The Becker Twp. Board met Monday evening and discussed a great deal of road maintenance, as well as a report from Sgt. Dan Frank regarding continued fraud calls that are being reported to the Sheriff’s Office.

Last month, deputies responded to a total of 210 calls for service in the Twp., 70 of which were traffic stops. In addition, Frank reported that several types of fraud calls are making a comeback in the area, and he asked citizens to be especially aware of the illegal activity.

The first type of call comes from scammers who demand payment for a variety of scenarios and request that it be in the form of prepaid debit or gift cards.

“There’s no legitimate businesses that I am aware of that will ever ask for payment of this type,” said Frank, who added that one local person sent $1,600 in gift cards to fulfill a fraudulent debt. “We urge residents to contact our office if they receive these type of calls.”

The second scam involves phone calls from individuals who claim that bail money is owed to secure the release of relatives who are reported to be incarcerated at a variety of jails or prisons. Again, Frank encouraged residents to not fall for the fraudulent activity and if there is ever a question about the authenticity of the “jailed” relative, the person can call the law enforcement office directly to inquire about the truthfulness of the situation.

Roads

Engineer Wes Davis had a number of updates for the board, as the 2021 construction season wraps up and plans are already being made for the 2022 projects.

Davis reported that the 142nd St. project is nearly finished, with mailbox installation planned for next week, while additional bids are being sought for the stripping of the roadway.

The board recently completed its fall road tour and one of the stops was Garden Grove Rd., which recently underwent a chip seal project – the first of its kind in the township. Davis reports that the process resulted in overall positive comments, except for the initial grading of the roadway.

Allied Blacktop was the general contractor on the project and New Look Contracting was the sub-contractor who performed the site grading before the application of the chip seal material. According to Davis, there was some roughness in the grading work that then carried over as the chips and oil were added to the surface. This resulted in some bumpiness in the roadway. The application of the chip seal also resulted in some windrows being left near driveways and this issue is being investigated. Several fixes were discussed for both issues and the board seemed to favor letting the product settle for the winter and seeing how it will hold up to snowplowing. In addition, a partial payment on the project was tabled, as Davis, Road Supervisors Robin Boros and Joe Danielson, as well as Twp. Attorney Kelli Bourgeois will meet to determine how much of the bid price can be held back to ensure the road is finished to specifications.

Soil borings and plan sets for the reconstruction have also been done for the work on 127th and 153rd, both shared roadways with the City of Becker. Plans call for a new intersection at the intersection of the two roadways, and the Twp. denied a request from the city to establish a traffic light in the area.

In final road business, the board learned that the LRIP grant project on 97th St. is progressing, as the wetland delineation is completed and a complete review will be undertaken in the near future. Additional plans are in motion for the acquisition of right of way and what portions of the current roadway can be vacated. It’s possible that a  three acre parcel will be created and the board has already been in contact with the landowner in the area, who is working with the township for the reconstruction efforts.

In Other Business, the Board:

• Held a public hearing (with no comment) and approved an easement vacation for a portion of a utility and drainage easement at the Brenteson residence;

• Approved a resolution designating a portion of 67th St. as a minimum maintenance road;

• Discussed the ongoing process of receiving bids for work on the bandstand, as well as several maintenance projects around Town Hall;

• Approved the concept of allowing volunteers to decorate the bandstand for Christmas;

• Learned that students from the Industrial Technology classes at Becker High School will be constructing the storage shed for the Town Hall, as costs will be limited to materials only;

• Approved a concept to work with the Becker American Legion to keep their building as the polling location for the 2022 elections;

• Learned that a sandwich and smoothie shop could be coming to the former SAFE Bait and Tackle store near Salida Crossing.

• Heard from Supervisor Luke Babler that nearly 400 people attended the Becker Fire Department open house.