An annual report from the sheriff, a road report swearing-in of new officers were some of the topics discussed at Wednesday’s Santiago Twp. board meeting.

 

Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott  gave his annual report to the township and provided handouts to the board members and guests.

 

Brott said his office received 570 calls for service/arrests for Santiago Twp. in 2015 which included traffic offenses/tickets/complaints, accidents, medical, assaults, burglary, narcotics, DUIs, criminal sexual conduct, death investigations, criminal damage to property and other misc. complaints.

 

The 570 number showed a slight decline from 2014 (611) and nearly the same as 2013 (579).

 

Brott said Santiago saw one assault, three burglaries, one narcotics and two DUIs for the year. He mentioned there were also nine thefts and 10 criminal damage to property calls.

 

Brott displayed a chart documenting serious crime activity comparisons for 2013, 2014 and 2015. Assaults have decreased, burglarys stayed consistent as well as narcotics and DUIs are 1/3 less than in 2013. He noted there were three CSC complaints, thefts have dropped the last two years while CDPs have doubled (10) since 2013 (5).

 

The board discussed grading projects and getting ditches cleared of brush in the next week or so since the frost line is supposed to lift this weekend.

 

The board plans to have a road review next month to further discuss projects.

 

Chairman Stuart Nelson said he got the go-ahead from the DNR, the county and the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with the ditching project along 7th Street. Nelson also mentioned he got the “thumbs up” from Benton County (where the road intersects) and from neighboring landowners.

 

Supervisor  Dave Jehoich said the ditch really needs to get cleaned out soon because of “putrid damage to our roads if we don’t do anything about it soon.”

 

Jehoich also said he noticed some garbage dumped in the township but has since seen the problem rectified.

 

Matt Weber of the Becker Fire Dept. gave a fire and rescue report in which the station received five calls for service for Santiago Twp. during the month of February with two being vehicle accidents and one being a CO alarm.

 

Weber also mentioned the new grass rig for the township is geared up and ready to be used.

 

Nelson said he heard many favorable comments from citizens at Tuesday’s annual meeting that complimented the township on the purchase of the new rig.

 

• Jehoich and Clerk Kathy Woolard were sworn-in for their positions as they received enough votes in Tuesday’s election to retain their positions;

 

• The board approved the Board of Audit;

 

• The township is taking quotes on concrete work to be done underneath the pavillion.

 

The next Santiago Twp. Board meeting is April 13 at 7 p.m.