Posted: 4/2/03

McCormick resigns town board seat

Alice Pickering
Linwood Area Reporter

Linwood Township supervisors congratulated Supervisors Marie Holm and Rudi McCurdy, who were reelected March 11. They also welcomed Tammy Lukkonen as the new township treasurer.

But the board is also losing one of its members. Supervisor Marvin McCormick submitted a letter of resignation from the board, due to health problems.

Brad Hansen, who was recently a candidate for Seat C, expressed interest in being appointed to fill the vacated seat. No decision was made at the meeting.

Budget update

There has been a mandate from the state to not exceed the 2002 tax levy.

Supervisors scheduled a special budget meeting for 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 4.

Regarding the budget, Holm said she would have recommended ìnot levying $100,000 for the (capital) building fund.î The board wants to be certain the news of any levy adjustments is publicized as soon as possible.

Officers

Supervisor Mel Pfaffendorf was reelected chairman of the town board and Marie Holm re-elected vice-chair.

The board will continue to hold regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.

Both the Forest Lake Times and Forest Lake Press were designated as official newspapers for the township. Posting places for township notices will continue at the town hall, Country Store, and Dolphyís Automotive.

First State Bank of Wyoming will continue as the township bank. Pfaffendorf, Hanna, Lukkonen and Linda Anderson were designated officials authorized to sign township checks.

Planning report

The board accepted the letter of resignation from Vern Boettcher from the planning and zoning commission. A letter of appreciation is to be presented to Boettcher, in recognition for his years of service.

The board has received letters of interest from Anne Schiller and Joe Dolphy to serve on planning.

Supervisor Marie Holm asked the commission call a special meeting before the board meets on April 8, so that it can recommend new members and, if necessary, reorganize commission membership.

Based on the recommendation of planning, the Linwood Town Board approved for Peter Simmons, the construction of a house on a lot not meeting the current building ordinance. Simmons has owned the lot for 27 years, which is the last lot in a subdivision that was created in the 1970s. Based on the platted area, the septic system is appropriate.

Scott Johnson, representing Simmons, told the board the proposed septic system is more than 100 feet from the neighborís well. Supervisor Mike Budde said Simmonsí lot is one of the higher properties in the area. When platted in the 1970s, the lot met the existing building ordinances. Approval is contingent on meeting all other building requirements.

Supervisors approved a preliminary sketch plan for Steven Strandlund contingent on all lots created being acceptable as building sites for homes, meeting ordinances, in Linwood. Another stipulation is that the lots created need no variances and that the environmental impact study reveals no detriment to the area.

Two residents, attended the meeting to complain about junked cars and mounds of trash in yards in their neighborhood near 227th Lane. One said this is the fourth time she has complained about the problem.

The board directed Supervisors Budde and McCurdy to check the yards and take pictures of the identified lots to document their condition. Clerk Judy Hanna was directed to send letters to the owners of the homes, including pertinent parts of township ordinances, and requesting cleanup.

If no action is taken, next written contact is to be made by the township attorney.

Additional information suggests that other calls need to be made to officials regulating environmental health and social services. Residents were told the first step is to make a written complaint about the conditions.

Supervisor Holm asked that the building inspector take a look at the whole area.

The township is making an effort to more effectively enforce public nuisance ordinances. Attorney Gerald Randall is to draft a resolution authorizing Budde to serve as inspector for all public nuisance complaints. The draft is to be prepared for the next meeting.

Dennis Erickson, former volunteer firefighter, had filed a complaint against the department in January. Erickson asked for, and was given, a copy of the written response the board had received from Fire Chief Rich Gabrick.

Erickson asked that this issue be placed on the meeting agenda April 8.

Other business

In other business, the board:

ïLearned that Boettcher has resigned from the Sunrise River Watershed Commission. The board approved the supervisor serving as commission liaison to also serve as township representative.

ïLearned the Anoka County Assessor is to attend the meeting April 22.

ïTabled a decision about the cable franchise until Randall can review the proposal.

ïSet compensation for supervisors $250 a month, with the chair to receive $275 a month.

ïConsidered potential conflict of interest issues, with regard to Budde and McCurdy.

ïAccepted the bid of Bill Durheim for a trailer no longer needed by the fire department.

ïLearned representatives from Met Council will enter data into computer to track septic system maintenance in the township. A grant from the council is paying for the computer.

Top of Page