REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING (February 15, 2005)

 

Robert (Bob) Benson called the Stanton Town Board Meeting to order.  Other members present included Supervisors David W. McKeag and David Garner, Clerk, Colleen Thompson and Treasurer, Kenneth Ebert.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

Colleen read the minutes of the January 18, 2005 meeting.  Dave Garner made a motion to accept the report as read.  Dave McKeag seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Ken gave the Treasurer Report.  Ken stated he has run into a few problems with CTAS and year end reports.  He stated he has been in contact with Irene Bright for guidance.  The CD’s have been renewed for a one year period at 2.25% interest.  Investments totals are $162,449.21 in the Building Fund and $124,543.27 in the Road and Bridge Fund for total investments of $286,992.48.  For the month, we had receipts of $224.56 and disbursements of $6,370.22.  Bob made a motion to accept the report as read.  Dave McKeag seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Bob stated the signs at 57th Avenue and CR 24 have been replaced.  Tom stated he had not replaced them because he was unable to find a post stub.  The Board assumed that the County must have replaced the signs. 

 

Chuck Fox has reported to a board member that there is a bed spring and mattress in the ditch on Goodhue Avenue.  Colleen stated that the boat in the ditch on 23rd Avenue has been pushed deeper into the ditch.

 

Tom stated he has picked up nuts and bolts but has not attached a new cutting edge to the snowplow. 

 

Colleen stated we have a letter from the Goodhue County Works Department stating we need to order any salt and sand for next year from the County by April 1, 2005.  The Board deferred the matter until the March meeting.

 

Colleen also stated we have a letter from Goodhue County Public Works Department stating they have weight limit signs and warning signs provided by the State for our use to post bridge #2104 located on 330th Street with weight limits until the State has time to do a structural evaluation of the bridge and determine if it can or can not support a heavy load. The County stated they would be willing to help install the signs and highly recommended we do install the signs with or without their help.

 

Dave Garner made a motion to install pre warning and weight limit signs on 330th Street as soon as possible.  Dave McKeag seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Dave Garner and Dave McKeag reported on their attendance at the Association of Township’s Meeting held at the Zumbrota VFW.  They stated there will be no County

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING (February 15, 2005 cont.)

 

levy increase, and that money for road and bridge improvement depends on what the State Legislature does this year. The County Sheriff spoke and Land Use talked about the moratorium on building in the A-1 district.  Three Sections (19, 32, & 33) in Stanton Township are in the moratorium.

 

Paul Schluter stated he attended the Goodhue County Planning Commission Meeting that addressed flood plains in Goodhue County.  He stated that Nancy Spooner-Mueller will be taking Joanne Wood’s place in the Land Use Office.

 

Bob reported that he had talked at length with Steve Weidner, treasurer of the Randolph-Hampton Fire Dept. about the cost to Stanton Township for fire protection.  The Board compared fire service costs by fire district.  Costs have risen approximately 12% for Cannon Falls compared to 16% for Randolph since 1999.  Colleen read a letter we received from the Randolph-Hampton Fire District enclosed with our bill for fire service.  The letter stated the mil rate formula they are currently using needs to be looked at due to the rapid increase in property valuation.  They are proposing to form a committee of fire department personnel and a representative from each township to meet during this year to discuss billing calculations to be used for the next contract starting January 1, 2006.  The letter went on to say that for 2005 only, they added 5 percent to last years bill for our current year’s total.

 

Dave Garner stated he would prefer attending Short Courses in Rochester on March 15, 2005.  The other Board members will attend Short Courses in Owatonna on March 16, 2005. 

 

The Board of Appeal and Equalization will meet April 19, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.  Road inspection is scheduled to start immediately following the Board of Appeal and Equalization Meeting.

 

Colleen reported that she had been told by Bud Gustafson that the United Methodist Church of Stanton has decided to research the cost of installing an elevator and that a joint building venture between the church and township is “on the back burner”.  Dave Garner stated the Township should move forward with our own plans.

 

Colleen reported that she had contacted Tom Scott to inquire as to our next step in dealing with Ron Davis not signing the legal document drawn up for the purpose of turning 59th Avenue over to the Township.  Tom stated that if Mr. Davis has no interest in signing the document, so be it.  As long as the Township has agreed that the road is improved to township standards and is currently maintaining the road and has a letter from Mr. Davis stating such, to just let it lay as it is clearly a township road. He directed the Clerk to make a notation in the file as to the document not being signed for future Board’s knowledge and to put the matter to rest.

 

Colleen stated that she will now be able to include this road along with 57th Avenue

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING (February 15, 2005 cont.)

 

Court to the Snowplow Policy and finish the policy update.

 

Bob stated that he has not found a Company interested in removing the trees along Stanton Trail.  It was decided not to pursue the issue any further at this time.

 

Bob completed and signed the Goodhue County Noxious Weed Report.  The Township reported no money spent in 2004 for noxious weed control.

 

The Board reviewed a questionnaire pertaining to permit requirements and permitting fees for Telecommunication’s excavation under or through township roads and in the township road right of way.  It was decided this may be an issue to address in our Ordinance update.

 

Colleen presented a copy of the Goodhue County All Hazards Mitigation Plan and explained the need for Stanton Township to adopt the Plan by resolution and then return the signed resolution to the County before March 1, 2005.  By adopting the plan, our Township would be eligible to receive FEMA funds directly and not have to go through the County.

