The Palmer Township Board met Monday evening and after several months of obtaining quotes and garnering recommendations, they decided to move forward with repairs to the boiler system at the township hall.

Five quotes total were obtained and each contained different recommendations as to the extent of repairs needed to the current system which is 13 years old.  The board decided to replace all nine heating elements and two malfunctioning valves, as well as purge the system and replace it with new glycol.  They awarded the bid to Mike Scholtes Refrigeration.

Sheriff/Fire Report

Captain Bob Stangler was at the meeting and reported on 70 calls for service in August, down just slightly from a year ago.  The discussion revolved around ATV complaints with a reminder that Class 2 machines are not allowed to operate within ditches.  The report also reflected a fair amount of enforcement efforts that happened on the lakes in the township, as the SCSO water patrol was active in its enforcement efforts.

Fire Chief Ron Koren was on hand to update the board on his department’s activity last month which included three medical calls.  Koren also discussed the department’s efforts in covid mitigation and talked with the board about possible CARES Act funding for additional equipment such as turn out gear.  The board pledged to spend the next month finalizing its expenditures in other areas and to see what they would be able to do for the department.

Parks

The tennis courts at the park were a point of discussion, as the eastern court is reportedly getting close to having unsafe conditions.  Local residents who have been playing pickle ball feel that the western court is still usable, but a decision will need to be made soon on the repair or closure of the damaged court.  Chairman Mike Ganz will be in contact with the Lions Club president regarding the money that has been set aside for park upgrades to see what the next steps might be in this area.

Variance Request

Homeowner Victor Kimball and contractor Jeff Haus appeared before the board in regards to a pair of zoning requests, for both OHWL and ROW variances.  While the Sherburne County board has the final decision making power to grant the variances, positive comment was being sought from the township board.  Kimball’s plans put the elevation a full foot above the current regulations, but much discussion centered around the water drainage of his lot, as well as tree removal.  The board was impressed with the amount of thought and planning that had gone into the water mitigation for the property and also discussed the rebuild of 109th avenue where the house is located and what implications this could have on the surrounding properties.  Ultimately, the board moved the request forward to the county with a list of conditions relating to tree replacement, water drainage issues and the inclusion of planned rain gardens to help with drainage.

Covenant Enforcement

Ganz addressed township attorney David Meyers regarding concerns from homeowners relating to the township’s enforcement of covenants within developments.  While Meyers noted that covenants all expire after third years, it was also noted that it is not within the township’s legal authority to enforce covenants.  Meyers will be drafting a letter outlining the issue and providing it to the township so they can share the information with residents as the topic arises.

Public Concerns

Several members of the public addressed the board regarding traffic issues on area roadways.  One issue related to reported dance classes that are being held within the township and the concern over traffic being backed up during certain busy times at that property.  Parking issues on 114th street were also discussed and it was noted that letters had been sent to some residents in the past regarding parking within the right of way.  The town board said it planned to look into both matters and make contact with property owners as needed.