2013 Minutes | Lake Emma Township

2013 Meeting Minutes

Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – December 3, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens, at 7:04 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz, and Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Also present were Terry Long, Deputy Josh Oswald and Frank Trenholm.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the November 5, 2013 Regular meeting and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of November 30, 2013: Total of all accounts = $368,956.88. Of that amount, $103,253.01 is General Fund Revenue and $265,703.87 is Road and Bridge Fund Revenue. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $75,899.11, CD = $52,272.70, CD = $53,323.61, Checking = $217.31; State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,922.51, CD = $123,321.64. Funds available: $140,038.93. Vouchers for payment: #3316 through #3329.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

Terry Long reported the first plowing began today and will continue tomorrow with scraping and sanding before the really cold weather. Garnet ditching is completed, seeded and straw bales applied. Howard’s Driveway has finished Gasparilla paving.

Irene reviewed a meeting with Hubbard County Environmental Services. She explained the problem with Gasparilla and the need for a costly repair, years after construction. It was recommended that Townships should not take on new roads and that property owners should be standing behind the roads. Right now there’s not much development, which helps the situation.

When asked the outcome of cutting a Paul Bunyan Communications fiber optic line on Garnet, Terry Long explained that Paul Bunyan sent his firm a bill for $7000. Terry then notified PB that the incident resulted from imprecise installation of the line. The line was Installed in the middle of the Right of Way, 17 feet from center instead of the outer boundary of the right of way. At the point the line was cut, PB was off approximately 15’ horizontally and almost 7’ vertically from where they said they’d be. PB forgave all but $500 of the costs associated with cutting the line. Irene will request that a PB representative attend the January meeting, since there may be more such issues.

Deputy Josh Oswald visited the meeting. He asked for input on traffic issues & problem areas from Supervisors and stated that deputies would attend meetings when they can. School bus speeds were also discussed.

Curt Meyer, Widseth, Smith & Nolting, did not attend the meeting.

The agreement with Arago Township, which has been discussed at several previous meetings, was brought up again. It is taking a long time to receive the agreement which was originally proposed many months ago. The Arago Township attorney is drafting the agreement. During discussion, it was noted that there are other agreements with neighboring townships (Mantrap, Clay) focusing on maintenance of jointly owned roads. The agreements will be located and reviewed.

The DNR contacted Brian regarding the proposed Big Sand Lake Access. A preliminary design draft was presented, which actually looks much safer than the previous concept. Tony was concerned with the loss of tax revenue from the DNR purchase of the residential property necessary for completion of the project.

Resolution 13-3, a Resolution setting 2014 Compensation and Reimbursement of Lake Emma Township Officials, was presented with no changes from 2013.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to adopt Resolution 13-3 as presented. Motion carried.

Board members reported follow up relating to Walters Resort sewer system repairs. Brian and Terry Long visited the site and agreed that cutting a 4” trench across Grouse Road was not a satisfactory method to carry the sewer pipe across the road. Mr. Skadberg, at the November 5 meeting, proposed to then repair the trench with concrete. Directional drilling 6’ under the road would be far better. According to the Skadbergs, owners of the resort, the project will not be done this fall, but will wait for spring. Irene provided information received from Larson Engineering about the project. Larson recommended Wagner Plumbing for the boring. Board members addressed the utility permit application presented by Tim Skadberg at the November 5 meeting. Issues with the permit, including using concrete for restoration of the paved road, and that the sewer line would be a private line in a public road were considered.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to deny the Skadberg utility permit application of November 5, 2013 as submitted. Motion carried.

Brian presented a notification from Thomason, Swanson and Zahn regarding a tract modification on Little Sand Lake. The law firm inquired whether the Township had any concerns with the two tracts being combined into a 1.9 acre tract. Discussion followed regarding the exact location of the tracts, but there was no action needed.

The Hubbard Township Assn. meeting was reviewed, as Brian was the only Lake Emma official in attendance. Topics at the meeting included: drug enforcement in Hubbard County, Enbridge Pipeline project-$450,000 in real estate taxes to be received, bridge replacement on County Road 40.

Correspondence and Reminders: Hubbard County Environmental Site Visit, December 12 at 10:10 AM – Tim and Deb Skadberg at 20035 Grouse Road, for a variance to exceed the allowed rental unit density for a proposed resort use. The Hearing date is December 16 at 9 AM.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – November 5, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens, at 7:00 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens and Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Absent was Tony Platz. Also present were Terry Long, Justin Long, Kailee Bjorkstrand, Jon Bjorkstrand, Terry and Norris Hokeness, Tim and Deb Skadberg, Robb Swanson, Ron Masanz, Curt Meyer and Frank Trenholm.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Brian seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the minutes of October 1, 2013 and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of October 31, 2013: Total of all accounts = $388,142.06. Of that amount, $103,258.64 is General Fund Revenue and $284,883.42 is Road and Bridge Fund Revenue. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $95,525.74, CD = $52,187.20, CD = $53,236.39, Checking = $217.31; State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,917.43, CD = $123,057.99. Funds available: $159,660.48. Vouchers for payment: #3313 through #3315.

Motion by Irene seconded by Brian to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

Robb Swanson requested approval of a resolution authorizing Zhateau Zorbaz Liquor License. Motion by Brian seconded by Irene to approve Resolution 13-1, authorizing Zhateau Zorbaz liquor license. Motion carried.

Terry Hokeness requested approval of a resolution authorizing Bayside Resort 3.2 Malt Liquor License. Motion by Brian seconded by Irene to approve Resolution 13-2, authorizing Bayside Resort’s 3.2 Beer License. Motion carried.

Terry Long of Long Construction presented the road report. The Garnet project is nearing completion. Base 1 roads have been worked after the rain, as well as crowning on gravel roads. Terry reported discovering an area on Green Pines Road where Paul Bunyan Communications’ fiber optic line failed to meet the depth requirement. Paul Bunyan will be re-boring the area that is improperly installed.

Curt Meyer, Widseth, Smith and Nolting, presented an update of the Haakon Drive grant project initiated by Arago Township. The design engineers encountered an issue with wetlands along the road improvement project area. For this reason, the project has a 3-4 month delay, possibly longer if the Army Corps of Engineers gets involved. The original plan to do some of the construction work in 2013 and finish in 2014 will not be accomplished. Curt left a copy of the design thus far, stating that final design will be forthcoming. The project has to be presented to the County Engineering Department and then will have a comment period. Curt stated the project will tentatively be ready for bids in March.

A maintenance agreement for Lake Emma/Arago jointly owned roads is not ready for Lake Emma Township consideration. The estimated cost to Lake Emma Township for their share of the Haakon Drive project is $33,000-$34,000, with possible additional costs for wetlands issues, permitting and easements.

Ron Masanz and Terry and Norris Hokeness, property owners on Haakon Drive, were interested in various aspects of the project such as, easements, staking, and mailboxes. Curt responded to questions but recommended they attend the Arago Township meeting next week, for more precise answers from the project design engineer.

Curt referred to the 10-year Road Plan. The Board was encouraged to begin considering the Garnet overlay project, which is scheduled for 2013-2015. This project could be combined with overlays on Intrepid and Indigo which are scheduled further out. Curt stated that the Garnet project could also wait a year. Any or all of the three projects could be incorporated with similar Hubbard County projects scheduled in the near vicinity.

