2008 Stanton Township Annual Meeting
31186 40th Avenue Way
Cannon Falls, MN 55009
The meeting was called to order by Clerk Betts Top at 8:10 PM. (note: 31 persons signed the attendance roster.)
Pledge of Allegiance was recited
The clerk called for nominations for moderator for the evenings meeting.
Dave Garner nominated Mark Dubbels
Joyce Moorhouse seconded the motion
Motion passed
Mark read the agenda for the evening
Clerk Top read the minutes from the previous Annual 2007 Meeting
She noted that the last sentence should have said “Adjourned” instead of “Recessed”
Mark called for a motion to approve the minutes
Dave Garner made a motion to approve the minutes as corrected.
Bob Benson seconded the motion
Motion passed
Mark asked ““Do I hear a motion to suspend reading of the
details of Checks and Deposits?”
Dave Garner made a motion to suspend
Joyce Moorhouse seconded the motion
Motion passed
2007 Treasurer’s
Report – ( approve report needs a motion)
The clerk read aloud from the treasurer’s report Total Dollars by Fund
and 2008 Budget/Levy
|
Fund |
Current |
Investments |
Total |
General |
$ 46,559.91 |
$ .00 |
$ 46,559.91 |
Road & Bridge |
$ 46,435.84 |
$ 71,890.14 |
$ 118,325.98 |
Fire |
$ 57,177.10 |
$ .00 |
$ 57,177.10 |
Building |
$ 3,551.51 |
$ .00 |
$ 3,551.51 |
Total |
$ 153,724.36 |
$ 71,890.14 |
$ 335,614.50 |
|
Fund |
Budget |
Levy |
General |
$ 75,000.00 |
$ 85,000.00 * |
Road & Bridge |
$ 100,000.00 |
$ 89,000.00 * |
Fire |
$ 30,000.00 |
$ 9,000.00 * |
Building |
$ .00 |
$ .00 |
Total |
$ 205,000.00 |
$ 183,000.00 |
* when reporting the
Levy to the county they want it divided only between these 3 categories. The county does not acknowledge other funds
that townships have, so those funds
are included within
the 3 major Funds.
Discussion ensued regarding
figures from the 2007 minutes and the 2008 Treasurer’s report. (see * above)
It was decided to use the figures from 2007 Annual Meeting.
|
Fund |
Budget |
|
General |
$75,000 |
|
Road & Bridge |
$100,000 |
|
Fire |
$30,000 |
Building |
$0,000 |
|
Total |
$205,000 |
Vince Cockriel made
a motion to amend the treasurer’s report to reflect the figures of the 2007
Annual Meeting Minutes.
Paul Schluter
seconded the motion
Motion passed
Mark noted there was
a request to move the Road Report up the agenda to the Chloride Proposal.
Chair Joyce
Moorehouse came forward to speak about Roads and Chloride.
Joyce reported the
following was done in the previous year:
1 on 35th Avenue
1 on Stanton Trail
1 on 310th Street over
Prairie Creek at a cost of $4,950.00
1 on 310th Street by the waterway at the Boy Scout Camp
entrance at a cost of
$4,212.00
Joyce reported in
2008 the board proposed to cover all the rock roads with chloride. Due to dry weather the chloride was not
applied (in 2007) until June 20th and 21st. Smaller areas were done on the 29th.
She stated the levy
was being increased in order to put chloride on to all the roads.
The Board asking for
another $22,000.00 for the additional amount needed.
It was requested
that next year total road improvements could be broken down for the audience to
see exactly where the money went.
Dave Garner said in
the past few years they had seen good improvements on the roads that had been
chlorided 2 years in a row. Savings
would soon show regarding using less time, energy, maintenance, and less gravel needed.
Joyce said she
wanted to speak about 59th Avenue.
(note: a map was displayed of the area on the overhead projector)
Joyce explained the
residents of that area (now called Penfield) had come to the board with a
petition to have their dirt roads paved.
The area first had to become a subdivision to set up boundaries.
A public hearing
took place with the townships attorney present.
