The Palmer Twp. Board met Monday evening for their May meeting, discussing several agenda items including the Water Surface Ordinance for area lakes.

The board has identified some confusion and miscommunication regarding the ordinance and the ability to enforce speed limits and no wake zones on the chain of lakes during high water periods.

SCSO Commander Bob Stangler discussed the issue with the board, noting that there appears to be a discrepancy between what the board believes is enforceable and possible posting issues that could impact the legality of the ordinance.  

Chairman Mike Ganz noted that an ordinance has been on the books for years and the Township’s legal counsel is certain it meets the legal threshold for enforcement action to be taken when there are violations.

Because high water conditions can ebb and flow in a short amount of time, the Township has gone to great lengths to ensure that residents and day users of the lakes are informed when the conditions call for the no wake zones to be in effect.  Signs are posted at all of the public accesses, as well as near all major roadway intersections once the threshold is met.  

In the past several years, shoreline preservation has been a point of emphasis for both the Township and the Briggs Lake Chain Association, therefore it appears there is a consensus from those groups that most people would like to see the ordinance enforced in a fairly stringent manner.

Stangler plans to speak with County Attorney Kathleen Heaney to ensure the language in the ordinance is sufficient and he will coordinate a report back to the board at the June meeting with plans for how to enforce the issue in the future.

In addition, Stangler presented the April statistics for the township which showed 115 calls for service, compared to 68 a year ago.  Extra patrols and security checks made up a majority of the calls, as the Sheriff’s Office has been focusing on preventing trespass calls at the site of the proposed park near the north shore of Elk Lake.  The area is still privately held and therefore the public is not allowed access to the area.

Stangler also reported that there was a recent fraud investigation within the township where a resident was contacted by someone claiming to be from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, indicating there was a warrant for their arrest.  Payment to rectify the situation was requested in the form of gift cards.  Stangler reminded the board and residents that the government is unlikely to place a phone call in a situation like this and certainly no legitimate law enforcement organization would request or accept payment in the form of gift cards.

Road Maintenance

The board discussed the emergence of potholes on many Twp. roadways and the difficulty they have had in securing hot mix patches because of the cold weather conditions.  The closest location to secure the road patch is in Waite Park, but by the time it gets to Palmer there can be issues with it cooling off and starting to set before it can be used.  

Ganz has explored purchasing a trailer to help keep the hot mix at optimal temperatures, but used trailers for that purpose run as much as $15,000 while news ones can be as much as $40,000.

The board agreed that once it warms up outside, the hot mix will be able to be purchased and spread in an efficient manner before it cools off and the potholes will be filled.

Signs were also on the agenda for discussion, with the Stop Ahead markers drawing the most concern in terms of replacement.  The current signage is losing its reflectivity and will need to be addressed soon.  The board settled on the idea of replacing some signs each year in order to keep the budget level without big spikes in allocations needed to remedy the situation.

The board also reviewed a pair of quotes they had received for crack filling and sealing the Town Hall parking lot.  Ganz noted that there was a big difference in the quotes, with the lowest being around $6,000 and the other one being approximately double that amount.  However, the cheaper quote did not include any plans to router the cracks and to fill them with new asphalt before applying the seal coat.

The board held discussion that if they are to do the project, they would prefer to do it the right way and take care of the cracks with an eye towards extending the life of the lot versus putting on a “band aid” that might only provide a temporary fix.

To that end, the board unanimously approved the bid from Driveway Services in the amount of $12,700.

Parks

Ben Ackerman was present at the meeting to share his quote for repairing and replacing the roof of the “Candy Shack” at the park.  In recent years the roof has deteriorated and there is even a hole in it that needs attention.

Ackerman proposed using a shingle with a 50 year warranty, as well as the needed repairs to put the building back in good condition.  Total cost would be $3,750 and the work could be done this summer.  

The board is also obtaining a quote for the materials needed to repair the structure and will compare both prices before making a final decision.

Playground equipment was also discussed, as several of the spring toys had been stolen several years ago and were never replaced.  Current replacement costs for each toy is in the range of $1,000-$1,400 for the combination of the rider mechanism and the spring.

The board was not ready to make a replacement decision at this time, but instead wants to collect more information and explore the possibility of residents who may want to make a donation to replace the equipment. 

The Twp. has also been conducting a survey of Palmer residents to gauge their interest in replacing the tennis courts at the park, as they are currently in disrepair.  Pickle ball courts, tennis courts or a combination of both are current considerations that have been discussed as possible park additions.  Residents are encouraged to visit the township’s website to weigh in with their opinions on the subject.

Land Acquisition

For several years, there has been discussion that Palmer is in need of an area for residents to drop off brush and leaves without having to drive to the compost facility located in Becker.

To that end, the board discussed the possibility of acquiring a 40 acre tract of land that is currently being used as a gravel pit.  

Ganz noted that this is just in the discussion stages now, and as the land is owned by his wife’s family, he will not participate in any possible future acquisition actions because of a conflict of interest.

Both Supervisors Steve Demeules and Richard Larson voiced their opinions that the land parcel should at least be explored, especially if there is a possibility that Sherburne County could help facilitate the process or provide financial assistance because of the possibility of using the parcel for the recycling of compost type materials.  It was noted that if the land were purchased by a contractor, it would be for a mining operation which in the past has not been well received by area residents.

The board plans future discussions regarding the possibility of the acquisition.