Minutes: October 13, 2020 Regular Board Meeting
Presented for approval at the November 9, 2020 Board Meeting
October 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. Clerk Stan Iskierka, Treasurer Mary Dillner and Deputy Clerk Kelli Storck were also present.
Agenda (Additions or Changes)
- Add: New Business-Braham Fire Department Contract
Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to approve Agenda. Approved.
Approve Minutes
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve September Minutes. Approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to approve Treasurer’s Report. Approved.
Bills
- Add: Additional franchise fees of $308.44 for a total of $604.53. October total: $45,212.49.
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve paying bills. Approved.
Variance
- Kenneth Kettler – Requesting a variance to attach property ID 06.00501.00-Parcel B-(land), to property ID 06.00791.16 – (50302 Bayside Avenue – Matthew Bonin); and to attach property ID 06.00501.00-Parcel A-(land), to property ID 06.01336.00 (50252 Bayside Avenue – Kenneth Kettler). FYI: A previous variance was requested and approved in May of 2020 to split property ID 06.00501.00 and to attach it to property ID’s 06.00791.16 and 06.00791.15. Kenneth Kettler is in the process of purchasing property ID 06.01336.00 so they are requesting to change the original variance to be attached to Kenneth Kettler’s new property ID 06.01336.00 rather than property ID 06.00791.15 (50306 Bayside Avenue).
Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to approve the current variance. Approved.
Maintenance Report
- Finished mowing
- Finished graveling except for the narrow road on County Road 8
- Grading
Road Committee
- Bayview 30-MPH Sign – Iskierka will see if we have a 30-MPH sign to post on Bayview Avenue and if we do not, he will order one.
- CenturyLink – Paitl asked if the new fiber optic lines that are being installed are going to be buried. Mell asked for the Board to email Meis with a list of concerns/questions to ask CenturyLink and she will forward the questions to Tom Freeburg (Cell:763-913-0763) at CenturyLink.
Policy Committee
- Conflict of Interest Policy – Iskierka spoke with Attorney Ruppe in regards to Sutcliff being on the Board while also being the Township contractor. Iskierka sent Ruppe the maintenance contract and Ruppe is going to write a Resolution in regards to Conflict of Interest to protect the Township. Iskierka stated that Ruppe said that Sutcliff, as a board member, can get together with one other board member and discuss road issues, and Sutcliff can make recommendations on what to do for the road issue, but he cannot vote on the road issues. Per Mell’s request, Iskierka will ask Ruppe to come to our December board meeting so that the board members can discuss and ask questions in regards to the conflict of interest topic. If Ruppe cannot make the December meeting, then a special meeting will be set-up.
Broadband
- Approval of Special Board Meeting Minutes (September 21, 2020) – Meis read the Special Board Meeting Minutes.
- Correction: Line item 8 will be changed from “The levy will be for $115,000” to “The levy will be for an additional $115,000.”
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve the Special Board Meeting Minutes with the above listed correction. Approved.
- Approval of Special Town Meeting Minutes (October 6, 2020) – Meis read the Special Town Meeting Minutes.
Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to approve the Special Town Meeting Minutes. Approved.
- Approval of Broadband Bonds Resolution 15-2020 – Meis read Resolution 15-2020 “Declaring the Official Intent of Nessel Township to Reimburse Certain Expenditures from the Proceeds of Bonds to be Issued by the Town.
Motion by Rising seconded by Meis to approve Resolution 15-2020. Approved.
- Approval of Broadband Bonds Resolution 16-2020 – Meis read Resolution 16-2020 “Adopting Post-Issuance Debt Compliance Policy for Tax-exempt and Tax-advantaged Governmental Bonds.”
Motion by Rising seconded by Meis to approve Resolution 16-2020. Approved.
- General Disclosure Certificate – Iskierka will send the General Disclosure Certificate documents (Which involves Nessel Township’s expenditures) to Ehlers tomorrow. A teleconference meeting is set for October 26, 2020 at 12:30 to discuss the documents.
- Broadband Bond Sale/November Regular Board Meeting – The broadband bond sale meeting will be held on November 9, 2020 at 7:00 pm. The Board made the decision to hold the November 10, 2020 regular board meeting along with the November 9, 2020 meeting. Storck will post the change on the Townhall door.
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to change the November board meeting from November 10, 2020 to November 9, 2020 at 7:00 pm. Approved.
Chisago County Bylaws
- Approval of CCATO Bylaws – Meis read Resolution 17-2020 “Resolution to Read and Accept the Bylaws for Chisago County Association of Township Officers (CCATO).
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve Resolution 17-2020. Approved.
Old Business
- Anchor Avenue – The driveway tie-ins and shoulders have been completed. The stripes and the removal of signs will be completed next week. Sutcliff suggested that the “Rough Road” signs be removed and that two new speed limit signs be posted. Iskierka will check and see what the speed limit is on Anchor Avenue within Fish Lake Township. He will then order two speed limit signs that coincide with what Fish Lake Twp has posted as a speed limit.
- Storm Damage – Rising presented two new bids for the roof damage on the shed. Isierka stated that the insurance company will pay about $6,000 towards the roof. After some discussion it was decided to have half of the roof repaired with 26g steel at the cost of $9,261.00 which includes fixing the damage to the pavilion and to the pole building door. Mell asked if we could get Lonsky to give a quote to complete the repairs on the sand shed. Rising stated that she will ask Lonsky for a quote for the sand shed.
Motion by Rising seconded by Paitl to approve Lonsky to repair half of the pole building roof with 26g steel, and also repair the damage to the pavilion and to the pole building door. Approved.
- Federal CARES Act (Coronavirus Relief Fund-CRF) – Paitl updated the board on the purchasing of 8-laptops and one desktop computer that will be purchased with the CRF funding in which the board will use to conduct teleconference meetings if needed, due to COVID-19. The route that he was trying to go did not work out. At this point, he will check to see what Best Buy has available and him and Iskierka will bring a Township check to purchase them. Sutcliff will compare road use/repairs from prior years to the current year to try to see if, due to COVID-19, if there was a lot more road usage from people traveling up North. Approval was given to Storck to purchase motion sensor soap dispensers and to set up the purchase and installation of motion sensor lights/motion sensor sink faucets/motion sensor toilets and anything else they may help with preventing the spreading of COVID-19.
New Business
- Braham Fire Contract – Approval needed to approve the fire contract for 2021. The board would like to compare the 2020 contract to the 2021 contract before approval is given. The 2020 and 2021 contracts will be reviewed and discussed at the November meeting.
Motion by Paitl seconded by Rising to adjourn at 8:35 pm. Approved.