Minutes: April 14, 2020 Regular Board Meeting (via teleconference call)
Presented for approval at the May 12, 2020 Board Meeting
April meeting was held via teleconference call due to MN Governor Tim Walz Executive Order 20-01, “Declaring a Peacetime Emergency and Coordinating Minnesota’s Strategy to Protect Minnesotans from COVID-19.” The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm with Supervisor Michelle Meis reading and asking for approval for Resolution 03-2020. “Resolution 03-2020 Establishing the Ability to Conduct Open Meetings by Telephone.” Supervisors present included, Brandon Mell, Betsy Rising (Joined late), John Paitl and Jared Landon. Clerk Stan Iskierka, Treasurer Mary Dillner and Deputy Clerk Kelli Storck were also present.
Resolution 03-2020 Establishing the Ability to Conduct Open Meeting by Telephone
Supervisor Meis read and asked for approval for Resolution 03-2020.
Meis called for a vote to pass Resolution 03-2020 Establishing the Ability to Conduct Open Meeting by Telephone. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Nay (Does not think information was relayed fairly to the residents), (Meis stated it was posted on the Township door, on the Nessel Township website and also was published).
Rising: Not Present
Meis: Aye
Passed with 3 votes in favor and 1 opposed.
Agenda (Additions or Changes)
- Additions to Old Business:
C. Broadband
Meis asked for approval for the Agenda. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Not Present
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 4 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Approve Minutes
Meis asked for approval to approve March 2020 Minutes. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Not Present
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 4 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Treasurer’s Report
Motion by Paitl seconded by Landon to approve Treasurer’s Report. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Not Present
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 4 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Bills
Motion by Mell seconded by Landon to approve paying bills. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Not Present
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 4 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Liquor License
- Liquor License – Approval needed for Resolution 04-2020 to approve liquor license renewal from April 14, 2020 to May 30, 2021 for Rush Point Store LLC, The Grumpy Minnow LLC, and Flickabirds Resort.
Motion by Landon seconded by Paitl to approve the Liquor License Resolution 04-2020. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Not Present
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 4 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Maintenance Report
- Unplugged culvert on Belle Isle
- Installed 5-ton sign
- Graded bad roads
- Frost boils
Motion by Paitl seconded by Landon to approved the maintenance report. Approved
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
- Muddy Gap Hollow Contract Renewal – Approval needed to extend the maintenance contract with Muddy Gap Hollow Inc.
Motion by Mell seconded by Rising to approve extending Muddy Gap Hollow Inc. Contract from August 2020 to August 2021. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Road Committee
- Sweeping intersections – Landon checked with other Townships in regards to if they use salt or sand on their roads and if they sweep the intersections in the spring if sand was used on the road. Iskierka stated that he did contract with the State, but he only purchased 75-tons. The County told Iskierka that if we need more salt, that we can purchase from them. Meis previously gave the approval for Muddy Gap Hollow to sweep the intersections where sand was used. Sutcliff has not yet started as he is waiting for the snow to melt. More discussion on this is tabled until the board can meet in person. Tabled.
Old Business
- Board of Appeal – The Board of Appeal meeting is still being planned to be held in-person at Nessel Townhall on April 15, 2020 at 9:30 am. Supervisors Paitl, Rising and Meis will attend.
- Anchor Avenue SSD – The public hearing has been changed to April 28, 2020 at 7:00 pm via teleconference-Skype only. If you have questions, please send ahead of time. A notice of a date/time/location did go out to all of the Anchor Avenue residents that are in this SSD.
- Knife River Bid for Anchor Avenue – Approval needed to accept Knife River’s bid.
Motion by Mell seconded by Paitl to accept Knife River’s bid of Schedule 1 base bid plus contingency items for a total of $318,310.83.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
- Broadband – Per Attorney Ruppe, a vote is not required by the residents for Broadband as it would be required for a School Board levy, but suggested conducting a straw-poll for the residents. Being the Township previously stated they would have a public hearing, the Board decided that they will utilize a straw-poll via mail (rather than having a public meeting due to COVID-19 Pandemic) for registered voters in the township, so that the voters can note their vote/opinion. Mell will draft a letter that will go out to the registered voters in Nessel Township. He will forward the draft to the Board for their input before sending out the letter. Mell will also create a postcard that will contain a “Yes” or “No” checkbox that will also be sent with the letters (postage prepaid). The voters can then return the postcards to Nessel Township. The letter will also be put on Nessel Township’s website along with the BSA-Business Subsidy Agreement and the Estimated Tax Impact table.
Motion by Mell seconded by Rising that Mell draft a letter in regards to a straw-poll opinion regarding Broadband. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
New Business
- Gravel Bid – Approval needed to publish a notice in the paper to get gravel bids.
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve publishing a notice in the paper for gravel bids. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
- Lawn Service – Approval needed to approve the lawn service estimate from L & L Lawn Service for May 2020 to October 2020 at the cost of $65.00 ($69.80 w/tax) per mow at the Township.
Motion by Paitl seconded by Mell to approve the lawn service estimate. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
- Culverts – Approval needed for Iskierka to purchase culverts for a total of $2,437.00 plus shipping.
Motion by Rising seconded by Mell to approve purchasing culverts. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.
Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to adjourn at 8:15 pm. Approved.
Roll call vote.
Mell: Aye
Paitl: Aye
Landon: Aye
Rising: Aye
Meis: Aye
Motion passed with 5 votes in favor and 0 opposed.