MP09-07
Maine Prairie Township Board Meeting
March 3, 2009
Chair Loewen opened the board meeting with the pledge to the flag.
Board members present: Supervisors Dennis Loewen John Wicker, & Jim
Unterberger, Clerk/Treasurer Terre Harff. Others present Chuck
Froehling, Joe Hendricks, Gene Merten, Tina Dietrich and Gary
Grossinger.
Chair Loewen called on Gary and Tina from Stearns County Assessor’s
office. They explained that Residential values are decreasing
but Ag, Green Acres and Commercial are increasing. Ag is going
up 7%. The tier system with land by city limits is changing.
Limited Market Value goes directly to Market Value – no more
buffers. Foreclosures in Stearns County are up a little but
not as many in Maine Prairie. The Ag land is not being sold
for development but from farmer to farmer.
Questions for Grossinger – recertification training will be held in
the fall. Grossinger explained how he arrived at the tax
capacity rates.
With no further discussion, they were thanked for coming and Chair
Loewen recessed to Planning and Zoning at 7:20 p.m. The
meeting was reconvened at 7:25 p.m.
Chair Loewen called for any additions or corrections to the minutes.
Supervisor’s Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to accept the
minutes. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s report was reviewed. Clerk Harff explained the CD
for Town Hall comes due on March 5th. Supervisors
Loewen/Unterberger made a motion to take it out of the CD and place
it in the checking until further notice. Motion carried.
Supervisor’s Loewen/Unterberger made a motion to accept the
treasurer’s report. Motion carried.
Chair Loewen called for additions to the agenda: Fire
Contracts, Meeker Co Hwy Dept and Traffic Counters.
Chair Loewen called for old business:
Board of Audit reviewed. With the audit completed the figures
were reviewed and some corrections in the wording were noted.
Motion was made by Wicker/Loewen to accept Board of Audit.
Motion carried
Fire Contracts – Kimball Fire Contract – Budget was lowered because
of the fire training grant being offered to the fire departments.
Kimball’s fire contract will run from Jan – Dec instead of Aug –
Aug. The yearly contract will be $44,282 but only $18,451.00
will be due in Aug. Unterberger said the fire department will
be working with other rescue departments for a Mock Accident Drill/
Training on April 28th at 1:15 p.m. April 5th is the Firemen’s
Breakfast.
Comprehensive Growth meeting is March 26th with another meeting on
April 23rd with the residents of Maine Prairie Township.
City of Kimball meeting is March 5th, 7:00 p.m.
MP09-08
Newsletters were sent out the end of February. There were 913
newsletters sent with Kinko’s doing the printing & mailings.
Township Day at the Capitol – Harff attended, with Loewen and Wicker
unable to go, they reimbursed the township for the fee paid.
Things discussed: Aggregate tax disbursement, cut in Market Value
Res & Ag payments, township trouble with fire departments, and
financial cuts needing to take place at State level.
Spring Short Course is set for March 23rd in St Cloud with all
Supervisors and Clerk attending.
With no other old business Chair Loewen called for new business.
Annual Meeting Agenda was reviewed. Rd Projects up for
discussion: Carnelian Lake Rd needs repair or replacing but a
need to work with residents, Powder Ridge Rd to 93rd Ave, 135th St.
past the Kimball Cemetery, 98th Ave by Pearl Lake between Co Rd 146
and Eclipse Rd. were some roads to review on the road tour.
Another Agenda item is Town Hall: Unterberger met with Dennis
Kuseske. Real Estate agent Sarah Becker offered her services
to draw up a purchase agreement. The township would be
responsible for the survey and title transfer. Motions by
Loewen/Wicker to have Unterberger represent the township with any
signature necessary to complete paperwork. Motion carried
Meeker County Hwy Dept. – Clerk Harff said that the agreement for
Kingston Street could not be found. She will check with the
county and Deputy Clerk Adolph is looking in her minutes to see what
the agreement is. Meeker Co Hwy Dept also is increasing their
maintenance cost for all the townships in 2010 with new agreements
to be signed. Tabled for next meeting.
Traffic Counters – Wicker checked the cost and difference in the
road counters. With prices ranging from $400 - $900, the board
would need to decide what they are looking for in a traffic counter.
Tabled for next meeting.
Bills were presented
Disbursements
Check #
Hendricks Sand & Gravel Snow,
Salt & Sand $
7,963.75
4436
DiversiCom
January Bill
46.27
4437
Tri Co News
Mtg Chg & Hearing notice 154.76
4438
Murnane & Brandt
Attorneys a law
817.00
4439
Fed Ex/Kinkos
913 Newsletters
697.89
4440
Stearns Co Auditors
Address list & 5 plat books 251.17
4441
Stearns Co Recorder
Becker Variance
46.00
4442
1 Qtr Payroll
5 Bd Members
3,262.73
4443-4447
Qtrly Mileage pd
4 Bd Members
340.28
4448-4451
MAT Short Course
4 Bd Members @ $45.00 ea 180.00
4452
Watkins Fire Dept
4/1/09 – 4/1/10 Contract 5,489.18
4453
Watkins Ambulance
Annual Mtg Donation
3,000.00
4454
Community Playhouse
Annual Mtg Donation
1,000.00
4455
Historical Society
Annual Mtg Donation
200.00
4456
Kruiser’s 4-H Club
Annual Mtg Donation
300.00
4457
Rockville Fire Dept
4/1/09 – 4/1/10 Contract 20,147.00
4458
MP09-09
Receipts
Receipt #
Interest Earned Checking
$ 107.64
Bank Statement
2006 CD Interest
17.82 Bank
Statement
Money Market Interest
684.18 Bank Statement
Stearns County
Gas Tax
24,968.65 853626
Loewen/Wicker Reimbursement for “Day at Capitol”
10.00 853627
State Bank of Kimball Closed on
CD for Town Hall 12,455.68
853628
Stearns County
Gravel removal tax
270.35 853629
Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to approve the presented
bills along with the cost of recording the variance for Brian Becker
at the recorder’s office. Motion carried
Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion carried.
Terre Harff,
Clerk/Treasurer