Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott presented his annual report to the Palmer board at the Monday meeting.  That report indicated there had been 1,000 calls for service addressed by his department in 2013.

 

In the serious crimes area, the township had one assault reported, one burglary and one narcotics investigation.  In that same period, seven “driving under the influence” citations were issued, Brott said.

 

There were also two cases of criminal sexual conduct in 2013, 13 reported thefts, seven cases of criminal damage to property and no homicides for the year, Brott reported.  Compared to the previous two years, the number of reported burglary, DUI, theft and damage cases had gone down, reported assaults and CSC cases remained at the same level and the single narcotics investigation up from zero in the previous two years.

 

Palmer Chairman Mike Ganz said at the conclusion of the report the residents appreciated the presence of a sheriff’s department substation in the Palmer Town Hall as a deterrent to potential wrongdoing.  Brott agreed  having increased visibility for law enforcement is a good thing for the smaller communities in the county.

 

 

Treasurer Roger Johnson reported a number of projects are being considered for county parks, such as improving access to the Island View Park in Clear Lake.  The proposals will be presented to the Sherburne County Board, which is the primary source of funding for these projects, Johnson said.

 

Ganz reported it may be possible to have access to a new ski-trail grooming machine for next year.  He also said he is seeking a snowmobile capable of pulling the groomer, which may have to be an older model, since the transmissions on most of the newer machines available do not lend themselves to the low-speed pulling that trail grooming requires.

 

 

Property owner Kent Jorgensen appeared before the board to discuss the construction of a storage building on an existing concrete slab on his property, which would require several easements before it could be approved.

 

During the discussion Ganz and other board members said the existing slab may prove to be insufficient for the project, and, in any event, the site is close to the existing right-of-way and property lines, although the neighbors signed a document stating that they did not object to the project.

 

With the proposed site location so near the lines, Ganz advised moving the building site further into the lot would be the easiest way of ensuring that the structure would conform to existing regulations. Ganz thanked the property owners for appearing before the board to get information before the project was actually completed.  Johnson cited several cases where a completed project was presented to the county board of adjustment after the fact, with the result that the property owners had to tear down and/or move the completed structure when a variance was not granted after the fact.

 

In an unrelated matter, township attorney David Meyers told the board the district court had scheduled a May 23 hearing in the on-going legal case involving several variances the county board of adjustment had granted for property on 42nd St.  The judge will visit the property in person, Meyers said, and a ruling is expected several weeks from the hearing date.

 

 

Briggs Lake Chain Association President Dan Merchant reported that a group of St. Cloud State University students are interested in summer study projects that involve construction and installation of bird, butterfly and bat houses around township lakes this year.

 

He also said oxygen levels in are lakes are low, especially in Lake Julia, though most of the fish population is expected to be able to survive the remainder of the winter.  The MnDNR would be interested in information regarding dead fish sightings, Merchant said.

 

The association is also continuing to work with Sherburne County officials in the development of a Lake Improvement District (LID), which would be a “self-supporting” arrangement in which lakeshore property owners would decide the details of improvement projects they would be taxed for in the future.

 

 

Johnson told the board  the Palmer Day Committee had advanced a $200 donation to the township to be used for equipment at the Palmer Town Park.

 

A frozen water line has led to problems inside the town hall and the fire station, Johnson reported.  Rest rooms were out of order on Tuesday during the township election, and the problem has also affected water storage at the fire station.  Repair estimates are being sought, he said.