Alice Pickering
Linwood Area ReporterLinwood supervisors voted 4-1 to remove the requirement that Daniel Evans pay to have a passing lane installed on the eastbound side of Viking Blvd. at the approach to the Evans Estates, a development of six homes west of Carlos Avery Wildlife Area. Evans returned to the board April 13, for clarification of the requirements for road modifications.
Evans must install a right-turn lane in the westbound side of the road. A conservative estimate for a by-pass for the eastbound traffic is $10,000.
Neither Chairman Mel Pfaffendorf nor Supervisor Dave Tryon believes it is necessary to have a passing lane as well as a right-turn lane. Other developments OKíd by township officials were not required to have passing lanes at their approaches.
Supervisor Marie Holm said traffic volume and speed are much higher on Viking Blvd. than they are on either Fawn Lake or Ryan Lake roads. Tryon made the motion to remove the passing lane requirement. Holmís vote was the dissenting vote.
Evans Estates has been placed on the parks agenda for the next meeting to determine the park contribution.
R&B decision
The vote was 3-2, in favor of the appointment of Tammy Lukkonen to the road and bridge committee. Earlier in the year, she submitted a letter of interest in serving on the committee.
Supervisor Rudi McCurdy spoke to the appearance of conflict of interest if Lukkonen were to become a member of the commission. Bob Beckman, Lukkonenís father, works for the town on a contract basis.
Tryon felt her experience, including regular attendance at the meetings and taking minutes, would be helpful. He emphasized the road and bridge commission is a recommending body, not responsible for making final decisions about contracts or personnel.
In the end, Pfaffendorf, Holm, and Tryon voted in favor of her appointment. Supervisors Mike Budde and McCurdy were opposed.
New chair
As part of the organizational meeting, Linwood supervisors elected new officers. Tryon was unanimously elected by colleagues as chair of the town board. Holm was elected vice-chairman of the board.
The board will continue to meet regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Both the Forest Lake Times and Forest Lake Press will continue as the official newspapers.
The First State Bank of Wyoming continues as the official depository. Posting places within the township remain the town hall, the Country Store, and Dolphyís Automotive Repair shop. Those designated to sign checks for the township are the chairman of the board, clerk and treasurer.
Gabrick reports
Fire Chief Rich Gabrick announced that a burning ban is in place. No burning permits are being issued. Small fires for recreation are permitted, but these must remain small.
Gabrick proposed the creation of a firebreak along the 205th Ave. corridor. The road is closed and needs fill dirt in some areas, but as long as the road has not been abandoned, the township can use this as a firebreak. The DNR has allocated $10,000 to use for the work.
Gabrick said if the money is not used, then the grant will be lost. He believes it would be a benefit to the township to make the road passable so crews could get in and out of the area should they need to in the event of a wild fire/brush fire.
The definition of ìabandonmentî must be determined. Gabrick said a four-wheel drive vehicle cannot get through. Town Attorney Gerald Randall will determine if the road has been abandoned.
As part of the discussion about gravel and equipment quotes, the board voted unanimously to have the contract quotes be effective from March 1 of one year to March 1 of the next year. With a unanimous 5-0 vote, the board accepted a bid of $10.65/ton for Class 5 gravel from Dresel Trucking.
At Tryonís recommendation the board approved $55,000 expenditure for Class 5 gravel. He wants to try a different mix of gravel, smaller rock with more binder. Dennis Brown, who does road grading for the township, said he had recommended smaller rock in the mix for road surfaces, but did not request a change in the mix. Usually, coarser rock is used for the base of the gravel roads, with smaller gravel for the wear course.
Tryon also asked that the small segment of township road near the Country Store be surveyed so exact boundaries are known. When the crews work on road repair in other areas of the township, he would like to see the cost to have this road segment repaired and paved.
The board voted unanimously for Frank Kvidera to complete the survey.
Road petition
Bob Wagner presented a petition from residents living on 209th Street requesting pavement on about 1,000 feet of the street. The petition was signed by seven of the eight residents living on the street.
Before any paving project can be considered, a feasibility study must be completed. The matter will be referred to Town Engineer Craig Jochum.
Cartier decision
Robert Cartier asked for clarification of lot-line definition relative to his property which is between West Martin Lake Road and Feather Street. His front lot line will remain West Martin Lake Drive. Setbacks for construction differ for the front and back lot lines.
Cartier will still need to apply for a variance for the setback requirements from his rear lot line for his proposed house and septic. Because of the ordinances and his lot design there is a legitimate hardship to the land. Supervisors plan to review the ordinances related to the handful of properties that have two designated front lot lines.
Appointments
The board unanimously accepted the following residents as members of the Police Protection Committee; Jeffrey Baumgartner, Kim Beck, Carolyn Braaten, Kevin Glazek, Mike Gregerson, Stephanie Gregerson, Linda Hurtley and Eric Marleau. The supervisor who is police liaison will contact members to schedule a first meeting, then the committee can begin its work related to all arrangements and scheduling for contract police protection which is to begin in 2005. The group will have input regarding the school resource officer for Linwood Elementary.
The following residents were accepted to serve as the Linwood Cemetery Beautification Committee: Don Grant, Ruth Grant, Cindy Gruett, Judy Hanna and Mary Smith.
Other business
In other business, the board:
ïAnnounced the recycling day, 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 22 north of the town hall.
ïLearned the townshipís pet clinic, scheduled for May 22, has been canceled until laws about such clinics can be clarified and veterinary clinic can be contracted.
ïHeard a request to reduce the speed limit on 233rd St. from 40 mph to 30 mph.
ïLearned the road and bridge commission has scheduled road review at 7 a.m. April 21.
ïTabled the decision about compensation for town officers and employees to a meeting yet to be scheduled.
ïDirected Ray Broadbent to work with youth group at Linwood Covenant to place additional township mailing tubes.
ïLearned McCurdy is continuing the development of the township website.
ïAgreed to make a decision about the township insurance soon. Fire department insurance expires April 30. The townshipís insurance coverage under MSI expires June 30.
ïLearned Gabrick and Clerk Judy Hanna have completed ìreasonable suspicion training.î
ïLearned from Holm the Sunrise River Watershed report is available on a website. Summaries of the lake water quality and various monitoring results are available.
ïLearned from Holm a wastewater treatment plant is being considered for commercial and residential areas along Highway 65. Some residents in the Coon Lake area may be interested in participating in this wastewater treatment plan.
Top of Page
