Alice Pickering
Linwood Area ReporterLinwood Supervisor Mel Pfaffendorf ran unopposed in the March 9 election and received 126 votes. The only contested seat was appointed incumbent Dave Tryon who defeated Brian Magnuson 88-75.
Township Clerk Judy Hanna and Township Treasurer Vicki Erickson, both ran unopposed and received 134 and 133 votes, respectively.
Nine residents registered to vote on Election Day, making the total number of registered voters 2,735. Of these, 167 cast ballots, just over six percent of the total registered voters.
The town board proposed a 2005 levy in the amount of $1,384,000. However, as a result of a motion from the floor and approved 64 to 22, the levy passed was $1,648,000. This is $264,000 more than requested by town officials.
With passage of the levy, was a strong recommendation for the town board to establish a contract with the Anoka County Sheriffís department for year-round, eight-hour-a-day contract police protection. Also requested was a renewal of the contract with Anoka County for a school resource officer in Linwood Elementary School on a year-round basis.
Auditor David Stene reported the 2003 budget was in good shape although reserves are a little low. In 2005 he anticipates reserves edging upward to about 50 percent. He was encouraged by the budget which places $100,000 into the Capital Improvement Fund. He also noted the fire department ës 20-year plan for financing equipment replacement.
Stene explained the wisdom and recommendation of having at least 30 to 50 percent of a township budget, by department, in reserves to serve as working capital for the time before each of the semi-annual payment comes from the county. There must be enough on hand at the end of 2004 to carry the township through the end of June 2005 when the first of the 2005 tax revenue is received by the Township from Anoka County.
Road supervisor Dave Tryon identified township streets targeted for repairs in 2005; Thames Street and Birchwood Circle. The township is making an effort to bring all roads up to standard. Maintenance plans are set for eight to 15 years out and include crack-sealing, seal-coating, and overlays. Money designated for the capital improvement fund is to build up a balance for future replacement of the salt and sand truck.
With the budget presented, Road and Bridge, which had been zeroed by work authorized and completed by the township, the portion of the township budget allocated for this department was over $600,000. The projected reserves at the end of 2005 would be about 30 percent of the budget if the 2005 levy of $1,384,000 passed.
Supervisor Marie Holm showed a student-narrated video showed some of the features of the Linwood Community and School Forest. Parks Commission Chair Jim Garrison described the skate-park built in 4-Seasons Park and observed that at the times he has driven near the park it is ìalways fullî of skateboarders.
Garrison praised the work of commission members in planning future improvements to existing parks. Future plans include improvements to the pavilion at Broadbent Park and a bridge from Japura St. to the area park. Typo Creek Estates residents have requested the development of a park.
Garrison said that playground equipment runs from $30,000 to $40,000. Each year the commission tours parks and prioritizes needs. Anticipated is the beginning of park development for Pine Tree Ridge.
In 2004 county road reconstruction is planned for parts of Fawn Lake Road, from the western edge of the township to past Typo Creek Drive, reported County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah. She told residents she can only comment on calls about residential development as it affects county road.
Mike Aschenbrenner reported the Youth Service Bureau focuses on truancy prevention, restorative justice and counseling for secondary students. Although there have been reductions of 30 percent in state aid, there has been an increase of 700 youth served by the YSB which worked with 238 Linwood youth during 2003.
Aschenbrenner emphasized the savings by using restorative justice to resolve some situations, roughly $370 a person. He compared that with the $1300 to deal with the same situation in the court system.
A final presentation was made by Alan Hurtley, Principal Jill Schafer and Counselor Gae Jarvis, about reasons to retain a school resource officer. Hurtley emphasized the atmosphere of safety and positive role model provided by current SRO Chris Beck.
Schafer said a deputy can expedite action in instances of truancy or suspected abuse. The SRO is available as an educational resource to teachers for some chemical health topics, helping kids make good decisions about these, ice safety, and general attitude about laws. The SRO is an authority figure for some visitors who do not manage their tempers well. Finally, he or she brings a law enforcement viewpoint to emergency planning and state-mandated lock-down drills.
Lt. Paul Summer, police liaison to Linwood Township, presented a breakdown of the 2003 incident report. Most of the 1878 radio calls for the township were traffic citations, but there were also incidents of property damage, burglary and warrant arrests.
