A large crowd attended last week’s Santiago Twp. Board meeting, with nearly 20 people in attendance as the supervisors dealt with a variety of agenda items.
Trevor Bakken, representative from Midco Communications, appeared before the board to update residents on the status of the company’s 2023 and 2024 projects to bring fiber optic internet and cable TV service to several neighborhoods.
In the next two years, the company plans to establish 13 PONs, or Points of Network, in the township with the goal of providing service to hundreds of residences. Eight of the PONs are scheduled for 2023, with each one capable of serving approximately 100 homes.
This year’s installation will include running fiber along 27 different township roads and will utilize 83,355 feet of fiber optic cable.
Bakken also inquired about the Township’s permitting process, and Clerk Kathy Woolard indicated that he must pull a permit for each individual roadway and provide a $5,000 performance bond which is held until the projects are done to township specifications. One $500 permit fee will cover the application for all 27 roadway permits.
Wine
Resident Carol Zimmerman next addressed the board and updated those in attendance on her plans to establish a small winery on her property. She has already been working with the State of MN and Federal authorities on the necessary permitting and paperwork, while a stop at Sherburne County is on the horizon. First, she was asking the supervisors for their blessing in moving forward on the project. In response, the board unanimously approved favorable comment to the County’s zoning department and wished her luck on her new venture. Zimmerman plans to be open by Memorial Day, and many in attendance indicated their desire to be future customers.
Sleds
Larry Gallus of the Big Lake Sno-Cruisers provided an update on a citizen concern that had been prompted by snowmobiling activity near 67th St. In response, Gallus had met with the homeowner, provided double staking of the trail in the area and installed “Caution: Watch for Children” signs near the easement.
Supervisor Stu Nelson commended Gallus on his actions, noting that he had recently inspected the area in question.
“From what I saw, you and your group have done exactly what we’ve asked you to do,” Nelson commented.
Gallus thanked the board, explaining that his group “tries to make everyone happy” and are appreciative of landowners whose property accommodates the trails.
SCSO
Sgt. Andy Ochs presented the Sheriff’s Office report for January, noting 70 calls for service, including a couple school bus stop-arm violations. Next, Commander Ben Zawacki presented the office’s Annual Report, showing 812 total calls in the township for 2022, compared to 867 (2021) and 605 (pandemic influenced in 2020). Zawacki noted similar trends in Santiago with the rest of the county, as thefts (13 in the township in 2022) are on the rise, but serious criminal activities are either even or on the downswing.
The rest of Zawacki’s summary included reports on several SCSO initiatives, such as their new K-9 Deputy (Bronco), Youth Firearms and ATV safety classes and the multi jurisdictional Traffic Task Force.
Commissioner
Gary Gray, the new commissioner for District 4, explained recent developments at the county level and his plans to implement citizen focus groups this summer.
Long-time volunteer Shelly Jehoich announced that this year’s “clean-up day” will be on April 29 from 8 a.m. until Noon, and she asked Gray to look into the county’s SCORE grant awards, as she felt Santiago’s allotment keeps going down and forces citizens to pay more to dispose of items at the event.
The board concluded by noting that this year’s Board of Adjustment meeting will happen on April 10 at 9:00 a.m.
The next meeting of the Santiago town board will be on March 8th at 7 p.m
