Alice Pickering
Linwood Area Reporter

With Anoka County switching to an internet paging system for emergency services, the Linwood Fire Department anticipates eliminating a couple of phone bills for the department. Lines will be needed for the terminals, but Fire Chief Joe Dolphy told the Linwood Town Board on Sept. 25 the Anoka County internet paging will be used for dispatch.

The fire department has applied for a Rural Fire Department Grant. Grants are in the amount of $500. If awarded, the money would be used for another computer to operate one of the terminals. Dolphy anticipates improvement in incident reporting.

Firehouse Software will organize training records and training attendance. This will make township record-keeping compatible with format used by other fire departments across the country.

According to the state auditor, the fire department has been advised to eliminate its separate checking account and move the fire relief fund into the township general fund.

A formal annual audit can be done with the fire department records, instead of by a departmental committee.

Accounting software will be used to track income and expenses on both accounts.

Although no action was taken at the meeting, Dolphy told the board that Joe and Cathy Grafft have offered to serve in an advisory capacity for emergency plans.

He urged consideration of their offers because of their extensive medical experience and teaching experience with emergency planning.

They would be “good people to have as advisors,” Dolphy said. He also said that either or both would need to be on a small annual retainer as advisors, so that they are covered by liability insurance.

Dolphy encouraged the same type of defibrillators in the Linwood Senior Center as used by the fire department. Right now North Ambulance has a third type. Dolphy urged a consistent choice.

He learned there has been a request for the fire department to provide some training in the use of the defibrillator.

Dolphy reported 19 emergency responses in August. Nine were for fires and 10 were medical emergencies.

Other actions

Linwood Town Board supervisors agreed to the repair of the township’s one-ton diesel truck. It is used by road and bridge department, parks, recycling, and for cemetery maintenance.

Short trips are harder on diesel engines, according to Dolphy, who is a mechanic. While the cost to repair the truck is more than officials would like it to be, cost for replacement would be between $60,000 and $70,000.

Dolphy recommended looking at the budget and including a line item to save for a new truck. Cost for repairs is estimated to be just over $3000.

Supervisors approved the repair with the cost to be split between departments. Approval came with a 4-0 vote. Supervisor Scott Bailey did not attend.

The board approved pavement repairs on township streets, with a cap of $5000. Crack-filling projects were also approved. Material to complete crack-filling is estimated to cost about $4300. Engineer Craig Jochum recommended the projects.

Deadline for the completion of Lyons Street is Oct. 5. Supervisor Phil Osterhus reported that the utilities are still being relocated, near Lyon’s Den. According to Osterhus, the penalty for going over the completion date for paving the streets may have to be instituted.

There are also complaints about sand and gravel nearly blocking driveways in the White Tail Ridge Development.

The development is nearly opposite the Boettcher Farm Preserve on Fawn Lake Drive. Developer Tom Carlisle is in charge of both projects.

Final inspection of The Country Store has yet to be completed, but work is proceeding to meet inspection requirements, according to Osterhus.

The owner of the junk house on 226th Ave. has agreed to the township clean-up of the lot. He has to return the signed consent form to Attorney Gerald Randall.

Supervisor Howard Holm is likely the supervisor to organize the beginnings of a clean-up of the site, once the legal process is completed. The town wants to buy the lot and one directly to the east.

There are openings on the building committee. This committee’s function is to help plan for needed buildings in the township. Interested residents are encouraged to contact the town hall for information about volunteering; 651-462-2812.

Clerk Judy Hanna was directed to advertise about openings on this committee.

Recycling day for 2008 was scheduled for April 26. Three pet clinics have been scheduled for 2008. All are on Saturdays: April 12, May 17 and June 14.

Other business

In other business, the board:

•Accepted a letter of resignation from Auditor David Stene, of Eide Bailey. Officials will be actively seeking a new auditor to help with the budget planning for the next year. Stene will work with the township during the transition to a new auditing firm.

•Approved payment of the bills in the amout of $86,279.63. The bills include $55,180.75 for the third quarter police contract and the bill for the new well at Boettcher Farm Preserve.

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