SCHROEDER TOWNSHIP

 

Minutes for Regular Meeting of May 11, 2015

Present:  Supervisors, Tina McKeever, Roger McKeever, Bruce Martinson; Treasurer, Alicia Kangas; Fire Chief, Phil Bonin; Commissioner, Ginny Storlie; Assistant Clerk, Gale Ring; residents of Schroeder.

Absent:  Clerk, Doug Schwecke

The meeting was called to order by T. McKeever at 7:01P.M.

The agenda of May 11, 2015.  B. Martinson moved to approve agenda.  R. McKeever seconded.  Agenda approved as is.

The minutes of April, 14, 2015.  B. Martinson moved to approve with addition of T. Mckeever’s name added on the second page, six lines down for clarification.  R. McKeever seconded.  Minutes carried.

Motion to approve the Cook County News Herald as the Schroeder newspaper of record.  R. McKeever moved to approve.  T. McKeever seconded.  Motion carried.

Motion to approve Grand Marais State Bank as the official depository for the township of Schroeder.  B. Martinson moved to approve.  R. McKeever seconded.  Motion carried.  Signature cards signed and completed.  A. Kangas to deliver papers to the bank.

Treasurer’s Report:  A. Kangas again urged the township board to replenish the $20,000.00 that was removed from savings to handle a temporary short fall.  She also urged the board to begin setting some monies aside each month in the event of unforeseen events.  Receipts for April totaled $ 2.96.  Disbursements totaled $16,823.92.  Ending checkbook balance as of April 30, 2015 was $52,458.19.  R. McKeever moved to approve the Treasurer’s report.  B. Martinson seconded.  Treasurer’s Report approved.

Checks 3533-3552 in the amount of $3199.42.  R. McKeever moved to approve.  B. Martinson seconded.  Motion carried.

Lodging Tax debit slips for March in the amount of $949.51.  Debit slip approved and signed.  A. Kangas stated that the Cook County Visitors Bureau once more requested that the township of Schroeder have the lodging tax funds transferred directly to them.   B. Martinson noted that Schroeder was within its ability to withhold a portion of the lodging tax which it could use itself for tourism marketing.  The figure was mentioned at 3% as the legal limit.  Further discussion was tabled for a future meeting.  The board determined to keep the payment process of the lodging tax as is.  CCVB will not receive a direct funds transfer.

Ginny Storlie:  announced that Jeff Caldwell is the new county administrator.  She indicated that he will be attending a Schroeder township meeting in the future.  G. Storlie noted that May 12 is busy with meetings.  The Sierra Club will meet at 6:00P.M. to discuss the environmental and health impacts of the Minn. Power Coal Power Plant.  Also a meeting to discuss the Cascade and Sawbill towers will be held.  Also a meeting regarding the opening up of four miles of the Gunflint trail for ATV use will be discussed.  Mention of the future of the county highway engineer’s position was made, but no results are now known.

Discussion of requests for donation, legality and procedural issues:  T. McKeever reported on the informal discussion between Tofte Supervisor P. James, Lutsen Supervisor T. Goettl, herself a Supervisor from Schroeder, Tofte Clerk, B. Gervais and Schroeder Asst Clerk, G. Ring.

All three supervisors wish to view a clear financial report and meet with the new Birch Gove School director, Celeste Sigmund, the first part of June.  They also wish to get the number of enrolled students and in what towns the children reside.  The hope is that with clear understanding of the funds needed by the school and the projected number or students serviced by the school, the supervisors will be in a better position to see how best to support the school.  It was agreed by all three that the budget of the school and the monies requested would be up for  review and be determined each year, one year at a time.  A. Kangas asked for the name of the sponsor for the school that was requiring the specific amounts of money be placed in a reserve fund.  T. McKeever responded that the sponsor was the Volunteers of America.

SAHS:  Cross River Heritage Center has been recognized as an historical land mark.  A presentation piece was displayed for those attending the meeting to review.