Concerns from the Floor: Tim Skadsberg, from Walters Resort, 20035 Grouse Road, presented a utility permit application. The application was received too late to be scheduled on the agenda for this meeting. The sewer improvement project will require trenching across Grouse Road. Tim has been working with Hubbard County Environmental Services staff to formulate a plan to correct the resort’s non-conforming mound system. Brian will schedule a visit to the site within a day or two.

Correspondence and Reminders: A) MAT’s Educational Conference – November 21-23 at Jackpot Junction in Morton and B) Township Association Meeting – November 18, 2013 at Farden Township, 7:30 PM.

Motion by Irene seconded by Brian to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – October 1, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens, at 7:05 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz, and Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Also present were Terry Long and one other member of the public.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the September 3, 2013 Regular meeting & September 24, 2013 Fall Road Tour minutes, and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of September 30, 2013: Total of all accounts = $420,243.74. Of that amount, $103,323.45 is General Fund Revenue and $316,920.29 is Road and Bridge Revenue. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $127,632.85, CD = $52,187.20, CD = $53,236.39, Checking = $217.31; State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,912.00, CD = $123,057.99. Funds available: $191,762.16. Vouchers for payment: #3310 through #3312.

Motion by Irene Seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

Irene amended the agenda to include authorization for Big Sand Lake Association to use the Town Hall on Saturday, October 5 from 3 PM to 5 PM for a meeting. Irene will make the arrangements. Board members approved the use of the Town Hall.

Long Construction is on the normal fall work schedule. They will be watching the Base 1 roads, as activity from fiber optics crews is causing more rapid wash boarding. Crews are mowing a wider strip along the ditches. Gasparilla repairs have been made. The north end of Holly, and 280th, which are minimum maintenance roads, will be mowed/brushed yet this fall. Reshaping the banks and tree removal on Garnet has begun.

Since road maintenance will not go out for bid this year, Long Construction will provide rates for various maintenance and construction tasks for Board review. Rates are provided to Hubbard County in January and will be reviewed at the January Township Meeting. A contract with Long Construction will be drafted for ongoing maintenance.

Curt Meyer, WSN was unable to attend the meeting due to illness.

There were no concerns from the floor.

Lake Emma Township Ordinance #1 was presented for review. Irene mentioned a potential change in the manner in which township and County roads are transferred to other jurisdictions. The language in the ordinance provides that any roads turned over to the Township be built to Township standards. The objective is to prevent occurrences such as the recent repairs on Gasparilla, where substandard material was used in the road construction process. The primary difference between Gasparilla and other such private turned Township roads is that Gasparilla is paved, not gravel, causing greater expense for the repair. Also discussed is the requirement to provide a bond to protect against road construction deficiencies. Board members agreed that when a plat is brought to the County and signed off by the Township, the monitoring process should begin. Irene will stop at the County Environmental office to review the procedures when a plat is filed. More research is needed to generate a stronger ordinance. Tony questioned if tax revenue is received from permanent and/or non-permanent campers.

The Snowplowing Policy, also set for review, has language regarding extreme conditions, poor visibility and unsafe plowing. A discussion followed regarding several areas in the township which are difficult to plow due to various obstacles or conditions. Among the difficult areas, Hartman Drive snowplowing issues were again discussed.

Brian reported that an agreement has been drafted by Arago Township which will define responsibility for Arago/Lake Emma jointly owned roads. The agreement was sparked by the DNR project on Haakin Drive, a road jointly owned by both Townships. The agreement will come before Lake Emma Township after action by Arago Township. The Board discussed the revised plans for the DNR project; particularly, the areas which may be hard surfaced and the impact of hard surfacing.

Hubbard County Engineer, David Olsonawski, requested Board review of the current Township road map. Gumby Bear and Gelukee Roads appear to be paved on the review map, but are gravel. A clarification on Gumby Bear and Gelukee will be reported to the County Engineer.

Other inquiries from David Olsonawski were in regard to County aggregate and chloride contracts. Because the Township contracts with Long Construction for aggregate application, and no longer applies chloride to township roads, there was no interest in participation with the County.

Correspondence and Reminders: Mat Educational Conference, November 21-23, at Jackpot Junction in Morton.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.

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Fall Road Tour Minutes – Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Fall Road Tour was held on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 4:00 PM. Present were Supervisors Brian Behrens, Tony Platz, Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson, and Road Maintenance Contractor Terry Long. The roads were inspected and the following notations were made:

Half Moon Road – Base One application completed.

270th Street – (west off County Road 4) Gravel and Base One application this summer. This is a heavy use road. It hasn’t been bladed for a month, but still in good shape.

Holly – Base 1 road in good shape.

Crews are mowing ditches now.

Harris Drive—The first quarter of a mile is in Lake Emma Township and is in good shape.

Haakin—This road is part of a DNR project to provide snowmobile trails. Lake Emma and Arago townships have discussed cooperating on the costs of the project and future upkeep of shared roads. It is unknown if the project will proceed in 2013 or be delayed until 2014. Design modifications are still being made.

Garnet Drive – Long Construction will be sloping some of the banks this fall and finish up in 2014. Trees will have to be removed. This road should be overlaid in the near future.

Gasparella – Long Construction completed the repair of a big dip in the road. Approximately 70 truckloads of material were removed and replaced with appropriate material.

Grouse—Work is completed.

Glider Drive—This road needs work to provide for snow storage, drainage and generally make this a safer road.

The fall road tour concluded at 5:30 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – September 3, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens, at 7:00 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz, and Irene Weis; Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Also present were Justin Long and one other member of the public.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to dispense with reading the August 6, 2013 minutes, and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of August 31, 2013: Total of all accounts = $438,898.81. Of that amount, $109,243.06 is General Fund Revenue and $329,655.75 is Road and Bridge Revenue. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $146,293.35, CD = $52,187.20, CD = $53,236.39, Checking = $217.31; State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,906.57, CD = $123,057.99. Funds available: $210,417.23 Vouchers for payment: #3298 through #3309.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

The Road Report was presented by Justin Long of Long Construction. Granite has been graveled. The Gasparilla sinkhole repair began today with removal of asphalt and should be completed in the next day or two. Next project is ditching and removing banks on Garnet. Ditches will be mowed for the second time. Justin reported that Paul Bunyan Communications has been cooperative with the new line work.

Brian stated that Terry Long has recommended a split-rail type of movable barrier to resolve the plowing issues on Hartman Drive. The resident is opposed to the Township spending money for the barrier. Instead, he is asking for a plowing method which will require equipment to maneuver in a potentially unsafe manner. The area has a narrow right of way and has steep banks nearby. Plowing cannot be accomplished in a timely manner if it has to be customized. Board members will do more research in the matter.

Loren Tolkkinen, SSL, Inc., was present to discuss the renewal of the Township Assessing Contract. Board members requested clarification about the length of the contract. Mr. Tolkkinen responded that his work is completed on a 5 year cycle, with 20% of parcels visited each year, and a 5 year contract limits the need to renegotiate so often. An option to cancel the contract anytime with proper notice is included in the contract language. Loren discussed the reasons for different assessing rates charged by other townships.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Assessing Contract with SSL, Inc., for 2014 through 2018. Motion carried.

The Road Maintenance contract with Long Construction ends in December 2013. Board members agreed that because the individual components of the contract each fall well below the bidding threshold, the contract will not go out for bid this year. Terry Long will be asked to bring his various rates to the November meeting and a contract will be considered at the December meeting.