It was at that time a resolution for (the Penfield) subdivision had
passed. January 10, 2008 a special
meeting was held for the (Penfield) residents to decide how the cost would be
shared. Now the board was working with
the county to let the contract for the paving project. The county estimated the cost of the paving
project would be $75,000.00, plus administrative costs. The bids were due in soon. The residents of the area had a right to
refuse the bid. Other costs would include
black dirt where needed, a culvert, and some rock and these would be township
costs. To cover the entire (dust producing) roads in that area, 59th
Avenue needed to be extended. She had
just received an official survey of the area.
Our attorney advised us according to state statute the best way to
extend 59th Avenue as a township road was to do it at the annual
meeting. This table top survey would be
a step in getting 59th Avenue recorded at the county, as most of
Stanton’s roads were not recorded due to the great expense involved.
Joyce asked the
electorates present to vote on this change for 59th Avenue. If passed tonight then at the next town board
meeting a resolution would be passed to make 59th a township road
all the way back to the Sandstrom property.
This ¼ mile increase would be added to our road total and the county
would increase our current allotment of gas tax funds from that addition. This year Stanton had received over
$13,000.00 in gas taxes from the county.
Joyce requested a
motion be made to authorize the changes on 59th Ave.
Discussion ensued
regarding 59th Avenue Way, it’s previous boundaries and current
proposed boundary. Also discussed was
payment of the paving project.
Easements, eminent domain and dedicated roads were discussed. The amount of dust which came from 59th
Avenue was brought to the public’s attention.
It was noted all parties (living) on the road would be sharing and
paying for the paving.
Someone asked how
much was Sandstrom paying on the 59th Avenue paving project.
Joyce said it was
20%.
State Statute 164.07
was the process the board was advised to follow according to the township’s
attorney’s advice. As the next step the
board would have a public hearing. Tonight
the electors just needed to authorize the board to proceed with the
process.
Joe Vandenheuvel
made a motion to have the board act upon the advice of their attorney and
follow that direction.
Mark reiterated that
they were going for “dedication” regarding 59th Avenue.
Joyce added that
there were more than just the 3 landowners, (St. Paul’s, Rounds and
Sandstrom’s) there were 5 or 6 landowners involved. She said to keep costs down the residents
would be allowed to pay over a period of 5 years.
The motion was restated by Mark: “ I make a motion to authorize the Town Board to undertake the procedure under Minnesota Statute Section 164.07 to alter 59th Avenue Way by fully extending it to the north to the southern line of the Sandstrom property.”
Jack Schlichting seconded the motion
Motion passed 35 yea / 2 nay
Joe Vandenheuvel wanted to make a motion that if any of the property owners did not want to sign off on this (59th Ave extension) that the township would drop the entire thing.
Vince Cockriel seconded the motion.
Motion passed (no
nay’s were heard)
Board Chair Joyce Moorhouse came forward.
Joyce explained the
proposed Levy. An overhead PowerPoint
file was displayed for the audience. An
increase of $35,000.00 was being proposed.
Some of that
increase would be needed to chloride all the gravel roads. It would save on maintenance and would
increase safety on those roads also because of the lack of dust.
There was also a
bridge replacement on 325th Street scheduled for 2011. Our share (payment) on that bridge could be
from 20-30,000.00 dollars. There was
also the Highway 52 project which might not happen until 2015, it depended upon
how funds became available, but it would affect Stanton Township roads.
The proposed levy
was:
The 2009 Levy was being proposed at $218,000.00 (the 2008 Levy was $183,000.00)
That
would break down as:
General Fund $ 80,000.00
Road and Bridge $ 114,000.00
Fire Fund $
9,000.00
Building Fund $
15,000.00
Discussion
ensued regarding: past levy’s, increased
expenses, cost of living expenses, increased traffic on township roads, keeping
the levy the same as the previous year, borrowing money as needed, taking care
of asbestos problems at the old town hall, taking care of township equipment by
building a new shed, creating a new salt storage area as the State would
probably require it very soon, replenishing funds for payment of the new town
hall construction costs, and possibly tabling the levy until September 2008.
Heather
Sharp presented a document showing Project Summary and Estimated Property
Taxes.
(note:
this document is recorded as Exhibit A.)
Joyce
noted that taxes would be collected for this proposed levy in 2010. She said the Fire Fund alone for Cannon Falls
Fire Department was going to go up 7% each year for the next 5 years.
