting
MP10-27
Township Asso. Meeting in Freeport- attended by Supervisors Loewen, Kuechle,
Clerk Harff and Kuechle’s wife. New officers were recognized along
with other speakers.
Town Hall committee representatives: Dennis Loewen, Jim Unterberger, Alice
Robinson, and Chuck Froehling. It was discussed to have an odd number
and there should be one more women. Karla Ehlinger was suggested.
Supervisor Loewen will check into it.
Orderly annexation – Lawyer Thede can’t fit the township in because of other
commitments but suggested the board contact Troy Gilcrest from St Cloud.
He is well informed on township affairs. The board directed Clerk
Harff to contact Mr Gilcrest for the June 25th meeting.
SCORE Grant – Clerk Harff received a call saying that our application for
the SCORE Grant funds has been accepted and with the proper documentation at
the end of the year, the township will receive $1,000.00.
Public Hearing on wind towers – May 18th, 10:05 a.m., Discussion was;
since the township has land being looked at for these towers, a
representative should be involved. Ron Kuechle will attend.
Fence in right of way – A letter was hand delivered by Supervisor Wicker to
Roland Donnay concerning a safety hazard with his fence so close to the
road. Roland explained it was Harland Donnay’s fence, Wicker went to
see Harland. Clerk Harff was asked to check with township information
library for forms that releases the township of liability and the land owner
accepting the liability.
Liquor Licenses – Pearl Lake Lodge, Holy Cross Catholic Church in Pearl Lake
and Kimball Golf Club all requested renewal of their liquor license.
Supervisor Wicker/Loewen made a motion to accept these renewals.
Motion carried. Jerry Waln from Powder Ridge is requesting a change
from a 3.2 liquor to Intoxicating liquor license. Waln explained it
was mainly for weddings they host at their facility. Supervisor
Kuechle/Wicker made a motion to approve the change of licensing, Supervisor
Loewen voted no. Motion carried.
Budget/Levy figures – Clerk Harff was asked to break the levied money into
funds using the same percentage as last year and to correct the levied
amount to $627,300.00 which is a 2% increase voted by the residents at the
annual meeting. Harff is to bring the information to the next meeting.
Tri Co Humane Society – The Township had chosen not to accept paying for
cats any more. Clerk Harff was asked to speak with the humane society
to make sure they understand that. Clerk Harff also received a
call on Mother’s Day by the County Sheriff’s department on a black lab being
picked up. She gave permission to take it to humane society.
Clerk Harff presented information from Stearns County concerning road
construction within stormwater and wetland areas. The County no longer
has a Joint Powers Agreement with the St of MN Pollution Control agency to
perform NPDES inspections. The county is asking the townships to work
with county staff before road construction begins.
MP10-28
Ordinance Change meeting – May 18th, 10:05 a.m.- Stearns County is amending
the Land Use and Zoning Ordinance. The purpose of this Ordinance
change is to amend the text portion of Ordinance #209.
Clerk Harff presented a letter showing different workshops concerning the
Emerald Ash Borer. No one from the board will be attending.
Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to approve the permits presented at
the Planning & Zoning meeting. Motion carried.
Bills were presented – Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to pay the
presented bills. Motion carried.
Balance Brought forth: $ 68,947.51
Money received
+ 6,168.38
Bank Error Correction +
15.20
Balance total
$ 75,131.09
Expenses:
- 25,041.66
Balance in Ck Bk $ 50,089.43
Total Investments +
603,905.82
Total Value of Twsp $653,995.25
Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to adjourn. Motion carried.
Terre Harff
Clerk