Brian reported on discussions with Arago Township regarding the DNR project currently underway. Arago approached Lake Emma Township in May to cost share 50% of the engineering fees on the project. The project location is in Arago Township, on Haakin Drive, which also extends into Lake Emma Township. An agreement will be drafted by Arago Township’s attorney covering the cost sharing factor, to all jointly owned roads. Tony expressed concern that if the Potato Lake landing is paved, sand will wash into the lake. He was also concerned about tree removal which may happen in Lake Emma Township as part of the project. Tony will attend a meeting on the project at 10 AM, Sept 4 on Haakin Drive.

A request was presented from Headwaters Regional Development Commission asking for a clear definition of four Lake Emma Township roads: Firelight Drive, 270th Street, Glider Drive and Homestead Drive or parts thereof. A definitive answer could not be reached on the ownership of these roads. More research will be completed.

The Fall Road Tour date will be Tuesday, September 24 at 4 PM, pending Terry Long’s availability on that date.

Irene gave a brief review of the MAT District 11 meeting on August 28. Topics included the gas tax reimbursement, which may disappear; a MNDOT representative explaining the care of MN roadways as funding sources decrease over the next 20 years; Sales tax responsibilities for townships, CTAS improvements; the scholarship program and the Township Aid.

Correspondence and reminders included:

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Regular Meeting Minutes – August 6, 2013

At 6:15 PM, Township Supervisors Brian Behrens, Tony Platz and Irene Weis assembled at the dead end of Hartman Drive to review a snow removal issue. Also present were Terry Long, Long Construction, Rob Tiffany, and Lynne Erickson.

Mr. Tiffany identified lot lines, road right-of-way, and further explained his concerns about snow removal. In this area, Hartman Drive right-of-way is only 20 feet wide and dead ends at a circular driveway on private property. There is no turn-around for snow removal equipment except for the private driveway. An off-road clearing near the dead end was used in the past for snow removal equipment to maneuver, but is now filled with landscaping rocks. Terry Long suggested an alternative barrier to protect the clearing from “visitors” in the summer, but which could be eliminated for snow removal in the winter.

Terry will research possibilities for a substitute barrier, and at minimum, red flags will be secured to mark the edges of the rock piles for the snow removal crews.

Board members left the site on Hartman Drive at approximately 6:50 PM to begin the Regular Monthly meeting at the Town Hall.

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens, at 7:05 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Chairperson Brian Behrens, Supervisors Tony Platz, and Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Also present was Terry Long and one other member of the public.

The road report was presented by Terry Long. Crews are working on the normal blading schedule. Two projects were graveled: the first .4 of a mile on Hartman Drive and Half Moon. Neither road had Base one applied and will be rotated back into the regular blading schedule.

A complaint was received regarding the 270th gravel project where the road is somewhat higher than the driveway at the red barn owned by Dave Beck– Long Construction will drop part of a load of gravel to match up the two surfaces. A dust complaint was received on Glacier. The Clerk explained to the complainant that Lake Emma Township does not use Chloride treatment for dust control. Glacier is not a Base One road so the caller could request permission to apply chloride in front of his residence and blading would cease in that area. Tony asked if there is a soy product that’s effective for dust control while being kind to the environment. A complaint was also received from a resident on Green Pines Road, which was overlaid in 2012. The complainant stated that the asphalt was stretched in some areas. Brian spoke to Curt Meyer about the Green Pines project, and Curt stated that though he did not see anything in the applications that would damage the road, and he will look at the road in October.

Brian gave a brief review of the earlier meeting on Hartman Drive. Though he’s tried several times, Brian has been unable to reach Mr. Young about parking on Hartman during snow removal.

Irene clarified a previous statement regarding enforcement of parking on County/Township roads. Sheriff Aukes said the County will enforce all parking issues in the County to ensure that emergency vehicles have access. There is also a question about the location of the 20 foot ROW on Hartman. More research will be completed.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the July 2, 2013 minutes, and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of July 31, 2013: Total of all accounts = $470,782.43. Of that amount, $129,447.62 is General Fund Revenue and $341,334.81 is Road and Bridge Revenue. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $178,617.74, CD = $52,101.84, CD = $53,149.31, Checking = $217.31. State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,901.32, CD = $122,794.91. Funds available: $242,736.37. Vouchers for payment: #3294 through #3297.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

A Preliminary Draft of the Road Improvement Plan was distributed. Curt Meyer, Widseth Smith & Nolting, was not present at the meeting but will attend the October meeting to discuss the final draft and 2014 projects.

The Assessing contract, with SSL, Inc., was tabled at the July meeting as Chairperson Behrens was absent and the remaining Board members felt they needed more time to make a decision. Board members expressed concern that 5 years may be too long for the contract term, and the automatic 3% increase each year would be better if tied to the CPI. Included in the contract language is “Item Six” which basically states that either party may terminate the agreement at any time with written notice. Review of past contracts showed 4 years terms prior to 2009 and some past contracts held cost increases to every 2-years instead of increasing each year. Brian had spoken to Bob Hanson, County Assessor, to request information about other township assessing agreements. Mr. Hanson is not familiar with the each Township’s costs/contracts for assessing. The Assessor is an independent contractor and responsible for his own expenses. The 2014 General Fund budget is set at $95.000, no increase from the prior year. Tony stated his unease at the automatic 3% increase each year when there are so many constituents on “fixed incomes” and would like to sit down and review the contract with Mr. Tolkkinen. Brian suggested that we table the matter for further review and invite Mr. Tolkkinen to attend the next meeting.

Brian reported that the Arago Township project will proceed in 2013. There has been no further communication between Arago and Lake Emma officials about sharing engineering cost, since the earlier request.

Hubbard County Township meeting was reviewed. Topics covered: no increase in gas tax, CTAS system upgrade, township bridges, upcoming meetings, Laporte bridge is done, County 18 between Shallow lake and BelleTaine bridge work, wheelage tax, sales tax, drug activity in the County, road contracts, Paul Bunyan construction in the area, county office relocations, Solid Waste manager personnel change.

Correspondence and Reminders: Thank you from Paul Bunyan Communications for use of Town Hall, MAT District 11 meeting on August 28-Walker, and August 16 Sales and Use Tax meeting-New York Mills.

Brian expressed a concern, from the summer short courses, that the gas tax might be abolished in favor of a wheelage tax or some other tax. MAT legal staff is working to prevent any potential change to township funding distributions, regardless of which tax is in place.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.

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Approved Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – July 2, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Vice-Chairperson, Tony Platz, at 7:04 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Tony Platz, and Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Absent was Brian Behrens, Chair. Also present were Justin Long and one other member of the public.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to dispense with reading the June 4, 2013 minutes, and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of June 30, 2013: Total of all accounts = $337,017.88. Of that amount, $56,748.38 is General Fund Revenue and $280,269.50 is Road and Bridge Revenue. State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,895.54, CD = $122,794.91. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $44,858.97, CD = $52,101.84, CD = $53,149.31, Checking = $217.31. Funds available: $108,974.82 Vouchers for payment: #3290 through #3293.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

The Road Report was presented by Justin Long of Long Construction. Base 1 and gravel are completed on 270th. Mowing is all done, which is the first cut of approximately 4 feet.

Curt Meyer did not attend the meeting. He will be scheduled at the August 6th meeting to discuss the Capital Improvements Plan. Neither Irene nor Tony has been contacted by Arago Township with regard to the DNR Improvement Project on Haakin Drive.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to table the discussion of the Capital Improvement Plan until the August 6 meeting. Motion carried.

Board members received a 5-year contract proposal from SSL, Inc., for assessing property in the taxing district of Lake Emma Township. The current contract is in its final year. Discussion was tabled to the August 6 meeting, when a full Board of Supervisors is in attendance, unless there is an urgent need to complete a contract sooner. In such case, a special meeting can be called.

