Minutes: February 9, 2021 Regular Board Meeting

Presented for approval at the March 10, 2021 Board Meeting

     

February meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Michelle Meis with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Supervisors present: Branden Mell, Betsy Rising (via teleconference), John Paitl and Stan Iskierka. Also present: Treasurer Mary Dillner (via teleconference) and Clerk Kelli Storck. 

Agenda (Additions or Changes)

  • Add to New Business: H. Salt Shed

Motion by Paitl seconded by Iskierka to approve Agenda.  Approved. 

Approve Minutes

Motion by Mell seconded by Paitl to approve January Minutes. Approved.

Audit Minutes

Motion by Paitl seconded by Iskierka to approve Audit Minutes. Approved.

Special Board Meeting Minutes (Maintenance Contract, LRIP & Chloride Program)

Motion by Mell seconded by Iskierka to approve the Special Board Meeting Minutes. Approved

                                                                          

Treasurer’s Report

Motion by Paitl seconded by Iskierka to approve Treasurer’s Report. Approved. 

Bills

  • Approval and signature to pay Knife River $265,849.71 for Anchor Avenue Subordinate District.

Motion by Rising seconded by Iskierka to approve paying bills to include paying Knife River $265,849.71.  Approved.

Variance

  • Thomas & Karen Jennissen -611 507th Street W. – Requesting a variance to build a secondary building that is larger and taller than the ordinance allows.

Motion by Mell seconded by Paitl to allow the building of a secondary building as listed on the variance. Approved

Maintenance Report

  • Chip & cleanup of roads
  • Plowed snow
  • Plowed to cut up ice
  • Salt and sand road
  • Will burn brush pile on Township Hall property (once the weather warms up)

Road Committee

  • Chip Seal Coating Bayview – Iskierka will send information to the board for review regarding what is required to chip seal Bayview. He will also send the notice requesting quotes to the board for their review before it gets published. 

Motion by Paitl seconded by Mell to publish the notice requesting quotes for chip seal coating Bayview upon review and suggested edits by the board. Approved.

Old Business

  • Roof Repair follow-up – The steel for the roof should be in around February 18. Once Lonsky Construction receives the steel, they will notify the Board and set up a date to repair the roof on the pole barn (half of it).
  • Broadband-CenturyLink – Iskierka and Shawn from CenturyLink will get together and drive around the Township to locate where marking post should be placed and to document which pedestals needs to be moved. Residents should check Nessel Township website for additional information on who to contact regarding setting up broadband service. 
  • Approve Budget – Approval needed for the 2022 budget amount of $780,538.

Motion by Paitl seconded by Iskierka to approve the 2022 budget. Approved.

  • Chloride – Iskierka stated that the current chloride contractor prefers one week notice if we need to reduce the amount of chloride that we originally told them we would need. Mell will update the policy and the board will then discuss the updated policy at the March meeting.
  • LRIP – Approval needed for “Resolution 02-2021 to Apply for the LRIP Grant for the Pavement of Clover Trail.” The purpose of this resolution is to document Nessel Townships commitment to a Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) grant application for the pavement of Clover Trail. A copy of this Resolution will be sent to the County for review and approval of sponsorship by the County Board. Further discussion regarding assessing properties within this pavement zone and also the maintenance of the road will take place once the Township is approved to receive the grant. 

Motion by Rising seconded by Mell to approve Resolution 02-2021. Approved.

  •   Annual Newsletter – Approval needed for Storck to mail the 2021 annual newsletter to the    Nessel Township residents. 

Motion by Iskierka seconded by Mell to mail the annual newsletter. Approved.

  • Maintenance Contract – Mell put together for review by the board, a packet to include the Calendar of Events, Invitation for Bids, Instruction for Bidders, Road Maintenance Contract, Specifications and Conditions, List of Equipment, Bid Form, and a Resolution Awarding the Road Maintenance Contract. The Board will discuss suggested changes at the March or April meeting and the final review and approval of the bidding and contract documents will be at the April Board meeting.

New Business

  • Supervisor’s Report – Approval needed for the Supervisor’s Report to be distributed at the annual meeting.

Motion by Mell seconded by Paitl to approve the Supervisor’s Report. Approved.

  • Annual Meeting via Teleconference – The board agreed that the annual meeting will not be held via teleconference.
  • Publish Annual Meeting – Approval needed to publish the annual meeting notice to run for two consecutive weeks. 

Motion by Mell seconded by Paitl to approve publishing the annual meeting notice. Approved.

  • Annual Meeting Agenda – Approval needed for the annual meeting agenda.

Motion by Iskierka seconded by Paitl to approve the annual meeting agenda. Approved.

  • Parking Ordinance – Iskierka created a written draft of a parking ordinance to regulate the parking of vehicles on Township roads for the Board to review and make suggested edits. Send edit suggestions to Storck. She will then re-format the document to include the edit suggestions. This will be sent to the Sheriff’s Office for review and approval so that the Township can utilize the Sheriff’s Office to enforce this ordinance. 

Motion by Iskierka seconded by Mell to approve (once edited and rewritten), sending the edited Parking Ordinance to the Sheriff’s Office/County Board for their review and approval. Approved. 

  • Deputy Clerk – The current policy needs to be changed to either remove the deputy clerk position or leave it in the policy and hire a deputy clerk. Storck will take the previous clerk duties list and will divide it into two lists. One list will contain what she thinks should be clerk duties and the second list will be what she does not think should be clerk duties. These new lists will be discussed at the April meeting and the Board will discuss how they want to proceed. 
  • Abandoned Waste-Recycle Program – Information was dispersed to the Board and addition copies of the form that needs to be completed each time items are brought to Evergreen Recycling, was given to the maintenance contractor to complete when he picks up abandoned waste from Township roads and brings them to Evergreen Recycling.
  • Salt/Sand Shed – Iskierka had a contractor look at the current salt/sand shed. The contractor stated that the shed really needs to be replaced rather than repaired. Iskierka received a quote to build a new shed as follows: 30’ x 28’ with 2-stalls would cost $28,442. A 32’ x 28’ with 3-stalls would cost $33,464. Meis will discuss with the Treasurer to see if they can make some changes to the budget to cover the cost of a new salt/sand shed. Another option is to add it to a future levy.

Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to adjourn at 8:52 pm.   Approved.