SCHROEDER TOWNSHIP

Minutes for Regular Meeting of May 08, 2018

Present:  Supervisors, Bruce Martinson, Tina McKeever, Rick Anderson; Fire Chief, Phil Bonin; Commissioner, Ginny Storlie; Cook County Road Engineer, Kristin Foster; County Administrator, Jeff Caldwell; Assistant Clerk, Gale Ring

Absent:  Clerk, Doug Schwecke, Treasurer, Carla Menssen

The meeting was called to order by B. Martinson at 7:03P.M.

The agenda of May 08, 2018 was presented.  T. McKeever moved to amend the agenda as follows: move discussion of Road and Bridge after Fire Department to include Kristin Foster; Ginnie Storlie to follow discussion road and bridge with K Foster. R. Anderson seconded.  Agenda approved with change as noted above.

OSHA: Tyson Smith.  Meeting with OSHA scheduled for May 16 at 10:00 AM Duluth, B. Martinson, P. Bonin and T Smith will attend. T Smith went through the following items that need to be accomplished before the meeting if possible or as soon as possible.

1. A Schroeder Township employee safety handbook must be assembled and kept in one spot.  EVERY fire fighter needs his or her own copy.  A log must be created that each fire fighter will sign a date at the time a handbook is received by that individual.   Additionally, ALL township employees must be given this handbook and must sign the log stating that they have received the handbook and what date they received it.  This log to be kept in one place. Also a copy of the handbook in town hall location accessible to all employees.
2. AWAIR–a safety committee must be formed consisting of three individuals.  These individuals should be as follows:  the fire chief, one member from the township board of supervisors (it was decided that that individual should be the chair person), one fire fighter elected by the members.  Phil put three members in charge for the five minute safety segment that takes place at each fire meeting. Have in writing who those people are. Rotate the three fighters every six months.
3. The safety committee will develop a training schedule for items such as blood borne pathogens training and hazardous materials training and employee right to know. These training segments to be scheduled at regular ongoing intervals. The committee will see to it that the schedule is kept.
4. There will be a fix it/suggestion box available to all employees that allow for confidential suggestions be left in box and reviewed regularly by the committee. There is a black mail box already available for use on the outside of the building by the hall door. There should be one in the fire hall also.
5. Committee scheduled to meet regularly, a minimum of once a year. Annually ok. Establish review date. Review at this time: check holding sheets, SDS sheets.  Items such as Taconite Harbor is an example of this.  These sheets to be in ONE place.  P Bonin has envelopes hanging on wall in office that will contain these reports.  Also all secondary reports for manufacturer’s report. Or this.  Has sign on door for employee right to know. Phil has separate folder.   SDS kept in this room, part of employee right to know.
6. In event of an accident, the written report form (form 300) will be completed, the safety committee will convene to review the events and determine practices to eliminate or reduce the risk of the accident happening again. Be familiar with AWAIR program. Make sure employees are following the safety rules.
7. Respiratory training for all types of respirators. This to be an ongoing program. Will have a trainer coming up. Make certain this training is on the training calendar which is maintained and kept by the Fire Chief.  Make sure all major events are on the calendar.
8. Must formulate a blood born pathogen exposure plan. Medical records are confidential and must be held in a secure locked area.  The folder containing this information must be labeled “confidential”.  Ex. Hepatitis B. Phil has a locked cabinet where he will keep all confidential medical records.
9. PP & E? We must have “red bags” to contain clothing and other items that are contaminated with body fluids or other potentially hazardous matter. Board checking with process for disposing of bags properly. Checking with law enforcement and North Shore Hospital and clinic. Must have a bio waste collection service accessibility.  Safety officer from the board.
10. Sharps containers must be located in both restrooms in the hall. Again, must have proper method for disposal established.
11. A Hepatitis B vaccination plan must be in place. All fire fighters must be offered the Hepatitis B vaccine and must sign a form indicating they have been offered the vaccine and indicate whether or not they have received the vaccine or declined the vaccine. These records to be kept in confidential file in secure area.  Should review the Hepatitis B vaccine need periodically.
12. Training materials to be kept in the book on safety regulations. This book must be reviewed at least once a year for updating.
13. Training materials should be publicly available. Keep training records all in one place. Review all at the annual meeting. Keep in the book or in Phil’s hanging folder.  A book identifying all Hazard materials for the following for sure– See Airgas google: CO2, monoxide, cyanide, sulfur dioxide etc. must be in all trucks.  Fire Chief states that he gets updated books on hazardous materials from the sheriff’s department usually once every three years.  These books are kept in all the trucks and in the fire hall for easy access. SDS sheets particularly important regarding items from Taconite Harbor area.  Keep a list of hazardous chemicals in the book.  This is probably the foam.  Use the Tac Harbor SDS sheets. Upshot if anyone working here is exposed to these hazardous chemicals, they have the right to know and should be made aware. This will be part of the hazard aware program.  Part of the handbook.
14. If an individual can buy a chemical as a person on the street, it doesn’t need to be recorded.
15. In summary, a handbook must be given to each member of the fire department. This book will contain the constitution, by laws, when meetings are, hazardous chemicals.  These are the programs, these are where the suggestion boxes are and the safety regulations and forms used by the fire department.  Each employee will sign a form indicating that he or she received the handbook and the date it was received in their hand.  Schroeder Fire Department Employee handbook. Include sign sheet stating they have the handbook.

