Alice Pickering
Linwood Area ReporterThe police contract between the Anoka County Sheriffís department and Linwood Township was approved by the board of supervisors on Oct. 26. Police protection for the township (8 hours daily, 7-days-a-week) and the school resource officer were considered in the same contract.
The vote was 5-0.
The contract includes the cost of the equipped squad car, gas, salary increases, vehicle maintenance, cost of repairs and any other overhead costs.
Supervisor Mike Budde said space is being prepared in the old fire hall to house the squad car. Office space is also being arranged for the deputy.
Under contract terms, Columbus and Linwood Elementary schools will share the SRO. The sheriffís department has budgeted one-third of the cost for the SRO in 2005.
Columbus and Linwood will split the balance of the cost.
The combined cost of the two programs is about $208,000. This is just under a four-percent increase from the 2003 figures Anoka County Sheriff Bruce Andersohn used to estimate the costs of the respective programs at the annual meeting in March.
At that time the cost for the contract protection was estimated to be $172,000. The SRO position was $84,200 for the school year.
At that meeting, residents approved a levy of $1,648,000. This is $264,000 more than requested by town officials.
The increase was specifically to finance both police contract programs. That approval meant Linwood residents are willing to pick up the entire cost of the SRO, but hoping other schools and/or sources would help the amount. Anoka County and Columbus did that, leaving Linwoodís cost-share at one-third of the $84,200 or just under $28,100.
Sharing the cost of the SRO will allow the township to reduce its 2005 levy by $56,000 before final certification.
Well project
Supervisors approved drilling a deep well near the southwest corner of the township cemetery and installation of an electric pump with the total cost for improvements not to exceed $7000.
The vote was 4-1 in favor of the action, with Budde voting against the action. Contacted later, Budde said he felt the cost was too high for the project. Although some of the labor has been donated, the only donation thus far is $500 from the fire department auxiliary.
Cindy Gruett, speaking for the cemetery committee, presented the proposals and estimates for various projects to improve the cemetery. The estimate from Loren McCullough is $4200 to drill 100 feet. Gruett said the cost of drilling will increase $500 after the new year because of the necessity of meeting additional requirement of concrete around the top of the well.
Gruett said the committee is in support of a deep well, so there is an adequate, safe, water supply. This will provide water for plants placed in the cemetery and any future planting. The committee wants to be certain the well is deep enough that water is safe to drink.
Labor to lay the pipe from the well along the fence-line, up to the main portion of the cemetery is being donated. According to Gruett, Emerald Irrigation has offered to develop the well at no charge.
Supervisor Rudi McCurdy cautioned that although there are volunteers stepping forward to take care of some of the maintenance, eventually this will be ìa township maintenance responsibility.î
Supervisors are also alert to problems with vandalism. Supervisors directed Gruett to meet with Dave Thompson, building inspector, to get an address for the cemetery so Connexus will install electric power to the cemetery.
Impetus for many of these improvements is the donation of a new contemplative area in the cemetery. Earlier this year the board recommended a to-be-formed cemetery committee accept an offer from the Wayne Ayers family to purchase and place two benches, concrete slab, and four trees as a memorial for wife and mother Carol Ayers in the Linwood Cemetery. The site has been selected and trees planted.
The well is a continuation of the work of the committee to improve the maintenance and beautification of Linwood Cemetery. Now the group will focus on developing guidelines for the site.
Committee members requested a dedication of the improvements to coincide with 2005 Memorial Day celebrations. Officials invite contributions for this project.
Oak will be cut
At the request of friends and neighbors of the Radtke family, township officials will notify Mr. and Mrs. Radtke when maintenance crews plan to remove an oak tree from the site where their son died.
Andy Radtke died after hitting a tree while riding a four-wheel vehicle in January.
Supervisor Dave Tryon, a member of the road and bridge committee, said the township is systematically removing trees from the right-of-way when they are identified. They also constitute a hazard to maintenance crews. Since many are oaks, cutting season is limited to later fall and early spring. The particular tree is one that has been targeted for removal.
Supervisor McCurdy said it would show a ìlack of responsibility to leave the tree in the right-of-way. Leaving it would be negligence.î
The family requested wood from the cut tree. Tryon said township policy is to leave wood from cut trees for the property owner. One resident, will speak to the homeowner, but is certain the family will give up the wood.
Officials usually notify the homeowners within a few days of when crews are scheduled to cut trees. At her request, officials will notify Mrs. Radtke when the tree is to be removed.
Laurie Hamer asked if the township would consider waiting until after the one-year anniversary of Andyís death in January. Tryon did not want to wait for the removal.
However, supervisors agreed to notify the family so they can have a brief ceremony before the tree is cut. In addition, large sections of the tree will be saved for the family.
Earlier in the discussion, James Kubichek said the problem is not the tree, but the road design. He told supervisors there are ìproblems with design, the road banks, dips, curves the wrong way.î
Parking issue
After a long discussion supervisors voted to leave the townís existing parking ordinance as it is. Residents have complained about cars blocking the roads during the winter, particularly some of the narrower roads. Ordinance prohibits street parking Oct. 1 to April 1.
Recently, there have been repeated complaints about cars parking off the road, presumably hunters. It is clear these individuals are trying to be responsible by pulling completely off the driving surface. Others want to have family celebrations, but do not have driveway space for guests.
Supervisors Mel Pfaffendorf and McCurdy both believe the ordinance is ìtoo restrictive.î Pfaffendorf sees no need to restrict parking unless it is during plowing season. Some suggestions are to have cars stay off the streets until they have been plowed curb to curb. The issue is sure to be revisited, because prohibiting parking is not effective.
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