During their annual meeting, Lynden Twp. residents approved a $900,000 levy, and township supervisors discussed a rezoning application, the LRIP Grant for 200th Street E, their engineering contract, and the township’s new website during their regular January and February meetings.
Annual Meeting
Anne Ackerman was nominated and accepted the position of moderator. Clearwater and Annandale Fire Depts. reviewed their 2024 activity in the township, with Clearwater reporting their total calls for service at 370, 84 of which were in Lynden Twp. Annandale Fire Dept. reported 351 total calls for service, with 23 coming from Lynden Twp.
Clearwater Fire Dept.’s proposed levy came in at $95,000, which is down $3,240. Annandale Fire Dept.’s proposed levy came in at $16,055, an increase of $850. The total levy approved by township residents and detailed by Supervisor Tom Plaggerman came to $900,000, a 0% increase from last year.
Lori Kramer was voted in as township treasurer and write-in Todd Voigt was voted supervisor in place of Plaggerman, who is retiring from the board.
Jan/Feb Meetings
Vicki Helget submitted an application for rezoning her 27th Ave. property from A40 to R10. She is planning on building a home at the back of the parcel near the river and leaving the front of the property tillable. The Planning Committee performed a site visit and recommended approval. After review a motion was made to recommend the rezoning request to the county.
The township’s road contractors have requested the township require swing-away mailboxes, which don’t impede their work. Supervisor O’Konek researched the request and found neighboring townships offer this when issuing permits but it’s not part of their ordinances and not mandatory. Stearns Co. does mandate these types of mailboxes in some form, which O’Konek will continue to research. Cost and storage information will also be looked at.
All townships are being required to switch to a .gov website domain by 2026. The township is working on their new domain and new email addresses, which residents will be able to find in the township’s annual newsletter that will be sent out at the beginning of March. The new township website can be found at lyndenmn.gov.
Stearns Co. Engineer Jodi Teich recommended a few minor adjustments to the final plan required for the LRIP Grant for 200th Street E, from Co. Road 145 to 21st Ave. before it is sent to the state. The necessary temporary construction easement has been received from MSP Trucks indicating they will donate the acquisition; the easement from Secured Properties is pending.
The application for stormwater management plan for JHK Properties has been withdrawn.
The township’s contract with Hakanson Anderson Engineering expired in January. A draft agreement from another engineer was sent to the township attorney for review.
Planning Administrator James Kantor has independently reviewed the township’s subdivision ordinance; an update is pending.
Spring cleanup day will be on April 26 at the Clearwater Twp. Hall on Hwy. 24. The Stearns Co. Explorers Unit will be volunteering at the event.
The next Lynden Twp. meeting was on March 3, which will be covered in a future edition of the Patriot. The next township meeting will be on April 7 at 7 p.m.
