Alice Pickering
Linwood Area ReporterIn an attempt to keep streets free of vehicles for snow plows, Linwood Township passed an ordinance in early 2003 that prohibits parking on township streets from Oct. 1 to May 1. Residents have also long complained about their driveways, as well as the streets being blocked by cars and trucks in winter.
Appropriate enforcement is now the issue. The older, narrower streets have been the biggest problem, particularly on South Linwood Drive and streets in the West Martin Lake area.
One resident reported that neighbors in the northern part of West Martin Lake Drive, move trailers and trucks back onto the streets late in the evenings. These present a hazard to drivers, because the streets are very narrow with many curves, and many of the vehicles are dark-colored.
Until this fall the Anoka County sheriffís department issued more warnings than tickets for violators. Now that deputies are ticketing, some residents believe they have been targeted unfairly. Supervisors agreed with residents who came to the meeting Jan. 13, complaining of parking tickets being issued when helping relatives move into new homes and moving vans were evident. Protests to deputies were met with the town parking ordinance.
Board members are frustrated, for while the ordinance is brief and very clear, they expect it to be enforced with common sense. Board members still want enforcement of the no-parking ordinance for casual street parking, especially for those who habitually have vehicles on the streets, and those ice-fishing or riding snowmobiles.
Supervisor Rudi McCurdy is to contact the sheriff about this matter. Minutes of the meeting will be taken to the court hearing to argue for dismissal of at least one ticket.
Town election
It is election time in the township.
Supervisor Seat C held by Melvin Pfaffendorf, is up for election. Pfaffendorf is the only candidate filing for office. Two candidates have filed for Seat D, currently filled by the appointment of Dave Tryon. Brian Magnuson is running against Tryon.
Vicki Erickson, the current treasurer is running unopposed. She was appointed to fill the position vacated by the resignation of Tammy Lukkonen. Erickson ran for the treasurer at the last election.
Incumbent Township Clerk Judy Hanna is also running unopposed for re-election. Election Day is Tuesday, March 9.
The annual township meeting will begin 8:15 p.m. on March 9, after polls close for the election.
Snow plowing
There was a review of the terms of contract with the snow plow contractors. The township policy is to plow when the snow is three inches deep, but Supervisor Tryon is to make the call to begin plowing.
Dan Mike, one of those contracted to plow, believed his crews were to begin plowing when the snow reached that depth without waiting for the township to call, and noted two dates when the snow was that deep. The concern is committed equipment and drivers to be ready to go when plowing is needed.
According to Road and Bridge member Dennis Erickson, the weather service report sometimes is not as accurate as a drive-through to see how deep the snow really is. He said on some of the days mentioned, there was a difference in the amounts of snow of up to two inches in some parts of the township.
Fire Chief Rich Gabrick announced the David Glassman Foundation has made a $2000 donation to the department to help purchase a new compressor. The Killion family has also made a $100 contribution.
Also in the works is an automatic mutual aid agreement for neighboring fire departments. At the departmentís recommendation, the board approved the appointment of Robert Standarht as a volunteer firefighter, pending a satisfactory physical examination.
Gabrick recommended the board approve an emergency water plan for the township, a county requirement. The hazard mitigation plan is to identify ways to protect the community water supplies in the event of an emergency. Failure to do so would mean the township would not be eligible to apply for FEMA grants. Discussion was tabled until the next regular meeting.
The board granted permission to firefighters to use one of the township pieces of equipment to brush smaller amounts of snow and drift snow from the front entrance to the truck bays. This is to prevent ice from forming on the concrete in the shaded, east-facing part of the station. Finally, Gabrick reported 194 responses to emergency calls in the township in 2003. The fire department by-laws and constitution were distributed to the board for study and action at a future meeting.
Supervisor Marie Holm showed the board the new Community and School forest brochure. The trails are marked and new signs for the area have been ordered. Supervisors approved the hiring of Cole Anderson, Joe Lennartson, Jason Ringquist, Derrick Stensgard, and Henri Tessier as warming house employees for the hockey and pleasure rinks.
Town Attorney Gerald Randall said residents have responded positively to requests to clean up yards and lots. Some, who are landlords, welcomed the leverage to get renters to clean up properties. The board backs Randallís efforts to serve papers on several owners of ìjunk housesî in the township.
Most of the legal work for the Glenn Barrett easement has been completed; Randall is waiting to see the survey work to support it.
Supervisors authorized Hanna to send a letter to the Gordon Anderson family setting a deadline for submission of a completed sign application or removal of the sign advertising their farming operation. The existing sign does not conform to township ordinances for the sale of farm products. Randall said there is no basis for the sign because there are no public benefits to its posting.
In a memorandum to the board, Engineer Craig Jochum recommended wider shoulders on township streets. A recommendation from Dennis Brown about the volume of gravel to order for 2004 was referred back to the Road and Bridge Committee.
There was discussion about the use of Class 1 and Class 5 gravel on some roads. Road and bridge recommended using 12-14 percent clay rather than 8-12 percent to increase the binding for its Class 5 material. The board accepted the letter of resignation of Steve Erickson from road and bridge.
Based on a response from Qwest that it will not provide service, and Frontier that it will not replace telephone equipment in the township that is vandalized, McCurdy recommended against installing pay phones at the skateboard park and in other parks in the township. It is more costly for these companies to provide service that it is worth to them.
Supervisors passed two resolutions authorizing the employment of interested officers in the township. The first approved Mike Budde as an employee by a vote of 4-0, with Budde abstaining. The second approved the employment of Rudi McCurdy, by a vote of 4-0, with McCurdy abstaining from the vote.
Other business
In other business, the board:
ïApproved reappointments of Howard Holm, Steve Strandlund, and Ray Tetrault to the planning and zoning commission.
ïAppointed Stephanie Williams-Lucas as an alternate to the planning and zoning commission, with attendance requirements and compensation.
ïBy resolution, approved the park dedication fee of $1000 per lot, by a 5-0 vote.
ïApproved an application made by Carroll Broadbent, Jr. and Daryl Schuerman to rezone a parcel of land from R-A to R-1. The land is north of Fawn Lake Drive, west of its intersection with Typo Creek Drive (CR-85).
ïTentatively scheduled township recycling dates for 2004; 8 a.m.-noon April 24 and Sept. 18. Township officials are to review fees for recycling to cover the cost of providing this service for residents.
ïIs reviewing information from the Minnesota Association of Townships about private cemeteries in order to clarify the township policy.
ïAuthorized Ray Broadbent and Mike Budde to attend the Minnesota Spring Maintenance Training Exposition in St. Cloud in April.
ïReceived a query from a tree-service company that is considering location in the township.
ïTabled a decision to hire someone to keep the township signs up to date until more information is gathered.
ïVoted to pay $2 gopher bounty through 4:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27. Anoka County no longer partially reimburses the township for payments.
Top of Page
