The Palmer Town Board met Monday evening and welcomed Amy Bragelman as the new Township Clerk, as she will replace Kelly McCann, who served in the position for four years.  

McCann recently accepted full time employment which necessitated the move, but she was appointed to serve as Deputy Clerk and plans to be available to help Bragelman and the township in the transition and beyond.

Chairman Mike Ganz noted that the new clerk is no stranger to the area, having grown up on Rush Lake, and a seamless transition is expected.  One difference residents will notice is that the Town Hall is likely to now be open for business on Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays.

Bragelman’s first duties were to start on Wednesday, when the township was holding its election and Annual Meeting.

Sheriff/Fire

Sgt. Andy Ochs was on hand to present the sheriff’s report, which included 74 calls for service in February.  Two burglaries and six reports of suspicious activity were reported, as well as one property damage vehicle incident at the beginning of February when a truck went through the ice in the channel between Rush and Briggs Lakes.

Capt. Chad Koren of the Clear Lake Fire Department reported on 13 calls for service, including six medicals in Palmer Township.  They were also called to provide mutual aid for one fire in Becker.

Parks/Roads

Ganz noted that tree cutting will commence in Palmer Park now that the ski trails have melted beyond use, but other than that the park usage has been quiet.

The board also discussed several roadway issues, including a spot on 12th St. where some tar was removed by the snowplow.  A temporary patch will be pursued until such time that a permanent solution can be applied to the asphalt.

Another roadway that will need some attention is 135th Avenue, a roadway that is shared between Palmer and Santiago Township and is experiencing a heave in the road.

The board discussed its current budget and the work that has been completed in recent years.  Because the fund has been used for several projects, no major construction is planned for 2021.  Instead, work will be done to patch potholes and prioritize needs for the future.

Because of the thawing temperatures, any additional snowfall will be removed without the wing on the plow being used because it would just rip up the shoulder area.  

“You can’t plow mud” is the way that Supervisor Steve Demeules described the situation.

In addition, the board noted that no further salt will be used on the roads this year and just a sand mixture will be added where needed for traction.  This will help keep salt runoff from ending up in the area lakes and also saves on the budget.

Signage within the township was reported to be in good shape, although Ganz will contact the county about a turn lane sign to be installed in front of the Town Hall.  For years, this area of the road was used for parking for a local establishment, but now that a turn lane has been installed, signage is needed to keep the area clear for vehicles.

Clean Up Day

Treasurer Roger Johnson joined the meeting via Zoom and discussed the upcoming Clean Up Day, tentatively scheduled for May 22.  He has been having some difficulties getting the refuse company to commit to the date and will be working on it over the next few weeks.

One item he hoped to note for the public is that electronics and appliances will not be accepted at this year’s event.

The next regular meeting of the board will be Mon., April 12 at 7 p.m.