Board Members Present: Supervisors Mike Halliday, Bob Millerbernd, Ed Kramer and Tim Peterson; Clerk Pam Olson
Board Members Present Virtually: Supervisor Carol Searing and Treasurer Andrea Nekowitsch Board Members Absent: none
Others Present: Darryl Ballman, Carrie Luedtke, Tony DeChaine, Mike Olson, Sandy Lathrop
Call to Order and Approval of the Agenda: Chairman Halliday called the Linwood Town Board
meeting to order at 6:00 pm in the Town Hall at 22817 Typo Creek Drive NE, Stacy, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 and the clerk performed the roll call. Supervisor Peterson moved to approve the agenda with two additions to the agenda; seconded by Supervisor Millerbernd. All ayes; motion passed.
Broadband update: Treasurer Nekowitsch presented the petition letter to be mailed out to
residents in the affected areas for new broadband service. MidCo added a fifth potential service located in the vicinity of 245th Avenue. Supervisor Kramer noted that 245th Avenue is a town- line road and only the properties on the south side are in Linwood Township. Since the residents did not request internet improvements, discussion was held whether the Township should initiate the petition process. The cost for internet installation in that area is at a different rate and would require a second subordinate service district to be created. Supervisor Peterson moved to include the residents in the 245th Avenue area in the mailing of the petition letters; Supervisor Searing seconded. Supervisors Peterson and Searing voted aye; Supervisors Millerbernd, Halliday and Kramer voted nay. The motion failed 2-3. Supervisor Kramer moved to send out the petition letters to the four planned areas; Supervisor Millerbernd seconded. All ayes; motion carried.
Maintenance position interviews: Supervisors Halliday and Millerbernd interviewed three
applicants for the maintenance position. It is not their intention to recommend any of the persons that were interviewed. Other applicants will be contacted.
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LFFD: The final decision regarding holding the 2020 Linwood Family Fun Day will be made at the
May 26, 2020 Town Board meeting.
Preparedness plan: Supervisor Millerbernd provided a sample preparedness plan. Chief
Ballman stated that the fire department has Standard Operating Procedures that define the safety measures the firefighters operate under. The proposed plan doesn’t exactly fit all
departments. Some of the key elements to bringing staff back would be to have hand sanitizers and Plexiglas shields installed. The clerk was directed to move ahead with getting prices for the larger items and purchasing the smaller essential items.
Fire Department: Fire Chief Ballman reported 23 medical, 7 fire/other and two mutual aid
incidents in April. Tony DeChaine has completed 28 years with the Linwood Fire Department. The Linwood Fire Association has decided to cancel the fund-raiser golf tournament that had been scheduled, but plans to operate the purse bingo and the bags tournament, if LFFD is held. The fire department budget spending is on track at this point of the year. The pandemic personal protective equipment supplies are good due to having ordered hand sanitizers early and generous donations of homemade masks. The cleaning services continue with extra sanitizing done to protect firefighters who are only allowed in the building for essential services. Firefighters will volunteer to paint the fire station doors this summer.
It is anticipated that lake recreational activities will increase this summer due to social distancing and lower gas prices. The department rescue boat grants were not successful and the DNR will not have used boats available this year. Firefighters have been researching rescue boats on the market and would like to move forward with acquiring a boat for the department when one becomes available. Supervisor Millerbernd moved to spend up to $10,000.00 for the purchase of a used rescue boat; Supervisor Peterson seconded. All ayes; motion passed.
The Standard Operating Guideline 3.3 Personal Injury Traffic Accident is completed and firefighters are being trained on the guidelines. A copy of the SOG will be on file at the township office.
The AFG grant for SCBA packs and bottles was submitted in the amount of $150,000.00.
Supervisor Millerbernd moved to approve the M-Health Medical Director Agreement as presented; Supervisor Kramer seconded. All ayes; motion carried. There will be virtual training with the M-Health ambulance crew.
Burning restrictions remain in place with varying levels of fire danger until we get rain and the landscape greens up enough to make burning safe.
The Birthday Drive-by Program has been a big success. Supervisor Millerbernd moved to allow a Linwood fire engine to represent our community at the Forest Lake graduation ceremony on June 5th; Supervisor Kramer seconded. Supervisors Millerbernd, Kramer, Peterson and Searing voted aye; Supervisor Halliday abstained due to a conflict of interest. The motion carried 4-0 and one abstention.
Chief Stockinger has resigned his position as Fire Chief 2, but will remain as a Linwood firefighter. The position will be posted within the department and appointed until next June’s regular election.