In response to a discussion at the June 4 meeting, Irene Weis reported that MAT legal staff agreed that when a township enacts a parking ordinance, they are responsible to enforce it. Board members agreed that working with residents to eliminate parking issues was a better option than drafting and enforcing a parking ordinance.

There were no concerns from the floor.

At the Spring Short Course, the appointments of Township Vice-Chair, Deputy Clerk and Treasurer were recommended to be done by resolution. Irene Weis checked with MAT legal staff, who advised that Lake Emma Township is compliant with statute in regard to these actions, even though they were completed by motion. MAT staff, however, recommended making these annual appointments by resolution in the future.

Correspondence and reminders included:

1)The August 6 Regular meeting will begin at 6:15 PM on Hartman Drive,

2)The July 15 Township Association meeting will meet in the lower level of the Hubbard County Courthouse at 7:30 PM,

3)Thank-You card from Blue Lake Association for caring about our Local Lakes.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – June 4, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens at 7:04 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz, Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Also present were Rob Tiffany, Nancy Bogaard and one other member of the public.

Minutes were distributed earlier and are available on the website. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the May 7, 2013 minutes and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2013 Spring Road Tour as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of May 31, 2013: Total of all accounts = $362,457.00. Of that amount, $64,726.62 are General Fund Revenues and $297,730.38 are Road and Bridge Revenues. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $70,302.99, CD = $52,101.84, CD = $53,149.31, Checking = $217.31. State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,890.64, CD = $122,794.91. Funds available: $134,411.84. Vouchers for payment: #3274 through #3289. The CD which matured on May 23 at State Bank was renewed again at State Bank for a 2 year term at .85% interest.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

The Road report was presented by Terry Long. Road crews are finished with crack sealing, and are concentrating on Base 1 roads after the rain. They are into the normal maintenance routine. As far as Spring Road Tour priorities, the graveling jobs are first as they are easier to do in the spring when it’s cooler. They plan to start with 270th, then Glory, Half Moon, Hartman-more gravel, Garnet-ditching, and Glider-tree removal and ditching (the first section is across tax-forfeited land).

Rob Tiffany was present to discuss maintenance issues with snow removal and grading on the lower end of Hartman Drive. The road is narrow and the turn-around is not large enough for maintenance equipment. Discussion followed on a number of issues creating difficulties for road maintenance crews, including a resident who parks on the road during heavy snowfall. There is a concern about getting emergency vehicles to the residences.

Irene will contact the MN Association of Townships legal staff regarding a parking ordinance and enforcement. Brian will speak to the resident about parking on the street during snowfall. Board members suggested a meeting with Mr. Tiffany and Terry Long, prior to the August Regular monthly meeting to review some of the issues. The site visit is tentatively set for 6:15 PM on August 6 on Hartman Drive.

Brian has spoken to Curt Meyer regarding the Capital Improvement Plan. Curt did not appear at the meeting but reported he is still making improvements on the document and Jeff Adolphson has not had input as yet. Curt will be scheduled at the July meeting.

At the Hubbard Township Association meeting on May 20, Sheriff Aukes indicated that a deputy would be attending future township meetings, to give updates and input as requested.

There were no concerns from the floor.

The State Demographer population numbers for 2012 were received. If the numbers are disputed for any reason, a challenge must be filed at the State Demographer’s office by June 24, 2013. The Board found no reason to challenge.

Supervisor Weis presented documents supporting legal practices for topics including: Cemetaries, Clerk notary, appointing Vice-Chair, appointing Deputy Clerk and Deputy Treasurer, Town Officer Compensation and Conflict of Interest, Donations and other. Irene will do more research on these topics with the Minnesota Association of Townships legal staff and report to the Board.

Miscellaneous items included a reminder of the Summer Short Course on June 26 in Walker, and advertising from Bellefy Brushing, Politics in Minnesota Magazine, Couri & Ruppe Attorneys at Law, and a donation request from Headwaters Science Center.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:28 PM.

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Spring Road Tour – Lake Emma Township--Monday, May 13, 2013

The Spring Road Tour began at the Town Hall at 3:05 PM. Present were supervisors Brian Behrens and Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Terry Long from Long Construction. Township roads were inspected and the following conditions were noted:

Half Moon – Base One and gravel mix. Roads with Base One are graded less than those with gravel base. This road is exposed and dries out fast. It gets washboard effect. Going back to gravel rather than Base One, with a 7-10 day grading schedule is suggested.

Hartman – Exposed to sunlight and dry. Go to a 7-10 day grading schedule.

Harbor – Very narrow, needs a turn-around.

Intrepid – Waiting for a soaking rain to grade and pack down.

Inwood Loop – Was overlaid 2 years ago and is in pretty good shape.

270th – Base One and gravel mix. Maintained as Base One and is in good shape. From County 40 to Holly, apply another lift of Base one and Gravel.

Holly – stayed in good shape. Needs grading and press the rock down.

Haakon – visited the site of the DNR grant project, discussed at the May 7 meeting.

Harris – gravel. Has been graded twice this year.

Green Pines – Overlayed last year.

Garnet – due for overlay. The banks need to be pushed back before resurfacing as they do not allow proper drainage. Water sits in the road. Paving can be put off for a year.

Gasparilla – It has a sinkhole but is in pretty good shape. Has a few fresh cracks this year.

230th – Graveled 2 years ago. It’s in good shape.

Gumby Bear – Graveled recently.

Grouse Road – Fix the bump prior to doing an overlay, but may not be needed for another year or so—depending on how the existing asphalt ages.

Glacier – re-graveled 2 years ago.

Glider – Fairly heavy traffic and fast driving. Install ditches for safety and snow storage, some trees may have to be removed.

Get Around Road – Mantrap Township does the grading and Lake Emma Township does snow removal. It was built up a few years ago.

Hector – graveled last year.

Harmony – has a plowing issue from a resident.

Granite & Glory Trail – due for re-graveling. 7 year rotation but it’s been 8 years on Granite.

250th – pretty good shape. Graveled 2 years ago.

Hunter Road – paved. Needs a turn-around at the end.

195th – Due for gravel this year or next, on 7 year rotation. Gravel still in pretty good condition.

Flooding: No issues. A culvert on 270th was plugged for a day or two. It was a good year for thawing.

The Spring Road Tour ended at the Town Hall at 5:15 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Board Minutes – May 7, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens at 7:00 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz, Irene Weis, Clerk Lynne Erickson and Treasurer Mavis Trenholm. Also present were Rob St. Clair, Network Operations Mgr. and Ron Vold, Jr., Construction and Engineering Supervisor, both from Paul Bunyan Communications; Curt Meyer from Widseth, Smith and Nolting; Charlene Christenson and Clark Smith from Arago Township, Terry Long from Long Construction; Chris Rausch; Nancy Bogaard and 1 other member of the public.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the April 2, 2013 minutes, which are available on the website, and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis Trenholm, with the following figures as of April 30, 2013: Total of all accounts = $401,412.50. Of that amount, $95,127.51 is General Fund Revenue and $306,284.99 is Road and Bridge Revenue. Citizen’s National Bank accounts: Money Market = $109,921.23, CD = $52,020.47, CD = $53,065.43, Checking = $217.31. State Bank accounts: Money Market = $63,885.21, CD = $122,302.85. Funds available: $174,023.75. Vouchers for payment: #3268 through #3273.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

Ron Vold, Jr. and Rob St. Clair were present, at the request of Irene Weis, to discuss construction permits and fiber optic projects in Lake Emma Township. Mr. Vold stated they are hoping to complete installations this summer, in Lake Emma Township and other townships north and west. He indicated that the installations are placed as far back on right-of-way as possible, but not exceeding 33 feet. Mr. Vold was asked what would happen if a culvert had to be dug up and fiber optic cables are in the way. He responded that PBC would have to be notified and given some time, would relocate the cable. Lake Emma Township and PBC should be able to work together to resolve such issues up front rather than after the fact.

