The Becker Twp. Board met Feb. 16 with a full agenda including road projects, a speed zone, snowplowing, residents concerns, the BASC and information from the planning commission.

 

 Jerry Brunn of the Becker Area Senior Center (BASC) put in a funding request  to the board to be included in the township’s upcoming regular board meeting in March. Funding requests were due by the Feb. 17 board meeting because requests are not heard at the annual meeting any more. The budget for these requests are set at the Board of Audit meeting held the same day as the February board meeting.

 

The BASC’s funding request is for $317 to pay for the movie license they are required to possess in order to show movies.  The fee goes to a company in California that licenses BASC to show a movie in a  public capacity.

 

Other possible funding sources include the Clear Lake Lions, Liberty Paper and others.  Becker City Hall allows the use of their facility at no charge.

 

Brunn advised the board the BASC is a 501c3 organization and all verifications and paperwork for the funding was completed. Brunn appeared before the board to be on hand to provide more information about the two year old organization.

 

Brunn mentioned the BASC has no dues to belong, though they do accept free will offerings.

 

The BASC serves citizens ages 55 and older in Becker and surrounding areas (including, but not limited to Clear Lake, Santiago, Palmer, Duelm and Big Lake).

 

Dennis Davies presented a request to do some excavation for a pond in one of the township’s drainage/utility easements.  Davies provided a list of the vegetation recommended by the Sherburne Soil and Water Conservation District.

 

Twp. Engineer Terrance VanderEyk said the DNR has responded on this situation and the issue will go to the county for a decision.  Eyk mentioned the wetlands by the Davies property drains to the north and he sees no drainage issues with this particular application.  The county, however, requires the township’s approval before they will rule on the application since the work is to be performed in a drainage and utility easement.

 

Eyk said he recommends approval of the permit application. He also showed the board a copy of the plat. The board approved.

 

Resident Mark Wimmer said he is concerned that there is not one supervisor dedicated to overseeing how the snowplowing is completed.  He also said billing is a concern and suggested improvements need to be made. 

 

His concern is that money is being wasted and wants to be sure that there is some overseeing and the snowplow contractor not be allowed to make decisions to increase his own billing.  The members of the board said they would look into the matter closer and check with other developments/townships as well.

 

Wimmer’s concern is that last year’s snowplow billing was over $123,000 when the average is usually somewhere around $65-70,000.  

 

Another neighbor said the over spending raised flags in his mind as well.  

 

Clerk Lucinda Messman mentioned that approximately $35,000 of the $123,000 pertained to the snow situation this season and the remainder pertained to the previous snow season.  

 

Members of the board agreed that this past year’s bills were higher than normal and so were the snow totals in January through April of last year.

 

Wimmer was also concerned that too much sand was being spread on the roads, wasting taxpayer’s dollars.  He reminded the board of the photos he brought in last month.  

 

The board responded, saying the sand is applied to intersections for safety purposes.  The sheriff’s department also contacts the township if they note other areas requiring more sand due to accidents.  

 

The board members said they were satisfied with the job the current contractor (Schendzielos and Son) has been doing for the township.

 

“Each snow is a bit different and sometimes more sand needs to be put down, sometimes less,” stated by a board member.  

 

The board said they will look a bit more into the over site, but wanted the residents to realize that while one may feel  too much sand is in ones’ area, others in the township feel that more sand should be put down.  

 

Todd Schendzielos said he is open to constructive criticism and ideas of how to improve the sanding they currently do.  

 

A public hearing was held Feb. 9 for the mining ordinance amendments and the changes made will go to the Joint Planning Board for final action Feb.  24.  

 

The Becker Township attorney pointed out that in order for the solar energy summary that was recently published to be in effect, the board needed to have a 4/5ths vote.  Since only three members (quorum) were present to vote, the ordinance needs to be published in order for it to take effect.  

 

Staff recommended publication of the solar energy moratorium rather than waiting to see if enough board members would be present at the Feb. 24 Joint Planning Board meeting.

 

Messman was directed to publish the entire text of the moratorium in the Citizen newspaper.

 

Eyk said bids for road projects will come out  March 17.  He also said there was a clause included this year for a special provision if prices are too high. The provision will allow the township to withdraw its portion of the contract from the overall county contract if dissatisfied.

 

Eyk said a final estimate for the 2015 seal coat projects is $53,686.50. A final estimate came in for 2015 reclaiming and surfacing work in the amount of $169,146.50.

 

Revised layouts of the railroad intersection alignment project were presented to the board. Eyk said the federal highway safety improvement program would not have any aid available to the township for this project and there is no state aid available at this time but may be in the future.

 

Eyk is checking with the county and the MnDOT railroad liaison to see if there is any aid available.

 

A landowner to the northeast recommended some changes and a new drawing was submitted. These changes would be for further safety improvements at the intersection.

 

The board directed Eyk to meet with the landowner one more time to profile the intersection.

 

The sheriff’s department suggested the board pass a resolution to curb speeding in rural subdivisions.  If there isn’t a sign posted or a resolution approved, the sheriff cannot address speeding issues.

 

It was noted some rural residential areas have 35 mph speed zones while others are 25 mph.  By posting signs at the entrances to subdivisions, it will grant authority to the sheriff’s department to ticket speeding drivers.

 

The board discussed keeping all rural residential roadways at 35 mph.  They also want to have a resolution drawn up since sign replacements have already started.  Eyk said he will draw up a basic draft and get it to the attorney.

 

A question was brought up by Bridgeview Development resident John Basol regarding the drainage pipe suggestion for the development and where the issue stands.

 

For several years, the residents of the Bridgeview Development have faced annual flooding issues that have affected seven or more homes. Basol, back in 2011 said his house is at the highest elevation in the development at nine feet, fifteen-and-a-half inches. The water table line in the development is at nine-feet, fourteen-and-a-half inches. 

 

Eyk said he sent a sketch to Rep. Jim Newberger, but hasn’t heard from him.  The last Eyk heard, the DNR won’t issue a permit for this.  

 

Basol said that things are frozen now and joked that while the frozen water is good for skating, it won’t be when it thaws.  

 

The board suggested Basol contact Rep. Newberger to see if he can do something with this issue. With it needing a permit from the DNR to allow the water to run towards the park and river, not much can be done unless someone like Rep. Newberger gets involved.

 

Sgt. Franks of the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office reported there were 157 calls for service in the month of January. Sixty-six were traffic stops, five were fraud complaints in which Franks said two are becoming the most common in the area.  

 

One of he most popular types of fraud this time of year is a tax return fraud where people filing taxes find out their returns were already filed with their social security numbers. Franks said individuals need to contact the sheriff’s office if they encounter such an incident, who will then contact the IRS.

 

Another fraud being perpetrated is identified as Febreeze sales.  Franks said the sheriff’s department is “not sure what is up with this one yet.” 

 

In this case of fraud, individuals — especially over the last three weeks — have been knocking on doors to sell Febreeze.  It’s a fraud. Franks says if someone comes to ones door selling Febreeze, they are urged to call the sheriff’s department immediately.

 

 The board approved putting the new Sherburne County Soil and Water District pollinators brochure on their information table;

 

• The board approved putting a link on the township’s website bulletin board page for Tri-CAP;

 

• A motion was approved to authorize Messman to apply for a SCORE Grant and sign materials;

 

• A thank you for fire sign replacements was received at the township.

 

The next Becker Twp. Board meeting is Mar. 16 at 7 p.m.