Discussion
ensued regarding having the Levy decided at a later time, pros and cons of doing
it in the late summer or fall, the possibility of a smaller number of people
turning out later and deciding vs. the larger group deciding who were present
at tonight’s meeting.
John
Miller made a motion to set the levy next August at the regular board meeting
Discussion
ensued regarding rules and costs of recessing the Annual Meeting.
Joe
Vandenheuvel seconded John Millers motion.
John
Miller rescinded his motion
John
Miller made a motion to set the levy at $183,000.00, using the same figures for
the funds of 2008.
Heather
Sharp seconded the motion
Discussion
ensued about expenses of bridges, fire funds raising annually, and cost of
living increases annually.
Mark
asked how many years in reserve did we have in the Fire Fund?
Ken
answered about a year.
Mark
called for a vote
Motion
did not pass 8 ayes / 19 nays
Allen Johanningsmeier made a motion to accept the proposed 2009 Levy
Jim Pagel seconded the motion
Mark called for discussion.
Discussion ensued recommending holding $4,000 out of the $10,000.00 increase for getting rid of the asbestos at the old town hall.
Dave Garner reminded everyone that only the board had the authority to make that decision.
Mark called for a vote
Motion passed 19 aye / 9 nay
A request was made for
the board members to present some sort of comparison report on expenses of
roads to show how chloride was working out and other road and bridge projects.
Joyce reported we
did use less rock in 2007 than we did in 2006, but it would take some years to see
total results.
Heather Sharp made a
motion to have an independent audit of the township done.
The motion was
seconded
Motion did not pass
– majority of nays were heard.
Joe Vandenheuvel
made a motion to have the open house the 3rd Saturday in June (June
21st) 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Dave Garner seconded
the motion
Motion passed
Motion was made for the Cannon Falls Beacon
Motion was seconded
Motion passed
Motion was made for Stanton Town Hall
Motion was seconded
Motion was passed
Motion was made for the 2nd Tuesday in March 2008 at the
Stanton Town Hall at 8:10 PM
Motion seconded
Motion passed
Supervisor:
Bob Benson - 59
Joyce Moorhouse - 43
Clerk:
Laura Pederson – 85
Write Ins - Colleen Thompson – 3, Dave McKeag - 2, Betts Top - 1, Cheryle
Peters - 1, Sherry Vandenheuvel – 1
Total Ballots – 102
Mark thanked Joyce Moorhouse for her service, dedication and years on the
Planning Commission and as Chair of the Town Board.
A.
Old Town
Hall – Asbestos Report and Removal costs
From previous
discussion the census was to urge the town board to allocate asbestos monies.
Mark asked the
audience to report to him or the town board any information about grant monies
available.
A.
Pet Adoption of Cannon Valley – donation
request Kate Johanningsmeier
Allen came
forward to speak for Kate, as she was ill.
Allen presented a report (clerk marked the report Exhibit B) and read
information regarding causes of bird deaths and how feral cats and many other
causes were compared in the statistics.
Cannon
Valley tried to take feral cats (after neutering) to farms where they were
requested.
Discussion
ensued regarding cat reproduction, cat population, other bird predators and
bird population in the area.
A motion was
made to donate $250.00 to the Pet Adoption of Cannon Valley
Dave Garner seconded
the motion
A recount
was requested
Motion
passed 13 yea / 11 nay
B. Randolph Area Historical Society –donation request
A representative, sitting in for Bud Gustafson, came forward requesting a donation.
Joe Vandenheuvel made a motion to donate $500.00 to the Randolph Area Historical Society
Dave Garner seconded the motion
Motion passed
No representative was present in the audience.
Rosie Schluter spoke
about the high power tension lines that were being proposed in our area and she
presented a map showing location of the lines for future reference. (the clerk
would mark it Exhibit C.)
Another resident
requested possible Noise Enforcement or Reduction signs be put up in noisy
areas. He sited Hwy 19 and Hwy 56 areas
as examples. The village of Stanton
could use some also.
Joyce Moorhouse made
a motion to adjourn
Joe Vandenheuvel
seconded the motion.
Motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at
10:55 PM
Board of Canvas Meeting immediately follows.
(Note: This is considered a paid board meeting.