Mr. Vold assured the Board that they try to install the cable on one side of the road only, but may have to cross in some instances. In those cases, they would go perpendicular, not diagonally across, and the cable is below the frost line, where it will not impact maintenance. A map will show the layout of the cable.

Garnet has anticipated ditch work to be done. Terry Long has spoken to PBC personnel about the upcoming work so coordination will take place between the two agencies.

Terry Long, from Long Construction, followed with the road report. They are currently working on crack sealing and sweeping. They have been over everything once with the motor grader, but things haven’t been drying out like they should. A couple of the Base One roads have stayed too wet in shaded spots and too dry in exposed areas. Conditions have not been optimum. 270th is in the poorest condition of all the roads, a chronic problem, and may need a little more gravel. They will be working on potholes after it rains.

Clark Smith and Charlene Christenson, Arago Township, appeared before the Board to request financial cooperation for a grant project on Haakon Drive, a road which begins in Arago Township and ends in Lake Emma Township. It is also the public access for Potato Lake. Arago Township has secured a DNR grant for redesigning the approach off County 40 to the public access, by taking the hill down and changing ditch slopes. In some cases, the DNR paves the public access in cooperation with the road project, and Arago is anticipating that to happen. Arago is seeking financial assistance with the engineering cost, as the grant covers materials and construction only. The estimated engineering cost of $25,000 to $50,000 was considered very expensive for the size of the project. Curt from Widseth, Smith and Nolting, will look at the project.

No action was taken on the Arago Township request, until more cost information from the engineers is available. Lake Emma officials will review the site area on the road tour. The DNR grant also requires that a snowmobile trail run parallel to the improved road.

Curt Meyer, from Widseth, Smith and Nolting reported on the upgraded Capital Improvement Report, which was revised from the 2006 report. Many townships are utilizing this type of planning tool because of greater turnover on Township Boards. On the CIP, the first 3 projects totaling approximately $350,000 could be done as one project in the next 1-5 years, or they are big enough to proceed as stand-alone projects.

Improvement projects all come down to whether the residents want them or not. Curt asked Board Members to review the Draft road inventories and mapping in the next month or so, to identify any changes or additions to the inventory. Jeff Adolphson worked on the project with Curt and will be consulted for his input.

Char Christenson asked how Lake Emma Township handles the cost of road improvements. Lake Emma Township assesses the cost back to the property owner. Curt stated there are many different types of assessment policies being used by townships in Minnesota.

The Healthy Lakes Grant Contracts were presented by Brian Behrens. Since the grants were previously approved, Lake Emma officials need only sign and submit. Chris from Pickeral Lake questioned why the Township was not helping other lakes with inspections. She indicated that those who do not have active lake associations are being penalized. She was encouraged to work with COLA and Soil and Water Conservation District. The Grant program was reviewed, as was the concern for all of the lakes. Legislation is being sought to help with the monitoring of all lakes.

The Sentence to Serve program reported that 2012 grounds maintenance work for the Town Hall and Cemetery was valued at $2,704.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to make a donation to Sentence to Serve for the value of their work performed in 2012. Motion carried.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to authorize Sentence to Serve to perform general ground maintenance for cemetery and Town Hall properties in 2013. Motion carried.

After attending the Spring Short Courses, Supervisor Weis was concerned that we enact resolutions defining Conflict of Interest for Supervisors, appointing a Vice-Chair, and establishing Deputy Clerk and Treasurer positions. The matter will be rescheduled to the June meeting.

A State Bank CD valued at approximately $122,000 matures on May 23. The interest rate is currently 1.65%. Board members discussed renewal rates and the terms of the investment. Mavis was authorized to seek the best rate locally for the CD at a term of 2 year or less.

There were no concerns from the floor.

Reminders:

1.Spring Road Tour-May 13, 3 PM. Participants will meet at the Town Hall.

2.Hubbard County Township Meeting at Hart Lake Town Hall – May 20, 7:30 PM. Meet at 6:45 at Town Hall.

3.Environmental Services - Site visit for variance: 22174 Firelight Drive, Park Rapids-May 17, 11 AM and Hearing is May 20, 9 AM.

4.Treasurer reminded Board to submit claim forms for payment before next meeting.

Irene suggested that a member of the Lake Emma Board should attend the Arago Town Board meetings for information on the upcoming Haakon Drive project.

Motion by Brian seconded by Tony to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.

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Lake Emma Township Board Minutes - -April 2, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board Meeting was called to order by Chairperson Brian Behrens at 7:07 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz and Irene Weis. Also present were: Clerk Lynne Erickson, Treasurer Mavis Trenholm (arriving at 7:50), Justin and Terry Long of Long Construction, and nine other members of the public, including 3 students.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading the March 5, 2013 minutes, which appear in advance on the website, and approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

Terry Long reported a considerable amount of snow removal for the past month. They have been trying to push back the banks to improve driving conditions. The roads seem to be drying out quite well and some culverts and potential flood areas will be monitored, such as Greenwood Loop, Greenwood Trail and Holly. Supervisor Platz received a concern from a resident on Hartman Drive regarding the narrow right-of-way due to the amount of snow and the lack of a turn-around for the plows and large trucks. The lack of turn around, as well as other issues, will be checked on the spring road tour. Terry Long stated that while the right-of-way is narrow, two cars can still meet. Tony and Brian commended Long Construction for the outstanding job clearing the huge amount of snow received in March.

A representative from Widseth, Smith and Nolting will attend the May meeting to discuss the Capital Improvement Plan. The CIP was presented at the Annual Meeting and was well received at that time.

Dan Kittilson presented the 2013 Watercraft Inspection Program grant recommendations. Program statistics were reviewed for each 2012 grant recipient. 2013 projections and recommendations were compared to 2012, including inspection hours, number of inspections, 2013 grant requests and the advisory committee’s recommendations. The grants, in all cases, will be used for watercraft inspections. Grant recommendations for 2013 are: Blue Lake - $1,000, Little Sand - $3,000, Big Sand - $5,000 and Potato Lake - $5,000. Approximately $19,000 in matches will be contributed. A coordinator for the inspection projects will be hired by the SWCD, and will be paid from County resources. Dan stated that the SWCD is working on securing one or two decontamination units for the County. Several issues were discussed with regard to potential locations of the decontamination units.

Grant recipients are required to enter into a contract with the Township. Action will be taken at the May meeting to authorize Township signatures on the prepared contracts.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to award payment of $14,000 to SWCD with the understanding grant funds must be spent on AIS for Lake Emma Township lakes. Motion carried.

Discussion followed on the Fire Service Agreements for 2013. Again, it was noted that the cost of fire protection has decreased in recent years. Supervisor Behrens signed the agreements and the payment of $24,366.57 will be submitted to the City of Park Rapids by April 30.

