MP09-01                                                        
Maine Prairie Township Board Meeting
January 13, 2009
 
Chair Loewen opened the board meeting with the pledge to the flag.  He recessed to Planning & Zoning at 7:03 p.m. 
 
Board members present: Supervisors Dennis Loewen John Wicker, & Jim Unterberger, Clerk/Treasurer Terre Harff, Deputy Clerk Beverly Adolph.  Others present Chuck Froehling, Charles Kraft, Brian Becker, Gene Mertens, Ken Zutz, Rockville City Council members – Randy Volkman, Susan Palmer and  Bill Becker.
 
Chair Loewen called for any additions or corrections to the minutes. With a sentence removed on the second page, Supervisor’s Wicker/Loewen made a motion to accept the minutes with corrections.  Motion carried.
 
Treasurer’s report was reviewed.  Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report.  Motion carried. 
 
Chair Loewen called on the City of Rockville representatives to come forward to discuss the fire contracts for the Rockville Fire Dept.  With Fire contracts due April 1st of each year it is important to see how the detachment area would fit in.  Supervisor Wicker, Clerk Harff and Rena Weber, City of Rockville Clerk, met at the Stearns Co Auditors office with Jerry Roering.  Once the tax base was set it would be easier to figure out what the bill would be for the 2009 additional homes from the detachment area.  Because the Administrative Law judge made everything effective November 5th, the taxable income would not become effective until 2010.  Maine Prairie was looking to work out shared fire contract for this one year on the detachment area.  For the Rockville fire department, there were 4 calls into the detachment area and 4 calls in Maine Prairie area.  The tax base arrived at is $288,250.  For Rockville Fire, the debt allocation for Maine Prairie and the detachment area fire protection would come to $7,340 and Fire Hall debt allocation would be $17,075.  This would make the total fire contract for 2009 at $24,416.  Without the detachment area the contract would have been around $16,000 just for Maine Prairie because of the loss of St Augusta in the fire area.  The added cost for the detachment area would be $8,538.  The agreement is to split that cost in half.  Supervisors Unterberger/Loewen made a motion to split the cost for the detachment area this 2009 contract.  The Rockville council said they would take it back to their board for its approval.   
 
A question was brought up about the maintenance of the roads to make sure it is understood.  Palmer stated she thought the agreement was that the roads would be maintained by Rockville until May 31st.  A question was will that include blading the road.  It is the understanding that everything is under that agreement until the township takes it over June 1st. 
 
Boundaries lines were discussed.  The Rockville board was not prepared to discuss that until they have more information and more information is received from the county.  Once that is attained, a written agreement will be set up.  It was suggested to get 2 county maps of the detachment area to make sure the roads are clearly set forth according to the lines drawn on the map.  City of Rockville representatives will come to Maine Prairie’s February 10th meeting at 7:30.  The board thanked the Rockville people for coming in. 
 
Chair Loewen called for old business – Clerk Harff stated she put $200,000.00 in money market but had to separate the money into funds according to how the funds came in.  Harff also explained that she received another bill from Mn Township Asso for the Workman’s comp bill. 
MP09-02
That bill was paid by mail back in November.  She called the Association to find out what happened.  The Assoc said they never received the check, Harff asked them to recheck because the check is paid right into the post office and all other bills paid that day did not come back unpaid.  The board asked Harff to put a stop payment on the lost check and repay it. 
 
145th Permanent Land Easements – Clerk Harff went to record the land easements and the recorder’s office were concerned that the easements did not have protection for the sediment basins if there would be a sale of the property.  Harff presented a copy of another document that would be acceptable and protect the sediment basin.  The recorder’s office felt it would not stand up in court if the basin was disturbed.  Supervisor Loewen/Unterberger made a motion to have our lawyer rewrite it and have them resigned.  Motion carried.  Loewen will contact Diane Grundehofer’s office to see what they are looking for. 
 
Comprehensive Growth meeting – Clerk Harff explained that she faxed the MOU and township Ordinance papers to Charles Marohn at the Community Growth Institute.  She has not received a contract from them but Marohn explained that he had been sick and was not in the office much.  Supervisor Loewen will contact and ask for the contract and send some type of agenda for the January 29th meeting.  Clerk Harff will put the announcement of change of meeting date in the paper. 
 
City of Kimball Road Maintenance – After some discussion, Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to split the cost for maintenance on 135th St and 83rd Ave with a 50% each on cost. 
 
Culverts – Stearns County wanted to know if the township was interested in ordering culverts at county rates.  Board was not interested.
 
Stearns County Environmental Services will be hosting their zoning meeting in Paynesville on January 27th.  Board members going are Loewen, Wicker, Unterberger & Froehling.
 
Clerk Harff showed the letters for price increases for Xcel and Center Point Energy.  No Action
 
Clerk Harff will be on vacation from Jan 14th – Jan 28th.  She has Bev checking the answering machine and Supervisor Wicker will pick up the mail at the Watkins Post Office.
 
Township Day at the Capitol – Was tabled for the February meeting. 
 
New Business was called for:
 
Supervisor Unterberger stated the township was suppose to meet with the City of Kimball on Jan 15th.  Unterberger will check into it.
 
Fire Districts – Discussion of setting up a fire district for each fire department.  Clerk Harff faxed all fire contracts for 2008 to Lawyer Peter Thiede.
 
It was suggested that we have the newsletter out before the annual meeting and election, to inform the detachment area where to vote and get them info on the Township.
 
Supervisor Unterberger explained there was no cost to the township for the Christmas Train. 
 
A bill was presented at the meeting from the Administrative Law Judge for payment of $180.00 for conference calls.  Supervisors Loewen/Unterberger made a motion to pay bill.  Motion carried. 
 
Bills were presented:
 
                                                                                  

                                             
Supervisors Loewen/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