This may duplicate much of the workman’s comp material that we already have. Not sure but same report will work for both.  Use the most detailed report of the two for both.

16. There will be an annual meeting of the safety committee
17. Minutes of the safety committee meeting will be taken and filed for each meeting.

T. McKeever moved to approve the minutes of April 10, 2018. R. Anderson seconded.  Minutes approved.

 

Treasurer’s Report:  Receipts for April totaled $2946.69.  Disbursements totaled $7783.75.  Ending checkbook balance as of April 30, 2018 was $87,786.03. In all of the Township accounts, Schroeder has a total of $232,878.57.   T. McKeever moved to approve the Treasurer’s report.   R. Anderson seconded.  Treasurer’s Report approved.

Checks #4316-4330 and #4332-4338 (check# 4331 voided) in the amount of $5,166.20.  T. McKeever moved to approve the claims.  R. Anderson seconded. Motion carried.

There were Lodging Taxes that came in on May first in the amount of $1275.46. It will show in the next bank statement.

Fire Dept.: formed a safety committee at the last fire meeting.  One radio went bad.  The mother board is “bad” and needs replaced.  Repairs $2500.00 in cost.  More of the radios may need retuned or reconditioned.  Had more training last weekend.  Trained on life flight-helicopter.  Filled Birch Grove with smoke for training ex.  Brush truck needs work.  Air tanks need replacing. Looking into grants.  File cabinet locked and secure for personal files.  Chiefs meeting; DNR; Forestry have similar OSHA programs.  Went over equipment plans, helicopter plans.

Board received updated PERA cost analysis.  Tabled for review and will discuss and make decision at June meeting.  If they don’t make a decision at the June meeting, board understands that the analysis must be updated again.

Road and Bridge:  Beaver activity is clogging one of the culverts on the Sugar Loaf.  R. Anderson has contacted Terry Olsen who will trap them. R. Anderson will get a permit from May Manning first.   Discuss bids for Sugar Loaf Road for hauling.  County Road 6 should be open in the next couple weeks for hauling. LaBoda’s company’s bid has a minimum requirement. This is limiting as we may not be able to get enough material from our source, the Robinson pit which is closing. R. Anderson recommends Schroeder uses Jackson Inc. at 6.88 a yard.   Will use grades five and other grade to fill if not enough class five.  R. Anderson made a motion to use Jackson Inc.  T. Mckeever seconded.  Motion carried.

The culvert at the bottom of the Sugar Loaf and the sink hole in the center is on MNDOT’s repair schedule for June of this year.  Question was asked could the bottom be straightened.  Rick thinks it can be moved, but the cost would be on Schroeder Township.