Lake Emma Township recently received utility infrastructure applications from Paul Bunyan Communications for installation of fiber optic cable on Township right-of-way. Work Season will be May 15 through September 15, 2013 and work is to be completed in right-of-way areas on Grouse Road, Haywood Drive, 195th Ave & 250th St, Glacier Drive, Harmony Road, Hunter Road, Hope Drive, Hector Road, Ginger Road, Get Around Road, Glider Drive, Glory Trail, Greenwood Loop, Gladwin Drive, Goldenrod Drive, Greater Interlachen Drive. Discussion led to a suggestion to develop an ordinance or policy, for the township’s protection, regulating such installations in the future. Irene will visit with Paul Bunyan personnel regarding these projects.

The spring road tour was set for Monday, May 13, at 3 PM. Participants will meet at the Town Hall.

The Treasurer’s report was presented by Mavis with the following figures as of March 31, 2013: Total of all accounts=$439,055.65 (of which General Fund is $119,687.07 and Road & Bridge Fund is $319,368.58). Citizen’s Money Market is $147,494.33 (of which $55,729.99 is General Fund and $91,764.34 is Road and Bridge Fund). Citizen’s Bank CD of $52,020.47, Citizen’s Bank CD of $53,065.43 and Citizen’s Bank Checking of $292.96. State Bank Money Market of $63,879.61 and State Bank CD of $122.302.85. Funds available is $211.666.90. Vouchers for payment are #3260 thru #3264.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

The Board of Appeal and Equalization will meet on Monday, April 22, 9 AM at the Town Hall. In order for a Town to be allowed to serve as the local board of appeal and equalization, at least one supervisor present at the meeting must have attended a certified training course within the previous four years. Brian Behrens is the only Board member currently certified. The Treasurer will register Tony and Irene for the certification training to be held in June.

The Annual Township Weed Law Training will be held April 18, 7 PM at the Hubbard County Courthouse. Brian and Irene will attend.

The next Hubbard County Township Association meeting will be at Hart Lake Town Hall on May 20 at 7:30 PM.

Irene and Tony recently attended MAT Short Courses at Mahnomen. Discussion of the courses will be scheduled at the May meeting as the Clerk has not yet attended the program in Walker. The MAT courses recommended passing a resolution covering supervisors if called upon to work for the township during an emergency. A sample resolution will be presented at the May meeting.

Board members took a few moments to thank the students for their attendance. Supervisors clarified some of the discussions and actions this evening for a better understanding by the students.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:40.

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Unapproved Lake Emma Township Annual Meeting – Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Lake Emma Township Annual Meeting was called to order by Clerk, Lynne Erickson at 7 PM, with the Pledge of Allegiance. Fifteen township residents were in attendance.

Nominations for moderator were opened. Motion by Tony Platz to nominate Bob Berdahl. The motion was seconded by Wayne Swanson. There were no further nominations. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

Moderator Berdahl asked for any changes to the agenda. No changes were brought forward.

Minutes from the 2012 Annual Meeting were read by the Clerk. Motion by Dan Kittilson seconded by Jim Bodsgard to approve the minutes as read. Motion carried.

A summary Board of Audit report was presented by the Clerk. Beginning balance of all accounts on 1-1-2012 was $558,221.96 and the ending total of all accounts on 12-31-2012 was $453,134.19. Activity for the General Fund, including Money Markets, Checking and CD’s was: Beginning balance of $141,081.56, income and interest $96,676.14 (including investment activity) and disbursements of $95,688.25 (including investment activity) leaving an ending balance of $143,069.45. Activity for the Road and Bridge Fund including Money Markets, Checking and CD’s was: Beginning balance of $417,140.39, income and interest (including investment activity) $280,881.08, and disbursements (including investment activity) of $386,956.73 leaving an ending balance of $311,064.74. Motion by Wayne Swanson seconded by Tony Platz to approve the Board of Audit report as presented. Motion carried.

Supervisor Brian Behrens reported on 2012 road maintenance and improvements. The required sign inventory was completed and is on file. Green Pines Road was re-surfaced with bituminous paving at a cost of $182,789. Long Construction completed some additional work on the project. Base One applications were made to Half Moon Road and Holly Road. Gumby Bear Road, Gulukee, Harmon and Hector all received additional gravel. Dry summer conditions created problems with Base One on Hartman and Intrepid. Base One needs moisture to be graded. With the long dry spell, grading was limited, causing a washboard effect.

The 10-year Capital Improvement Plan was presented and will be further discussed at the April Board meeting, when a representative from Widseth, Smith and Nolting will be present. Projects on the new CIP include 1.5 inch bituminous overlay and shouldering on Garnet Drive (Green Pines to end) $178,248; Indigo Drive (Intrepid Rd to end) $110,500; Intrepid Rd. (Indigo Drive to County 24) $54,182; and Hunter Road (County 40 to Hermit Lane) $64,617. Total cost of projects over the 10 year period is $407,547. Also noted on the CIP is Gasparilla Loop/Trail will need overlay in approximately 10-12 years.

Bob Berdahl questioned the difference between the 2012 estimate for CIP of $825,000 compared to tonight’s CIP cost estimate of approximately $410,000. Brian explained that the 2012 projected CIP costs included Green Pines Road, which is now completed. Additionally, the actual cost of the Green Pines Road improvement was significantly below the estimate. The 2013 CIP estimates are at today’s lower costs. Motion by Jennifer Therkilsen seconded by Dorothy Platz to approve the road report. Motion carried.

Dan Kittilson gave a brief history of the Lake Emma Healthy Lakes Partnership Grant Program, which began in 2009 with a $1000 contribution from Lake Emma Township for watercraft inspections. Projects have since gone from a focus on AIS and shoreline restoration to primarily AIS, because of Zebra mussel infestation moving toward the area. Hubbard County statistics for 2012 include 4700 hours of inspections, and 7,100 inspections on 11 lakes in Hubbard County. This number of inspections represents 1/3 of the inspections across the entire state. The DNR is focused on containment of infested lakes while the Hubbard County LGU Watercraft Inspection Program and the Healthy Lakes Program is dedicated to shielding our lakes from Aquatic Invasive Species.

In 2013, the LGU Watercraft Inspection Program is expecting funding pledges from Cities and Townships of approximately $30,000, and Hubbard County has dedicated $35,000 for its watercraft inspection program.

Four grant applications have been received for funding from the Lake Emma Township 2013 Healthy Lakes budget of $14,000. The advisory committee will review the applications and make recommendations at the April 2 Lake Emma Town Board meeting. Dan Kittilson suggested contacting legislators, Skoe and Erickson, to help create a sustaining fund for preserving our lakes and encouraged membership in the Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates.

Bob Berdahl stated he felt the Healthy Lakes Project is all about protecting the value of the land. Motion by Jennifer Therkilsen seconded by Dorothy Platz to continue funding the Healthy Lakes Program at the current $14,000 level in pay 2014.

Supervisor Brian Behrens reviewed the Town Board’s perspective for the 2014 tax levies. He explained that at $95,000, spending in the General Fund budget is very close. The Town Board recommendation is to continue the levy at $95,000 for the General Fund. State recommendations are to reserve the equivalent of one year’s expenditures in all funds to protect against future changes in township funding.

The Road and Bridge levy was reduced in 2011 to $190,000 for payable 2012. The reduced levy was insufficient and caused the township to use reserves. As the next CIP project is completed, bituminous overlay and shouldering on Garnet Drive, the current reserve will be considerably reduced. The Town Board recommendation is to increase the Road and Bridge levy to $250,000.

Motion by Dan Kittilson seconded by Larry Bexell to set the levy for the General Fund at $95,000, and the Road and Bridge Fund at $250,000. Motion carried.