Anoka Sheriff Bruce Andersohn explained contract police protection buys a community and it would cost. Besides providing general patrol service in the county, annually, the sheriffís department evaluates the needs of communities and makes recommendations to townships and cities about protection.
A contract providing eight hours of coverage, 365 days a year would cost the township just under $172,000 a year. This includes salary, benefits, vehicle, communications equipment, and administrative support. Contract protection five days a week would cost about $107,000 annually.
A school resource officer is also a contract with Anoka County. The cost to provide SRO service in schools eight hours daily, five days a week, during the school year is just under $84,200. To extend this to service year round, staying connected with students during the summer, in safety camps and various other activities, the cost would increase to just under $93,000.
Rob Stumm, 6th grade teacher at Linwood Elementary and a township resident, spoke before any motions came from the floor.
He brought a question from faculty members at Linwood of the mixed-message sent when the 2003 school levy was defeated, but residents are willing to increase the township levy to finance a school resource officer and/or contract police protection. He said Linwood stands to lose two or three teachers as a result of the failed 2003 school levy.
Information compiled by Larry Martini, district director of business affairs, provided information that supported Stummís question.
Linwood precinct results from the 2001 levy passed 53-47 percent in favor of the levy, with a total of 1261 votes cast. In 2003 failed levy, Linwood votes were 36 percent in favor and 64 percent against the levy, with a total of 797 votes cast.
There are different numbers of voters in each precinct, so raw numbers are not directly comparable, but 2003 was a much lower turnout than 2001 in every precinct, but the ìNoî votes tended to remain constant. Linwood had the lowest percentage support for the school levy of any precinct.
Residents attending the meeting wanted both contract police protection and a SRO at Linwood. Andersohn said Columbus Elementary is leaning positively toward keeping the officer in the schools, so it might be possible to share the cost with them.
Some in opposition thought an officer in the school could respond to calls in the township. Andersohn said this tends not to work well. Others want an officer dedicated to patrols partially because of the increase in the numbers of drug labs in the township, specifically in their neighborhoods.
A few residents believed that for the $172,000 annually, the township could establish its own police department. A feasibility study completed in the mid-1990s then showed that the start-up cost for the township runs over $1 million. Andersohn said under the contract the county covers the cost of gas, salary increases, vehicle maintenance, cost of repairs, and any other overhead costs.
Attorney Tom Fitzpatrick said that while voters approve the levy, supervisors ultimately determine how township funds are spent. Several motions to increase the levy were made and then withdrawn.
Supervisors agreed with residents that, with the money available, the township would set into motion, action necessary to contract with Anoka County for police protection and work with a committee at the elementary school to make, what are hoped to be, optimal schedule arrangements for an SRO.
Supervisor Marie Holm cautioned residents the vote was for 2005 and that the township does not see any of the money until July 1, 2005. Arrangements must be made with Anoka County for the police contract and determine hours of dedicated coverage. A committee working with the elementary school must be set up to arrange the SRO terms.
Columbus is also positively leaning toward including SRO in its budget/levy amount. If this is the case, the Linwood levy could be reduced by the amount of a Columbus contribution to the SRO. Sivarajah said that in the interim, grant money may be available to continue the SRO program through the 2004-2005 school year.
Linwood residents approved a levy of $900,000 for 2004; $138,000 less than the $1,038,000 requested by the town board. The 2005 levy is an increase of about 83 percent for the township portion of property taxes. The levy must be certified by Dec. 27 and may be reduced if other communities partner with Linwood to fund the SRO position.
Impetus for the well-attended annual meeting was a meeting of parents a week earlier urging support of such action. An estimated 135 people attended, though not all stayed until the final vote, because it ended at about 12:15 am.
Other business
In other business, residents:
ïApproved minutes of the Annual Meeting of March 11, 2003 and the annual meeting continuation, Aug. 12, 2003.
ïWere thanked by youth advisory board member Dawn Kichler for their past support of the YSB and reported on services provided to area youth and planned activities.
ïLearned from Sivarajah, property tax refund assistance is available to residents on March 26, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
ïLearned from Fire Marshal Glen Gruett that Fire Wise materials are available to assist residents in making their homes and yards safer.
ïLearned the township must consider firefighters employees.
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