During last week’s Orrock Town Board meeting, the supervisors discussed upcoming road work projects and ttree trimming.

Pine Crest Estates West

A developer approached the board hoping to move forward with the development of their parcel off of Co. Rd. 4 (north of Co. Rd. 5). The developer has been working closely with the county to ensure everything is done properly.

The board spent some time discussing the road to access the new development, 180th St. Currently, this is a minimum-maintenance gravel road, but the board figured a nicer road would be necessary to serve the residents who moved into these proposed homes. 

In the end, the board opted to pave the road only to the point of access with the development, leaving the road which continues back onto state land as a minimum-maintenance road. The board accepted the offer from the developer to contribute $10,000 towards seeing the road paved. 

The construction would be completed during scheduled road work on Co. Rd. 4. The board said the county would have their vendors take care of the street as well, with Orrock covering its share of the costs. Having the work done at the same time will save the township money. The township engineer, Kevin Kruger, noted that the mailboxes on Co. Rd. 4 which serve the residents of 180th St. could be moved to 180th after it’s paved, making it safer for residents to check their mail.

Hiccups in Roads and Tree Trimming

The township recently sent out ads for bids for road work, which will be ready for the board to review at the next monthly meeting. Supervisor Paul Ellinger voiced his concern and disappointment that the process of awarding bids has not gone faster, as he had hoped to lock in a contract by now.

On a similar note, the board was disappointed in the tree trimming services they had received this year. The trimmer did not complete the job in the timeline stated, and in fact did not start the process until the deadline was quickly approaching. Due to snow conditions, the trimmer was also unable to clean up the mess created during the trimming, and will have to come back to complete the job. The board agreed that the company would not be paid the full amount due until the mess was cleaned, and possibly would not be awarded bids for service in the future. The board also decided, unofficially, to be more specific about the terms listed in the contract to avoid this issue in the future. 

Sheriff’s Report

Sgt. Luke McLean gave the report from the Sherburne County Sheriff’s office. He noted that it was a quiet month, with fewer COVID-19 related cases.

The one interesting event for the Orrock area was a vehicle ran into the cemetery, knocking over some headstones. As of the meeting, the department had no leads on who the driver of the vehicle was, as they immediately drove off. The McLean said they were also unsure whether the accident was caused by slippery conditions, alcohol, or another reason. 

In Other Business, the Board:

• Provided favorable comments for septic and setback variances for a Mr. Christianson;

• Decided to pursue a partnership with Monticello Animal Control for dog catching services, as the current dog catcher will no longer be able to provide service to Sherburne County;

• Gave an update on the progress of the town hall expansion;

• Entered into an agreement with Big Lake Twp. for the 2022 Recycle Day.

• Reviewed a population and building update provided by the county, based on number of the 2020 census;

• Held the annual board of audit.