Motion by Irene Weis seconded by Jennifer Therkilsen to continue using the Park Rapids Enterprise as the official newspaper. Motion carried.

Nine organizations requested financial support from Lake Emma Township. Each presenter was allowed 5 minutes to address the electorate. At its March 5, 2013 meeting, the Town Board limited total financial assistance to a maximum of $8,000. The approved amounts at the Annual Meeting are expressions of the township resident’s desires; however, the final decision of monetary awards will be made by the Town Board. The following actions occurred with respect to each request:

Motion by Ron Jacobson, seconded by Wayne Swanson, $250 to Marine Corps League, motion carried;
Motion by Clay Peterson, seconded by Dorothy Platz, $600 to Living at Home of the Park Rapids Area, motion carried;
Motion by Irene Weis, seconded by Mary Peterson to table an award to Hubbard County Historical Society until the end of the requests, motion carried;
Motion by Jim Bodsgard, seconded by Tony Platz, $400 to Hubbard County Animal Shelter, motion carried;
Motion by Wayne Swanson, seconded by Dan Kittilson, $1500 to Kinship of the Park Rapids Area, motion carried;
Motion by Dorothy Platz, seconded by Larry Bexell, $300 to Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning, motion carried;
Motion by Jennifer Therkilsen, seconded by Tony Platz, $1500 to the Park Rapids Area Library, motion carried;
Motion by Irene Weis, seconded by Dan Kittilson, $2000 to Hubbard First Response and Rescue, motion carried;
Motion by Clay Peterson, seconded by Dan Kittilson, $1,000 to Lakes Area Dive Team, motion carried;
Motion by Jennifer Therkilsen, seconded by Tony Platz, $250 to Hubbard County Historical Society, motion carried.

Financial support recommendations totaled $7,800. Tony Platz advised that each organization was asked to complete a standardized request form this year. It is hoped that the form will be useful in determining future monetary awards.

The Board of Appeal and Equalization will be held at the Town Hall on Monday, April 22, 2013, at 9 AM.

The next Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at 7 PM at the Town Hall.

Motion by Jim Bodsgard seconded by Wayne Swanson to adjourn the Annual Meeting. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.

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Lake Emma Township Board Meeting Minutes—March 5, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens at 7:05 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisor Behrens, and Supervisors Tony Platz, and Irene Weis. Also present were: Clerk Lynne Erickson, Treasurer Mavis Trenholm, Justin Long, representing Long Construction, and one other member of the public.

Board members dispensed with reading the minutes. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to approve the Feb 5, 2013 Board of Audit and Regular Meeting minutes as written. Motion carried.

Mavis gave the Treasurer’s report as of February 28, 2013: Total of all accounts=$450,784.71 (General =$125,079.62 & Road and Bridge=$325,705.09) Total Includes: State Bank Money Market-$63,874.54, State Bank CD-$122,302.85, Citizen’s Nat’l Bank Money Market-$159,304.11, Citizen’s Nat’l Bank CD-$52,020.47, Citizen’s Nat’l Bank CD-$53,065.43 and Citizen’s Nat’l Bank Checking-$217.31. Funds available-$223,395.96. It was noted that two CD’s came due on Feb 8th and 18th. Renewal quotes from 3 banks were the same or lower interest rate than previously, so they were reinvested at .65%, the same rate as before. Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to approve the Treasurer’s report. Motion carried.

Justin Long, representing Long Construction, reported that crews have been busy plowing and scraping ice. March will be much of the same with emphasis on scraping the ice.

Old Business:
The representative from WSN was unable to be present, but forwarded the Capital Improvement Road Plan, resulting from earlier road tours. The plan outlines bituminous overlay and shouldering priorities, and schedules them over the next 10 years. Approximate costs are included in the CIP. A representative from WSN will be present at the April meeting to further review the CIP. It is anticipated the township’s reserves will be sufficient to complete projects if future budget/levies increase according to this schedule.

It was decided to postpone carpet cleaning until after the annual meeting or until spring when wet winter conditions subside.

Discussion of purchasing a new printer for the Town Hall followed. The printer/copier is currently working well and has had no new problems since the January meeting. As a safeguard against printer failure, checks will be printed at the Treasurer’s home in the future. The purchase of a Town Hall printer/copier will be delayed until necessary.

The 2013 Fire Service contract was presented, at a cost of $24,366.57. This amount is an approximate $300 decrease from last year. Brian pointed out that costs for fire service have come down considerably in recent years and have been as high as $30,000. Action on the fire service agreement will be scheduled for the April meeting.

A form has been created to use when organizations with a public purpose request financial assistance. Using a standard form will allow Board members to review the requests using the same criteria for all. To date, nine requests have been received for presentation at the Annual Meeting on March 12. The Clerk was directed to send a form to those agencies requesting assistance, though it may or may not be used to make a final determination this year.

Concerns from the Floor: There were no concerns from the floor.

New Business:
Four Healthy Lakes Grant applications have been received and will be forwarded to the advisory board. The grant applications will be reviewed, and recommendations for funding will be presented at the April Board Meeting.

Annual meeting discussion followed. The Board was informed that there is no longer a minimum levy requirement to receive the gas tax refund (this year $19,716.31). To successfully accomplish the Capital Improvement Road Plan goals, future Road and Bridge levies will have to rise in increments proportionate with CIP needs. Preserving a one-year levy reserve is recommended.

Motion by Brian to limit financial assistance for service organizations to $8,000 or 7% of the General Fund Levy. Motion died for lack of a second. Financial support for such organizations has come under scrutiny by legislators in recent years.

Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to authorize financial assistance, to organizations providing a public purpose, of 7% of the General Fund levy, but not to exceed $8,000. Motion carried.

Board of Appeal and Equalization will be held on Monday, April 22 at 9 AM at the Town Hall.

Minnesota Association of Townships Short Courses will be held at various locations throughout the state during March and April. Supervisors and Clerk will attend.

The Hubbard County Engineer inquired whether Lake Emma Township wished to join the County contract for purchase of chloride for summer road maintenance. Since the township converted to Class 1 material, there is no need for chloride application.

Correspondence:
Minnesota Benefit Association Group Life Insurance, an ongoing benefit for Township officials; Knife River Materials of Bemidji offering to supply road construction materials; and a Thank You from Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning for recent support.

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.
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Lake Emma Township Board Meeting Minutes--February 5, 2013, 7:00 P.M.

The Lake Emma Township Board meeting was called to order by Brian Behrens, Board Chairperson. Other board members present were Supervisors Irene Weis and Tony Platz, Treasurer Mavis Trenholm, and Deputy Clerk Nancy Bogaard. Five other local residents were also present.

The pledge was given at the beginning of the Board of Audit held prior to the board meeting, so was not recited now.

Tony moved to dispense with the reading of the January board meeting minutes. A copy had been received by the board members previously and was made available to the other residents attending. The minutes were also available on the Lake Emma Township website. Irene seconded the motion, and it carried.

Mavis gave the treasurer’s report as of January 31, 2013, showing a total of all accounts of $440,651.89; General Revenue = $133,546.41; Road & Bridge = $307,105.48; State Bank Money Market = $63,869.64; State Bank CD = $121,796.31; Citizens National Bank Money Market = $149,946.94; Citizens National Bank CD of $51,889.68; Citizens National Bank CD of $52,932.01 and Citizens National Bank checking account of $217.31; Funds available is $214,033.89.

