CORINNA TOWNSHIP MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
7 p.m, Town Hall Unapproved
Present: Mike Strzyzewski, Larry and Vicki Greene, John and Dianne Ironside, Charlotte Quiggle, Jason Kolles, Charlene Donnelly, Chuck Marohn and Town Board: Supervisor John Dearing, Supervisor Richard Naaktgeboren and Clerk/Treasurer Vi Novotne. Absent: Supervisor Alan Jude
The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
With motion by Dick Naaktgeboren and seconded by John Dearing, the minutes of the September 18, 2007 meeting were approved with the following correction: Planning Commission Public Hearing will be Thursday, October 11, 2007.
With motion by Dick Naaktgeboren and seconded by John Dearing, the agenda for this meeting was approved with the following additions: Requests: Charlene Donnelly and Other Business: Audit for 2006
Copies of the previous meeting minutes, this meeting’s agenda and a copy of the claims to be paid were available for those attending this meeting.
Requests to be on Agenda:
1. Larry and Vicki Greene, 9781 Jeske Ave NW, Clearwater Lake, PID 206-031-000160. Lasrry Green stated that the recently purchased home had been resided and prepared for the addition of a deck. As the house has an unfinished look and an access is needed for the living room, requested variances to allow adding a new 6’ wrap around deck on the lakeside of the home. With motion by Dick Naaktgeboren, seconded by John Dearing, the board approved to allow a 4’ walkway deck on the lakeside of house. From the SW corner of the house, the walkway would be 50’ from the ordinary highwater mark of the lake.
2. Michael Strzyzewski, 6636 80th Street NW, Mink Lake, PID 206-049-001250. Request to build a garage that would be too close to lake and township road. With motion by Dick Naaktgeboren, seconded by John Dearing, the board approved variances for a 24’x34’ garage on road side of existing cabin; 31.5’ from township road on closest side of garage; 18’ to septic system at the closest side; 25’ from the existing house with septic system; garage 15’ from the west side on an undersized lot. Septic system has been certified. 14% will be the lot coverage.
3. Jason Kolles, property at 10171 Ireland Ave NW (continued from 9/18/07) Request to open a gravel pit on 80 acres. Dick Naaktgeboren responded that the township ordinance covering gravel pits allows mining for just a specific project not for continuous mining. The town board made a site visit and one recommendation is that the road should be moved over from the house. Dick concluded that the township needs gravel too, but township bids are presented in March.
4. John and Dianne Ironside, 12434 Cy Rd 7 NW, property: Bass Lake, off County Road 128, former owner, George Andrews. Wishes to give property to daughters and the land needs to be divided. John Ironside presented drawings which one showed lots lines of 150’ per parcel and a proposed driveway. The board stated that the second drawing which showed 150’ lots with road entrance to each lot off County Road 128 as the better plan. One parcel portion is in Clearwater Township. Chuck Marohn, Corinna’s Planning and Zoning Administrator, stated that the Ironsides should have the property surveyed and then present survey to Wright County for recording.
5. Charlene Donnelly, Gardendale Center, 9706 105th St NW. Complaints regarding Lake Center Bar and Grill: no smoking law means southerly winds drift smoke to her business; cemetery needs a fence and a portion of cemetery has been paved; her employees pick up outside trash that is 99% directly from the bar; fencing has been removed from the bar’s trash area; the loud music, and the bar patrons continually park along the road and 105th Street which has “No Parking” signs. The sign has just been pulled up. Charlene continued that last Sunday morning, at 4 a.m., she called the sheriff to pick up a drunk bar patron who knocked at her residence door. She stated the township is neglecting Gardendale and she needs more support and township should control bar by not renewing license. Dick Naaktgeboren interceded and stated that the board will make a site visit to check for the No Parking Sign, for trash and the fencing around bins, for a fence placed around the cemetery and if a portion is paved. The rest of these complaints are to be directed to Sheriff Gary Miller and his staff that police the area. Charlene stated she would meet with the Sheriff the following day.
6. Kevin Blohm-Veda Vargo, property location: 11708 Hollister Ave NW (PID 206-011-002070). No report.
7. Elton and Gloria Schuette, 11341 Hollister Ave NW, (PID 206-056-004160 and 206-057-001060). No discussion.
8. Robert Dahl, 6829 Ingram Ave NW. Road washout problem in front of driveway. Town maintenance has diverted some of the water runoff. Town board needs more information.
Other Business:
1. Corinna Township Planning and Zoning:
Chuck Marohn, Planning and Zoning Administrator. Chuck Marohn reported that Corinna Planning and Zoning is ready to move forward with the opening date of October 15. The property database has been uploaded.
