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SEPTEMBER AGENDA MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 1, 2009
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by chairman Jeff Bachke. Present for the meeting were chairman Bachke, supervisor Greg Andrews and clerk Patti Alander. Absent were supervisor John Werner, treasurer Holly Herstad and deputy clerk Cammy Hansen.
A motion to approve the August agenda meeting minutes as presented was made by Greg with a second by Jeff. Motion carried with minutes to be placed on file.
Fuel Bids. Patti stated we need to open the fuel bids for the 2009/2010 season. Cammy sent out the request to 9 companies. We received three bids. They are from Como Propane, Farrellgas and Superior Fuel Company.
Como Oil & Propane $.89 per gallon for both the fire hall and town hall.
They also gave us a fixed price through April 30,2010 of $1.39 for the fire hall, and $1.29 for the town hall. The cost for 100 pound tank is $79.00
Superior Fuel Company $.7275 per gallon and the 100 pound tank is the same.
Ferrellgas is $1.159 per gallon for both entities and the 100 pound tank is $58.00.
The board will review these bids and award them at the board meeting next week.
Patti gave Jeff his packet from the law firm regarding the Grew matter. The town with the assistance of MATIT is taking this denied variance to the next level in the court system. We received four packets of material from the law firm. Patti will advise them in the future they only need to send one packet to the town.
Jeff asked if we have heard from John Werner? Patti stated she received an email from him on Monday morning. He is in Afghanistan and will be there until next July. She emailed him back but hasn’t received a reply. A discussion was held as to who to contact to fill his 10 month vacancy. The decision was to call John Goman to see if he is interested. If he isn’t then contact Tom Brekke, Wayne Jordahl, Greg Haugen or Don Solem. Once you have a candidate, a motion appointing him to the temporary position will need to be drafted. This is the one time the clerk gets to vote. Since our board meeting is next week it would be great if this could be accomplished by then. The town would only have the August meetings short one supervisor. Jeff will make the phone calls.
Fire Department. Patti received an email from Matt Frantz regarding the new structure on Schultz Road. They are looking for gravel and culverts for the driveways. Along the same lines Patti received a call from George Eilertson regarding the refinance of the Public Works building. Currently the building is financed as a Certificate of Participation and we can refinance it as a GO bond with approximately a savings of $28,000.00. I advised George that the town will be looking at a new fire structure for trucks and would probably combine that expense with the balance of the public works building and have on amount to levy. This is how the town has handled structures and bonding in the past. George will be at our October agenda meeting to begin this discussion. The town needs to get the ball rolling for the new structure because the bonding will need to be part of 2011 levy which is approved at the March 2010 annual meeting.
Patti handed out the September agenda.
We need to advise the residents of the adoption of Ordinance #26 Bow Hunting Ordinance and the publishing of that ordinance as a synopsis. A motion to reaffirm the motion that was done at the utility meeting for the adoption and the synopsis publishing of Ordinance #26 Bow Hunting
Jeff said she ran into Sandy Nelson from Cotton and they want to use the town hall for a meeting in May, 2010. Patti stated they may want to use it for the MAT District 10 meeting. Jeff told them to get in touch with Patti to schedule. Patti advised Carmen Orman’s husband has passed away. Carmen was a supervisor at Canosia for years and was an advocate for township’s and clerks. Patti will send a card from the Town. Greg asked when the next District 10 meeting? Usually it is in late September or early October.
Park Information. Patti received an email from Brett regarding the irrigation system. It seems we have another broken pipe and not a check valve problem. The Board needs to meet with him and figure out what needs to be done to get this system up and running.
We received a quote from Twining Electric for the lighting of the flag pole. Because the flag pole is already in place the circuit and light can’t be installed on the existing pole. Twining Electric’s recommendation is to bring the electrical circuit to the flag pole and install a separate base and a stem for the light. The cost of this will not exceed $2000.00. Jeff and Greg thought the pole would just have a bracket holding the light fixture. It seems one of the difficulties is getting the power to the light on the pole now that the pole is erected and the pole is not designed for the additional weight of the light fixture.
Greg stated John would like mat and seeding done on the mound at the Park. Greg said to have Gary get the mat and seed and work with Les to get it completed.
Discussion held regarding electronic payments of bills. Marty received a call from the State of Minnesota that they will be requiring all building fees to be paid to them electronically. The town currently pays their taxes both state sales and payroll and federal taxes electronically, however I don’t believe this should be a ongoing practice to all our vendors. State statute requires a release signed off by all vendors. The release is on the back of all of the town’s checks, just above where the endorsement stamp or signature goes. If payments are made electronically how do you obtain the proper release? In the correspondence there is also a notice from Trans Union regarding ordering and paying for products with a credit card over the internet. Patti feels this isn’t a good practice for the town to be using. The board needs to review these issues and draft a policy.
Erickson Road. Patti found a letter from the Bennett’s from 2006 stating they would open the gate and this hasn’t happened. I think a board member needs to meet with the Bennett to discuss this matter.
Employee health insurance. Patti asked how we want to handle this? Jeff asked how do the employees feel about this? Patti stated Cammy is in support of the program? Kathy doesn’t seem to like it and she hasn’t spoken to Gary about it. Kathy said Gary isn’t for the change. The consensus of the board members at this time is not to do any changes to the existing benefits. The board can address this during labor negotiations.
Patti received a note from Kathy today asking if she can take shorter lunches for the next few days to build up some time off? How do we want to handle this? Jeff asked for clarification as to what she would like to do. Kathy would like to take ½ for lunch and therefore she would be working 8 ½ hours per day. She would like to accumulate the ½ each day as comp time. Jeff said if we do this she would be working 42 ½ hours per week. The town would have to pay or give her comp time at the rate of 1 ½. If we granted her this request and only gave her comp time at the hours earned the town would be in violation of the union contract. Jeff is not willing to do this. He is not willing to pay overtime of comp time for a shorter lunch hour. Greg agreed. Patti will let her know the town is unable to grant this request as it would be a violation of the union contract.
Jeff asked about the work schedule for Cammy and me? The summer work schedule has worked well for us. The summer schedule is over next week. Patti may continue to work 9 hour days for the remainder of the time she is here.
West Calvary Road project. Jeff asked how the project was going and when does the requirement of 90 days to connect to the municipal system end? Patti feels the connections are being made slowly. The 90 days expires around the 20th of September. A follow up letter will be sent out to those property owners we haven’t heard from. The letter should ask them to contact the town if they have engaged a contractor to do the work. If the property owner has hired a contractor and the work just hasn’t been started we will be patient, but the town will need documentation of the agreement between the property owner and the contractor. Jeff asked Patti to contact David Oberstar regarding the procedure the town will need to follow for the property owners that have not made the connection.
Having nothing further to discuss a motion to adjourn was made by Greg with a second by Jeff. Motion carried with meeting adjourned.
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