The Santiago Twp. Board of Supervisors met last Wednesday and addressed several agreements for the continued cooperation with other governmental agencies.

The first agreement, adopted unanimously, codified the work to be done on 67th St. in cooperation with Becker Township.  Both boards have done extensive work on the project over the past year and much progress has been made. However, with the western portion of the roadway needing additional work for the installation of a culvert, as well as a reclamation of the blacktop and a resurfacing, it was proposed that the Santiago board take the reins for the remainder of the project.  

Cost sharing and project management was spelled out in the agreement that Becker had sent to the board, with Supervisor Jeff Pappenfus noting that he agreed with the wording proposal. The board agreed and passed the motion to accept the document.

Contractor John Herbst has been assisting the board with the project and agreed with the supervisors that Sherburne County should be contacted about the replacement of the culvert, since it services Ditch #16 that runs through the area. The new culvert will have flares added to each end to aid in mitigating any erosion that occurs in the area.

The next agreement also received unanimous approval from the board and this one dealt with the Sherburne County Attorney’s Office and their prosecution of applicable Twp. ordinances. The joint powers agreement will help to clarify the role of the county in prosecuting local ordinances and lays out the process for how the services will be provided, etc. Because the agreement basically clarifies an already existing practice, the supervisors moved quickly to pass the resolution with little comment.

Sheriff

Sgt. Andy Ochs appeared before the board to explain the 89 calls for service for the last reporting period, many of which were traffic stops enacted as deputies continue to make speed enforcement an issue with the town. The call volume was nearly double the usual load, with traffic stops numbering 48 calls for service. The board also discussed some ongoing damage issues deriving from illegal ATV operation, as well as some signage that had been riddled with bullet holes.  

Ochs assured the supervisors that the heavy patrolling will continue and offenders have been educated with citations. It’s just a matter of time before the other perpetrators are caught, as it was noted that residents have had enough of the shenanigans and are calling in with license plate numbers and complaints when it is witnessed.

Roads

Supervisor Dave Jehoich spoke on the issue of roadway maintenance and updated the board on his ongoing vigilance when it comes to addressing transportation issues within the township.  

Herbst has finished the shouldering projects on area roadways to ensure that the edges are intact and will not chip away due to erosion or a lack of foundational material. In addition, the second mowing pass has been completed on most roads and this helped control some areas of brush as well. Further brushing will be completed in the near future.

Area resident Craig Schwarzkopf asked the board about the status of 67th St. and what repairs would be allowed by homeowners in the area.

Chairman Stu Nelson reiterated the board’s position that the area of the road in question has cartway status and no improvements will be allowed to the surface, even at homeowner expense. Additionally, the board was unsure why Sherburne County issued a building permit in the area to begin with, as the area is very low and becomes nearly impassable with wet weather conditions.

ARPA

Treasurer Patty Simonsmeier spoke to the board about the ARPA funds that were received and her recommendation that a separate account be established to house and track the money. Because an auditing of the expenditures will be required at the end of 2022 and once again before the end of the program, the board concurred and approved opening a separate account to track the funds and expenditures.