Discussion of the repairing/repaving of the roads in Schroeder. Job was done 20 years ago. Discussed what involved in doing the projects as State Park Road account project. Concern that the cost of redoing the roads according to the requirements that would be in place if Schroeder uses state park road money could be in the neighborhood of $220,000.00.  The county engineer Krysten Foster agrees with this assessment.  Additionally there would be requirements for which Schroeder would need to seek variances.  For example, the roads must be 26 feet wide and we currently are not.  Also the requirement states that the roads must support seven tons; Schroeder roads probably don’t. In addition, slide slopes must be one to three; and our roads are steeper. Schroeder would also need a six foot clear zone. It was also suggested that Schroeder should make sure we know the “wage rate” if state money is being used.  We don’t have that information.  Finally, milling is an issue since we would need to know the percentage of the cost to the total job.  Suggested that it might be best to leave the state park money on the table and hire Thoreson and get on schedule now. B. Martinson suggested that the township might want to keep it simple.  B. Martinson asked, for the record, that it be noted that for maintaining good surfaces of the paved roads, repairing and sealing cracks in roads that have been repaved should be done within the first five years.  This recommended by the county engineer.  R.  Anderson recommended go with Thoreson for Father Baraga and Schroeder Tote road according to their bid.  They will do the driveway approaches also.  T. McKeever moves to approve using Thoreson. R. Anderson seconded.  Bruce concerned about the mix of asphalt.  Thoreson makes their own according to Rick.   Krysten Foster, the county road engineer to give B. Martinson a specs table that the county uses for the type of surface material recommended. Bruce will take it from there. Thoreson will use our suggestion. B. Martinson amended the above motion contingent on road committee approving the asphalt specs to be used by Thoreson.  T. McKeever so moved. R. Anderson seconded.  Motion carried.

Dwyer bringing crusher up the Sugarloaf.  T. McKeever gave him approval with the understanding that he repairs any damage he causes to the Sugar Loaf as he has in the past.

Cemetery:  fire department to fill water tank

Recreation: decision to close off the walk through gates at the ball field home plate.  A gate to be created near the town hall side of the ballfield for easy access for dog park use.  R. Anderson to get with Karl to look into getting the gate and closing off the walk through gates. T. McKeever made a motion to spend $200 to $600 on the gates.  R. Anderson seconded.  Motion passed.  Large gate that mower uses has hinges in need of welding repair.  Dyer Lake dock wheels need repair.  Dock is in the lake so the board will look at this repair when the dock is out. Will table Dwyer’s Lake landing resolution until June.

Maintenance:  staining the exterior steps to the Township hall.  K. Crawford knows that this needs to happen this season.

Other Business:  TSSSD detachment. B. Martinson reported that the TSSSD board agreed to pay legal cost for Schroeder to detach.  Motion from Tofte town board to detach Schroder.  B. Martinson will know detached area and list of property owners in TSSSD area in thirty days.   Board agrees to keep moving forward on the detachment from TSSSD.  Sewer district will send notice to all holders before hearing MPCA and then the petition.  Should be in the paper.

.Board decided to table the Birch Grove Community Center request for money until the June meeting.  Requested it be on the June agenda.  Financial figures were received regarding the running of the Center for 2017 and 2018, but just this morning.  Required time to review the figures.

Caribou Wayside Ribbon cutting event will take place on May 24.  Will mention on WTIP.

WEConnect not looking for funds.  Looking to find ways to serve the West End residents.

Response to Public Comments by T. McKeever.  Orange highlight sign to be replaced.  Local MNDOT will refresh the paint on the crosswalks.  Re: Cell phone tower:  Verizon voice mail data is 4G only.  Residents need flip phones or smart phones that are compatible. Need 4G so level six or newer.

DQDS radio was purchased and the signal that allowed the station to reach our area was not.

Correspondence:

Sent – none

Received:  WE Connect mailing; Tax Court filing notice from Cook County Assessor; catalogs, newspapers.

Public Comments:  none

T. McKeever moved to adjourn at 9:13PM. R. Anderson seconded. Meeting adjourned.

 

Respectfully submitted

Gale Ring

Assistant Clerk