Voters sought few changes at the annual meetings in Haven, Palmer and Santiago townships Tuesday evening, with uncontested elections and most levy budgets staying in line with the previous year totals, with the exception of Palmer Township, where voters approved a levy increase for the first time in three years.

 

The Haven Township meeting began at 7 p.m. Tuesday, an advantage the township has enjoyed since moving their elections to November, in line with the state and local elections.

 

Kathy Gerdts-Senger reprised her role as moderator, chosen by voice vote before the meeting began.  Gerdts-Senger has been a regular attendee at the township annual meeting, where she has presented the annual request for a remittance from to benefit the Clearwater Library. Her performance last year led to her being the only nominee from the floor for the 2015 moderator position.

 

The voters approved the payable 2016 levy of $370,000 proposed by Treasurer Randy Linn, which includes general fund revenue of $75,000, $250,000 for the road and bridge fund and $45,000 for fire contract. The total levy is unchanged from previous years, giving Haven Township one of the lowest tax levies in Sherburne County.

 

The annual meeting heard a report on new responsibilities the township will inherit from new regulations regarding townships’ Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit under the federal Clean Water Act as monitored by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Schlingmann said the township will bear the cost of a variety of tests and other program elements going forward, including legal and engineering expenses of $30,000, and a further $8,000 for “base mapping” of storm drains, culverts, wetlands and wellheads in the township. 

 

Haven Township faces these required actions because of the urban component with the City of St. Cloud, Schlingmann said. Other townships such as Santiago and Livonia who have no similar connection to a metro area are not subject to these regulations and expenses.

 

A suggestion regarding conversion of the township to a single-hauler garbage collection system was met with strong negative comments from voters in the audience.  Several stated that “government has too much control already,” and that they much prefer to make their own arrangements in regard to refuse contracts.  Schlingmann said that one of the reasons for the suggestion was concerns over damage to township roads by constant truck traffic.   

 

The meeting also approved a $500 remittance for the Sherburne Historical Society and a $1,500 remittance for the Clearwater Great River Regional Library.  Voters also elected to keep the gopher bounty at the existing $2 per pair of front feet.

 

In the fire report, Supervisor Kathy Sims-Kosloski said the second half of the two-year fire contract will cost $42,384.

 

The annual Clean-Up Day is set for Sat., May 16 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Haven Township Hall.

 

The 2016 Haven annual meeting will take place on Tue., March 8, beginning at 7 p.m.

 

Clint Schendzielos was elected as the moderator for the 2015 Palmer Township annual meeting Tuesday night.

 

Township voters approved a $467,859 levy payable in 2015 for 2016, which reflects a six per cent increase over the previous levy of $441,376.  Proposals for a zero, two, three, four, five and six per cent increase were presented during the meeting, with the voters approving the six per cent levy suggested by Treasurer Roger Johnson.  The township levy had not been increased for the past three years.

 

Johnson also reported the township may call for the early repayment of outstanding bonds next year if the financial situation makes it feasible.  An early call of bonds last year resulted in a savings of $49,000 in interest payments to the township.

 

The 2015 fire budget is $216,114.69, with Palmer Township paying $110,234.55 of that, which is just over 51 per cent of the total.

 

Voters elected to retain the gopher bounty at $2 per pair of front feet. Supervisor Richard Larson reported that the program had cost the township $1,353.75 last year. 

 

Township voters approved a remittance of $500 to the Great River Regional Library in Clearwater and a further $500 to the Sherburne History Center.

 

In the township election, Supervisor Steve Demeules was re-elected for a three-year term after receiving 38 of the 39 votes cast.

 

Township Chairman Stuart Nelson was elected as moderator at the 2015 Santiago Township annual meeting Tuesday night.

 

Voters approved a 2016 levy of $302,500 at the annual meeting, which is the same as the 2015 total.  Of that amount, $77,500 will be placed in the general fund, $145,000 in the road and bridge fund, $75,000 in the fire protection fund and $5,000 in the park fund.

 

In the township election, Supervisor Jeff Pappenfus received 32 votes and the incoming Treasurer Patricia Simonsmeier received 27.  Both ran unopposed.

 

Santiago voters also approved a measure to place the question of moving township elections to November in line with state and national elections on the ballot for the election at the 2016 annual meeting.

 

Clean-Up Day will be held on Sat., May 9 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Centra-Sota facility in Santiago.