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Donation: Supervisor Halliday reported that the township received a generous donation of five
gallons of HB Fuller disinfectant from Krista Schauer.
Equipment request: Supervisor Kramer moved to allow Mike Gabrick to use the Jamar distance
measurer; Supervisor Millerbernd seconded. Gabrick is a Road & Bridge committee member who will use the township device in his personal vehicle while he is completing the township’s bituminous road inventory. All ayes; motion passed.
Supervisor Kramer moved to offer mileage reimbursement for the use of Gabrick’s personal vehicle while doing the road inventory; Supervisor Millerbernd seconded. Supervisors Kramer, Millerbernd, Searing and Halliday voted in favor; Supervisor Peterson voted against. The motion carried 4-1.
Ryan Lake Road bridge review: The latest inspection on the Ryan Lake Road bridge structure
noted riprap needs to be placed at northeast wingwall and east bank to protect the wall from scouring and deterioration of one or more abutment. In a correspondence to the Board, Mike Gabrick recommended applying for Local Bridge Replacement Funds and Bridge Bond Funds to cover a majority of the replacement cost for the Ryan Lake Road bridge. The first step would include verifying the structural deficiency rating for the bridge through information from Anoka County. Gabrick requested that the Board hire Hakanson Anderson to complete a field survey and make application for the funds on behalf of the Township. No action was taken.
2020 Street Project Pay Estimate #1: Supervisor Kramer moved to pay $95,474.47 as the first
payment on the 233rd Avenue project; Supervisor Millerbernd seconded. The amount includes the work completed to date minus a 5% retainage. All ayes; motion carried.
Coon Lake Park support: Supervisor Peterson moved to send a letter of support for the Coon
Lake County Park to be added to Anoka County’s Regional Park System; Supervisor Kramer seconded. All ayes; motion passed.
Human Resources: The Human Resources liaisons will meet with a building department
employee on Wednesday to discuss the letter the Board received from that employee. HR will get back to the Board to discuss the outcome of that meeting.
Cemetery consideration: By consensus, the Board was agreeable to allow Ken Broadbent,
former gravedigger, to dig the burial place for Allan Broadbent.
Document drop-box: Supervisor Millerbernd volunteered to research and install a document
drop box at the town hall. This will provide a secure way for residents to drop off payments and permits when the town hall is not open.
Parks: Discussion was held concerning the strength and safety of replacing the poles along the
parking lot at Broadbent Park with split-rail fencing. Public works employee DeChaine was asked to get prices on white vinyl fencing and report back to the Board.
Clerk’s comments: The senior exercise instructor requested permission to begin outdoor
exercise classes for the senior citizens. By consensus, the Board decided that, due to pandemic concerns, it is too soon for that activity.
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The clerk conveyed Municode’s willingness to work within the Township’s timeframe for updating the town code and their offer to provide access to the Municode library program at no cost for one year.
The clerk has begun the initial planning for the August and November elections and anticipates several challenges due to the pandemic. Voters will be encouraged to vote by mail to reduce the amount of in-person interactions.
Approval of Minutes: Supervisor Peterson moved, and Supervisor Millerbernd seconded, to
approve the April 28, 2020 Town Board meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
Approval of Bills & Payroll: Supervisor Peterson moved to pay the claims list in the amount of
$13,514.72; Supervisor Millerbernd seconded. The Claims List for Approval included claims #35214 thru #35234. All ayes; the motion carried.
Supervisor Millerbernd moved to pay the regular payroll in the amount of $10,391.67 Supervisor Peterson seconded. The regular payroll consisted of direct deposits #18386 through #18390 and EFTs #18391-#18393. All ayes; motion passed.
Street sweeping: The street sweeping was done this week. The clerk will submit the
information to the Anoka Conservation District.
Virtual meetings: The next Town Board meeting will be conducted remotely, with
accommodations possibly being made for Supervisor Peterson to attend at the town hall.
Adjournment: Supervisor Kramer moved to adjourn; Supervisor Peterson seconded. All voted
in favor; the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m. Approved on May 26, 2020
______________________________
Attested: Michael Halliday, Chair
______________________________ Pamela Olson, Clerk
05-18-2020 Special Town Board Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 2
LINWOOD TOWNSHIP
ANOKA COUNTY 22817 Typo Creek Drive N.E.
Stacy, Minnesota 55079 (651) 462-2812 • Fax (651) 462-0500
E-Mail: [email protected] Website: linwoodTownship.org