Minutes: July 14, 2020 Regular Board Meeting

Presented for approval at the August 12, 2020 Board Meeting

     

July meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Michelle Meis with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Supervisors present included, Branden Mell (via teleconference), Betsy Rising, and John Paitl. Not present was Jared Landon. Clerk Stan Iskierka, Treasurer Mary Dillner and Deputy Clerk Kelli Storck were also present.

Agenda (Additions or Changes)

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

Approve Minutes

Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve June Minutes. Approved.

                                                                          

Treasurer’s Report

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

Bills

Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve paying bills.  Approved.

Variance

  • Rush Lake Estates – James Ertz from Frandsen Financial Corporation is requesting a variance to add three individual wells to three of the four parcels. One of the four parcels already have a well. There was a conflict with the Shoreland Ordinance and the Subdivision Ordinance in the County. FYI: Shorewood Park Sanitary District has granted them to hook up to Shorewood Park Sanitary District for sewer.

Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to allow a variance to add three individual wells to each of the three individual lots. Approved.

Open Forum

  • Dust Control-Chloride on Clover Trail – Buzzy Mell is not satisfied with the grading and dust control that was completed this year on Clover Trail. He stated that the road is very rough and that he paid for a service that did not take this year. It was explained that the issue was due to the weather. Some of the Board members did not think the road was in very bad shape. But, after some discussion, the Board decided to rebate $2,500 to Buzzy Mell, which is half of the amount that he pays for dust control. The road will be graded as normal the rest of the year. If a resident asks when another chloriding application will be applied again this year, it will be explained that the road will not be done again this year. Mell asked if the County is the one that said Flickabirds had to participate in dust control and maintenance or did the Board make that decision. It was explained that the County made the decision.

Motion by Mell seconded by Paitl to rebate $2,500 to Buzzy Mell/Flickabirds. Approved.

  • Anchor Avenue – Vincent Charles presented the Board with a letter requesting documents in regards to Anchor Avenue. He would like to conduct a full audit of the documents starting with when the County transferred County Road 62 to Nessel Township’s responsibility. Stan will forward the letter to Attorney Ruppe and ask him to prepare a suggested response as to how this should be handled. The Board did explain to Vincent Charles that it is too late for a reverse referendum on the Anchor Avenue SSD as the SSD has been certified. He wants to look back as to how this road was handled once the Township acquired it and talk about accountability as to the maintenance of the road. In the SSD document, if it was treated the same as other SSD’s in the past. It was explained that each SSD is separate from each other. Vincent stated that he has four parcel ID’s that he has to pay for. One piece of land only has one access, with two parcel ID’s, but is being used as one parcel, and is being counted as two parcels. He does not understand how this can be justified. The reason he did not try to appeal is because he has two corporate lots and that he would not have any voting rights on the two parcels. Vincent acquired about the residents paying for the SSD. It was explained that the Board determines what will be paid for via taxes.

Maintenance Report

  • Graveled
  • Ditch mowing
  • General maintenance
  • Skid Steer/ Loader work
  • Grading of dry roads
  • Approval given to Sutcliff to grade Clover Trail once a week on the days he choses

Road Committee

  • Dust Control/Chloriding – Rising does not think that the Board should be involved with any of the dust control spraying in the Township, with the exception of what the Board determines needs to be sprayed to control the loss of gravel. Early next year, the Board will discuss how the Board wants to handle dust control.

Contract Committee

  • SEH – Mell spoke with Greg Anderson of SEH and he said that contract documents with Knife River are in place and that it is anticipated that they will start on the Anchor Avenue project in the middle of August.

   Old Business

  • Blue Heron Road Grant – Fish Lake wants to proceed with paving for 482nd/Blue Heron. Because it has DNR access to the landing they want to apply for a grant connecting to accessing DNR property. They think that they can get all of it paved with the grant money. Meis explained that Fish Lake wants $2,500 from Nessel Township to apply for the grant and get the engineering studies. She also said that Joe Tripplet, County engineers and others would still have to weigh in and say that this is a pliable project and worthwhile. Mell asked why is it a valid application this time when they were denied for the same stretch of road in the same condition the last time they applied. Mell will contract Andrea at Fish Lake and ask her, why they think that it would be successful now when it was not in the past.
  • Anchor Avenue-Special Mtg-Set up SSD Bank Account – A reminder that there is a Special Meeting on July 21, 2020 at 7:00 at Nessel Township to approve the bonding for Anchor Avenue. Mary needs approval to open an SSD bank account for Anchor Avenue.

Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve opening a checking account for Anchor Avenue SSD. Approved.

  • Broadband – Mell asked if we should have Broadband information removed from the Nessel website. It was decided to leave the information on the website for now and discuss it again in a couple of months. Mell has received two emails from CenturyLink showing that they are starting. Mell explained that he called CenturyLink and spoke to Tom because he wanted to confirm that no money will be asked from the Township until the 3rd quarter of 2022. Sutcliff asked if the payment is not due until 2022, how does the bonding work as far as bond prices. Mell stated that the amount we owe CenturyLink is a set amount and that it may even come down. Mell stated that we cannot have the bond put together until we know how much will be due from the Township. Mell also stated that he wants the Budget Committee to think about when they want the bonds because you can sell the bonds at any time and put in the bank and collect interest on them. Mell stated that the Board needs to consider when they want to execute the bonds.
  • Dust Control – See above under Road Committee.

New Business

  • Clean-up Day – Meis stated that Evergreen is willing to host clean-up day. After some discussion, it was decided that due to COVID-19, that we will not have a Clean-up day this year. In the future, we may discuss having it every other year. Kelli will get this posted on the website.
  • August Meeting – Due to elections on August 11, the Township meeting will be held on August 12, 2020 at 7:00 pm. Stan stated that the last day to file for election is on August 11 at 5:00 pm.

Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to adjourn at 8:50 pm.   Approved.