 

Dave Garner moved to by resolution adopt the Goodhue County All Hazards Mitigation Plan (below).  Bob seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE COUNTY ALL-HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

 

WHEREAS, the County of Goodhue has completed an All-Hazard Mitigation Plan as established under the Hazard Mitigation Act of 2000; and

 

WHEREAS, the Act establishes a framework for the development of a county all-hazard mitigation plan; and

 

WHEREAS, the Act, as part of the planning process, required public involvement and local coordination among neighboring local units of government and businesses; and

 

WHEREAS, the plan includes a risk assessment including past hazards, hazards that threaten the county, maps of hazards, an estimate of structures at risk, estimate of potential dollar losses for each hazard, a general description of land uses and development trends; and

 

WHEREAS, the plan includes a mitigation strategy including goals and objectives and an action plan identifying specific mitigation projects and costs; and

 

WHEREAS, the plan includes a maintenance or implementation process including plan updates, integration of plan into other planning documents and how the county will maintain public participation and coordination; and

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WHEREAS, the draft plan was shared with Minnesota Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management for coordination of state agency review, comment, and approval and

 

WHEREAS, this resolution does not preclude the township/city from preparing its own plan sometime in the future should it desire to do so.

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Stanton Township adopts the Goodhue County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan and recognizes that the plan will apply within the township.

 

Adopted this 15th day of February, 2005.

 

Colleen stated we have received a letter from the Goodhue County Land Use Management Department regarding section zoning changes. Currently there is a moratorium on building in sections designated as A-1.  This involves three sections in Stanton Township (19, 32 & 33).  The moratorium will end on April 19, 2005.  The Land Use Management Department included three questionnaires, one for each of the above

Numbered sections and asked the Board to help determine if these sections should be rezoned to A-2. Currently A-1 allows four (4) single family dwellings per section and A-2 allows twelve (12) single family dwellings per section. Each Board member filled out one questionnaire and in this way covered all three sections.  The general consensus was to recommend to the County to keep Sections 19, 32 & 33 in Stanton Township zoned as A-1.

 

At this time the Board recognized Mark Dubbels.  Mark stated he had received an e-mail from the Clerk stating the joint meeting with the Planning Commission was in fact not a Special Meeting and should have been recognized as an item in their regular meeting.  He stated that Joyce Moorhouse had opened the meeting as a Special Meeting with no Board member stating it was in error at the time and he would not change his minutes. 

 

Colleen stated she had sent an e-mail to Mark earlier stating the Board would meet with the Planning Commission at their next scheduled meeting of 2-8-05 to discuss the Ordinance update.  Colleen stated she agreed with the P.C. agenda which had the meeting with the Board listed.  The Board was to attend their regular meeting.  A Special Meeting was not specified.  The notice placed on the outside of the town hall stated the Board would attend the regular P.C. meeting. 

 

Dave Garner disagreed and stated it was to be a Special Meeting.

 

Bob Benson stated “no, Dave it was meant to be old business and never was intended to be a Special Meeting.”

 

Colleen stated that if it were to be a Special Meeting last months minutes would have

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stated so.  A legal notice would have needed to be placed in the paper for two

consecutive weeks.  This was not done because it was never stated we would have a Special Meeting.

 

Dave Garner again disagreed.

 

Heather Sharp concurred with Colleen stating due to timelines it was decided to be posted as the Board attending the regular P.C. meeting.  A Special Meeting was never intended.

 

Board Chair Bob Benson made the following statement for the record.  The Town Board was to meet with the Planning Commission as old business and the meeting was conducted as a Special Meeting in error and the Stanton Town Board recognizes the error that was made.

 

Dave Garner stated for the record he disagrees with the statement.

 

The Board did the annual audit of the books. 

 

Treasurer, Ken Ebert presented a copy of the 2004 Treasurer’s Report and presented to the Board all township transactions in 2004 for their review for the annual audit of township records. After the Board reviewed the township’s records Dave McKeag made a motion to approve the Town Board Audit.  Bob seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Ken presented his 2005 proposed budget report showing receipts and disbursements for 2004.

 

The Board made the following assumptions for the proposed budget. 

 

                        Building Fund                           $160.000.00

                        Fire Fund                                     25,000.00

                        Road and Bridge Fund      85,000.00

                        General Fund                                50,000.00

 

It was stated that $95,017.82 was spent on road and bridge in 2004.  It was determined that $59,000.00 would be the minimum we could budget for road and bridge to meet state requirements assuring the township would receive payment of funds.

 

Bob made a motion to budget (the above stated assumptions) for 2005.  Dave McKeag seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

The Board made the following assumptions for the proposed levy.

 

                        Road & Bridge Fund                $ 90,000.00

                        Fire Fund                                    23,000.00

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING (February 15, 2004 cont.)

 

                        General Fund                               50,000.00

                        Total of Funds                          $163,000.00

 

The Board recommended the levy stay the same.

 

Bob made a motion to approve Phyllis Emery, Marilyn Hines and Betty Pelkey as election judges for the General Township Election to be held from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday March 8, 2005.  Dave McKeag seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Bob made a motion to spend $15.00 the yearly fee for Stantontownship.org.  Dave McKeag seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Colleen stated that Dean Lindeman would attend the March 15, 2005 meeting to give a Cannon Falls Hospital update.

 

Bob made a motion, seconded by Dave McKeag to pay claims.  Motion carried.

 

Bob made a motion, seconded by Dave McKeag to view the mail.  Motion carried.

 

Bob made a motion, seconded by Dave McKeag to adjourn.  Motion carried.