Fire and Rescue:  P. Bonin reported that there were a few false fire calls.  Monday’s meeting was cancelled and will be rescheduled.  He is shopping for an air compressor that will handle the psi in the fire truck tires.  T. McKeever moved to allow the fire department to purchase an air compressor for no more than $600.00.   R. McKeever seconded. Motion carried. P. Bonin talked with each member of the fire department individually and each was in favor of the hourly wage increase and agreed that the additional amount be put into the fire relief fund.  Supervisors to discuss and agree on the exact amount in the following meeting.

Rescue Squad: no new news.  Search and Rescue is starting classes.  They are looking for more volunteers.  They have ATV, Polaris, and snowmobile but still need a boat.  Rock climbing is the next class.

Road and Bridge:  R. McKeever noted that the cones set up to warn drivers of a hole on the Sugarloaf had been taken, again.    Asked that the township send a thank you note to Hansen’s for fixing a washout on the Sugarloaf Road.   Question rose which government body is responsible for the replacement of the 911 signs.  Requested that commissioner G Storlie find out who pays for the signage.  Township is missing Zeke Road signs and, also,  Sugarloaf and Cramer sign at the top of the Sugarloaf.  R. Anderson is working on the Schroeder five year road plan.

 

Cemetery:   water tank is filled.  B. Martinson asked for copies of the cemetery rules and the most recent map of the cemetery.

Recreation:  B. Martinson to replace bolts on playground swing as soon as the weather improves.  Dock is in at Dyers Lake.  Port-a-let for the Baraga Park has been ordered for around Mother’s day.

Maintenance:  leak in roof above stage has been fixed and tested by one inch of rain in one night.  Thank you R. Anderson.  Window cracked and will be replaced once K. Crawford gets scaffolding in place.  Working on indoor pest problem.

Other Business:  Discussion of potential uses for the Store Front fund.  B. Martinson to discuss with Dwayne Northagen what steps the township must take to expand the use of the loan money to aid economic development in Schroeder.  A. Kangas noted that the new title of Community Development Fund is misleading.  She suggested that using a name like Economic Development Fund would be less confusing.  R. McKeever and B. Martinson both noted that other communities in the range had taken advantage of this program and suggested that finding out how other communities have handled these funds might be helpful.

Quiet Title:  papers signed and returned to attorney.

Cook County Land Use Plan:  T. McKeever noted that some individuals involved in the plan want the Land Use Plan to be more comprehensive. To keep the original focus in view, there have been subcommittees formed to discuss more comprehensive issues such as transportation. She noted that Hovland and Colvill have the largest land area for development and are also the two entities that are not formed townships.  This makes developing a plan for these areas more challenging.  It was asked why Grand Marais wasn’t included in the transportation study.  T. McKeever reminded those present that the Land Use was for all areas in Cook County outside of Grand Marais.  B. Martinson noted that some of the language in the Land Use Plan needs to be rechecked as some of the verbiage is even more limiting and more restrictive than the original.  T. McKeever will take his findings back to the Land Use Committee.  T. McKeever stated that proposed  meetings to get the findings of the committee out to the public will be scheduled in the future; although, she reminded all present that the existing meetings are open for the public to view and listen to.  She asked the board if they felt an additional west end meeting should be held to review the Land Use Plans’ findings.  B. Martinson strongly encouraged such a meeting.  It was mentioned that the electric plant has a projected life of 12 more years.  The question was raised what would become of that area after a shut down.    Comment made that Schroeder needs to watch over and keep control of how its land is designated.

Citizen of the year award plaque awarded to P. Bonin for his long years of service to the community of Schroeder.

Citizen comments:  L. Geillinger asked what plans the township had in place to restructure after a 100 year event.  Noted that in the past, the township had sufficient funds and sufficient character to act and to rebuild, and that there was insurance on all buildings and vehicles held by the township.  Also, noted was that no plan can take all unforeseen into account.

Correspondence:  Catalogs and newspapers

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T McKeever moved to adjourn and 9:00 P.M.  B. Martinson seconded.  Meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

1. Ring

Assistant Township Clerk