4111 11th Avenue SW - Rochester, Minnesota 55902 - Tel. (507) 282-6488

ROCHESTER TOWNSHIP BOARD - MEETING MINUTES

Rochester Town Hall

Thursday, May14, 2009

Board Minutes
 

Members Present: Douglas Butler, Brenda Dicken, Brian Mueller, Jeff Orth, Lenny Laures and Gary Swenson. Members Absent: Gary Donovan

Guests – Art Pavlish, Homer Tompkins, Pete Czaplewski and Val Coe

Minutes – Douglas Butler made a motion to approve the April 9, 2009 minutes. Brenda Dicken seconded the motion; it was voted on and passed.
 

Audit Report – Jason Boignton, Smith-Schafer Associates reviewed the audit report for 2008 Rochester Township and Joint Powers Board financial records.
 

Southport 29thStreet extension - Art Pavolish asked the board if they would consider abandoning the 29th Street extension between Art Pavlish and Pete Czaplewski prior to it being annexed into the City of Rochester and turn the land back to the neighbors that border the property. Jeff Orth suggested we talk to Mike Nigbor, from the City of

Rochester, about their request. Jeff Orth invited them back next month for an update.
 

Homer Tompkins – Douglas Butler presented an agreement worked out between Rochester Township and Homer Tompkins regarding the paving of the balance of Meadow Crossing Road. Lenny Laures suggested if we access $5,000 per lot we would have to demonstrate that $5,000 value was added to the lot. If it were a fee of $5,000, as a condition of the plat the township would not have to prove the added value.

Homer said he was happy with the one half page agreement, but has questions about the proposed 50-page agreement presented by our attorney. Homer mentioned the names on the land were wrong, one is a development company and the other is a landholder. Homer would like to be able to switch collateral, in case, he wanted to develop the land.

Homer would like to change the wording on agreement so if someone would wait to the 49th month and then plot the land, according to the present wording, they would not have to pay the fee of $5,000. It should read, instead, that if they started the platting process they should pay the $5,000.

Homer asked about our timetable on this project. Lenny said we are going to open bids tonight on the design and construction plans and he would see the work done (paving Meadow Crossing Road) in July or August.

Bids for engineering – Gary Swenson and Lenny Laures opened the three quotes and were recorded as follows:

McGhie and Betts, Inc. - Pre-design Survey Work $9,926.00

Pavement Design and draft

Construction Plan $15,891.00

Construction Services $16,085.00

Total - $41,902.00

GGG: Engineering and survey costs for Meadow

Crossing Road $21,547.20

Engineering and survey costs for Old Valley

Road SW $16,360.00

Total - $37,907.20

WHKS & Co. Pre-design Survey Work $25,539.00

Pavement Design and draft

Construction Plan $19,850.00

Total $45,389.00
 

All quotes were read and discussed. No action taken pending legal review of the road cost share agreement.

Burn Permit - Lenny said there was another meeting and we can continue with both the electronic and written permits if we so choose. Lenny said they would not hold us to the three-day limit. The township will make our own permits.
 

Debra Poire unsightly debris - The area is now cleaned up.

Road Tour Review - Gary Swenson read the report.

Deputy Val Coe – Val handed out a couple barking dog ordinances, it was suggested that we adopt this as a temporary change in our ordinance. Brenda Dicken made a motion that we adopt an interim ordinance similar to the wording of Cascades Barking Dog Ordinance. Douglas Butler seconded the motion; it was voted on and passed.

Deputy Val Coe – Val Coe reviewed the monthly township calls.

Junk in Southport - Brenda Dicken had a call from someone in Southport complaining about a neighbor that had a yard and property that wasn’t very clean. She did not think there were any ordinance problems.

Treasurer’s Report: Douglas Butler made a motion to approve the treasurer’s report. Brenda Dicken seconded the motion; it was voted on and passed.

TREASURER's REPORT

RT Claims - Brenda Dicken made a motion to approve the RT claims. DB# 790 thru #802 for $18,886.75

JPB Claims - Brian Mueller made a motion to approve the JPB Claims # 1401 thru 1425 for $12,104.98. Brenda Dicken seconded the motion; it was voted on and passed.

Charter Communications – The Township discussed the franchise fee passed on to customers. Bring it up for next annual meeting.

TCPA - Brenda Dicken reported TCPA discussed the septic contract with Geoff Griffin; there will be new rules on variances. TCPA lost a little money this month. Discussed land spraying under a temporary permit, rather than a conditional use permit as it currently stands. One advantage is that a temporary permit would not pass from owner to owner. The proposed annual cost would be $1,500 per year for the temporary permit.

Lenny Laures - Maintenance Report – They have been working on cleaning up around the salt/sand shed. They are also getting the mowers ready. Lenny is working on getting salt for next season.

Meeting Adjourned at 10:20PM BM motion by Brenda Dicken.  Seconded by Brian Mueller; voted and passed..

Rochester Township - 4111 11th Avenue SW - Rochester, Minnesota 55902 - Tel. (507) 282-6488