Chuck, Town Attorney Tim Young, and Corinna Planning Commission Chairman Charlotte Quiggle attended the “Closed Session Planning and Zoning Meeting” that later became an “Open Planning and Zoning Meeting scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today, October 2, 2007.. Chuck noted that newspaper organizations were contacted to question the legality of a closed meeting to discuss legal options and strategy covering townships acquiring their own planning and zoning. Chuck provided the board a copy of Tom Salkowski’s presentation to the commission. Tom stated: advise from County Attorney was that the vitally important issues over townships deciding to do planning and zoning should require the assistance of outside Counsel; Mr. John Baker was invited to attend this meeting;. and the fact Mr. Baker would be asked for advise for a course of action, the meeting was to be closed; and yesterday, Counsel decided to make it an open meeting.
Chuck reported that County will hire John Baker, who was the winning counsel in a legal action against a township in Olmsted County. Chuck discussed the possible county legal action with Tim Young, Town Attorney, and Kent Sulem, Minnesota Association of Townships. Peter Tiede, an attorney with integrity and an expert on townships, was suggested as an attorney who could review township case and advise if we have responded with all the requested documentation.
Dick Naaktgeboren presented motion to hire Peter Tiede of Murnane and Brandt to make a preliminary check of our planning and zoning documentation to Wright County. John Dearing seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
Dick Naaktgegoren presented motion to change the opening date for Corinna Planning and Zoning to November 15, 2007. John Dearing, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously..
Community Growth will provide correspondence that will notify Wright County.
Charlotte Quiggle stated that the Planning Commission Public Hearing covering the Corinna Township Subdivision Controls Ordinance is Thursday, October 11, 2007. Landowners and developers who intend to develop their property may attend to discuss this ordinance.
2 Township Land and Cemetery at 108th Street. Land is to be appraised and board intends to negotiate for purchase of private land that is part of cemetery.
3. Junk Violations: Site visits will be made to properties that have not cleaned up their property.. Correspondence will be forwarded to Sheriff’s Office for possible legal action. 8611 Griffith Ave NW, property owner, Robert Balogh
9167 Kilbury Ave NW, property owner, Ron Worden.
4. 103rd Street Road Reconstruction. No update to report.
5. Camp Friendship Road Maintenance. Ditch work, culvert installation, and tree removal began Monday to correct the water runoff problem at Camp Friendship parking lot.
6. Indian Lake Improvement District Annual Report. Each board member received a copy. No discussion.
7. Building Rental, October:
Sugar Lake Association, Saturday, October 20, 2007, 8a.m.-noon.
8. Wright County Township Officers Association: Meeting, Thursday, October 4, 8 p.m., Wright County Government Center. Dick Naaktgeboren, John Dearing and Vi Novotne plan to attend.
9. Minnesota Association of Townships Legal Seminar, October 11-12 at Ramada NW, Brooklyn Park. Attorney Tim Young forwarded the agenda. Dick Naaktgeboren indicated he may attend one day of the seminar.
10. Junk Amnesty Recap for 2007, Clean Up Report and letters mailed to volunteers and youth workers and STS Crewleader. Recycled/Salvaged 209 loads or 43.66 tons. A few loads less than 2006. Surcharges covered most of the vendor costs. Township covered the balance of $1891.56 which is less than proposed $4000 budget
11. Audit for 2006: Pat Krause, Accountant for LarsonAllen, prepared rough draft of Corinna Township financial statements and supplementary information for year ended December 31, 2006. The audit was conducted in accordance with auditing standards accepted in the provisions of the Minnesota Legal Compliance Audit Guide for Local Government pursuant to Minn. Stat. 6.65. The audit included tests of accounting records and procedures in six main categories of compliance: contracting and biddings, deposits and investments, conflicts of interest, public indebtedness, claims and disbursements and tax increment districts. Township had no tax increment districts.
Test results indicate that Corinna Township complied with the material terms and conditions of applicable legal provisions.
A final audit presentation will be forwarded in two weeks.
As State Department has made some coding changes and service funds will be transferred to appropriate bond funds, accountant will meet with clerk/treasurer to make these changes.
12. Payment of Claims: Claims covered by Check Numbers 14031-14070, and Electronic Transfers 41-44 totaling $44,139.42 were approved for payment.
The meeting adjourned at 10:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Approved October 16, 2007
Viola K. Novotne, Clerk/Treasurer Alan Jude, Chairman