Mavis also informed the board that both CDs at Citizens National Bank come due for renewal, one on 2/8/13 and one on 2/18/13. The renewal rate at Citizens National bank would be .65%. Mavis will check rates with the other local banks and notify Brian before renewing at the best rates possible. Irene moved to accept the treasurer’s report as presented, Tony seconded and the motion carried.

Vouchers # 3221 to 3228 were presented for approval of payment with a motion by Tony, seconded by Irene, and the motion carried.

Old Business:

Justin Long of Long Construction reported that we finally had a “snow” to plow. He noted that there are trees that are hanging in the roadway with the heavy snow on some of the township roads and requested permission to trim up the tree branches that are a problem. Tony asked if the private fence on Garnet had caused any problems for the plow and Justin said it was no problem. They will also push back the snow banks along the roads.

A preliminary updated road plan was presented by Curt Meyer of Widseth Smith Nolting, and discussed with the board. A review will be done of the Road classification map. Any changes in demographics and road usage should be reported to WSN. Long Construction will also give their input for necessary improvements. WSN will present their Capital Improvement Plans at the March board meeting.

Bob Berdahl spoke on behalf of the Healthy Lakes Program. Five million boats are launched on Minnesota Lakes every year. Transporting boats between lakes spread AIS from an infected lake to a formerly healthy lake. Lake associations are encouraged to contribute funds to help with the boat inspections. Grant applications are being accepted by Lake Emma Township and are due March 1, 2013. Forms and information are available on the Lake Emma Township website at www.lakeemmatwp.com.

Brian got an estimate for $245 from Service Master for carpet cleaning, and a minimum of $90 for cleaning the bathrooms and cupboards. The board decided to check with other cleaning agencies for price comparison.

There were no concerns from the floor,

New Business

Because of the printer problems last month, discussion was held to look into the possibility of purchasing a new printer which Tony will do.

The Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7 PM.

Correspondence, etc:

Hubbard County Board Public Hearing on Capital Improvements will be held on Tuesday, February 05, 2013 at 7 PM

Hubbard County SWCD will hold a Grazing Workshop on Wednesday, February 13 at the Guthrie Community Center

There will be a snowmobile race route including area in our township along County Road 4 on March 2nd and 3rd.

The next Hubbard County township meeting will be held at Hart Lake on Monday, March 18th.

Tony moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:27 PM.. Seconded by Irene, the motion carried.

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Lake Emma Township - Board of Audit - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

The 2013 Board of Audit of Lake Emma Township was called to order by Chair Brian Behrens at 6:10 PM. The purpose of this meeting is to audit and settle all charges against the township for 2011. Other Board members present were Supervisors Irene Weis and Tony Platz, Treasurer Mavis Trenholm and Deputy Clerk Nancy Bogaard. One other township resident was present. The pledge of allegiance was recited. The receipt ledger was received and reviewed by the Board members and all questions were answered. Tony moved to accept the receipts are presented, Irene seconded and motion carried. The disbursement ledger was distributed and reviewed. Irene moved to accept the entries on the disbursement ledger as printed, seconded by Tony, and motion carried. Discussion was held regarding the levy for 2014. The suggested levy to the Annual meeting will be determined at the March board meeting. Tony moved to adjourn, Irene seconded, motion carried.

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Prior to the beginning of the January meeting, newly elected Clerk and Supervisors recited the Oath of Office.

Lake Emma Township Board Meeting Minutes--January 8, 2013

The Lake Emma Township Board meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Brian Behrens at 7:05 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Supervisors Behrens, Tony Platz, and Irene Weis. Also present were: Clerk Lynne Erickson, Treasurer Mavis Trenholm, Deputy Clerk Nancy Bogaard, Cemetery Sexton Cathy Selseth, Justin Long representing Long Construction, and one other member of the public.

At a recent Town meeting Brian Behrens was appointed Chairperson of the 2013 Township Board. Behrens suggested that current Board members select their Chairperson of choice. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to confirm Brian Behrens as Chairperson of the Lake Emma Town Board. Motion carried. Motion by Irene seconded by Brian to appoint Tony Platz as Vice Chair of the Lake Emma Town Board. Motion carried.

Minutes were distributed to Board members earlier, and a public copy is available at the meeting. Minutes also appear on the Lake Emma Township website. Motion by Tony seconded by Irene to dispense with reading and approve December minutes as written. Motion carried.

Mavis gave the Treasurer’s report as of December 31, 2012: Total of all accounts=$453,134.19 (General=$142,069.45 & Road and Bridge=$311,064.74) Total Includes: State Bank Money Market-$63,864.22, State Bank CD-$121,796.31, Citizen’s Nat’l Bank Money Market-$162,434.66, Citizen’s Nat’l Bank CD-$52,932.01, and Citizen’s Nat’l Bank Checking-$217.31. Funds available-$226,516.19.

Vouchers #3204 to #3220 were presented for approval. Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to accept the Treasurer’s report and approve Voucher payments. Motion carried.

Old Business:

The following contributions, approved at the annual meeting, were presented for disbursement: Headwaters Animal Shelter $ 400 Kinship of Park Rapids $1500 Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning $ 100 Lakes Area Dive Team $ 400 Park Rapids Area Library $1500 Living at Home $ 600 Hubbard First Response, Inc. $2000 Hubbard Co. Sexual Assault Program $ 150

Motion by Irene seconded by Brian to accept the recommendation from the annual meeting regarding disbursement of contributions. Motion carried.

Road Report – Justin Long reported that they are on the winter schedule. It’s been an unusual year for plowing with only half an inch of snow now and then. There are no projects and it’s quiet for now.

The sign inventory report is now available. This project was recently completed by Jeff Adolfson and Brian Behrens.

The updated road plan was not discussed as the representative from Widseth, Smith and Nolting was not in attendance.

Member Platz questioned Justin Long about the condition of Intrepid Road. Justin replied that the gravel needs a good amount of moisture to effectively blade. The road was bladed as the rainfall allowed.

Annual Healthy Lakes Program reports are complete and have been distributed to Board members. The reports identify uses of the $10,000 grant issued to the organization by Lake Emma Township. Since a representative will appear at the February meeting, Board review will take place at that time.

Carpet cleaning was to be scheduled before year end. Brian will contact ServiceMaster to arrange the carpet cleaning and other miscellaneous cleaning.

Concerns from the Floor:

Cathy Selseth, Cemetery sexton, informed the Board that she will be unavailable to manage cemetery operations from approximately May 7 to June 15. She requested ideas as to how to manage any issues which may arise during her absence. Cathy will meet with Irene Weis and Lynne Erickson to discuss the cemetery procedures.

New Business:

The Minnesota Association of Townships record of new officials was completed and will be submitted. A copy of the MAT 2013 calendar of events will be distributed to Board members.

Mavis advised new members of the opportunity to participate in the PERA Defined Contribution Plan. Those interested will contact Mavis.

Brian advised members of upcoming meetings: Township Association meetings are held on the 4th Monday of every other month at 7:30 PM. Straight River Township will host the January Township Association meeting. Board of Audit is scheduled at 6:30 PM before the February 5 Board Meeting.

As soon as possible, Lake Emma Township meeting Agendas will appear on the website.

Lynne Erickson requested permission to tape record meetings due to her hearing loss. Board members agreed to recording as an assist for writing minutes.

A suggestion was made that future contribution requests be submitted on a specified form. A form will be presented at a future meeting for approval.

Correspondence:

Holiday Greetings from Widseth, Smith & Nolting MAT Information

Motion by Irene seconded by Tony to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.

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