April 9, 2019, Township Board Meeting

Meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chair Donald Swanstrom.

Attendance: Town Officers – Supervisor Donald Swanstrom, Supervisor Douglas Dressen, Supervisor Charles Kuettel, Treasurer Raymond G. Barnes, Clerk Lita Wallace, Guests Richard Arndt, Scott Mead, Ted Wallace

Clerk’s Report : The minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting  on March 12, 2019, was presented and reviewed. Motion by Kuettel to approve the minutes, second by Dressen, motion carried, 3-0-0.

Treasurer’s Report

MARCH 2019
Total Funds on hand as of 03/01/2019 (Includes Investments) – $161,760.55
Plus: Deposits – $3,065.67
Less: Disbursements (March) – $2,028.39
Total Funds on hand as of 03/31/2019 – $162,797.83
March Check # 1428 – 1439

APRIL 2019
Claims (April) – $1,501.09
April Check # 1440 – 1445
No Fund Transfers Needed

Kuettel motion to approve the March 2019 Treasurer’s Report and the April 2019 Claims, second by Dressen, motion carried, 3-0-0.

Old Business

  • Update on the acquisition of land – Swanstrom reported that he was advised by St. Louis County Assessor’s Office that a Resolution for State Deed Application for Tax-Forfeited Land is required for submission along with the application form. The Resolution will be discussed at the Reorganization Meeting right after the Town Meeting tonight.
  • Reminder: Local Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting on April 18 at 1:00 pm at Pequaywan Firehall – The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether property in the jurisdiction has been properly valued and classified by the assessor.

New Business

  • Appointment of township Chair and Vice-Chair – Swanstrom nominated Kuettel as the New Chair, Kuettel accepted. A Resolution was passed for the appointment of Swanstrom as the Vice-Chair. Motion by Swanstrom, second by Dressen, motion carried, 3-0-0.
  • Oath of office for new supervisor – Wallace reported that Dressen was sworn-in before the April 1st deadline after completing all the required documentation as the new elected supervisor.
  • New supervisor access to Town website – Wallace reported that Lee Kaplan had given access to Dressen to have access to the Town website. Wallace updated the list of supervisors, replacing Scott Mead with Dressen on the town website.
  • Motion by Swanstrom, second by Kuettel to change co-signers on bank accounts, motion carried, 3-0-0. Barnes specified that as soon as the minutes of the April meeting had been put on the town website, he can start processing the transfer of signatory with the Credit Union from the departing supervisor Scott Mead to the new supervisor Douglas Dressen.
  • New look of the meeting minutes – Wallace reported that at the recent training she attended, it was advised to have a sign-in sheet for the attendees which will be effective this month. Another change is that there will be three digits preceding a vote, the first number represent yay vote, second number nay vote, and third number abstain.
  • Recording Secretary  to take minutes for May Board Meeting – Wallace requested for Recording Secretary to take and type up the minutes for the month of May, if need arises, due to a possible unavailability of the clerk. The request was approved.

Correspondence

       Received:

  • Email from Lora Dugas, St. Louis County Assessor’s Office providing materials needed for the 2019 Local Board of Appeal meeting on April 18
  • Email from Katherine Brey , St. Louis County Assessor’s Office providing a copy of the Assessment Book for Pequaywan township for LBAE meeting purposes
  • Email from Erin St. Cyr, Accounting Officer, Government Information Division of Minnesota State Auditor’s Office verifying if a disbursement of $101,774.00 as part of  the annual 2018 Town Financial Report submitted to the State Auditor’s Office was for paving roads. (Note: Wallace responded that it was.)
  • Election Roster (via email) from St. Louis County Election Department
  • Newsletter emails from MAT (MN Association of Townships) announcing instructions and guidelines for Annual Meeting, Town March Election, Spring Short Courses, Legislative Update, Local Board of Appeal and Equalization Training and Advocacy Alert
  • Invite email from U.S. Census Bureau to participate in the 2020 Census New Construction Program
  • Email from Cathy Rouleau, SLCAT (St, Louis County Association of Townships) with the following information:  (1) February 27, 2019 Minutes; (2) Annual Meeting Minutes of May 23, 2018; and (3) Notice of SLCAT 2019 Election of Officers and Annual Meeting on May 22, 2019 at 5:30 pm at the Cotton Community Center
  • Email from Wulf Gar of St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office requesting completion of a “Local Mitigation Survey” which will be used in the development of new mitigation actions for their next 5-year planning cycle with deadline date of April 26

      Sent:

  • Mailed check and statement for officer life insurance to MATIT
  • Mailed Precinct Summary Statement of March Town Election and info of new supervisor to St. Louis County Election Department
  • Mailed updated list of board members and contact information to MAT

Public Comment

Next Meeting: May 14, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Pequaywan Firehall, 8764 Pequaywan Lake Road

Meeting adjourn at 8:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by,

Lita Wallace, Town Clerk