The Lynden Twp. Board of Supervisors discussed numerous agenda items during their first three meetings of the year.
Food Shelf
Representatives from the Clearwater/Clear Lake Area Food Shelf approached the board to request funding for a new freezer and refrigerator. They presented a quote of $5,056 for a three door refrigerator and $6,754 for a three door freezer, for a total of $12,410.
It was explained that they’re in the process of funding a food shelf building of their own as they need more space. Currently they have had to turn away donated food because there’s no room to store it. The new refrigerator and freezer will help with the room problem and in the future they can be moved to the new building.
The land for the new building was purchased from Rejoice Lutheran Church. When asked, the board was informed they plan to start working on their new building in April 2024. The hope is to also install a commercial kitchen in the building sometime in the future to help teach recipients how to prepare the food they’re given.
The organization will be attending other area township meetings to ask for donations as well; a kickoff fundraiser is being held at the Clearwater Legion on April 15.
A motion carried donating ARPA funds of $12,410 to the Clearwater/Clear Lake Area Food
Shelf for a new refrigerator and freezer.
JK Landscape
A public hearing was held in February regarding JK Landscape/Jerry Konz to vacate a portion of a drainage and utility easement.
The purpose of the meeting was to consider a petition to vacate a portion of the drainage and utility easements on Lots 1, 2, and 3, Block 4, in the Lynden Valley Industrial Park, Hubble Road. The petition consisted of four drainage and easement sections. The three parcels owned by Konz had been consolidated previously.
In attendance, Jerry Konz stated he was requesting the township vacate the drainage and utilities easements located between lots 1 and 2 along the east side of lots 1, 2, and 3 that he owns. This would allow him to bring the shed currently on the easement into compliance and allow him to obtain building permits after the fact to resolve the issue.
No comments were received prior to or during the hearing. A motion carried adopting Resolution 2023-02 Vacating the Draining and Utility Easement on JHK property with the exception of the easement parallel to Stearns Co. Road 145, which Twp. Atty. Mike Couri recommended the township retain for future purposes.
Other Business
A request was put forth to the board for a conditional use permit to store commercial vehicles indoors on a Franklin Road property; the applicants were told they needed one by Stearns Co. The board informed them they need to first submit an application; the planning commission will then review it and make a recommendation to the township board.
Anderson Trucking’s application for rezoning from A-40 to Industrial was passed through a motion; adjacent properties are already zoned Industrial.
A motion carried making it the policy of the township to require an applicant seeking vacation of any public drainage, utility, or road easement to have such easements marked in accordance with Gopher One State Call (GOSC) at the applicant’s expense.
A motion carried approving Resolution 2023-03 Adopting the Stearns Co. Hazardous Mitigation Plan.
A motion carried approving the contract for the township’s new engineer, Hakanson Anderson Engineering Firm.
The sheriff reported 60 calls for service in January, including 10 vehicle in ditch, five traffic stops, one building fire, and one domestic between a husband and a wife that Wright Co. was called in to help.
The next Lynden Twp. meeting will be April 3 at 7 p.m.
