Supervisor David Jehoich reported that the township is seeking estimates on road repair projects on 62nd St. and 175th St., which will involve an estimated 1,200 feet of roadway.  Projected costs for blacktop for the work will run from $72 to $74 per ton, placing the cost in the area of $42,000 for the entire project.  If seal coating is not done, funds for which have already been included in the annual budget, the money could be applied to the patching project, saving the township around $24,000.  Estimates will be available for the June regular meeting, and the board will then decide how best to proceed, according to Chairman Stuart Nelson.

 

Clerk Kathy Woolard told the board that she had been made aware of some issues in the planned turn-back of several county roads to the township for future maintenance.  Commissioner Felix Schmiesing will appear before the board at the June meeting to address the specifics of the matter, she said.

 

The board heard a report from the Santiago Lion’s Club regarding work on the township park to repair the damage from storms last summer.  

 

Some support posts were found to be rotted and unusable on the concession building, and posts will probably have to be installed on the outside of the structure before more work can continue.  An engineering report is being prepared, after which a permit can be applied for to begin construction, the board learned.

 

There will be no T-Ball this year at the park due to the repair work, though events like the annual Pork Fry will still happen.  Parts to make the restrooms in the concession building handicapped accessible are on-hand and awaiting the go-ahead for installation once construction is approved, and the club is seeking a slide and other new playground equipment as well.

 

Township resident Ron Rouse requested the use of the town hall for a meeting in regard to a plan to try to achieve a natural gas hookup for homes in the Oak Creek Estates development.  The meeting would take place in about two weeks, Rouse told the board, and will include Commissioner Schmiesing, representatives from several Sherburne County departments and officials from Xcel Energy to discuss the matter.

 

Shelly Jehoich told the board that 62 carloads of material had been processed at the annual clean-up day, down from the total in previous years but it was still a “good event, all  in all.” She said the workers from Jim’s Disposal did an outstanding job on their first year at the Santiago event, and she intends to contact them again for the 2015 clean-up.

 

Some residents were unhappy with the confusion over published prices this year, Jehoich said, and “The Citizen” was treated to a short trip to the woodshed during her comments for the unforced error in that regard. A disclaimer produced by the newspaper and efforts to reach residents helped, she said, with only one disgruntled television owner declining to pay the new price for disposal.

 

The sheriff’s report listed 65 calls for service in the township in the previous month, including 25 traffic stops.  A “speed trailer” was set up on 62nd St. in response to several complaints from residents regarding excessive speed, measuring 88 vehicles passing through the area in an eight-hour period.

 

The fire report showed 31 calls for the Becker Fire Dept. in April, with seven of those coming from Santiago.