MP09-30                                                        
Maine Prairie Township Board Meeting
July 7, 2009
 
Chair Loewen opened the board meeting with the pledge to the flag. 
 
Board members present: Supervisors Dennis Loewen, John Wicker, & Jim Unterberger, Clerk/Treasurer Terre Harff, Deputy Clerk Bev Adolph.  Others present Chuck Froehling, Ron Albers,  Charles Craft, Lonnie Hendricks, Mr & Mrs Bublitz, Toots Capes, , Rodney Eken, Diane Rosenow, Tom Rosenow, Gary Woods, Jerry from Knife River, residents of Carnelian Lake Rd, Joan Hommerding, and Chris Hommerding.
 
Chair Loewen called for any additions or corrections of the minutes.  Clerk Harff pointed out some spelling corrections.  Supervisor Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to accept the minutes with noted corrections.  Motion carried.
 
Chair Loewen called for treasurer’s report.  Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to approve treasurer’s report.  Motion carried. 
 
163rd Street - Two quotes were turned lower the hill on 163rd St. for safety reasons.   Chair Loewen felt we should wait for a quote from Jody Mackereth.  Discussion was that he was told to have it ready for the meeting.  Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to open and review the quotes.   The quotes were: Hendricks Sand and Gravel - $2,950.00 and Krippner Excavating $4,725.00.  With a quote turned in from Hendricks Sand & Gravel, Supervisor Unterberger removed himself from discussion and signed the appropriate forms.   Mackereth will be called.
 
Hommerding Cars – Chris Hommerding said that he had two cars gone and two other ones ready to go.  Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to give him an extension of 30 days. 
 
Powder Ridge Rd - Jerry, from Mid MN Hot Mix, explained the problems they are having on Powder Ridge Rd.  With water seeping through the first layer of tar; the tar is not holding up.  Jerry explained that they intend to remove the tar and take out some of the clay and replace it with gravel.  It was explained that he would cover the cost of re-patching but it will be an added expense to extract the ground.  Gary Woods asked that they take the material out and put it in the ditch so the ditch is not so steep.  Wicker asked about tiling the area under the road.  Jerry said that he had never done that before.  Loewen made a motion to cover the cost of extraction of the ground, after discussion, Loewen amended his motion to set a limit of $5,000.00 for the extracation.  Seconded by Unterberger, motion carried. 
 
Weed Spraying – Cost will be $195.00 per 100 gal and will take place the second week of July.  Supervisor Loewen rode with John Waldorf, Stearns Co. Weed Inspector.  Problem areas of the township were pointed out and will be sprayed.  Weed reports will be mailed to the areas found by the weed inspectors. 
 
Assessment Hearing
8:00 p.m.
 
Chair Loewen called the hearing to order.  He called for any comments from the public.  Loewen explained how the assessment process works.  He also explained what work will be done.  Questions: Why Bungert was not sent a letter, it was explained the work will end at Bennetts, Bungerts land will not be included.  Will it be done before winter, it was explained the paperwork should be completed in August and the work will be done before fall.   Can they pay in advance, that will be one of the options and they will be given 30 days before the assessment gets turned into the county.  What if they want their driveway paved.  Unterberger gave them a contact phone number to call and told them to work the details out with the company.  Locates will be done and
 
 
MP09-31
the post office will be contacted to group mailboxes.  It was undecided whether one or three utility posts will be removed.  Unterberger will meet with Meeker Electric this week to get an estimate of cost.  Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to come up with correct amounts by August 1st.  Motion carried.  Supervisors Loewen/ Unterberger made a motion to pass Resolution # 07-09-01 for Carnelian Lake Assessment Agreement.  Motion carried.  Supervisors Loewen/Wicker made a motion to adjourn.  Motion carried.
 
Fire Appropriation Agreement - Wicker went to the City of Rockville meeting and it was explained that with the detachment process, it needed to update the Fire Appropriation percentages.  Loewen signed the agreement.
 
City of Rockville road maintenance agreement – Wicker explained they settled on the hourly cost of $92.00 for snow plowing of 210th street.  After reviewing the maintenance agreement, Wicker said that is not what was discussed at the city council meeting.  He asked the clerk to meet with him to make the necessary changes.  Wicker also said the city mentioned reclaiming and refinishing Grand Lake Rd. at a cost of $44,000.00 which is 20% of the cost.  Wicker told them the township is not receiving any revenue; it will not be in the townships road plan.  Wicker also explained the center line is the boundary line for Grand Lake Rd.
 
Howard Bahn was talked to about trimming his tree by the 163rd St and 78th Ave.  Loewen will re-contact him. 
 
Irrigators are irrigating on the road.  A certified letter will be sent to Larry Hurrle for irrigating on 73rd Ave and 150th St.   Ralph Massman has a traveling gun and should be added to the irrigation list.  No complaints had been made on Massman’s irrigation. 
 
Eclipse/Eldorado Road – Wicker did a walk through and spoke with Mr Nystren.  Wicker did not think that the residents want to pay anything toward the reclaiming and repairing of those roads.  John will speak with a few of the neighbors.
 
Rohe/Tadych dispute -  Rohe did have a survey and it does show that Tadych’s fence poles are in the road right of way.  It shows that 16.5 feet are engress & egress easements (cartway easement).  It was decided that if Rohe would pay for an updated survey, the township will pay for the lawyer to pursue the removal of the poles.  The concern was for the safety of the people that use that road.  It is the townships responsibility to keep the right of ways free of rocks, fence posts, trees, etc according to MN State Law. 
 
145th Street – Herges and Rick Stein need class 5 on the end of their driveways.
 
Gravel needs to be added to 113th Street by Dave Leither’s. 
 
Loewen said a letter came from the City of St Cloud explaining they will be adding B10 solids on Ken Ingelbrigtson’s property.
 
Clerk Harff reported a letter stated Center Point energy rates will be going up as of January 1, 2010. 
 
County Hwy Dept issued their 5 year plan.  In a few years they will be working on an area by Co Rd 8.
 
Charles Craft explained that if the township would be willing to pay $10.00 more a month, the clerk would be able to have her own township email and would not have to use her private email address.  It will be checked into. 
 
Wicker explained he got called about some dead elm trees in the road right of way.  He wanted to know who is responsible to remove them.  Wicker told him according to our ordinance it is the land owners responsibility.
 
Budget reviewed -  The $615,000.00 would be divided at 12% General Fund ($74,000), 57.4% Road and Bridge ($353,000), 7.8% Snow Removal ($45,000), 8.7% Blading ($55,500), 12.4% Fire Protection ($79,500) and 1.7% Town Hall ($10,000).  Supervisors Wicker/Loewen made a motion to approve the budget.  Motion carried.
 
 
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Supervisors Unterberger/Wicker made a motion to approve the permits submitted by Planning and Zoning.
 
Supervisors Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to approve the bills presented including the Mid MN bill for gravel taken out of the Zutz pit and Geyer Signal Company for the barricades needed after a heavy rain.  Motion carried. 
 
Balance Brought forth:     $ 252,933.93
Revenue Money              +     88,190.67
Other Money received             3,357.59   
Total Expenses:               -    24,547.18     
Balance in Ck Bk                $319,935.01
Total Investments           +$602,747.83
Total Value of Twsp           $922,682.84
 
Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. 
 
 
 
 
 
Terre Harff, Clerk/Treasurer