MP11-61
Maine Prairie Town Hall Meeting
September 22, 2011
Supervisor Loewen opened the meeting with the pledge to the flag.
Committee members present: Dennis Loewen, Chuck Froehling, Alice
Robinson, Ann Craft and Jim Unterberger. Loewen introduced the
committee and thanked them for the work they did.
The process was reviewed on why this committee was formed and how the
work of this committee has gathered information for presentation at this
open town hall meeting.
The results of the different town hall options and the pros and cons of
each are:
1) Build a new hall on the land
donated to the township
a.
Pros-Have our own building, can meet freely
without going through the city, no disruptions during the meeting, have
one place for all the towns records, have regular scheduled hours, and
the meeting room would be larger for meetings and elections. Land
was already donated to the township (4.4 acres). Room to add on a
garage if the township moves to do their own road work down the road.
b.
Cons-Cost of up-keep and operating expenses
2) Rent a space at Project One
in Pearl Lake at $9,000.00 per year with an increase cost for cold
storage.
a.
Pros-the building is there and after design
change, can be attained right away, and 1500 sq footage is adequate for
township needs with cold storage for fence posts and culverts.
b.
Cons-The cost of $7,000.00 to redesign to
meet township needs and have their own entrance, rent is non ownership,
contractual 10 year rental agreement with concerns if the business would
sell or move, rent can be increased and still have some operating
expenses.
3) Buy the old Swan’s Café.
a.
Pros-The building is there and after
redesign and repair, can be attained right away
b.
Cons-The purchase for the building cost
would be $250,000.00 which is more than you can build a new building,
the cost to repair the building, operating expenses, and no room for
cold storage.
4) Build onto the Fire
Department Building.
a.
Pros-Stay where the records are now
b.
Cons-Cost of expanding, still not enough
meeting room, putting money onto a city owned building, city buildings
requiring an architect and engineer, no cold storage, contractual rental
agreement with separate entrance, and fire department plans not approved
by the city.
Discussion is there a need? Clerk Harff explained she has records
in the fire chief’s office, the storage safe is in the closet which
needs to be moved to get the elections machines out, the filing cabinets
in the fire department attic and records piled in the granary at the
clerks home along with the filing cabinets in her home, she also has to
meet with strangers in her home to sign papers or to open her home up
for absentee ballot voting. It was asked what was done in the
past? Harff explained the past clerk used her home in much the
same way but all the records were in a separate spare bedroom.
When the records were picked up from her home, it filled an enclosed
trailer. In 2005, a file retention policy was adopted thus
allowing some papers to be destroyed.
MP11-62
It was asked if there was ever a township hall before. The first
town hall was the “Willing Workers House” on Hwy 15 by Carnelian Lake.
It had burned down.
Donations were discussed, with Harff explaining donations have been made
and plaques with names of donors listed.
Questions about the building itself, the design, what kind of heat,
roofing & siding, fire proofing, safety for clerk, what the committee
scaled back on, what has to be done to make it handicap assessable, and
is it tax free.
Some residents asked if it could be put on the ballot. It was
explained that the residents voted at the annual meeting to begin
putting money away for a township hall back in 2004 so yearly money is
put in a fund that can only be used for a township hall. The
fund is up to $40,000.00 with $10,000.00 a year coming out of the levy.
Chair Loewen stated that the township attorney explained that the
residents vote at the annual meeting as to when to proceed and how much
the board can spend on a town hall building. It was explained
this was an informational meeting only, that no decision could be made
at the meeting tonight. All this information will be presented at
the annual meeting. Concern was this has been discussed for many
years and that the board needs to get a resolution in place to make it
happen or to drop the idea.
Some concern was what it would cost per household. Discussion was
to borrow from within the township funds and to pay interest to itself,
or to bond or increase the levy. The residents suggested that
information be included in the presentation at the annual meeting.
Tammy Konz, City of Kimball Mayor, was concerned that these historical
records are being kept in a granary. She said that they have room
in their police department building and would offer some storage space
for the files until something more could be done. It would
be in a temperature controlled room with a locked entrance.
The board will further discuss this at the next board meeting on October
11th. It was explained that the new township lawyer will be at
this meeting and any legal questions can be directed to him.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Terre Harff, Clerk
Maine Prairie
Township
12670 Co Rd 149 Watkins, MN 55389
Phone: 320.398.2905 Fax:
320.398.2906
clerk.mpt@meltel.net
Copyright (c) 2008